SoftWave

Techniques

A gentle shock to wake up your healing system

SoftWave therapy uses supersonic sound waves (true unfocused electrohydraulic shockwaves) to nudge your body into repair mode.

Rather than using surgery, drugs or needles, SoftWave acts like a smart signal to your own biology. At Azure Sky Chiropractic, we use this technique to help people move with less pain, recover from stubborn injuries, and get back to the life they actually want to live—not the one dictated by flare-ups and chronic tension.

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SoftWave therapy uses supersonic sound waves (true unfocused electrohydraulic shockwaves) to nudge your body into repair mode.

Rather than using surgery, drugs or needles, SoftWave acts like a smart signal to your own biology. At Azure Sky Chiropractic, we use this technique to help people move with less pain, recover from stubborn injuries, and get back to the life they actually want to live—not the one dictated by flare-ups and chronic tension.

What is SoftWave?

ShockWave therapy has been around since the 1980s, when it was first used in hospitals as lithotripsy to break up kidney stones. Over time, researchers noticed something interesting: these sound waves didn't just break things down, they also stimulated tissue repair.*

From that discovery came lower-intensity, regenerative versions of the same technology, now called extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). Clinical research has shown ESWT can reduce pain and improve function in conditions like plantar fasciitis and tendinopathies.†

SoftWave is a specific, advanced form of ESWT that:

  • Uses unfocused, electrohydraulic “true” shockwaves
  • Creates a broad, deep treatment zone instead of one tiny focal point *
  • Is designed to stimulate healing without damaging tissue

Rather than blasting one spot, we're inviting a whole region to repair, remodel, and wake up.

How does SoftWave work?

SoftWave is like a fire alarm for your healing system—in a good way.

When we apply SoftWave over an area, those sound waves:

  • Increase local blood flow
  • Recruit and activate stem cells and growth factors
  • Signal your immune system and connective tissue to remodel *
  • Interrupt pain signals and calm inflammation

Your body interprets this as a controlled “micro-injury” signal, even if you already have a chronic, long-standing injury there. That signal says:

“This area still needs help. Send resources.”

Instead of endlessly compensating around old injuries, your system gets a clear prompt to remodel and repair.

What can SoftWave help with?

SoftWave is used in sports medicine, orthopedics, and regenerative clinics around the world to support healing in muscles, tendons, ligaments, bone, and fascia.*

In our clinic, we commonly use it to help manage pain and support healing in:

  • Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
  • Achilles tendinopathy
  • Knee pain (including overuse and early arthritis)
  • Hip and hamstring pain
  • Shin splints and stress-type injuries
  • Rotator cuff and shoulder pain
  • Tennis elbow / golfer’s elbow
  • Wrist and hand injuries
  • Back pain and chronic myofascial tension
  • Scar tissue and adhesions (including post-surgical)
  • other stubborn musculoskeletal issues that haven’t responded well to “rest and ibuprofen” or the usual round of PT.

Important note: We don’t claim SoftWave “cures” every condition. It’s a excellent tool, but we still assess your body and your history, to advise what’s realistic.

What does a SoftWave session feel like?

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Most people describe SoftWave as:

  • Tingly, thumpy, or “deep buzzing”
  • Sometimes mildly uncomfortable in the most inflamed or injured spots
  • Overall very tolerable, and adjustable: you’re in charge of the intensity

A typical session at Azure Sky looks like this:

  1. Conversation & assessment
    We talk through what’s going on, palpate the area, and check how you move.
  2. Gel + wand
    We apply a small amount of gel and glide the SoftWave applicator over the region we’re targeting.
  3. “Finding the hotspots”
    The most irritated tissues often “light up” with a sharper sensation—that’s usually where your body most needs help.
  4. Treatment passes
    We deliver a specific number of pulses (sound waves), adjusting the intensity to keep you within your comfort window.
  5. Re-check
    We often see immediate changes in pain, tension, or range of motion. This is sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic.

You can usually go right back to regular life after a session. We advise you to ease-up on intense workouts for 24–48 hours so the healing response can settle in. Aside from that there's no downtime or special recovery protocol.

Is SoftWave safe?

SoftWave/ESWT has been studied for decades and is widely used across the world as a non-invasive, low-risk option for many musculoskeletal conditions.†

That said, there are situations where we may modify or avoid treatment, such as:

  • Over open wounds or active infections
  • Directly over tumors
  • In certain pregnancy-related areas
  • Over growth plates in young children
  • With some implanted devices

We’ll review your history and make sure this is an appropriate choice before we begin.

How many sessions will I need?

Many people notice meaningful changes within 3–6 sessions, especially for issues like plantar fasciitis and tendinopathies.† 

The number of sessions you need will depend on:

  • How long this has been going on
  • How severe the tissue damage is
  • Your overall health, sleep, stress, and nutrition
  • Whether you’re also getting chiropractic, NET, bodywork, or doing home care

We’ll be honest with you about what we see, and we’ll track progress in ways you can feel and measure (pain levels, function, range of motion, and the things you actually want to do in daily life).

Is SoftWave right for me?

SoftWave might be a good fit if:

  • You’ve tried chiropractic, PT, massage, or injections and still have pain
  • Your pain keeps you from walking, working, sleeping, or doing what you love
  • You’re trying to avoid surgery, or not quite ready for it
  • You want something evidence-informed and non-invasive that works with your body, not against it

If you’re not sure, that’s okay. Part of our job is to help you decide whether SoftWave belongs in your treatment plan, or whether something else comes first.

Why SoftWave at Azure Sky?

SoftWave is powerful on its own, but at Azure Sky, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s woven into whole-person care.

We may combine SoftWave with:

And we do it all in an environment that is:

  • Neurodiversity-savvy
  • Trauma-informed
  • LGBTQIA+ friendly

You’re allowed to have a complex history, a sensitive system, and big feelings about being in a medical office. We get it. We design care around you, not just your diagnosis.

Ready to explore SoftWave at Azure Sky?

If you’re curious whether SoftWave could help you:
Book an appointment and choose your practitioner, or contact us with a few details and we’ll help you sort out next steps

Neurodiversity-Savvy, Trauma-Informed, LGBTQIA+friendly

Make an appointment today