Shockwave Therapy in Surrey: What It Treats and What to Expect

Some tendon problems shrug off rest, stretching and even months of patience. Shockwave therapy exists for exactly those stubborn cases — here's how it works and whether it might fit yours.

What shockwave therapy is

Despite the name, there's no electricity involved. Shockwave therapy delivers acoustic pressure waves into injured tissue through a handheld applicator. Those waves stimulate circulation and the body's natural repair response in tissue that has stalled in a chronic, under-healing state — which is why it's most useful for long-standing tendon issues rather than fresh injuries.

Conditions with the best evidence

• Plantar fasciitis — stubborn heel pain, especially first steps in the morning
• Tennis and golfer's elbow — chronic tendon pain on the outside or inside of the elbow
• Achilles and patellar tendinopathy — the runner's and jumper's classics
• Calcific shoulder tendinopathy — calcium deposits in the rotator cuff
• Shin splints that haven't settled with load management

What a session feels like

Your physiotherapist locates the target tissue, applies gel, and delivers the pulses for a few minutes. It's noisy and it can be uncomfortable over the sore spot — most people describe it as intense but very tolerable, and sessions are short. Mild soreness afterward for a day or two is normal.

How many sessions?

A typical course is 3–6 sessions, about a week apart, alongside a loading program — the exercise part matters, because shockwave kick-starts healing and progressive loading finishes the job. Many people notice change within a few sessions, with improvement continuing for weeks after the course ends.

Is it right for you?

Shockwave isn't for every case — fresh injuries, certain medications and some health conditions call for other approaches. That's why it's delivered here as part of a physiotherapy assessment and plan, not a standalone gadget session. If your case fits, we'll tell you; if something else will serve you better, we'll tell you that too.