Shockwave Therapy for Pain & Injury Recovery

If you’ve been dealing with tendon pain, plantar fasciitis, or that nagging shoulder or hip issue that just won’t go away, you know how draining it can be. You rest, stretch, ice, maybe even take medications or get injections—and yet the pain lingers. At Mobilize Physical Therapy in Seattle, we offer shockwave therapy (extracorporeal shockwave therapy, or ESWT) as part of our hands-on, evidence-based care. It’s a non-invasive way to jump-start the healing process and help you move forward again.

How Shockwave Therapy Works

Shockwave therapy isn’t electrical—it’s acoustic. The treatment sends sound waves deep into your tissues, where they stimulate blood flow, encourage collagen production, and calm down the chemical messengers that drive inflammation. These waves can also “remind” your body that an area needs healing, almost like hitting the reset button on a stubborn injury that has stopped responding to rest.

Many people notice less pain soon after treatment, while longer-term benefits build as your tissue starts to repair and remodel.

Conditions Shockwave Therapy Can Help

We often recommend shockwave therapy when other conservative treatments haven’t been enough. Research shows it can be especially helpful for:

• Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
• Achilles tendinopathy (mid-portion and insertional)
• Rotator cuff tendonitis and other shoulder injuries
• Hip bursitis and greater trochanteric pain syndrome
• Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
• Patellar tendonitis and knee pain
• Shin splints, hamstring, or calf strains

If you’ve been sidelined from running, lifting, or even just walking comfortably, shockwave therapy may help you return to your normal activities faster and with less reliance on medication or injections.

Benefits Beyond Pain Relief

One of the biggest advantages of shockwave therapy is that it allows you to keep moving. Instead of putting life on hold, we can often progress your rehab while the therapy is working in the background to speed up healing. Patients choose shockwave therapy because it can:

• Shorten recovery time compared to standard rest and exercise alone
• Help you return to sports, training, or daily activities sooner
• Provide a non-surgical alternative to injections or other invasive options

What to Expect From a Shockwave Therapy Session

We’ll start by talking through your history and making sure this treatment is right for you. During the session, you’ll feel pulses of pressure against the targeted area. Some people describe it as uncomfortable, but not painful. We’ll check in constantly and adjust the settings so it stays at a therapeutic—but tolerable—level.

After treatment, it’s normal to feel a little sore, similar to what you’d feel after a hard workout. That soreness usually fades within a couple of days. Often, people notice they already feel some relief right after their first session.

For best results, we recommend avoiding strenuous workouts for a day or two and holding off on anti-inflammatory medications (like NSAIDs or aspirin), since those can interfere with the healing response we’re trying to stimulate.

Why Choose Mobilize Physical Therapy in Seattle and Mountlake Terrace

At Mobilize PT, shockwave therapy isn’t a standalone service—it’s part of a complete, individualized plan. You’ll always work one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, not an aide or assistant. We combine treatments like shockwave with hands-on manual therapy, movement retraining, and targeted exercise programs to make sure you’re not only healing, but also building strength and resilience to prevent the pain from coming back.

Ready to Move Forward?

If pain has been holding you back, and you’re curious whether shockwave therapy in Seattle is right for you, we’d love to help. Let’s talk about your goals, your injury history, and whether this treatment fits your plan.

Schedule an appointment today and take the next step toward moving better, feeling stronger, and getting back to the activities you love.