SoftWave therapy in Yuba City Gentle sound waves for tendons and joints that are slow to heal.
A handheld applicator sends acoustic waves into the injured area. The aim is to bring blood flow back and prompt your body’s own repair in tissue that has stopped healing on its own. Most people feel a light tapping, and there’s no recovery time afterward.
- Short sessions
- 10 to 15 minutes per area, then straight back to your day.
- Nothing invasive
- No needles, no numbing and no medication.
- Best for
- sports injuryjoint painback pain
Is SoftWave right for you?
SoftWave is for pain that has hung around: a tendon, a joint or an old strain that rest, ice and stretching haven’t settled. At your first visit, Dr. Kalay examines the sore area and the joints around it, since elbow or knee pain sometimes starts at the neck, the hip or the foot.
It tends to help when
- 01A tendon or an old sports strain has ached for months, and rest, ice or physical therapy only took the edge off.
- 02Your first steps in the morning bring a sharp pain in the heel that eases as you move. We’ve written up what the research says about shockwave for plantar fasciitis.
- 03Gripping, lifting or turning a doorknob sets off pain at the elbow.
- 04Your knee is stiff in the morning, aches after standing on concrete, or swells after yard work.
- 05Cortisone shots helped for a while, then wore off.
- 06You’ve been told surgery is next and want to try a conservative option first.
Where SoftWave is used, shoulder to heel.
Tendons and ligaments get less blood flow than muscle, which is one reason they’re slow to heal. SoftWave is aimed at exactly that kind of tissue, in the places below.
Shoulder
Rotator cuff irritation, impingement
Common in throwing sports, and after years of physical work.
Elbow
Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow
Few people with tennis elbow play tennis. Gripping tools, lifting and long shifts are the usual cause.
Lower back
Back injuries from physical work
Often paired with adjustments: SoftWave for the soft tissue, the adjustment for how the spine moves.
Hamstring and calf
Pulls and tears
Starting soon after the injury may help the muscle heal with less scar tissue.
Knee
Osteoarthritis, patellar tendonitis, runner’s knee, meniscus wear
The wave is broad rather than pinpoint, so a pass can cover the whole joint, not only the sorest spot.
Heel and Achilles
Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis
SoftWave works on the irritated tissue. If the way your foot lands is behind it, custom orthotics handle that part. Read what the research says about shockwave for plantar fasciitis.
Ankle sprains and wrist injuries are treated too. If your pain is somewhere else, ask: your exam decides whether SoftWave fits.
What a session is like.
Mostly, it feels like a light tapping. Over irritated tissue it turns into a dull ache, and that ache is useful: it shows exactly where the problem is.
Before you come
Dress for easy access.
Short sleeves for an elbow or shoulder, shorts or loose pants for a knee or heel. There’s no fasting or other preparation.
First
Finding the spot.
Gel goes on the skin and the applicator passes over the area. Healthy tissue barely registers. Irritated tissue answers with a dull ache, which shows where to focus.
10–15 minutes
Waves where it hurts.
The applicator works over the spots it found. If it’s too much, say so and the intensity comes down. No needles, no numbing.
Afterward
Straight back to your day.
Drink plenty of water and keep moving gently. Skip ice and anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, which may dampen the response, and save heavy lifting or running for the next day.
Often 6–8 sessions about once a week
Some people feel a change after the first visit or two. The repair SoftWave is meant to prompt builds over the following weeks, so finishing the series matters more than any one session.
A recent strain may need fewer visits and a long-standing knee more. Some people notice mild redness or soreness where they were treated, which fades on its own within a day or two.
Questions about SoftWave therapy
Reviewed by
Dr. Gurj Kalay, DC
Doctor of Chiropractic, Palmer College of Chiropractic West (2014)
General information, not medical advice. Your own exam decides your care.
Is SoftWave covered by insurance?
Usually not. Most insurance plans, Medicare included, treat SoftWave as an elective, self-pay service. Many patients use HSA or FSA funds, and we can provide the paperwork for that. Before care starts, you get a Good Faith Estimate of the full cost.
How is SoftWave different from other shockwave therapy?
Many shockwave devices either focus their energy on a small spot or push a pressure wave in from the skin’s surface, and those can be uncomfortable enough to need numbing. SoftWave uses a broad, unfocused wave, made electrohydraulically, that covers a wider area and is designed to reach deeper. Most people tolerate it without any anesthesia.
Is it the same as ultrasound or a TENS unit?
No. A TENS unit uses a mild electrical current to quiet pain signals for a while, and therapeutic ultrasound mainly warms the tissue. SoftWave uses acoustic waves meant to prompt a repair response in the tissue itself.
Can I have SoftWave if I’ve had surgery or have metal hardware?
Generally, yes. The waves don’t affect plates, pins or screws, and SoftWave is often used on scar tissue and stiffness that linger after an operation. Tell us about any past surgery at your first visit.
Can SoftWave help bone-on-bone knee arthritis?
It can’t regrow cartilage that’s gone. What it may do is calm inflammation around the joint and improve blood flow to the tissue around it, which some people find makes walking easier. Your exam will show whether it’s worth trying.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly. Your first visit includes an exam to decide whether SoftWave suits your condition.
Months of the same ache? Let’s find the spot.
Call or book online. Your first consultation with Dr. Kalay is complimentary, and you’ll leave knowing whether SoftWave suits your injury.
New patient? Send the new patient form and the team will contact you to set up your first visit.
New patient special437 Century Park Dr Ste A · Yuba City, CA