When SoftWave™ is applied correctly, the shockwaves initiate a cascade of biological responses:

Pain and Inflammation Reduction: Shockwave therapy has been shown to have a direct analgesic effect, reducing pain by stimulating nerve endings. It also decreases inflammation and soft tissue calcifications.

Enhanced Blood Flow: Shockwaves promote the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), improving blood circulation in the treated area. This increased blood flow brings essential nutrients and oxygen, crucial for tissue healing and regeneration.

Stimulating Cellular Repair: The mechanical stress induced by shockwaves triggers cellular responses, including increased collagen synthesis, leading to the release of growth factors and the stimulation of stem cells. This process accelerates tissue repair and regeneration.

Please be sure to do your homework when reviewing shockwave device options. Many shockwave devices stimulate microtrauma, while SoftWave is an electrohydraulic device that uses broadfocus energy waves to reach wider and deeper without microtrauma.

At O2 we’ve found SoftWave™ to be highly beneficial for a wide range of musculoskeletal and soft-tissue issues, including:

• Chronic tendon conditions (such as Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff tendinopathy)

• Plantar fasciitis and other heel/foot-pain syndromes

• Persistent joint discomfort (hip, knee, shoulder) that has resisted standard therapies

• Muscle strains, ligament sprains, fascial restrictions that haven’t responded fully to traditional approaches

• Recovery adjunct after chiropractic, massage or Pilates work — to amplify healing and functional gains

In many cases patients at the original clinic reported improvements after the very first session.At O2, our approach is:

• A typical series might run from 8 to 10 sessions, spaced over a few weeks — though we’ll individualize your plan based on your tissue response, healing speed and goal.
  

• Many clients notice decreased pain, improved mobility, and quicker return to activity compared to standard rest/therapy alone.
  

• Results vary based on age, tissue quality, chronicity of injury, and how fully you engage in the recovery process (movement, nutrition, lifestyle).
  

• Because SoftWave™ is part of a broader recovery ecosystem at O2, we integrate it with your Pilates, chiropractic, acupuncture or rehab exercises for best outcomes.

SoftWave™ is generally very safe when applied by trained professionals (like our team at O2). Side-effects are typically minimal:

• You may feel a tapping or pulsing sensation during treatment.

• Transientredness, slight soreness at the treated area may occur — usually going away within 24-48 hours.

  Contraindications include: active infection or open wound in the treatment area; recent corticosteroid injection into that region; pregnant women (in some cases); blood clotting disorders or use of anti-coagulants (check with us).
  

Now let’s get a little deeper and cover some of the specifics of what it does.

• Shockwaves are an acoustic impulse, so a type of sound wave. Started by a spark that creates the wave, which travels through the water to your body. But it has a hydraulic effect so is felt like a repeated tapping with each shockwave.

• This creates a shearing force on a cellular level that helps break up scar tissue and remove oxidative stresses that have built up around the cell membrane. This tricks the body into thinking there is a new injury without damaging the tissue, but helps activate an innate healing response on a cellular level. It also decreases inflammation and pain at the treatment site.

• The waves hit your cells and cause them to release signals called exosomes. These cell-to-cell communicators will trigger parts of your body (like bones and fat) to send stem cells directly to the area.

• A single stem cell can become whatever type of cell the body decides – so a new muscle cell, or bone, or nerve, and so on. As these new stem cells build up in the area it can become new muscle tissue, or bone tissue, nerve tissue, etc. So instead of temporary pain relief, like with some injections or medications, this can build up new tissue and create long term healing for the area.

• The best part is that research suggests this treatment stimulates your OWN STEM CELLS within 45 minutes of this treatment. Stem cells are the repairmen of the body. This helps attract other helper cells and reset the body naturally. These repair and helper cells are signaled to come out over the next few weeks and start the healing process to the damaged tissue.