Types of Shockwave Therapy: What’s the Difference and Which Is Right for You?

We often get asked about the different types of shockwave therapy. 

So we’ve put this together to clearly explain the different shockwave options, helping you make the best decision for your care.

There are a few types of shockwave therapy you may hear about:

• Focused shockwave (like StemWave) targets a single deep point with very concentrated energy

• Unfocused SoftWave (like SoftWave) spreads energy more broadly but still penetrates deeper tissues

• Radial shockwave (what we use at Spine Align) treats the entire area—muscle, tendon, and surrounding tissue in a more controlled, surface-to-mid depth approach

Just to clarify, StemWave and SoftWave are brand names, not entirely unique treatments. They are different forms of shockwave technology, and there are multiple systems available across the industry that can be effective.

At Spine Align, we use radial shockwave through Shockwave Centers of America, which utilizes high-quality German-engineered technology assembled in the U.S. It has a strong clinical reputation and is a well-established, reliable system—not a low-quality or off-brand device.

Most conditions actually involve more than just one “spot,” so treating the whole region often works just as well, and sometimes better, because it addresses the full cause of the problem—not just one point of pain.

While focused and unfocused treatments can reach deeper tissues, the type we use still reaches the necessary depth for most musculoskeletal conditions and treats a broader functional area. It may take a few more sessions, but it’s typically more comprehensive and more cost-effective overall.

You may hear some providers strongly recommend focused or unfocused treatments. In some cases, those approaches are packaged into much higher-cost treatment plans, even though multiple types of shockwave—including radial—can produce excellent results depending on the condition.

Another important difference is safety. Focused and unfocused technologies penetrate deeper into the body, which means there are more precautions and contraindications to consider, especially around areas like the lungs, major vessels, and near the spine.

Because of this, those technologies are typically not used over certain regions, even though those are common areas of pain in chiropractic care (like the neck, upper back, and ribcage).

The approach we use allows for effective treatment of these areas while maintaining a strong safety profile.

Bottom line: all types of shockwave can be effective, but the approach used at Spine Align is designed to treat the whole problem—not just a single point—while remaining effective, safe, and more cost-conscious.

I hope this answers any questions you may have regarding the different shockwaves.  Please feel to contact us to make an appointment or use this link to choose an appointment: https://spinealignchiropractic.info/thank-you