Sometimes the right treatment changes everything. For many of our patients at Active Sports Therapy in Hendersonville, TN, that breakthrough comes through shockwave therapy, a non-surgical, evidence-based tool that accelerates recovery and restores strength. This technology has helped countless active adults and athletes heal faster, reduce pain, and get back to doing what they love.
A Personal Story Behind the Passion
I met my wife, Cassie, when we were just fifteen years old in Coach Hendricks’s biology class. From the start, she made me want to be better at everything I did, including how I care for others. A year later, while trying to impress her at a karate tournament, I took a hard punch to the ribs that left me unable to breathe. The injury triggered anxiety and panic that reminded me of my asthma as a kid, and when my doctor told me to simply rest for six weeks, I felt lost.
At the time, my identity revolved around teaching karate and competing. Rest wasn’t an option. My mom decided to take me to a chiropractor, and that visit changed my life. After one adjustment, I could breathe again. I was still sore, but I felt hope. That moment planted the seed for my career, helping people recover fast so they can stay active.
From Chiropractic to Comprehensive Sports Therapy
Over the years, I learned that only a few conditions respond perfectly to adjustments alone. That realization pushed me toward sports medicine and advanced diagnostics, where I could combine chiropractic care with data-driven rehabilitation tools. One of the most powerful of those tools is shockwave therapy, also known as SoftWave therapy, a treatment that uses acoustic waves to stimulate healing, reduce inflammation, and activate cellular regeneration.
At Active Sports Therapy, we’ve spent over sixteen years collecting data to identify which conditions respond best to each treatment type. Some cases improve with adjustments alone, others need exercise and neuromuscular retraining, and certain chronic or stubborn injuries respond best when shockwave therapy is added to the plan. This integrated approach is part of our broader commitment to sports therapy for active adults and athletes.
What Makes Shockwave Therapy So Effective
Shockwave therapy works by sending controlled acoustic energy deep into the tissues. This energy promotes blood flow, breaks down scar tissue, and stimulates the body’s natural repair process. For athletes and active adults, this means faster recovery without relying on medications or injections.
Here’s how we use it clinically:
- Diagnostic clarity: Shockwave helps pinpoint whether pain is coming from a tendon, ligament, bone surface, or joint capsule.
- Tissue stimulation: The acoustic waves activate healing in areas that don’t receive enough blood flow.
- Pain reduction: It can calm chronic irritation, even in conditions that have lasted months or years.
- Performance restoration: Once pain subsides, patients can safely return to high-level movement and training.
Real Case: The “Achilles Pain” That Wasn’t
Just last week, an athlete came to us with what she’d been told was Achilles tendonitis. When we tested her Achilles, it didn’t hurt at all. Instead, her pain came from ankle joint impingement, the bones at the back of her ankle were colliding when she pointed her toes or pushed off the ground. Shockwave therapy helped confirm our diagnosis. When we applied it over the Achilles, there was no tenderness. But when we treated the impinged joint, it reproduced her pain precisely, verifying that the issue was bony rather than tendinous.
The Life-Changing Case That Still Moves Us
One of the most emotional cases we’ve treated involved a woman who found us through another clinic. She’d endured multiple back surgeries and could barely walk. Her surgeon refused to attempt another operation, fearing further complications. At that point, she and her family were losing hope.
We started her on shockwave therapy combined with gentle strengthening. Within just a few weeks, she regained enough strength and mobility to walk again. Around Thanksgiving, she surprised her family by walking into their home on her own, something no one thought was possible. You can watch her story.
Why Shockwave Therapy Will Remain a Core Part of Our Clinic
As a chiropractic physician, I can confidently say that shockwave therapy will remain part of my practice for the rest of my career. It elevates the diagnostic process, helps uncover root causes of pain, and accelerates recovery across a wide range of conditions, without surgery or prolonged downtime.
At Active Sports Therapy, our mission is simple, less pain, more strength, and more of what you love doing.
FAQ
What conditions can shockwave therapy help?
Shockwave therapy treats tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, joint pain, bursitis, muscle strains, and chronic scar tissue buildup.
Is shockwave therapy painful?
Most patients describe it as mildly uncomfortable but short-lived. The intensity can be adjusted for comfort.
How many sessions will I need?
Most patients see improvement in 3 to 6 sessions, depending on the severity and chronicity of the injury.
Can shockwave therapy replace surgery?
In many cases, yes. It is especially helpful for patients who want to avoid injections or surgery.
Is there downtime after treatment?
Minimal. You can often return to light activity the same day, resuming full workouts as healing progresses.
