Direct answer: Radial shockwave therapy (radial ESWT) delivers pressure waves that start at the applicator and spread out as they travel, so it treats a broader, shallower area: fascia, muscle bellies, and the surface of a tendon. At Novo Soft Tissue it is typically delivered during a standard follow-up visit of about 10–15 minutes, in a plan of 4–6 weekly sessions.
Radial pressure waves are strongest at the skin and weaken with depth, which suits tissue near the surface. Focused shockwaves concentrate their peak pressure at a chosen depth for a small, deep target. Novo uses a Storz Orthopulse Ultra 100 for radial shockwave and a Storz Duolith SD1 T-Top Ultra for focused, and the exam decides which one belongs. See the quick comparison of focused and radial shockwave or the focused shockwave page.
Radial energy is used on scar and fibrosis as well as tendinopathy. It fits pain that comes from a broad layer rather than one point, for example:
A typical plan is 4–6 sessions, one week apart. It is often combined with manual adhesion release in the same visit.
We screen for these at your exam. Any of them can rule shockwave out or change where and how it is used:
Anything else in your history is reviewed at the exam before treatment starts.
We ask patients to avoid anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen for a few days after a shockwave session. If an anti-inflammatory is prescribed to you, talk with the prescribing doctor before changing it.
Added to standard rehab, radial ESWT has improved pain and motion in fibrosis after back surgery. In 2026, a randomized trial in lateral epicondylitis (Journal of Orthopaedic Science) found radial ESWT plus exercise reduced pain more than exercise alone at 6 and 12 weeks. A 2026 randomized trial in degenerative rotator cuff tendinopathy with partial-thickness tearing (Wang et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine) found radial ESWT improved ASES scores more than multimodal physical therapy.
Sources: Tan & Güngör, Journal of Orthopaedic Science, 2026 · Wang et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2026
Radial shockwave is typically delivered during a standard follow-up visit. Current prices are on the pricing page.
New patients start with a comprehensive exam; no treatment is performed on the first visit. Book a new-patient exam or call 720.502.6468.
No. Radial pressure waves are strongest at the skin and spread out, which suits broad, shallow tissue such as fascia and muscle. Focused shockwaves concentrate at a chosen depth for a small, deep target. The exam decides which one fits.
Radial shockwave is typically part of a standard follow-up visit of about 10-15 minutes.
A typical plan is 4-6 sessions, one week apart. The exact number depends on your diagnosis.
Radial shockwave is typically delivered during a standard follow-up visit. Current prices are on the pricing page.
We ask patients to avoid anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen for a few days after a session. If an anti-inflammatory is prescribed to you, talk with the prescribing doctor before changing it.