Ponsonby · ACC registered physiotherapy
Shockwave Therapy in Ponsonby, Auckland
Pain that won't shift? Shockwave therapy gives your body what it needs to heal. Usually 4 to 8 sessions. Most patients feel a difference after the first.
No
Injections or surgery
ACC
Registered provider
4–8
Sessions typically needed
No
Referral required
What we treat
Is this you?
Shockwave is most effective for stubborn injuries: the kind of pain that's been hanging around for weeks or months and hasn't settled with other treatment. It is also good when time matters, such as when you need to get back to your sport or away on a trip. Shockwave can speed up healing, alongside your physiotherapy.
Achilles pain that won't heal
That morning stiffness at the back of the heel: it eases once you warm up, then flares again after a run or a long walk. The pattern of rest-recover-retrigger is the giveaway. Shockwave stimulates the tendon to repair rather than just settle, which makes it possible to load the tendon properly. Loading is what makes the result last.
Read more →Plantar fasciitis
The sharp sting under the heel on those first steps out of bed. Common in nurses, hospo and retail workers, and runners. Shockwave stimulates the plantar fascia to repair at the heel attachment (the area that bears the load) so you can strengthen it without it constantly flaring.
Read more →Tennis elbow
Pain on the outside of the elbow from gripping. Tradies, desk workers, gardeners, new parents: most of our patients have never held a racquet. Shockwave reduces the pain quickly enough to start the loading programme that actually rebuilds the tendon. Rest alone won't fix it.
Read more →Golfer's elbow
Pain on the inside of the elbow from bending the wrist and gripping. Common in builders, plumbers, and anyone doing repetitive forearm work. Tennis elbow's less-famous cousin, same mechanism, opposite side. Responds well to shockwave for the same reason: the tendon needs stimulation to repair, not just rest.
Read more →Trigger points
Tight, aching knots in the neck, upper back or shoulders that refer pain to another area, including headaches that seem to originate in the neck. Shockwave breaks down the contracted muscle tissue and restores blood flow mechanically. For trigger points that have been there a long time, it tends to work faster and last longer than massage.
Read more →Rotator cuff strain
Persistent shoulder pain that is worst at night and limits overhead movement. Common in builders, painters, swimmers and gym-goers. Shockwave is particularly effective here. For calcific tendinopathy (calcium deposits in the tendon that cause intense pain) it is one of the best treatments available.
Read more →Hamstring pain
Two patterns: a recurring hamstring strain that keeps tearing in the same spot, or the deep ache near the sit bone that worsens when sitting. Both are frustrating because stretching doesn't fix either. Shockwave stimulates repair in the hamstring tendon where blood supply is poor, the part that rest alone can't reach.
Read more →Shin pain
Shin pain that comes back every time you build your running. The inside of the shin is tender to touch; it eases with rest and returns the moment training volume picks up. Shockwave can restart the healing process in chronic shin pain alongside a graded return-to-run programme to address the cause.
Read more →Shoulder and hip bursitis
A deep, burning pain in the outer shoulder or outer hip, often worse lying on that side at night. Cortisone injections bring it down short-term, but the pain often comes back. Shockwave reduces the inflammation and stimulates repair around the bursa and the adjacent tendon. Combined with rehab, the result is more durable.
Read more →How to decide
Is shockwave right for your injury?
Shockwave works well when:
- ✓ Your pain has been there for six weeks or more and hasn't settled with rest, physio or medication
- ✓ It's a tendon, fascia or muscle problem rather than a fracture or acute tear
- ✓ You want a non-invasive option before considering injections or surgery
- ✓ You're time-pressed: sessions are short and you can keep your normal routine
We won't use it if:
- ✗ You are pregnant
- ✗ You are on blood-thinning medication
- ✗ You have had a steroid injection at the same site in the past six weeks
- ✗ There is an active infection or open wound at the treatment site
Not sure? Book an initial assessment. We assess your injury in the same session and only use shockwave if it is the right fit.
How it works
What is shockwave therapy?
Shockwave uses focused sound waves to wake up your body's own healing response in the injured area. The pulses do four things at once:
- 1 Stimulate new blood vessel growth in the injured area
- 2 Encourage tissue repair at a cellular level
- 3 Reduce inflammation around the injury site
- 4 Mobilise stem cells to aid recovery
Why patients choose it
Built to get you back to what you love.
- Works where other treatments haven't
- Shockwave is designed for stubborn injuries. If rest, stretching and standard physio haven't shifted it, this is often what does.
- No needles, no surgery, no medication
- Sound waves trigger your body's own healing response. Non-invasive means low risk and no recovery time.
- Short sessions, no downtime
- Most sessions are under 15 minutes. You can keep your normal routine between appointments.
- No referral needed
- Book directly. We'll assess whether shockwave is right for you in the same session.
Fees
What it costs
Shockwave is included in your physiotherapy appointment, with one simple fee. Your first appointment is 40 minutes; for a course of treatment, a 4-session concession pack keeps the per-session cost down.
| Appointment + Shockwave | Price |
|---|---|
| Initial ACC appointment (40 min) | $147 |
| Initial private appointment (40 min) | $204 |
| 4-session concession pack ACC (30 min appointments) | $480 |
| 4-session concession pack Private (30 min appointments) | $616 |
If your problem is an ACC injury, ACC part-funds your appointment and we lodge the claim for you. Follow-up appointments are typically shorter. Private health insurance often covers physiotherapy.
FAQs
Common questions
Do I need a referral for shockwave therapy? +
How many treatments will I need? +
Is it painful? +
Does ACC cover shockwave? +
How is shockwave different from other treatments? +
Your team
You're in good hands
Our clinic is multi-disciplinary: physiotherapists, acupuncturists and Pilates instructors working together. That means we can find the right combination for your body, not just the one thing we happen to do.
We treat Ponsonby and Auckland from our clinic on Ponsonby Road. ACC registered. No referral needed.
Book your assessment
We'll assess your injury and start treatment in the same session if shockwave's the right fit.
Not sure if it's right for you?
Send us a quick message
Tell us what's going on. We'll come back to you with whether shockwave is likely to help.
Visit us
Our Ponsonby clinic
Return To Form Physio
179A Ponsonby Road
Ponsonby, Auckland 1011
Entry on Franklin Road
ACC registered · Multi-disciplinary team · Ponsonby clinic