SoftWave Therapy for Sports Injuries in Carrollton, TX
Injured Doesn't Have to Mean Sidelined
Whether you're a competitive athlete, weekend warrior, high-school athlete, runner, golfer, weightlifter or simply someone who refuses to stop being active, an injury can quickly interfere with the things you love doing.
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Knee pain. Shoulder pain. Tendon injuries. Muscle strains. Ankle pain. Hip pain. Overuse injuries.
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At AXE Chiropractic in Carrollton, TX, Dr. Brett Stephens uses SoftWave Therapy and individualized musculoskeletal care to help athletes recover from injuries, improve function and return to activity.
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The Goal Isn't Just to Feel Better.
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It's to Get You Back to Doing What You Love.
Sports Injuries Aren't Just for Professional Athletes
You don't have to play professionally to have an athletic injury.
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We see active people of all ages whose pain started while:
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Playing football, basketball, baseball or soccer
Running or jumping
Lifting weights
Playing golf or pickleball
Training for competition
Participating in youth or high-school sports
Returning to exercise after time away
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Some injuries happen suddenly.
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Others develop gradually from repetitive loading, training volume, inadequate recovery or repeatedly pushing through pain.
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Either way, understanding what tissue is injured and why it continues to hurt is an important part of developing an appropriate treatment plan.
What Is SoftWave Therapy?
SoftWave Therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses therapeutic acoustic waves delivered into targeted tissues.
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These acoustic waves produce mechanical stimulation within the tissue—a process known as mechanotransduction.
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Research into extracorporeal shockwave therapy has investigated biological responses involving cellular signaling, circulation, angiogenesis, inflammatory regulation and tissue-repair processes.
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These effects are one reason shockwave therapy has become an increasingly studied treatment for a number of musculoskeletal and sports-related conditions, particularly chronic tendon problems.
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At AXE Chiropractic, SoftWave Therapy may be combined with mobility, rehabilitation and progressive loading strategies depending on the athlete and injury.
Sports Injuries We Commonly Evaluate
Jumper's Knee / Patellar Tendon Pain
​Pain directly below the kneecap is common in athletes involved in basketball, volleyball, football and other jumping or explosive sports.
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Patellar tendon problems can become especially frustrating when every practice or game repeatedly aggravates the tendon.
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Shoulder & Rotator Cuff Pain
Throwing, pressing, lifting, swimming and repetitive overhead activity can place substantial demands on the shoulder.
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Rotator cuff tendinopathy and other shoulder problems can cause pain with throwing, reaching, pressing and sleeping on the affected shoulder.
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[ LEARN ABOUT SHOULDER PAIN → ]
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Tennis & Golfer's Elbow
You don't have to play tennis or golf to develop elbow tendon pain.
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Weightlifting, baseball, racquet sports and repetitive gripping can overload the tendons around the elbow.
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[ LEARN ABOUT TENNIS ELBOW → ]
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Achilles Tendon Pain
Running, sprinting and jumping place enormous demands on the Achilles tendon.
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Achilles tendinopathy can cause morning stiffness, tenderness and pain during or after activity.
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Plantar Fascia & Heel Pain
Heel pain can make every step uncomfortable and can dramatically affect running, jumping and training.
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Extracorporeal shockwave therapy has been extensively investigated for persistent plantar heel pain.
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[ LEARN ABOUT PLANTAR FASCIITIS → ]
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Hip & Gluteal Tendon Pain
Running, cutting, jumping and strength training can place substantial stress on the muscles and tendons surrounding the hip.
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Persistent lateral hip pain can involve the gluteal tendons and greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
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Muscle & Soft-Tissue Injuries
Sports can produce strains and other injuries involving muscles, fascia and surrounding soft tissues.
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Treatment depends on the tissue involved, severity of injury and stage of recovery.
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Why Do Some Sports Injuries Keep Coming Back?
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Pain Going Away Doesn't Always Mean You're Ready to Play.
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An injured tissue has to tolerate load.
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A basketball player's patellar tendon has to tolerate jumping.
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A runner's Achilles has to tolerate thousands of repeated loading cycles.
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A pitcher's shoulder has to tolerate high-speed throwing.
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A golfer's elbow has to tolerate repetitive gripping and rotation.
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If symptoms improve but the athlete returns to the same demands before the tissue has regained sufficient capacity, pain may return.
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That's why sports injury care shouldn't focus only on making something hurt less.
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The Goal Is to Restore the Athlete's Ability to Handle the Demands of Their Sport.
SoftWave Therapy + Progressive Loading
For many tendon-related sports injuries, the best strategy isn't simply:
REST → WAIT → HOPE
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Rest can reduce symptoms, but chronic tendon problems often require a gradual return to appropriate loading.
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Depending on the injury, Dr. Stephens may incorporate or recommend:
SoftWave Therapy
Mobility work
Progressive tendon loading
Strengthening
Activity modification
Biomechanical evaluation
Gradual return to sport
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SoftWave Is a Tool. Movement Is Part of the Plan.
The objective is to combine treatment with the appropriate amount of movement and loading for the athlete's stage of recovery.
Special Focus: Youth & High-School Athletes
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Growing athletes can develop musculoskeletal problems related to rapid growth, repetitive training, high sports volume and repeated jumping, sprinting or throwing.
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Common problems include:
Patellar tendon pain / jumper's knee
Anterior knee pain
Heel pain
Achilles pain
Shoulder and throwing-related pain
Muscle and tendon overuse injuries
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Young athletes aren't simply smaller adults.
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Growth plates and skeletal maturity matter, and treatment decisions should account for the athlete's age, stage of development, sport and diagnosis.
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When necessary, imaging or referral to an orthopedic or sports-medicine provider may be appropriate before treatment.
Our Goal Isn't Just Getting Them Through the Next Game.
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It's Helping Them Stay Healthy Enough to Play the Next Season.
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What Does the Research Say About Shockwave Therapy for Sports Injuries?
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Extracorporeal shockwave therapy has become an important area of research in sports medicine, particularly for chronic tendinopathies and overuse conditions.
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Clinical research has investigated ESWT for conditions including:
Patellar tendinopathy
Achilles tendinopathy
Plantar fasciopathy
Lateral elbow tendinopathy
Rotator cuff tendinopathy
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome / gluteal tendinopathy
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Research suggests shockwave therapy can improve pain and function in selected musculoskeletal conditions, although outcomes vary depending on the injury, protocol and individual patient.
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That's an important distinction.
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SoftWave isn't a treatment for every sports injury.
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A complete tendon rupture, unstable fracture, significant ligament injury or other serious injury may require imaging or evaluation by another healthcare professional.
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The first step is figuring out what you're actually dealing with.
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Why Athletes Choose AXE Chiropractic
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Your Treatment Is Performed by the Doctor
SoftWave treatments at AXE Chiropractic are performed personally by Dr. Brett Stephens, D.C. rather than being handed off to a technician.
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Sports & Musculoskeletal Focus
Treatment focuses on the muscles, tendons, joints and movement patterns that affect athletic performance.
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Advanced SoftWave Technology
AXE Chiropractic uses SoftWave TRT technology to deliver therapeutic acoustic waves to targeted tissues.
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We Treat More Than the Painful Spot
Where you hurt matters.
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But so does why that tissue keeps becoming overloaded.
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Individualized Treatment
A 16-year-old basketball player with patellar tendon pain shouldn't automatically receive the same plan as a 45-year-old runner with Achilles pain.
Treatment recommendations are based on the athlete, injury and activity demands.
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REAL RELIEF. REAL RESULTS.
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Your Sports Injury Visit
1. Consultation
Tell Dr. Stephens what happened, where you're hurting, what sport you play and what movements aggravate the injury.
2. Evaluation
Dr. Stephens evaluates the painful area, movement and relevant surrounding tissues.
3. SoftWave Treatment
When clinically appropriate, your first SoftWave treatment can be performed during the visit.
4. Recovery Plan
You'll receive recommendations based on the injury and your goals.
5. Return to Activity
The objective is to progressively restore your ability to train, practice and compete.
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Stop Starting Over.
You rest.
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It starts feeling better.
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You practice again.
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It hurts again.
​You rest another week.
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It improves.
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You play again.
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And you're right back where you started.
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For many overuse injuries, repeatedly bouncing between pain → rest → activity → pain isn't a long-term strategy.
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Let's Find Out Why It Keeps Coming Back.
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If a sports injury is keeping you or your athlete from training and competing, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Brett Stephens.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Injuries & SoftWave Therapy
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What sports injuries can SoftWave Therapy help?
Shockwave therapy has been studied most extensively for several chronic musculoskeletal conditions, particularly tendinopathies such as Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff and lateral elbow tendinopathy, as well as plantar heel pain. Whether SoftWave is appropriate depends on the specific injury.
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Can athletes continue practicing during treatment?
Sometimes. Complete rest isn't necessary for every injury. Activity may instead need to be temporarily modified based on symptoms, tissue involved and injury severity.
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Can SoftWave Therapy treat a torn ligament or tendon?
The answer depends on the injury. SoftWave should not be described as mechanically reconnecting a completely ruptured tendon or ligament. Significant tears require appropriate evaluation, and some injuries require orthopedic management.
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Is SoftWave Therapy appropriate for young athletes?
Treatment of adolescents requires additional consideration of age, diagnosis and skeletal maturity. Dr. Stephens evaluates each young athlete individually and refers for imaging or additional medical evaluation when appropriate.
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Do I need to stop playing sports?
Not necessarily. The goal is to determine how much activity the injured tissue can currently tolerate and progressively return the athlete to greater demands when appropriate.
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How many SoftWave treatments will I need?
There isn't one protocol appropriate for every sports injury. Treatment recommendations depend on the condition, severity, duration and individual response.
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Sports Injury Treatment in Carrollton, TX
Whether you're trying to get back to the field, court, gym, track, golf course or everyday activity, don't let a nagging injury become your new normal.
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Find out whether SoftWave Therapy at AXE Chiropractic may be an appropriate part of your recovery.