CurrentPT, Physical therapist
Shockwave therapy
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At a glance
- DC, ChiropractorChiropractorVaries by stateChiropractic acts do not name shockwave therapy; some boards treat it as chiropractic physiotherapy, while at least one state's law excludes treatments that apply sound.
- PT, Physical therapistPhysical therapistVaries by statePhysical therapy acts do not name shockwave therapy, so it depends on the state board's reading; APTA's 2023 heel pain guideline treated it as outside US physical therapist practice, while APTA's practice advisory tells physical therapists to check their state's rules before using it.
- PTA, Physical therapist assistantPhysical therapist assistantNot yet covered
- OT, Occupational therapistOccupational therapistVaries by stateOccupational therapy acts and AOTA's modalities statement do not name shockwave therapy, so OT use depends on how the state board reads its physical agent rules.
- OTA, Occupational therapy assistantOccupational therapy assistantNot yet covered
- AT, Athletic trainerAthletic trainerVaries by stateAthletic training acts name sound and mechanical modalities but not shockwave therapy, so its use depends on the state board's reading and physician direction.
- LMT, Massage therapistMassage therapistNot typicalMassage laws limit devices to those that mimic the hands or exclude medically classified devices and sound-based modalities, so shockwave therapy is not typically within massage practice.
- CSCS, Strength and conditioning specialistStrength and conditioning specialistNot yet covered
- CPT, Personal trainerPersonal trainerNot yet covered
What it is
A handheld device sends strong pulses of sound energy into a painful area, most often for heel pain, tennis elbow, shoulder tendon problems and Achilles pain. It grew out of the technique used to break up kidney stones.
Names across professions
| Profession | Term in practice acts | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Across professions | Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) | The usual clinical term |
| Across professions | Radial pressure wave therapy | The radial device family, sometimes called radial shockwave |
| Across professions | Focused shockwave | Devices that concentrate energy at a depth |
What the bodies say
Check your state
Find your licensing board
Get licensed links to the board for each profession in each state, so you can read its rules or ask it directly.
Go to Get licensedState-by-state detail
This topic varies enough between states to warrant a state table, with the statute and board for each cell.
Research
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