SoftWave Therapy for Knee Pain: What to Expect in Your First Visit

Knee pain can change everything — how you walk, how you work, how you sleep, and how you participate in everyday life. At Family Care Chiropractic in Lancaster, Wisconsin, we see knee pain every single day, and SoftWave Therapy has become one of our most effective, non-invasive solutions.

If you're considering SoftWave (also known as unfocused extracorporeal shockwave therapy) for your knee pain, here’s exactly what to expect during your first visit.

What Is SoftWave Therapy?

SoftWave Therapy uses patented unfocused shockwaves to:

• Increase blood flow

• Stimulate tissue regeneration

• Reduce inflammation

• Break up scar tissue

• Wake up dormant stem cells

The technology is FDA-cleared and used by professional sports teams, orthopedic clinics, and regenerative medicine providers across the country. At Family Care Chiropractic, we use SoftWave to help patients with:

• Arthritis-related knee pain

• Meniscus irritation or degeneration

• Tendonitis (patellar or quadriceps tendon)

• Runner’s knee

• Old sports injuries

• Bursitis

• Knee stiffness after surgery or trauma

SoftWave is especially beneficial for people who want to avoid injections, medications, or surgery whenever possible.

Your First SoftWave Therapy Visit: Step-by-Step

1. A Focused Evaluation

We begin by discussing your symptoms, your health history, and what activities or movements trigger your knee pain.We’ll perform a short orthopedic evaluation to check:

• Joint motion

• Tender points

• Muscle involvement

• Stability and pattern of pain

This helps us understand exactly where SoftWave will be most effective.

2. The Mapping Process: Where the Magic Happens

This is one of the most impressive parts of SoftWave Therapy.

The SoftWave wand emits gentle acoustic waves that help locate areas of damaged or inflamed tissue. As we glide the wand over your knee:

• Healthy tissue feels like very mild tapping.

• Damaged or inflamed tissue creates a brief, sharper sensation.

• These “hot spots” help us target the areas your body is trying to heal.

Many patients appreciate that SoftWave shows us exactly where the problem truly is — even places they didn’t realize were contributing to their pain.

3. The Treatment Itself

Once the tender or damaged areas are mapped, we begin the therapeutic portion of the session.

What it feels like:

SoftWave isn’t heat, cold, or electrical stimulation. The sensation is unique — most people describe it as:

• A deep tapping or pulsing

• Occasionally sharp “zings” over irritated tissue

• A strange but manageable pressure sensation

Most patients tolerate the session very well, and intensity can be adjusted to your comfort level.

How long it takes:

A typical knee treatment takes 8–12 minutes.

What’s happening inside the knee:

During treatment, SoftWave helps:

• Break down calcifications

• Disrupt chronic inflammation

• Improve joint mobility

• Recruit your body’s own healing cells

• Kickstart tissue repair

4. Immediate Results: Many Patients Notice a Change Right Away

One of the reasons SoftWave has grown so quickly is because most people feel some improvement during or immediately after their first visit.

Patients often report:

• Less stiffness

• Easier bending

• Reduced pain with weight-bearing

• Improved walking gait

Your knee may feel looser, lighter, or more stable. Every patient heals differently, but early improvement is very common.

5. Your Customized Treatment Plan

At the end of the visit, we’ll discuss:

• What we found in the mapping

• Your response to the first treatment

• How many sessions you may need

• Whether combining SoftWave with adjustments, laser therapy, or decompression will improve your outcome

Typical knee pain programs range from 6–8 visits, but individualized care is key.

Why Patients in Lancaster Choose SoftWave Therapy

Patients come to our clinic from Lancaster, Fennimore, Platteville, Potosi, and across Grant County because:

• We offer advanced technology rarely available in rural areas

• SoftWave helps reduce or eliminate knee pain without drugs or surgery

• Many patients are able to stay active, continue working, and avoid long recovery times

• The results are consistent and often long-lasting

For athletes, farmers, laborers, and active adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, SoftWave has been a game-changer.

Ready to Try SoftWave for Your Knee Pain?

If knee pain is slowing you down — whether it’s arthritis, old injuries, or a brand-new flare-up — SoftWave Therapy may be the non-invasive solution you’ve been looking for.

Call Family Care Chiropractic at 608-723-7723 to schedule your first SoftWave evaluation and mapping session.

Your knees carry you through life. Let’s help them move the way God intended — strong, stable, and pain-free.