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A SOLUTION FOR SYDNEY RESIDENTS DEALING WITH STUBBORN HEEL, HIP, ELBOW, SHOULDER OR TENDON PAIN
Rested It, Stretched It, Had The Cortisone… And It Still Hurts?
Spectrum Healthcare is one of the few Sydney clinics operating true focused shockwave, a precision medical device that delivers high-energy acoustic waves deep into injured tendon tissue, restarting the healing response in tissue that has stopped repairing itself.
Not masking the pain, restarting the repair.
Tendons have naturally poor blood supply, which is why they can stay painful for months or years while everything around them "should" have healed.
We've treated hundreds of Sydney patients whose heel, hip, elbow and shoulder pain had outlasted rest, physio, orthotics and injections, and for the right diagnosis, the results hold.
Take our 60 second assessment → Find out if you're suitable.
TESTIMONIALS
What others are saying
Why FOCUSED Shockwave Is Different to the Shockwave You May Have Tried.
Not all shockwave is the same.
Most clinics offering "shockwave" use a radial device: a pneumatic pressure wave that spreads out from the skin surface. Its energy is highest at the skin and fades quickly with depth, which is why results on deeper tendons are often disappointing.
Focused shockwave works differently. The energy converges to a precise focal point at depth, calibrated to reach the actual injured tissue: the plantar fascia origin under your heel, the gluteal tendon under centimetres of muscle, the deep fibres of the elbow or shoulder.
The energy reaches the tendon. That's the difference.
What this means for you:
Stimulates new blood vessel formation and the body's own repair response in tissue that heals poorly on its own
Breaks down calcific deposits (calcific shoulder tendinopathy responds particularly well)
Reaches deep tendons that radial devices and hands-on treatment can't effectively load
Intensity and depth calibrated to your diagnosis, not a generic setting
No needles, no anaesthetic, no downtime: a session takes minutes and you walk out and drive home
Backed by published clinical studies for plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow and calcific shoulder
There are very few clinics in Sydney with true focused shockwave. Spectrum is one of them.
STILL NOT SURE?
Frequently Asked Questions
We are always here to help, if you have any further questions.
Is Focus shockwave suitable for my condition?
It depends on your diagnosis, which is why we assess before we treat. The strongest evidence is for plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, calcific shoulder tendinopathy, gluteal tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy, particularly where pain has lasted more than 3 months and conservative care has plateaued.
Take the 60-second assessment above and a practitioner will review your answers before you commit to anything.
How is this different from the physio and chiro I've already tried?
Hands-on treatment and stretching work on movement and load, but a tendon that has stopped healing needs a stimulus to restart repair. Focused shockwave delivers that stimulus directly into the injured tissue, triggering new blood vessel growth and the body's own healing response. At Spectrum it's used alongside a guided loading program, not instead of one..
I've had cortisone and it wore off. Why would this be different?
Cortisone reduces inflammation, which can bring real short-term relief, but it doesn't repair the tendon, and repeated injections can weaken it over time. Shockwave works on the opposite principle: stimulating repair rather than suppressing symptoms. Many of our patients come to us specifically because injections stopped holding. (Note: we wait at least 6 weeks after a cortisone injection before starting shockwave.)
I've tried shockwave before and it didn't help. Isn't this the same thing?
Probably not. Most clinics use radial shockwave, a surface-level pressure wave that fades with depth. Focused shockwave converges its energy at a precise depth inside the tendon. For deep targets like the gluteal tendons or the plantar fascia origin, that difference matters. Many patients who got nothing from radial treatment respond well to focused.
Does it hurt?
You'll feel it: a rhythmic tapping sensation over the injured area that can be briefly uncomfortable at the exact spot (which is actually how we confirm we're on target). It's very tolerable, lasts only minutes, and there's no anaesthetic, no needles and no downtime. Some soreness for a day or so afterwards is normal and is part of the healing response
How many sessions will I need and what does it cost?
Most tendon programs run 4 to 6 sessions, usually one per week, alongside your loading program. The exact number depends on your diagnosis and response; we review progress at clear milestones rather than locking you into an open-ended course. For pricing, speak with our team, as it depends on your recommended plan. Many private health extras policies include a partial rebate, and WorkCover, DVA and some NDIS participants are eligible.
Is it safe?
Yes, focused shockwave is a non-invasive treatment with an excellent safety record when properly prescribed. It's not suitable for everyone: we don't treat over areas with a recent cortisone injection, during pregnancy, or for patients with certain clotting disorders, which is exactly why we assess first.
What if it doesn't work for me?
We assess thoroughly before recommending treatment, we set review milestones so you're never locked into a course that isn't producing results, and if shockwave isn't your answer we're a multidisciplinary clinic with other tools, from NEUBIE therapy to guided exercise rehabilitation. We'll always tell you honestly what we think the next step should be.
What is the success rate of shockwave therapy? Does it actually work?
It depends on the condition, and we'd rather show you the research than throw one big number at you. Published studies report success rates around 85% for calcific shoulder tendinopathy, and in a comparative study of eight plantar fasciitis treatments, shockwave ranked first for outcomes. For tennis elbow, trials show it performs as well as steroid injection without the downsides of repeat cortisone. Your result depends on your diagnosis, how long you've had it, and whether you do the loading program alongside, which is exactly what we assess before recommending it.
How quickly will I notice improvement?
Some people feel a change after the first session or two, but for most, meaningful improvement shows after 2 to 3 sessions, with the biggest gains continuing in the weeks after the course finishes, shockwave triggers a healing response that keeps working after the treatment stops. We review progress at set milestones so you always know if it's moving in the right direction
Does this sound like you?
Your alarm goes off and you brace yourself before your feet touch the floor, because you know those first steps are going to hurt. You've bought the orthotics, the 'right' shoes, done the stretches. Six months later you're still walking on glass every morning.
You can't remember your last full night's sleep. Whichever side you lie on, your hip finds a way to wake you. Someone called it bursitis, the injection helped for a while, and then it came back, just like the ache in the afternoon and the stairs you now take one at a time
You've stopped shaking hands the normal way. You serve underarm now, or you've stopped playing altogether. Every time it starts to settle, one wrong grip or one overhead reach brings it straight back, and you're starting to wonder if this is just how it is now
You're not out of options, and you don't have to keep guessing.
We can help.
Why patients choose Spectrum Healthcare for BTL Focused Shockwave.
True Focused Shockwave: Technology Most Clinics Don't Have
A purpose-built focused device, not the common radial gun. Energy delivered at depth, where the injury actually is, backed by published clinical studies
Assessment First. Every Single Time.
We diagnose before we treat. If shockwave isn't right for your condition, we'll tell you honestly and point you toward what is.
A Full Allied Health Team Behind Your Recovery
Chiropractors, physiotherapists and exercise physiologists under one roof. Shockwave creates the healing environment; your guided loading program locks the gains in. Passive treatment alone is not how tendons stay fixed.
Truly Personalised. Not a Template.
Energy settings, session count and your rehab program are set for your diagnosis and reviewed at clear milestones.
You'll always know exactly where you stand.
Backed by Real Clinical Evidence
Focused shockwave is one of the most researched non-surgical treatments for stubborn tendon pain. Ask us for the studies relevant to your condition and we'll send them.
Start with a Free Discovery Call,
Zero Commitment
15 minutes with a practitioner before you commit to anything.
If we don't think shockwave is appropriate for your case, we'll tell you that too.
About us
At Spectrum Healthcare, we do things differently.
We're a multidisciplinary allied health clinic based in North Ryde, Sydney, and for over 14 years, we've been built around one belief: that most people dealing with chronic pain deserve more options than they've been given.
We're not a clinic that puts you on a machine and hopes for the best.
Every patient who walks through our doors gets a thorough assessment, a personalised treatment plan, and a team that genuinely adapts as you progress.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
A team of registered chiropractors, physiotherapists and exercise physiologists with decades of combined clinical experience, including postgraduate qualifications in exercise science, sports chiropractic and advanced rehabilitation, and practitioners who work at elite professional sport level..
One of the only clinics in the North Ryde area, with the BTL Focused Shockwave alongside a suite of advanced technology including the BTL automated spinal decompression system, NEUBIE therapy, focused shockwave and the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, chosen because they get results, not because they look impressive.
A multidisciplinary team and state-of-the-art technology, including one of the very few BTL spinal decompression systems in Australia, that has helped hundreds of Sydney patients avoid surgery, return to sport and work, and finally get durable relief after years of searching for it.
