Shockwave therapy for stubborn tendon and soft tissue pain
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) uses focused acoustic pressure waves to stimulate healing in chronic tendon problems that haven't responded to rest, exercise or injections. A course of 3–6 short sessions can restart the repair process without surgery or medication.
Why patients choose GB Clinic
- Evidence-based treatment for chronic tendinopathy — recommended by NICE for plantar fasciitis and refractory tendon pain
- Non-surgical, no injections, no medication — nothing enters the body
- Short sessions (around 10–15 minutes) with no downtime — you can walk out and drive home
- Stimulates collagen production, improves blood flow and disrupts chronic scar tissue
- Delivered by HCPC-registered senior MSK clinicians, alongside a tailored rehab plan
- Ideal when tendon pain has lasted more than 3 months despite physio
What to expect
Clinical assessment and, where needed, an ultrasound scan to confirm the tendon or fascia diagnosis.
Gel is applied and the shockwave handpiece is pulsed over the target area for about 5–10 minutes. Mild discomfort is normal and settles quickly.
A course is typically 3–6 weekly sessions combined with loading exercises to rebuild the tendon and prevent recurrence.
Conditions we treat
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Book your appointment today
Shockwave therapy from £90 per session. Discounted 3- and 6-session packages available at your first appointment.
Ready to speak to a clinician?
Leave your details and our team will call you back the same working day to discuss your symptoms and arrange a suitable appointment.
Prefer to talk now? Call 01865 317483.
Frequently asked questions
Does shockwave therapy hurt?
You'll feel a firm tapping sensation and mild discomfort during treatment, but intensity is dialled to what you can tolerate. Any soreness usually settles within 24–48 hours.
How many sessions will I need?
Most tendon conditions respond to a course of 3–6 weekly sessions. We review progress at each visit and adjust the plan accordingly.
When will I feel improvement?
Some patients notice change after 2–3 sessions. Full tissue remodelling continues for up to 12 weeks after the final session, so the biggest gains are often seen a few weeks after treatment ends.
Are there any side effects?
Temporary redness, mild swelling or bruising at the treatment site is common and short-lived. We'll go through all contraindications (e.g. blood thinners, pregnancy over the site) at your consultation.
Can I train or run between sessions?
Yes — we usually ask you to avoid heavy loading of the treated tendon for 48 hours, then follow the structured rehab exercises we set.
Why patients choose GB Clinic Oxford
Every consultation is led by a senior HCPC-registered musculoskeletal clinician with post-graduate training in diagnostic ultrasound and injection therapy. That matters because the difference between a routine injection and one that genuinely changes your pain is millimetres of accuracy, a correct diagnosis, and a rehabilitation plan tailored to your goals. We invest in high-resolution imaging, single-use sterile consumables and evidence-based protocols so that the care you receive here matches — and often exceeds — what you'd expect from a tertiary NHS or private hospital service.
Because we're an independent MSK specialist clinic — not a general physiotherapy chain — every appointment gives you unhurried time with a decision-maker. There is no fragmented pathway: your scan, diagnosis, injection and rehab plan all happen in a single visit, with a written summary sent to you (and, if you'd like, to your GP or consultant) the same day.
Safety, governance and standards
Our injection therapists work within nationally recognised prescribing frameworks (Patient Group Directions and independent prescribing), and every clinician holds current professional indemnity insurance. We follow infection-control standards set by the Royal College of Radiologists and the Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine. Adverse-event rates for image-guided steroid and hyaluronic acid injections in our clinic are consistent with, or below, published international benchmarks.
We are part of the wider GB Clinics group, which brings shared clinical governance, peer review and continuing professional development to every location. If your treatment isn't the right answer we'll say so — and we work closely with orthopaedic surgeons, pain consultants, rheumatologists and radiologists across Oxford, London and the Thames Valley when onward referral is the safer option.
Serving Oxford and the surrounding area
Patients travel to see us from across Oxford — Botley, Summertown, Headington, Cowley, Iffley, Marston, Jericho and central Oxford — and from further afield including Abingdon, Witney, Kidlington, Bicester, Didcot, Wallingford, Wantage, Wheatley, Thame, Woodstock, Chipping Norton, Banbury, Henley-on-Thames and Reading. Free on-site parking, evening appointments and Saturday clinics make it easy to fit an appointment around work or family commitments. If travel is difficult, home visits can be arranged for assessment, follow-up physiotherapy and selected injections across most of Oxfordshire.
Whether you're a runner with a stubborn Achilles problem, a keen gardener whose knee is stopping you enjoying the weekends, or someone who simply wants to walk the dog or lift a grandchild without pain, our aim is the same: an accurate diagnosis, a treatment that has the best chance of working for you, and a clear plan for getting back to the things that matter.
Getting here
Easy to reach — and easy to park
We're in Elms Parade, Botley, just a few minutes from Oxford city centre with excellent transport links.
Free parking
2 hours free, right outside
Park directly in front of the clinic in the Elms Parade car park — 2 hours free for patients, no app or ticket needed for short visits.
From Oxford Railway Station
Approx. 1.5 miles (8 min by taxi, 20 min walk). Head west on Botley Road, continue straight across the A34 flyover into Westway, then turn right into Elms Parade.
Nearest bus stop
Elms Parade (Stop B1) — directly outside the clinic. Served by routes 4, 4A, 4B and 4C from Oxford city centre (every 10–15 min).
By car
Junction 8/9 of the A34, exit toward Botley. Postcode OX2 9LG for sat-nav.