Shockwave Therapy Contraindications

Examples can include treatment near malignancy, certain sensitive organs or tissues, pregnancy-related concerns, bleeding risks and other conditions identified in professional guidance or device labeling.

This page is educational, not medical advice. Shockwave therapy is not appropriate for every person, condition, body area or device. Clinical indications, contraindications, device labeling and local regulation matter, so treatment decisions should be made with a qualified clinician.

Contraindications are not identical across all ESWT

ISMST recommendations distinguish radial/low-energy focused treatment from high-energy focused treatment. FDA labels for individual devices also list device-specific contraindications.

Examples that appear in professional recommendations or device labeling

• Malignancy in or near the treatment field
• Fetus/pregnancy-related treatment-field concerns
• Significant coagulation disorder or anticoagulation for some devices/protocols
• Infection in the treatment area for some labeled devices
• Certain implanted devices or prostheses depending on location/device guidance
• Lung, brain/CNS and other sensitive tissues for particular high-energy focused applications
• Open growth plates / bone growth centers in some device labeling

This is not a complete screening list. The applicable contraindications come from the exact device labeling, treatment protocol, anatomy and patient history.