The short answer.
- TECAR uses deep heat to relax and prepare tissue, improving comfort and range of motion. It is an adjunct, meaning a support tool used within a course of physiotherapy, not a standalone series of sessions.
- Shockwave therapy, the full name is extracorporeal shockwave therapy, sends mechanical pressure pulses into the tissue to stimulate a healing response. It is best for stubborn, long-standing tendon and soft-tissue problems and is usually given as a short course of separate sessions.
- They are not rivals. A clinician often warms and settles the area with TECAR, then uses shockwave to target the chronic tendon. Medstar in North Vancouver offers both, so one assessment can decide the right mix.
What each treatment actually does.
TECAR works by passing a gentle radiofrequency current, at around 500 kHz, through the body using a hand-held electrode. This generates warmth deep inside muscle, tendon, ligament, and joint tissue rather than only on the skin surface. That deep warmth helps relax tight tissue, ease discomfort, and make movement feel easier, which is why it is used to prepare an area before hands-on treatment and exercise within a rehab plan.
Shockwave does something quite different. Instead of heating tissue, it delivers rapid pressure pulses, a bit like firm, fast taps of energy, into a specific sore spot. Those pulses are thought to wake up the body's own repair process in tissue that has stopped healing on its own. Because the focus is on prompting repair in one stubborn area, shockwave is usually aimed at a single problem tendon or attachment point rather than a whole region.
In plain terms, TECAR makes the area more comfortable and ready to work, while shockwave pushes a slow-to-heal tendon to start mending. One prepares and soothes, the other provokes a healing response.
Side by side.
| TECAR | Shockwave | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Deep warmth from a radiofrequency current at around 500 kHz that relaxes and prepares tissue. | Mechanical pressure pulses aimed at a sore spot to stimulate a healing response. |
| What it feels like | A pleasant, comfortable deep warmth. | Firm, fast taps that can be briefly uncomfortable, with intensity adjusted to your tolerance. |
| Best uses | Easing pain and stiffness, improving range of motion, and preparing an area for hands-on work and exercise. | Stubborn, chronic tendon problems such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles and patellar tendinopathy, and tennis elbow. |
| Sessions and role | An adjunct woven into a course of physiotherapy, not a standalone series. | Usually a short course of separate sessions targeting one problem area. |
How a clinician chooses.
The decision starts with the problem in front of us. If a tendon has been painful for months and has not settled with exercise and hands-on care, that is the kind of stubborn case where shockwave earns its place, because it is designed to restart healing in tissue that has stalled. Plantar fasciitis under the heel, Achilles pain at the back of the ankle, and tennis elbow on the outside of the elbow are common examples.
If the main barrier is pain, tightness, or limited movement that is holding back your exercises, TECAR is the more natural fit. By warming and relaxing the tissue first, it makes the rest of your physiotherapy session more productive. It is used to support your recovery across a rehab course rather than as a treatment booked on its own.
Often the best plan uses both. We may warm and settle the area with TECAR to improve comfort and movement, then apply shockwave to the chronic tendon while the tissue is relaxed. Because Medstar offers both treatments under one roof, you do not need to visit separate clinics to get the combination right. Your physiotherapist sets the order and timing based on how your injury responds week to week.
Neither treatment replaces a proper assessment and an exercise plan. Both work best as part of physiotherapy, with the right loading and movement work alongside them. If you are unsure whether your problem is acute or long-standing, a quick read on stubborn tendon care from HealthLinkBC can help, but the clearest answer comes from an in-person exam.
Common questions.
Which one is better for plantar fasciitis or a stubborn tendon problem?+
For a long-standing tendon or fascia problem such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, or tennis elbow, shockwave therapy is usually the more targeted choice because it sends mechanical pressure pulses into the sore tissue to prompt a healing response. TECAR is often added alongside it to warm and relax the area first, so the two tools tend to support each other rather than compete.
Can I have TECAR and shockwave in the same plan?+
Yes. They work in different ways, so a clinician can use both within one rehab plan. A common pattern is to use TECAR to warm and settle the tissue and improve comfort and movement, then use shockwave to target the chronic tendon directly. Your physiotherapist decides the order and timing based on how your injury is responding.
Does either treatment hurt?+
TECAR is usually felt as a pleasant deep warmth and most people find it comfortable. Shockwave can be briefly uncomfortable while the pressure pulses are applied, and the intensity is adjusted to a level you can tolerate. Tell your clinician if anything feels too strong so the settings can be changed.
How many sessions will I need?+
Shockwave is typically given as a short course of separate sessions for a specific stubborn tendon. TECAR is not a standalone series. It is used as an adjunct, meaning a support tool woven into your wider physiotherapy treatment over a course of rehab rather than booked on its own. The exact number depends on your injury and progress, so we set expectations after the first assessment.
Where can I get both in North Vancouver?+
Medstar Sport Physio & Health at 1325 Marine Drive in North Vancouver offers both. We are the only clinic in the Metro Vancouver area offering TECAR, and we also provide shockwave therapy in-house, so a single assessment can decide whether you need one, the other, or both. Call (604) 988-5411 or book online.
Related reading
The only TECAR on the North Shore