Acoustic wave therapy (AWT), also called extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) or low-energy shockwave, sends pulses of sound energy through the skin. There are no needles or incisions. Innovations was the first clinic in the USA to offer AWT, and we’ve offered it since 2005.
We use AWT in two places: on the area where your fat will be collected, before the harvest, and on the area we treat, after your stem cell injection. In an early study, shockwave treatment of the fat-harvest area before liposuction was shown to increase the share of living (viable) cells and their energy levels, measured in the lab.[1]
AWT is included in your treatment price. Combining AWT with stem cell therapy is not FDA-approved, and individual results vary.
New Patient Inquiries (Call or Text), Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5 PM. Stem cell therapy is not FDA-approved for these uses and is not covered by insurance. Individual results vary.
Acoustic wave therapy uses a handheld device that rests on your skin and delivers short pulses of sound (pressure) energy into the tissue underneath. You may also hear it called ESWT, shockwave therapy, soft-wave or low-energy shockwave. These names describe the same family of treatments.
The energy used for AWT is low. It is different from the high-energy shockwaves doctors use to break up kidney stones. Smaller devices like the ones we use have been used for tendon problems, plantar fasciitis, low back pain and overuse injuries, and they have been studied for knee osteoarthritis.[6] When used on joints and muscles, it feels like a strong vibration or massager.
Why pair it with stem cells? Stem cells can make copies of themselves and can develop into other cell types. Stem cells from fat, for example, can become bone, cartilage, muscle or blood-vessel cells in the lab. They are part of the body’s natural repair process.
Researchers think the pulses act as a gentle mechanical signal. In lab and animal studies, shockwave has been shown to increase blood-vessel growth signals and the release of proteins that help attract and support repair cells.[4][5] This is why we pair it with stem cell treatment.
Your stem cells come from a small amount of your own fat, collected with a gentle liposuction under local anesthesia. Before that harvest, our medical staff apply AWT to the area where the fat will be collected. Every patient receives this step unless Dr. Johnson determines otherwise. The goal is to “wake up” the tissue so the cells we collect are in good condition.
Research supports this idea, although it is still early:
These were small studies that measured cells in a laboratory. They did not measure whether patients felt better. They do help explain why we prepare the harvest area this way.
After your stem cells are injected, our medical staff apply AWT to that same area when it can be reached from the skin, such as a joint, a muscle, a tendon or ligament, a pinched nerve like carpal tunnel, the feet and legs for peripheral neuropathy, or the penis for erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease. Local patients can split their AWT sessions over several days. Out-of-town patients can have everything done in one day and travel home the next morning.
Here is what the research says about using shockwave where cells are delivered:
The combination of shockwave and stem cells has not been tested in large trials in people. We use it because of this early research and Dr. Johnson’s clinical experience. Individual results vary.
Every patient receives AWT on the fat-harvest area unless Dr. Johnson determines otherwise. AWT on the treatment area is used only where the device can reach the treated tissue through the skin.
| What we are treating | AWT on the harvest area | AWT on the treatment area |
|---|---|---|
| Joints, such as knees, hips, shoulders and elbows | Yes | Yes |
| Muscles | Yes | Yes |
| Tendons and ligaments | Yes | Yes |
| Nerve compression, such as carpal tunnel | Yes | Yes, over the affected nerve, such as the wrist |
| Peripheral neuropathy | Yes | Yes, on the feet and legs |
| Erectile dysfunction and Peyronie’s disease | Yes | Yes, on the penis |
| Autoimmune conditions | Yes | No |
| Neurological conditions of the brain and spinal cord, such as stroke | Yes | No |
| Lung disease | Yes | No |
| Kidney disease and kidney failure | Yes | No |
For autoimmune, lung and kidney conditions, and for neurological conditions of the brain and spinal cord, the cells work throughout the body or in organs that AWT cannot reach, so these patients receive AWT on the harvest area only. Peripheral neuropathy is the exception: the nerves in the feet and legs can be reached from the skin, so AWT is applied there. Dr. Johnson makes the final call for each patient.
For men treated for erectile dysfunction (ED) or Peyronie’s disease, AWT is an important part of the protocol. As with every patient, AWT is first applied to the fat-harvest area. After your own cells are injected, our medical staff also apply AWT directly to the treated tissue of the penis.
The device rests on the skin with a gel. Most men describe a tapping sensation, and no anesthesia is needed. Low-energy shockwave has also been studied on its own for ED and Peyronie’s disease, which is one reason we include it alongside your cells.
Stem cell therapy and its combination with AWT are not FDA-approved for ED or Peyronie’s disease. Individual results vary.
We link every study so you can read it yourself. Each card notes what kind of study it was.
Shockwave on the harvest area before liposuction was shown to increase the viability and energy (ATP) levels of the collected cells, and the share of cells with stem cell markers. Small study of 7 women; cells measured in the lab.
Priglinger E, et al. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2018. PubMed 28486783
Fat pre-treated with acoustic wave therapy for 3 weeks gave stem cells that were shown to grow more in the lab at 21 days. Tissue structure was preserved. 40 women; lab analysis.
Veronese S, et al. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025. PubMed 40145242
Shockwave on the target muscle was shown to increase cell-attracting signals and the number of IV-given cells that reached the area.
Aicher A, et al. Circulation. 2006. PubMed 17145991
A review of 8 meta-analyses found shockwave improved knee pain and function compared with sham treatment.
Tang P, et al. Int J Surg. 2024. PubMed 38668665
Lab and animal results do not always carry over to people. These studies do not show that AWT with stem cells will help any one patient. Individual results vary.
We use your own cells. The exception is our autism program for patients 15 and older, where a parent’s donated cells may be used in some cases.
Innovations Stem Cell Center was named a “Top Stem Cell Therapy Treatments Company” by Life Sciences Review in 2025 and again in 2026 (2025 feature, 2026 feature). An award reflects the publication’s editorial review, not a prediction of any patient’s outcome.
There is no separate charge for acoustic wave therapy. It is part of the flat fee.
Consultations are free, with no hidden or facility fees. Financing is available. Stem cell therapy is not covered by insurance or Medicare.
Acoustic wave therapy, also called ESWT or low-energy shockwave therapy, uses a handheld device on the skin to send pulses of sound energy into the tissue. There are no needles or incisions. Innovations was the first clinic in the USA to offer AWT, and we’ve offered it since 2005. We use AWT together with stem cell treatment, and it is included in the price.
We use AWT on the fat-harvest area before liposuction and on the treated area after the injection. In an early study, shockwave on the harvest area was shown to increase the viability and energy levels of the collected cells, measured in the lab. Animal studies suggest shockwave may increase signals that draw repair cells to an area. The combination is not FDA-approved, and individual results vary.
Every patient receives AWT on the fat-harvest area unless Dr. Johnson determines otherwise. AWT on the treatment area is used where the device can reach the treated tissue, such as joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, nerve compression such as carpal tunnel, the feet and legs for peripheral neuropathy, and the penis for ED and Peyronie’s disease. Patients treated for autoimmune, lung or kidney conditions, or for neurological conditions of the brain and spinal cord, receive AWT on the harvest area only. Peripheral neuropathy is the exception among nerve conditions.
Yes. For ED and Peyronie’s disease, AWT is an important part of our protocol: it is applied to the harvest area and, after your cells are injected, to the treated tissue of the penis. This combination is not FDA-approved for these conditions, and individual results vary.
A small 2018 study of 7 women found that shockwave on one side of the body before liposuction was shown to increase the share of living cells, their energy levels and their stem cell markers compared with the untreated side, measured in the lab. A 2025 study of 40 women found cells from fat pre-treated with acoustic wave therapy grew more in the lab. These are early lab studies, not trials of patient outcomes.
Most patients describe it as a strong tapping or vibrating feeling rather than pain, and the intensity can be lowered. Some people have brief redness, tenderness or mild soreness afterward. No anesthesia is needed.
Yes, these names describe the same family of low-energy sound-wave treatments. AWT uses far less energy than the high-energy shockwaves used to break up kidney stones.
No. AWT is included in our flat fee: $16,500 for the joints that need treatment plus the IV dose, from $16,500 for other conditions, $19,000 for spine, and $10,000 for a second treatment if needed. Consultations are free.
No. Stem cell therapy and its combination with acoustic wave therapy are not FDA-approved for the conditions we treat. Dr. Johnson will explain the options, the research and the limits at your free consultation.
Tell us about your condition and what you have tried. We’ll explain how AWT and stem cell treatment work together and whether our treatment may be a fit for you.
Stem cell therapy and its combination with acoustic wave therapy are not FDA-approved for these uses. This page is for general information and is not medical advice. Individual results vary. Medically reviewed by Dr. Bill Johnson, October 2026.
Holiday pricing through December 30, 2026: standard treatment is $12,500 without AWT, or $13,500 with AWT. Our All-Inclusive package, with AWT included, is $16,500. Hotel included for out-of-town patients, up to 2 nights. Back and neck treatment isn’t included. Book a free consultation
