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Is SoftWave Therapy Safe and Effective Over Post-Surgical Hardware? Yes—Here’s What You Need to Know

Published July 10th, 2025 by Dr. Jeremiah Jimerson

Dr. Jeremiah Jimerson | Fix Your Pain Charleston | Charleston, SC

If you’ve undergone joint replacement surgery or spinal fusion, you may still be dealing with pain, stiffness, swelling, or limited mobility—even months or years later. A common question we hear at Fix Your Pain Charleston is:

“Can I safely use SoftWave Therapy if I have surgical hardware in my body?”
The answer is: Yes. Absolutely.

SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Therapy is safe, non-invasive, and highly effective even when applied over areas with post-surgical implants, screws, plates, or joint replacements. In fact, it’s an ideal therapy for post-surgical pain relief, inflammation control, scar tissue breakdown, and recovery enhancement—without interfering with hardware or the surgical site.


Understanding SoftWave Therapy and How It Works

SoftWave Therapy uses electrohydraulic supersonic acoustic waves to stimulate healing at the cellular, tissue, and nerve levels. These waves activate a process called mechanotransduction, which triggers the release of biological signals that:

  • Reduce inflammation

  • Activate and recruit stem cells

  • Improve circulation and angiogenesis

  • Break down scar tissue and fibrotic adhesions

  • Promote long-term repair and regeneration of soft tissue and joint structures

Best of all, SoftWave delivers these effects non-invasively, with no downtime and no risk of damaging surrounding tissues or hardware.


Where Is Post-Surgical Hardware Commonly Found?

Dr. Jeremiah safely and effectively uses SoftWave Therapy over hardware in the following areas:

1. Knees

  • Total knee replacements

  • Hardware from ACL/MCL reconstructions

  • Post-operative meniscus repair hardware

2. Hips

  • Total hip replacements

  • Hardware from labrum repair or fracture fixation

3. Shoulders

  • Post rotator cuff repair anchors

  • Hardware from labrum or AC joint stabilization surgeries

  • Total or partial shoulder replacements

4. Lumbar Spine

  • Spinal fusion rods, screws, and cages

  • Laminectomy or decompression with stabilization hardware

5. Cervical Spine

  • Post-surgical plates and fusion constructs

  • Disc replacement or stabilization implants

6. Wrists, Hands, Ankles, and Feet

  • Plates and screws after fractures

  • Joint fusions or post-reconstructive procedures

  • Total joint implants in the wrist or big toe

In all of these areas, SoftWave Therapy can be applied directly over and around the hardware to improve healing, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility—without disrupting the implant.


Why SoftWave Is Safe Over Hardware

  • It does not produce heat, vibration, or electrical current—there’s no interference with metal or synthetic implants

  • SoftWave waves are mechanical and acoustic in nature, not electromagnetic, so there’s no risk of dislodging, damaging, or interacting with hardware

  • It enhances healing of the surrounding soft tissues, which often remain inflamed, scarred, or restricted even after successful surgery

  • It supports nerve repair, scar tissue remodeling, and improved blood flow around the implant, which are essential for full recovery


SoftWave for Post-Surgical Pain, Inflammation, and Mobility

Even after a successful surgery, many patients are left with:

  • Ongoing swelling or tightness

  • Pain and stiffness around the surgical site

  • Scar tissue that limits mobility

  • Nerve pain, sensitivity, or numbness

  • Delayed recovery or plateaued progress in physical therapy

SoftWave addresses these common post-surgical challenges by stimulating deep healing in the surrounding tissues and modulating the body’s inflammatory response—allowing for better outcomes without the need for further invasive care.


Dr. Jeremiah’s Approach to Post-Surgical SoftWave Therapy

At Fix Your Pain Charleston, Dr. Jeremiah Jimerson has worked with post-surgical patients from all backgrounds, including those recovering from orthopedic joint replacements, spinal procedures, and trauma repairs. Each care plan is:

  • Custom-tailored to the patient's surgical history, pain areas, and mobility goals

  • Designed to complement existing rehab or physical therapy programs

  • Focused on long-term healing, improved function, and pain reduction

  • Often combined with chiropractic care, Active Release Technique (ART), and red light therapy when appropriate


You’ve Had the Surgery—Now Get the Full Recovery

If you’re still struggling after surgery or want to accelerate your recovery and reduce reliance on medications or injections, SoftWave Therapy may be exactly what your body needs—even if you have hardware in place.

Fix Your Pain Charleston
761 Saint Andrews Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407
Phone: 843.873.6004

Visit Fix Your Pain Charleston to learn more about us or request an appointment online here today.

Let Dr. Jeremiah help you recover more fully and live with less pain—hardware or not.


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