We were thrilled to welcome Dr. Paul D. Tortland, DO, FAOASM, CAQSM, for a recent CuraMedix webinar on “Incorporating Energy Medicine into an Orthobiologics Practice.”
As Founder and Director of Valley Sports Physicians and the New England Stem Cell Institute, Dr. Tortland brings more than 30 years of experience in sports medicine, non-surgical orthopedics, and regenerative medicine. He was also an early adopter of many of today’s leading regenerative technologies, becoming the first physician in New England to offer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments in 2007, bone marrow concentrate procedures in 2008, and intradiscal biologic treatments in 2009.
During the webinar, Dr. Tortland shared the practical lessons he has learned integrating EPAT® (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology), ESWT (Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy), and EMTT® (Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy) into a busy orthobiologics practice, covering everything from evaluating the research and selecting technologies to training staff, managing patient expectations, and building successful treatment protocols.
👉 Watch Dr. Paul Tortland’s full presentation here, or keep reading for an in-depth summary.
Why Shockwave and EMTT? Following the Research
Dr. Tortland emphasized that his presentation was not intended to be a deep dive into the science behind Shockwave and EMTT. Instead, he started with a practical question many medical professionals face: why invest in these technologies in the first place?
As an early adopter of many different regenerative medicine approaches, Dr. Tortland is constantly evaluating new tools that may help improve patient outcomes. For him, the process always begins with patient care and clinical results; business considerations come later.
His interest in Shockwave and EMTT began after hearing positive feedback from respected colleagues who were seeing strong results in their own practices. From there, he turned to the literature. What he found was an evidence base spanning more than three decades, with research exploring a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and regenerative applications.
During the webinar, Dr. Tortland highlighted a few of the many studies that played an important role in his evaluation process and ultimately helped convince him these technologies were worth bringing into his practice.
- "The Effect of Extracorporeal Shock-Wave Therapy on Pain in Patients with Various Tendinopathies": This systematic review and meta-analysis as an example of the depth of the Shockwave evidence base. Drawing on 45 randomized controlled trials, the study found significant pain reduction across multiple common tendinopathies, including plantar fasciitis, lateral epicondylitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and rotator cuff tendinopathy.
- "The Clinical Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Combined With Platelet-Rich Plasma and Exercise for Lateral Epicondylitis": This randomized controlled trial found that combining ESWT with PRP produced greater improvements in pain, function, and grip strength than ESWT alone in patients with lateral epicondylitis, supporting the potential value of integrating Shockwave into broader regenerative treatment protocols.
- "Stimulation of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Electromagnetic Transduction Therapy (EMTT)": This laboratory study found that EMTT had no harmful effects on human mesenchymal stem cells and was associated with increased production of VEGF, a key factor involved in angiogenesis and tissue repair. The findings provide insight into some of the cellular mechanisms that may contribute to EMTT’s regenerative potential.
- Ultrasound-Based Evaluation of Changes in Tendon Macro- and Micromorphology Following Exercise and ESWT in Mid-Portion Achilles Tendinopathy": this randomized clinical trial found that patients receiving focused ESWT alongside progressive resistance training experienced meaningful improvements in pain and function, along with signs of enhanced tendon remodeling on ultrasound. The findings suggest that Shockwave may help support the structural recovery process, not just symptom relief.
Vetting Shockwave for a Medical Practice
Once Dr. Tortland was convinced that energy-based technologies could benefit his patients, a new question emerged: how to choose the best shockwave therapy device?
The market can be surprisingly difficult to navigate, and Dr. Tortland noted that providers are likely to encounter a wide range of branded terms and device categories. As he evaluated the landscape, Dr. Tortland found himself increasingly drawn to STORZ Medical:
“The devices by STORZ Medical are, hands down, the international leaders. As I started to look at who the top vendors really are, there really wasn’t a comparison. They have been dominating the energy medicine space for decades.”
Just as importantly, he appreciated the way STORZ Medical technology was presented. Dr. Tortland noted that many early conversations he had with other vendors focused heavily on revenue generation and practice economics. By contrast, he found that communications from CuraMedix representing STORZ MEDICAL centered first on clinical outcomes, healing potential, and patient care. For a physician whose adoption process began with the question, “Will this help my patients?” that distinction made all the difference.
Integrating Energy Medicine into Medical Practice
After selecting devices powered by STORZ Medical, the next challenge was integrating them into an active medical practice. Dr. Tortland shared several lessons from his own experience, including a few things he would do differently if starting again today.
Beyond technology choices, Dr. Tortland encouraged providers to think through the practical realities of implementation. Will treatments be offered as a standalone service or integrated into existing care pathways? Who will perform the treatments? How will the practice schedule adapt? Is there adequate space for treatment and storage? These operational questions can have a significant impact on long-term success.
In his own practice, Shockwave was initially introduced as a frontline option for chronic tendinopathies, including Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff tendinopathy, and tennis elbow. Patients responded well to the combination of a non-invasive approach and a strong evidence base.
Integrating Shockwave and EMTT with Orthobiologics Treatment Protocols
As Dr. Tortland's experience grew, Shockwave and EMTT evolved from standalone treatments into a core component of his broader regenerative medicine protocols.
Today, his patients undergoing orthobiologic procedures such as PRP, bone marrow concentrate, and adipose-derived treatments typically begin with a three-week course of EMTT and Shockwave. This approach grew out of his team’s direct experience: patients appeared to tolerate treatment better and often experienced improved responses when Shockwave and EMTT were incorporated into the overall treatment plan.
He also pointed to data he has monitored (and contributed to) from the Orthobiologics Registry, where providers have reported encouraging outcomes when combining energy-based therapies with orthobiologic procedures. Finally, he also touched on the growing use of EMTT following surgical hardware placement as part of post-operative recovery protocols.
Key Considerations for Getting the Most Out of Shockwave and EMTT
Dr. Tortland highlighted several lessons that he believes separate practices that simply own the technology from those that truly maximize its potential by working closely with the right Shockwave and EMTT partner.
- Dr. Tortland was candid that while his practice saw positive results early on, those outcomes improved significantly as his staff’s training went deeper. Formal education, hands-on instruction, and ongoing clinical support helped refine treatment application and ultimately improved patient outcomes. In his words, proper training was a "complete game-changer."
- That lesson was reinforced by experiences with patients who arrived after receiving numerous treatments from other practices with little benefit. For Dr. Tortland, those situations underscored the importance of continually evaluating results, refining technique, and investing in education rather than assuming the technology alone will drive outcomes.
- Staff buy-in is a critical part of the equation. Dr. Tortland believes the people performing treatments should understand both the clinical rationale and the outcomes they help create. He regularly shares new research with his team and encourages them to see firsthand how patients respond to treatment. As he explained during the webinar, those conversations help reinforce a simple message: "This is why we do what we do. Because research shows that it works. I want my staff to know we're never doing something to make a buck. We're doing it to get the absolute best results."
That philosophy extends to how he thinks about patient communication as well. Rather than focusing on selling treatments, Dr. Tortland encourages providers to focus on education, expectations, and the potential impact on patient care. He believes that patients respond best when they understand why a treatment is being recommended and how it fits into their overall recovery goals.
Investing in Shockwave and EMTT
The webinar concluded with a topic that inevitably comes up whenever a practice considers adding new technology: cost.
Dr. Tortland acknowledged that Shockwave and EMTT can feel like a significant investment at first. However, he encouraged attendees to think about these technologies the same way they would any other important clinical tool. He recalled purchasing his first ultrasound machine decades ago. At the time, the question was never whether the technology was expensive. The question was whether it would help patients and how the practice could make it work financially.
He believes the same mindset should apply today: these technologies should be viewed as investments in patient care and clinical capability. While Dr. Tortland noted that Shockwave and EMTT have been financially successful additions to his own clinic (covering costs and earning a fair rate of profit), he emphasized that these business results followed the clinical results, not the other way around.
We would like to thank Dr. Tortland for sharing his experience and insights with the CuraMedix community. His willingness to discuss both the opportunities and lessons learned from integrating Shockwave and EMTT into a mature orthobiologics practice made for an engaging and valuable session.
If you're interested in learning more about Shockwave, EMTT, or how these technologies can fit into your practice, contact the CuraMedix team.
