Veteran, health-care firm urges federal department to reverse decision to limit shockwave therapy coverage – CTV
November 11, 2025
A former soldier from Edmonton and the company that provides shockwave therapy for his chronic pain are asking the federal veteran affairs department to reverse a recent decision to limit the number of such sessions for which it covers the costs.
The non-invasive procedure that’s been in use since the early 1980s, known formally as extracorporeal shockwave therapy, uses sound waves to treat several musculoskeletal conditions and to stimulate healing.
Justin Yaassoub, a 16-year Edmonton veteran who left the military two years ago, has been receiving the treatment several times per week for the last six months. He told CTV News Edmonton recently that shockwave therapy relieves his chronic pain and allows him more range of motion, allowing the former special forces member to do everyday tasks.
“When I do move, such as bending down or picking up my kid, or bending down to change their diaper … my back doesn’t cramp up, it doesn’t spasm, and I’m not in that pain anymore,” Yaassoub said.
