The governing partial differential equations of a helical spring with a circular section were derived from Frenet formulas and Timoshenko beam theory. These were solved to give the dispersion relationship between wave number and frequency along with wave form. Wave motions of helical springs are categorized by 4 regimes. In the first regime, the lower frequency area, the torsional and extensional waves of the spring are predominant and two waves are composite wave motions involving lateral motion of the coils and rotation of the coils about a horizontal axis. All waves are propagating in the second regime. The wave of the extensional motion of the spring and one wave of transverse motion of a wire change from travelling waves to near field waves in the third regime. Both waves excited by both axial and transverse motion are predominant in the fourth regime.