Ultrasound
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Back to
other treatments
Ultrasound is a modality that can be used as part of an overall
rehabilitation program. It is usually applied before exercising or
stretching since it’s therapeutic heating effects allow the tissue to
stretch and gain greater range for more effective exercise. Even the
non-thermal effects of Ultrasound are best initiated before exercise,
since these waste products can be dissipated and cell diffusion
increased. Ultrasound is effective before manual therapy techniques
because of it’s thermal effects on the joint and it’s surrounding soft
tissue.
Ultrasound is a form of mechanical energy consisting of high
frequency sound waves.
What does Ultrasound do?
There are both thermal and non-Thermal effects to Ultrasound.
Non-Thermal
Effects:
~ Tissue Regeneration
~ Soft Tissue Repair
~ Bone Repair
~ Decrease muscle spasms
and pain
~ Reduce Swelling
~ Increase in Protein Synthesis |
Thermal Effects Include:
~ Increase range of motion in scar tissue
and contracted joint
capsule
~ Increase the extensibility of joint
adhesions
~ Speed up tissue healing and recovery
~ Facilitate healing of tendons
~ Improvement in appearance of scars
~ Decrease muscle spasm and pain |
What conditions can be treated with Ultrasound?
~ Any legitimate
Injury (acute or chronic)
~ Superficial tendonitis (Achilles, patellar, bicipital, etc.)
~ Joint Swelling |
~ Bursitis
~ Muscular lesions (Strains, tears, and ruptures, etc.)
~ Hematomas (Acute or Chronic) |
What are the contraindications of Ultrasound?
~ In specialized tissue such as the
eye, ears, ovaries, testes, brain and spinal
cord
~ Over areas or lumps that may be
suspected as precancerous
or cancerous
~ During or After (for at least 6
months) radiation cancer
treatment
~ Over acute infection
~ Over viscera
~ On pregnant female (in the area
of abdomen, pelvis, sacrum
or lumbar spine)
~ On patients with cardiac pacemaker
~ On patients with deep vein thrombosis
or thrombophlebitis
~ On patients with arteriosclerosis
or weakened blood vessels
~ On patients with hemophilia
~ In an area where tissue lacks normal
sensation
~ Over ichemic tissue
~ Over carotid sinus or stellate
ganglion
~ Over artificial implants (ie: metal pins or rods) |
