What is Ultrasound therapy or therapeutic ultrasound?

Therapeutic ultrasound is a modality we may use in the office to assist with deep soft tissue recovery. Most are familiar with the ultrasound women receive during pregnancy. Even though that ultrasound is super awesome (blog for another day), that is a diagnostic ultrasound and not what we are using in the office.

When is it used?

We are going to use ultrasound when we are trying to target a subacute or chronic injury with a deeper heat. Injuries with a deep edema or reducing spasms in the muscle or even to increase blood flow via vasodilation with the goal of increasing some function or range of motion within the injured area.

When is it NOT used?

We are usually not going to use ultrasound when someone is experiencing acute inflammation or poor circulation. We also avoid use for those individuals with poor sensation as many units produce heat and when someone is unable to determine what may be too warm, it isn’t in their best interest to place a sensation they cannot determine may be too much.