Ultrasound Therapy & Electrotherapy

What is ultrasound?

Ultrasound is an electrotherapy that promotes healing and reduces inflammation at a cellular level. An ultrasound machine creates mechanical sound waves that produce energy, which when they enter the skin cause micro vibrations in the cells improving tissue healing and reducing pain.

During ultrasound treatment an ultrasound head is placed onto the affected area using specialised gel, which ensures maximum contact between the head and the skin, and slowly moved. Ultrasound is a painless treatment used to promote the healing process following an acute injury or a chronic condition. Ultrasound is commonly used to treat soft tissue problems such as ligament sprains or muscle tears.

Above: Soft tissue massage of the palma fascia by a specilaist massage therapist

When we use ultrasound?

Ultrasound is used for acute and chronic conditions.

Ultrasound uses different frequencies depending on the depth of the tissue and can be pulsed or continuous depending on the type of injury or condition.

Acute Injuries

When a person suffers from an injury, joints or soft tissue may become swollen and painful. Ultrasound will speed up the rate of healing, enhance the quality of repair and increase the strength of the soft tissue. For an acute injury ultrasound may be pulsed with a low intensity.

Ultrasound can also improve the way collagen is laid down when tissue is trying to repair itself and therefore increase strength and enhance scar mobility.

Chronic Injuries

Ultrasound for chronic conditions will increase blood flow to the affected area and kick start the healing process and decrease pain. Ultrasound may be used in a continuous mode to create this effect.

Benefits of ultrasound

Ultrasound treatment can be used for a wide range of conditions and will help:

• Promote tissue healing
• Improve quality of repair
• Decrease pain

Ligaments, tendons, fascia, joint capsules and scar tissue contain large amounts of collagen and therefore absorb the ultrasound better and benefit from this type of treatment.