What is the use of ultrasound in physiotherapy?
The ultrasound used in Physiotherapy is known as therapeutic ultrasound.
The frequency of it varies from that of diagnostic ultrasound.
Physiotherapist usually uses ultrasound heads with 1 megahertz and 3 megahertz.
The 1megahertz one has more penetration and 3 has less penetration. The Physiotherapist will choose between both depending upon the area to be treated.
The use of ultrasound in Physiotherapy spans from treating an injured soft tissue like ligaments and tendons to removal of scars.
Skilled ultrasound treatments can give miraculous results and in our opinion ultrasound treatments has no alternative in Physiotherapy and because of the same reason it is an inevitable machine in Physiotherapy clinics.
To explain in a very simple context, I used to tell my patients that, I am using ultrasound, as I cannot put my fingers through your skin and give a mild massage to your injured ligament for draining the waste metabolites and improving the circulation. But when explain scientifically it is much more. It helps in tissue healing by various physical properties of sound waves.
I am listing down the common conditions treated.
Oesteoarthritis.
Costochondritis.
Plantarfascitis.
Ligament sprain.
Tendon strain.
Spondylosis and spondylitis
Scar tissue removal etc.
There is much more even I have treated chronic sinusitis and acne scars very successfully with therapeutic ultrasound.