Therapeutic Ultrasound: What It Does and What the Research Says

Therapeutic ultrasound is not the ultrasound used for pregnancy or imaging. It is a short, hands-on treatment that sends high-frequency sound waves you cannot hear into sore soft tissue. Some clinicians use it as an add-on. Here is how it works at our office, and an honest look at what research does and does not show.

What a session is like

The clinician applies gel to the skin and moves a handheld treatment head over the area. It takes only a few minutes and is added to the rest of your appointment. Settings can be adjusted for the area and the goal. Most people feel little or nothing, some feel mild warmth, and therapeutic ultrasound should not hurt. Our therapeutic ultrasound page has more detail.

When we may use it

We may consider it for irritated soft tissue, such as tendon problems, muscle strains, sprains, bursitis, and sports or exercise injuries around the shoulder, elbow, forearm, Achilles or lower leg. It is not automatic. We use it only after an assessment, when we think it could be useful, and not every patient needs it at every visit.

What research says

The evidence for therapeutic ultrasound is limited, and we would rather tell you that than oversell it.

A 2020 Cochrane review of therapeutic ultrasound for chronic low back pain found that pain and function estimates compared with placebo were not clinically important, and rated the certainty of the evidence low to very low. For knee and hip osteoarthritis, Australia's RACGP guideline suggests not offering therapeutic ultrasound.

What that means for you: we do not treat ultrasound as a main treatment, and we do not promise results from it. If we use it, it is a few minutes added to other care, such as hands-on treatment or rehab exercise.

Common questions

Will it hurt? It should not. Most people feel little or nothing, and some notice mild warmth.

Is this the same as an imaging ultrasound? No. Therapeutic ultrasound is a treatment, not a picture.

What your first visit looks like

We start by talking about what brought you in, then review your history and examine you. We explain what we find before any treatment, and we do not require long-term contracts or prepaid plans. More on our first visit page.

Book a visit

Call or text 484.455.4664 or book online. Keep It Kinetic Chiropractic, 3254 W Ridge Pike, Suite 202, Pottstown, PA 19464.