How does ultra sound help in healing a broken bone?
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There is limited evidence to support that ultrasound helps broken bones heal. The evidence that has been presented is weak at best.but theoretically, it stimulates angiogenesis (or formation of new blood vessles) which help infiltrate the bone to stimulate the deposition of new bone.
In fact, the use of ultrasound at all have very little evidence to support it's use...I think it does have potential benefits...just that the experiments that have been done so far are poor. Furthermore, I do not think that the mechanisms of how it works are fully understood.
It probably causes the materials in the bone to vibrate against each other, as well as increasing the blood flow to the area. The healing depends upon the materials in the bone at the break to form chemical and physical bonds, and the vibration would bring those materials into contact with each other faster than chance, increasing the speed of bonding. The increased blood flow would also increase healing speed.
The ultra sound actually isn't for your broken bone. Actually ultra sound is bad for broken bones. The physical therapis is using the ultra sound to help with the healing process. Ultra sound uses sound waves to break up scar tissue and massage the muscles. This is why when the PT does U.S. on your foot you should feel a soothing warmth. Sometimes wiht the foot you will feel your bones vibrate from the U.S. waves. Hope this helps
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