The use of ultrasonic sound waves to produce images of
structures deep within the human body is very common. Applying this technology to the diagnosis and treatment of
sports injuries is gaining popularity.
On my most recent trip to Haiti, I was asked to participate
in a series of lectures sponsored by the American Medical Society for Sports
Medicine for the Haitian Olympic Federation. Among the other faculty members was Dr. Thomas Trojian, a
primary care sports medicine specialist and associate professor at the
University of Connecticut.
Dr. Trojian finds ultrasound to be an important part of his
practice. “Ultrasound is an
emerging imaging study that provides a new dimension to the physical
examination of athletes,” said Trojian.
The science of
acoustics has fascinated scientists since ancient times. Over the past 60 years, ultrasound
has gained popularity in medical imaging.
Ultrasound can provide increasingly detailed studies of soft
tissue within the human body. In
utero, pictures of fetuses have become so refined that they allow physicians to
perform corrective procedures at this early stage of life.
In sports, ultrasound produces dynamic images of tendons and
muscles as a limb or appendage is moving.
This is a distinct advantage over the static (non-moving) images seen in
X-ray, CT or MRI.
In sports, these images can specifically demonstrate tears,
inflammatory changes or bleeding within muscles and tendons. One great advantage is that ultrasound
does not expose the patient to radiation therefore making it safe to use in
young athletes.
Most recently, ultrasound is being used to guide the
placement of therapeutic injections to areas of injury resulting in pain relief
and rapid healing.
Ultrasound provides a safe office-based technology to get
injured athletes at any level back to their sport sooner.
1 comment:
It is true that ultrasound technology can do diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries. Thanks for the useful article. Best regards from Lisa
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