Effectiveness of clinical ultrasound parameters on changing intramuscular temperature.

CONTEXT Researchers have recommended certain ultrasound treatment parameters for deep heating; however, we observed different parameters in the clinical setting. OBJECTIVE To compare the treatment effect of using observed clinical parameters (OCP) from 8 clinicians to the treatment effect of using the recommended parameters (RP) sited in research. DESIGN 2 x 2 repeated measures design. SETTING Sports injury research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Ten healthy volunteers. INTERVENTIONS Two 1 MHz treatment, 1 RP treatment (1.5 W/cm2, 10-min, area-2 to 3 x ERA), and 1 OCP treatment (1.3 W/cm2, 8-min, area 3.9 X ERA). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Tricep surae temperature 3 cm below superficial tissue. RESULTS The RP treatment increase temperature from 36.4 +/- 1.0 to 40.3+/- 2.0 degrees C, which was a greater change than the OCP (36.5 +/- 1.2 to 38.2 +/- 1.6 degrees C). CONCLUSIONS The OCP treatment resulted in a lower heating affect than the RP. Small change in treatment area, intensity, and duration can have a large effect on temperature change.