We have the possibility to perform Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in our clinic. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound is a fairly new aspect of physiotherapy. Everybody is familiar with the use of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound with pregnant women and examination of the abdomen or the heart. Examination of muscles, tendons, mucilage grants, nerves etc. with Musculoskeletal Ultrasound is less known.
The goal of the use of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound within physiotherapy is to strive towards extension of objectivity, liability and validity of physiotherapeutic examination and the evaluation process. Determining injuries or excluding certain injuries, determines the choices of the therapy concerning the treatmentplan and/or referral policiy. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound also makes revovery processes measurable and transparent. 

What is Musculoskeletal Ultrasound?

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound is showing structures within the body by turning soundwaves and the sound that bounces back into video images. The physiotherapist looks at tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, bones and muscles, that are represented in different gradations of black and grey shades. This difference is formed by the different capacitance of the different tissues in the body.

What does Musculoskeletal Ultrasound have to offer?

MusculoSkeletal ultrasound is a way to get diagnostic information about the human body through low costs and a non-invasive method. Examination is fast, easy and comfortable for the patient and can be repeated as often as necessary.
When the physiotherapist does the examination him- or herself, he or she will immediately see dynamic images, in contrary to the X-ray machine and MRI scan, that only result in static images. During an ultrasound, the patient can actively participate by saying when and during what movement pain increase or decrease. The physiotherapist can immediately make a connection between the symptoms and the images.

What are the applications of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound?

Muscles . . . . . . . .(tears, scars, calcification)
Tendons . . . . . . . (tears, degeneration, calcification)
Bursae . . . . . . . . .(inflammations, thickenings, calcificatio)
Ligaments. . . . . . (tears, thickenings)
Capsule . . . . . . . .(inflammations, tears, thickenings)
Cartilage . . . . . . . (damage, defectives, thickenings)
Meniscus . . . . . . (tears, cysts)
Bones . . . . . . . . . (loose bone fragments, fractures, accretion disks)
Nerves . . . . . . . . .(location in tunnels, for example in the carpal tunnel)

 
calcification of (m.supraspinatus) tendon

What is the added value of MusculoSkeletal Ultrasound in the clinic?

The use of diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound within a (sports) physiotherapy clinic helps getting visual insight in the complaint of the patient. Therefore, a diagnosis can be made faster and we can immediately start a optimal treatment plan.
During treatment it is possible to frequently get visual feedback concerning the development of the injury and the following treatment plan with help of diagnostic ultrasound. When necessary the plan can be adjusted according to the shown results.
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound is a "beeldvormende" technique that has shown to be a acquisition of the locomotion system. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound can, when expertly performed, provide the (sports) doctor/specialist and the patient with valuable information that is important for the right treatment of injuries.

Within our clinic Brigtte Mooij and Liliane Mandema are qualified to make Musculoskeletal Ultrasound scans.