1. An ultrasound can confirm the site of injury
   
   While hands-on tests & physical assessments are the standard for athletic injuries, an ultrasound can confirm which anatomical structures are involved in your injury. For example, does your elbow hurt due to tendonitis or ligament sprain? This information is very important for Dr. Marieta and your other health practitioners for determining the best treatment options for you. Please note: Dr. Marieta Buse ND is not a licensed sonographer and as such, it is out of her scope of practice to diagnose.

2. An ultrasound can determine the severity of injury
   
   Although hands-on tests & physical assessments are helpful for determining what structures may be involved, they often lack the ability to accurately determine the severity of injury whereas an ultrasound can do so. For example, do you have elbow pain due to inflammation or is the tendon partially torn? Understanding the severity of injury can dictate how aggressive your treatment options should be. Please note: Dr. Marieta Buse ND is not a licensed sonographer and as such, it is out of her scope of practice to diagnose.

3. Your health care provider can measure the progress of healing
   
   An ultrasound can confirm how the tissues are responding to your current treatment plan. We can document pre- & post- treatment images to see how they are responding to physical therapy exercise, acupuncture/dry needling, injection therapies, etc - especially with ruptured or partially torn structures! Although some injuries have lasting changes in the affected tissues, seeing the response in these structures on ultrasound can give you more confidence in your return to activity and overcoming fear of re-injury.

4. We can have real-time visualization of muscle recruitment
   
   During the rehabilitation process, it can be valuable to visualize engagement of different muscle groups on ultrasound. For example, the transversus abdominis muscle wraps around the trunk and as the deepest of 6 abdominal muscles can be tricky to accurately assess. With the help of ultrasound, you can see the muscles to help you learn how to engage them better. Ultimately, this strengthens interconnections between the mind and muscles.

5. It's a safe and non-invasive form of imaging
   
   Ultrasound as a form of imaging is non-invasive - it simply needs contact with the skin through a gel lubricant. This form of imaging uses high-frequency sound waves so there is no radiation or radiation-related health problems. Even after decades of use, there are no documented health risks or side effects from ultrasound sound waves.

6. An ultrasound may assist with guided injection therapies

   An ultrasound can be used to guide injections therapies such as prolotherapy accurately to targeted structures while avoiding high risk structures like blood vessels and nerves. This way you know the treatment is getting to the exact site where it is needed! Please note: This medical device is used for imaging purposes only and is not the same as a therapeutic ultrasound as a treatment.

Dr. Marieta Buse ND, CISSN
Certifications in sports nutrition, prescriptive authority, IVs, and advanced injections, including prolotherapy