Overview of ultrasound usage trends in orthopedic and sports physiotherapy

A brief survey was developed based on previous studies and was sent to 55 physical therapists with advanced competency in orthopedics and sports physiotherapy. The questions addressed general topics about the professional profile and ultrasound usage and dosage.Our data show the wide availability and frequent use of TUS in this sample of physical therapists. TUS is used in distinct musculoskeletal injuries and/or disorders in both acute and chronic conditions. Muscles, tendons and ligaments represented the major structures where TUS is used. Questions on the basic theory of TUS demonstrated a lack of knowledge of the ultrasound physiological effects as well as its interaction with biological tissues and TUS absolute contraindication.A Brazilian profile about the US usage and dosage in orthopedic and sports physiotherapy is presented and highlights the need for a continuous upgrading process and further research into its effects.Therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) is a popular electrophysical resource that generates mechanical energy which propagates through biological tissues [1,2]. In the physical therapist practice, TUS is used to treat soft tissue injuries, accelerate the wound's repair, augment fracture healing, on dwellings resolution and to solve some bone and circulatory injuries [3-5].Historically, TUS was used for the first time in the end of the 1940s and in the beginning of the 1950s [6-8]. During the following years, it became a therapeutic modality widely used by worldwide physical therapists [9]. Nevertheless, its great popularity over five decades, its application on clinical environment changed during this period. For example, in the past, its thermal effects were aimed primarily. Nowadays, it prioritized the non-thermal effects, especially on tissue repair and in wound healing [2]. Despite its widespread use, there is still lack of evidence of its efficacy by RCTs as well as a lack of consensus about the parameters to be used during application in treating