For an acute injury, ultrasound is used with what duty cycle?

For an acute injury, ultrasound is used with what duty cycle?

• A. Can be used but low duty cycle
• B. Requires high duty cycle
• C. Only thermal effects
• D. Never used

Answer: (A)

For acute injuries, the goal is to minimize heating while still obtaining therapeutic benefits. Ultrasound is used in a pulsed mode with a low duty cycle, which means the device is on only part of the time and mostly off, keeping the average temperature rise low. This low duty cycle delivers beneficial non-thermal/mechanical effects—like microstreaming and tissue stimulation—that aid healing without risking increased inflammation from heat. Using a high duty cycle would raise temperature and potentially worsen acute inflammation, and ultrasound isn’t limited to thermal effects or unused in acute cases.

For acute injuries, the goal is to minimize heating while still obtaining therapeutic benefits. Ultrasound is used in a pulsed mode with a low duty cycle, which means the device is on only part of the time and mostly off, keeping the average temperature rise low. This low duty cycle delivers beneficial non-thermal/mechanical effects—like microstreaming and tissue stimulation—that aid healing without risking increased inflammation from heat. Using a high duty cycle would raise temperature and potentially worsen acute inflammation, and ultrasound isn’t limited to thermal effects or unused in acute cases.