Ultrasound Therapy in Cottonwood Heights & Salt Lake City, UT

Our ultrasound therapy is ideal if you’re:

• An athlete recovering from an injury: Ultrasound waves can stimulate tissue regeneration to help injuries heal faster. The improved blood flow also delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients while flushing away damaged cells and irritants.
• A weekend warrior with nagging overuse issues: Areas that endure repetitive stress like shoulders, knees, and lower back are vulnerable to overuse injuries. Ultrasound therapy can relieve inflammation in these hotspots and keep you pushing your fitness limits.
• Rehabbing from surgery: Inflammation after surgery causes stiffness and pain that can delay mobility. Our ultrasound treatment can gently reduce swelling and make recovery more comfortable.
• Seeking preventative care: You don’t have to be injured to benefit! Pre-workout ultrasound sessions can loosen tissues and deliver blood to muscles for an effective warm-up.

If nagging injuries are limiting your performance or causing chronic issues, our tailored ultrasound therapy can help you recoup mobility and strength.

How Ultrasound Physical Therapy in Cottonwood Heights & Salt Lake City, UT Works

Ultrasound for physical therapy leverages sound waves to improve blood flow, ease stiffness, encourage healing, and reduce discomfort. During your session, our therapist will apply a special ultrasound gel to the treatment area like your shoulder, knee, or lower back. Then they’ll use a handheld ultrasound transducer that generates and receives high-frequency sound waves. As these inaudible sound waves penetrate your sore tissues, they create gentle oscillations in the surrounding cells. This vibration causes tissues to warm from the inside out. We’re essentially massaging your muscles without ever laying a hand on you!

This heat and motion triggers beneficial effects like:

• Increased blood flow and circulation – Rising tissue temperature causes blood vessels to dilate and boosts blood flow. This rush of fresh, oxygenated blood flushes tissue irritants, delivers nutrients and antioxidants, and removes damaged cells to facilitate healing.
• Reduced pain signals – The heat also interferes with pain signals to temporarily relieve discomfort.
• Loosened muscle fibers – The oscillations can make rigid, inflexible muscles more pliable. This reduces stiffness and makes moving easier.
• Collagen production – Gentle warming is believed to stimulate fibroblasts to produce collagen and repair damaged tissue.

Together, these biological responses make ultrasound therapy an excellent treatment option for recent injuries or surgical sites and chronic issues like arthritis inflammation. The versatility also makes it a helpful additive to other treatments.

The Benefits of Ultrasound Therapy in Dynamic Physical Therapy

There’s a reason ultrasound is one of our most utilized modalities for patients recovering from injuries or mobility-limiting conditions. This non-invasive treatment aims to deliver:

1. Reduced Pain and Inflammation
Inflammation causes swelling, stiffness, throbbing pain, muscle spasms, and limited mobility that can derail your progress after an injury. The gentle heat from ultrasound therapy increases blood flow to efficiently deliver healing nutrients and antibodies that help resolve inflammation faster. Patients often report significant pain relief and comfort after just a few sessions.

2. Improved Healing and Tissue Repair
The oscillations and warmth generated by ultrasound waves are believed to stimulate regeneration and repair processes. Increased perfusion brings oxygen and nutrients to compromised tissues while also removing debris. This biological environment facilitates new tissue and blood vessel growth. By spurring tissue repair mechanisms, ultrasound helps injuries mend more seamlessly so you can get back on your feet faster.

3. Increased Flexibility and Range of Motion
Scar tissue, inflammation, and involuntary muscle guarding after an injury make moving stiff and painful. The gentle warmth and motion generated by ultrasound therapy helps break up knots and loosen contracted muscles and collagen fibers. Patients notice improved pliability and mobility in the treatment area. Your flexibility will start approaching pre-injury levels so activities require less effort.

4. Non-Invasive and Pain-Free Treatment
The risks of medication side effects or surgical complications make conservative care ideal when possible. Ultrasound therapy is a non-invasive, non-pharmacological way to encourage healing. Unlike some physical therapy modalities, it’s generally painless and doesn’t require forceful manipulation of inflamed areas. You get to relax during sessions instead of gritting your teeth through discomfort. The combination of reduced inflammation, expedited healing, improved mobility, and a low-risk format makes ultrasound therapy an excellent option for facilitating recovery after an injury. It can also keep recurring issues like arthritis at bay. Read on to see how it stacks up against common recovery questions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ultrasound Physical Therapy

What does an ultrasound do for physical therapy?
Ultrasound therapy uses sound waves to deliver therapeutic heat deep into tissues. This heat triggers increased blood flow, relaxed muscles, pain relief, and accelerated healing — all of which improve mobility. It’s a drug-free, non-invasive way to recover from injuries faster.

How does ultrasound therapy reduce inflammation?
Inflammation after an injury causes pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and loss of function. Ultrasound waves bring warming relief to irritated tissues. This heat causes blood vessels to dilate and speeds nutrient delivery while flushing away inflammatory irritants. Increased blood flow also delivers healing factors to resolve inflammation.

What does ultrasound do to muscles?
The sound waves physically oscillate muscle tissues, creating a gentle internal massage. This helps break up knotted fibers and loosen contracted muscles. Patients notice reduced muscle tension, less stiffness, and easier mobility. Improved flexibility makes daily activities less challenging.

Meet Your Recovery Team

Our experienced physical therapists leverage the latest technology and techniques — like ultrasound therapy — to help patients regain functioning after an injury or surgery. Learn more about Dr. Jessica Bauerkemper, your provider for ultrasound treatments:

Matthew Nelson PT, DPT, TPS, AFDNS, AIB Cert – VR
Matt incorporates therapeutic ultrasound as a complementary treatment for patients with deep tissue injuries and chronic pain conditions. His expertise in spine care and sports rehabilitation is enhanced through targeted ultrasound application to improve tissue healing and reduce inflammation. Matt finds this therapy particularly effective for addressing deep muscle strains and tendon injuries in athletes.

Jessica Bauerkemper PT, DPT, AIB CERT – VR
Jessica utilizes ultrasound therapy to enhance tissue healing for orthopedic conditions and post-operative rehabilitation. She strategically combines this modality with her manual therapy techniques to optimize recovery outcomes. Jessica’s approach often integrates ultrasound with progressive exercise to facilitate the transition from passive to active rehabilitation.

Anika Jansen, PT, DPT
Anika implements therapeutic ultrasound in her comprehensive treatment of orthopedic injuries, particularly for patients with deep tissue restrictions affecting mobility and function. Her understanding of tissue healing principles guides her application of ultrasound therapy within broader treatment plans. Anika often pairs this modality with functional dry needling for enhanced outcomes in stubborn conditions.

Ciena Lavallee PT, DPT, Cert. MDT
Ciena applies therapeutic ultrasound within her McKenzie Method framework to address tissue healing while working on mechanical corrections. Her methodical approach ensures ultrasound therapy is appropriately targeted to complement movement-based interventions. Ciena values this modality particularly for deep-seated inflammation and scar tissue that requires targeted thermal effects to optimize healing.

Start Healing Today

If pain, stiffness, swelling, or nagging injuries are hindering your mobility, ultrasound therapy could help you bounce back faster. You deserve to live actively and comfortably!
To learn more about ultrasound physical therapy or schedule your first session at our Cottonwood Heights & Salt Lake City, UT clinic, call us or request an appointment online. Our exceptional providers are ready to help you recover.