EQultrasound Pro Therapy continuous emission transducers (Red and Yellow) can be used to treat limitations in tendon extensibility, which often are the consequence of prolonged joint immobilization or injury.

Tendons are fibrous structures attaching muscles to bones and can contract or shorten when muscle or joint injuries occur. Collagen fibers become very stiff in a contracted tendon and this creates a problem also in normal weight bearing.

Continuous ultrasound emission increases collagen elasticity and it is very easily absorbed by structures rich in collagen, like tendons.

When associated with exercising EQ Pro Therapy can significantly increase tendon elastic properties. In fact by rising the temperature of deep muscle and tendon structures before or while performing stretching exercises, EQ Pro Therapy can promote tissue elongation and reduce the risk of fiber damage and tissue injuries.

To achieve normal elongation once again, it is necessary to heat the tendon structure to approximately 37°-40° Celsius (or 98°-104° Fahrenheit) and to manually perform static or repeated steady stretching exercises.

EQ Pro Therapy is the ideal tool for veterinarians and equine therapists to increase tendon temperature and flexibility without overheating the horse skin. In order to promote tendon elongation EQultrasound Pro treatment must be followed by manual stretching and gentle exercise (like hand-walking or walking in an underwater treadmill).

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EQultrasound Pro continuous emission transducers can be used to treat joint mobility limitations, which often are the consequence of prolonged immobilization, bursitis, tendonitis, scar tissue or adhesions.

When associated with exercising EQ Pro Therapy can significantly increase the joint range of motion. In fact by rising the temperature of deep muscle and tendon structures before or while performing stretching exercises, EQultrasound Pro Therapy can promote tissue elongation and reduce the risk of fiber damage and tissue injuries.

Continuous ultrasound emission increases collagen elasticity and it is very easily absorbed by structures high in collagen fiber, like joint capsules.

Joint structures are very often responsible for range of motion limitations and treating them with our therapeutic ultrasound makes it much easier to stretch them during exercise.

Furthermore, heating deep tissues while performing stretching exercises will increase the level of comfort for the horse.

In conclusion the use of EQ Pro Therapy in conjunction with stretching exercises is ideal for the rehabilitation of the joint range of motion, where joint movement has been inhibited by certain equine conditions.

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]]> https://www.equltrasound.com/treatment-of-joint-mobility-limitations/feed/ 1 https://www.equltrasound.com/stable-cavitation-and-acoustical-streaming-physiological-effects/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stable-cavitation-and-acoustical-streaming-physiological-effects https://www.equltrasound.com/stable-cavitation-and-acoustical-streaming-physiological-effects/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2015 10:00:44 +0000 http://www.equltrasound.com/?p=724 EQ Pro Therapy acoustic and mechanical effects produce distortions of the cell membranes, influencing ion fluxes and intracellular activity.

Cell membrane destabilization results in an increase in cellular permeability, therefore many molecules travel into the cell, precipitating secondary effects:

• increase in cell membrane permeability
• increase of intracellular calcium (known as second messenger for cell function, including protein synthesis)
• increase mast cell degranulation
• increase histamine and chemotactic factor release by granules from mast cells and circulating platelets (influencing circulation and protein synthesis)

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In summary cell membrane destabilization is thought to enhance the inflammatory response from the inflammatory phase, consequently aiding and speeding up tissue regeneration and repair.

The most important parameters for the generation of mechanical non-thermal effects are:

• ultrasound frequency
• intensity of ultrasound emission
• exposure time

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At high ultrasound frequencies, on the order of the MHz (like in traditional high frequency ultrasound devices), the production of cavitation bubbles becomes more difficult than at low ultrasound frequencies, of the order of the kHz (like with EQultrasound Pro Therapy).

To achieve cavitation with high frequency 1-3 MHz devices, ultrasound intensity must be significantly increased, to ensure that the cohesive forces of interstitial fluids are overcome and voids are created; too high ultrasound intensities can lead to burns and tissues damages. Furthermore histamine is released by the degranulation of mast cells. The rate at which this occurs is proportional to the ultrasound intensity (the higher the ultrasound intensity, the more histamine is released). It is possible to form too much histamine with a high intensity output, which could prolong the inflammation instead of stimulating healing.

This is one of the major advantages offered by EQ Pro Therapy low frequency / longwave therapy (38 kHz +/-2) versus traditional high frequency ultrasound therapy (1-3 MHz): since EQPro Therapy operates at a much lower frequency than traditional high frequency devices, it can safely produce stable cavitation, acoustical streaming and micro-streaming without the need to increase significantly ultrasound intensity.

The acoustic and mechanical effects produced by EQ Pro Therapy increase cellular metabolic activity, cellular permeability, blood micro-circulation, enzymatic activity, tissue oxygenation and remove metabolic debris produced by the injury. All these physiological effects contribute to accelerate healing, reducing edema and pain, and speeding up the inflammatory phase of tissue repair for a faster recovery of the treated areas.

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EQultrasound Non-Thermal Mechanical Effects

This treatment modality is indicated for pathologies still in the acute phase or in general when heat is an undesirable element. In fact pauses in the ultrasound wave emission allow the dissipation of heat by blood circulation.

For example pulsed ultrasound therapy is very effective in reducing edema and swellings / hematomas at early stage associated with recent soft tissue injuries.

The acoustic and mechanical non-thermal effects produced by EQultrasound Pro Therapy are:

• stable cavitation
• acoustic streaming
• micro-streaming
• mechanical vibration (micro-massage)

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Cavitation is the term used to describe the influence of an ultrasonic wave on the formation, growth and oscillation of micro-bubbles inside interstitial fluids (which are the fluids that bathe and surround cells). The oscillation of micro-bubbles in response to the ultrasound wave, without an increase in the bubbles’ overall size, is called stable cavitation.

Periodic radial oscillations of these micro-bubbles inside interstitial fluids (stable cavitation), create complex streaming patterns within the liquid in the vicinity of the oscillating bubble surface.

Acoustic streaming is the movement of interstitial fluids along cell membranes.

Microstreaming consists of circular currents inside interstitial fluids surrounding the cavitational bubbles, which make cells and intracellular organelles twist and rotate generating a form of micro-massage.

Furthermore the pulsed emission modality creates a very strong mechanical vibration on treated tissues, resulting also in a form of micro-massage, which actively supports the drainage of edemas, hematomas and excess fluids build-up in general.

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Stable Cavitation and Acoustical Streaming Physiological Effects

Ultrasound therapy can stimulate both angiogenesis and bone morphogenetic factors; it appears to induce the differentiation of the osteoblast and promote osteogenesis. Furthermore EQ Pro therapeutic treatments reduce pain following surgery; the effects appear to be on nerve fiber conduction.

The healing process following surgery very often leaves pronounced scar tissue and adhesions, which are made of generic connective tissue, rather than specialized connective tissue. This generic connective tissue is qualitatively inferior and adheres to skin, tendons, ligaments and bone.

Hypertrophic or keloid scarring and adhesions can compromise horse performance, because they can entrap nerves causing pain and consequently limiting normal joint range of motion.

Ultrasound energy is significantly absorbed in tissues with high collagen content, like scar tissue and adhesions. Scar tissue and adhesions are denser than surrounding tissues and thus absorb more ultrasound energy, allowing selective treatments.

Acoustic non-thermal effects generated by EQ Pro Therapy pulsed emission transducers (Blue, Green, Grey and White) help softening scar tissue and adhesions, while diathermy / deep heat generated by EQ Pro Therapy continuous emission transducers (Red and Yellow) increase local vasodilation, blood flow and soft tissue extensibility.

The safety of the practitioner, patient and equipment should be considered at all times.

Although EQ Pro Therapy treatments are completely painless and horses tolerate them well without any sedation, it is very important to properly prepare equine patients for treatment, including the prevention of uncontrolled kicking, distress or pain. Most veterinarians and therapists use some form of restraint to ensure the safety of the individuals and device.

Before starting the treatment we suggest to define the area to treat. When defining the area you need to take into account the treatment duration and the extension of the area to treat. Please note that in 20 minutes you will be able to properly treat a surface area equal to a letter size piece of paper (8.5” x 11”) or A4 piece of paper. Therefore for smaller or larger areas you need to adjust treatment time accordingly.

Always clean the area to treat. Unless horse hair is very long, shaving the area to treat is not necessary.

Spread some gel specific for ultrasound use on the transducer contact surface and on the area to treat; repeat the procedure during treatment in order to help ultrasound penetration and the transducer smooth sliding on the area to treat.

Treatment is to be performed by massaging the areas to treat with the transducer in direct contact with horse hair.

During treatment it is very important to keep moving the transducer with slow and gentle linear or circular movements, while applying a constant pressure.

The transducer must be slowly and steadily moved over the area to treat in order to obtain a uniform exposure and to avoid over heating of a specific spot (a speed of 3 or 4 inches per second is recommended).

The slower you move the transducer, the deeper the ultrasound effects.
The faster you move the transducer, the more superficial the ultrasound effects.
More pressure on the transducer equals to deeper ultrasound effects.
Less pressure on the transducer equals to more superficial ultrasound effects.

The EQ Pro Therapy mobile app features a Therapeutic Effect Bar which goes from red to green: this will enable you to monitor ultrasound absorption during the treatment session and consequently adjust your transducer application (speed of movement and pressure applied) for optimized therapeutic effects.

Ultrasound treatments should always be below the pain threshold. An important task of the veterinarian or therapist is to always observe and understand the horse’s body language in order to monitor any type of discomfort and eventually lower output intensity.

Flat transducers were conceived to treat flat areas, while concave transducers were conceived to treat smaller rounded areas, since the concave shape allows better coupling on rounded surfaces. In any case you should always try to have the best possible adhesion between the transducer and the area to treat, since air does not allow ultrasound propagation: this is the reason why you need to make sure there is always gel between the transducer and horse hair.

Continuous emission transducers (Red and Yellow) were conceived to treat pathologies where the use of heat is particularly indicated, while Pulsed emission transducers (Blue, Green, Grey and White) were conceived to treat pathologies where heat is undesirable.

As a general rule, treatments of muscular pathologies should be performed on alternate days; treatments of joint pathologies should be performed either on alternate days or once every three days (depending on the type and severity of the pathology to treat); treatments of calcifications should be performed for the first week once every other day, for the second week once every three days and for the subsequent weeks once every five days.

It is important to wait between one treatment and the other to allow time for the horse body to perform its own repair processes, which have been stimulated by the ultrasound treatment. Please note that the “more is better” theory does not apply to ultrasound therapy.