THE USE OF THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND BY PHYSICAL-THERAPISTS IN DUTCH PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE

Background and Purpose. The purposes of this study were to describe th e use of ultrasound by Dutch physical therapists and to address the qu estion of whether this use is what would be considered correct. Subjec ts and Methods. Physical therapists ill the Dutch primary health care system gathered data on 17,201 patients, addressing reasons for referr al, treatment goals (in terms of impairments and disabilities), and ph ysical therapy interventions. Patients treated with ultrasound (n = 3, 959) were compared with a reference group of patients who were not tre ated with ultrasound (n = 13,242). Results. Physical therapists applie d ultrasound for soft tissue injuries of recent onset, mainly aiming t o reduce pain and swelling. Ultrasound was used in all phases of treat ment and was not restricted to the first 3 weeks of treatment. Ultraso und was combined relatively infrequently with exercise and relatively frequently with massage. Conclusion and Discussion. Regarding the indi cations for referral and treatment goals chosen, the actual use of ult rasound corresponds to assumptions about expected use. The timing of i ts application and the combination with other forms of therapy do not correspond in all aspects to the assumptions made.