Clinical cases  SPORT INJURIES AND REHABILITATION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2006 September;46(3):476-80

Copyright © 2006 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Non-union of the clavicle and delayed union of the proximal fifth metatarsal treated with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in two soccer players

Lüthje P. ¹, Nurmi-Lüthje I. ^{2, 3}

¹ Department of Orthopedic Surgery Kuusankoski Regional Hospital, Kuusankoski, Finland 2 Health Centre of Kouvola Region, Kouvola, Finland 3 Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Operative treatment has become the treatment of choice in athletes and active patients in non-union of the clavicle and delayed union of the proximal fifth metatarsal. The purpose of this study was to review the short- and long-term clinical results of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound treatment in a non-union of the clavicle and in a delayed union of the proximal fifth metatarsal in 2 elite soccer players. In both patients, the treatment sessions were performed with an ultrasound signal that was composed of a burst width of 200±10% µs containing 1.5±5% MHz sine waves, with a repeating rate of 1±10% kHz and a spatial average temporal intensity of 30±30% mW/cm2. The application of the ultrasound was performed by the patients at home for 20 min/day for 3 months. The healing of the non-union of the clavicle was followed by MR imaging and of the delayed union of the proximal fifth metatarsal by radiographs. In both of the cases the end-results were excellent and the players could continue playing at the highest level. The ultrasound method was successful and afforded players a quick return to sport activity.