Ultrasound effects on electroneuromyographic measures in sensory fibers of the median nerve

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the available literature and study the influence of ultrasound on the conduction velocity and amplitude of evoked sensory potentials in the median nerve. Thirteen subjects were assigned to either Experimental or Control Groups for ultrasound or placebo treatments. We compared sensory-nerve conduction velocity in the median nerve after 10 minutes of ultrasound treatment at three intensity levels (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 W/cm2) with sensory-nerve conduction velocity in the median nerve after 10 minutes of placebo ultrasound treatment (0.0 W/cm2). No significant differences were noted between groups at any of the three ultrasound intensity levels, nor were the interaction effects significant. A hypothetical model, based on the available literature, proposes that ultrasound-induced changes in sensory-nerve conduction velocity may not progress in a direct linear fashion relative to the duration of treatment.