RUSI: Rehabilitative Ultrasound Imaging. This non-invasive tool allows the Embody Physiotherapists to obtain objective measurements and to visualize deep and superficial muscle and fascial movement and function. It also allows us to evaluate (and retrain) deep pelvic floor function without internal evaluation.
Briefly, it allows us to see what your muscles are doing. More importantly, it allows YOU to see what your muscles are doing! It provides feedback and can be a great retraining (or biofeedback) tool for creating strength, coordination, and function.
At Embody, we use many tools to evaluate your mobility, strength, and tissue function. Using our manual evaluation techniques along with RUSI gives us a bigger picture. It also provides us with knowledge about which verbal cues are most effective for you as we retrain and create change in your musculoskeletal function, mobility, and strength. We use RUSI as a part of our assessment and treatment. There is no additional charge or fee.
We may use RUSI as a tool to evaluate and treat:
- Diastasis Rectus Abdominus (DRA)
- Pelvic Floor function, strength and mobility (we also use this to retrain the “let go” so as to not always hold the pelvic floor in a tense pattern) in women, men, and children.
- Retraining in pelvic organ prolapse
- Spine and core strength and coordination
- Hip and core strength and coordination
- Pelvic floor assessment and training BEFORE and AFTER Prostatectomy
- Although we do not do specific bladder measurements for diagnostics, we do use RUSI when evaluating your ability to fill and empty your bladder.
- We can use RUSI to assess bowel and constipation, particularly helpful in kids with bladder and bedwetting problems!
- And other musculoskeletal issues.
Providing you with a more complete assessment, and with better feedback for muscle function mobility is a better use of your appointment time, gives you a more complete picture, and helps us to create a more effective home program of exercise to meet your needs and goals. The “AH-Ha” moment that comes with visualizing your pelvic floor, your abdominals, spine or other musculature, and learning the cues that created optimal engagement is empowering.
At Embody Physiotherapy, we consider the “big picture” when working with our clients and when helping you meet your goals for function, balance, strength, and mobility. Embody Physiotherapy is the only Western PA PT practice utilizing RUSI for Musculoskeletal Imaging and it is an addition to the Embody PT toolbox that we are pleased to be able to offer you.
If you are not one of our patients, are working with another PT or practioner and would like to benefit from the imaging or assessment available by RUSI, please contact us to learn how we are able to provide this service and the information gained to you. Info@embody-pt.com
Whittaker J, Ellis R, Hodges P, et al. Imaging with ultrasound in physical therapy: what is the PT’s scope of practice a competency-based educational model and training recommendations. Br. J Sports Med. 2019; 0:1-7.
Rehabilitative Ultrasound provides us with images and views from the outside in. We are able to visualize muscles and joints, and to use this information in real time to help provide you with improved movement, coordination, and function.