Port Melbourne Physiotherapy & Pilates now offers real-time ultrasound imaging (RTUI) to assist in retraining of important muscle groups. With the use of RTUI we can view the deep muscles of your back, abdomen and pelvis and ensure you are contracting muscles correctly. Because your ‘core stabilising muscles’ are so deep, it can be difficult to feel whether you are recruiting the right ones. With RTUI we can view the stabilising muscles as the contraction occurs and provide an accurate assessment of the quality, timing and endurance of the contraction. As you will also be able to view the image and see your muscles contract, real time ultrasound provides important visual feedback on how well you are performing an exercise and is therefore a powerful teaching tool.

Real-time Ultrasound has been introduced to PMPP in particular to assist clients doing Clinical Pilates, ensuring they are in fact working the right muscles groups. Research shows that in low back pain sufferers, the stabilising muscles become significantly inhibited, leading to the development of chronic or recurrent lower back pain and poor injury recovery. If you are recruiting the larger outer muscles rather than the deep stabilisers recovery will be affected.

Real-time Ultrasound is non-invasive and does not involve radiation. It is a safe technique carried out by our specially trained physiotherapists.