Ultrasound therapy
Ultrasound Therapy in Physiotherapy
By the Phoenix Rehab physiotherapy and hand therapy team. Last updated 3 October 2026.
Therapeutic ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves, delivered through a small head and a layer of gel, to warm or stimulate the soft tissue underneath. It is painless, it takes a few minutes, and the research behind it is mixed. We use it as an add-on to hands-on treatment and exercise, never as the plan on its own.
No extra charge inside a physiotherapy or hand therapy appointment. $50 per area booked on its own. At every Phoenix clinic.
What ultrasound therapy is
Therapeutic ultrasound is not the scan used to look inside the body. It is a treatment: a handheld head is moved slowly over the skin, on a layer of gel, for a few minutes per area. Set to continuous, it gently warms the tissue. Set to pulsed, it gives a mechanical stimulus with little heat. Most people feel nothing, or mild warmth.
What we use it for
Soft tissue problems where warming or stimulating the tissue helps the hands-on work and exercise that follow:
- Tendon and muscle irritation, such as tennis elbow
- Stiff, tight tissue around a joint before it is mobilized
- Thickened scar tissue in the hand and wrist, alongside scar massage and movement, as part of hand therapy after surgery
The research on therapeutic ultrasound is mixed, and for most musculoskeletal pain the evidence that it adds much on its own is weak. That is why it is an add-on here: a few minutes inside an appointment whose main work is hands-on treatment and exercise.
When ultrasound is not used
Your therapist checks for these before using it. Tell them if any apply:
- You are pregnant and the area is the abdomen, lower back or pelvis
- Cancer in or near the area
- An infection, or an area with a suspected blood clot
- Reduced feeling in the skin over the area
- Over the eyes, over a pacemaker, or over growing bones in children
Ultrasound therapy
Per area, booked on its own. No extra charge when it is part of a physiotherapy or hand therapy appointment ($230 per 45-minute appointment, nett, no GST). At every Phoenix clinic.
Questions
Before you book
Does ultrasound therapy hurt?
No. Most people feel nothing, or mild warmth. Tell your therapist straight away if it feels hot or painful.
Is ultrasound therapy the same as shockwave?
No. Ultrasound is gentle and painless; shockwave delivers strong pressure pulses and is used for a narrower set of long-standing tendon problems. Shockwave vs ultrasound therapy, explained →
Can I book ultrasound on its own?
Yes, at $50 per area. If the problem is new, or has not been assessed, start with an Assessment & Treatment so we know what we are treating.
Will my insurance pay?
It depends on your policy. How insurance claims for physiotherapy actually work →
Not sure what your problem needs?
Tell us where it hurts and how long it has been going on. We will tell you what the first appointment involves.
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Clinics across Singapore
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Orchard Towers, S238875
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EW2DT32 Tampines MRT
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265 Serangoon Central Drive #04-269
S550265 · Lift C only
NE12CC13 Serangoon MRT
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10 Anson Road #02-77A
International Plaza, S079903
EW15 Tanjong Pagar MRT
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WhatsApp 8227 7074JURONG EAST
2 Venture Drive #02-02
Vision Exchange, S608526
NS1EW24 Jurong East MRT
Opening 25 October 2026
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