Top Advances in the Treatment of Soft Tissue Injuries and Conditions

Soft tissue injuries are among the most common reasons patients seek care from sports medicine and rehabilitation specialists, with the goal, of course, to relieve pain, regain full movement, and strengthen the weakened area to prevent re-injury. While it may seem like a simple ask, the parameters around an injury and a slew of treatment options can make achieving these outcomes a complicated matter.

Fortunately, with the latest breakthroughs, ongoing educational opportunities, and treatment innovations, optimal treatment protocols are evolving to better heal these types of injuries. In fact, the potential for a full recovery to the patient’s previous quality of life and level of performance has markedly improved.

Here, we examine the latest advances offering the best treatments for soft tissue injuries today, including one of the newest modalities of note: Multi-Polar Radio Frequency (RF) and Pulsed Electro Magnetic Fields (PEMF), along with the added benefits of therapeutic massage.

What Defines a Soft Tissue Injury?

Before we get into the technical details, it’s helpful to review the basics of soft tissue injuries.

Soft tissue injuries occur when muscles, ligaments, and/or tendons are exposed to direct or indirect trauma causing damage. Direct trauma may be caused by impact or abrupt overloading, while indirect trauma is tied to repeated sub-maximum loading, as with overuse injuries.Common symptoms include pain, swelling, and restricted movement. The four common types of soft tissue injuries are contusions (bruises), sprains, strains, and tendonitis.

Classic Treatments for Soft Tissue Injuries

Generally speaking, the healing of soft tissue injuries spans three phases: the acute inflammatory stage, lasting up to 72 hours; the repair stage, lasting from 48 hours to six weeks; and the remodeling stage, lasting from three weeks to a year or more.

The classic treatment protocol in the first three days following injury is to apply rest, ice, compression, and elevation (often abbreviated as “RICE”) to the injured area while avoiding the common “HARM” factors (heat, alcohol, running or exercise, and massage). This often relieves the initial symptoms.

To address the underlying injury, further treatment may focus on thermal or mechanical therapy. Energy-based devices, including ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and cold laser, are used to address tissue pain, stiffness, and weakness. Therapies such as Active Release Techniques (ARTs), the Graston Technique, massage, and musculoskeletal manipulation/chiropractic techniques are occasionally used, too.

Unfortunately, due to common misconceptions regarding soft tissue injuries, some conditions receive no treatment and are left to heal on their own, though the reality is that healing, including remodeling of the tissue, can take a long time or never even occur if left untreated. In fact, one study found that only 12% of people with a soft tissue neck injury experienced complete recovery more than a decade after their accident, while another study of patients with whiplash found that 70% complained of symptoms related to the original injury 15.5 years afterward.

While minor injuries may resolve over time, many people experience residual and/or chronic symptoms, for which compensations in movement can lead to a cascade of other issues. This is why the rehabilitation community continues to seek advanced treatments for soft tissue injuries and conditions.

Advances in Soft Tissue Injury Treatments

One of the newest advances in soft tissue injury treatments is the combination of Multi-Polar RF and PEMF to deliver synergistic benefits for reparation.

Separately, each of these modalities are well-validated approaches.Multi-Polar RF offers homogeneous deep-tissue heating resulting in tissue regeneration and remodeling, while PEMF induces an electro magnetic field in the target tissue, stimulating connective tissue, blood vessels, and muscles. Combined, they spur an increase in tissue metabolism, blood perfusion, lymphatic drainage, and the proliferation of new collagen, fibroblasts, tissue fibers, and blood vessels for accelerated healing and improved rehabilitation. When accompanied by massage, even more superior soft tissue injury rehabilitation may be achieved.

For further detail into how this treatment modality affects the targeted connective tissue, vascular networks, and muscles for accelerated reparation and rehabilitation, as well as a list of contraindications, download our latest report, Advances in the Treatment of Soft Tissue Injuries and Conditions: PEMF and Multi-Polar Radio Frequency.

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Venus Bliss™ is licensed by Health Canada for non-invasive lipolysis of the abdomen and flanks in individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or less, with the diode laser applicators. The (MP)² applicator is licensed by Health Canada for temporary increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, and temporary cellulite reduction.

Venus Versa™ is licensed by Health Canada as a multi-application device intended to be used in aesthetic and cosmetic procedures. The SR515 and SR580 applicators are licensed by Health Canada for the treatment of benign pigmented epidermal and cutaneous lesions and treatment of benign cutaneous vascular lesions. The HR650/HR650XL and HR690/HR690XL applicators are licensed by Health Canada for the removal of unwanted hair and to effect stable long-term or permanent hair reduction for Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The AC Dual applicator is licensed by Health Canada for the treatment of acne vulgaris. The DiamondPolar™ applicator is licensed by Health Canada for non-invasive treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and rhytides on females with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. The OctiPolar™ applicator on the Venus Versa™ system is licensed by Health Canada for temporary body contouring via skin tightening, circumferential reduction, and cellulite reduction. The NanoFractional RF™ (Viva) applicator is licensed by Health Canada for dermatological procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin.

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ARTAS iX™ is licensed by Health Canada with indication for use for harvesting hair follicles from the scalp in men diagnosed with androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) who have black or brown straight hair. ARTAS iX™ is intended to assist physicians in identifying and extracting hair follicular units from the scalp during hair transplantation; creating recipient sites; and implanting harvested hair follicles.

Venus Legacy™ is licensed by Health Canada for the temporary increase of skin tightening, temporary circumferential reduction, temporary cellulite reduction, and temporary wrinkle reduction.

Venus Velocity™ is licensed by Health Canada for hair removal, permanent hair reduction (defined as the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen), and the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae for all Fitzpatrick skin types.

The Venus Viva™ is licensed by Health Canada as a non-invasive medical aesthetic device, intended for use in dermatologic and general surgical procedures requiring ablation and resurfacing of the skin, using the Viva™/Viva™ MD applicator, and reduction in the appearance of wrinkle and rhytides in Fitzpatrick skin types I - IV using the DiamondPolar™ applicator.

Venus Epileve™ is licensed by Health Canada for hair removal, permanent hair reduction (defined as the long-term stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing when measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after the completion of a treatment regimen), and the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae for all Fitzpatrick skin types.

Venus Freeze Plus™ is licensed by Health Canada for temporary skin tightening, and temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite on the abdomen and flanks, using the DiamondPolar™ and OctiPolar™ applicators.

Venus Heal™ is licensed by Health Canada and can be used for the treatment of both acute and chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system, such as muscle spasms, back pain, and soft tissue injuries, and results in effects such as pain relief, myorelaxation, increase of local blood circulation, and edema reduction.

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