In treating calcific tendinitis, ultrasound is thought to

• A. Accelerate disruption of calcium deposit microcrystals
• B. Increase blood flow and metabolism
• C. Decrease tissue oxygenation
• D. Reduce muscle strength

Answer: (A)

Therapeutic ultrasound for calcific tendinitis is used for its ability to create mechanical energy at the deposit, helping to fragment the calcium crystals. The acoustic energy generates microstreaming and cavitation that apply shear forces to the calcific deposits, breaking them into smaller particles that the body can resorb more easily. This is why accelerating disruption of calcium deposit microcrystals is the best description of what ultrasound is thought to do in this condition.

While ultrasound can also raise local tissue temperature and may transiently boost blood flow, those effects are not the primary goal in treating the deposits themselves. The options describing decreased tissue oxygenation or reduced muscle strength do not fit the therapeutic purpose of this modality.