When trying to contract (or relax) your abdominal wall (deep core) or pelvic floor muscles, it can be difficult to feel if you are performing your exercises correctly. Observing the behaviour of your muscles on ultrasound can be a helpful way to develop the coordination needed to achieve your rehabilitation goals. Physiotherapists are trained to use the visual biofeedback provided by real-time ultrasound screens to guide therapeutic exercise programs targeting specific functional goals. These goals can include learning muscle coordination, developing strength, endurance, and improving continence. Studies have shown that real-time ultrasound (RTUS) imaging for biofeedback can be more effective than verbal cues, tactile feedback or the use of pressure unit biofeedback (Valera-Calero et al., 2021).
Valera-Calero, J. A., Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., Varol, U., Ortega-Santiago, R., Gallego-Sendarrubias, G. M., & Arias-Buría, J. L. (2021). Ultrasound imaging as a visual biofeedback tool in rehabilitation: An updated systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7554.
