Cortisol concentrations in human skeletal muscle tissue after phonophoresis with 10% hydrocortisone gel.
BACKGROUND
The delivery of hydrocortisone through phonophoresis is a widely prescribed technique for the treatment of various musculoskeletal inflammatory conditions. However, limited scientific evidence exists to support the efficacy of phonophoresis in delivering hydrocortisone to skeletal muscle tissue in humans.


OBJECTIVE
To determine hydrocortisone (cortisol) concentrations in human skeletal muscle tissue after a phonophoresis treatment using 10% hydrocortisone gel.


METHODS
Randomized design in which 12 subjects were randomly assigned to either an ultrasound (sham) treatment or a 10% hydrocortisone phonophoresis treatment.


METHODS
Laboratory.


METHODS
Twelve healthy subjects (8 women, 4 men: age = 22.3 +/- 2.64 years, height = 168.28 +/- 8.19 cm, mass = 69.58 +/- 9.05 kg) with no history of musculoskeletal disease, preexisting inflammatory conditions, or recent orthopaedic injuries.


METHODS
Ultrasound at 1.0 MHz, 1.0 W/cm (2), at a continuous setting for 7 minutes was applied to a standardized area of the vastus lateralis muscle in both groups. The contralateral limb served as the control (no treatment) for both the sham and the phonophoresis groups.


METHODS
Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were taken from both legs immediately after treatment, and cortisol concentrations were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
We observed no significant difference in muscle cortisol concentration between the contralateral control limb and the treatment limb in either the sham or the phonophoresis group ( P > .05). No significant difference was noted when the treatment limbs in the sham and phonophoresis groups were compared ( P > .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that a 10% hydrocortisone-based phonophoresis treatment did not increase cortisol concentrations in human skeletal muscle tissue.
Kuntz
Amanda R
AR
The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA. thomas.mcloughlin@utoledo.edu.
Griffiths
Christine M
CM
Rankin
James M
JM
Armstrong
Charles W
CW
McLoughlin
Thomas J
TJ