ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing intrasound therapy are often concurrently on NSAIDs. The effect of varied intensities of intrasound therapy with NSAIDs on tendon healing is yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the effects of a concurrent admistration of low and high intensity intrasound therapy (LIRTetHIRT) with indomethacin (Indocid) on the morphology of the tendon in the early stage of healing. METHODS: Thirty five male rats were divided randomly into seven groups; groups 2-6 underwent an induced crush injury. Group 1; nil injury and nil treatment. Group 2: injury but nil treatment. Group 3: Indomethacin only. Group 4: LIRT only; Group 5: Indocidand LIRT; Group 6: HIRT; Group 7: Indocid and HIRT. Intrasound therapy (IRT) commenced 24 hours post-injury and was given alternate days for the first 10 days post injury. Indocid was given at a dosage of 0.4 mg/kg body weight daily. On the 11 day post injury; the animals were sacrificed and the tendons excised and processed for histological study. RESULTS: Indocid significantly (p 0.05) reduced the tenocyte population when combined with LIRT but marginally increased it when combined with HIRT (p 0.05). There was significant difference in the tenocyte population between the combined Indocid and LIRT and the combined Indocid and HIRT groups (p 0.05). CONCLUSION: High intensity intrasound given concurrently with oral indomethacin resulted in tenoblast proliferation and promoted healing in the injured tendon