Venous leg ulcers are common, especially in the elderly. They are caused by damage or blockages in the veins of the legs, which in turn lead to pooling of blood and increased pressure in these veins. Eventually, these changes can damage the skin and lead to ulcer formation.
Compression with stockings or bandages is the most widely used, and acceptable, treatment for venous leg ulcers. Ultrasound has been used as an additional intervention, especially for difficult, long-standing ulcers. The mechanisms by which ultrasound waves interact with healing tissues are not fully understood. We conducted a review to establish whether ultrasound speeds the healing and improve symptoms of venous leg ulcers, and examined all the available evidence from medical trials. This showed that there is no strong evidence that ultrasound hastens ulcer healing. There is, however, some weak evidence from poor-quality research that high-frequency ultrasound may increase the healing of venous leg ulcers. This finding, however, requires confirmation in larger and rigorously conducted medical trials before we can be certain that it is true and can be trusted. There is no evidence that low frequency ultrasound improves the healing of venous leg ulcers.