Exposure to ultrasound should avoid which area due to safety concerns?

• A. Epiphyseal plates
• B. Larynx
• C. Muscles
• D. Joints

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that growing bones have active growth plates (epiphyseal plates) that are particularly sensitive to ultrasound energy. Therapeutic ultrasound can gently heat tissues and, at higher intensities, cause mechanical effects. Heating or stimulation at the growth plate could disrupt chondrocyte activity and normal bone development, potentially leading to growth disturbances or deformities. Because these plates are still open in children, exposure should be avoided or used with extreme caution in that area. In adults, where growth plates have closed, this risk isn’t present, so the safety concern is specifically about the developing bones. Other tissues like muscles or joints don’t carry the same specific risk to growth, so they are treated with appropriate parameters, but the growth plates remain the primary area to avoid.