The authors found that of 138 potentially eligible studies, 3 were of good quality and sufficiently heterogeneous that the data could be pooled. These trials involved 158 fractures at 3 different sites: the tibial shaft, the distal radius and the scaphoid. In all 3 studies, the mean time to healing was shorter in the treatment group than in the control groups (weighted average effect size 6.41; 95% confidence interval 1.01-11.81).
The authors acknowledge that, although more and better trials are needed, self-applied ultrasound treatment holds promise for shortening the healing time of non-operative fractures.
p. 437 The effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy on time to fracture healing: a meta-analysis
— J.W. Busse, et al
Canadian Medical Association Journal