. 2019 Nov-Dec;53(6):700–707. doi: 10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_639_18

Table 5.

Summary of the selected studies

Study	Drug	Treated condition	Intervention vs. comparator	Ultrasound parameters	Outcome measures	Conclusion
Elshazly et al. ¹⁰	Dexamethasone sodium phosphate	Knee osteoarthritis	Phonophoresis vs. ultrasound	Phonophoresis: continuous mode; duration, 5 min; frequency, 1 MHz; intensity, 1 W/cm² Ultrasound: continuous mode; duration, 5 min; frequency, 1 MHz; intensity 0.8, W/cm²	VAS Gait parameters	Both effective. Phonophoresis significantly better
Akinbo et al. ¹¹	Dexamethasone sodium phosphate	Knee osteoarthritis	Phonophoresis vs. iontophoresis	Phonophoresis: duration, 5 minutes; frequency, 1 MHz	WOMAC, 20 m ambulatory time, and knee ROM	Both effective. No significant difference
Bakhtiary et al. ⁹	Dexamethasone sodium phosphate	Carpal tunnel syndrome	Phonophoresis vs. iontophoresis	Phonophoresis: pulse mode, 1:4; duration, 5 minutes; frequency, 1 MHz; intensity, 1 W/cm²	VAS, pinch and grip strength and electro-neurographic measurement.	Phonophoresis more effective
Saliba et al. ³⁴	Dexamethasone	Drug absorption	Phonophoresis vs. occlusive dressing and sham phonophoresis	Phonophoresis: pulse mode, 1:1; duration, 5 minutes; frequency, 3 MHz; intensity, 1W/cm²	Dexamethasone concentration in serum	Phonophoresis: higher dexamethasone serum levels. Negligible with sham phonophoresis
Sedghimehr and Bahrpeima ³⁶	Hydrocortisone and clobetasol	Knee osteoarthritis	Phonophoresis vs. ultrasound, sham ultrasound and sham phonophoresis	None available (paper in Persian; abstract only in English)	VAS, Knee ROM, oedema, 20 m walking test	Phonophoresis more effective. Clobetasol had a faster effect
Klaiman et al. ²⁴	Fluocinonide	Soft tissue disorders (epicondylitis, tendinitis, and tenosynovitis)	Phonophoresis vs. ultrasound	Phonophoresis: continuous mode; duration, 8 min; intensity, 1.5 W/cm²	VAS and pressure algometry	Both modalities effective. No significant difference
Saraf and Singh ³²	Betamethasone	Chronic haemophilic knee synovitis	Phonophoresis	Phonophoresis: pulse mode, 1:1; duration, 5-6 min; frequency, 1 MHz	Degree of swelling, ROM, and frequencies of joint bleeding and joint tenderness	Phonophoresis effective
Gurney et al. ³⁵	Hydrocortisone acetate	Drug absorption	Phonophoresis vs. sham phonophoresis	Phonophoresis: continuous mode; duration, 6 min; frequency, 1 MHz; intensity, 1 W/cm²	Cortisone level in connective tissue	No significant difference
Penderghest et al. ³³	Dexamethasone- lidocaine	Tendinitis	Phonophoresis vs. sham phonophoresis	Pulsed mode	Pain (visual perceived pain scale, VPPS) and punctate tenderness gauge (PTG)	No significant difference. Effectiveness attributed to stretching, strengthening, and cryotherapy.