2026 Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 22-31
With the progress of an aging society, rehabilitation practices are increasingly confronted with patients presenting with venous diseases, such as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) caused by varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) . DVT carries the risk of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), and its progression to post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) can result in edema, pain, and venous ulcers, all of which markedly impair quality of life. Physical therapists (PTs) have traditionally contributed to edema management through exercise, compression therapy, and lifestyle guidance. More recently, clinical vascular technologists who are also physical therapists (CVT-PTs) have begun to conduct venous disease assessments. This article presents a case in which a CVT-PT used a diagnostic ultrasound system to screen for DVT, thereby ensuring safe mobilization and supporting rehabilitation. Although the use of ultrasound in physical therapy has expanded primarily for musculoskeletal evaluation, its application to venous disease remains limited. Accumulation of clinical evidence on venous evaluation and outcomes is urgently needed. As demonstrated by CVT-PTs, combining physiotherapeutic expertise with such as vascular ultrasound techniques may play a novel role in providing safer, higher-quality rehabilitation for patients with venous disorders.
