Media Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan
Vol. 36 No. 3 (2026): MEDIA PENELITIAN DAN PENGEMBANGAN KESEHATAN

Adjunctive ultrasound for diabetes-related foot ulcers with standard wound care and controlled diet: quasi-experimental study

Dwi Rosella Komalasari (Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta)
Mutalazimah Mutalazimah (Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta)
Nadiya Izzatul Jannah (Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: Diabetes-related foot ulcer (DRFU) is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus associated with delayed wound healing. Therapeutic ultrasound may provide additional benefits alongside standard wound care and controlled dietary management. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of adjunctive therapeutic ultrasound in reducing wound surface area in patients with DRFU. Methods: This quasi-experimental, non-randomized pre-test–post-test controlled study was conducted at Kartasura Primary Health Care Center from February to May 2026. Using purposive sampling, 25 patients aged 30–65 years with Wagner grade 1–2 diabetes-related foot ulcers (DRFU) were enrolled and allocated to an ultrasound group (n = 13) or a control group (n = 12). The intervention lasted four weeks. Wound surface area was measured at baseline and post-intervention using manual planimetry by an independent, blinded assessor. Baseline-adjusted analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for the primary between-group comparison. Results: Both groups showed significant reductions in wound surface area (p < 0.0001). ANCOVA showed a significantly lower adjusted post-intervention wound area in the ultrasound group than in the control group (5.619 vs. 6.355 cm²; mean difference = 0.736 cm²; p = 0.015; partial η² = 0.240). However, the unadjusted between-group difference in wound area reduction was not significant (2.12 vs. 1.37 cm²; p = 0.159). Conclusion: Adjunctive therapeutic ultrasound was associated with a lower adjusted post-intervention wound area. However, the non-significant unadjusted comparison and the study's non-randomized design and small sample warrant cautious interpretation.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jmp2k

Publisher

Subject

Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Dentistry Environmental Science Medicine & Pharmacology

Description

Media of Health Research and Development is a journal that was developed to disseminate and discuss scientific papers on health development and other research of health. The journal is intended as a medium of communication for those who were interested to study health, among others, for researchers, ...