The role of thermography
Physiotherapists routinely manage patients with musculoskeletal disorders, soft‑tissue injuries, overuse syndromes, post‑operative recovery, and chronic pain. Many of these conditions involve physiological changes such as inflammation, circulatory issues, or autonomic responses.
Thermal imaging provides an additional, non‑contact method for visualizing surface temperature patterns associated with these physiological processes. When integrated into clinical reasoning, temperature data can complement standard physiotherapy assessments and support follow-up over time.
Thermidas provides physiotherapists with high quality thermal imaging solutions suitable for the detection of problem areas and the monitoring of interventions and training.
Where it fits
A second set of
eyes on soft tissue
Musculoskeletal disorders, soft-tissue injury, overuse, post-operative recovery and chronic pain all involve inflammation, circulatory change or autonomic response - physiological processes that show at the skin.
Thermography is non-contact and takes seconds, so it sits inside your existing assessment rather than replacing any part of it. Read alongside your clinical reasoning, it adds an objective layer you can follow over time.
01
Estimating training load
Track temperature change across a training block and manage load before overuse becomes injury.
02
Monitoring rehabilitation
Compare a client against their own earlier images to see whether the treatment and the programme are working.
03
Fitting assistive devices
Assess objectively whether an orthosis, prosthesis or aid actually suits the individual and where it loads.
Client case - Proxima Finland
Based in Tampere and Hämeenkyro, Proxima Finland offers comprehensive physiotherapy and massage services to its clients. Proxima Finland's Arttu Peltola and Jesse Asikainen use Thermidas thermal imaging in their daily work to support rehabilitation and monitor the load of athletes.
Example case
Hamstring injury
- Professional football player was injured during a game
- Physiotherapist treated with dry needling on the next day
- Two days after the injury thermal images were taken
- Right leg is 2 degrees colder and a doctor’s consult was recommended
- A hamstring injury was diagnosed on the following day
Track and optimise your training
The thermal effects of different forms of exercise have been extensively studied. For example, strength training is characterised by no immediate change in surface skin temperature after exercise, but a marked increase in temperature after only eight hours. See below for an example of how thermal imaging helped to pinpoint the muscle imbalance that affected an athlete’s deadlifting performance.
Example case
Fresh ACL injury
- Top-level football player
- The patient was in considerable pain
- The patient could not activate their vastus medialis during a wall sit test
- The observations support the selection of the correct treatment path and confirm the patient’s story
- Considerable temperature differences
Recommended solution
Thermidas IRT-384 Tablet
The IRT-384 Tablet provides a quick and cost-effective solution for locating problem areas and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.
Thermal imaging also supports the client’s understanding of rehabilitation progress by providing clear, objective information on the effects of treatment.
