4) Electric, Mechanical, and Light Therapy Flashcards

1
Q

_____ can produce specific physiological events and target specific tissues

A
  • Type of current
  • Current’s parameters (intensity, phase duration, and pulse frequency)
  • Electrode size and arrangement
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2
Q

Electrical stimulation has little, if any, direct effect on

A
  • Cellular level inflammation response
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3
Q

Direct current

A
  • Uninterrupted, one-directional flow of electrons
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4
Q

Continuous current flow on only one side of the baseline as the electrons travel from (direct current)

A
  • Cathode (negative pole) to the anode (positive pole)
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5
Q

Example of direct current used therapeutically

A
  • Iontophoresis
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6
Q

Alternating current [AC]

A
  • Cyclically changes from positive to negative
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7
Q

Pulsed current

A
  • Flow of electrons are interrupted by discrete periods of noncurrent flow
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8
Q

Excitable tissues

A
  • Nerves, muscle fibers, and cell membranes

- Influenced directly by the electrical current

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9
Q

Electrical current prefers to follow

A
  • The path of least resistance

- Those formed by muscle, nerves, effusion, and blood

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10
Q

Electrodes introduce the current to the body from the stimulator via

A
  • The electrode leads, forming a closed circuit
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11
Q

As the size of the electrode increases

A
  • Current density decreases
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12
Q

Electrodes are close together

A
  • Current flows superficially, forming a relatively small number of parallel paths
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13
Q

Increasing the distance between electrodes

A
  • Current can reach deeper into the tissues
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14
Q

Subsensory level

A
  • Point at which the output intensity rises from zero to the point where the patient first receives a discrete electrical sensation
  • This type of stimulation does not appear to cause therapeutic benefits
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15
Q

Sensory level

A
  • Only depolarizes sensory nerves; this level is found by increasing the output to the point at which a slight muscle twitch is seen or felt, and then decreasing the output intensity by approximately 10%
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16
Q

Motor level

A
  • An intensity that produces a visible muscle contraction without causing pain
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17
Q

Noxious level

A
  • Current applied at an intensity that stimulates pain fibers
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18
Q

Muscle fiber level

A
  • Stimulation is applied with a long phase duration and output intensity that directly causes muscle fibers to depolarize
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19
Q

Accommodation

A
  • Nerve’s rate of depolarization decreases while the depolarization stimulus (an electrical current) remains unchanged
  • Require increasingly intense stimulus throughout the treatment to reach the depolarization threshold
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20
Q

Habituation

A
  • CNS process of filtering out a continuous, nonmeaningful stimulus
  • Tolerance to the stimulus developed across multiple treatments
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21
Q

Neuromuscular re-education

A
  • “Teaching” a muscle how to contract again
  • Low-duty cycle = muscle relax and recover between contractions
  • Pulse frequency must produce tetanic contraction (60 pps)
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22
Q

Neuromuscular re-education protocols should not be administered when

A
  • Tendinous attachment is not secure
  • Muscle cannot tolerate the tension
  • Joint motion is contraindicated
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23
Q

When the goal is to increase the muscle’s strength

A
  • Electrically induced muscle contractions can supplement but should not substitute for voluntary contractions
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24
Q

The functional load placed on the muscle must be equal to at least

A
  • 30% to 60% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]
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25
Q

If the duty cycle is too high

A
  • Premature fatigue can occur because of increased use of the phosphocreatine system
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26
Q

The process of increasing muscle strength, power, endurance, and proprioception is used

A
  • To improve functional outcomes following surgery
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27
Q

The use of electrical stimulation to strengthen muscle prior to surgery results in

A
  • Improved post-surgical recovery, especially in the quadriceps
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28
Q

Electrical stimulation simply masks the pain or encourages the body to release

A
  • Pain-controlling endogenous opiates
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29
Q

_____ activate the gate mechanism of pain modulation

A
  • High-pulse frequency, short-phase duration, sensory-level currents
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30
Q

High-pulse frequency (more than 80 pps) motor-level stimulation triggers the release of

A
  • Enkephalins
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31
Q

Low-pulse frequency, moderate-pulse duration, high-intensity stimulation, and noxious-level stimulation also activate

A
  • The spinal gait

- Additive effect of stimulating the release of the body’s natural opiates—β-endorphin

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32
Q

Muscle contractions are needed for electrical stimulation to increase

A
  • Blood flow in muscle

- Electrically induced contractions increase local blood flow approximately the same amount as voluntary contractions

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33
Q

The increased blood flow may be caused by the release of

A
  • Endothelial relaxing factors that cause vasodilation and the associated oxygen demand of muscle contractions
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34
Q

Sensory-level stimulation does not evoke changes in

A
  • Muscle or skin blood flow
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35
Q

Low-intensity DC or high-voltage pulsed stimulation may reduce

A
  • Time needed for superficial wound healing to 1.5 to 2.5 times faster
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36
Q

_____ is recommended for advanced wound care using electrical stimulation

A
  • Specialized/advanced training
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37
Q

Sensory-level stimulation is theorized to

A
  • Inhibit edema formation by preventing the fluids, plasma proteins, and other solids from escaping into surrounding tissues
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38
Q

If edema has already formed

A
  • Motor-level stimulation assists the venous and lymphatic systems in returning the edema back to the torso, where it can be filtered and removed from the body
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39
Q

Muscular contractions encourage venous and lymphatic return by

A
  • Squeezing the vessels, moving the fluids proximally

- “Milking” the fluids out of the area

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40
Q

Current must produce a tetanic contraction that forces the fluids proximally along the extremity and then is followed by

A
  • A relaxation period (e.g., duty cycle)

- A 50% duty cycle is then used to obtain the desired off-and-on contractions

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41
Q

Bone growth generators

A
  • Attempt to produce electromagnetic fields that mimic the normal electrical signals produced by bone or to activate the bone’s piezoelectric properties
  • Encourages the deposition of calcium through increased osteoblastic activity
  • Prescribed only in extraordinary circumstances such as certain nonunion fractures and require long-term treatments (6 months or more)
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42
Q

E-stim contraindications

A
  • Exposed metal implants
  • History of seizures
  • Sensory or mental impairment
  • Unstable fractures
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43
Q

E-stim precautions

A
  • Menstruation
  • Areas of nerve sensitivity
  • Communication impairments
  • Severe obesity
  • Electronic monitoring equipment
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44
Q

_____ can reduce the effectiveness of electrical stimulation pain control techniques

A
  • More than 200 mg of caffeine
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45
Q

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

A
  • Electrotherapeutic approach to pain control

- Alters the perception of pain through the use of a biphasic electrical current

46
Q

Electrical stimulation may reduce pain through

A
  • Activation of the gate control mechanism

- Centrally through the release of endogenous opiates

47
Q

TENS is effective in management of

A
  • Acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain
48
Q

TENS and pain control

A
  • Depolarizes sensory, motor, or nociceptive nerves
  • Decreases the conductivity and transmission of noxious impulses from the small pain fibers to the CNS
  • The longer the patient has been experiencing pain, the more treatments required
49
Q

Conventional TENS treatment

A
  • High-pulse frequency (60 to 100 pps), short-pulse duration, and sensory-level intensity
  • Stimulates A-beta fibers to activate the pain-modulating gate at the spinal cord level
50
Q

True noxious-level stimulation is not actually obtained because

A
  • Limited phase duration found on TENS generators is too short to activate C fibers
51
Q

During the early stages of rehabilitation, patients using TENS have demonstrated the ability to

A
  • Reduce the need for pain medication and a more rapid return to active exercise relative to patients not using TENS
52
Q

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)

A
  • Muscle re-education, reduction of spasticity, delaying atrophy, and muscle strengthening
53
Q

Generators for NMES use a wide range of waveforms, but the majority of the units currently on the market use

A
  • Biphasic wave, but alternating currents (see “Russian stimulation”) penetrate deeper into the muscle
54
Q

Iontophoresis

A
  • The introduction of ionized medications into subcutaneous tissues using a low-voltage direct current
55
Q

Medication types most commonly used for iontophoresis

A
  • Anesthetics
  • Analgesics
  • Anti-inflammatory agents
56
Q

Iontophoresis has been shown to deliver medication to depths of

A
  • 6 to 20 mm below the skin
57
Q

Anti-inflammatories used with iontophoresis

A
  • Dexamathasone (-)
  • Hydrocortisone (-)
  • Salicylate (-)
58
Q

Edema meds for iontophoresis

A
  • Hyaluronidase (+)
  • Salicylate (-)
  • Mecholyl (+)
59
Q

Meds for muscle spasm iontophoresis

A
  • Calcium (+)

- Magnesium (+)

60
Q

Analgesics for iontophoresis

A
  • Lidocaine (+)

- Magnesium (+)

61
Q

Scar tissue meds for iontophoresis

A
  • Chlorine (-)
  • Iodine (-)
  • Salicylate (-)
62
Q

Meds for open skin lesion iontophoresis

A
  • Zinc (+)
63
Q

Acetic acid iontophoresis

A
  • Tx of insertional Achilles tendonitis

- Heterotrophic ossification

64
Q

Iontophoresis medication dosage

A
  • Measured in terms of milliamperes per minute (mA/min)
  • Based on the relationship between the amperage of the current and the treatment duration
  • Current amperage (mA) × Treatment duration (min) = mA × min
65
Q

Most iontophoresors use a dose-oriented treatment protocol where

A
  • User indicates the desired treatment dose

- Generator calculates the duration and intensity of the treatment

66
Q

Biophysical effects of iontophoresis

A
  • Depends on the medication used during the treatment

- Can penetrate 6 to 20 mm below the skin’s surface

67
Q

When an anti-inflammatory or anesthetic mixture is used for iontophoresis, the onset of relief may take

A
  • 24 to 48 hours

- Immediate relief is sometimes reported

68
Q

Delivery electrode

A
  • “Drug electrode”
  • Serves as the active electrode
  • Return electrode serves as the dispersive electrode
69
Q

Intermittent compression units

A
  • Assist in venous and lymphatic drainage
  • Create a pressure gradient that forces fluid out of the extremity through the venous system
  • Spreads solid matter proximally along lymphatic ducts
70
Q

Types of intermittent compression units

A
  • Filled with air (pneumatic compression)
  • Chilled water (cryocompression)
  • May inflate as a single unit or sequentially
71
Q

The ON/OFF cycle of intermittent compression units

A
  • Assists in milking or pumping edema out of the extremity
72
Q

Intermittent compression contraindications

A
  • Deep vein thrombosis
  • Local superficial infection
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Acute pulmonary edema
  • Displaced fractures
73
Q

Continuous passive motion (CPM)

A
  • Motorized devices that move one or more joints through a pre-set range of motion at a controlled speed
  • Predominantly for knee
74
Q

“Motion that is never lost need never be regained. It is the regaining of movement that is painful.”

A
  • When the injured joint is kept in motion, the unwanted effects of immobilization on muscle, tendons, ligaments, articular and hyaline cartilage, blood supply, and nerve supply are reduced
75
Q

As the cycle between flexion and extension is repeated, the change in pressure creates a pumping effect that circulates the synovial fluid; The circulating fluid may assist in the removal of

A
  • Joint hemarthrosis
  • Periarticular edema
  • Blood from the tissues surrounding the joint
76
Q

When given free rein to control the ROM, patients, using comfort as their guide, increase their ROM by

A
  • 6 to 7 degrees per day
77
Q

CPM is more effective in

A
  • Increasing ROM caused by soft tissue restriction than static stretching
78
Q

Total end range time

A
  • Longer time spent at the terminal ROM increases ROM
79
Q

CPM and edema reduction

A
  • Not clearly understood
  • Varies based on the body part and condition being treated
  • Significant edema reduction after arthroplasty of the knee and ankle, after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery, for knee inflammatory conditions, and hand edema has been documented
80
Q

CPM and _____ should assist in venous and lymphatic return by “milking” the muscle

A
  • Elevation of the body part
81
Q

CPM is not used as an acute pain control technique

A
  • Reduction in edema or muscle spasm, as well as deterrence of functional shortening, would aid in limiting pain
  • Movement of the joint activates afferent nerves located in the muscle, joint, and skin, and possibly provides pain control through the gate mechanism
82
Q

CPM contraindications

A
  • Unwanted joint motion and the associated stresses on bones and joint structures are the primary contraindications to CPM
  • Unstable fractures
  • Uncontrolled infection
  • Spastic paralyses
83
Q

CPM precautions

A
  • History of deep vein thrombosis
  • The type of CPM, arc of motion, and speed of motion should be adjusted based on the physician’s [your] recommendations for the pathology being treated
84
Q

Therapeutic massage is an effective treatment for

A
  • Promoting local and systemic relaxation or invigoration
  • Increasing local blood flow
  • Breaking down adhesions
  • Encouraging venous and lymphatic return
85
Q

Effleurage

A
  • Stroking of the skin
  • Deep = force fluids in direction of stroke
  • Superficial = relaxation
  • Fast = stimulates tissues and encourages blood flow
86
Q

Petrissage

A
  • Lifting and kneading

- Stretches muscle fiber and fascia from the skin and scar tissue

87
Q

Friction massage

A
  • Deep pressure

- Mobilization, tissue separation, breakup of scar tissue

88
Q

Active assisted massage

A
  • Combo of compression with broadening and muscle stripping

- Stretch and lengthen muscles to increase ROM

89
Q

Neuromuscular massage

A
  • Ischemic compression

- Decrease hypersensitivity and hypertonicity in taut muscle bands

90
Q

Tapotement

A
  • Tapping or pounding
  • Promote relaxation
  • Desensitization of skin’s nerve endings
91
Q

Vibration

A
  • Rapid shaking
  • Increase blood flow
  • Systemic invigoration of tissues
92
Q

Friction massage (transverse friction)

A
  • Circular or cross-fiber (transverse)
  • Mobilizes muscle fibers separating adhesions in muscle, tendon fibers, or scar tissue that restrict motion and cause pain
  • Used to facilitate local blood perfusion
93
Q

Friction massage (transverse friction) is used in the treatment of

A
  • Trigger points
  • Tendinitis
  • Postsurgical scars
  • Other forms of joint adhesions
94
Q

Transverse friction massage purpose

A
  • Increase inflammatory response to stimulate healing

- Use strong pressure in perpendicular direction to fibers (7-10 minutes, every other day)

95
Q

Myofascial release involves the combination of

A
  • Traditional effleurage, pétrissage, and friction massage strokes with simultaneous stretching of the muscles and fascia
  • Goal: obtain relaxation of tense or adhered tissues and restore tissue mobility
96
Q

Myofascial release invovles

A
  • Pulling the tissues in opposite directions
  • Stabilizing the proximal or superior position with one hand while applying a stretch with the opposite hand
  • Using the patient’s body weight to stabilize the extremity while a longitudinal stress is applied
97
Q

Creep

A
  • Fascia will elongate when a slow, moderate-intensity force is applied to it
98
Q

Graston technique

A
  • Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization [IASTM]
  • Used to break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions
  • Instrument allow precise and consistent pressure application
  • Specially designed lubricant to ensure glide over skin
99
Q

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT)

A
L ight
A mplification of
S timulated
E missions of
R adiation
100
Q

LASER consists of

A
  • Highly organized light (photons) that elicit physiological events in the tissues
  • Photons emitted during LLLT activate certain skin receptors that stimulate or inhibit physiological events; these effects are caused by activation of chromophores, parts of a molecule (generally melanin and hemoglobin) that absorb light having a specific color (wavelength)
101
Q

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved LLLT for the treatment of

A
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

- Shoulder and neck pain

102
Q

Laser energy can stimulate tissues at depths up to

A
  • 2 cm below the surface of the skin
103
Q

Current evidence suggests that the biophysical benefits are related to

A
  • Photomechanical or photochemical, rather than photothermal effects
104
Q

Direct effects of LASER

A
  • Effects that occur from the absorption of photons
105
Q

Indirect effects of LASER

A
  • Effects produced by chemical events caused by the interaction of the photons emitted from the laser and the tissues
106
Q

LLLT can produce

A
  • Anti-inflammatory or proinflammatory responses that affect healing
107
Q

Lasers are used to assist in the healing of

A
  • Superficial wounds (skin ulcerations, surgical incisions, and burns)
  • Absorption of photons causes increased ATP synthesis, speeds cell metabolism, encourages free radical release
  • Aqlso increases collagen content and increases the tensile strength of wounds
108
Q

Contraindications of LLLT

A
  • Cancerous tumor or growth
  • Directly over eyes
  • Pregnancy
109
Q

Kinesiotaping (KT)

A
  • Noninvasive treatment to relive pain and musculoskeletal functions
  • Improves blood and lymph circulation by removing tissue fluid and bleeding that are supposed to be attributed to pain and muscle and fascia function
110
Q

Hypothesized that kinesiotaping works by

A
  • Activating neurological and circulatory systems to help to relieve pain
  • Prevent over-contraction
  • Facilitate lymphatic drainage
  • Improve joint position and kinesthetic awareness
111
Q

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT)

A
  • Non-invasive modality involves high frequency pressure wave delivery to targeted tendon through the skin
  • Promotes revascularization
  • Stimulates nerve fibers to produce analgesia
  • Induce tissue and bone healing and functional improvement