Biofeedback Flashcards
What is biofeedback?
The use of electronic instrumentation to provide objective information (or feedback) to an individual about a physiologic function or response so that the individual becomes aware of his or her response
How is biofeedback used in clinical practice?
It is used to help the patient develop greater voluntary control following injury or dysfunction
Feedback includes information related to…
Sensations associated with movements itself
Result of the action relative to some goal or objective
Intrinsic Feedback
Kinesthetic, visual, cutaneous, vestibular, auditory
Extrinsic Feedback
Knowledge of results, verbally, mechanically, electronically
EMG Biofeedback
Sensitive, objective, accurate and quantitative
Peripheral Skin Temperature
Indicates vasoconstriction and vasodilation
Finger Phototransmission
Indicates vasoconstriction and vasodilation
Skin Conductance Activity
Indicating sweat gland activity
Electroencephalograph
The brain’s spontaneous electrical activity over a period of time
Electromyographic Activity
Indicating electrical activity during muscle contraction
The pattern of MU recruitment depends on…
- Inherent properties of specific motor neurons
- Force required during the activity
- Speed of contraction
Biofeedback measures…
Electrical activity associated with muscle contraction (NOT the actual muscle contraction)
Uses of Biofeedback
Anxiety or stress, asthma, chemotherapy side effects, chronic pain, constipation, high BP, incontinence, IBS, Raynaud’s
Indications for Biofeedback
Muscle re-ed, regaining N/M control, increasing isometric/isotonic strength, decreasing muscle guarding, pain reduction, relaxation of muscle spasm, psychological relaxation
Rectification
Creates a pulsed direct current that can then be smoothed and integrated
Smoothing
Eliminates the high-frequenxy fluctuations that are produced
Integrating
Measuring the area under the curve for a specific period (forms quantification of EMG)
Patient Appropriate?
- Do they have a motor impairment that would suggest biofeedback would be beneficial?
- Do they have the ability for voluntary control?
- Are they motivated and cognitively aware?
Benefits of Biofeedback
non-invasive, may reduce/eliminate need for meds, treatment alternative for those intolerant of meds, option when meds haven’t worked well or during pregnancy, helps people take charge of their health
Biofeedback is what type of feedback?
Visual and Auditory
Sensitivity for Muscle Relaxation
High
Sensitivity for Muscle Re-ed
Low
Unique uses for Biofeedback
Pelvic floor dysfunction, stress urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, ED
T/F: Biofeedback units measure physiologic processes.
False
T/F: The reference electrode has no charge associated with it.
True
T/F: A high signal gain means the biofeedback unit has a low sensitivity for muscle activity.
False
Some biofeedback instruments measure peripheral skin temperature. Which of the following do they also measure? A. Finger phototransmission B. Skin conductance activity C. Electromyographic activity D. All of the above
D
Biofeedback electrodes should be placed as near to the muscle belly as possible. They should also be placed \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ to the muscle. A. perpendicular B. parallel C. obliquely D. none of the above
B
What is the principle that allows the biofeedback unit to eliminate common noise between active electrodes? A. CMRR B. filtering C. rectification D. integration
A
Raw EMG must be converted to a visual or audio format. What is the order of the conversion? A. integrate, rectify, smooth B. smooth, rectify, integrate C. rectify, smooth, integrate D. rectify, integrate, smooth
C
The goal of using biofeedback in muscle reeducation is to elicit a: A. twitch response B. muscle contraction C. decrease in pain D. relaxation
B
How long should the average biofeedback period for a single muscle be to avoid fatigue and boredom? A. 1-2 minutes B. 2-5 minutes C. 5-10 minutes D. 10-15 minutes
C
What factor(s) must be addressed when using biofeedback to relax muscle guarding? A. pain B. mental imagery C. apprehension D. all of the above
D
