Electrotherapeutic Basics Flashcards
To have current, there must be:
- a source of electrons
- a conductor of the electrons
- a driving force of electrons
ions
atoms that possess a charge
ions move from ___ concentration to ____ concentration
high; low
Electric current
the net movement of charged particles (ex ions or electrons) along a conductor
Electromotive force
The amount of potential (electrical) difference between two points ( conc of ions or electrons) in an electrical field that drives the charged particles
-measured in Volts
Driving force
- Commercial current flowing from a wall outlet produces an electromotive force of either 110-115 V or 220-240 V
- electrotherapeutic modalities then modify this voltage for specific therapeutic purposes
- in human system, the electric stimulator generates a voltage to overcome resistance (wires, tissues) allowing a current to flow along the path of least resistance
Low voltage generators
-Electrotherapeutic modalities that produce a voltage less than 150V
Coulomb (C)
The measure of electric charge equal to 6.25 x 10^18 electrons
Ampere (A)
Measure of current flow equal to 1 Coulomb (C) per second
ohm
Measure of resistance to current flow
Voltage (V)
- Measure of potential difference of EMF required to move 1 Amp (A) of current across 1 ohm of resistance
Resistance
- The ability of a medium to resist the flow of electrons through direct current
- expressed in ohms
Inductance
opposition to electron flow created by electromagnetic eddy currents generated when current is passed through a wire
Capacitance
Ability of a material to store an electrical charge
Impedance
-Resistance + inductance + capacitance
Conductors
materials that offer little resistance and allow current to flow easily
Insulators
Materials that offer high resistance to current flow
semiconductors
Materials that offer neither high nor low resistance to current flow
Electron flow
- Volt
- Ampere
- Resistance (ohm)
Water flow
- Pump
- Gallon of water/min
- length and diameter of pipe
Energy created by water flowing is dependent upon..
- pressure in the pipe
- # of gallons flowing per unit of time
Electrical power is measured in…
Watts
Watts=
Volts X Amps
W=V x A
Power (watts)=
EMF x current
(P= V x I)
- One watt is the power needed to move ( produce a current flow) one ampere of current with a force (pressure) of one volt
ohms law
- The amount of electromotive force (volts) in a circuit is equal to the current intensity (amps) multiplied by the resistance (ohms)
- V= I (amps) x R (ohms)
- I = V/R
- increase resistance = increased voltage needed to move current (I)
Series circuit
- When the same current flows through each resister, they are said to be in series
- RT=R1+ R2 + R3
- skin and fat in series
Parallel circuit
- When current flowing through a circuit has multiple pathways to follow through or around each resister
- 1/RT= 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3
- muscle, blood, tendon, ligament, bone in parallel
Types of currents capable or producing specific biological effects
- Direct (DC)
- alternating (AC)
- pulsatile or pulsed
Direct/galvanic/ or monophasic current types
- Continuous
- reversed DC current
- interrupted DC current
Continuous direct current
Unidirectional flow of electrical charges for at least one second
Reversed direct current
unidirectional flow of electrical charges for at least one second that then changes polarity
Interrupted direct current
unidirectional flow of electrical charges for at least one second that then stops for at least one second then resumes
direct current is generally used for:
- iontophoresis
- stimulating denervated muscle directly
- stimulate wound healing
Alternating/faradic/ biphasic current (AC)
- A continuous, bidirectional flow of charged particles where each cycle duration occurs in less than one second
- equal ion flow in each duration ( no net charge)
- wavelength= one cycle
- wavelength and frequency are inversely related
Rate of rise
Amount of time it takes to reach peak flow (when alternating current begins to flow in + direction)
-time dependent
Rate of fall
amount of time it takes to go from peak flow back to zero (isoelectric line)
Frequency
- # of pulses per second
- in alternating current frequency and duration (time) inversely related
AC current generally used for
- muscle strengthening
- muscle re-education
- pain modulation
- functional training (ie gait)
Pulsed/pulsatile currents
- unidirectional or bidirectional flow of electrical current that lasts less than one second and stops for a finite period (usually between 5 and 999 milliseconds) before the next pulse
- electrical current delivered discontinuously separated by a finite period of time
Types of pulsed/pulsatile currents
-Monophasic pulsed current
-biphasic pulsed current
* symmetric
* asymmetric
+ balanced
+ unbalanced
Monophasic pulsed current
- flowing only in one direction
- separated by finite amount of time before next pulse becomes active
Biphasic pulsed current
- current flowing in + and - direction
- separated by finite amount of time before next pulse becomes active