Introduction Flashcards
1
Q
What is a PT intervention?
A
Interaction between the PT and patient where the PT uses their skills and methods to cause changes in the patient’s condition that are consistent with the evaluation, diagnosis and prognosis.
2
Q
What are the 3 PT intervention categories?
A
- Coordination, communication, and documentation
- Patient/client instruction
- Direct interventions
3
Q
What are some examples of direct interventions?
A
- Wound care
- Exercise prescription
- Manual therapy
- Modalities
4
Q
What is a modality?
A
- Considered to be an adjunct to physical therapy interventions but is not a complete intervention on it’s own. Modalites require other PT interventions like exercise to make their use effective.
5
Q
What are the 4 types of thermal transfer mechanisms?
A
- Conduction (ice/heat packs)
- Convection (whirlpools)
- Radiation (lasers)
- Conversion (ultrasound)
6
Q
What is conduction?
A
- transfer of thermal energy via direct contact with the body.
- Ice, heat, contrast baths, cold sprays
7
Q
What is convection?
A
- particles like air or water move around/across the body causing change in temperature
- Cold/hot whirlpools
8
Q
What is radiation?
A
- transfer of heat from a warmer source to a colder one through a medium
- Infrared lamps transfer heat through air to the body
9
Q
What is conversion?
A
- Conversion of one type of energy, like sound, to thermal energy
- Ultrasound
10
Q
Conduction Modality Advantages
A
- Inexpensive
- Easily accessible in and out of therapy setting
- Easy to administer (no training required)
11
Q
Conduction Modality Disadvantages
A
- Can cause heat/ice burns
- May increase pain
12
Q
Why is cryotherapy (cold) helpful?
A
- Decreases metabolic rate
- Promotes vasoconstriction
- Reduces pain, muscles spasms, and spacticity
- Decreases neuronal activity
13
Q
T/F: Cold sprays reduce the temperature of the skin.
A
False - cold sprays give the sensation of cooling without reducing temperature; they do so by acting on the nerve endings.
14
Q
Cold Therapy Indications
A
- Acute and chronic pain
- Acute swelling
- Trigger points
- Muscle spasms/guarding
- Acute contusion
- Acute ligament or muscle sprain
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
- Delayed onset muscle soreness
15
Q
Cold Therapy Contraindications
A
- Low circulation
- Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
- Hypersensitive to cold
- Skin anesthesia (low sensation)
- Open wounds/skin conditions (relative contraindication)
- Infection
16
Q
Why is heat therapy good?
A
- Increases vasodilation
- Increases metabolic rate
- Reduces pain
- Relaxes muscles/tendons/ligaments
- Increases neuronal activity
17
Q
Heat Therapy Indications
A
- Sub-acute/Chronic pain/inflammation
- Trigger points
- Muscle guarding/spasms
- Sub-acute muscle/ligament sprain
- Sub-acute contusion
18
Q
Heat Therapy Contraindications
A
- Impaired circulation
- PVD (relative)
- Skin anesthesia
- Open wounds/skin infections (relative)
- Acute musculoskeletal conditions
19
Q
Rules on how to use heat therapy
A
- Do not apply for more than 20 minutes
- Wrap hot pack in towels or other material
- Do not lie on hot pack
- People with BMI >25 may need heat for longer to penetrate deeper tissues
20
Q
Rules on how to use cold therapy
A
- Do not apply for more than 20 minutes
- Do not apply with pressure
- Use for acute swelling/pain (best within first 24 hrs)
- Patients with BMI >25 may need longer to penetrate deeper tissues
21
Q
Whirlpool Rules of Setup
A
- Warm water 98-110 degree F
- Cold water 50-60 degrees F
- Needs to be cleaned regularly
22
Q
Contrast Bath
A
- Move between hot and cold water baths
- 1 minute of cold water for every 3 minutes of hot
- Cold: 50-60 degrees; Warm: 98-110 degrees
- Must exercise at the end
23
Q
What is contrast bath good for?
A
- Sub-acute and gravity dependent swelling
- Causes vasodilation and constriction
24
Q
Paraffin Bath
A
- Patient dips hand in hot wax multiple times and wraps limb in plastic to conserve heat
- Provides 6x more heat than water bath
- Wax temperature 126 degrees
25
What is paraffin the best treatment for?
- Chronic joint pain like arthritis, bursitis
- Stiff muscles
- Chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
26
Paraffin Advantages
- Inexpensive
- Can be used at home
- Same wax can be used multiple times
- Softens skin
27
Paraffin Disadvantages
- Can cause burns, especially in patients w/ reduced senstion
- Patient cannot touch bottom or sides of chamber
28
Diathermy
- Heat is produced from the infrared spectrum of light
- Has acoustic and electromagnetic properties
- Heat passes from a machine head into the body
29
Factors Affecting Diathermy Penetration
- Tissue density
- Tissue absorption rate
- Tissue interface
- The angle of the machine head in relation to the body
- Distance between the machine and body area
30
Diathermy Uses
- Pain reduction
- Increase ROM
- Increase healing response
31
Diathermy Indications
- Pain
- Limited ROM
- Contracture
- Muscle weakness
- Edema (chronic)
- Skin wound healing
- Poor circulation
32
What type of diathermy waves are used in the clinic?
- Shortwaves
- Can be continuous or pulsed
- Generate strong electromagnetic field
33
```
How deep does heat from a hot pack penetrate?
A. 0-1 cm
B. 1-2 cm
C. 2-3 cm
D. 4-5 cm
E. more than 5 cm
```
C. 2-3 cm
| Most conduction/convection modalities reach this depth, i.e. cold packs, paraffin, whirlpool, cold spray, etc.
34
```
Which heat modality penetrates the farthest?
A. Moist heat packs
B. Paraffin
C. Whirlpools
D. None, they are all the same
```
D. they all penetrate 2-3 cm
35
T/F: Paraffin baths are a convection therapy.
False - conduction
36
Match the type of heat transfer mechanism (conduction, convection, radiation, conversion) to it's proper modality (diathermy, lasers, ultrasound, hot/cold packs, whirlpools, cold spray).
- Diathermy - conversion
- Lasers - radiation
- Ultrasound - conversion
- Hot/cold packs - conduction
- Whirlpools - convection
- Cold sprays - conduction
37
T/F: Fluidotherapy would be a good modality choice to use on a patient who has hypersensitivity and pain.
True, helps with pain relief and desensitization
38
T/F: The effects of diathermy are just as good at treating chronic stage injuries as it is acute stage injuries.
False, more effective treating acute conditions
39
If a patient has arterial insufficiency what is the MOST contraindicated modality?
Cryotherapy
40
What is the most commonly used frequency for short wave diathermy?
27.12 MHz
