Modalities Flashcards
What term is synonymous with modalities?
Physical agents
What are modalities?
Various forms of ENERGY and MATERIALS applied to patients to address pathology, impairments and/or functional limitations
What are the 7 different types of energies that physical agents provide?
Heat Cold Water Pressure Sound Electromagnetic radiation Electrical currents
What is the most dangerous modality that causes the most lawsuits?
Hot packs due to burns
What are modalities losing ground?
Due to lack of evidence…Just because evidence is not good does not mean they are not appropriate for use on patients.
What modality is becoming most prevalent in PT?
The industry is moving to using hands as manual therapy and therapeutic exercise for modalities.
Name and define the 3 categories of physical agents
Thermal–transfer energy to patient to produce an increase or decrease in tissue temperature. (i.e. hot pack, thermal ultrasound, cryotherapy)
Mechanical–application of mechanical force to increase or decrease pressure in or on the body (i.e. traction, compression, non-thermal ultrasound)
Electromagnetic–electromagnetic radiation of electric current (i.e. infrared radiation, diathermy)
What is the role of physical agents in rehab?
The use of physical agents alone DOES NOT constitue physical therapy.
Physical agents are normally applied in CONJUNCTION with other interventions.
Physical agents have effects primarily at the impairment level but also at the pathology level.
(Physical agents are a means to an end. This is so that one can do manual therapy or exercise.)
The application of physical agents in physical therapy typically results in what types of results?
Modify inflammation and healing Relieve pain Manage edema Alter collagen extensibility (flexibility or stiffness) Modify muscle tone.
There are two types of contraindication. What are they and their definitions?
Contraindication–Conditions under which a particular modality should not be applied.
Precaution–Conditions under which a particular modality should be applied with special care or limitations.
What are the 5 general contraindications that are applied to all physical agents?
Pregnancy–don’t use anything that might reach the fetus.
Malignancy–certain agents can accelerate malignant growth
Pacemaker or other implanted device–interference with device function
Impaired sensation–if they can’t feel it, they don’t know if it’s too hot!!!*
Impaired mentation–dementia, they don’t know or can’t remember if something is hurting them.
Define Anthropometric Measurement
Using a measurement tool to measure change in size and shape in the human body.
Define Edema
Swelling…is what we’re doing increasing or decreasing swelling?
How practical are Calipers at measuring edema?
Why?
Is it reliable and replicable, and practical?
Not good at measuring edema. Only measures 2 spots, generally bony landmarks. It doesn’t capture soft tissue swelling. Very reliable, reproducible, not practical.
There were two volumetric measures in the 1st lab. What were they?
Each was recommended for a type of edema. What were they?
What was the reliability rating for inter and intra tester reliability?
Tape measure–figure 8 and water.
Tape measure figure 8 was recommended for ankle swelling. .99 inter and intra tester reliability.
Water was more appropriate for diffuse swelling. (spread out edema…toes etc.)
