NPTE - Therapeutic Modalities: Cryotherapy, Superficial and deep thermotherapy, Hydrotherapy Flashcards
Indications for use of modalities (4)
- Pain
- Inflammation and repair
- Restriction in motion
- Abnormal tone
Principles of Heat Transfer: (5)
- Conduction
- Convection
- Conversion
- Evaporation
- Radiation
Conduction
Gain or loss of heat resulting from direct contract between tow materials at different temps
Convection
The gain or loss of heat resulting from air or water moving in a constant motion across the body
- Capable of transferring large amounts of heat
Conversion
Heating that occurs when nonthermal energy (e.g. mechanical, electrical) is absorbed into tissue and transfored into heat
Rate of heat transfer with conversion is determined by:
The power of the energy source
Evaporation
Transfer of heat that occurs as a liquid absorbs energy and changes form into a vapor
Radiation
Direct transfer of heat from a radiation energy source of higher temp to one of cool temp
Rate of heat transfer with radiation is influenced by:
- Intensity and size of the energy source
- Target area
- Angle of the radiation to the target area
- the distance between the energy source and target area
Cryotherapy
Local or general use of low temperatures in rehab
Generates therapeutic effects by influencing hemodynamic (blood flow), metabolic (metabolic rate), and neuromuscular processes (nerve conduction)
Therapeutic Effects of Cryotherapy (7)
- Decreased blood flow to treatment area
- Decreased edema
- Decreased local temp
- Decreased metabolic rate
- Decreased nerve conduction velocity
- Decreased tone
- Increased pain threshold
Gain or loss of heat resulting from direct contract between tow materials at different temps
Conduction
The gain or loss of heat resulting from air or water moving in a constant motion across the body
- Capable of transferring large amounts of heat
Convection
Heating that occurs when nonthermal energy (e.g. mechanical, electrical) is absorbed into tissue and transfored into heat
Conversion
Transfer of heat that occurs as a liquid absorbs energy and changes form into a vapor
Evaporation
Direct transfer of heat from a radiation energy source of higher temp to one of cool temp
Radiation
Local or general use of low temperatures in rehab
Generates therapeutic effects by influencing hemodynamic (blood flow), metabolic (metabolic rate), and neuromuscular processes (nerve conduction)
Cryotherapy
Indications for Cryotherapy (9)
- Abnormal tone
- Acute or chronic pain
- Acute or subacute inflammation
- Bursitis
- Muscle spasm
- MSK trauma
- Myofascial trigger points
- Tendonitis
- Tenosynovitis
- Abnormal tone
- Acute or chronic pain
- Acute or subacute inflammation
- Bursitis
- Muscle spasm
- MSK trauma
- Myofascial trigger points
- Tendonitis
- Tenosynovitis
Indications for Cryotherapy (9)
Contraindications of Cryotherapy (10)
- Cold intolerance
- Cold urticaria
- Cryoglobulinemia
- Infection
- Over an area of compromised circulation
- Over regenerating peripheral nerves
- Paroxysmal corl hemoglobinuria
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
- Skin anesthesia
Ice massage
Applied directly to the treatment area
Ideal for small or contoured areas
Easily intigrated into an HEP
Pt in relaxed position, ideal elevated
Cold Pack
Should be cooled for at least 30 min between uses and 2+hrs before initial use
Should be applied over a moist towel
Approximately 20 min application
Can be applied every 1 to 2 hrs for inflammation and pain control
Extend to 30 min if goal is spasticity reduction (skin requires inspection every 10 min!)
Cold Bath
Used for the immersion of the distal extemities
Allows for circumferential contact
Temps ranging from 55-64°F
15-20 min
Lower temp = shorter tx time
Controlled Cold Compression Unit
Circulates cooled water through a sleeve that is applied to an extremity
Temps ranging from 50-77°F
Combination is more effective than cold or compression alone in controlling inflammation
Cryo Cuff
Cold water circulating unit that combines benifits of cold with compression
Nylon sleeve and gallon container of ice water
Commonly used post-operatively with goal to decrease pain and need for analgesic meds
Advantages of Ice massage (4)
- Effective for small or irregular areas
- Target area can be observed during tx
- Short duration of tx
- Available for home use
Disadvantages of Ice Massage (3)
- Intensity of cooling may not be tolerated by pt
- Time consuming for large areas
- Requires active participation for the therapist or pt
Advantages of Cold pack (3)
- Covers moderate to large areas
- Can be applied in conjunction with elevation
- Available for home use
Disadvantages of Cold pack (3)
- May not maintain good contact on small or severely contoured ares
- Pt may not tolerate the weight of the pack
- Difficult to observe target area directly during tx
Advantages of Cold Bath (3)
- Effective for cooling the distal extremities
- Allows for circumferential contact with water
- Available for home use
Disadvantage of Cold bath
Requires the extremity to remain in a gravity dependent position
Advantages of Controlled Cold Compression Unit (3)
- Allows simultaneous application of cold and compression
- Temp and compression force can be accurately controlled
- Can be combined with other interventions, such as electrotherapy
Disadvantages of Controlled Cold Compression Unit (2)
- Difficult to observe targe area directly during tx
- Limited to extremity use
Advantages to Cryo Cuff (3)
- Allows simultaneous application of cold and compression
- Provides hours of mild cooling
- Available for home use
Disadvantage for Cryo Cuff
Difficult to precisely control temp and compression force
Advantages of Vapocoolant spray (4)
- Localized area of application
- Brief duration of cooling
- Effectively treats trigger points
- Increases ROM
Disadvantages of Vapocoolant spray (3)
- Difficult to apply spray uniformly
- Risk of frostbite if skin is not reward between repeated treatments
- Limited in scope of use
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Effective for small or irregular areas
- Target area can be observed during tx
- Short duration of tx
- Available for home use
Advantages of Ice massage (4)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Intensity of cooling may not be tolerated by pt
- Time consuming for large areas
- Requires active participation for the therapist or pt
Disadvantages of Ice Massage (3)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Covers moderate to large areas
- Can be applied in conjunction with elevation
- Available for home use
Advantages of Cold pack (3)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- May not maintain good contact on small or severely contoured ares
- Pt may not tolerate the weight of the pack
- Difficult to observe target area directly during tx
Disadvantages of Cold pack (3)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Effective for cooling the distal extremities
- Allows for circumferential contact with water
- Available for home use
Advantages of Cold Bath (3)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
Requires the extremity to remain in a gravity dependent position
Disadvantage of Cold bath
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Allows simultaneous application of cold and compression
- Temp and compression force can be accurately controlled
- Can be combined with other interventions, such as electrotherapy
Advantages of Controlled Cold Compression Unit (3)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Difficult to observe targe area directly during tx
- Limited to extremity use
Disadvantages of Controlled Cold Compression Unit (2)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Allows simultaneous application of cold and compression
- Provides hours of mild cooling
- Available for home use
Advantages to Cryo Cuff (3)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
Difficult to precisely control temp and compression force
Disadvantage for Cryo Cuff
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Localized area of application
- Brief duration of cooling
- Effectively treats trigger points
- Increases ROM
Advantages of Vapocoolant spray (4)
Advantages or disadvantages of:
- Difficult to apply spray uniformly
- Risk of frostbite if skin is not reward between repeated treatments
- Limited in scope of use
Disadvantages of Vapocoolant spray (3)
Vapocoolant spray
Produces rapid cooling through evaporation
Most commonly used in tx of trigger points
Produces a counter-irritant stimulus to the cutaneous thermal afferent nerves that overlay muscle (may break the pain cycle)
Conditions that respond: torticollis, neck or LBP caused by muscle spasm, acute bursitis, hamstrings tightness
Superficial Thermotherapy
Local or genral use of high temps in rehab with the goal of increasing skin temp and superficial subcutaneous tissue to depths of up to 2cm
Therapeutic Effects of Superficial Thermotherapy (10)
- Decreased muscle spasm
- Decreased tone
- Increased blood flow to the tx area
- Increased capillary permeability
- Increased Collagen Extensibility
- Increased local temp
- Increased metabolic rate
- Increased muslce elasticity
- Increased nerve conduction rate
- Increased pain threshold
Indications for Superficial Thermotherapy (7)
- Abnormal tone
- Decreased ROM
- Muscle gaurding
- Muscle spasm
- Myofascial trigger points
- Subacute or chronic pain
- Subacute or chronic inflammatory conditions