Physical Agents

Question 1

Effects of physical agents

Answer 1

• modify inflammation and healing
• pain control
• collagen extensibility
• muscle tone

Question 2

Modifying inflammation and healing

Answer 2

• Thermal agents - changing rate of circulation and chemical reactions
• Mechanical agents - control motion and alter flow
• Electromagnetic agents - alter cell function, specifically membrane permeability and trasport

Question 3

Pain Control

Answer 3

• Physical agents - modify pain transmission or perception by changing underlying process causing sensation
• Can modify by transmission at spinal cord level, change rate of nerve conduction, alter release of NT

Question 4

Collagen Extensibility

Answer 4

Extensibility of collegen is temperature dependent, increasing in response to increasing temperature

Question 5

Muscle Tone

Answer 5

• Alter directly by: altering nerve conduction or sensitivity, altering biomechanical properties of muscle
• Alter indirectly: reduceing pain of underlying problem