thermal modalities

Question 1

cold packs

Answer 1

• ice bags
• reusable cold packs
• placed over area of injury

Question 2

cold compression therapy

Answer 2

-combination external compression & cold application

Question 3

treatment duration

Answer 3

• cold packs: 20-30min
• factor in target tissues, depth, overlying adipose tissue
• skin numbness can occur in 10 min

Question 4

ice massage

Answer 4

• causes rapid decline intramuscluar temp
• treating: muscle spasm, contusion, minor injuries
• treatment area no larger than 3x size ice cup

Question 5

ice immersion

Answer 5

• placing body into mixture water & ice 50-60deg
• can be uncomfortable & painful (for 5 min)
• circumferential cooling
• allows for ROM exercises during treatment

Question 6

cryostretch

Answer 6

• combines effects of cold application & passive stretching
• vapocoolant spray used to rapidly decrease skin temp & reduce pain transmission
• relieve local muscle spasm to effectively reduce amt pain & spasm associated w/ strains & trigger points

Question 7

whirlpools

Answer 7

• used w/ hot or cold water
• temp of immersion depends on proportion of total body area immersed
• turbine used to regulate water flow & amt air introduced into flow (aeration)
• provide massaging effect - sedation, analgesia, increased circulation

Question 8

physical effects of water immersion

Answer 8

• buoyancy used to reduce compressive forces on weight bearing joints & assist antigravity motions
• resistance to motion provided by waters viscosity
• hydrostatic pressure describes force exerted on a body part immersed in nonmoving fluid

Question 9

hubbard tanks

Answer 9

• butterfly shaped - allow supine, partially submerged patient to abduct arms & legs through full ROM
• 90-102deg

Question 10

moist heat packs

Answer 10

• 160-166 deg

- good for use on areas that would be hard to immerse in water

Question 11

paraffin bath

Answer 11

• mixture wax, mineral oil (7:1)
• deliver heat to small, irregular shaped area (hand, fingers, wrist, foot)
• upper extremity: 118-126deg
• lower extremity: 113-121deg

Question 12

fluidotherapy

Answer 12

• air jets circulate ceased cellulose particles that have lower specific heat & thermal capacity than water
• delivers dry heat to extremities
• lower force of air speed - increases viscosity of mixture - more resistance to joint motion
• pulses interrupt flow of medium (range: 1 to 6)
• 88-130deg

Question 13

contrast therapy

Answer 13

• alternating hot & cold treatments
• causes cycle of vasoconstriction & vasodilation of superficial blood vessels
• 3:1/4:1 (heat:cold)
• one tub: 105-110deg – one tub: 50-60deg