Week 1 Vocab

Question 1

Physical agents

Answer 1

reflects the use of physical energies—such as thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic, or light—but fails to include the purpose or intention of their application.

Question 2

Therapeutic modalities

Answer 2

represent the administration of thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic, acoustic, and light energies to produce biophysical effects at the cellular, tissue, organic, and whole-body levels.

***Note: The terms therapeutic modalities and physical agents are often used interchangeably to describe a wide array of interventions that provide a variety of therapeutic benefits.

Question 3

Biophysical agents

Answer 3

Alternate term for Therapeutic Modality

Question 4

Cryotherapy

Answer 4

the use of cold to induce the therapeutic and physiological responses that result from a decrease in tissue temperature

Question 5

Thermotherapy

Answer 5

the therapeutic application of heat

Question 6

Therapeutic ultrasound

Answer 6

any type of ultrasonic procedure that uses ultrasound for therapeutic benefit

Question 7

Electrotherapy

Answer 7

Broad term for electromagnetic modalities such as TENS, that can be used for an equally wide variety of needs. General therapeutic benefits of electrotherapy may include strengthening or relaxing skeletal muscle, decreasing pain, facilitating neuromuscular re-education, augmenting ROM, attenuating disuse atrophy, promoting tissue and wound healing, reducing edema, increasing local blood flow, and delivering medicinal ions transdermally.

Question 8

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS)

Answer 8

The use of electric current produced by a device to stimulate sensory nerves for therapeutic purposes.

Question 9

Interferential Current or IFC

Answer 9

a medium frequency alternating current therapy that reportedly reduces skin impedance and can reach deeper tissues

Question 10

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation, or NMES

Answer 10

Activation of skeletal muscle with electrotherapy used for increasing strength

Question 11

Functional electrical stimulation, or FES

Answer 11

Activation of skeletal muscle with electrotherapy for restoring or improving use of skeletal muscle during functional activities such as walking.

Question 12

Iontophoresis

Answer 12

the use of electrical current to facilitate the delivery of specific drugs and ions to reduce tissue inflammation, decrease local pain, reduce calcium deposits, and reduce scar restrictions

Question 13

Electromagnetic radiation

Answer 13

a kind of radiation, in which electric and magnetic fields vary simultaneously which is used for a variety of therapeutic benefits, both thermal and nonthermal. Classified according to the specific frequency of the electromagnetic wave, therapeutic electromagnetic radiation includes SWD, infrared radiation (IR), and ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) radiation.

Question 14

Compression

Answer 14

Compressive force, may be used for therapeutic benefit during rehabilitation. Compressive force may come from application of wraps, stockings, or garments. It may also come from compression pumps and even from water via the hydrostatic pressure created when a body part is submerged in water.

Question 15

Traction

Answer 15

is the application of distractive forces, can be manual (therapist) or mechanical (machine or external device) to lessen or reduce compression on a structure and is most commonly associated with spinal traction.

Question 16

Blood Flow Restriction Training

Answer 16

an expanding rehabilitation modality that uses a tourniquet to reduce arterial inflow and occlude venous outflow in the setting of resistance training or exercise

Question 17

Trigger point dry needling

Answer 17

Involves inserting a dry needle (no substance is injected) into the dermal, fascial, and muscle tissues. It is a treatment that healthcare providers use for pain and movement issues.

Question 18

High-Volt Pulsed Current (HVPC)

Answer 18

is direct current (DC) characterized by a high-peak intensity and short pulse duration (shown at a frequency of 100 Hz). This modality is most often used for edema control and wound healing but can also be used for muscle recruitment.

Question 19

Assistive Personnel

Answer 19

refers to personnel that assists the physical therapist in the delivery of care. This may be a physical therapist assistant, a PT aide or technician or other personnel.

Question 20

Precaution

Answer 20

when the drug or procedure should be used or performed cautiously

Question 21

Relative contraindication

Answer 21

are contraindications for circumstances in which the patient is at higher risk of complications from treatment, but these risks may be outweighed by other considerations or mitigated by other measures

Question 22

Absolute contraindication

Answer 22

are contraindications for which there are no reasonable circumstances for undertaking a course of action

Question 23

Nociceptor

Answer 23

specialized receptors that send danger signals to the brain

Question 24

Noxious stimulus

Answer 24

a stimulus that is damaging or threatens damage to normal tissues

Question 25

Innocuous stimulus

Answer 25

a stimulus that is non-threatening to normal tissues such as light touch

Question 26

Hyperalgesia

Answer 26

Increased pain from a stimulus that normally provokes pain

Question 27

Allodynia

Answer 27

Pain due to a stimulus that does not normally provoke pain, such as light touch