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06 - Functional Modalities > 06-04: Electricity > Flashcards

06-04: Electricity Flashcards

(59 cards)

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0
Q

Electrons

A

Negatively charged particles

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1
Q

Ions

A

Negatively and positively charged particles

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2
Q

Electrical current

A

Net movement of electrons

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3
Q

Ampere

A

Unit of measure = rate of electric current flow

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4
Q

Coulomb

A

Number of electrons that move

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5
Q

Volt

A
  • Electromotive force applied to cause the flow of electrons

- Electrons only move if there is a difference in concentration/charge causing an electrical potential difference

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6
Q

Conductance

A

Ease with which current flows

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7
Q

Insulators

A

Materials that resist current flow

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8
Q

Resistance

A

Electrical impedance

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9
Q

Ohm

A

Opposition to electron flow in a material

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10
Q

Watt

A

Measure of electrical power

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11
Q

Cathode

A
  • Negative electrode
  • Greater number of electrons
  • Attracts positive ions
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12
Q

Anode

A
  • Positive electrode
  • Attracts negative ions
  • Lower number of electrons
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13
Q

Direct current (DC)

A
  • Galvanic current
  • Uninterrupted, unidirectional flow of electrons towards positive pole
  • PTA may change direction of polarity which changes direction of current flow
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14
Q

Alternating current (AC)

A
  • Continuous flow
  • Bi-directional
  • Constantly changing direction
  • Reversing of polarity
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15
Q

Pulsatile current

A
  • Contains 3 or more pulses grouped together
  • May be unidirectional or bidirectional
  • Groups interrupted for periods of time.
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17
Q

TENS

A
  • Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
  • Refers to a group of E-Stim modalities
  • Sometimes refer to specific type of pain relief E-Stim
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18
Q

Electrodes

A
  • Placed on the skin to deliver electricity
  • Self-adhesive
  • Keep electrodes specific to one pt
  • Carbon: Need moist surface or ultrasound gel to adhere to skin
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19
Q

Waveform

A

Graphic picture of an electric current

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20
Q

Waveform properties

A
  • Shape
  • Direction
  • Amplitude
  • Duration
  • Frequency
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21
Q

Wave Shapes

A
  • Sinusoidal
  • Square
  • Triangle
  • Sawtooth
  • Biphasic, Monophasic, and Pulsatile may take on any waveform shape
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22
Q

Pulse vs. Phase

A
  • Pulse = one waveform
  • Phase = part of the wave that rises above or below baseline
  • Monophasic = Waveforms with one pulse and one phase in the same direction, DC
  • Biphasic = Waveforms with two separate phases during each cycle (current reverses direction once during a cycle; symmetrical or asymmetrical)
  • Cycle = One waveform above and below baseline (refers to biphasic)
  • Pulse duration = length of time one waveform lasts
  • Interpulse interval = Short time between phases with no current flowing (seen in pulsatile current)
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23
Q

Biphasic vs. Monophasic

A
  • Monophasic: Causes chemical change if pulse duration is longer than 1 min
  • Most machines do not permit adjustment of the duration of current, so no chemical effect unless Rx more than 1 hr
  • Don’t usually do elective Rx for more than 30 min.
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24
Q

Intensity

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Increasing intensity drives electrical current into deep tissue
  • More fibers are stimulated
25
Hi-Volt Stimulators
- Deeper penetration into tissue - Desirable for stimulating deep muscle tissue - Usually pre-set pulse duration
26
Lo-Volt Stimulators
- More superficial stimulation | - Usually adjustable pulse duration
27
Characteristics of Pulse
- Phase Duration - Pulse Amplitude - Rate of Rise - Rate of Decay - Pulse Frequency
28
Phase Duration
- Length of time the pulse lasts (monophasic) | - Length of time current flows in one cycle (biphasic)
29
Pulse Duration
- Length of time current flows in one cycle - Duration determines quantity of nerve fibers stimulated if intensity the same - Increase duration = more nerve fibers stimulated (current available for longer period of time)
30
Pulse Amplitude
- Height of the phase, with maximum amplitude being tip of each phase - Higher the peak, higher the intensity - Measures in amperes (amps), microamperes or milliamperes (milliamps) - Same as voltage and current intensity - Peak amplitude not same as total amount of current administered
31
Rate of Rise
How quickly the pulse reaches max amplitude in each phase
32
Rate of Decay
Time required for the pulse amplitude to return to 0 volts
33
Accomodation
- Current constantly bombards nerve fiber, nerve fiber becomes unexcitable at that intensity (gets used to it, needs more intensity to escalate to level) - Faster rate of rise, less likely nerve will accommodate = greater ability to excite tissue
34
Pulse Frequency
- Number of pulses or cycles per second - Each pulse = rise and fall in amplitude - Frequency increases = amplitude tends to increase and decrease more rapidly (rise and decay) - Muscle responds to frequencies of less than 50pps with twitch contractions; >50pps, a tetanic contraction occurs (muscle contracts and holds) - Controls amount of fiber shortening and of recovery
35
Higher Frequency
More muscle contraction
36
Lower Frequency
Less muscle contraction, produces muscle pumping for edema control
37
Tetany
- Rapid, intense and involuntary muscle fiber contractions which can cause spasms or cramping - Therapeutically used to fatigue muscles, reduce spasm - Occurs at pulse frequencies >50pps
38
Modulation
Changes made to current amplitude, duration, frequency
39
Continuous current
- Amplitude constant for several seconds/minutes - Associated with long pulse duration, monophasic (always uniform direction) - DC - Ex: iontophoresis, medical galvanism - If amplitude produces contraction, only occurs when current flow turned on or off
40
Burst modulation
- Pulsatile or AC - Current on for short duration, then turned off for short time in repetitive cycles - Pulsatile: Sets of pulses combined into "bursts"; interruptions called "interburst intervals"
41
Beat modulation
- 2 different waveforms with different frequencies delivered through 2 separate electrodes through 2 separate channels - they interfere with each other - Total of 4 electrodes in criss-cross pattern - Ex: Interferential treatment
42
Ramping modulation
- Ramp-up and ramp-down intensity - Current amplitude increases gradually to preset maximum (or ramp down gradually) - Ramp-up is 1/3 of the on time - Increases comfort as it modulates "surge" of current
43
Polarity
- AC: Electrodes change polarity with each current cycle - DC: PTA designates one electrode as positive and one as negative by connecting wirt - General placement: Active, cathode (-) is distal, Anode (+) is proximal
44
Series Circuit
- One pathway for current to get from one terminal to another (Ex: Christmas lights) - Loss of voltage as current flows through path
45
Parallel Circuit
- 2 or more paths exist for current to get from one terminal to another - Current chooses pathway of least resistance - Voltage is same at beginning as at the end
46
E-Stim process in human body
- E-Stim modalities use combo of series/parallel circuits - Electrodes on skin stimulate muscle contraction - Series: Current passes through skin and fat - Parallel: Current passes through bone, connective tissue, blood, muscle; Can pass through several different pathways to reach muscle
47
Best tissue conductors
- Nerve - Blood (2nd best) - Muscle - Tissues with high water content
48
Best tissue resistors
- Bone - Skin (2nd best - resists DC more than AC) - Tendon - Fat
49
E-Stim Safety
- Generates heat in tissue - Causes chemical (ion) changes in tissues which can be acidic - 2 pronged devices are not grounded (use 3-pronged devices) - If not grounded, or cord is cut, unit can become charged and shock a person - Do not pull on cord to remove plug - Use in dry environment because water conducts - Burns on skin
50
Therapeutic effects of E-Stim
- Relaxation of muscle spasm - Muscle strengthening - Improve ROM - Facilitate wound healing - Decrease edema - Eliminate disuse atrophy - Muscle re-education - Increase local circulation - Facilitate bone repair
51
Indications for E-Stim
- Muscle spasm - Muscle weakness - Pain management - Decreased ROM - Idiopathic scoliosis - Fracture - Joint effusion - Facial neuropathy (including Bell's Palsy) - Muscle atrophy - Open wound/ulcer - Labor and delivery - Stress incontinence - Shoulder subluxation
52
Contraindication for E-Stim
- Cardiac pacemaker - Cardiac arrhythmia - Bladder stimulator - Over carotid sinus - Seizure disorder - Phlebitis - Malignancy - Over pregnant uterus - Osteomyelitis
53
Monopolar electrode configuration
- Active (stimulating) electrode over target area - Dispersive (2nd) electrode placed away from target area (usually larger than active electrode) - DC - Wounds, iontophoresis, edema
54
Bipolar electrode configuration
- 2 active electrodes placed over target area (1 channel) - Electrodes the same size, do not intersect - Muscle weakness, NM facilitation, spasms, ROM, Russian, NMES - AC
55
Quadripolar electrode configuration
- 2 electrodes each from 2 separate stimulating circuits (2 channels - Positioned so individual currents intersect with each other - Interferential Current (IFC)
56
Small electrodes
- Increase density size - Increased resistance to electrical current - Decrease current flow - Concentrate electrical current - Pt more susceptible to pain and tissue damage
57
Large electrodes
- Decrease density size - Decreased resistance to electrical current - Increase current flow
58
Electrode Placement
- Current density is greatest under the electrode - Placement close to neural structure provides increased success with least amount of current - 2 electrodes close together = increase current density superficially - 2 electrodes spaced apart = increase current density in deeper tissue (nerve, muscle)
59
Electrode Placement - 1 large, 1 small
- Greater current density under smaller electrode; larger electrode spreads current over larger area - Small electrode concentrates current over motor point; larger electrode disperses over larger area

06 - Functional Modalities (21 decks)

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