Electrical Pulse Parameters

Question 1

components of naming current

Answer 1

balanced or unbalanced
symmetry/asymmetry
shape
alternating/mono/bi current

Question 2

balanced current

Answer 2

area under each pulse on a graph is symmetrical
shape may be different but if area under each is the same it is still balanced

Question 3

alternating current

Answer 3

current flows in both directions on a circuit
eg wall outlet, changing directions many times a second

Question 4

direct current

Answer 4

current flows one direction in a circuit
eg: battery

Question 5

phase

Answer 5

current flowing in one direction for a definite amount of time
eg: only positive part of biphasic pulse

Question 6

phase duration

Answer 6

time from beginning of one phase of pulse/cycle of alternating current

Question 7

pulse duration

Answer 7

time from beginning to end of one pulse

Question 8

interphase interval

Answer 8

period of time of no electrical activity between two phases

Question 9

what does lengthening duration of phase do to fiber recruitment?

Answer 9

it increases recruitment due to longer time for the electricity to meet capacitance of tissue

Question 10

current density and electrode size

Answer 10

smaller electrodes will deliver greater current density and higher stimulation intensity due to the same amount of voltage being spread over a smaller area
too small electrode can lead to harmful densities and damage tissue

Question 11

rise time

Answer 11

time for leading edge of phase to increase from zero to peak amplitude
decay time is opposite

Question 12

amplitude modulation

Answer 12

variation in peak amplitude among pulses (mA)

Question 13

phase/pulse duration modulation

Answer 13

vary phase or pulse duration in a series of pulses (ms)

Question 14

frequency modulation

Answer 14

vary frequency among pulses

Question 15

duty cycle

Answer 15

ratio of on time to the total time of stimulation, expressed as percentage

Question 16

burst

Answer 16

series of pulses or cycles of aAC delivered during the ON period of the stimulator

Question 17

burst duration

Answer 17

length of time of burst in ms bc many combined pulses

Question 18

burst frequeny

Answer 18

bursts per second

Question 19

direct current

Answer 19

current running for one second or greater in one direction

Question 20

alternating current

Answer 20

continuous bidirectional flow
symmetrical (most are this)
asymmetrical (creates polarity, uncommon)
IFC and russian are AC

Question 21

IFC actual current name

Answer 21

medium frequency beat/ampltiude modulated alternating current

Question 22

russian actual current name

Answer 22

medium frequency burst/time alternating current

Question 23

how does IFC work?

Answer 23

two sinusoidal AC currents differing in frequency
where the frequencies intersect they summate, resulting in higher or lower amplitudes
creates beats of varying amplitudes

Question 24

rms of current

Answer 24

root mean squared
area under the curve is how much current pt is getting
need to be able to metabolize and disperse heat from current transferring energy to tissue

Question 25

uses of IFC

Answer 25

as TENS: pain management, other applications liek joint mobs/ROM decrease chronic edema

Question 26

what is IFC not good for?

Answer 26

not good for use with small electrodes due to high RMS, however if machine is constant voltage generator is better not good for generating polarity like acute edema or wound healing

Question 27

uses of russian current

Answer 27

regain muscle strengtgh with strong enough force regain ROM if strong enough contraction decrease chronic edema

Question 28

russian current is not good for:

Answer 28

not good for use with small electrodes due to high RMS, however if machine is constant voltage generator is better not good for generating polarity like acute edema or wound healing

Question 29

pulsative current

Answer 29

noncontinuous flow of direct alternating current types: HVPC or monophasic, biphasic, polyphasic

Question 30

HVPC

Answer 30

twin peak pulses with monophasic PC current pulse duration: 5-20 usec, very short amplitude: 2000-2500, very high RMS is low due to short duration with high amplitude

Question 31

uses of HVPC

Answer 31

create weak polarity due to monophasic wave can excite sensory, motor, and pain fibers due + disuse atrophy, chronic edema

Question 32

HVPC should not be used for:

Answer 32

large muscle groups denervated muscle iontophoresis, which requires a stronger polarity

Question 33

calculate current density

Answer 33

current / area of electrode

Question 34

high RMS currents

Answer 34

russian IFC must be used with larger electrodes

Question 35

low RMS currents

Answer 35

monophasic pulsed current HVPC biphasic symmetrical pulsed current