Electrophysical Agents - Intro Flashcards
(21 cards)
What are electrophysical agents (EPA)?
Use of electrophysical & physiological energies for:
- Evaluation
- Treatment
- Prevention of impairments
- Activity limitations
- Participation restrictions
Produce physiological effects at cellular, tissue, organic & whole body levels to achieve physiological & clinical effects = maintain & optimise health
What are the classifications of EPA?
- Thermal energy
- Electromagnetic energy
- Electrical energy
- Mechanical energy
Examples of thermal energy
- Thermotherapy (Heat)
- Cryotherapy (Cold)
- Hydrotherapy (Heated water)
Examples of electromagnetic energy
- Shortwave diathermy (generate deep heat in tissues, pulses: provides low average intensity of energy w/o heat)
- Low level laser therapy (Monochromatic, coherent, directional = for wound healing
- Ultraviolet (artificial light to manage skin conditions)
Examples of electrical energy
- Neuromuscular electrical stimulation
- Transcutaneous electrical stimulation
- Iontophoresis
Examples of mechanical energy
- Spinal traction
- Intermittent pneumatic compression therapy
- Continuous passive motion therapy
- Extracorporeal shock wave therapy
- Ultrasound
What is electrical energy used for?
- Induce muscle contraction & changes in sensation
- Reduce pain
- Accelerate tissue healing
What affects the electrical energy & its application?
- Waveform
- Intensity
- Duration
- Direction of current flow
- Type of tissue where current is applied
What is mechanical energy?
Object in motion or energy stored in objects by their position
What is traction?
Pulling mechanical force
- Commonly used to alleviate pressure on nerves/joints that produce pain/other sensory changes that become inflamed when compressed
Ultrasound & Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
Soundwaves
- Transfer energy through the vibration of particles
What is intermittent pneumatic compression therapy?
Compressing mechanical force
- Counteract fluid pressure
- Control/reverse swelling
Dosimetry in EPA
- Stimulus insufficient for significant effect (below effect threshold)
- Maximal beneficial effect (optimal effect –> therapeutic window e.g. pain relief)
- Onset of inhibition (just passes back below effect threshold)
- Onset of tissue damage effect (too much, back below effect threshold)
Effects of EPA
- Reduce tissue inflammation
- Accelerate tissue healing
- Relief pain
- Modify muscle tone
- Alter collagen extensibility
How does EPA reduce tissue inflammation?
Accelerate healing, limit adverse consequences of healing procoess
Thermal agents: modify inflammation & healing by changing rates of circulation & chemical rxns
Mechanical agents: Control motion & alter fluid flow
Electromagnetic agents: Alter cell function, particularly mbn permeability & tpt
How does EPA modify muscle tone?
Electrophysical agents: Alter muscle tone directly by altering nerve conduction/nerve sensitivity or biochemical properties of muscles/directly by dec. pain
How does EPA alter collagen extensibility?
Extensibility of collagen inc. in response to inc. temp
- thermal agents applied before soft tissue stretching to optimise ROM
What are contraindications?
Conditions under which EPA SHOULD NOT be used
What are precautions?
Conditions under which EPA should be applied with special care or limitations
What is the approach when selecting an EPA?
- Goal & effects of treatment
- Contraindications & Precautions
- Evidence for EPA use
- Cost, availability & convenience
What to document?
- Risk identification. & sensory tests
- Output testing of EPA
- Provision of warning
- What EPA was used
- What area of the body was treated
- All treatment parameters: intervention duration, outcomes, progress towards goals, regressions/complications arising form application of EPA
