Modalities

Question 1

What are the four stages of a cooling sequence when using cryotherapy?

Answer 1

1. cold sensation
2. burning
3. aching
4. numbness

Question 2

What is Ohm’s Law?

Answer 2

describes the current’s relationship between the voltage and the resistance. The current (I) is directly proportional to the voltage (V) and inversely proportional to the resistance (R). I = V/R

Question 3

What are the 3 types of electrical currents?

Answer 3

1. Direct
2. Alternating
3. Pulsed

Question 4

What is direct current and what modalities use it?

Answer 4

continuous flow of charged particles in one direction
carries positive or negative polarity
examples include high volt pulsed galvanic current (HVPG) and iontophoresis

Question 5

what is alternating current and which modalities use it?

Answer 5

continuous bidirectional flow of charged particles; symmetrical or asymmetrical; balanced or unbalanced

examples include Russian stim and IFC

Question 6

what is pulsed current and which modalities use it?

Answer 6

non-continuous flow of direct or alternating current

examples include HVPG, NMES, and TENS

Question 7

what term describes the opposition to the flow of charged particles when using alternating current (AC)?

Answer 7

impedance

Question 8

what term describes opposition to the flow of charged particles when using direct current (DC)?

Answer 8

resistance

Question 9

what is the strength-duration curve?

Answer 9

the mount of energy required to produce an action potential ina nerve; a graphic representation of the minimum combination of current strength (amplitude, intensity) pulse width needed to depolarize a nerve

lower current amplitudes and shorter phase durations can effectively depolarize a sensory nerve

higher amplitudes and longer phase durations required to stimulate motor nerves and pain-transmitting C-fibers

Question 10

what is the pulse rate range to achieve twitch/sub-tetanic contraction?

Answer 10

1-20 pps

Question 11

what is the pulse rate range to achieve muscle contraction (transitional)?

Answer 11

25-50 pps

Question 12

what is the pulse rate range to achieve tetany (titanic or sustained muscle contraction)?

Answer 12

50-80 pps

Question 13

what are some basic TENS parameters for gate control theory?

Answer 13

short pulse duration of 50-150 microseconds
high frequency of 80+ pps
max sensory stim without eliciting muscle contraction
20-60 min tx time

Question 14

what are some basic TENS parameters for opiate pain control theory?

Answer 14

low frequency OR brief and intense
both use long pulse duration of 150+ microseconds
low frequency uses 10 pps or les
brief intense using 100 pps frequency
low frequency 20-45 min several times a day
high frequency 15 min or less several times a day

Question 15

how long is the “stretching window” after using thermal US?

Answer 15

3-5 minutes

stretching during treatment and immediately after will provide best results

Question 16

techniques to reduce risk of burn with iontophoresis

Answer 16

cathode should be twice the size of anode
electrodes placed at least the size of the anode apart from each other
current density that is too high can cause skin damage