PT Modalities Flashcards
(30 cards)
What do PT modalities aim to do?
Control pain & Inflammation
Should you be using these modalities for acute or chronic conditions?
Acute– should be brief and for limited basis as part of the initial treatment
What is Cryotherapy? When is it used?
Cryotherapy is any treatment that involves the use of freezing or near-freezing temperatures.
Used in acute & inflammatory stages
What are some examples of Cryotherapy treatments?
Ice packs
Ice baths/cold tank
Ice massage
What are the four stages of Cryotherapy?
1) Cooling
2) Burning
3) Aching
4) Numbness
CBAN
How long should you keep an icepack on for?
20-30 mins
What does an ice pack do?
List 4 things
Reduces inflammation, edema pain and muscle spasms
What is cold laser therapy?
Low-intensity laser therapy that stimulates healing while using low levels of light.
The technique is called “cold” laser therapy because the low levels of light aren’t enough to heat your body’s tissue.
What does cold laser do?
It aids in would and soft tissue healing, reduces pain
How often should you use cold laser?
Can be used daily or every other day
How many sessions are needed of cold laser to see a difference in acute and chorine conditions?
Acute: 2-6 treatments
Chronic: 3-10 treatments
What are some cold laser contraindications?
- Don’t point directly to eyes
- Dont use it over the thyroid gland
- Dont use over the lower back during pregnancy
- Dont use over cuts
What areas does cold laser treat?
- Injured or affected area
- Trigger or tender points
- Superficial nerves
What is TENS?
TENS is a method of electrical stimulation which primarily aims to provide a degree of symptomatic pain relief by exciting sensory nerves and thereby stimulating either the pain gate mechanism and/or the opioid system.
What is the purpose of using TENS?
Reduce Pain
How long should you do TENS for?
20 mins
What is Thermotherapy?
Heat therapy
It can take the form of a hot cloth, hot water bottle, ultrasound & heating pad
What does thermothearpy do?
- It increases blood flow
- Reduced pain
- Decreases muscle hypertonicity
How many layers should you put between the skin and the hot pack?
6-8 layers of thick towels
However, commercial hot pack cover is 4 layers so only additional 2-4 layers are used.
How long should you use heat therapy for?
20 mins
Why would you not use a heat pack right after an injury?
Because it increases blood flow which will result in inflammation of the injured area.
Why is ultrasound used in PT?
- To aid in tissue healing, reduce pain and increase circulation of blood
- Creates a deep heating effect
How does ultrasound work?
Ultrasound waves are generated by a piezoelectric effect caused by the vibration of crystals within the head of the probe. The ultrasound waves that pass through the skin cause a vibration of the local soft tissues.
How long should you be using ultrasound for?
3-5 minutes depending on the injury
