INTRODUTION TO ELECTRICAL

CURRENTS
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• To Learn
1. Electrotherapy
2. Electromagnetic spectrum
3. Physical agents
4. Electrical Currents
 ELECTROTHERAPY
Electrotherapy is the branch of
physiotherapy characterized by the
treatment of various diseases and
disorders with the help of electricity or
electrical means.
Specifically, electrotherapy uses energy waves
that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum
to produce desired physiological and chemical
effects in the body
ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
 PHYSICAL AGENTS
• Physical agents are various forms of energy and
materials applied to patients

• It includes heat, cold, water, pressure, sound,

electromagnetic radiation and electrical
currents
CATEGORIES OF PHYSICAL AGENTS
THERMAL
Deep heating agents e.g. Diathermy
Superficial heating agents e.g.. Hot Pack
Cooling agents e.g. Ice Pack

MECHANICAL
Traction e.g. Mechanical Traction
Compression e.g. Elastic Bandage
Water e.g. Whirlpool
Sound e.g. Ultrasound
ELECTROMAGNETIC
Electromagnetic tools e.g. Ultraviolet
Electric currents e.g. TENS
 THERMAL AGENTS
These agents increase or decrease the tissue
temperature

Physiological Effects of thermal agents

• Increase the tissue temperature
• To increase the circulation
• Increase metabolic rate
• Increase soft tissue extensibility
• Decrease pain
When to apply cold agents???????
• To decrease circulation
• Decrease metabolic rate
• Decrease pain
Hunting’s Phenomenon
• Alternate vasoconstiction and dilation also called
lewis response
• Cold agents are mostly preferred in acute
inflammation
PRICER phenomenon in Acute Conditions
 COLD THERAPY AND PAIN RELIEF
• A decreased nerve transmission in pain
fibers.
• Cold reduces the activity of free nerve
endings.
• Cold raises the pain threshold.
• Cold causes a release of endorphins.
• Cold sensations over-ride the pain
sensation - known as the pain gate theory.
 PRICER
• Protection – Protect the injured area until it can
be evaluated. This may include an wrap, taping,
or bracing.
• Rest – Stop or take a break from the activity that
is causing your pain or soreness.
• Ice – Apply ice to the affected area for 10 to 20
minutes several times a day. Put a towel
between your skin and the ice pack to avoid skin
irritation. Allow the skin temperature to return to
normal before icing again (40 to 60 minutes).
• Compression – Wrap the injured area with an elastic
bandage (such as an Ace wrap) to help decrease
swelling. If you experience an increase in pain,
numbness, tingling, swelling, or coolness below the
elastic bandage, it may be wrapped too tight.
• Elevation – Elevate the injured or sore area above
the level of your heart while applying ice.
• Referral – Medical assistance should be sought as
soon as possible to determine the full extent of the
injury. A physical therapist can develop a treatment
plan for full recovery and return to sport.
 MECHANICAL AGENTS
Apply mechanical force to increase or
decrease pressure in or on the body
Traction (Decrease pressure)
 Cervical 7%
 Lumbar 50%
Compression Bandages
• Compression increases the pressure
between structures to counteract fluid
pressure and to control edema.
Intermittent pneumatic compression

• Intermittent pneumatic compression is a

therapeutic technique used in
medical devices that include an air pump
and inflatable auxiliary sleeves, gloves or
boots in a system designed to improve
venous circulation in the limbs of patients
who suffer edema or the risk of deep vein
thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism.
 HYDROTHERAPY
The application of water is called
hydrotherapy
• Archimedes Principle
• Fibromyalgia
 ARCHIMEDES PRINCIPLE
• Archimedes' Principle, law of physics that
states that when an object is totally or
partially immersed in a fluid, it experiences
an upthrust equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced.

Buoyant force = weight  the object floats and stationary

Buoyant force > weight  the object moves up

Buoyant force < weight  the object moves down

 SOUNDS
• It is a mechanical form of energy
composed of alternating waves of
compression and rarefaction
• Frequency greater than 20,000 cycles per
second
• Thermal and non-thermal effects
• Cont & Pulse Mode???
• 1& 3MHz ???
 ELECTROMAGNETIC AGENTS
Electromagnetic agents apply electromagnetic
energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation or
an electrical currents
Electromagnetic tools
• Ultraviolet radiation, produce erythema and
tanning of the skin
• Infrared radiation, produces heat in superficial
tissues
• Short wave diathermy , which has a frequency of
10 million to 100 million cycles per second,
produces heat in deep tissues
SWD IF LAMP
 ELECTRIC CURRENT
• The effects and clinical application of electrical
currents vary according to the waveform,
intensity, duration of the current flow and
according to the types to which the current is
applied
• These currents depolarize nerves, causing
sensory or motor responses that may be used
to control pain, increase muscle strength ,
control the formation of edema, promote
wound healing etc
 AREAS OF ELECTROTHERAPY
• Low frequency currents
• Medium frequency currents
• High frequency currents
• Phototherapy
• Electrodiagnosis
• Biofeedback
Low Frequency Currents:
• Frequency range 0 to 100 cycles per
second
• Use in the stimulation of nerve
e.g.
• Direct current, Faradic Current, HVPC,
FES etc…
• Medium frequency Currents:
• Frequency in the range of 1000 to 10,000
cycles per second
• Use for muscle re-education, retard the
rate of muscle atrophy, drainage of edema
and for pain relief
• Interferential Current, Russian Current
• High frequency currents:
• Frequency more than 10,000 cycles per
second
• Produce deep heat inside the tissues
• e.g.
• SWD
• Therapeutic Ultrasound
• Microwave diathermy
• LASER
Phototherapy:
• Treatments of various disease and
disorders with the help of light
• Pain relief by heat, acceleration of healing
through elevation of temperature, counter
irritation and photochemical effects
e.g.
• Heliotherapy
• Actinotherapy (Infrared rays, ultraviolet rays
and LASER etc.)
Electrodiagnosis:
o It means the detection of the disease and
disorders by the use of electrotherapeutic
currents or electromyography

TESTS:
 Strength duration curve,
(Rheobase, Chronaxie)
 STRENGTH DURATION CURVE
• The ease with which a membrane can be stimulated
depends on two variables: the strength of the stimulus,
and the duration for which the stimulus is applied.

• Rheobase is the minimal current amplitude of infinite

duration (in a practical sense, about 300 milliseconds)
that results in the depolarization threshold of the cell
membranes
• Chronaxie is the minimum time required for an electric
current double the strength of the rheobase to
stimulate a muscle or a neuron.
 Assignment :1
• What are the medical uses of Rheobase
and Chronaxie ?
 BIOFEEDBACK
• It is the process of furnishing the information
to an individual about the body function so as
to get some voluntary control over it.
• Biofeedback is a treatment technique in
which people are trained to improve their
health by using signals from their own bodies.
Physical therapists for example, use
Biofeedback to help stroke victims regain
movement in paralyzed muscles.
Psychologists use it to help tense and
anxious clients learn to relax.
 EMG BIOFEEDBACK
• It is the study of electrical activity of
muscle by means of surface electrodes
placed over the skin or needle electrodes
inserted in muscle itself.
 INDICATIONS
• Pain Relief (LBP)
• Electrical Stimulation (Facial Palsy,
Radial nerve Palsy)
• Sprain
• RA
• Frozen Shoulder
 CONTRAINDICATION
• Pregnancy
• Malignancy
• Pacemaker
• Impaired sensation
• Impaired mentation
• Metallic implants
WHAT DID U GAIN FROM THIS LECTURE?
THANK YOU