Physio-Articles

  WHAT IS MICROWAVE DIATHERMY THERAPY Microwave diathermy is one of the deep heating modality using a form of electromagnetic radiations called microwaves which is been used for therapeutic purpose, and the most widely used therapeutic frequency and wavelength for microwave diathermy is 2450 MHz and 12.245 cm respectively. these waves lie between shortwaves and infrared waves in the electromagnetic spectrum. and the frequencies lie in the range of 300 - 30,000 MHz and wavelengths of 10 mm per meter. Frequency (MHz)               Wavelengths (cm)      2450                                         12.245      916                                           32.79      433.9     ...

  WHAT IS PULSED SHORTWAVE DIATHERMY (PSWD) Pulsed short wave diathermy is also short wave diathermy but pulsed at the rate selected by the therapist. the pulsed frequency range from 15 Hz to 200 Hz and the maximum intensity produced by the machine is 1000 watts. while the pulsed duration is constant at 0.4 ms and square pulses are used. there are no cumulative thermal effects in pulsed short wave diathermy because the pulsing output of the machine is produced by one pulse which is in very short duration, as it is dissipated by the circulation before the next pulse occurs. GENERATION OF PULSED SHORTWAVE DIATHERMY In pulsed short wave diathermy each pulse train has a preset duration or on time and is separated from successive pulse trains by an off time, that is determined by the pulse repetition rate or frequency depending on the pulsed radio frequency radiation (PRFR) device. the pulse frequency can be varied from 1 to 7000 pulses per second and is selected with a pulse frequency ...

WHAT IS SHORTWAVE DIATHERMY  Short wave diathermy (SWD) is one of the deep heating modality because the term "diathermy" means to heat through, with high frequency of 27.12 MHz and wavelength of 12 m. It is    the application of deep heat to the body tissues by using electromagnetic waves that produce heat, but are non-ionizing.  COMPONENTS OF SHORTWAVE DIATHERMY There are two main circuits and both are coupled applied to get proper effect.  a. Machine circuit/Oscillator circuit: It produces high frequency current and amplifies its intensity.  b. Patient circuit/resonator circuit: It transfers the electrical energy to the patient, when coupled to the machine circuit by inductors and this energy is transferred in the form of electromagnetic field.  Sub-components of the main components: a. Main circuit circuit: Main supply Transformer Triode valve Grid leak circuit Oscillator b. Patient circuit: Resonator coil Resonator condenser Electrode Ammeter Tissu...

WHAT IS HYDRO-COLLATOR BATH THERAPY Hydrocollator bath therapy is application of moist heat as therapeutic agent and is one of the oldest forms of medicine. but these days efficient automatic units which produce a uniform and constant temperature to heat steam packs. these automatic units provide physiotherapists with a constant supply of ready to use heated packs. these automatic heating units are called hydrocollator units. The hydrocollator units are stainless steel tanks in which silica gel packs are heated. the abilities of the machines are vary and all these units have insulated bases, the units contain a wire rack which acts as a divider for the packs and prevent contact of the packs with bottom of the tank, moreover these units contain heater which is thermostatically controlled and maintains water in the unit at a temperature between 76°C and 80°C. It can be felt on continuously as long as there is sufficient water in the tank.  Hydrocollator pack is a fabric envelope cont...

WHAT IS HYDROTHERAPY Hydrotherapy is also known as water therapy which in medical term implies using water for therapeutic purpose or simply treatment by water in which water is used as a medium for exercise and provides several opportunities, which are not available in exercise and also hydrotherapy is one of the oldest therapeutic method for the management of body physical dysfunction. Hydrotherapy has been advocated for the treatment of joint stiffness, painful scars, arthritis and adhesions as warm up with exercise. hydrotherapy is used due to the therapeutic properties of water for the effects on body tissues of heating, cooling, debridement, pain relief and relaxation of muscles. when hydrotherapy is not planned well or well performed, it can give side effects, especially on cardio-vascular system, this water therapy is used for the treatment of various diseases, additionally hydrothermal therapy has temperature effects, as in hot baths, saunas, wraps e.t.c. Mostly non-weight bea...

WHAT IS FLUIDOTHERAPY Fluidotherapy is also known as fluidized therapy which is a high intensity heating modality that consist of dry heat agent which transfer heat energy or its energy by forced convection to the body soft tissues and produce therapeutic effects. Borrell and coworkers suggested that for superficial heating, it is irrevalent weather the modality produces wet or dry heat, provided that the skin temperature is raised to the same temperature by both agents. the fluidotherapy system is using finely solid particles suspended in a heated air stream (air-fluidized solids) acting as the heat transfer medium. METHOD OF APPLICATION OF FLUIDOTHERAPY Fluidotherapy units come in variety of sizes that's why there are units for treating the distal extremities and larger joints and also there are larger model available for the treatment of the back, for joints and distal body parts. During the treatment the patient places the body part to be treated through entrance sleeve of the ...

WHAT IS CONTRAST BATH THERAPY Contrast bath is defined as the therapeutic alternative procedure or technique of applying both heat and cold alternatively by immersion of the body part in hot and cold water in alternative way with certain amount of control to help the body temperature mechanism to be maintained. this alternative method of treatment is very important for improving circulation in injured tissues. METHOD OF APPLICATION OF CONTRAST BATH THERAPY Fill the two baths of appropriate size depending on the body part (limb) to be treated, one bath fill with hot water at 40°C to 45°C and the other bath with cold water at 15°C. then the treatment should begin in cold water and end in hot water but some therapist prefer to start with hot water and end in cold water. immerse the limb in hot water for 3 minutes and after 3 minutes immediately and alternatively remove the limb from hot water and immerse the limb in cold water for 1 minute. repeat the cycle up to 3 times and maintain the ...

WHAT IS PHONOPHORESIS Phonophoresis is the process of introducing substances into the body by using ultrasonic energy. This procedure is improperly compared with iontophoresis which involves transfer of ions into the body tissues while phonophoresis involves transmit of molecules into the body tissue by using different procedure, although is based on a similar concept. these molecules introduced into the body target tissue must be broken into component elements and radicals by using natural processes and recombined with existing bloodstream radicals.     METHOD USED FOR PHONOPHORESIS The technique or method used for phonophoresis is the same method as that for standard ultrasound administration. solutions are not used for phonophoresis, It is physical therapeutic procedure that combines ultrasound and medications, where the medicinal substance are applied directly to the skin and ultrasonic energy is applied by using ultrasound machine, this ultrasonic energy will help the ski...

WHAT IS IONTOPHORESIS Iontophoresis is defined as the process of transfer of ions of drugs into the body through the skin by the use of a constant direct current. PRINCIPLE OF IONTOPHORESIS Iontophoresis is based on the fact that ions of drugs will migrate to the electrode of opposite charge under the influence of an electromotive force. EQUIPMENT USED FOR IONTOPHORESIS All modern low frequency generators provide both direct and alternating current circuits for connecting to the patient. direct current is obtained from the main supply after it has been rectified by suitable rectifiers, inductors and capacitors in the circuits. the basic requirements for the application of direct current in an equipment indicated as positive and negative terminals, red indicates the positive terminal or anode and black indicates the negative terminal or cathode. the power output and the miliammeter must be clearly indicated. Generally there will be two current ranges which should be clearly marked. and ...

WHAT IS LASER LASER is an acronym which stand for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation as we all know the term "light" which also referred as visible light which is a form of electromagnetic radiation energy which has wavelength range between 100 to 10,000nm within the electromagnetic spectrum. Here the light is produced or emitted through the process of optical amplification of stimulated emission of radiation. WHAT IS LASER THERAPY Laser therapy is the application of low level-lasers or light-emitting diodes to the body surface, for therapeutic purpose which is claimed that application of low-level lasers on the body surface gives therapeutic effect for pain relieve and for improving or stimulating of cellular function. STIMULATED EMISSION The concept of stimulated emission was first postulated by Einstein and is essential to working principles of lasers. It states that a photon released from an excited atom would stimulate another similar excited atom to...

WHAT IS CRYOTHERAPY Cryotherapy is also known as cold therapy which is the local or general application of low temperatures for therapeutic purpose. Because cold agents are used as first-aid treatment after trauma i.e acute injury and as a tool in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular dysfunction. Cryotherapy is an old   remedy   and has been used for long time as remedy for pain relief, fever and control of bleeding.  But in modern time. cryotherapy has been applied to prevent or reduce oedeme of traumatic origin and inflammation, and also is used for reducing muscle spasms and temporarily decrease spasticity before exercise. A number of different cold agents are available for achieving this therapeutic effect. Universally, it is agreed that the application of cold is indicated to treat most acute musculoskeletal injuries such as strains, sprains and contusions. Despite the traditional rule of treatment for an acute injury is RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, E...

WHAT IS ULTRASOUND  Ultrasound is defined as sound waves with higher frequency which is greater than audible sound frequency, therefore is beyond the limit of human hearing, the frequency of ultrasound is greater than 20kHz. WHAT IS MEDICAL ULTRASOUND  Medical ultrasound is defined as sound waves used for diagnostic and therapeutic purpose, In Physiotherapy we used medical ultrasound for therapeutic purpose for the treatment of human body tissues because ultrasound is a form of acoustic vibration which produce high energy waves that penetrate into the body tissues and produce physiological and therapeutic effects. Medical Ultrasound has frequency range of 1MGHz to 20MGHz but in Physiotherapy we only used 1MGHz and 3MGHz ultrasound for therapeutic purpose. WHAT IS ULTRASOUND THERAPY Ultrasound therapy is the application of ultrasound energy by using a transducer head which consist of crystal quartz that vibrates to produce the ultrasound energy for therapeutic purpose. COMPONEN...