 Hot Packs |
Hot packs usually consist of a silicate gel called Bentonite
The temperature of the 'Hot Water Tank' where the Hot Packs to be immersed is in the range between 75° to 80°C. The heat energy obtained from the hot packs is used to relieve pain and induce relaxation.
Where useful?
 Muscular Pain
General Relaxation
Where it should not be used?
Individuals with
Lack of heat sensation
Local Open Wounds
Burns
Unhealed Scars
Advantages
Relief of Pain
Relaxing effect to the muscles
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| Short Wave Diathermy |
Short Wave diathermy current is a high frequency alternating current. The heat energy obtained from the wave is used for giving relief to the patient. Its frequency is 27,120,000 cycles per second and the wavelength is 11 metre.
Types of Applications
The condenser field method (commonly used)
Cable method
Where useful?
Inflammation of shoulder joint
Inflammation of Elbow Joint (Tennis Elbow)
Degeneration of joints of neck (Cervical Spondylosis)
Degeneration of joints like knee and hip (Osteoarthritis)
Ligament Sprains in knee joint
Low Back Ache
Plantar fascitis (Heel Pain)
Sinusitis
Where it should not be used?
General
High Fever
Fluctuating Blood Pressure
Very sensitive Skin
Persons with Untreated Fits
Persons using Cardiac Pace Maker
Severe kidney and heart problems
Pregnant Women
Mentally Retarded Individuals
Tuberculosis of Bone
Malignant cancer
Local
If the treatment area has:
Open wounds
Skin disease
Unhealed scars
Recent burns
Advantages
Relaxation of the muscles
Effective in bacterial infections
Relief of pain
Treatment Time
Initial Stage : 5-10 minutes
Moderate Stage : 10-20 minutes
Severe State : 20-30 minutes
Disadvantages
Burns
Scalds (Boils)
Overdose
Shock
Electric Sparking
Faintness
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| Infra-red rays |
Infra-red rays are electromagnetic waves, the heat energy obtained from the rays are used to relieve pain.
Infra-red Rays Generators (2 types)
Non-Luminous Generator
Luminous Generator
Where useful ?
Pain
Muscle strain and pain
Where it should not be used ?
Defective Blood Supply to the area (eg. In case of diabetes)
Any Blood loss
Defective skin sensation (nerve damage)
Advantages
Relief of Pain
Muscle relaxation
Disadvantages
Burns
Electric Shock
Overdose headache
Injury to eyes
Faintness
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| Ultra-Violet rays (UV Rays) |
Ultra-violet rays are electromagnetic waves. Rays with wavelengths ranging between 3,900 and 1,849 A° are used for treatment purpose.
Sources of UV-rays
Sunlight
Mercury vapour lamp
Fluorescent tubes
Where useful?
Individuals with
General weakness
Vitamin-D deficiency
Weight Loss
Psoriasis (Skin disease)
Alopecia (Hair fall)
Where it should not be used?
Sensitive skin
Dermatitis (Skin disease)
High fever
Tuberculosis of lungs
Cancer
Advantages
Formation of Vitamin-D
proved resistance to infection
General tonic effect
Disadvantages
Conjunctivitis (Eye infection)
Reddening of skin
Electric shock
Burns
UV rays should not be used in combination with certain other treatment
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| Ultra sonic therapy |
It's an electromagnetic wave different from sound waves.
The frequencies of waves employed for medical purposes are between 5,00,000 and 3,000,000 cycles/sec.
Generation of Ultrasonic waves
Ultrasonic waves are generated by vibration of a Crystal mounted on a special head.
Treatment Time
Initial Stage : 3 to 4 min
Severe Stage : 6 to 8 min
Where useful?
Inflammation of Elbow Joint (Tennis elbow)
Plantar fascitis(Heel pain)
Shortening of Muscle or Ligament
Inflammation of tendons(For eg Supraspinatus tendnitis)
Ligament sprain(For eg Lateral Ligament sprain of ankle)
Unhealed scars
Where should it not be used?
Avoidance to specialised structures such as eyes, ears, ovaries or testes.
Growing ends of bones
Uterus of pregnant women
Areas with poor blood supply (In case of Diabetes)
Cancer
Advantages
Relief of pain
Healing of Soft tissues (Ligament)
Healing of unhealed scars
Disadvantages
Burns
Cavitation (Damage to bones)
Overdose
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| Microwave diathermy |
It is an electromagnetic wave used for treatment purposes with wavelength between infra-red rays and short wave diathermic waves.
The heat energy obtained from the wave is used for giving relief to the patient.
Treatment Settings
Micro-wave diathermy waves used for treatment is of Wave length - 12.25 cm
Frequency - 2,450 cycles/sec
Production of Waves
The waves are obtained by heating special type of valve called Magnetron. The output is carried to a small aerial and microwaves are emitted.
Where useful?
Pain
Bacterial infection
Septic fingers
Boils
Abscess
Where it should not be used?
Cancer
Tuberculosis of Bone
Recent exposure to X-rays
Defective blood circulation (In cases like Diabetes)
Advantages
Pain is relieved
Healing of infections is faster
Aids in relaxation
Disadvantages
Burns
Injuries to eyes
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| Functional Electrical Stimulation (F.E.S) |
This kind of physiotherapy treatment involves use of low frequency electric current. Electrical stimulation is used to activate and train a muscle, which has lost its action or in training a muscle which has lost or 'forgotten' its action after an injury / surgery.
Types
Modified Galvanic Current
In this treatment method the duration of current flow is long and continuous.
Time duration : 10 - 200 milliseconds
Frequency : 50 - 100 pulses/sec.
Used in cases of severe nerve damage
Surged Faradic Current
Shorter duration and intermittent flow of current
Time duration : .01-1 millisecond
Frequency : 50 cycles per/sec.
Used in cases of partial nerve damage or nerve compression
Where useful?
All Nerve injuries(like Radial nerve Injury of the arm or hand)
Muscle weakness(To activate the muscle)
Facial nerve Injury
Where should it not be used?
Individuals who have
Recent cuts
Open wounds
Unhealed scars
Recent fracture
Metal plate fixation in their Body
Skin infections
Recent surgery
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| Inter Ferential Therapy (IFT) |
Inter Ferential Therapy (IFT) uses a Mid frequency - current for treatment.
Where useful ?
Individuals with
Pain
Muscles spasm (pain and tightness)
Swelling
Muscles strain
Where it should not be used ?
If the Treatment area has :
Localised wounds
Unhealed scar
Recent cuts
Skin infections
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| Therapeutic massage |
Massage is one of the oldest of the Health sciences and has been used for curative purposes since time immemorial. Massage treatment uses "TOUCH" to apply pressure to the body's skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments.
The Idea of Massage is to ease disorders by:
relieving tension
promoting blood flow
calming nerves
loosening muscle
Modes of Therapeutic Massage
Stroking
Effleurage
Kneading
Friction
Wringing
Picking up
Hacking
Clapping
Shaking & Vibration
Stroking - Stroking is performed with the whole hand or fingers. It comprises the usage of relaxed hand over the patient's skin with a rhythm and pressure that produce a relaxing effect.
Effleurage - Effleurage is performed by spreading and moving the hands with pressure and speed, to gain relaxation and lymph drainage.
Kneading - Kneading involves alternate compression and release of the part to be manipulated.
Picking up - Picking up involves lifting up of tissue from underlying bone, releasing it after squeezing it.
Wringing -Wringing technique lifts up the tissue and applies a twist to enhance stretching effect.
Friction - Friction is a small movement applied with thumb or finger where pressure is applied from superficial to depth of the tissue.
Hacking - Hacking is performed with extended forearm and striking the skin using the side of the hand .
Clapping -Clapping is done by striking the skin with cupped hands.
Shaking and Vibration -Shaking and vibration involves gentle strokes of shakes and vibrations respectively
Advantages
Relief of pain
Muscle tightness is relieved
General relaxation
Induce sleep in insomnia (sleepless nights)
Relieves tension
Skin is toned
Drainage of oedema or swelling
Loosens secretion in the Lungs
Where not to Massage ?
If the treatment area has:
Large open wounds
Burns
Skin Ulcers
Gross Oedema (severe swelling)
Extremely Hairy areas
Sensitive skin
Bacterial infections
Skin disease
Malignancies like cancer
Traction - Traction is a device used for reducing the fractures and dislocations of a bone. Types:
Continuous - applied over period of few days or weeks
Intermittent - repeated application for a short duration
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| Relaxed passive movements |
It is a Movement performed on the Joints by the Therapist, when the muscles or joints are affected.
Why to do ?
To obtain full range of the Movement in the joint
For General relaxation
Memorization of the Movement pattern (Bed ridden person)
For Lymph Drainage
Where useful ?
Stroke (Early stage)
Paralysis (Early stage)
Bed ridden persons
Where it should not be used ?
Injuries in and around joints
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| Manual training in Physiotherapy |
Gait Training
This is a Training for individuals who have difficulty in walking (For eg. training a person affected with stroke to walk independently)
Goals
Training the person to walk with crutches
Training to use the wheel chairs
Training is given to those who use Artificial Legs
Where useful ?
Amputees( person who has lost a leg)
Stroke
Paralysis
Balance Training
Balance training is a training given to those who have difficulty in balance while sitting , standing.
Where useful ?
Ataxia( Balance disorder due to damage in a part of brain)
Loss of joint position sense
Parkinsonism(Disorder in part of brain)
Co-ordination Training
Training is given to those who lack co-ordination between Brain and Muscular activity.
Where useful ?
Parkinsonism (Disorder due to damage of Basal ganglia of brain)
Therapeutic Exercises
This is a kind of exercise, taught to improve the overall physical activity of the body to strengthens the Muscles, bones, joints and Ligament
Stretching
Stretching is a manual way of lengthening the shortened structures like muscles, tendons, ligaments . and thereby increasing the movement of the joint
Where useful ?
Stiff neck
During warm-up sessions of physical activity, eg. before sports
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| Hydrotherapy |
In Hydrotherapy, exercises are done under water in a tub or canal. The movement can be performed more easily under water than air because the buoyancy in water eliminates gravity.
Where useful ?
Polio
Stroke
Cerebral palsy( Brain disorder affecting movement and balance)
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| Postural drainage |
Postural drainage is placing the patient in different positions, to drain out the secretions of the lungs by the assistance of gravity
Where useful ?
Collection of Chest secretion in case of:
Lung disease
Elderly persons
Before and after the surgery (especially of heart and lungs)
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