Faradic and Sinusoidal Currents in Electrotherapy

Vocabulary flashcards covering the concepts, parameters, physiological effects, and application techniques of Faradic and Sinusoidal low-frequency currents.

Faradic Current

An irregular, low-frequency asymmetric bipolar alternating current ranging from $30$ to $100\,Hz$, characterized by a first phase of low intensity and long duration followed by a second phase of high intensity and short duration.

Sinusoidal Current

An alternating current with equal biphasic pulses ranging from $50$ to $100\,Hz$ with a current time of $10\,ms$ and equal pulse and rest durations.

Tetanic Contraction Threshold

The stimulation rate at which muscle contraction becomes continuous, occurring at greater than $60\text{ stimuli/s}$ for Faradic current and greater than $20\text{ stimuli/s}$ for Sinusoidal current.

Neurapraxia

A mild nerve lesion caused by compression or mechanical trauma where impulse conduction is blocked without nerve degeneration or loss of axon continuity, responding to faradic current with recovery taking $3\text{--}4\text{ months}$.

Axonotmesis

A nerve injury involving axonal damage and Wallerian degeneration that results in muscle denervation, where recovery is possible depending on the level and severity of the injury.

Neurotmesis

Complete transection of a nerve causing complete muscle denervation, requiring surgical intervention and carrying a poor prognosis.

Muscle Re-education

A therapeutic process using faradic stimulation to create contraction in a target muscle, restoring sensory awareness of movement until voluntary muscle control is regained.

Motor Point Stimulation

A treatment method where surged faradic current is applied using a pen electrode directly to the motor point of an isolated, paralyzed muscle.

Grouped Stimulation

An electrotherapy technique for muscle groups sharing a common origin (origo), placing a passive plaque electrode over the origin and an active plaque electrode over the muscle belly or nerve surface.

Labile Technique

An application technique where the active electrode is continuously moved over the motor point and removed, preferred when the current cannot be surged.

Faradism Under Pressure

A treatment combining electrical muscle stimulation with compression bandaging (distal to proximal) and limb elevation ($45\text{--}60^\circ$) using surged faradic current ($3\,s$ surge duration, $9\,s$ interval) for $15\text{--}30\text{ min}$ to promote venous and lymphatic drainage and reduce edema.

Faradism Under Tension

A technique in which the treated limb is fixed and muscle groups are stretched while minimal surged current is applied to open contractures and break down adhesions.