Passive Care - Exam 1 (Terminology + RQ)

Electrical current

flow of electrons from an electron source (through wires)

Resistor

a material opposes current flow

Capacitor

a device that stores electrical energy

Impedance

opposition of biological tissues to the flow of electrical current

Direct current

flow of current in one direction (neg or pos)

Alternating current

flow of current first in one direction then in the other (bidirectional)

Monophasic

synonymous with direct current

Biphasic

synonymous with alternating current

Phase

current flow in one direction

Phase duration

time period from beginning to end of one phase (leave isoelectric line until it returns)

Interphase duration

time btw phases (interphase interval)

Phase rise time

time for isoelectric line until maximum amplitude

Phase decay time

time from maximum amplitude until back at isoelectric line

Pulse duration

equal to phase duration for DC current

2x phase duration for AC current

Burst

series of successive pulses or cycles over a period of time

Burst duration

time btw beginning of 1st and end of last cycle or pulse

Interburst duration

time btw two successive bursts

Beat

resulting current waveform when 2 or more sinusoidal eaves intersect (interfere) with each other

Frequency

number of times per second that a pulse, cycle, burst, or beat occurs

Amplitude

magnitude of current relative to the isoelectric line measured in amperes (amps)

usually in micro-milliamperes

can be peak, peak-to-peak, average, or root mean square

Train

continuous series of pulses, cycles, bursts, or beats over time (usually seconds)

Duty cycle

ratio of on/off expressed as a percentage

Ramp up

time period where current amplitude is increasing from 0 to max

Ramp down

time period where current amplitude is decreasing from max to 0

Modulation

changes in amplitude, pulse duration, pulse frequency, or a combination of these to prevent nerve accommodation to stimulation

What type of current are A and B (2 descriptors)

A - monophasic current

B - Direct current

What type of current is this (2 descriptors)

biphasic current

alternating current

What is X? What is Y?

X = pulse duration

Y = interphasic duration

What is X? What is Y?

X - pulse duration

Y - interpulse duration

What is X? What is Y?

X = phase rise time

Y = phase decay time

What is X? What is Y?

X = burst duration

Y = interburst duration

What is the frequency

three

What type of modulation is A? What about C?

A = amplitude modulation

C = pulse frequency

What would be appropriate during the inflammatory/acute phase

PRICE (first 24-48hrs)

Stress/tension is important to incorporate in what phase

remodeling/maturation phase

When should you incorporate movement after injury

inflammatory/acute phase

If two patient's have low back injuries, who is most likely to heal faster

16 yo high-school student

The minimum amplitude needed to depolarize a nerve fiber when phase duration is infinite

rheobase

Monophasic current is the same as

direct current

Temporal summation of an alpha motor neuron is when the

stimulation is so rapid that the muscle goes into tetany

Temporal summation of an alpha motor neuron happens with stimulation of

35-50Hz

Wedenski’s inhibition happens with stimulation of

>1000Hz

Which electrode configuration uses 2 unequal sized electrodes

monopolar (only one electrode is the treatment)

Which will allow for deeper penetration of electrical current

place electrodes further apart

What sensation will patients report if you stimulate an A-beta fiber

tingling

An electrical therapy uses a carrier frequency of 4000Hz, it is a

medium frequency current (all therapies we use are medium)

Which electrode arrangement is for true interferential current

quadripolar

What is the beat frequency range for treating acute pain

80-150Hz

T/F: interferential current uses medium frequency currents in the range of 100,000Hz

False

What is the current terminology for Russian stimulation

NMES

What is true for physiologic muscle contraction

slow twitch muscle fibers are recruited first

(“slow” refers to when they stop contracting)

What is true for electrically stimulated muscle contraction

fast twitch muscle fibers are recruited first

What are the indications for Russian current

muscle strengthening, re-education, muscle spasms

What Russian stimulation protocol is used for strengthening both the wrist flexors and extensors in a patient who was recently in a cast

reciprocal (2 channels)

What electrode placement protocol is used for hivolt current to reduce edema

monopolar

The frequency range for treatment of acute pain with hivolt current is

60-120Hz

T/F: For iontophoresis, the phase duration must be short (~100 microseconds)

false

What polarity electrode is needed for iontophoresis using negatively charged chlorine ions

negative

What polarity electrode is needed to attract fibroblasts

negative

What could be used to aid the healing of skin ulceration

microcurrent and hivolt

What sensation will a patient experience during treatment with microcurrent

nothing

5 different types of electrical stimulation

NMES, TENS, Interferential, ESTHR, Iontophoresis

Three types of NMES

russian, biphasic pulsed, interferential

TENS uses what type of electrical current

biphasic pulsed

Two types of ESTHR electrical stimulation

highvolt pulsed current

microcurrent

Iontophoresis uses what type of electrical stimulation

low voltage direct current

Chief complaint - Muscle weakness

NMES - Russian or Biphasic 10:50

Chief complaint - Muscle spasm

NMES - Russian or Biphasic 10:10

Chief complaint - acute pain

Interferential 80-150 or Sensory TENS

Chief complaint - Chronic pain

Interferential 0-15 or Motor TENS

Chief complaint - Slow healing wound

ESTHR - hivolt pulsed current or microcurrent

Chief complaint - various musculoskeletal complaints

Iontophoresis - ions

Iontophoresis + ions