Electrical stimulation is often misunderstood or underutilized in physical therapy. Despite the complex terms and technical aspects associated with electrical stimulation, this modality is relatively easy to learn and proven to provide effective patient outcomes.In the second part of a two part podcast, Keith Khoo, PT at the Oklahoma Neurological Center of Excellence (ONCE) clearly explains some of the theories, techniques and uses for electrical stimulation.
Electrical stimulation relies upon a couple of theories for pain management.One theory deals with the Endogenous Opiate Theory where electrical stimulation can provide pain relief for up to five or six hours. This theory allows physical therapists to predict when pain relief occurs and how long the pain relief should last.The Gate Control Theory uses electrical stimulation to interrupt the pain receptors before they reach the brain.Each theory has value when helping your patients cope with pain.
Beyond pain relief, there are a variety of uses for electrical stimulation.It’s also an effective means for treating edema and strengthening muscles. To find out more about uses for electrical stimulation and the technique found to be the most comfortable to patients, listen now.
Electrical muscle stimulation has been utilized in physical therapy for years to rehabilitate muscles after injury or surgery. But is this long-standing means of treatment being underutilized? In one of a two part podcast, Keith Khoo, PT at the Oklahoma Neurological Center of Excellence (ONCE) shares information on the variety of ways muscle stimulation can be used to effectively treat patients.
Exercise tubing and weights are often the preferred method to help patients gain muscle strength.However, these methods hit slow twitch fibers first whereas muscle stimulation works the fast twitch fibers.Working the fast twitch fibers can quickly improve function while strengthening the muscles.
For patients suffering from diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, muscle stimulation can help patients regain function. It can also help injured patients work through a painful range of motion by using muscle stimulation to block nerves. Listen now to learn some of the muscle stimulation techniques Keith Khoo, PT uses to improve his patient’s outcomes.
What if you could predict and prevent injuries?A couple of grants awarded to the University of Evansville Physical Therapy Program and researchers at Army Baylor University are poised to do just that.Today’s PT Talker podcast features three faculty members working on the grants from the University of Evansville Physical Therapy Program, Assistant Professors Phil Plisky and Rob Butler and Associate Professor Kyle Kiesel.
The grants utilize technology and movement deficit studies that were successful in athletic populations and use it to help identify U.S. Army soldiers who may susceptible to injury. To prevent injury and keep soldiers in the field, recommended exercises will be provided to soldiers identified as having an injury risk.As part of the grant, every soldier will complete a movement and battery of tests each year as part of their annual physical exam to measure factors that are most predictive to injury.
Physical therapists can use aspects of the research to predict injury as well as evaluate individuals returning to a sport or work testing to make sure a patient has fully recovered from an injury. Findings from the grants may help physical therapists move into a more preventive role by helping patients find ways to prevent injuries before they happen. Listen now to find out more.
Despite the benefits light therapy provides physical therapy patients, this modality is often riddled with reimbursement challenges. As evidence grows supporting the effectiveness of laser phototherapy, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Health Sciences Dean Chukuka Enwemeka , PhD, FACSM shares his optimism regarding light therapy reimbursement in the second part of a two-part podcast.
Dr. Enwemeka and his colleagues used statistical meta-analysis to review all the studies currently available on laser phototherapy. The meta-analysis found laser phototherapy to be a highly effective form of treatment for tissue repair. Laser phototherapy has also been found to be effective in treating chronic ulcers that did not respond to other forms of treatment. Tune in now to learn more.
