Electro-therapy & Ultrasound

Understanding Electro-Therapy

Electrotherapy is a versatile therapy that elicits impulses generated by a device delivered by wires through electrodes on the skin near the muscles being stimulated. The electrodes are generally pads that adhere to the skin. The impulses mimic theaction potential that comes from thecentral nervous system, causing the muscles to contract. Effects and research efforts have shown Electrotherapy to assist with: Muscle strengthening, Rehabilitation, Preventing disuse muscle atrophy, increasing local blood circulation, Relaxation of muscles and muscle toning.

Understanding Ultrasound

Ultrasound Therapy can be used on both chronic and acute conditions and is proposed to reduce the healing time of certain soft tissue injuries. It is commonly used in the rehabilitation of muscle, tendon and ligament injuries as well as inflammation and edema. High frequency sound waves are focused around the site of a injury by gently moving an ultrasonic head over the affected area. Ultrasound is thought to accelerate the normal resolution time of the inflammatory process by attracting more mast cells to the site of injury. This may cause an increase in blood flow that can be beneficial in the sub-acute phase of tissue injury. Ultrasound may also stimulate the production of more collagen, (the main protein component in soft tissue) such as tendons and ligaments. Hence ultrasound may accelerate the proliferative phase of tissue healing. Ultrasound is thought to improve the extensibility of mature collagen and so can have a positive effect on
fibrous scar tissue and fascial adherence which may be the result of injury.