Knowledge Base Modalities When would you choose to use non-thermal ultrasound over thermal ultrasound (besides if the patient can’t tolerate thermal ultrasound)? With regards to modalities, the TherapyEd Review book says fluidotherapy and infrared lamp are no longer tested on the NPTE, but my scorebuilders book still has sections on them. Should I still go over these in my review of modalities? For tissue repair, which waveform is good, asymmetric basic waveform or high voltage pulsed galvanic current, which is monophasic? The compression garments are different than intermittent mechanical compression? I read a Q for l/l edema pressure should be 35 mmhg, for U/l it should be 25 mmhg and in TherapyEd it suggested it shouldn’t exceed the diastolic BP AND some suggested that it should be between SBP and DBP? Will you please throw some more light on it? Often times when using ultrasound you have to understand the depth of a muscle when determining treatment parameters. Usually you ask whether a muscle is superficial or deep. In some cases are there thicker muscles such as the Gluteus Max that requires deeper depth even though they are more superficial? (Especially considering the fat layer that has to be accounted for). Do you have a good source to simplify each muscles depth or a way that you remember it yourself? When using Electrical Stimulation for wound healing, what are the benefits of using a negative vs. positive polarity and continuous vs pulsed current? When treating for edema, using the monopolar electrode placement, where do you suggest to place the “dispersive” electrode? Example: a patient has pitting edema on anterior tibialis – would you place the dispersive electrode further up along the anterior tib or somewhere up on the thigh? What is the difference between pulsatile current and interrupted pulses as a description of current modulation? Could you please explain to me the beam nonuniformity ratio in ultrasound? I’ve read about that but it is still confusing. Thank you! When talking about ultrasound what is the difference between 50% and 100% duty cycle? I know 20% is used with more acute injuries because it doesn’t have a thermal effect but between 50 and 100 is there really a difference when given the choice? Is one just more thermal? I have a question on biofeedback. When the muscle needs relaxation, do you give high or low sensitivity? TherapyEd says to give low sensitivity and Scorebuilders says the opposite, what is right? In Ultrasound it says the higher the quality of the crystal, the lower the BNR. What does this mean? Scorebuilders, Chapter 9. Will ERA be listed on the device? How do we calculate ERA for ultrasound? In Ultrasound to gain higher tissue temperatures should we use Longer duration, Lower frequency and Lower intensity settings? What are some guidelines when ultrasound is used with stretching? Is stretching used before ultrasound or after? I tried to look it up in different resources, but didn’t found appropriate answer. What would be the situation or conditions that make a Physical therapist to select continuous mode/intermittent mode/burst mode/acupuncture mode of using TENS? Is there any clinical guidelines or approved by APTA etc. between the preferred choice for using TENS by a PT?
When would you choose to use non-thermal ultrasound over thermal ultrasound (besides if the patient can’t tolerate thermal ultrasound)?
With regards to modalities, the TherapyEd Review book says fluidotherapy and infrared lamp are no longer tested on the NPTE, but my scorebuilders book still has sections on them. Should I still go over these in my review of modalities?
For tissue repair, which waveform is good, asymmetric basic waveform or high voltage pulsed galvanic current, which is monophasic?
The compression garments are different than intermittent mechanical compression? I read a Q for l/l edema pressure should be 35 mmhg, for U/l it should be 25 mmhg and in TherapyEd it suggested it shouldn’t exceed the diastolic BP AND some suggested that it should be between SBP and DBP? Will you please throw some more light on it?
Often times when using ultrasound you have to understand the depth of a muscle when determining treatment parameters. Usually you ask whether a muscle is superficial or deep. In some cases are there thicker muscles such as the Gluteus Max that requires deeper depth even though they are more superficial? (Especially considering the fat layer that has to be accounted for). Do you have a good source to simplify each muscles depth or a way that you remember it yourself?
When using Electrical Stimulation for wound healing, what are the benefits of using a negative vs. positive polarity and continuous vs pulsed current?
When treating for edema, using the monopolar electrode placement, where do you suggest to place the “dispersive” electrode? Example: a patient has pitting edema on anterior tibialis – would you place the dispersive electrode further up along the anterior tib or somewhere up on the thigh?
What is the difference between pulsatile current and interrupted pulses as a description of current modulation?
Could you please explain to me the beam nonuniformity ratio in ultrasound? I’ve read about that but it is still confusing. Thank you!
When talking about ultrasound what is the difference between 50% and 100% duty cycle? I know 20% is used with more acute injuries because it doesn’t have a thermal effect but between 50 and 100 is there really a difference when given the choice? Is one just more thermal?
I have a question on biofeedback. When the muscle needs relaxation, do you give high or low sensitivity? TherapyEd says to give low sensitivity and Scorebuilders says the opposite, what is right?
In Ultrasound it says the higher the quality of the crystal, the lower the BNR. What does this mean? Scorebuilders, Chapter 9.
In Ultrasound to gain higher tissue temperatures should we use Longer duration, Lower frequency and Lower intensity settings?
What are some guidelines when ultrasound is used with stretching? Is stretching used before ultrasound or after? I tried to look it up in different resources, but didn’t found appropriate answer.
What would be the situation or conditions that make a Physical therapist to select continuous mode/intermittent mode/burst mode/acupuncture mode of using TENS? Is there any clinical guidelines or approved by APTA etc. between the preferred choice for using TENS by a PT?