Therapeutic Modalities: Electrical Stimulation and Ultrasound
There are 4 categories of therapeutic modalities that are used during physical therapy treatments. They include thermal, mechanical, electromagnetic, and light energies.
Therapeutic Modalities at Coppola Physical Therapy
The two main modalities used at Coppola Physical Therapy are Electrical Stimulation and Therapeutic Ultrasound. Both provide value in treating orthopedic injuries however, they are used for different reasons. Let’s take a closer look.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation is when a physical therapist applies electric current through electrodes directly or adjacent to the skin in the area of your injury. It is used to reduce pain and swelling as well as strengthen certain injuries.
How Does Electrical Stimulation Work?
A physical therapist applies electrodes directly to your skin. The therapist turns up the power to elicit a comforting tingling or gentle thumping feeling in the area treated. This stimulation sends signals to the tissue to provide relaxation or contraction depending on your injury.
When used, electrical stimulation is an effective treatment for ligament sprains, muscle strains, and reducing nerve pain like with sciatica.
When used over weak muscles, electrical stimulation helps provide help contracting and “waking up” the muscle.
Therapeutic Ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound has been used for years to provide heating to soft tissue after an injury. It is a non-invasive approach and targets the injured areas to provide relief and loosen tight muscles.
How Does The Ultrasound Work?
Ultrasounds produce sound waves that penetrate the soft tissue (skin/muscle, etc.) and lead to increased blood flow and relaxation to muscles and connective tissues. The effect is reduced muscle tension and decreased pain leading to improve healing time and earlier return to activities.
A Part of Your Treatment Plan
At Coppola Physical Therapy, we perform a thorough examination and provide a detailed description of the cause, or root of the problem. Then we design a specific plan, which may electrical stimulation or therapeutic ultrasound, to help heal your injury and get you back to doing what you love to do.
Whether it is hiking in the White Mountains, running your next 5k, or even something as simple as getting up from a chair, we will help you get there.