No Slide Title© 2008 LWW
Chapter 1. Therapeutic Modalities: What They Are and Why They Are Used
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Pertains to results obtained from treatment
Having medical or healing properties
A healing agent
Taber’s Cyclopedic Dictionary (1997;19:1222)
A method of application or the employment of any therapeutic agent
Limited usually to physical agents and devices
Any specific sensory stimulus such as taste, touch, vision, pressure, or hearing
Modality
for therapeutic purposes
Muscular strength
Muscular endurance
To promote:
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But each is incomplete—that is,
none includes all modalities.
Cryotherapy: ice pack, immersion, ice massage
Thermotherapy: moist heat, dry heat, diathermy, US
Hydrotherapy: whirlpool, contrast bath, aquatic pool
Electrotherapy: muscle stimulation, TENS, diathermy
Active exercise
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Do you select?
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An ISU Physician’s Prescription
Physical therapy for _____ because of pain and swelling of the left ankle and foot.
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Sometimes PTs work with physiatrists, who are specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
They will usually get good prescriptions, but most PTs and ATs usually don’t get good prescriptions.
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about what the AT is using
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Have a definite conception of the pathological and physiological changes associated with the injury
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To Select Modality(ies) Intelligently (cont.)
Know what you want to accomplish with the modality—that is, have a therapeutic goal
Understand the modalities effects, indications, and contraindications
Match your therapeutic goal with a modality that will help you achieve that goal
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To fully understand the role of therapeutic modalities you must:
Understand the overall rehabilitation process
Understand how each therapeutic modality fits into that process
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See the
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With a systems approach, you must have a basis for choosing which therapeutic modality to use during various phases of rehabilitation.
Must match the proper therapeutic modality with the therapeutic goal.
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Direct effect (good choice)
Effective if used in a specific way
Somewhat effective; not the best choice; there are better modalities for developing this element of rehabilitation
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Traditional modalities (heat, light, sound, electricity) are used during only the first three phases.
Exercise is needed for most phases of rehabilitation.
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Note
Therapeutic exercise is not covered in this class, except for cryokinetics and cryostretch.
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Treat with various therapeutic modalities (e.g., whirlpool, ultrasound) and then “rehabilitate”
Rehabilitation = the entire process of returning an injured athlete to competition
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Working with Weights
Concept too narrow
Rehabilitation = the entire process of returning an injured athlete to competition
Much more than strength training
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Stages or phases established with specific time periods and exercises
Optimal rehabilitation not planned by the calendar or by specific exercises
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tion the act of
To restore to a normal or optimal state of health
For an athlete, to a high level of conditioning
Process of returning an athlete to a high level of conditioning
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Rehabilitation (cont.)
More than progressing through various phases of conditioning
For optimal results, rehabilitation must be planned and the plan executed systematically.
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Rehabilitation (cont.)
Timing
Goals
Each patient and each injury is unique.
Based on signs, symptoms, and needs
Identify each phase of rehabilitation.
Establish criteria for developing each phase.
Carefully analyze the limitations imposed by the injury.
Determine which phase of rehabilitation to begin with.
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3. Joint flexibility
4. Muscular strength
5. Muscular endurance
6. Muscular speed
8. Skill patterns (integrated and coordinated movement
9. Agility (speed and skill)
10. Cardiovascular endurance
dominates rehabilitation.
a specific and predictable adaptation.
Specific adaptation requires that specific demands be imposed.
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Each physical attribute must be identified and specifically trained for.
Optimize by using a goal-oriented approach.