Covers the principles, indications, contraindications, and precautions of physical agents including heat, cold, water, electrical stimulation, traction, light, and sound. Guided laboratory setting.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
- Electrical Stimulation: TENS, NMES, Hi-Volt, IFC / Pre-mod, and Iontophoresis
- Ultrasound
- Intermittent Compression
- Traction
- Superficial Thermal Modalities
- Hydrotherapy
- Specialty Modalities: UV, Unfrared, Laser, and Diathermay
- Describe the effects (both generalized and localized), indications, contraindications, and precautions for the therapeutic use of various forms of heat and cold.
- Describe the effects (both generalized and localized), indications, contraindications, and precautions for the therapeutic use of all types of electrical stimulation.
- Describe the effects, indications, contraindications, precautions, and principles associated with the therapeutic use of ultraviolet, infrared, diathermy, and hydrotherapy.
- Describe the neurophysiological principles of pain perception and the treatment of pain with TENS and other forms of electrical stimulation.
- Outline the different kinds of electrical currents, their characteristics including waveform, and the uses of each.
- Implement safety measures to be used in the application of all various types of therapeutic agents.
- Recognize pain behavior and muscle soreness at rest and during specific movements by administering established questionnaires, graphs, behavioral scales, or visual analog scales for pain.
- Assess integumentary integrity by the following: performing gross sensory tests to identify intact or impaired sensation, observation of continuity of skin color and nail beds, comparison of skin temperature, and identification of tissue mobility/turgor/texture.
- Measure anthropometric characteristics of edema through girth, volumetrics and palpation.
- Demonstrate an acceptable level of skill in the application (accurate, safe, effective, and timely) of these selected therapeutic agents: selected types of electrical stimulation, ultrasound/phonophoresis, intermittent compression, mechanical traction (both cervical and lumbar), and thermal agents (HP/CP, paraffin, ice massage, and contrast bath).
- Monitor of patient’s response to treatment prior to, during, and immediately following the application of therapeutic agents.
- Evaluate a journal article for conciseness, accuracy, and effectiveness of research and application to physical therapy practice.
Assessment and Requirements
The assessment standards will consist of written exams, lab checkoffs, one final written exam, and one final comprehensive lab exam.
Students must pass this course with a “C” or better to remain in the PTA Program. They must also pass at least one of the written exams and one of the lab exams in order to pass this course. For each written exam the student does not pass, he/she will also be required to complete a written review of the exam to be submitted to the instructor prior to taking the final exam.
Instructors (or their designees) reserve the right to require students to provide picture identification for test taking, graded papers or projects or other appropriate purposes.
Students must complete PHYS 133 or equivalent with a "C" or Better to enroll in this course.
To be determined by Program Faculty