Clinical application of electrotherapeutic modalities
PainSci notes on Robinson 1988:
This paper is in the PainSci bibliography primarily because it was the only available American survey of the prevalence of electrotherapies (such as ultrasound and TENS) for 20 years, until Wong 2007, which showed that it’s still a very popular therapy. Another recent survey in Canada (Armijo-Olivo 2013) had similar results.
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
The purposes of this survey study were 1) to determine the frequency of use of eight forms of electrical stimulation and ultrasound in clinical practice and 2) to determine the factors that influence how and when these forms of electrical stimulation are used. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 490 physical therapists in clinics affiliated with the academic programs of Ithaca College and Temple University. Forty-five percent (221) of the distributed surveys were returned. Descriptive statistics and chi-square calculations were used in the data analysis. Respondents frequently used two forms of pulsed current and rarely used two forms of alternating current. No form of electrical current was used as frequently as ultrasound. The frequency and type of electrical stimulation used depended on the availability of electrical stimulators and the adequacy of entry-level training in electrotherapy. The results of this study suggest the need for additional electrical stimulators in physical therapy clinics, training for physical therapists, and research in electrotherapy.
related content
- “A survey of therapeutic ultrasound use by physical therapists who are orthopaedic certified specialists,” Rita A Wong, Britta Schumann, Rose Townsend, and Crystal A Phelps, Physical Therapy, 2007.
- “Usage Patterns and Beliefs about Therapeutic Ultrasound by Canadian Physical Therapists: An Exploratory Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey,” Susan Armijo-Olivo, Jorge Fuentes, Iain Muir, and Douglas P Gross, Physiother Can, 2013.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
- Relationships Between Sleep Quality and Pain-Related Factors for People with Chronic Low Back Pain: Tests of Reciprocal and Time of Day Effects. Gerhart 2017 Ann Behav Med.
- Modulation in the elastic properties of gastrocnemius muscle heads in individuals with plantar fasciitis and its relationship with pain. Zhou 2020 Sci Rep.
- Association Between Plantar Fasciitis and Isolated Gastrocnemius Tightness. Nakale 2018 Foot Ankle Int.
- No Added Benefit of Combining Dry Needling With Guideline-Based Physical Therapy When Managing Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Stieven 2020 J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.
- Effectiveness of customised foot orthoses for Achilles tendinopathy: a randomised controlled trial. Munteanu 2015 Br J Sports Med.