Electrotherapy is a broad term encompassing any technique in which electricity is used for medicinal purposes. The use of electrotherapy has been researched and accepted in the field of rehabilitation for many years and has been acknowledged within the use of:
- Pain Management
- Treatment of Neuromuscular Dysfunction
- Improvement of Local Blood Flow
- Tissue Repair
- Acute or Chronic oedema
- Accelerating the absorption rate
The types of electrotherapy equipment which we utilise at A+ Sports Therapy include:
Ultrasound, which is a common non-invasive therapy. The therapist applies gel to the patient’s skin to create a friction free surface then the ultrasound probe is gently rotated over an affected area. Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves (which can be adjusted depending on whether the condition is acute or chronic), to deliver heat deep into soft tissues (e.g. muscles). This therapy promotes circulation and healing, relaxes muscle spasm, decreases inflammation and helps to alleviate pain.
Interferential Therapy uses a mid-frequency electrical signal to treat muscular spasms and strains. The current produces a massaging effect over the affected area at periodic intervals and this stimulates the secretion of endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers thus relaxing strained muscles and promoting soft tissue healing and can provide pain relief in rare problems such as sciatica.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a safe and effective technique which applies a current by means of electrodes through the skin and is often used in the treatment of chronic pain. TENS primarily aims to provide a degree of symptomatic pain relief by exciting sensory nerves and thereby stimulating either the pain gate mechanism and/or the opioid system.
Electrotherapy is used by therapists to treat a variety of conditions to either enhance the tissue repair process or help to control pain levels and will be used only as part of your treatment. Therefore, if an electrotherapy modality is utilised during your treatment there will be NO additional cost applied other than the stated rate of your particular treatment.
