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INTERFERENTIAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION

BY: Lisa Macdonald

Physiological Effects
  1. Pain control.
  2. Increased circulation.
  3. Flush out edema.
  4. Decrease swelling.
  5. Encourage lymphatic efficiency by spreading edema over larger area.
  6. Adhesion break up.
  7. Muscle re-education.
Indications
  1. Acute/chronic pain.
  2. Muscle education.
  3. Strengthening.
  4. Gain range of motion.
  5. Decrease spacticity of muscles.
  6. Increase blood flow.
  7. Increase lymphatic flow.
  8. Reduce edema.
  9. Prevention of joint contractures.
Contraindications
  1. Cardiac pacemakers.
  2. Over carotid artery.
  3. Over pregnant uterus.
  4. Eyes or internal use.
  5. Over cancerous malignancy.
  6. Stroke.
  7. Seizures.
  8. Open wounds.
  9. Hypersensitive areas.
  10. Disabled patients.
  11. Over site of infection.
  12. Temporal region.
Parameters
  • Intensity: 0 - 100 mA.
  • Frequency: 4000 - 5000 Hz.
  • Pulse Duration: approx. 125usec.
  • Beat Frequency: 0 - 299 Hz.
  • Sweep Frequency: 10 - 500 usec.
  • Treatment Time: 15 - 30 mins.
  • Mode: Quadpolar, Bipolar or Russian Stimulation.
Treatment Setup and Initiation
  1. Position athlete on non-conductive surface in acomfortable position, whether using pad electrodes or water.
  2. Apply electrodes appropriately.
  3. Turn on unit and make sure that intensity is set to zero.
  4. Determine the mode of application: quadpolar, bipolar, or RussianStimulation.
  5. Based on goals of treatment, select intensity slowly to athlete comfort.
  6. Periodically check athlete, modifying treatment setup if needed.
  7. Once finished with treatment, check area treated.
Variations
  • Quadpolar TherapyFour electrodes are placed around the painful area, bracketing the pain, sothat each channel runs perpendicular to the other and the current willcross at the mid-point.This is termed as the crossed method of electrode placement. Theinterference from each circuit leads to summation and formation of aclover-leaf pattern which generates beats per second and generates theinterferential current inside the body.
  • Bipolar TherapyBecause only two electrodes are used with this method, the differing sinewaves are produced inside the unit before the reaching the patient.Electrodes can be placed bilaterally with distal points, or in a parallelpattern on either side of the pain.
  • Russian StimulationAvailable on the Dynatron 500 model, this produces a 2500 Hz wave thatproduces strong muscle contractions. This option is available for musclestrengthening, and a cocontraction that fires the muscle with out movementof the joint. When this option is chosen, only two electrodes are needed.



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