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Modalities are machines that are used to complement manual physical therapy and exercise. Certain modalities can make your injury worse or cause other problems if they are not used properly or if they are used on people with certain medical conditions. It is important to have a physical therapist fully assess you before applying any modalities.
Some common modalities are:
Ultrasound is a machine that uses sound waves to transfer energy into your tissues. It can be used to help repair tissue after injuries such as a sprain, strain, bruising, tendinitis, or open wounds. It can help to decrease pain and muscle spasms, as well as help to break up scar tissue. Another use of ultrasound is called "phonophoresis". This involves putting drugs, in the form of creams, onto the skin and the ultrasound will help the skin to absorb it.
The settings of the ultrasound vary depending on what goal is trying to be achieved.
Some physical therapists may use a machine that gives off a laser beam at varying frequencies and wavelengths. Depending on the settings and the amount of time the laser is applied for, it can help to repair injured tissues. It can help to increase healing and decrease pain following muscle spasms, sprains, strains, tendinitis, fractures, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, wounds, and many other injuries.
TENS is a machine that sends small electrical pulses through your skin. Depending on the setting, it can affect your nerves or it can cause chemicals to be released in your body. With either setting, the purpose of TENS is to help relieve pain.
Physical therapists may apply TENS to your injury site to help decrease your pain while you participate in the physical therapy routine. They may also use TENS to help decrease your pain just after you participate in a physical therapy routine.
People with chronic pain (pain that never goes away) may want to buy or rent a TENS machine so that they can wear it most of the day to decrease their pain. Some women use TENS while they are going through labour and giving birth. Talk to your physical therapist and they will give you information about these options.
EMS or "muscle stimulation" is used to stimulate your muscles and cause a muscular contraction. This machine can make your muscles contract without you voluntarily trying to contract them.
Physical therapists often use EMS plus strengthening exercises, to help you strengthen your muscles after an injury. EMS is not very helpful in building strength on its own.
EMS may also be used to re-train muscles how to work after having a nerve or brain injury.
This machine sends electrical impulses through your skin. Depending on the setting, it can affect your nerves or it can cause chemicals to be released in your body. With either setting, the purpose of IFC is to help relieve pain.
Physical therapists may use IFC to apply to the injury site just before or after you participate in a physical therapy routine.
Heat can be applied in many ways; using a heat pack, using warm water, or using warm wax. The purpose of applying heat is usually to decrease pain. It can help muscles to relax and it can affect your nerves in order to decrease your pain. Heat can also help to bring blood and nutrients to the area and therefore increase healing.
Heat or heat pads should never be left on for longer than 20 minutes or it can cause other problems like skin damage or swelling. Therefore, most physical therapists would advise you not to use an electrical heating pad to sleep with.
Ice can be applied by using an ice pack or by soaking in cold water. The purpose of applying ice may be to decrease pain or to decrease swelling.
If ice is applied to decrease pain, a physical therapist will usually apply it after you have participated in a physical therapy routine.
When ice is used to decrease swelling, it is usually only used for a day or two following the injury. However, during rehabilitation you may slightly irritate healing tissue and ice can be used to stop swelling.
Ice should never be applied for longer than 15 minutes or it can cause other problems like skin damage. Therefore, most physical therapists would advise you to use an ice pack that warms up quickly on its own, such as frozen vegetables.
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