Posts Tagged ‘physical therapist’
Heat treatments
Surface Heat – This type of thermotherapy is by its ease of application, one of the resources that the client can easily use in their own homes, but should follow closely the advice of your physical therapist to avoid accidental burns. You should also take into account the good condition of the skin (decreased sensation on skin lesions). The effects of heat on tissues depends on the level of increase in temperature (between 40 º and 50 º C) the application rate of heat energy and the amount of tissue exposed. This rise in temperature increases blood flow, increasing the metabolic activity favoring the process of skeletal muscle relaxation. Also reflexively, to penetrate slowly has a sedative effect on nerve tissue, thereby reducing muscle spasm and pain reduction.
Stovy pads practice and quick preparation can be adapted for different size and thickness measurements and models to all areas where surface heat is required. The patient can be placed above, relaxed, without risk of contact with metallic elements or sources of electrical power, temperature can be regulated by the imposition of towels. Also through its simple adjustments in any position (even sitting or walking, when there is no time to relax).
Indications: osteoarthritis, arthritis, muscle spasms, contractions, pathologies of the spine (neck pain, cervicobraquialgias, back pain, lumbago, lumbocitalgias, lumbocruralgias). Rheumatic painful joint of all upper and lower limbs. It can be applied in patients with metallic prostheses, or pacemakers, where the agents contraindicated deep thermotherapy.
Can also be applied in children and adolescents (where agents are also contraindicated deep on cartilage growth). Its sedative effect is usually very important and must not forget the action on the psyche of the patient when needed relief psychosomatic.
Conclusion:
• Heat increases the extensibility of collagen tissue
• Heat decreases stiffness
• Heat produces pain relief
• Heat relieves muscle spasm
• Heat increases blood flow
Contraindications: Sensitivity lesions or areas of anesthesia, skin lesions, infections, fever, severe circulatory disturbances.
