Physical agents &

Electrotherapy-1
Dr. Waqas Fayyaz PT
DPT, MSPT(Neurology)
Lecturer at University of Lahore
muhammad.waqas@uipt.uol.edu.pk
drwaqasfayyaz@gmail.com

Lecture 3
 Today Lecture Learning Objectives

vPhysiological effects of faradic current

 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
1. Stimulation of sensory nerves
2. Stimulation of the motor nerves
3.Stimulation of the nerve (Muscle contraction)
4. Faradic currents will not stimulate denervated
muscle
5. Reduction of swelling and pain
Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

1. Stimulation of sensory nerves:

Mild prickling sensation but it is not very marked

because of the short duration.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
1. Stimulation of sensory nerves:

It causes reflex vasodilatation of the superficial

blood vessels leading to slight erythema.

The vasodilatation occurs only in the superficial

tissues.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
2. Stimulation of the motor nerves

• It occurs if the current is of a sufficient intensity,

causing contraction of the muscles supplied by
the nerve distal to the point of stimulus. A
suitable faradic current applied to the muscle
elicits a contraction of the muscle itself and may
also spread to the neighboring muscles.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
2. Stimulation of the motor nerves

• The character of the response varies with the

nature and strength of the stimulus employed
and the normal or pathological state of muscle
and nerve….
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
2. Stimulation of the motor nerves

• The contraction is tetanic in type because the

stimulus is repeated 50 times or more / sec, if
this type is maintained for more than a short
time, muscle fatigue occurs. So, the current is
commonly surged to allow for muscle relaxation.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
2. Stimulation of the motor nerves

• “when the current is surged, the contraction

gradually increases and decreases in strength in
a manner similar to voluntary contraction”.
Physiological effects of
Faradic Current
MOTOR POINTS OF MUSCLES
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

3. Stimulation of the nerve

 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

3. Stimulation of the nerve

Stimulation of the nerve is due to producing a

change in the semi-permeability of the cell
membrane.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

3. Stimulation of the nerve

• This is achieved by altering the resting

membrane potential. When it reaches a critical
excitatory level, the muscle supplied by this
nerve is activated to contract.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

4. Stimulation of denervated muscle

 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

4. Stimulation of denervated muscle

• Faradic currents will not stimulate denervated

muscle.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

4. Stimulation of denervated muscle

• The nerve supply to the muscle being treated

must be intact because the intensity of current
needed to contract the muscle membrane is too
great (1ms) to be comfortably tolerated by the
patient in the absence of the nerve.
 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

5. Reduction of swelling and pain:

 Physiological effects of
Faradic Current

5. Reduction of swelling and pain:

• It occurs due to alteration of the permeability of

the cell membrane, leading to acceleration of
fluid movement in the swollen tissue and arterial
dilatation.
• Moreover, it leads to increase metabolism and
get rid of waste products.
 Learning Outcome

qBasic of Faradic currents and

its Physiological effects
REFERENCE BOOKS

1. Savage B. Practical electrotherapy for physiotherapists.

UK: Faber; 1960.
2. Scott PM. Clayton’s electrotherapy and actinotherapy.
9th ed. USA: Williams & Wilkins: 1980.
3. Watson T. Electrotherapy: evidence-based practice. 12th
ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2008
4. Cameron MH. Physical agents in rehabilitation: from
research to practice. 4th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; 2013.
5. Singh J. Textbook of electrotherapy. 2nd ed. India:
Jaypee; 2012