FARADIC TYPE

CURRENT
Faradic Type Current

Faradic type current is short duration interrupted direct

current with pulse duration of 0.1–1 ms and frequencies
between 50–100 Hz, used for the stimulation of
innervated muscles.
The term faradism was previously used to signify the
type of current produced by the first faradic coil and was
unevenly alternating current with each cycle consisting
of two unequal phases (Fig. 2.1):
1.Low intensity long duration current
2. High intensity short duration current.
Faradic coils have now been replaced by
electronic stimulators which almost have the
same physiological effect but differs in the
waveform. The features essential for the
production of these physiological effects are the
impulses with duration of 0.1–1 ms with a
frequency of 50–100 Hz.
Modified Faradic Current

For better results in the treatment, faradic current is

always surged to produce a near-normal tetanic-like
contraction and relaxation of the muscle. The apparatus
should have sufficient control to surge the current so
that the intensity of successive impulses increases
gradually with surges varying in waveform to provide
satisfactory muscle contraction and relaxation
In the original faradic coils, the current was surged by
hand but in modern stimulators an electronic device is
used.
The circuit can be modified to give surges of various
durations,frequencies and waveforms. Various forms
of surge are available, such as
trapezoidal,
triangular
saw-tooth impulses
and that most suitable for each patient must be
selected
Indications for the Use of Low Frequency Currents

Facilitation or initiation of the muscle action:

When the patient is unable to produce muscle contraction or
finds it difficult to do so, electrical stimulation may be required in
assisting to produce voluntary contraction.
In cases of pain, electrical stimulation of motor neurons reduces
the inhibition, which acts on larger anterior horn cells, so as to
facilitate the transmission of voluntary impulses to the muscles
and helps in inducing relaxation to its antagonists.
Initially treatment should be given in pain-free range
so that no movement causing pain is produced.
Patient is advised to produce voluntary contraction
along with the electrical stimulation. The amount of
voluntary contraction is increased gradually and
electrical stimulation is reduced until the muscles
produce full voluntary contraction
Reeducation or relearning of muscle action:
According to Beavor’s theory, the brain
appreciates movements and not individual
muscle action. In some situations where
muscle is not under voluntary control
reeducation or relearning of muscle action is
required. These situations could be:
i. Prolonged disuse ii. Incorrect use.
In these circumstances faradic stimulation may be
used to produce contraction and thus help to restore
the sense of movement.
Due to prolonged disuse person is not able to
contract muscle voluntarily as in cases of long-
standing flat foot, reeducation of intrinsic muscles of
foot is done by faradic stimulation.
Training/Teaching of a new muscle action:
For training or teaching a new muscle action faradic
current is used. The cases where teaching a new muscle
action is required, could be:
i. Tendon transplantation surgery
ii. Reconstructive operations.
In tendon transplantation and reconstructive operations
a muscle is required to perform a different or new action
from which it was previously doing.
For this, faradic type current is required and
muscle is stimulated in a new pattern. During
this treatment the patient must concentrate on
a new movement and try to assist it along with
voluntary contractions
Loosening and prevention of adhesion:

Effusions in the tissues when stays there form adhesion.

Adhesions are formed where there is no proper muscle
contraction.

If adequate active exercise is not possible, electrical

stimulation in the form of faradic current may be used to
prevent adhesions. Muscle contraction loosens and
stretches the adhesions, which have already formed.
 Improvement in venous and lymphatic drainage:
Alternative contraction and relaxation of muscles
produces pumping action, which leads to venous and
lymphatic drainage.
Effect of faradic current for improving venous and
lymphatic drainage is described asfaradism under
pressure, this is a very effective treatment of edema
and gravitational ulcer
Maintaining or increasing in range of movement:
The movement may be limited by shortening of
different tissues and from different causes.
Faradic stimulation of muscle to stretch the
shortened tissue is used in:
i. Contracture of fibrous tissue and scaring:
Limitation of joint movement due to shortening of
soft tissue on one side of the joint has been
treated by electrical stimulation of the muscle
that stretches the contracture.
ii. Deformities like scoliosis: In scoliosis
lateral trunk muscles on the convexity of the
curve are stimulated electrically. Electrodes
are placed at the patient’s backand muscle
contraction is obtained by stimulating the
muscles in order to reduce convexity.
Neuropraxia of a motor nerve:
In neuropraxia, the impulses from brain are not able to reach up to
the muscles supplied by affected nerve through site of lesion. In
neuropraxia, there is no degeneration of nerve so if we stimulate
the nerve below site of lesion, the impulses will easily pass to the
muscle and cause the contraction.
Electrical stimulation is not usually necessary in neuropraxia
because recovery takes place with any marked changes in the
muscle tissue.
Severed motor nerve:
When any nerve is damaged severely there occurs degeneration
of axons. Degeneration takes several days to complete, and for a
few days after the injury a muscle contraction may be obtained by
faradic type current. But after degeneration, muscles can be
stimulated by interrupted direct current or modified direct current.
For replacing orthosis:
Low frequency stimulation may be used to enhance the function of a
paralyzed or weak muscles thus eliminating the need for a splint or
brace or orthosis.
Stimulation of denervated muscle:
For stimulation of denervated muscle, interrupted direct current or
galvanic current is used which directly stimulate the muscle fiber. In
denervated muscle there occurs wasting and then fibrosis. Muscle
looses its property of contractility, excitability, elasticity and irritability.
By electrical stimulation the process of muscle wasting slows down, but
it needs strong electrical impulses for this purpose. Approximately 300
contractions per session are required, but this also is not always
practically possible due to muscle fatigue. So for treatment to be
effective at least 90 contractions need to be performed in a session. If
fatigue occurs soon, number of contractions may be reduced and
treatment time prolonged.
Physiological Effects of Low
Frequency Currents
Effect on body tissues:
Tissues contain fluids, which contain ions and thus are good conductor of
electricity. Current passing through the body tissues consists a two-way
migration of ions and the conductivity of different body tissues varies
according to the amount of fluid they contain.
Muscle is having good blood supply and so is a good conductor while fat is a
poor conductor. The epidermis has a high resistance and thus is a bad
conductor. So for having better conduction of electricity, we use some media
like water or gel to lower the resistance for treatment purposes.
 Stimulation of sensory nerves:
Faradic current : When applying a faradic type current mild prickling sensation
is felt due to stimulation of sensory nerves. This stimulation is not very
marked because the stimuli are of fairly short-duration
Stimulation of motor nerves by faradic current:
Faradic current stimulates the motor nerves and if it is of
sufficient intensity, it stimulates muscle to which the nerve
supplies.
The contraction produced is thus atetanic contraction because
stimuli are repeated 50 times per second. This type of
contraction if maintained for a longer period may result in muscle
surged to allow
fatigue. So to avoid this, current is commonly
muscle relaxation.
When the current is surged the contraction gradually increases
and decreases in strength, in a manner similar to a voluntary
contraction.
Effect on muscle contraction:
Electrical stimulation of motor nerves causes muscle contraction and results
in changes similar to those associated with voluntary contraction. These
properties of muscles as such and also
contractions help in regaining the
helps in:
i. Increasing metabolism:
The contraction and relaxation of muscles results in pumping action on the
blood vessels within the muscles and around it.
This pumping action provides more blood supply to the muscles and also
results in increased demand and supply of oxygen and nutrition.
ii. Removal of waste products:
If the muscle contraction and relaxation is sufficient enough to cause
pumping effect on venous and lymphatic vessels it results in removal of waste
products.
Stimulation of denervated muscle:
For contraction of denervated muscle the impulse more than 1
ms is required. This impulse is usually is not tolerable by the
patient for treatment purposes. Thus faradic type current is not
used for stimulation of denervated muscle. Interrupted direct
current is used for stimulation of denervated muscle
therapeutically, when it is of sufficient intensity and duration.
Effective contraction is obtained only when current rises slowly
rather than rising suddenly.
An impulse of 100 ms is the shortest impulse for satisfactory
treatment of denervated muscle. So, intensity and duration of the
impulse are important factors for stimulation of denervated
muscle.
 Chemical effects following stimulation:
 Chemical effects are produced at the electrodes due to
passing of direct current through the electrolyte. It results
in formation and accumulation of chemicals at the
electrode site resulting in chemical or electrolytic burn.
 The risk is comparatively less with an intermittent
current than with a direct current. When an alternative
current is used, chemicals formed during one phase are
neutralized during the next phase as the ions move one
way during one phase and in reverse direction during the
other phase.
 In a condition, where the two phases are equal,
chemicals formed during one phase are neutralized
during the next phase.
Treatment of Patient’s condition
1. Median nerve stimulation
2. Ulnar nerve stimulation
3. Radial nerve stimulation
4. Erb’s paralysis
5. Facial nerve stimulation
6. Deltoid inhibition
7. Quadriceps inhibition
8. Lateral popliteal nerve stimulation