Electrotherapeutic modality can elicit a contraction in normal, healthy muscle, if applied at a sufficient intensity. And this is useful in helping with repair and strengthening of muscle tissue. I will try to explain what it can do within these next few pages. .
Electrical stimulation is the application of electrical pulses to the body. Electrical stimulation is used for the following: .
• Pain relief .
• Muscle strengthening or maintenance .
• Joint mobility maintenance and increase in function .
• Circulation increase .
• Edema reduction .
The differing application of electrical stimulation and current can result in differing physiological effects. "Electrical stimulation has the physiological effects of causing muscle contractions and increased beta-endorphin production-. Thus electrical stimulation can be used for a variety of treatments depending on the required protocol and desired effect. Electrical stimulation can be used in the following manner:.
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) causes an increase in beta-endorphin release masking pain. .
• Pulse Galvanic Stimulation is used in athletic facilities for muscle reeducation, edema and pain reduction. .
• Muscle Stimulation for increased muscle tone. .
Like I said before virtually any type of electrotherapeutic modality can elicit a contraction in a normal, healthy muscle, if applied at a sufficient intensity, by causing a depolarization or hyperpolarization of the motor nerve's membrane. Which means in lame man's terms if the stimulation is high enough, the action will be that of the muscle contracting. These contractions may be used to slow the effects of atrophy, to re-educate the muscle, or to augment the strength of healthy muscle.
Pulse Amplitude and Pulse Frequency control the size of the contraction and how often they occur.