Which of the following definitions best fits pulsatile current (PC)?
It is the continuous biphasic interrupted flow of charged particles ceasing for at least 1 second, which may result in a net charge
It is biphasic or monophasic interrupted flow of charged particles ceasing for at least 1 second, which may result in a net charge
It is biphasic or monophasic uninterrupted flow of charged particles ceasing for at least 1 second, resulting in a net charge
It is the continuous monophasic interrupted flow of charged particles ceasing for at least 1 second, resulting in no net charge
You are adjusting the electrical stimulation unit on a patient and she reports that what she is feeling is a thumping sensation but you wanted it to feel smooth and tingling. Which parameter would you need to adjust to make the sensation feel more like a tingling sensation?
The pulse duration
The intensity
The polarity
The frequency
Which of the following would represent the greatest potential advantage of a self-adhering electrode over a carbon impregnated electrode?
Ease of application
Cost to the patient
Possibility of cross-contamination
Decreased impedance
What can you do to improve the electrode interface to enhance conduction?
Use sandpaper to rough up the patient’s skin
Clean the patient’s skin with a lotion-based cleanser
Moisten the electrodes with water
Replace the electrodes for each application
Which of the following would not be part of the process that takes place prior to the application of various forms of therapeutic electrical stimulation to a patient to maintain patient safety?
Inspection of the lead wires
Inspection of the electrodes
Inspection of the power cord
Confirm possession of electrical tape
Which of the following electrode configurations would be most appropriate for the accomplishment of a motor response in a specific superficial muscle?
Quadripolar with two bifurcated channels crossing the muscle
Monopolar with an active and dispersive electrode that is more than twice the size of the active electrode
Monopolar with a dispersive and active electrode that is more than twice the size of the dispersive electrode
Bipolar with one electrode over the motor point of the muscle
A patient whom you are treating with electrical stimulation has reported that he is intermittently feeling the sensation from the unit. Which of the following explanations would most likely be the cause for this if the unit had been set to function continuously without any off time?
One of the electrodes might have dried out and need to be re-hydrated
One of the lead wires might have become disconnected and need to be re-connected
One of the electrodes might have become detached from the lead wire and needs to be reconnected
One of the lead wires might have a break in its continuity and needs to be replaced
Which of the following parameters on an electrical stimulator would be considered essential if your treatment goal was muscle strengthening?
Frequency
Pulse duration
Intensity
On/off times
Which of the following features or parameters on a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) unit would be most helpful in differentiating between your ability to use it for range of motion (ROM), facilitation of muscle function, management of muscle guarding, edema reduction, or orthotic substitution?
Portability
Potential output intensity
Flexibility within pulse duration settings
Flexibility within on/off time settings
Which of the following features or parameters on an NMES unit would differentiate it from others and make it possible for use with both denervated and fully innervated patients for muscle reeducation and orthotic substitution?
Flexibility within pulse duration settings up to continuous
Flexibility within on-off time settings
A polarity setting that is adjustable
While you are working with a patient for the facilitation of muscle function, she complains of a prickling sensation under the electrode on her vastus medialis oblicus (VMO). Which of the following is the most likely cause for this type of complaint and appropriate remedy?
She’s fatigued and needs to rest before resuming the activity
She’s feeling the effects of the electrode drying out and it needs to be rehydrated to reduce the impedance
She’s faking it. If she feels something you wouldn’t be using NMES to facilitate a muscle contraction.
The intensity needs to be higher. What she is reporting is the first sensation just before the appropriate level is perceived by the patient.
One of the “temps” who is filling in for a clinician who is out on maternity leave has set up a patient who has been receiving electrical stimulation to assist in the reduction of edema in her lower leg. You overhear the “temp” instructing the patient what should be felt during the treatment. Which of the following would be incorrect for this treatment goal?
Let me know when you start to feel something. I’ve supported your leg so that it is elevated above your heart, which is how you should rest it whenever possible.
Once you have started to feel something, I will be increasing the intensity a little higher so that we can start to see a muscle contraction. Work with that. It will only be on for a couple of seconds, but it will help pump some of the fluid back out of the area.
Let me know when you start to feel something. Once you have started to feel something, I will be decreasing the intensity a little so that it’s not so strong. I’ve supported your leg so that it is elevated above your heart, which is how you should rest it whenever possible.
This should feel comfortable, but I also need to see a contraction of the muscle. It will be off and on, and I would like you to work with it.
Which of the following forms of electrical stimulation has been used effectively for tissue repair with human tissues?
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)
Interferential current therapy (IFC)
High volt pulsed current (HVPC)
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
What is meant by the term “current of injury”?
Injured tissue produces an electrical current that is different from the surrounding current potentials
Tissues become injured when electrical stimulation is applied and produce a current of injury that can be measured
Matching the action potential of the current of injured tissues can balance and heal that tissue
Using the opposite action potential of the current of injury for an injured area will promote tissue healing
What is the rationale behind promoting mobility during the various stages of wound healing?
There is none; the tissue will not heal unless it is immobilized
Alignment of the collagen fibers will be based upon function if mobility is permitted during the remodeling phase
Tissue repair will be enhanced as a result of constant re-injury and repair that will be caused by motions taking place throughout the injured area
Angiogenesis will not occur unless motion accompanies healing
What would be the appropriate application of electrical stimulation to promote autolytic débridement for tissue repair?
Placement of the negative electrode over the wound to attract the positively charged neutrophils and macrophages to promote autolysis
Placement of the negative electrode over the wound to attract the negatively charged neutrophils and macrophages to promote autolysis
Placement of the positive electrode over the wound to attract the positively charged neutrophils and macrophages to promote autolysis
Placement of the positive electrode over the wound to attract the negatively charged neutrophils and macrophages to promote autolysis
Which of the following techniques is most accurate regarding the application of HVPC for wound healing?
Use a periwound technique with electrodes placed adjacent to the wound bed on intact skin
Use a direct technique with electrodes placed adjacent to the wound bed on intact skin
Use a periwound technique with the active electrode placed on the wound bed, with dispersive electrode located 15 to 20 cm distant to the wound
Use a direct technique with the active electrode placed on the wound bed, with dispersive electrode located 15 to 20 cm distant to the wound
What is the difference between pain management and pain relief?
There is no difference
Pain management is what medications do and pain relief is what occurs through the use of physical therapy
Both pain relief and pain management can be accomplished with physical agents but one is managed by the patient with a portable device
Pain management is temporary and pain relief is constant
What would the rationale be for using a clinical versus portable option for pain management with electrical stimulation?
Clinical electrical stimulation can be used in combination with manual techniques so that the patient feels no discomfort during therapy
Clinical electrical stimulation units are battery operated and offer more power output potential than portable units for sustained benefit
Clinical electrical stimulation units are more expensive than portable units, which means that the reimbursement from insurance carriers would be higher for the same service billed to the patient
Portable electrical stimulators are the most convenient form of electrical stimulation for use in the clinic and would save clinicians money because they would not need to purchase clinical models
Electrode placement site selection guidelines for pain management involve the selection of which of the following considerations?
Sites that exhibit an increased resistance to the flow of electrical current
Acupuncture points in the area surrounding the treatment area and referral area of pain
Motor points in the treatment area so that a strong muscle contraction can easily be generated in the painful region
Trigger points in the treatment area
Which of the following parameters would not be important to document for the use of electrical stimulation to promote analgesia?
The name of the electrical stimulator
The location of the electrodes and general setup
The treatment goal and amount of time for the application
The patient’s pre- and post-treatment pain ratings
Which of the following descriptions of the application of electrical stimulation most accurately represents IFC?
Two channels from one stimulator are crossed over the treatment area and the intensity is adjusted to the patient’s tolerance
Two channels from separate generators within one stimulator that produces high frequencies in the thousands are crossed over the treatment area and the intensity is adjusted to the patient’s tolerance
Two channels from a TENS unit are crossed over the treatment area and the intensity is adjusted to the patient’s tolerance
Two channels from one stimulator are crossed over the treatment area and the intensity is adjusted to just above the patient’s tolerance
What is the main advantage of IFC over other forms of electrical stimulation?
There is no advantage to IFC
IFC is billable at a higher rate than other forms of electrical stimulation
IFC is purported to have a greater depth of penetration than other forms of electrical stimulation
IFC is less comfortable than other forms of electrical stimulation
Which of the following treatment goals is inappropriate for IFC due to the crossing of the channels of electrodes that is required?
A motor response
Pain reduction
Muscle guarding reduction
None of the above, since they all could be accomplished with IFC
The importance of appropriate electrode placement sites has been discussed in several different chapters. Since IFC relies on the crossing of current pathways within the tissue, which of the following statements is most accurate regarding the type of electrode placement sites that should be considered?
Where the electrodes are placed is irrelevant as long as the channels are crossed over the tissue
As long as areas that have decreased skin resistance are used as electrode placement sites and the channels are crossed, that’s all that matters
The electrode placement sites must be motor points for the IFC to be effective
Each channel must be placed over segmentally related electrode placement sites for the stimulation to be effective
What does “premodulation” mean when the term is listed on an electrical stimulation unit that is capable of producing IFC?
It means that one channel can be used but there will be no greater depth of the current
It means that two channels are still needed but they do not need to be crossed
It means that the stimulator is an IFC device and nothing more
It means that Wedensky Inhibition can be caused with the selection of a pre-modulated channel
