Clinical manual of physical therapy

Physical therapy plays a relevant role within various areas of medicine ranging from orthopedics to neurology.
The techniques and materials used for physiotherapy applications are highly developed and improved and so require the operators to be continuously updated.
In this volume the author provides an updated picture of the methods used, technical methods of application and of systems currently used in physiotherapy, with an overriding aim to offer the reader with an exhaustive text which, however, gives scope to a quick and easy reference.
The text includes all the techniques which are today mainly used in physical therapy which, for each method, are described as: physiological effects, materials, equipment, therapeutic indications and technical indications of application (with doses, methods of application, points of application, etc.).
This manual therefore bears remarkable importance for physiatrists, physiotherapists, orthopaedicians, neurologists and sport medicine specialists who would like to supplement their knowledge or have a handy reference volume at work. It is moreover very useful also as a basic text at physiotherapy training schools and universities.
Contents
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL THERAPY
PHYSICAL THERAPY: MATERIALS AND METHODS
Historical signs
Physical therapy and skin
Skin and medicines
Physiological factors that influence the trans-dermal and topical release of drugs
Electrodes: typologies, materials and use
Configuration of the cutaneous electrodes
Safety of the patient and the operator
THERMOTHERAPY
Thermal energy
Physiology of heat and hyperthermy
Local thermocutaneous reflexes
THERMOTHERAPY MODALITIES
Paraffin therapy
Heating pads
Thermal and artificial peloids (mud) therapy
Psammotherapy (warm sands)
Finnish sauna
Bier oven
Radar therapy (microwave therapy)
Shortwave (Marconi) therapy
Hyperthermy
Cryotherapy
Capacitive and resistive endothermy
ELECTROTHERAPY
ELECTRICAL ENERGY
Biophysics of electrical energy
Biological effects of current
ELECTROTHERAPY MEANS AND INSTRUMENTS DIRECT CURRENT (DC)
Galvanic current
Galvanization
Ionophoresis
Iontophoresis
Hydroelectrophoresis
Electroporation
Application technique
VARIABLE CURRENTS
At low frequency
Electrolipolysis
Diadynamic currents
Medium frequency currents
Interferential current
Mid-frequency modulates
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation
Microcurrents (mens)
Biochemical effects
Biological effects
Side effects
Indications
Electrolypolysis
Biological effects
Application technique
Indications
Contraindications
Muscle stimulation electrotherapy
Faradic, rectangular and triangular current
Kotz currents
Electrodiagnosis
Intensity/time curve (i/t)
High-frequency currents
HVPC (high voltage pulsed current)
APS (ACTION POTENTIAL SIMULATION )
Biochemical effects
Nerve stimulation
H-WAVE THERAPY (HWT)
Waveform
Physiological effects
Indications
Contraindications
ULTRASOUND AND SHOCK WAVE THERAPY
THERAPY WITH ULTRASOUND
Physics of ultrasound
Physiology and biological effects of ultrasound
SHOCK WAVE THERAPY
Mechanism of action and biological effects
LASERTHERAPY
INFRARED LASER THERAPY
Physics of laser energy
The electromagnetic radiation
The electromagnetic radiation in the matter
The laser radiation
Property of laser light
Components of lasers
Characteristics of laser radiation
PHOTOTHERAPY
Radiant energy physics
ULTRAVIOLET RAYS
Biological effects
INFRARED RAYS
Biological effects
MAGNETOTHERAPY
LOW FREQUENCY PULSED MAGNETOTHERAPY
Physics of magnetism
Biological effects
VERTEBRAL TRACTION, PRESSURETHERAP Y (IPC), VACUUMTHERAPY
VERTEBRAL TRACTIONS
Method of spinal traction
Vertebral traction effects
The lumbar traction
The cervical traction
VACUUMTHERAPY
Biological effects
PRESSURE THERAPY OR PNEUMATIC INTERMITTENT COMPRESSION
APPENDIX
MUSCLE AND NERVE MOTOR POINTS
TRIGGER POINTS
TABLE OF BEIJING