Discussion Podcast

Discussion Podcast: Electrotherapy and Pain

Participants: Myrto Dounavi, PhD, Research Fellow, Bioengineering Department, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Kathleen Sluka, PT, PhD, Professor, Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; and Meryl Roth Gersh, PT, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Physical Therapy, Eastern Washington University, Spokane, Washington, and Co-Chair, Electrotherapy/Therapeutic Technologies Group, Section on Clinical Electrophysiology and Wound Management, APTA. Moderator: Steven George, PT, PhD, Associate Professor, Assistant Department Chair, and DPT Program Administrator, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, and Editorial Board Member, PTJ.

Discussion Podcast – In the July 2012 issue, PTJ published 2 papers investigating the effects of different electrotherapeutic interventions—transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and interferential therapy (IFT)—on pain. In this discussion podcast, two of the authors, Myrto Dounavi and Kathleen Sluka, are joined by moderator Steven George and Meryl Gersh to discuss their studies as well as the larger issues of adequate dosing and the effect of mechanism of action on dosing.

Running time: 23:41 (16.9 MB)

2012 Discussion Podcast: Electrotherapy and Pain:
  
Length: 23:41

Quick Grabs

Sluka: "If you take the studies that did not deliver TENS at an adequate intensity, they showed no effect on pain. And I think that's why there's a lot of conflicting literature out there, particularly in the low back pain world."

Gersh: "I believe that the application of these modalities is a skilled application."

Dounavi: If you stimulate a specific nerve, then responses from the same nerve should be apparent whether you take these measurements within the stimulation site or within the course of the nerve but outside the stimulation site.

References

Fuentes JP, Armijo Olivo S, Magee DJ, Gross DP. Effectiveness of interferential current therapy in the management of musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Phys Ther. 2010;90:1219–1238.

Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, et al. Short-term efficacy of physical interventions in osteoarthritic knee pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2007;8:51.

Bjordal JM, Johnson MI, Ljunggreen AE. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can reduce postoperative analgesic consumption: a meta-analysis with assessment of optimal treatment parameters for postoperative pain. Eur J Pain. 2003;7:181–188.

Alexander LD, Gilman DRD, Brown DR, et al. Exposure to low amounts of ultrasound energy does not improve soft tissue shoulder pathology: a systematic review. Phys Ther. 2010;90:14–25.

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