SWD

through heat

• longwave (300-30m)
• shortwave (30-3m)
• microwave (3-.03m)

• elctromagnetic or electric energy converted into heat energy in the body tissue.
• heat energy is produced by resistance of the body tissue to the passage of the energy

continuous or pulsed electromagnetic waves

• is nonionizing radiation and is 27.12 MHz with a wavelength of 11m
• the high frequency will not allow depolarization of motor nerves or elicit a contraction from innervated or denervated skeletal muscle

• primary circuit
• secondary circuit

connected to the power supply is also called a machine or power circuit

is connected to the patient and it is called the patient circuit

AC current to power machine

is used to increase the power output to a level that is appropriate for treatment

• must be done to bring the oscillating frequency of the patient circuit in resonance (in tune) with that of the machine
• can be automatic or manual
• output can be adjusted once this is done

• applicators that produce heat energy that is delivered to patient
• electic field (capacitive or condensor)
• electromagnetic (inductive field)

• air spaced condensor electrodes, rubber pad electodes
• energy oscillates between the two condensor plates and thermal effect is produced due to tissue resistance
• patient is part of the circuit
• one pad is positive and one negative
• single layer towel to prevent contact with skin

pads are parallel. seperated by a distance of at least one pad. greater distance greater depth. high conductivity tissue like muscle are more heated

pads can be in series. plates facing each other across jt. heats tissue with high resistance (fat) treatment of deep internal organs, large jts and big muscle groups

one attachment must have a coil (may be inside drum). penetration is limited. pt is not part of the circuit. the circuit is a magnetic field produced by the patient circuit. current is induced within the body part of the pt

muscle and blood and produces deeper heating

electric currents induced in the body part produce small or circular shaped currents responsible for the heating

• monode or minode
• coil inside teh drum
• used to treat a single body surface
• require one towel between pt and drum

• diplode
• coil inside drum that is hinged so that more than one surface can be treated
• require one towel between pt and drum

• wrap around extremity
• pancake like wrap out of the cable
• spacers are used to prevent the cable from touching each other
• requires 2-4 layers of towels

• dose 1 (lowest) no sensation of heat (acute)
• dose 2 (low) mild heating sensation, barely felt (sub acute)
• dose 3 (medium) moderate, but pleasant heat sensation (sub acute)
• dose 4 (heavy) vigorous heating below pain threshold

• acute- 2 to 3 times daily with dose 1 or 2 for 15 minutes
• chronic- 3 or 4 15 to 30 minutes
• 20-30 min treatments are therapeutically beneficial (takes 3-8 min for tissue to reach temp)

bursitis, DJD, fracture healing (after closed methods) indirect healing of perivascular disease, joint contractures, muscle spasms, PID, pleurisy sacroiliac strains,

acute inflammatory, active bleeding, cardiac insufficiency, decreased sensitivity, epiphyses of growing bone, fever, infections, malignancis, metal, older or younger pt's pacemaker, PVD, pregnant

• metallic objects
• electro-medical devices
• high fluid volume tissues
• casts
• moist clothing