Sunday, October 12, 2008

Electrotherapy on the Web

Modalities have become the poor cousin for many outpatient physical therapists. Myself included. We often look down upon that ultrasound or TENS unit because it isn't "evidence-based" or doesn't involve the latest CPR-derived manual technique / exercise. Despite this sentiment shared by many therapists, the use of therapeutic modalities persists in most outpatient centers. This had me wondering: Where is the latest evidence on electrical modalities in physical therapy? In searching for my answer, I stumbled on a very useful website.

Electrotherapy On the Web

This is a website is run by professor and physiotherapist Tim Watson of the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. The website includes a surprising number of useful links and guidelines for the use of electrotherapeutic modalities. Professor Watson includes a number of easily downloadable resources for the practicing physical therapist. If you utilize electrotherapy in any capacity or are simply wanting to learn more, I strongly suggest a visit.

I don't know how much more I will be using electrotherapy in the clinic, but I can say this website will assist in making better decisions regarding their use. Enjoy!