Physical Agents Laboratory Manual.

Physical Agents Laboratory Manual

Behrens BJ. Philadelphia, PA 19103, FA Davis Co, 1998, paperback, 172 pp, $19.95.

This book, as its name implies, is intended as a laboratory teaching tool for therapeutic modalities. The emphasis of the text is on providing preparatory lists and problem-solving questions to physical therapist and physical therapist assistant students who are taking classes on the use of physical agents. This text is not designed to be a stand-alone text on modalities and does not provide the necessary foundation material. It serves primarily as a lab adjunct to the instructor's desired modalities text.

Each chapter begins with a purpose statement, objectives, a list of equipment needed to successfully complete these objectives, lists of precautions and contraindications specific to the modalities discussed, and laboratory exercises for the student to complete under the lab instructor's guidance.

The first 2 chapters address superficial heat and cold using commercial packs and also touch on paraffin, fluidotherapy, and diathermy. Techniques such as the use of vapocoolants are not addressed. The next chapter is on ultrasound and phonophoresis, and it does a good job of making the student aware of beam non-uniformity ratio (BNR), effective radiating area (ERA), duty cycle, frequency, and the appropriate times to apply these variables. The next 2 chapters on electrical stimulation devices and parameters begin at a very low level and build from there. Certain aspects covered here seem out of place because the chapters discuss electrical parameters and applications in very general terms and then jump into an exercise on iontophoresis. This exercise seems better suited to a place later in the text when the students will have a better grasp of iontophoretic application and terminology.

The next 2 chapters do a fine job of discussing pain control and achieving motor responses with stimulating devices. Chapter 8 covers interferential current. It is unclear why this is differentiated from chapter 6 on pain control. This differentiation may lead to confusion because it implies that interferential current is somehow "different" from other pain-relieving stimulators. The author does not elaborate on the reasoning behind this separation in her lab manual. The electrotherapy section ends with a chapter that discusses whether the available stimulator will accomplish what the clinician desires. This is an excellent review chapter and is very important for students to understand. The final chapters in the book cover hydrotherapy, actinotherapy, traction and passive motion devices, intermittent compression, and modality integration.

Overall, the text is very well written and clear in its instruction. It does lack references and is very sparingly illustrated. For the modalities instructor or the physical therapist student, the text is highly recommended as an adjunct to courses on the uses of physical agents.

Matt Sailors, PT, ATC 

Dakota Hills Physical Therapy

Rapid City, SD

Mr Sailors is currently Director of Sports Medicine at Dakota Hills Physical Therapy. He was previously Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at the University of South Dakota where he taught classes in physical agents and orthopedic physical therapy.