©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Physiotherapy SCNM Exam Study Guide
with Complete Solutions
Interferential - Ans:✔✔-Two low amplitude alternating currents with one usually being at 4000 Hz and
one at 4100Hz. A beat current is produced with a frequency equal to the difference between the two
applied currents. The amplitude is equal to the sum of the amplitudes of the two applied currents;
sinusoidal AC - 2 currents are arranged to cross and result in a "beat" frequency as the difference of the
two currents - very comfortable
Pulsed Current - Ans:✔✔-The flow of the current starts and stops. May be monophasic or biphasic,
Electrical current delivered discontinuously; periods of pulsing followed by periods where no current is
flowing (usually off longer that it is on); May be unidirectional or bidirectional
Phase duration - Ans:✔✔-How long each phase lasts (microseconds).
Pulse frequences - Ans:✔✔-Number of pulses per second. (Hz or pps).
Amplitude (intensity) - Ans:✔✔-Rate of flow (current) or voltage (mA, volts).
modulation - Ans:✔✔-Variation in one of the current parameters (pulse duration, pulse frequency or
Amplitude).
Page 1/18
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
wave form
Current intensity/amplitude
Pulse Duration
Pulse Rate - Ans:✔✔-Total current is changed by...
Law of Dubois Reymond - Ans:✔✔-Determines whether there will be a physiological response when a
current is applied.
Stimulus must be of adequate intensity, voltage change must be rapid enough, and phase duration must
be long enough.
Over eye
Pregnant uterus
Testes
Heart
Malignant tumors/cancerous lesions
Carotid sinus
Absent sensation
Page 2/18
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Demand type pacemaker
Circulatory insufficiency
Sepsis
No transcerebral or transthoracic placement of electrodes, if treating the thoracic region, keep the
electrodes in one plane i.e. both electrodes on the chest or both on the back, not through from front to
back (so do not have current go through heart)
Fresh fractures - Ans:✔✔-General Contraindications to physiotherapy
transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation - Ans:✔✔-a special pain relief system that uses a pocket sized
battery operated device that provides a continuous,mild electric current to the skin via electrodes that
are attached to a stimulator by flexible wires
TENS - Ans:✔✔-Acupuncture like low pulse frequency, with long pulse duration
Brief Intense: long duration High freq current amplitude is higher
Interferential pain control - Ans:✔✔-Management of mild edema (first choice would usually be high volt
pulsed)
Penetrates fairly deeply, can localize pain better (vector scan)
NMES - Ans:✔✔-Neuromuscular re-ed
Page 3/18
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Physiotherapy SCNM Exam Study Guide
with Complete Solutions
Interferential - Ans:✔✔-Two low amplitude alternating currents with one usually being at 4000 Hz and
one at 4100Hz. A beat current is produced with a frequency equal to the difference between the two
applied currents. The amplitude is equal to the sum of the amplitudes of the two applied currents;
sinusoidal AC - 2 currents are arranged to cross and result in a "beat" frequency as the difference of the
two currents - very comfortable
Pulsed Current - Ans:✔✔-The flow of the current starts and stops. May be monophasic or biphasic,
Electrical current delivered discontinuously; periods of pulsing followed by periods where no current is
flowing (usually off longer that it is on); May be unidirectional or bidirectional
Phase duration - Ans:✔✔-How long each phase lasts (microseconds).
Pulse frequences - Ans:✔✔-Number of pulses per second. (Hz or pps).
Amplitude (intensity) - Ans:✔✔-Rate of flow (current) or voltage (mA, volts).
modulation - Ans:✔✔-Variation in one of the current parameters (pulse duration, pulse frequency or
Amplitude).
Page 1/18
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
wave form
Current intensity/amplitude
Pulse Duration
Pulse Rate - Ans:✔✔-Total current is changed by...
Law of Dubois Reymond - Ans:✔✔-Determines whether there will be a physiological response when a
current is applied.
Stimulus must be of adequate intensity, voltage change must be rapid enough, and phase duration must
be long enough.
Over eye
Pregnant uterus
Testes
Heart
Malignant tumors/cancerous lesions
Carotid sinus
Absent sensation
Page 2/18
, ©GRACEAMELIA 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FIRST PUBLISH OCTOBER 2024
Demand type pacemaker
Circulatory insufficiency
Sepsis
No transcerebral or transthoracic placement of electrodes, if treating the thoracic region, keep the
electrodes in one plane i.e. both electrodes on the chest or both on the back, not through from front to
back (so do not have current go through heart)
Fresh fractures - Ans:✔✔-General Contraindications to physiotherapy
transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation - Ans:✔✔-a special pain relief system that uses a pocket sized
battery operated device that provides a continuous,mild electric current to the skin via electrodes that
are attached to a stimulator by flexible wires
TENS - Ans:✔✔-Acupuncture like low pulse frequency, with long pulse duration
Brief Intense: long duration High freq current amplitude is higher
Interferential pain control - Ans:✔✔-Management of mild edema (first choice would usually be high volt
pulsed)
Penetrates fairly deeply, can localize pain better (vector scan)
NMES - Ans:✔✔-Neuromuscular re-ed
Page 3/18
