Estudo sobre as alterações do limiar sensitivo da TENS produzidas pelo ultra-som terapêutico e pela crioterapia

Abstract

The physiologic effects produced by therapeutic ultrasound and cryoteraphy are well defined in literature. However, the effects on the sensitive thresholds, motor and pain are not totally clarified yet. The variation of the sensitive threshold was evalueted and quantified before and after the utilization of continuous therapeutic ultrasound and cryoteraphy. The continuous therapeutic ultrasound was aplicated in a group of ten individuals. The frequency used was of 1 megahertz and the intensity of 0,8 watts per cm² during twenty minutes. In another group, also with 10 individuals, cryoteraphy was aplicated through the ice bag method, weighing, approximately 1kg, for a period of twenty minutes. The initial and final sensitive thresholds were collected with the use trascutaneous electrical nervous stimulation (TENS), immediatly before and after the aplication of each resource. The results obtained in the group in which the ultrasound was applied presented significant variation of the thresholds. In the group that the cryotherapy was applied, although it presented variation of the thresholds, the obtained results were not significant, due to the variation have occured either for more and for less.