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Table 2 Availability and use of Electro-physical agents (EPA)

From: Clinical decision making for using electro-physical agents by physiotherapists, an Israeli survey

EPA

Availability % (frequency)

Frequency of use: % (frequency)

 

Yes

No

Not sure

Once a day

Once a week

Once a month

Seldom

Not at all

Biofeedback EMG

36.0 (49)

53.7 (73)

10.3 (14)

5.3 (5)

5.3 (5)

8.5 (8)

12.8 (12)

68.1 (64)

Cold packs/ice

85.8 (121)

9.9 (14)

4.3 (6)

20.2 (26)

20.9 (27)

14.7 (19)

19.4 (25)

24.8 (32)

FES

35.3 (49)

48.9 (68)

15.8 (22)

16.3 (15)

6.5 (6)

8.7 (8)

12.0 (11)

56.5 (52)

Heat packs

93.0 (133)

6.3 (9)

0.7 (1)

51.1 (68)

24.8 (33)

10.5 (14)

6.1 (8)

7.5 (10)

IFC

85.1 (120)

13.5 (19)

1.4 (2)

48.0 (59)

15.4 (19)

6.5 (8)

10.6 (13)

19.5 (24)

Infrared

6.5 (9)

86.2 (119)

7.3 (10)

5.6 (4)

1.4 (1)

0 (0)

12.7 (9)

80.3 (57)

Laser

16.6 (23)

74.8 (104)

8.6 (12)

6.2 (5)

3.7 (3)

2.5 (2)

11.3 (9)

76.3 (61)

NMES

80.0 (112)

14.3 (20)

5.7 (8)

21.8 (27)

15.3 (19)

18.5 (23)

13.7 (17)

30.7 (38)

Shockwave

15.4 (21)

26.5 (104)

8.1 (11)

10.8 (8)

8.1 (6)

2.7 (2)

9.5 (7)

68.9 (51)

Shortwave diathermy

43.6 (61)

52.1 (73)

4.3 (6)

21.9 (23)

11.5 (12)

1.9 (2)

17.1 (18)

47.6 (50)

TENS

96.5 (138)

2.8 (4)

0.7 (1)

47.8 (66)

21.7 (30)

11.6 (16)

7.3 (10)

11.6 (16)

Ultrasound

92.3 (132)

5.6 (8)

2.1 (3)

38.0 (52)

21.9 (30)

4.4 (6)

16.0 (22)

19.7 (27)

Whirlpool bath

68.6 (96)

28.6 (40)

2.8 (4)

26.1 (30)

19.1 (22)

9.6 (11)

13.0 (15)

32.2 (37)

  1. EPAs- Electro-physical agents, TENS- Transcutaneous electrical stimulation, IFC- Interferential current, NMES- Neuromuscular electrical stimulation, FES- Functional electrical stimulation.