Therapeutic Modalities

Nurs Clin North Am. 2003 Sep;38(3):477-94.
Physical modalities in chronic pain management.
Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2006 May;17(2):315-45.
Physical agents used in the management of chronic pain by physical therapists.
Phys Ther. 2004 Nov;84(11):1016-43.
Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Electrotherapy and Thermotherapy Interventions in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Adults.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Jun;87(6):443-51.
Comparing hot pack, short-wave diathermy, ultrasound, and TENS on isokinetic strength, pain, and functional status of women with osteoarthritic knees: a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
Adolesc Med State Art Rev. 2007 May;18(1):11-23, vii-viii.
An introduction to physical therapy modalities.

Heat/Cryotherapy

Cochrane Reviews:
Thermotherapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Year: 2002 Record
Thermotherapy for treatment of osteoarthritis. Year: 2003 Record
Superficial heat or cold for low back pain. Year: 2006 Record

J Athl Train. 2004 Sep;39(3):278-279.
Does Cryotherapy Improve Outcomes With Soft Tissue Injury?
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 1996 Aug;6(4):193-200.
Cryotherapy in sports medicine.
Am J Sports Med. 2004 Jan-Feb;32(1):251-61.
The use of ice in the treatment of acute soft-tissue injury: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Int J Sports Med. 2001 Jul;22(5):379-84.
Ice therapy: how good is the evidence?
Phys Ther. 2001 Jun;81(6):1206-14.
Effect of superficial heat, deep heat, and active exercise warm-up on the extensibility of the plantar flexors.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):CD002826.
Thermotherapy for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Cranio. 2002 Jan;20(1):28-33.
Comparison of moist and dry heat penetration through orofacial tissues.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2007 Dec 19;8(1):125
The PRICE study (Protection Rest Ice Compression Elevation): design of a randomised controlled trial comparing standard versus cryokinetic ice applications in the management of acute ankle sprain
J Rehabil Med. 2008 Feb;40(2):145-50.
Effects of deep and superficial heating in the management of frozen shoulder.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Cochrane Reviews:
Therapeutic ultrasound for acute ankle sprains. Year: 2002 Record
Therapeutic ultrasound for venous leg ulcers. Year: 2000 Record
Therapeutic ultrasound for osteoarthritis of the knee. Year: 2001 Record
Therapeutic ultrasound for pressure ulcers Year: 2006 Record
Therapeutic ultrasound for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Year: 2002 Record
Therapeutic ultrasound for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome. Year: 2001 Record

Phys Ther. 1995 Jun;75(6):539-53.
The use of ultrasound as an enhancer for transcutaneous drug delivery: phonophoresis.
Phys Ther. 2007 Aug;87(8):986-94; discussion 995-1001.
A survey of therapeutic ultrasound use by physical therapists who are orthopaedic certified specialists.
Phys Ther. 2005 Jun;85(6):490-501.
Effects of acupuncture versus ultrasound in patients with impingement syndrome: randomized clinical trial.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

Cochrane Reviews:
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the hand. Year: 2003 Record
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic pain. Year: 2000 Record
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for knee osteoarthritis. Year: 2000 Record
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for dementia. Year: 2003 Record
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhoea. Year: 2002 Record
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for acute pain. Year: 2006 Record
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic low-back pain. Year: 2005 Record
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for chronic low back pain. Year: 2006 Record
Electrotherapy for neck disorders. Year: 2005 Record

Spine. 2005 Dec 1;30(23):2657-66.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a systematic review.
The Spine Journal Jan-Feb 2008 Interventional Review of Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, interferential current, electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, and thermotherapy Full Text + Links PDF (201 K)

Iontophoresis

Br J Sports Med. 2006 Jun;40(6):545-9; discussion 549. Epub
Treatment of plantar fasciitis by LowDye taping and iontophoresis: short term results of a double blinded, randomised, placebo controlled clinical trial of dexamethasone and acetic acid.
Am J Sports Med. 1997 May-Jun;25(3):312-6.
Treatment of plantar fasciitis by iontophoresis of 0.4% dexamethasone. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2003 Dec;13(6):376-82.
Iontophoresis with or without dexamethazone in the treatment of acute Achilles tendon pain.
Am J Sports Med. 2003 Mar-Apr;31(2):189-95.
Iontophoretic administration of dexamethasone sodium phosphate for acute epicondylitis. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Feb;84(2):92-6.
Evaluation of iontophoresis and local corticosteroid injection in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.
J Occup Med. 1994 Feb;36(2):166-8.
A prospective, nonrandomized study of iontophoresis, wrist splinting, and antiinflammatory medication in the treatment of early-mild carpal tunnel syndrome.
Phys Ther. 1995 Jun;75(6):554-63.
Iontophoresis: applications in transdermal medication delivery.

Mechanical Traction

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Apr 18;(2):CD003010.
Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica.
J Rehabil Med. 2006 May;38(3):145-52.
Mechanical traction for mechanical neck disorders: a systematic review.
Spine. 2006 Jan 15;31(2):E39-43.
Radiographic analysis of intervertebral separation with a 0 degrees and 30 degrees rope angle using the Saunders cervical traction device.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1994 Nov;20(5):262-7.
Lumbar traction: a review of the literature.
Spine. 1997 Feb 1;22(3):253-60.
The biomechanics of gravity-dependent traction of the lumbar spine.
Lancet. 1995 Dec 16;346(8990):1596-600.
Efficacy of traction for non-specific low back pain: a randomised clinical trial.
Spine. 2007 Dec 15;32(26):E793-800.
Is there a subgroup of patients with low back pain likely to benefit from mechanical traction? Results of a randomized clinical trial and subgrouping analysis.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Feb;89(2):269-74.
Outcomes after a prone lumbar traction protocol for patients with activity-limiting low back pain: a prospective case series study.
Pain Pract. 2008 Mar;8(1):11-7.
Treatment of 94 outpatients with chronic discogenic low back pain with the DRX9000: a retrospective chart review.
The Spine Journal Jan-Feb 2008 Interventional Review of Traction therapy Full Text + Links PDF (166 K)

Activator Method/Mechanical Manipulation

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2005 Sep;28(7):493-501.
A randomized clinical trial of manual versus mechanical force manipulation in the treatment of sacroiliac joint syndrome.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001 May;24(4):260-71.
A pilot randomized clinical trial on the relative effect of instrumental (MFMA) versus manual (HVLA) manipulation in the treatment of cervical spine dysfunction.

Research Papers Topics from Activator Methods International LTD
The Activator Adjusting Instrument - Biomechanical
Case Studies
Hypertension / Blood Pressure Studies
Sacroiliac Joint Related Studies
Leg Length Inequality Assessment Studies
Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique: General Articles
Neurophysiological Research
Geriatrics
Cervical Spine Related Studies
Fibromyalgia
Radiology
Lumbar Spine Related Studies
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Spine Related Articles