Foot Conditions Treatable by Iontophoresis.  A hands-on guide to the foot conditions treatable by Iontophoresis.

The foot and ankle are ideal locations to exploit the benefits of iontophoresis. The process can penetrate up to 3 cm deep, so most structures of the foot and ankle can be reached in this way. I had not used this modality as much before specializing in foot and ankle physical therapy, not only because structures are within target range, but also because of the plethora of " itis " that occur there, such as tendinitis, neuritis , bursitis, fasciitis, and synovitis. Practicing in this area has led me to discover what a powerful modality iontophoresis is. Now that I have been using it so much for several years, I have come to agree with Joseph Kahn who stated in Scully & Barnes Physical Therapy that iontophoresis is "probably the most underutilized, misunderstood, and underestimated modality.

Get Document > Does acetic acid iontophoresis accelerate the resorption of calcium deposits in calcific tendinitis of the shoulder?

Charles D Ciccone, PT, PhD, is Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College,

Ithaca, NY.

 

A 48-year-old man, who was otherwise in good health, developed pain and a "clicking" sensation in his right shoulder during movement. The patient, who was referred to me by his physician, stated that this problem began approximately 2 months ago and has been getting steadily worse ever since. The patient is an avid skier and tennis player; however, he did not recall any serious direct trauma to the shoulder. Shoulder passive range of motion (ROM), measured using standard goniometric techniques as discussed by Riddle et al,1 was 0 to 170 degrees for flexion, 0 to 165 degrees for abduction, 0 to 70 degrees for internal rotation, and 0 to 75 degrees for external rotation. Manual muscle testing did not reveal any major strength deficits in the shoulder musculature, with the primary muscle groups graded between 4+ and 5 on scale of 0 to 5. Active humeral abduction, however, resulted in pain, especially near the midpoint of shoulder abduction. Radiographs that had been ordered by the physician showed a calcium deposit in the tendon of the right supraspinatus muscle. This deposit was approximately 175 mm2 in area, had well-defined borders, and was uniformly dense throughout the lesion. This patient, therefore, appeared to have calcific tendinitis of the right supraspinatus muscle.

Get Document > Iontophoresis helps break the cycle of pain so patients can progress in rehab.

When patients come to our clinic for pain relief, they want to feel better fast. As therapists, we have many modalities to help us achieve that goal, one of which is iontophoresis. Although iontophoresis delivers less medication than a local injection, it packs a powerful punch by providing much higher local concentrations than oral administration. Typical injection dosages range from approximately 5 mg for small joints to up to 4.0 mg for large joints. Iontophoresis delivers 8 to 13 ug/O.S gm of exercised tissue or about 100 times less than an injection. However, oral dosages result in concentrations of 7 to 200 mg/O.S gm of exercised tissue or 1 000 times less than the amount delivered by iontophoresis.

Get Document > Management of Heel Pain Syndrome with Acetic acid Iontophoresis

This study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of acetic acid iontophoresis in the treatment of heel pain. Thirty-five patients with chronic heel pain were treated with acetic acid iontophoresis over a 4-year period. Ninety-four percent of patients had complete or substantial relief of heel pain after an average of 5.7 sessions of acetic acid iontophoresis over an average period of 2.8 weeks. Heel pain levels were rated from 0 to 10, with 10 representing the most severe pain. Heel pain prior to iontophoresis treatment received an average rating of 7.5; by the end of therapy, the average rating had decreased to 1.8. At an average follow-up time of 27 months, heel pain levels averaged 0.64, indicating continued reduction in heel pain. Ninety-four percent of participants said that they would recommend acetic acid Iontophoresis to someone with similar heel pain. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 89(5): 251-257,1999).

Get Document > A study to Determine the Absorptive Effects Upon Calcified Tendinitis of the Shoulder

Statement of the problem

 

This study was undertaken to determine the absorptive effects of acetic acid upon calcified tendinitis of the shoulder. Specific data were obtained on the following questions:

 

1.     What is the effect of the acetic acid method of treatment upon joint tenderness?

2.     What is the effect of the acetic acid method of treatment upon joint pain?

3.     What is the effect of the acetic acid method of treatment upon joint movement?

4.     What is the effect of the acetic acid method of treatment upon "the skin?

5.     Does acetic acid demonstrate the ability to absorb calcific deposits in the subdeltoid and

        supra-infraspinatus regions of the  shoulder?

Get Document > Article from Physical Therapy Products magazine

Ion transfer, or iontophoresis, is the use of continuous direct current to move ions through the skin.  Over the last decade, Iontophoresis has become popular in rehabilitation settings as an alternative to oral and injected delivery of corticosteroids, because it is non-invasive, non-traumatic, and painless and can be directed at a specific site.  In addition to rehabilitation, iontophoresis is of particular interest in the areas of dentistry, dermatology, and oncology.

Get Document > Case report

The purpose of this case report is to document the treatment of a patient who had traumatic myositis ossificans with acetic acid iontophoresis.  A· 16-year-old boy developed quadriceps femoris muscle myositis ossificans as a result of a springboard diving accident. A 2% acetic acid solution was administered via Iontophoresis into the myositis ossificans, followed by 8 minutes of pulsed ultrasound at 15 W/crrr. The treatment was performed three times per week for 3 weeks. At the conclusion of the treatments, radiographic findings indicated a 98.9% decrease in the size of the ossified mass. The patient regained full range of motion and was able to return to pain-free activity. This case report demonstrates the potential for a therapeutic program ofacetic acid iontophoresis and ultrasound in eliminating myositis ossificans.

 

[Wieder DL Treatment of traumatic myositis ossificans with acetic acid iontophoresis.Phys Ther. 1992;72:133-137.}

Get Document >