FARADIC TYPE

CURRENT
Faradic Type Current

 Faradic type current is short duration interrupted direct

current with pulse duration of 0.1–1 ms and frequencies
between 50–100 Hz, used for the stimulation of innervated
muscles.
 The term faradism was previously used to signify the type of
current produced by the first faradic coil and was unevenly
alternating current with each cycle consisting of two unequal
phases (Fig. 2.1):
 1.Low intensity long duration current
 2. High intensity short duration current.
 Faradiccoils have now been replaced by electronic
stimulators which almost have the same
physiological effect but differs in the waveform. The
features essential for the production of these
physiological effects are the impulses with duration
of 0.1–1 ms with a frequency of 50–100 Hz.
Modified Faradic Current

 For better results in the treatment, faradic current is always

surged to produce a near-normal tetanic-like contraction
and relaxation of the muscle. The apparatus should have
sufficient control to surge the current so that the intensity of
successive impulses increases gradually with surges
varying in waveform to provide satisfactory muscle
contraction and relaxation
 In the original faradic coils, the current was surged by hand
but in modern stimulators an electronic device is used.
 The circuit can be modified to give surges of various
durations,frequencies and waveforms. Various forms of
surge are available, such as
 trapezoidal,
 triangular
 saw-tooth impulses
 and that most suitable for each patient must be selected
Indications for the Use of Low Frequency Currents

 Facilitation or initiation of the muscle action:

 When the patient is unable to produce muscle contraction or finds it
difficult to do so, electrical stimulation may be required in assisting to
produce voluntary contraction.
 In cases of pain, electrical stimulation of motor neurons reduces the
inhibition, which acts on larger anterior horn cells, so as to facilitate the
transmission of voluntary impulses to the muscles and helps in inducing
relaxation to its antagonists.
 Initiallytreatment should be given in pain-free range so
that no movement causing pain is produced. Patient is
advised to produce voluntary contraction along with the
electrical stimulation. The amount of voluntary contraction
is increased gradually and electrical stimulation is reduced
until the muscles produce full voluntary contraction
Reeducation or relearning of muscle action:
 According to Beavor’s theory, the brain
appreciates movements and not individual muscle
action. In some situations where muscle is not
under voluntary control reeducation or relearning
of muscle action is required. These situations could
be:
 i. Prolonged disuse ii. Incorrect use.
 In these circumstances faradic stimulation may be used to
produce contraction and thus help to restore the sense of
movement.
 Due to prolonged disuse person is not able to contract
muscle voluntarily as in cases of long-standing flat foot,
reeducation of intrinsic muscles of foot is done by faradic
stimulation.
 Training/Teaching of a new muscle action:
 For training or teaching a new muscle action faradic current is
used. The cases where teaching a new muscle action is
required, could be:
 i. Tendon transplantation surgery
 ii. Reconstructive operations.
 In tendon transplantation and reconstructive operations a
muscle is required to perform a different or new action from
which it was previously doing.
 For this, faradic type current is required and
muscle is stimulated in a new pattern. During this
treatment the patient must concentrate on a new
movement and try to assist it along with voluntary
contractions
 Loosening and prevention of adhesion:

 Effusions in the tissues when stays there form adhesion.

Adhesions are formed where there is no proper muscle
contraction.

 If adequate active exercise is not possible, electrical

stimulation in the form of faradic current may be used to
prevent adhesions. Muscle contraction loosens and stretches
the adhesions, which have already formed.
 Improvement in venous and lymphatic drainage:
 Alternative contraction and relaxation of muscles
produces pumping action, which leads to venous and
lymphatic drainage.
 Effect of faradic current for improving venous and
lymphatic drainage is described as faradism under
pressure, this is a very effective treatment of edema and
gravitational ulcer
 Maintaining or increasing in range of movement:
 The movement may be limited by shortening of
different tissues and from different causes. Faradic
stimulation of muscle to stretch the shortened tissue is
used in:
 i. Contracture of fibrous tissue and scaring:
Limitation of joint movement due to shortening of soft
tissue on one side of the joint has been treated by
electrical stimulation of the muscle that stretches the
contracture.
 ii.Deformities like scoliosis: In scoliosis lateral
trunk muscles on the convexity of the curve are
stimulated electrically. Electrodes are placed at the
patient’s backand muscle contraction is obtained
by stimulating the muscles in order to reduce
convexity.
 Neuropraxia of a motor nerve:
 In neuropraxia, the impulses from brain are not able to reach up to the
muscles supplied by affected nerve through site of lesion. In neuropraxia,
there is no degeneration of nerve so if we stimulate the nerve below site of
lesion, the impulses will easily pass to the muscle and cause the contraction.
 Electrical stimulation is not usually necessary in neuropraxia because
recovery takes place with any marked changes in the muscle tissue.
 Severed motor nerve:
 When any nerve is damaged severely there occurs degeneration of
axons. Degeneration takes several days to complete, and for a few
days after the injury a muscle contraction may be obtained by faradic
type current. But after degeneration, muscles can be stimulated by
interrupted direct current or modified direct current.
 For replacing orthosis:
 Low frequency stimulation may be used to enhance the function of a paralyzed
or weak muscles thus eliminating the need for a splint or brace or orthosis.
 Stimulation of denervated muscle:
 For stimulation of denervated muscle, interrupted direct current or galvanic
current is used which directly stimulate the muscle fiber. In denervated muscle
there occurs wasting and then fibrosis. Muscle looses its property of
contractility, excitability, elasticity and irritability.
 By electrical stimulation the process of muscle wasting slows down, but it
needs strong electrical impulses for this purpose. Approximately 300
contractions per session are required, but this also is not always practically
possible due to muscle fatigue. So for treatment to be effective at least 90
contractions need to be performed in a session. If fatigue occurs soon, number
of contractions may be reduced and treatment time prolonged .
Physiological Effects of Low Frequency
Currents
 Effect on body tissues:
 Tissues contain fluids, which contain ions and thus are good conductor of electricity.
Current passing through the body tissues consists a two-way migration of ions and the
conductivity of different body tissues varies according to the amount of fluid they contain.
 Muscle is having good blood supply and so is a good conductor while fat is a poor
conductor. The epidermis has a high resistance and thus is a bad conductor. So for having
better conduction of electricity, we use some media like water or gel to lower the
resistance for treatment purposes.
 Stimulation of sensory nerves:
 Faradic current: When applying a faradic type current mild prickling sensation is felt due
to stimulation of sensory nerves. This stimulation is not very marked because the stimuli
are of fairly short-duration
 Stimulation of motor nerves by faradic current:
 Faradic current stimulates the motor nerves and if it is of sufficient
intensity, it stimulates muscle to which the nerve supplies.
 The contraction produced is thus a tetanic contraction because stimuli
are repeated 50 times per second. This type of contraction if maintained
for a longer period may result in muscle fatigue. So to avoid this,
current is commonly surged to allow muscle relaxation.
 When the current is surged the contraction gradually increases and
decreases in strength, in a manner similar to a voluntary contraction.
 Effect on muscle contraction:
 Electrical stimulation of motor nerves causes muscle contraction and results in
changes similar to those associated with voluntary contraction. These contractions help
in regaining the properties of muscles as such and also helps in:
 i. Increasing metabolism:
 The contraction and relaxation of muscles results in pumping action on the blood
vessels within the muscles and around it.
 This pumping action provides more blood supply to the muscles and also results in
increased demand and supply of oxygen and nutrition.
 ii. Removal of waste products:
 If the muscle contraction and relaxation is sufficient enough to cause pumping effect
on venous and lymphatic vessels it results in removal of waste products.
 Stimulation of denervated muscle:
 For contraction of denervated muscle the impulse more than 1 ms is
required. This impulse is usually is not tolerable by the patient for
treatment purposes. Thus faradic type current is not used for stimulation
of denervated muscle. Interrupted direct current is used for stimulation
of denervated muscle therapeutically, when it is of sufficient intensity
and duration. Effective contraction is obtained only when current rises
slowly rather than rising suddenly.
 An impulse of 100 ms is the shortest impulse for satisfactory treatment
of denervated muscle. So, intensity and duration of the impulse are
important factors for stimulation of denervated muscle.
 Chemical effects following stimulation:
 Chemical effects are produced at the electrodes due to
passing of direct current through the electrolyte. It results
in formation and accumulation of chemicals at the
electrode site resulting in chemical or electrolytic burn.
 The risk is comparatively less with an intermittent
current than with a direct current. When an alternative
current is used, chemicals formed during one phase are
neutralized during the next phase as the ions move one
way during one phase and in reverse direction during the
other phase.
 In a condition, where the two phases are equal,
chemicals formed during one phase are neutralized
during the next phase.
 Treatment of Patient’s condition
 1. Median nerve stimulation
 2. Ulnar nerve stimulation
 3. Radial nerve stimulation
 4. Erb’s paralysis
 5. Facial nerve stimulation
 6. Deltoid inhibition
 7. Quadriceps inhibition
 8. Lateral popliteal nerve stimulation