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Massage, cold packs and exercise routines might seem like the obvious tools in a physical therapist's bag of tricks. But what about electrical stimulation? Physical therapists are not strangers to technology and many have been able to significantly reduce pain and increase mobility in their patients with the help of some high-tech tools. According to About.com, the most common technological modalities that physical therapists use include ultrasound, TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), and plain-old electrical stimulation. You'll learn about these high-tech treatments in all the best physical therapy schools. Find Physical Therapy Schools Ultrasound uses sound waves to penetrate and relax muscles. In TENS, the physical therapist uses a small battery-operated machine that connects to electrodes and interrupts pain signals below the skin. Applied in a similar fashion to TENS, electrical stimulation causes muscles to contract, which helps strengthen them. The Sun-Times News Group reports on how another technological solution, PENS (patterned electrical neuromuscular stimulation), a patented system developed at Reno's Accelerated Care Plus, has helped elderly people recover from injuries and surgery. This system, used in conjunction with traditional physical therapy, sends impulses through the body to help muscles "remember" how to move in the right order. Physical therapy schools will teach you about these techniques and more. But pain relief comes in many forms, both traditional and technological. Blending the two healing methods, physical therapists have designed some practical solutions that provide relief one impulse at a time. Find Physical Therapy Schools
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