Therapeutic Modalities Exam 1 Study
Guide Questions and Answers with
Rationales Latest Version
What are the 4 types of heat transfer?
Conduction, convection, evaporation, radiation
Conduction
Direct contact with solid (e.g., hot pack, ice pack)
Convection
Heat transfer via moving fluid (e.g., whirlpool)
Evaporation
Liquid → gas causing cooling (vapocoolant spray)
Radiation
Heat transfer without contact
Cryotherapy effect on blood flow
Vasoconstriction → ↓ blood flow
Cryotherapy effect on metabolism
↓ metabolic rate & O₂ demand
cryotherapy effect on nerve conduction
↓ nerve conduction velocity
Cryotherapy short vs long exposure effect
Short (<5 min) → ↑ muscle activation
Long (>10 min) → ↓ strength/performance
Cryotherapy effect on spasticity/spasm
↓ spasm, spasticity, clonus
When is cryotherapy most indicated?
Acute injury (first 24-48 hrs), pain, edema, spasm
Cryotherapy precautions
Poor sensation, HTN, very young/old, over superficial nerves
, Cryotherapy contraindications
Raynaud's, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, PVD
Cold packs advantages
Easy, cheap, large areas
Cold packs disadvantages
Poor contour, can't see skin
Ice massage advantages
Good for small areas, fast
Ice massage disadvantages
Uncomfortable, small area only
Vapocoolant spray advantage
Quick + used with stretch
Vapocoolant Disadvantage
Superficial only
Ice bath advantage
Full immersion
Ice bath disadvantage
Dependent position (↑ edema risk)
Ice massage time
5-10 min
Cold pack time
20-30 min
Immersion temp
50-64°F
heat effects on blood flow
Vasodilation
heat effect on tissue extensibility
↑ collagen extensibility
heat effect on nerve conduction
↑ nerve conduction velocity
heat effect on pain
↑ pain threshold
Guide Questions and Answers with
Rationales Latest Version
What are the 4 types of heat transfer?
Conduction, convection, evaporation, radiation
Conduction
Direct contact with solid (e.g., hot pack, ice pack)
Convection
Heat transfer via moving fluid (e.g., whirlpool)
Evaporation
Liquid → gas causing cooling (vapocoolant spray)
Radiation
Heat transfer without contact
Cryotherapy effect on blood flow
Vasoconstriction → ↓ blood flow
Cryotherapy effect on metabolism
↓ metabolic rate & O₂ demand
cryotherapy effect on nerve conduction
↓ nerve conduction velocity
Cryotherapy short vs long exposure effect
Short (<5 min) → ↑ muscle activation
Long (>10 min) → ↓ strength/performance
Cryotherapy effect on spasticity/spasm
↓ spasm, spasticity, clonus
When is cryotherapy most indicated?
Acute injury (first 24-48 hrs), pain, edema, spasm
Cryotherapy precautions
Poor sensation, HTN, very young/old, over superficial nerves
, Cryotherapy contraindications
Raynaud's, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, PVD
Cold packs advantages
Easy, cheap, large areas
Cold packs disadvantages
Poor contour, can't see skin
Ice massage advantages
Good for small areas, fast
Ice massage disadvantages
Uncomfortable, small area only
Vapocoolant spray advantage
Quick + used with stretch
Vapocoolant Disadvantage
Superficial only
Ice bath advantage
Full immersion
Ice bath disadvantage
Dependent position (↑ edema risk)
Ice massage time
5-10 min
Cold pack time
20-30 min
Immersion temp
50-64°F
heat effects on blood flow
Vasodilation
heat effect on tissue extensibility
↑ collagen extensibility
heat effect on nerve conduction
↑ nerve conduction velocity
heat effect on pain
↑ pain threshold
