Acute Effects of Interferential Current on Edema, Pain and Muscle Strength in Patients With Distal Radius Fracture

Acute Effects of Interferential Current on Edema, Pain and Muscle Strength in Patients With Distal Radius Fracture

Interferential current is a form of electrotherapy that is obtained by placing two different plates that produce medium frequency waveform current, resulting in a low frequency interferential waveform in deeper tissues. It was shown interferential current electrotherapy is beneficial for reduction of traumatic edema in tissues and pain control.

Patients with conservatively managed distal radius fractures were recruited after casts are shed, and were treated with one session(30 minutes) of different protocols of interferential current electrotherapy. Before and after therapy, they were evaluated with volumetry, hand grip strength and visual analogue scale for pain.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Conservatively managed distal radius fractures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Secondary conditions associated with edema(renal failure, congestive heart failure etc)
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Compartment syndrome
• Contraindications for electrotherapy(cardiac pacemaker, thrombosis, pregnancy etc)
• Mental state unfit for electrotherapy
• Having treated with electrotherapy before