Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation is a physical therapy tool we add to a plan of care once testing shows it will help, not something we run on everyone who walks in the door.

Electrodes placed on the skin send impulses through the nerves and change how neurotransmitters release in the brain. Two theories explain what happens next.

The Gate Control Theory holds that these impulses stimulate nerve endings and block pain signals before they reach the brain, which relieves pain almost immediately and continues for as long as the treatment runs.

The Endorphin Release Theory holds that the electrical current stimulates motor nerves, which release the body's natural endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins are natural painkillers that can stay in the bloodstream for up to 20 hours, so relief can start 20 to 30 minutes into treatment and continue for hours afterward.

We use electrical stimulation for two purposes: neuro re-education and pain relief. After surgery, it helps the nervous system recover and re-educate the neural pathways so muscles heal and function the way they should.

Electrical stimulation is chosen the same way every treatment here is chosen: based on what your evaluation finds. It's paired with manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and a home program aimed at the specific activity you're working to get back to, and it gets adjusted as your numbers change.