Interferential Current - IFC

Interferential Current
• History: In 1950 Nemec used interference
of electrical currents to achieve therapeutic
benefits.
– Two AC are generated on separate channels
(one channel produces a constant high
frequency sine wave (4000-5000Hz) and the
other a variable sine wave
– The channels combine/interface to produce a
frequency of 1-100 Hz
Interferential Currents
• When electrodes are arranged in a square and
interferential currents are passed through a
homogeneous medium a predictable pattern of
interference will occur
 Effects of IFC treatment:
Effect of interferential Therapy depend upon:
• Magnitude of current
• Type of mode use- Rhythmic or constant
• Frequency range used
• Accuracy of electrode positioning
The Effects are:
Releif of pain
Motor stimulation
 Positive effects of IFC include:
• reduction of pain and muscle discomfort
following joint or muscle trauma
• these effects can be obtained with the of
IFC and without associated muscle fatigue
which may predispose the athlete to further
injury.
 Principles of wave interference -
Combined Effects
• Constructive, Destructive, & Continuous
• Constructive interference: when two
sinusoidal waves that are exactly in phase
or one, two, three or more wavelengths our
of phase, the waves supplement each other
in constructive interference

+ =
 Principles of wave interference -
Combined Effects
• Destructive interference: when the two
waves are different by 1/2 a wavelength (of
any multiple) the result is cancellation of
both waves

+ =
Principles of wave interference -
Combined Effects
• Continuous Interference
– Two waves slightly out of phase collide and
form a single wave with progressively
increasing and decreasing amplitude

=
+
 Amplitude-Modulated Beats:
• Rate at which the resultant waveform (from
continuous interference) changes
• When sine waves from two similar sources
have different frequencies are out of phase
and blend to produce the interference
beating effect
 IFC
• Contraindications
Duration of tx 15-20 minutes
– Pain
Burstofmode
central
typically
origin applied 3x a week in 30
– minute
Pain of unknown origin
• Precautions
Indications
– same
Acuteaspain
all electrical currents
– Chronic pain
– Muscle spasm
 IFC Techniques of treatment:
• Almost exclusively IFC is delivered using
the four-pad or quad-polar technique.
• Various electrode positioning techniques are
employed:
– Electrodes (Nemectrody: vacuum electrodes):
• four independent pads allow specific placement of
pads to achieve desired effect an understanding of
the current interference is essential
• four electrodes in one applicator allows IFC
treatment to very small surface areas.
 Quad-polar Technique
• Pads placed at 45º angles from center of tx
area
• Can reduce inaccuracy of appropriate
tissues by selecting rotation or scan

Channel B Channel B

Channel A
Channel A SCAN
 Bipolar Electrode Placement
• The mix of two channels occurs in
generator instead of tissues
• Biopolar does not penetrate tissues as
deeply, but is more accurate
• When effects are targeted for one muscle or
muscle group only one channel is used