With rapid advances it can be hard to keep up with technology, but in a physical therapy setting, where time is of the essence both in treatment time and in the desire to help a patient return to function as quickly as possible, technology is a great asset. It’s important to stay current with trends as much as possible.

When setting up a clinic, there is a lot of equipment to purchase. As such, a great deal of expense goes into setting up the clinic before a patient even walks in the door. It can be easy to get attached to old modes of technology, not just because of a familiarity, but out of a “well, if it isn’t broken, why replace it” mentality. But the truth is, technological advances are out there to make treatment of our physical therapy patients faster and better, making the purchase of these new machines money well spent.

The InTENSity CX4 is one unit that I think every clinic should consider owning. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Ultrasound therapy are two of the most commonly used pain reduction modalities in physical therapy and with good reason. 

Ultrasound therapy uses a small wand over the injury site which emits sound waves 1-2 inches deep within the body’s soft tissue. This creates heat at the site of the injury which improves circulation and starts the healing of any tissue damage. Ultrasound therapy is useful for treating deep tissue injuries like sciatica and closer surface injuries like ankle tendinopathy.

TENS units work by emitting an electrical signal through pads that are applied over an injury site. Considered the most common form of electroanalgesia, the electric pulse of the TENS unit reduces pain by stimulating the body’s release of its own opiod (endorphin) pain-relieving chemicals. TENS units are versatile in treating conditions from myofascial pain to bladder incontinence.

What the InTENSity CX4 does is bring both of these modalities together in one machine. This is helpful for a number of reasons, the most important being that there are several conditions where both ultrasound and TENS can be used together to create efficient, effective healing.

Some of these conditions are, but not limited to:

• Fibromyalgia
• Tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Temporomandibular joint disorder or dysfunction (TMD)
• Arthritis

And if that wasn’t enough, the new combination machines like the InTENSity CX4 offer more benefits beyond facilitating great patient care.

Some of the most important benefits are:

1. Comprehensive library provides treatment education and suggested electrode placement
2. “Favorites” feature allowing storage of up to 99 custom programs for future use
3. Sleek, user-friendly, ergonomic design with storage capacity
4. The choice between: 1 and 3 MHz ultrasound frequencies, pulsed and continuous modes and ergonomically designed 5 cm² sound head for excellent ERA during treatments (1 cm² sound head optional)
5. The ability to treat up to three patients at once with a multi-patient function

Pain reduction modalities are an important treatment option in physical therapy, but can create a lot of storage and time issues. The InTENSity CX4 not only benefits patients, but is an asset to the efficiency and quality of the physical therapy practice as well.

For more information read "The Benefits of the InTENsity CX 4 Combination Unit".