The role of the Physical Therapist in wound management is immeasurable. However, prior to the treatment of a wound, it is important to consider that not all wounds are healable.

 

If a wound is healable, there are many modalities that can be used to manage wounds including High Voltage Pulsed Current, Ultraviolet Radiation C, Laser and Ultrasound.

 

Below are a list of studies that have used physical modalities for wound management:

Ultrasound

  • Honaker, J. S., Forston, M. R., Davis, E. A., Weisner, M. M., Morgan, J. A., & Sacca, E. (2016). The effect of adjunctive noncontact low frequency ultrasound on deep tissue pressure injury. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 24(6), 1081–1088. http://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12479 

Electrical Stimulation

  • Fraccalvieri, M., Salomone, M., Zingarelli, E. M., Rivarossa, F., & Bruschi, S. (2014). Electrical stimulation for difficult wounds: only an alternative procedure? Int Wound J, 12(6), 669–673. http://doi.org/10.1111/iwj.12194
  • Kawasaki, L., Mushahwar, V. K., Ho, C., Dukelow, S. P., Chan, L. L. H., & Chan, K. M. (2013). The mechanisms and evidence of efficacy of electrical stimulation for healing of pressure ulcer: A systematic review. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 22(2), 161–173. http://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12134
  • The Effect of Monophasic Vs. Biphasic Current on Healing Rate and Blood Flow in People With Pressure and Neuropathic Ulcers. (2013). The Effect of Monophasic Vs. Biphasic Current on Healing Rate and Blood Flow in People With Pressure and Neuropathic Ulcers, 1–8.
  • Young, S., Hampton, S., & Tadej, M. (2011). Study to evaluate the effect of low-intensity pulsed electrical currents on levels of oedema in chronic non-healing wounds. J Wound Care, 20(8), 368–370–3.
  • Daeschlein, G., Assadian, O., Kloth, L. C., Meinl, C., Ney, F., & Kramer, A. (2007). Antibacterial activity of positive and negative polarity low-voltage pulsed current (LVPC) on six typical Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens of chronic wounds. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 15(3), 399–403. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-475X.2007.00242.x