Changes in availability and usage of electrophysical agents by physical therapists: a 5 year longitudinal follow-up study.
Yuichi Abe
PMID 34776625WHAT IT FOUND
Electrophysical agent use in Japan did not decline overall.
Hot packs, ultrasound and cold packs remained common but dropped slightly. Traction and CPM devices were available but rarely used. Ultrasound imaging and electrotherapy saw increased usage. Clinicians with under 10 years' experience reported more confidence than senior colleagues.
Key findings
01Use of core modalities like hot packs, ultrasound and cold packs decreased slightly, while traction and CPM devices remained available but were used by fewer than half of respondents.
02Availability and usage of ultrasound imaging increased, as did usage of iontophoresis and magnetic field therapy, though these started from very low availability.
03Clinicians with 10 years or less of experience reported higher confidence in using several modalities compared to those with 11 or more years.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was limited to one prefecture in Japan, so findings may not apply to other countries or regions. Response rates dropped from 71% in 2014 to 63% in 2019, which may introduce bias. Self-reported availability and usage are not verified against actual clinical records. The large percentage changes in usage for modalities with very low availability (like magnetic field therapy) may be unstable due to small denominators.
Declared interests
The author reports no conflict of interest. The study was supported by a grant from Nagano University of Health and Medicine.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the increase in usage for iontophoresis and magnetic field therapy as evidence they are becoming mainstream treatments. Their availability remained below 2%, so the large percentage rise in usage occurred within a very small group of therapists who had access to these devices.