ABSTRACT
The short wave diathermy was utilized on the 25 patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffering from the pain of the knee joint and therapeutic effects were evaluated.<br>Ito rator K-I, a short wave generator for the treatment at home (voltage: 100v, 28MHZ), was applied on the painful knee joint daily for 20 minutes.<br>The therapeutic effects were assessed by the findings before and after daily single application of the short wave diathermy (I), and also by the findings after a series of the treatments during a month (II).<br>In the latter case, the short wave diathermy was utilized for 20 minutes every morning between nine and ten except on Sundays.<br>For the purpose of the evaluation of the therapeutic effects, six items of the studies were selected, including (1) points of the joint pain, (2) A-ROM of the knee flexion, (3) gait time for 10 meters, (4) time between the flexion and extension, (5) extensor muscle strength of the knee, and (6) flexor muscle strength of the knee.<br>The results were as follows:<br>(1) The knee joint pain was improved after daily single application of the short wave diathermy and the decrease in their pain points was 30 per cent.<br>(2) Gait time for 10 meters and time between the knee flexion and extension (10 times) were significantly improved after daily single application of the short wave diathermy.<br>(3) After a series of treatments of thort wave diathermy during a month some improvements were showed on the all items, but every improvements was not significant.
ABSTRACT
In order to compare the result of local cryo-therapy on rheumatoid arthritis against the conventional local heat application a comparative clinical study was performed.<br>Twenty rheumatoid patients with bilateral knee joint involvement were selected cryo-therapy was given for five minutes with cryogenic air generator (Nihonsanso-L-10) at-100°C on below in eleven patients, whereas local heat was applied with hot packs for 15 minutes at 70-80°C in nine patients.<br>All the patient underwent a daily active exercise schedule after the local treatment, these treatment were given for three months continuously and the result were evaluated. For the evaluation, twelve items were selected including, range of motion, muscle strength, walking capacity, roentgengram and etc.<br>The patients were evaluated before the treatment, 1.5 months after the treatment and at the end of the treatment.<br>The result: both groups showed some improvement in general, but there was no significant difference between them, muscle stiffness and joint pain seemed to be slightly between after the cryo-therapy compared to the local heat application, however post-treatment x-ray showed some progression of joint destruction in the former. The result suggest that local cryo-therapy has a certain place in rheumatoid treatment although not significantly better than the conventional local heat application, if it is applied under due care.
ABSTRACT
The balneotherapy has been applied to C. V. A. patients since long. However, it is still unknown why heat and warm bath are beneficial to the exercise of C. V. A. patients. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of warm bath on the recovery of palsy of C. V. A. patients by measuring the conduction velocity of the ulnar nerve in 136 C. V. A. patients.<br>From comparison of the velocity between healthy and paralysed sides, and between before and after taking a bath, following results were obtained;<br>1) Decrease of nerve conduction velocity was proved (significantat 2% level) in the paralysed side of C. V. A. patient, but this decrease became improved after taking a bath.<br>2) Warm bath increased the conduction velocity on the paralysed side, and this effect lasted for more than 2 hours.<br>3) No correlation was recognized among muscle tone, grade of motor palsy, and conduction velocity.<br>4) A significant decrease of conduction velocity of the paralysed nerve was observed in the early stage of a stroke, especially within 6 months. No significant difference was seen in cases of stroke of more than 6 months after the attack.<br>5) In the cases of poorer recovery, a greater decrease of the conduction velovity was observed in the early stages of stroke. In these cases, the conduction velocity of the ulnar nerve on the paralysed side more markedly decreased than that of the healthy side even after warm bath treatment.<br>6) The effet of the vasodilator (external application of Finalgon) on the paralysed side was not clearly confirmed.<br>7) In cases that needed stimulation of more than 10 mace. duration to induce M-wave, the elevation of threshold of strength-duration curve was observed on the paralysed side. This was proved even after warm bath treatment.