New directions in electrophysical agents: where do we go from here?

Abstract

Exercise therapy, manual therapy and electrophysical agents are the three main core competencies in physical therapy. The practice of exercise therapy and manual therapy has become more and more important over the past few decades. However, the availability and usage of electrophysical agents in most countries, including Japan, have decreased. This trend in EPA is continuing despite an increase in evidence from clinical studies that EPA treatment is effective for pain management, control of inflammation and facilitation of movement, among others. It is possible that other factors such as educational curriculum, the level of knowledge and skill of EPA users, and the level of confidence in using EPA, may influence the availability and usage of EPA. For example, if EPA is not properly taught at physiotherapy schools, the graduates of these schools will choose not to use EPA in their clinical practice due to lack of confidence or inadequate knowledge and skills. If usage decreases, then availability will also decrease in time because hospitals will not buy new machines to replace the old ones. If availability and usage decreases, then more schools will feel that it is not necessary to teach EPA. This vicious cycle of decreasing availability, usage and teaching may eventually lead to a situation where physical therapists do not feel that EPA is important. Therefore, the physical therapy profession is in a real danger of losing one of our core competencies. In order to reverse this trend, it is necessary for ISEAPT to address these issues.