Outline:Introduction to Thermal Agents

I did an outline in Introduction to Thermal Agents for my junior PT students. Since, it was their first time to attend my class, I look for 3 books to finish this and find out that the best book for this is the one from Susan Michlovitz "Thermal Agents in Rehablitation". Here's the outline I made for my students:

Thermal Agents

*Definition

*Types

A. Heating Modalities

1. Deep

2. Superficial

*moist

*dry

B. Cold Modalities

*Local vs General Applications

*Local vs Systemic Reactions

***thermal shock reactions

*Dosage

1. mild

2. moderate

3. vigorous

* Dosage Reactions

1. changes in tissue temperature

2. changes in firing of thermal sensory neurons

Specific Dosages

1. intensity

2. duration

3. frequency

***Specific Absorption Rate(SAR)

Thermal Physics

*First Law of Thermodynamics

*Temperature and Temperature Scales

*Calculation of Temperature

1. Celsius

2. Fahrenheit

3. Kelvin

4. The Absolute Scale

Heat Transfer

1. Conduction
2. Convection
3. Evaporation

Thermal Properties of Substance

1. State of the Substance
2. Density and Thermal Expansion
3. Specific Heat
4. Thermal Conductivity

Biophysics

*Thermoregulation

*Heat Loss

Processes:

1.Conduction

2. Convection

3. Radiation

4. Evaporation

*Heat Gain