Understanding IFT in Physiotherapy: How It Works and Its Benefits

IFT, or Interferential Therapy, is a non-invasive treatment for relieving pain and repairing damaged body tissue. This physical therapy involves applying low-frequency electrical currents to the areas where pain is present. The low-frequency electrical currents are meant to generate a frequency that prevents pain signals from being transmitted to the brain.

This frequency, also known as an interferential current or IFC, has helped treat pain without the use of drugs or invasive procedures. So, let’s look at how IFT works and its benefits.

Types of Interferential Therapy Procedures

• Based on Machine

The Interferential Therapy procedure is performed differently depending on which machine is being used in the treatment. Machines used by professionals are much larger and provide more control over the frequencies being released. On the other hand, the other Interferential Therapy machines are portable and do not require much training in their use to operate.

For an effective Interferential Therapy procedure, an operator needs to ensure the following points

1. The frequency of the beats
2. The Intensity of the currents
3. Placement of the IFT machine’s electrodes on the patient’s body
4. Localizing the injured body parts of the patient

Professional Interferential Therapy machines are strictly superior in this regard as they are capable of providing control over each of these aspects. A non-professional Interferential Therapy does not offer control over the current intensity and localizing which makes the patient uncomfortable and reduces the effectiveness of the Interferential Therapy procedure.

• Based on Frequency

Machine type is not the only factor that can change the type of Interferential Therapy procedure the patient receives. The frequency that the patient is subjected to is also different depending on several factors like affected area, intensity of pain, and tissue damage. These different frequencies are mentioned below:

1. Vector Effects –This frequency is suitable for covering large affected areas. It is mostly used to treat pain in the neck which is hard to localize.
2. Frequency Swings – Here the frequency is Swung between 0 and 100 Hz on set intervals.
3. Relentless Frequency – As the name suggests, the patient is subjected to specific frequencies for long periods. It is effective at treating specific tissue damage.

Benefits of Interferential Therapy Procedure

There are multiple benefits that the patient derives from undergoing Interferential Therapy procedures some of which are:

• Provides instant pain relief from deep tissue injuries
• Assists in the circulation of blood which leads to quick repairing of softer tissues
• Removal and breakdown of harmful substances for easy disposal
• Improves muscle stimulation for better metabolic rates.
• IFT physiotherapy restores lost movement of muscles in patients

Conclusion

Interferential Therapy is one of the best treatments for pain and tissue damage. Its non-invasive and fast results allow it to be an effective treatment for several different people like athletes and the elderly. While non-professional machines can provide most results of Interferential Therapy, for proper treatment the professional IFT machine is far better.