To Sarah and Kam-wah,
Personally, it was very difficult to find a good Likon Machine in Brisbane,
because from what I have been told, many large companies don't make this
machine anymore. Since I work with trigger points, the last thing I need is
for a machine such as the interferential to tighten up the muscles again.
Therefore, I think this is why my boss prefers to use the Likon. I have not
found any recent research or articles on the Likon, but if anybody know
anything about this machine, please let me know!!
Henry***
>From: Kam-wah Mak <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>,
>"[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Likon
>Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 12:55:09 +0100
>
>Hi Sarah,
>
>Likon is a concept that was developed in China by Professor Jiang Xiao Wen
>in the 1970's and a machine was launched worldwhile by Healthtronics Pte
>Limited in Singapore in 1987.
>
>Likon is described by the operation manual as 'Modulation Electro Therapy
>(MET), it generates mid frequency 2KHz to 5 KHz that are modulated by a low
>frequency current ranging from 5 to 100 Hz. The mid frequency acts as a
>carried wave, 'carrying' the low frequency pulses deep into the tissues.
>Unlike IF therapy which utilises 2 medium frequency waves to produce a low
>frequency 'beat' at their intersection. Likon generates mid frequency waves
>that are modulated by low frequency pulses, thus combining the
>characteristics and advantage of mid and low frequency stimulation via a
>single output.
>
>The list of applications was long ranging from musculoskeletal to
>neurological conditions.
>
>The above was deduced from the machine manual.
>
>In reality, to my knowledge, there are no published paper on the Likon. I
>have seen a few articles on Likons but these were confined to undergraduate
>dissertations in the early 1990's. I have seen Likons in action at my local
>hospitals, yes, they are around and it seems that there are pockets of epa
>community in UK that 'swear' by the efficacy of this modality.
>
>Anyone who uses this modality would like to further comment on this.
>
>Regards,
>Kam
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Sarah Fern Striffler [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> >Sent: 20 October 2000 06:45
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: THE ELECTROTHERAPY ISSUE
> >
> >
> >Dear Henry,
> >
> >What is Likon & now is it used for psoas?
> >
> >Thank you.
> >
> >Sarah Fern Striffler, PT
> >
> >
> >Henry Tsao wrote:
> >
> >> To Mr Cheng, Bruce, and others who are interested in this
> >contraversial
> >> field of electrotherapy:
> >>
> >> I have been following the debate recently between the EPA
> >and Bruce, and
> >> since I started this whole contraversial debate, I thought I
> >might go and
> >> have a look a the latest literature on electrotherapy. I
> >don't believe in
> >> personal attacks, and think that physiotherapists should be
> >able to make up
> >> their minds on the issue.
> >>
> >> Before I go on, I will just explain. I work in a busy
> >private practice where
> >> we allocate 30 min. roughly per patient. I do use US on
> >trigger points after
> >> acupressure, and Likon on the sympathetic nervous
> >system/psoas (especially
> >> in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia patients) to reduce its
> >activity, but I
> >> don't use any electro for any other reason unless the
> >patient themselves
> >> request it (and let's face it, I get old clients who come in
> >and just want
> >> to be mob'ed, US'ed and IFT'ed... and that is their choice!!).
> >>
> >> I found an interesting article the other day in the Pain
> >journal on the
> >> effectiveness of ultrasound therapy on musculoskeletal pain
> >(Pain 81, 1999
> >> 257-271). It basically evaluated the use of US, and looked
> >at the existing
> >> research on the topic. They basically concluded that for lateral
> >> epicondylitis, soft tissue shoulder disorders, deegn
> >rheumatic disorders,
> >> ankle distorsions and TMJ disorders, US showed no
> >significant clinical
> >> effect. Even when they combined US with exercise therapy, there was
> >> clinically important or statistically significant
> >differences in favour of
> >> US (which I was surprised to read, as we always thought that US was
> >> effective only when it is used as an adjunct!!). Even though
> >this does not
> >> totally rule out the uselessness of US therapy, it
> >definitely has some
> >> strong gound to stand on!
> >>
> >> On the contrary, I found in the Am J of Physical Medicine
> >and Rehab(79, 1,
> >> p48-52, 2000) an article that looked at the use of US, dry
> >needle, and
> >> stretches of myofascial trigger points in the Upper Trap
> >muscles. They found
> >> that US combined with stretches and dry needle combined with
> >stretches
> >> produced significant results compared to simply stretching
> >alone. However,
> >> there was no difference between dry needle and the use of US
> >in combination
> >> with stretches.
> >>
> >> I find it interesting that even though Mr Cheng has noted a
> >few articles
> >> that claim to have clinical evidence of electrotherapy, most of the
> >> literature out there disproves the effectiveness of
> >electrotherapy, and
> >> these should not be ignored. However, this issue will still
> >continue to be
> >> contraversial, the research will go on, and physiotherapists
> >will form their
> >> own opinions of what electro to use. Despite this, I support Bruce's
> >> statement that time and cost is a big factor in this, and
> >should not be
> >> ignored. Unless we are in the field of sport physio and see
> >athletes 3x a
> >> day, 5x a week, I don't see the point of 15min/2x/week - how
> >much difference
> >> is it going to make because that is less than 1% of their
> >week's time!!
> >> Emphasis in this case should be on teaching the patients
> >ultimately how to
> >> look after themselves thus preventing future injury. Most
> >people want to get
> >> better, but also want to know how to keep themselves better, and
> >> electrotherapy does not do this.
> >>
> >> Going through an undergraduate degree whereby electrotherapy
> >was focused so
> >> much and yet despised by most students(including myself), I
> >am not for or
> >> against electrotherapy. However, I believe (and this is only
> >my opinion)
> >> that unless there is more research for the efficacy of
> >electrotherapy, not
> >> too many future physiotherapists will include it in their
> >treatment regime.
> >>
> >> Henry***
> >>
> >> >From: "Goh Ah Cheng" <[log in to unmask]>
> >> >Reply-To: "Goh Ah Cheng" <[log in to unmask]>
> >> >To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>
> >> >Subject: Fw: EPA and evidence based practice
> >> >Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 18:18:00 +0900
> >> >
> >> >Dear Fellow EPA and PHYSIO Mail-list members,
> >> >
> >> >Below is the reply from Bruce. He has chosen to reply to
> >me directly
> >> >instead of the list, so I am doing him a favour by
> >forwarding it to the
> >> >both
> >> >lists (It must have been an oversight on his part.... perhaps due to
> >> >another
> >> >hard day at work).
> >> >You may want to know that I, Panos and the entire academic
> >community have
> >> >been dismissed by Bruce as unworthy of providing evidence
> >for EPA (or any
> >> >subject for that matter) because WE LEFT THE CLINIC. I am
> >not even going
> >> >to
> >> >respond to this.....
> >> >Secondly, the scientific method has also been denounced as being
> >> >inappropriate for any discussion on evidence based practice
> >(I assume not
> >> >only for EPA, but for our entire base of knowledge!!). Am
> >I missing out on
> >> >something here??
> >> >Thirdly, EPA can be dismissed by all of us from this day
> >henceforth because
> >> >it has been around for the past 50 years and the world was
> >not impressed!!
> >> >I must have missed out when everyone was out there casting
> >their votes.
> >> >Fourthly, God is dead.
> >> >And finally, any discussion that goes contrary to Bruce's
> >point of view is
> >> >immature, incurs opportunity costs and is a waste of
> >taxpayers dollars.
> >> >That is the FINAL WORD, according to Bruce, Chapter 4,
> >Verse Sick (I mean,
> >> >Six).
> >> >Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go look for another God.
> >> >Completey Devastated,
> >> >Cheng
> >> >
> >> >----- Original Message -----
> >> >From: Bruce Gray <[log in to unmask]>
> >> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >> >Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 5:46 PM
> >> >Subject: Re: EPA and evidence based practice
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > > Hi Gohac
> >> > >
> >> > > On this website, I have found the greatest support for
> >electrotherapy
> >> >comes from academics. I have no idea how much clinical
> >experience they draw
> >> >on, or why they left the clinic.
> >> > > These critics, esp yourself and Panos, seem to make a
> >lot of time to
> >> >reply
> >> >with verbose highbrow sarcasm, using one or two papers here
> >and there to
> >> >give your point invincible Truth status.
> >> > > As anyone who has read knows, the scientific method does
> >not deal in
> >> >deduced ultimate truths, instead it induces enough evidence
> >for a consensus
> >> >to be reached by field peers.
> >> > >
> >> > > That electrotherapy has been around for 50 years and not
> >wowed the world
> >> >with its superior healing powers let alone drawn together
> >scientific peer
> >> >consensus is enough for me to burst the bubble on its
> >overinflated cult
> >> >following.
> >> > >
> >> > > Let's face it guys, your God is dead.
> >> > >
> >> > > And please show some maturity by recognising the
> >opportunity costs of
> >> >continuing this argument. Anything I wanted to say has been
> >said. And I
> >> >assume the same for yourselves. Let it rest at that, and
> >get on with doing
> >> >something more productive with tax payers' dollars.
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >_______________________________________________________________________
> >> > >
> >> > > Free Unlimited Internet Access! Try it now!
> >> > > http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/altavista/index.html
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >_______________________________________________________________________
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >_______________________________________________________________
> >__________
> >> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at
> >http://www.hotmail.com.
> >>
> >> Share information about yourself,
> >create your own public profile at
> >> http://profiles.msn.com.
> >
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at
http://profiles.msn.com.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|