Physical agents

Physical Agents In Physical Therapy, may also be referred to as modalities . Often used in conjunction with other manual therapies such as exercises and stretching.

Indication for Use

Each Physical Agent or Modality has a different use in therapy, depending on the goal of the Physical Therapist (PT) as well as the known benefits and side effects of each tool. In some cases only the Physical Therapist and their Licensed (Under FSBPT in the United States of America) Assistants (Physical Therapy Assistant or PTA) may use these tools. There are some modalities that can be used by the patient/client on themselves with instruction and training such as superficial heating agents or hot packs. However the Modalities or Physical Agents often have a certain setting or prescribed conditions such as specific temperature, material used, duration of application and positioning that make affect the efficacy or even safety of home use, thus the need for instruction prior to use.