DEEP OSCILLATION® enhances post operative healing process after foot surgery involving screws into bone

'I used the DEEP OSCILLATION® Personal Sports home unit as part of my recovery from foot surgery. I had three screws placed in my midfoot to fuse the joint surfaces that had become arthritic after an old ligament rupture was missed at A&E over a decade ago...

Read on Press Release Point 02.08.2016

Jo Katy Welch

Photographer, Artist and Mother

The DEEP OSCILLATION® Personal SPORTS for use by Clinician and/or Patient For Self-Management 

Applicable over metal plates and screws

"The area was very sensitive to touch as you can imagine after surgery involving screws into bone and I used the machine at the time when I was transitioning from an aircast boot and crutches to trainers and crutches. My consultant and NHS Physio were happy for me to try the treatment to help symptoms of swelling, bruising and pain, also blood, lymph vessel and nerve regeneration because the surgery incision and work on the bone had traumatised my foot significantly.

I used the pins and plates programme as directed by Julie and it felt very soothing over the area. It helped with swelling and pain reduction and brought more mobility back into the foot at the end of each treatment. It felt like it was helping my body to deal with the trauma of the surgery and it also improved my scar appearance.

As I understand it works by creating a low frequency intermittent electrostatic field between the applicator I used and the tissue layers in my foot down to an 8cm depth.  It's like a deep massage without any hard surface pressure, making it a pain free treatment which is what I needed. It was affective in reducing my pain and decreasing healing time.

After a treatment I could see visible change in terms of the scar looking less angry and more integrated with the skin. I noticed less swelling and redness in the skin around the surgery area. I was able to stretch, stand and attempt to walk with less stiffness using the foot. I felt like the therapy gave me the opportunity for fast track healing by stimulating my body’s own resources. I have recommended the therapy to others."

DEEP OSCILLATION® - how is it best described?

DEEP OSCILLATION® is a patented electromechanical therapeutic procedure using resonant vibration of the tissue with DEEP OSCILLATION® equipment from Physiomed, Germany. A special design makes it possible, using electrostatic attraction and friction, "to produce mechanical vibrations in treated tissues of the body, not only at the skin on the surface but also in deeper tissues" (Brenke and Siems 1996). Schönfelder and Berg (1991) refer to a "penetrating vibration and pumping effect deep into the tissue". The frequency can be varied in the range from 5-250 Hz. The treatment applicator/therapists vinyl gloved hands and the patient are connected to the equipment (voltage source). A vinyl film between the applicator, and/or vinyl gloves and the patient functions as a dielectric. This results in a weakly conducting capacitative layer between the contact surfaces. In action, pulsed electrostatic attractions draw the tissue to the applicator/gloved hand and release it at the rhythm of the chosen frequency. The therapist sets the pressure gradient, speed and direction of the movements. The patient can treat himself if appropriate. The treatment procedure is characterised by minimal external mechanical effects, which allows it to be used in cases of acute pain, fresh injuries and in the treatment of wounds. Numerous pilot studies have demonstrated pain reduction, minimisation of oedema and anti-fibrotic effects. It is commonly used for the treatment of Lymphoedema (Jahr, S., Schoppe, B. and Reißhauer A. (2008) Effect of treatment with low intensity and extremely low frequency electrostatic fields (Deep Oscillation®) on breast tissue and pain in patients with secondary breast lymphoedema. J. Rehabil. Med. 40, 645-650).  

The DEEP OSCILLATION® 200 system, above all, has effects on the micro-circulation of the interstitial connective tissue. Treatment results in a normalisation of the steady state, i.e. of the permanent fluid flow between the tissue surrounding the cells and the lymph and blood vessels. In this manner, pain can be diminished and the circulus sanus be restarted or else accelerated.

Ecographic Imaging Evidence:

1       DEEP OSCILLATION® is shown by ecographic image recording to permeate an 8cm depth. Source: “Value of DEEP OSCILLATION therapy in the healing of AB burns” Authors: MSc. Dra. Solangel Hernández Tápanes1, Lic. Addiel Suárez 2, Dra. Tania Bravo Acosta 3, Lic. Rafael Wilson Rojas 2, MSc. Dra. Beatriz Fernández Prieto 4, Dra. Miriela Cabrera Morales 5 (Cuban Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation RNPS 2244-FOLIO 148 – ISSN 2078-7162 2010).

2       A Video Report http://www.physiopod.co.uk/deep-oscillation-effect-in-tissues-recorded-by-ultrasound-imaging.shtml from Dr. MSc. Luis Felipe Medina C. Lic states that as the electrostatic pulses cause static friction, the elasticity of CONNECTIVE TISSUE reacts to this mechanism, and alternating tensing and/or deep "pumping" is produced. The "Pumping" effect causes the lymphatic drainage”

Full studies at: http://www.physiopod.co.uk/references.shtml