By Dr S.Senthilkumar,
Department of hand and General Surgical Physiotherapy,
Saveetha College of physiotherapy,
Thandalam
Pressure sores and wound ulcers are debilitating complication of diabetic patients as well as other patients who met with road traffic accidents. Delay in healing of wounds concerns every patient and affects their normal activities of daily life. Various drug regimens were used to promote wound healing. Iodine, saline and anti bacterial ointments facilitate wound healing. Physiotherapy also plays an important role in promoting wound healing. Low intensity laser therapy, Ultrasound therapy and ionotophoresis indeed help in wound healing.
Laser therapy
Low intensity laser therapy is recently used for the treatment of wounds. Laser accelerates the process of healing of wounds. Laser facilitates wound healing by chemotactic activity, vascular changes and chemical mediators. Laser therapy enhances tissue proliferation and thus facilitates wound healing caused due to burns, pressure sores, diabetic ulcers and pressure sores. Chronic and acute ulcers treated effectively by laser therapy using direct contact or grid method.
Ultrasound therapy
Ultrasound therapy enhances wound healing in all stages of repair. It increases permeability of lysozomes membrane to clear debris from wound area. It also induces calcium ions into the wound causing mobility of fibroblasts to form scars while myofibroblasts contracts wound. Ultrasound therapy also increases the tensile force enhancing strength and elasticity of the fibres. Ultrasound effectively heals pressure sores
Ionotophoresis:
Wound healing also promoted by using the principles of ionotophoresis. Zinc oxide is used in ulcers to enhance the healing of wound.
