jUNIE 1977 F I S I O T E R A P I E  11

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS A B S T R A C T S

South A frican Society of Physiotherapy

Obstetric Association:
Secretary: Mrs. B. Kastell,

11 Bath Avenue,
Parkwood,
Johannesburg,
2193.
Tel.: 42-7410.

Manipulative Therapists G roup:
Secretary: Miss C. de Smidt,

Erin V illa,
5 Lower Trill Road,
Observatory,
7925.

%
S.A. Neurodevelopmental Therapy Association:
'Secretary: Mrs. L. Freeling,

P.O. Box 792,
Krugersdorp,
1740.

Hospital G roup:
Secretary: Miss Pat Bowerbank,

605 Tivoli Flats,
9th Avenue,
W onderboom  South,
Pretoria,
0084.

Private Practitioners’ Association:
Secretary: Mrs. A . Miot,

P.O . Box 6681,
Johannesburg.
Phone 784-3328.

Lecturers G roup:
Secretary: Miss S. Irwin-Carruthers, 

Physiotherapy Department,
P.O. Box 63,
Tygerberg,
7505.

(continued from page 10)— Influence on the effectiveness 
of coughing:

References
7. Mead, J. (1967): Significance of the relationship be­

tween lung recoil and m axim um  expiratory flow, 
J. Appl. Physiol., 22 (1), 95-108.

8. D on, H . F., W ahba, W . M ., Craig, D . B. (1972): 
Airway closure, gas trapping and the Functional 
Residual Capacity during Anaesthesia, Anesthesi­
ology, 36, 6, 533.

9. Gaskell, D . V ., Webber, B. A. (1973): The Brom pton 
Hospital G uide to Chest Physiotherapy, 2nd. ed., 
Great Britain, Blackwell Scientific Publications, pp.
10, 60.

•0. Cash, Joan E. (1975): Chest, Heart and Vascular 
disorders for Physiotherapists, London, Faber and 
Faber, pp. 90, 198.

>1. Articles for the S A M J (1975): S. A fr. M e d . J., 49, 
2099.

G a ult, W . R . & Gatens, P. F.: Use of Lo w  Intensity 
Direct Current in M anagem ent of Ischem ic Skin 
Ulcers. Physical Therapy 56 (3): 265-269, M arch
1976.

A  clinical investigation of the use of low  intensity 
direct current (L1DC) in treating ischemic skin ulcers 
was conducted at the University o f Missouri. The pur­
pose of the study was to evaluate the effect of L ID C  
on altering the healing rate of ischemic skin ulcers. One 
hundred ulcers were treated with L ID C . Six of the 
patients had bilateral symmetrical ulcers which provided 
the control group. The six control ulcers were managed 
exactly the same as their counterpart except that L I D C  
was omitted. The mean healing ratio of the control 
ulcers was 14,7 per cent per week compared to 30 
per cent per week of the treated counterpart. The mean 
healing rate of the 100 ischemic skin ulcers treated w ith 
L ID C  was 28,4 per cent per week. The data indicated 
that ischemic skin ulcers treated with the current re­
sponded with a healing rate approximately twice as fast 
as those ulcers that did not receive L ID C  treatment. 
The authors concluded that the use o f L ID C  added an 
effective modality to the arm am entarium  of the physical 
therapist for the treatment of ischemic skin ulcers.

A uthors’ Summary.

Weisberg, J.: Influence of icing and brushing on the 
Achilles’ tendon reflex in adult hu m a n  subjects. 
Physiotherapy Canada 28 (1): 21-23, M a rc h  1976.

The technique of icing and brushing the skin overlying 
a muscle group, as originally developed by Margaret 
Rood, was used over the gastrocnemius in this study, 
to determine whether an alteration in amplitude o f the 
Archilles’ tendon reflex is produced.

Two groups of healthy adult hum an subjects aged 
between 14 and 40 years —  an experimental group (16 
subjects) and a control group (15 subjects) —  were 
tested. Both legs of each subject in the test group were 
stimulated, after one side was “ treated” for 20-25 
seconds with brushing and then for 5-10 seconds with 
icing. The subsequent foot displacement was measured 
with a photoelectric device, and the am plitude of the 
free Achilles’ tendon reflex was recorded on an electro­
cardiogram.

The results of the study showed a mean increase 
in amplitude of the Achilles’ tendon reflex of 40% on 
the “ treated” side (10% on the “ untreated” side) in the 
experimental group. The author therefore concludes that 
icing and brushing over the muscle does bias the muscle 
spindle, enhancing muscular contraction.

J.M .

Z im nicki, B. A . & Fernie, G . R .: Biofeedback and the 
lower extremity amputee: a new training aid. Physio­
therapy Canada 28 (2): 79-82, M a y  1976.

A  simple biofeedback device has been developed to 
aid in the prosthetic training of above-knee geriatric 
amputees. It consists of a switch which when attached 
to the prosthetic knee joint causes a buzzer to sound 
whenever the joint is not fully extended. A  training 
protocol has been devised and has been used with success 
on nine patients who had difficulty in learning. The 
biofeedback trainer both focuses the attention of the 
patient on knee control and provides a more immediate 
and simple signal of errors than can be provided by a 
therapist. This system can be used by the patient in the 
absence of the therapist thus m aking better use of his 
hospital stay.

A uthors’ Summary.

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