Understanding Electric, Magnetic, Kinetic Principles for Improved Quality of Life - Research Paper

Introduction

The study of electric, magnetic, and kinetic principles improves an understanding of how their working principles can be applied to enhance the quality of life. The study of these concepts unlocks secrets to discoveries that can be used to explain how systems in our everyday life works. Kinetics, besides its magnetic and electric phenomena, have a broad spectrum of applications in the field of sports medicine. In this regard, magnetism is the basis of magnetotherapy, which uses pulsing magnetic fields in the treatment of joint injuries. Electric principles, on the other hand, are applied in electrotherapy for muscle relaxation purposes. Kinetic concepts such as kinematics are also crucial in analyzing human motion during physical exercises and how to alleviate the pain that results from joint dislocations. Magnetic, kinetic, and electric concepts, therefore, are essential in the field of sports medicine since it is the basis of magnetic therapy, electrotherapy, and phototherapy treatment of injuries.

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Magnetic Therapy and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetism is a physical phenomenon that describes repulsive and attractive forces that arise from electrically-charged particles in motion. The principles of magnetism have been applied in the field of physical therapy to treat injuries and alleviate chronic pain. Arguably, pain associated with joint dislocation is an inevitable result of sports participation. Some physical activities such as gymnastics and football, have catastrophic injuries. However, tissue injuries from sports are of different levels and thus can be micro-traumatic or macro-traumatic.

Magnetic therapy is one of the most important applications of magnetism in sports medicine. This technology generates electromagnetic energy from pulses of magnetic fields to relive pain in musculoskeletal tissues. In this regard, magnetic fields of varying strengths are placed around injured tissues to relieve pain and most importantly, to treat diseases. This technology is common in athlete rehabilitation centers. In most instances, the frequency of magnetic fields used in magnetic therapy is between 10-20Hz, but should not exceed 50 Hz (Putowski et al., 2016). Also, the strengths of its magnetic induction ought to exceed the induction of the Earth's field, which is often between 0.1 MT to 20 MT (Putowski et al., 2016).

Magnetic therapy uses varying strengths of electric fields and thus can alleviate the pain that results from macro-traumatic and micro-traumatic injuries. This health technology is useful in the treatment of injuries associated with tissue damage. Research indicates that magnetic therapy is effective in the treatment of chronic injuries related to overusing body tissues and structures such as tendon, ligament, joints, and muscles (Putowski et al., 2016). In most instances, the injuries of this nature are common in sporting events such as rowing, cycling, and swimming. Sports rehabilitation organizations use magnetic therapy to restore dislocated joints that result from strong forces such as collision, laceration, accidents, and falls.

Another application of magnetic phenomena is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This health technology creates a strong magnetic field that can be used to generate images of an individual's body organs after rigorous physical exercise. Also, MIR can be used to screen an individual's body before participating in important physical activities. It enables physical therapists to identify fractures in body tissues and how a person will likely respond to treatment. Notably, MRI uses the concept of "charged particles in motion" and the principle of the "directional magnetic field." These health technologies, therefore, indicate that magnetic concepts have essential applications in sports medicine.

Electrotherapy/Electro-Muscle Stimulation

Rehabilitation and physical therapy organizations use electro-muscle stimulation (EMS) to improve muscle tonus. Electro-muscle stimulation, in this regard, use electric charges to improve muscle mass among individuals participating in physical exercises. Notably, professional athletes undergo EMS during their training sessions to stimulate specific groups of muscles. Hence, electro-muscle stimulation is used as a form of physical therapy since it can strengthen muscles and their efficiency. EMS, according to Pavlovic, Trkulja-Petkovic, and Dragutinovic (2016), is used as an additional part of the conventional training in sports and fitness since it improves persons' aesthetic appearance. The process of electric stimulation uses the working principles of electric currents. Precisely, electrodes transmit electrical impulses, which originate from the brain. During active training, the brain sends commands that trigger desired muscle contraction.

EMS uses electric principles to achieve different levels of muscle contraction. EMS health technology stimulates electrical pulses of different types to increase the stamina of muscles, and their efficiency through contraction and relaxation. From a sports perspective, EMS increases the effects of training programs and hence improves a person's performance. Electric muscle stimulators use the principle of electric transmission. This device is used to transmit brief electrical impulses through electrodes placed on muscle tissues. In this way, the electric impulses transmitted through the electrodes help individuals to re-strengthen injured tissues and body parts. Also, these devices are used to stimulate endorphin and analgesic effects on body tissues.

Electro-muscle stimulation is an effective mechanism in relieving pain and improving performance during physical exercises. Muscle stimulation devices, in particular, have analgesic properties which are essential in pain treatment (Petrofsky, 2004). Its effects on body tissues also trigger vascularization and for this reason, promote the growth of new blood vessels.

Phototherapy

Phototherapy is a form of sports medicine that involves the use of electromagnetic radiations in the treatment of ailments. It uses both ultraviolet (invisible light spectrum) and infrared (visible light spectrum) of different wavelengths to reduce muscle tension. Infrared radiation, specifically, uses the working principles of electromagnetic radiation and kinetic energy to treat disses in the locomotor system. It has a wavelength ranging from 750nm-100um (Putowski et al., 2016). The therapeutic effects of infrared radiation results from local hyperemia processes, which are essential in reducing muscle tension during physical exercises.

Electromagnetic radiations stimulate heating impacts that can reduce the rate of muscle tension during rigorous physical exercises. Since the effects of infrared electromagnetic radiations increase endorphin secretion, it accelerates metabolism and immunological reactions. Also, it controls muscle tension since it regulates the activities of the autonomic nervous system.

The most common generators of electromagnetic radiations used in sport and fitness programs are Sollux lamps. Such radiations are useful in the treatment of injuries, bacterial inflammations, chronic inflammation of soft tissues, and chronic arthritis. Also, light generators are used in the treatment of pain syndromes and neuralgia. Ultraviolet radiation is the most common technology that is used for diagnosis and prevention of athletic injuries. As such, it is helpful in the treatment of periarticular inflammation and muscle pain during fitness exercises.

Electric Polarization and the Concept of Kinetic Chains

Another component of kinetics used in the electromagnetic treatment of injuries is polarized light or electric field. It is a form of electromagnetic waves that oscillate in parallel planes, unlike sunlight. Research indicates that exposure to polarized light increases a person's biological activities (Karandikar & Vargas, 2011). Also, it can stimulate the human immune system and thus has a self-healing effect on injured tissues. This healing effect is important in the field of sports medicine since it helps athletes to recover from physical injuries that may occur during rigorous physical exercises. The self-healing effect of polarized light according to Karandikar and Vargas (2011), has been applied in fields such as traumatology and rheumatology. The other areas are cosmetology, plastic surgery, sports medicine, neurology, and dermatology.

The concept of kinetic chains is the basis of analyzing human motion and how segments and joints influence one another during movement. The principles of kinetic chains have been applied to improve the performance by altering the arrangement of segments and chains. Thus, it is used to optimize performance during fitness programs besides to minimize the chances of injuries during physical exercises. The principle of the kinetic chain, according to Karandikar and Vargas (2011), has clinical applications that athletes can use to improve their performance.

Conclusion

The principles of kinetics, besides its magnetic and electric phenomena, have a wide spectrum of applications in sports medicine and physical therapy. Kinetics describes the relationship between objects in motion and their causes. The main applications of magnetic and electric phenomena in physical therapy and sports medicine are electrotherapies, magnetic field treatment or magnetic therapy and phototherapy. The other areas are phototherapy and polarized right, which is used to alleviate pain on damaged tissues. Electrotherapy stimulates muscle contraction and thus is essential in reducing joint injuries. The applications of kinetics and its electromagnetic effects, therefore, are important in the rehabilitation of patients to their optimum conditions after physical exercise.

References

Karandikar, N., & Vargas, O. O. (2011). Kinetic Chains: A Review of the Concept and Its Clinical Applications. PM&R, 3(8), 739-745. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.02.021

Pavlovic, R., Trkulja-Petkovic, D., & Dragutinovic, S. (2016). Electro-muscle stimulation-the application in practice. ACTA KINESIOLOGICA-International Scientific Journal on Kinesiology, 10 Suppl, 1, 49-55. Retrieved 1 October 2019, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311650708/url/

Petrofsky, J. S. (2004). Electrical stimulation: neurophysiological basis and application. Basic Appl Mylo, 14(4), 205-213. Retrieved 1 October 2019, from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9c95/d10588389f547a38399a535091afb1685f57.pdf/url/

Putowski, M., Pirog, M., Podgorniak, M., Padala, O., Sadowska, M., Bazylevycz, A., & Wdowiak, A. (2016). The use of electromagnetic radiation in the physiotherapy. EJMT, 2, 11. DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9406(05)60689-x