MAGNETO-THERAPY IN PHYSIOTHERAPY UNITS: INTRODUCTION OF QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURE DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE

Rehabilitation practice for many patients consisting of a combined use of magneto therapy resulting emission of low frequency magnetic fields to the patient, elicit concerns about occupational exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) for the operators. The time extended use of the device periodically leads to mechanical failures or troubleshooting of the machine which, in most cases, are not perceived by the operator of the device. All device's efficient functionality have a major impact on the completion of the treatment procedure in a large percentage of specific clinical conditions. If the device's operating condition is technically out of order or in a mode of over-activity, operators are mainly seeking solutions by reviewing the clinical case of the patient. This eliminates their contribution during the primary therapeutic plan or increases the treatment sessions. In this work, an extended survey is presented including 75 physiotherapy centres concerning usability and maintenance issues of magneto therapy devices throughout Greek territory combined with extended measurements of Electromagnetic Radiation in the unit room were performed. Physiotherapists' perceptions revealed lack of technical support, maintenance and safe use of magneto therapy devices that extract auxiliary observations upon their clinical practice routines. Additionally safety measurements have not revealed field strengths over International Reference Levels which could result health risks for users and coexisting patients. The pilot survey that conducted in Attica and Western Greece confirms that magnetic fields strength that are measured are in accordance with the statutory legislation but will, at the same time, revealed lack of maintenance of the devices. Deficiency in topics such as proper equipment function will necessitate the creation of quality safety protocols, concerning the use of magneto-therapy, with the main aim the improvement of treatment procedures for the higher performance of therapeutic rehabilitation services to patients. Finally in this work, the proposal of a QC protocol for magnetotherapy devices is proposed for evaluation.