Ok, let's leave the "evidence-base" behind because i think we agree that the research is all over the place on the subject - there is no clear, strong support for or against.

However, you have mentioned clinical experience.

From my clinical experience, I find that ice is useful for acute injuries but rather than keep my patient in my clinic to get ice, i either send them home to do it or sell them an ice-pack then send them home to do it.

I find that heat is the same. Fine for pain relief but they can do this at home. There is nothing special about hot packs that a "professional" such as a physio needs to bring a client in to do this.

Interferential. I very rarely use this as i have found that it doesn't make a scrap of difference to my patients if i do use it or if i don't. I tend to use it, ashamedly, when i am running late and i need to "buy time" and treat a couple at the same time.

U/S. I like it for heat and in the very early stages of injuries. I am willing to admit that i use it more because once i do what i need to do to a patient, it might only take 5 mins. I have this feeling that they might want more of "something" but they are painfree with full ROM after treatment so i give them U/S and have a chat. I can't recall a case where i felt that it was the U/S that solved a problem.

TENS. Selling a patient one of these (or renting it to them) is akin to me saying that "I can't help your chronic intractable pain". It is effective in blocking pain just as a paracetamol tablet is. The problem is still there after you stop using it.

That is what I think and how i use electro. In summary, I use U/S, all the others are very sporadic. My main treatments are very specific manual therapy techniques and exercise prescription.

How do other people use electro and why?