In terms of tetanic contractions, which current is indicated as producing this effect?

• A. Low Frequency Current
• B. High Frequency Current
• C. Both
• D. Neither

Answer: (A)

Tetanic contraction happens when the muscle is stimulated enough times in succession that the individual twitches fuse into one sustained contraction. In electrotherapy, this fusion depends on the specific waveform: the combination of frequency and pulse duration determines whether the muscle reaches a smooth, sustained contraction. The setup described uses a low frequency current in a way that, with its pulse duration and amplitude, produces that merged, continuous contraction. High frequency stimulation can also yield a continuous contraction in other contexts, but the scenario here is defined by the low frequency approach, which is why it’s indicated for producing tetany.