As the duty cycle approaches 100%, what happens to the thermal effect?

As the duty cycle approaches 100%, what happens to the thermal effect?

• A. More thermal
• B. Less thermal
• C. No change
• D. Variable

Answer: (A)

In electrical stimulation, the duty cycle defines how long the current is on compared with the total cycle time. The heating (thermal) effect depends on how much energy is delivered to the tissue over time. When the duty cycle gets closer to 100%, the stimulus is on almost continuously and there’s very little off-time for cooling. That means more energy is deposited into the tissue and heat accumulates, leading to a greater thermal effect. So as the duty cycle approaches 100%, the thermal effect increases. Keep an eye on skin warmth and redness to prevent overheating, and use shorter on-times or more off-time as needed to manage temperature.

In electrical stimulation, the duty cycle defines how long the current is on compared with the total cycle time. The heating (thermal) effect depends on how much energy is delivered to the tissue over time. When the duty cycle gets closer to 100%, the stimulus is on almost continuously and there’s very little off-time for cooling. That means more energy is deposited into the tissue and heat accumulates, leading to a greater thermal effect. So as the duty cycle approaches 100%, the thermal effect increases. Keep an eye on skin warmth and redness to prevent overheating, and use shorter on-times or more off-time as needed to manage temperature.