Effects of TECAR Therapy in Lipedema Management

Ankara City Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Lipedema

Treatments: Other: Exercise; Other: compression; Device: TECAR therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07088315

TABED 1-24-324

Details and patient eligibility

About

The physicians wanted to show the efficacy of a physical therapy device, Transfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy, in women with lipedema which is an abnormal fat buildup on both sides of lower body. They focused on lower limb circumference, pain, functional capacity, and quality of life.

Full description

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Transfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy in women with Stage 2 lipedema, focusing on limb circumference, pain, functional status, and quality of life.

A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 female patients diagnosed with Stage 2 lipedema. Participants were randomized to a TECAR therapy group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). Both groups received compression garments and a structured exercise program; the TECAR group additionally underwent six TECAR sessions over three weeks. Outcomes included lower limb circumference, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), and Lymphedema Quality of Life Questionnaire-Leg (LYMQOL-Leg), assessed at baseline and at one and three months post-treatment.

TECAR therapy resulted in greater reductions in lower limb circumference compared to standard care, with sustained improvement in the supramalleolar region at three months (p<0.05). A significant short-term reduction in pain was observed at one month (p = 0.003) only in the TECAR group, but this effect was not maintained at three months (p > 0.05). Functional scores trended toward improvement without reaching significance (p=0.058). The overall quality of life score improved significantly in the TECAR group (p=0.002), although individual LYMQOL subdomains including function, appearance, mood, or symptoms did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05).

As an adjunct to standard care, TECAR therapy appears to reduce pain and limb volume and enhance overall quality of life in Stage 2 lipedema. Further long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Female patients aged 18 to 60 years
• Clinical diagnosis of Stage 2 lipedema (types 1-3)
• Body mass index (BMI) which is less than 35

Exclusion criteria

• Deterioration in general condition,
• Presence of open wounds or sensory deficits in the area of application,
• Active infections,
• Malignancy,
• Autoimmune or systemic inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus),
• Severe cognitive impairment,
• Uncontrolled chronic systemic disease,
• History of physiotherapy or regular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use within the last six months
• Concomitant lymphedema or venous insufficiency.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

The control group receiving exercise and compression

Active Comparator group

Description:

All participants were provided with individually fitted compression garments (either pantyhose-type or thigh-high models, in class I \[18-21 mmHg\] or class II \[23-32mmHg\] depending on symptom severity and tolerance), and were instructed to wear them during waking hours for a minimum of 8 hours per day. Adherence to garment usage was monitored through patient diaries and reinforced at follow-up visits. Additionally, all patients were advised to engage in a structured walking program, consisting of moderate-intensity walking (perceived exertion level 11-13 on the Borg scale), for at least 20 minutes per session, three times per week.

Treatment:

Other: compression

Other: Exercise

The treatment group receiving exercise and compression plus TECAR Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

TECAR therapy was applied to the lower limbs of patients diagnosed with lipedema using the BTL-6000 TR-Therapy PRO device (BTL, Turkiye). All treatment sessions were performed by a physiotherapist with specific experience in TECAR therapy. The device operated at a frequency of approximately 500 kHz and employed three types of electrodes: active, neutral, and static application electrodes. Two types of active electrodes -capacitive and resistive- were utilized and applied directly to the treatment area. The neutral electrode, serving as a reference point, was placed in proximity to the target region to ensure effective energy transfer.

Treatment:

Device: TECAR therapy

Other: compression

Other: Exercise