Tecar Therapy in Lumbar Disc Herniation (LDH-TECAR)

Şebnem Nur Alkan

Status: Completed

Conditions: Exercise Training; Lumbal Disc Herniation; Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer Therapy

Treatments: Behavioral: Lumbal Stabilization Exercise Program; Device: High-Frequency Capacitive-Resistive Diathermic Current Therapy (TECAR)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07082660

ETTBI-LDH-2023-01

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of Tecar therapy on pain intensity and functional status in patients with lumbar disc herniation. The intervention group received Tecar therapy combined with conventional physiotherapy, while the control group received only conventional physiotherapy. Outcome measures include pain intensity, lumbar mobility, and functional disability. The study aims to determine whether Tecar therapy provides additional benefits compared to standard care in the early rehabilitation of individuals with lumbar disc herniation.

Full description

Background Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that can significantly impair quality of life due to pain and functional limitations. Rehabilitation strategies often include lumbar stabilization exercises, and adjunct electrotherapies such as capacitive-resistive diathermy (TECAR) have gained interest for their potential therapeutic effects.

Purpose This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of adding high-frequency capacitive-resistive diathermic current (TECAR) therapy to lumbar stabilization exercises, compared to lumbar stabilization exercises alone, on pain intensity, functional status, and lumbar range of motion in individuals with chronic LDH.

Methods

Thirty participants with chronic LDH (duration >6 months) and no neurological deficits will be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups:

TECAR + Exercise Group (TEG, n=15): Participants will receive 12 sessions of TECAR therapy (20 minutes, 3 sessions per week) in combination with lumbar stabilization exercises over 4 weeks.

Exercise Group (EG, n=15): Participants will receive only lumbar stabilization exercises with the same frequency and duration.

Outcome measures will include:

Pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale - VAS)

Functional status (Oswestry Disability Index - ODI)

Lumbar range of motion (goniometry)

All evaluations will be performed pre- and post-intervention by a physiotherapist who is blinded to group allocation.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged 20-60 years
• diagnosed with low back pain
• pain localized between L1 and L5
• having low back pain lasting for more than 3 months [24].

Exclusion criteria

• having sensory disturbances
• muscle weakness, or reflex loss identified during motor, sensory, or reflex examinations
• history of prior lumbal spine surgery or vertebral fractures
• presence of electronic medical devices such as pacemakers or other implants contraindicated for electrical stimulation or high-frequency diathermy therapy
• patients officially registered as disabled or receiving social benefits due to low back pain, severe osteoporosis, osteomalacia, malignancy, infectious diseases, or systemic musculoskeletal or rheumatological disorders,
• pregnancy,
• cardiovascular conditions preventing exercise, or viscerogenic causes of low back pain

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

TECAR Therapy Combined with Lumbal Stabilization Exercises

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group will receive high-frequency capacitive-resistive diathermic current (TECAR) therapy (20 minutes per session, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks) in addition to a lumbal stabilization exercise program (12 sessions total).

Treatment:

Device: High-Frequency Capacitive-Resistive Diathermic Current Therapy (TECAR)

Lumbal Stabilization Exercises Only

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this group will receive only the lumbal stabilization exercise program, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total), with no TECAR therapy applied.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Lumbal Stabilization Exercise Program