Tecar Therapy in Patients With Lumbar Radiculopathy

Summary

Lumbar radiculopathy is a common cause of low back and leg pain, most frequently resulting from lumbar disc herniation and nerve root irritation. Conservative management, including physical therapy modalities and exercise therapy, is generally recommended as first-line treatment for patients without progressive neurological deficits. Tecar therapy (Transfer of Energy Capacitive and Resistive) is a non-invasive electrotherapeutic modality that delivers high-frequency electromagnetic energy to deep tissues and has been proposed to reduce pain, enhance microcirculation, and promote tissue recovery. However, evidence regarding its effectiveness in lumbar radiculopathy remains limited.

The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of Tecar therapy in patients with lumbar radiculopathy and to compare its clinical effects with conventional physical therapy and sham Tecar treatment.

A total of 90 participants with unilateral L5 and/or S1 radiculopathy will be randomized into three groups: (1) conventional physical therapy, (2) Tecar therapy combined with standard physical therapy, and (3) sham Tecar therapy combined with standard physical therapy. All participants will receive standardized postural education and a home exercise program.

The primary outcome will be pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes will include functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index), neuropathic pain characteristics (PainDETECT questionnaire), lumbar mobility (Modified-Modified Schober Test), nerve root irritability (Straight Leg Raise test), rescue analgesic consumption, and exercise adherence. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, post-treatment (week 2), and follow-up visits at weeks 6 and 12.

Conditions

• Lumbar Radiculopathy

Interventions

DEVICE

Tecar Therapy

Tecar therapy (Transfer of Energy Capacitive and Resistive) will be applied using capacitive and resistive modes to the lumbar paraspinal region and gluteal muscles. Energy output will be adjusted to approximately 50-70% of the device capacity to achieve a comfortably warm sensation. Each session will last approximately 25 minutes and will be performed three times per week for two weeks. All applications will be delivered using a hypothermic electrode head.

DEVICE

Sham Tecar Therapy

Sham Tecar therapy will be delivered using the same device, electrode head, treatment duration, and therapist contact as the active Tecar therapy protocol. However, the device will be set to zero intensity output, preventing the delivery of electromagnetic energy or heat. This procedure is designed to mimic the active intervention while providing no therapeutic effect.

PROCEDURE

Conventional Physical Therapy

Conventional physical therapy will include a combination of hot pack, continuous ultrasound therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied to the lumbar region. Treatment sessions will be conducted five times per week for two weeks. Participants will also receive standardized postural education and a home exercise program.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Izmir City Hospital

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Ertan Yilmaz, MD · Izmir City Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-04-15

Primary Completion

2028-04-15

Completion

2028-12-15

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations