Background: Chronic low back pain due to discogenic degeneration is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions worldwide, often associated with functional limitation and reduced quality of life. TECAR therapy is a non-invasive physiotherapeutic modality that induces endogenous thermogenesis and may improve local microcirculation and tissue metabolism. Infrared thermometry provides an objective, non-invasive method for assessing superficial temperature changes as an indirect marker of physiological response to therapy.
Aim: The aim of the present study was to objectify the thermal effects of TECAR therapy in patients with discogenic low back pain using infrared thermometry and to analyze its immediate and short-term thermal dynamics.
Materials and Methods: A prospective, controlled, single-blind clinical study was conducted involving 41 patients (22 women and 19 men) with a mean age of 44.8 ± 6.4 years, suffering from discogenic low back pain, in whom lumbar degeneration was confirmed by imaging methods. Participants were allocated into an experimental group (TECAR therapy) and a control group (placebo TECAR therapy) using a systematic (quasi-randomized) allocation method. Both groups also received standardized kinesitherapy. TECAR treatment was applied at 470 kHz in capacitive and resistive modes for 20 minutes per session over eight sessions. Skin temperature was measured at baseline (T0), immediately after the intervention (T1), and 30 minutes post-treatment (T2) using infrared thermometry under standardized conditions.
Results: At baseline, both groups were homogeneous (35.9 ± 0.146°C vs 35.7 ± 0.171°C). Immediately after the intervention (T1), the experimental group showed a significant increase in skin temperature (37.3°C ± 1.200), while the placebo group remained stable (35.9°C ± 0.160°C). The maximum recorded value reached 39.6°C. At 30 minutes post-treatment (T2), elevated temperatures persisted in the experimental group (37.1°C), indicating a sustained thermal response, whereas no relevant changes were observed in the placebo group.
Conclusion: TECAR therapy induces a significant and sustained increase in skin temperature in patients with discogenic low back pain, as objectively measured by infrared thermometry. The method proved to be a reliable tool for assessing the physiological effects of radiofrequency therapy. These findings support the inclusion of TECAR therapy within conservative treatment approaches for discogenic lumbar pain.
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