Background: Chronic low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability among musculoskeletal disorders worldwide. Degenerative disc disease is clinically characterized by local and radicular pain, increased tone of the paravertebral muscles, reduced range of motion, muscle weakness, and various neurological symptoms. The application of TECAR therapy and active kinesiotherapy is associated with a reduction in pain, improvement in range of motion, and a beneficial effect on tissue regeneration and patients’ quality of life.
Aim: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of the combined application of capacitive-resistive electric transfer therapy (TECAR) and kinesiotherapy on the range of motion in the lumbar spine and the tone of the paravertebral muscles in patients with chronic discogenic low back pain.
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, presenting with low back pain, in whom imaging confirmed degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. Participants were allocated to two groups: an experimental group (n = 20) and a placebo group (n = 21). The experimental group received eight sessions of TECAR therapy administered every other day, while the placebo group underwent a simulated (sham) intervention. In both groups, daily kinesiotherapy was applied. Active range of motion, the Thomayer test, and muscle tone were assessed at four time points (T0–T3): at baseline, immediately after the therapeutic course, and at the 4th and 8th weeks of follow-up. Independent samples t-test and descriptive statistics were used, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.
Results: No significant differences were observed between the groups at baseline. After the intervention, the experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in range of motion across all assessed movements (p < 0.01), with the effect being maintained during follow-up (T2–T3). In the placebo group, only limited and inconsistent improvement was observed. Regarding the Thomayer test, no significant between-group differences were found. Muscle tone improved significantly in the experimental group (p ≤ 0.024), with normalization of muscle tone and absence of muscle spasms, in contrast to the control group.
Conclusion: The combined application of TECAR therapy and kinesiotherapy leads to significant and sustained improvement in lumbar mobility and muscle tone in patients with chronic discogenic low back pain. The obtained results support the application of this multimodal approach in clinical practice.
Nicol V, Verdaguer C, Daste C, Bisseriex H, Lapeyre É, Lefèvre‑Colau MM, et al. Chronic low back pain: a narrative review of recent international guidelines for diagnosis and conservative treatment. J Clin Med. 2023 Feb 20;12(4):1685. doi:10.3390/jcm12041685.
Fatoye F, Gebrye T, Ryan CG, Useh U, Mbada C. Global and regional estimates of clinical and economic burden of low back pain in high‑income countries: a systematic review and meta‑analysis. Front Public Health. 2023 Jun 9;11:1098100. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1098100.
Sąsiadek M, Jacków‑Nowicka J. Degenerative disease of the spine: how to relate clinical symptoms to radiological findings. Adv Clin Exp Med. 2024;33(1):91‑8. doi:10.17219/acem/163357.
Giordan E, Drago G, Zanata R, Marton E, Verme JD. The correlation between paraspinal muscular morphology, spinopelvic parameters, and back pain: a comparative cohort study. Int J Spine Surg. 2023 Oct;17(5):627‑37. doi:10.14444/8531.
Seyedhoseinpoor T, Taghipour M, Dadgoo M, Sanjari MA, Takamjani IE, Kazemnejad A, et al. Alteration of lumbar muscle morphology and composition in relation to low back pain: a systematic review and meta‑analysis. Spine J. 2022 Apr;22(4):660‑76. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2021.10.018.
Nasir MH, Hedayati R, Asadi MR, Nazar FP. Effect of Tecar therapy on pain and functional disability in patients with chronic non‑specific low back pain. Avicenna J Clin Med. 2025;31(4):237‑44. doi:10.32592/ajcm.31.4.237.
Notarnicola A, Maccagnano G, Gallone MF, Covelli I, Tafuri S, Moretti B. Short‑term efficacy of capacitive‑resistive diathermy therapy in patients with low back pain: a prospective randomized controlled trial. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2017;31(2):509‑15.
Ribeiro S, Henriques B, Cardoso R. The effectiveness of Tecar therapy in musculoskeletal disorders. Int J Public Health Syst. 2018;3(5):77‑83.
Hayden JA, Ellis J, Ogilvie R, Malmivaara A, van Tulder MW. Exercise therapy for chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Sep 28;9(9):CD009790. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009790.pub2.
Larivière C, Rabhi K, Preuss R, Coutu MF, Roy N, Henry SM. Derivation of clinical prediction rules for identifying patients with non‑acute low back pain who respond best to a lumbar stabilization exercise program at post‑treatment and six‑month follow‑up. PLoS One. 2022 Apr 27;17(4):e0265970. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0265970.
Silişteanu SC, Antonescu E, Duică L, Totan M, Cucu AI, Costea AI. Lumbar paravertebral muscle pain management using kinesitherapy and electrotherapeutic modalities. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(8):853. doi:10.3390/healthcare12080853.
Avramova M. Specialized kinesitherapy program for core stabilization and low back pain in women sports. J Phys Educ Sport. 2021;21(5):2543‑50. doi:10.7752/jpes.2021.05341.
Wachi M, Jiroumaru T, Satonaka A, Ikeya M, Noguchi S, Suzuki M, et al. Effects of capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy on pain and lumbar muscle stiffness and activity in patients with chronic low back pain. J Phys Ther Sci. 2022 May;34(5):400‑3. doi:10.1589/jpts.34.400.
Coccetta CA, Sale P, Ferrara PE, Specchia A, Maccauro G, Ferriero G, et al. Effects of capacitive and resistive electric transfer therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. Int J Rehabil Res. 2019 Jun;42(2):106‑11. doi:10.1097/MRR.0000000000000324.
Navarro‑Ledesma S, Gonzalez‑Muñoz A. Short‑term effects of 448‑kilohertz radiofrequency stimulation on supraspinatus tendon elasticity measured by quantitative ultrasound elastography in professional badminton players: a double‑blinded randomized clinical trial. Int J Hyperthermia. 2021;38(1):421‑7. doi:10.1080/02656736.2021.1896790.
Bendíková E, Palascakova SI, Tomkova S, Vagner J. Effects of an exercise program on the dynamic function of the spine in female students in secondary school. J Phys Educ Sport. 2018;18(2):831‑9. doi:10.7752/jpes.2018.s174.
Feller D, van den Berg R, Enthoven WTM, et al. The association of limited or painful spinal range of motion with lumbar disc degeneration: the Back Complaints in Older Adults (BACE) study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024;25:917. doi:10.1186/s12891‑024‑07994‑x.
Matheve T, Hodges P, Danneels L. The role of back muscle dysfunctions in chronic low back pain: state‑of‑the‑art and clinical implications. J Clin Med. 2023;12(17):5510. doi:10.3390/jcm12175510.
Patel HD, Uppin RB, Naidu AR, et al. Efficacy and safety of combination of NSAIDs and muscle relaxants in the management of acute low back pain. Pain Ther. 2019;8:121‑32. doi:10.1007/s40122‑019‑0112‑6.
