Tecar therapy is confirmed as one of the best-known techniques in the world of physiotherapy and rehabilitative medicine, an electro-medical treatment.
What is it about?
Tecar therapy (Capacitive-Resistive Energy Transfer) is a non-invasive electro-medical treatment that does not introduce drugs or energy from outside. The machine used ensures that it is the body itself that produces the necessary effect for analgesic and anti-inflammatory purposes.
During the treatment, electromagnetic waves are used, generated between the handpiece used by the physiotherapist and the steel plate placed on the patient’s body, obtaining different effects based on its physical and electrical characteristics. Each treatment is therefore based on stimulating the body’s natural recovery abilities.
Tecar therapy allows faster recovery from trauma and inflammatory pathologies, enabling pain reduction or elimination and treating musculoskeletal disorders.
What are the working modes?
There are two working modes of Tecar therapy: capacitive mode and resistive mode, using two types of electrodes.
In the capacitive mode, an electrode coated with a particular insulating ceramic material is used, which acts on the more superficial layers of the body. This mode is preferred to treat soft tissue problems that have low resistance to current, such as the skin, muscles, connective tissues, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels.
The resistive mode, instead, uses a steel electrode, an excellent conductor that facilitates the passage of electromagnetic waves. This mode is preferred when intervening on more resistant and deeper tissues, which have high resistance to the passage of current, such as bones, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and joint capsules.
The choice of mode to use is therefore based exclusively on the characteristics of the biological tissue being targeted. The amount of energy transferred by the device depends on the therapeutic objective and the therapist. In some cases, the two modes are combined to achieve greater benefit by acting simultaneously on both components.
What are the benefits of Tecar therapy?
It has been scientifically proven that Tecar therapy can help to:
- Reduce pain and inflammation in the acute phase;
- Reduce edema;
- Resolve muscle contractures;
- Improve lymphatic drainage;
- Improve muscle trophism;
- Increase endogenous heat (produced inside and by the body), which leads to the resolution of chronic inflammatory states, tissue fibrosis, and joint stiffness.
Endogenous thermotherapy, that is, heat produced within the body through Tecar therapy, has the following main effects:
- Increased blood circulation;
- Stimulation of lymphatic drainage;
- Increased metabolic activity;
- Increased tissue oxygenation;
- Greater supply of nutrients;
- Rapid elimination of waste and catabolites;
- Acceleration of regenerative processes;
- Release of endorphins and pain reduction.
And what are the contraindications?
There are few but precise contraindications for Tecar therapy.
Tecar therapy is prohibited when:
- The patient suffers from immune or circulatory system diseases;
- The patient has a pacemaker;
- The patient is pregnant;
- The patient reports a current or recent (within the last 5 years) oncological condition.
Tecar therapy is allowed but must be performed with caution and only with the doctor’s agreement when:
- The patient has post-surgical synthetic materials (e.g., metal prostheses or screws, plates, nails, wires);
- The patient is in pediatric age;
- The patient suffers from dermatological conditions.
How does an appointment work? What is the recommended treatment frequency?
Every condition is different, so the therapeutic approach is defined case by case based on the patient’s situation. The average duration of a treatment varies between 20 and 30 minutes. A full Tecar therapy cycle may range from 5 to 10 sessions, depending on specific cases.
If you think this treatment might be right for you, contact us!
In our center, we offer Tecar therapy treatments with INDIBA Activ Therapy electro-medical equipment, the world leader in radiofrequency technology, and we combine instrumental treatments with various manual therapies to best treat your issue.
