The value of TECAR in acute painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a pilot study

Clin Ter. 2024 Sep-Oct;175(5):291-295. doi: 10.7417/CT.2024.5133.

Abstract

Low-back pain is frequent, especially in the active adult population after an osteoporotic vertebral fracture. Several orthopaedic conditions can cause low back pain, significantly worsening the quality of life. The treatments vary from drugs, physical therapy, kinesiology, and local infiltration. TECARs have a crucial role in treating the inflammatory causes of pain, with several studies demonstrating the efficacy of 0.5 Mh radio frequency longwave therapy in treating low-back pain. We treat twenty consecutive patients with low back pain after a vertebral amielic spinal fracture with or without leg pain, using a combination of painkillers, orthosis, and half of them tecar therapy. The patients were treated three times a week, every other day, for 20 sessions. We evaluated clinical outcomes using the visual analogic scale for indi-vidual pain. Tests started before the beginning of therapies and eight weeks after the end of the treatment. Visual analogic scale (VAS) score significantly improved from an average value pretreatment to a 50% reduction average value eight weeks posttreatment. Patients denoted a more significant improvement in VAS and empiric patient satisfaction in the group with low back pain also treated with TECAR. Acute back pain is a relatively common clinical situation. The treatments for this condition are different, and they can give 2 a crucial role in diathermia, shortwave, microwave, and tecar therapy. This study concludes that the association between painkillers, orthosis, exercises, and tecar therapy in treating low-back Pain after an amyelic vertebral spine fracture type genant, with or without leg pain, can significantly reduce pain and improve the quality of life. ''Highlights'' Diathermy Tecar is an almost new and updated physical therapy that uses electromagnetic waves to treat muscle and joint pain through capacitive and resistive pads. It provides good pain relief for several sharp pains. The physiotherapist should be trained to use them appropriately in acute settings.

Keywords: T.E.C.A.R.; diathermia; osteoporotic fractures; vertebral pain.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Acute Pain / etiology
  • Acute Pain / therapy
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Diathermy / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Low Back Pain* / etiology
  • Low Back Pain* / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Orthotic Devices
  • Osteoporotic Fractures* / complications
  • Osteoporotic Fractures* / therapy
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pilot Projects
  • Radiofrequency Therapy / methods
  • Spinal Fractures* / complications
  • Spinal Fractures* / therapy