WHAT IS TECAR THERAPY?
There Tecar therapy, also known as TECAR, acronym for Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer, is an electromedical treatment used for the recovery and treatment of trauma and inflammatory pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
WHAT IS IT FOR?
Mainly used in physiotherapy, tecar therapy is indicated for: recovery from injuries such as sprains, tendon injuries, muscle injuries, edema; the treatment of musculoskeletal pathologies such as Tendinitis, bursitis, lumbago, osteoarthritis, and general inflammation; it is widely used in post-operative rehabilitation.
HOW IT WORKS
Tecar therapy has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and biostimulatory effects. It is therefore a device capable of reducing pain and accelerating natural tissue repair. The device generates a high-frequency magnetic field that activates and stimulates cellular activity and consequently increases heat directly within the treated body area (endogenous heat). Heat transfer occurs endogenously and allows deeper tissues to be reached.
The TECAR device has two modes of action:
• The capacitive mode, used to treat trauma and problems affecting soft tissues with low resistance to current, such as muscles, skin, connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels. This modality uses a ceramic-coated, and therefore insulated, electrode (handpiece);
• The resistive mode, used for the treatment of trauma and problems affecting tissues with a high resistance to the passage of current, such as bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, etc. This mode uses an uncoated, and therefore non-insulated, electrode.
THE EFFECTS
The effects produced by tecar therapy are:
• Increased microcirculation, or increased blood circulation within the vessels. This helps reduce inflammation in the acute phase, treat acute muscle injuries, and reduce edema;
• Vasodilation, or the increase in the caliber of blood vessels, both arterial and venous. This is a natural phenomenon, due to the relaxation of the smooth muscles that make up the vessel walls. Along with vasoconstriction (a reduction in vessel diameter), it constitutes an aspect of vasomotility;
• Analgesic, that is, the reduction of painful symptoms, if inflammation and edema decrease, through the use of tecar, the reduction of pain will also be one of the first effects perceived by the patient.
• Increase in internal temperature, that is, the increase in endogenous heat production by the treated body area.
It has no side effects.
Particular attention should be paid to pregnant women and patients with pacemakers.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR IT TO TAKE EFFECT?
A series of 5-10 tecar therapy sessions, spaced closely together, is recommended. However, this recommendation depends on the type of problem and/or trauma. Some conditions require longer sessions. It is always advisable to plan your rehabilitation program with your physiotherapist or doctor.
