Generality
Tecartherapy, also known as Tecar, is an electro-medical treatment, which allows a faster recovery from traumas and inflammatory pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
Tecartherapy can work in two ways: the capacity mode, suitable for the treatment of soft tissue problems, and the resistive mode, indicated for the treatment of bone, joint, cartilaginous, etc. disorders.
Depending on the energy delivered by the device, the biological effects of Tecar are mainly three: increase in microcirculation, vasodilation and increase in internal temperature.
What is Tecartherapy?
Tecartherapy, also known as Tecar or Capacitive-Resistive Energy Transfer, is a type of electro-medical treatment, which finds particular use in the treatment of traumas and inflammatory pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
Widespread especially in the physiotherapy field, Tecartherapy involves the use of an instrument capable of reducing pain (pain relief) and accelerating the natural repair of tissues, where obviously there is damage.
All this translates into a tangible shortening of healing times.
SOME HISTORICAL NOTES
Although Tecartherapy has gained some popularity only in the last few decades, the underlying principles of operation are much older. To propose them for the first time, in fact, it was the French physician and physicist Jacques Arsène d'Arsonval, way back in 1890 .
After d'Arsonval, several other scholars and inventors engaged in similar projects: among these, the English doctor William Beaumont stands out, who in 1939 also worked on the creation of the first electromedical instrument.
A physics expert, Beaumont coined the term " diathermy " to identify the type of work he was doing. Diathermy is a word of Greek origin, which derives from the union of "dia" (διά), that is "through", and "thermos" (ϑερμός), that is "heat"; literally means " heat through ", but in the specific case it refers to a form of heat coming from the inside.
A particularly important date in the history of modern Tecartherapy is 1995 : in fact, this year the word Tecar was born, an acronym for Transfer Energy Capacitive And Resistive .
Initially, modern Tecartherapy was a treatment reserved only for injured sportsmen, so that they could recover first. Today, on the other hand, it has taken on decidedly different outlines and is useful to many categories of people, even non-practicing sports. For example, individuals with particular forms of arthritis are subjected to it, elderly with the classic pathologies of old age, subjects with disorders related to the work activity they carry out, etc.
PATENTED METHOD
The technology behind Tecartherapy is an international patent. The Tecar brand, Tecar therapy and derivatives are registered trademarks and belong to Unibell International .
How does it work
Tecartherapy is a form of endogenous thermotherapy :
- The word " thermotherapy " means " heat therapy ". The use of heat for therapeutic purposes, especially in the presence of painful muscle and joint affections, has been widespread for several decades. Some thermotherapies that preceded the Tecar and which are still in use today are: infrared, ultrasound and laser (laser therapy).
- The term " endogenous " refers to the fact that the instrument for the Tecar induces heat production starting from the inside of the body ( endogenous heat ).
Infrared, ultrasound and laser, on the other hand, involve the use of equipment that emits their own heat. This means that the heat is exogenous, that is it comes from a source external to the body.
The peculiarity of the operation of Tecartherapy is that the instrument in use stimulates the production of heat (which is a form of energy) on the part of the person in care.
In other words, it causes the patient's body to actively collaborate, for faster healing.
INSTRUMENTATION: SOME DETAILS
The Tecartherapy instrument exploits the physical principle of the condenser (or RC circuit or Resistance-Capacitor circuit ).
The physical principle of the capacitor includes 4 elements:
- The two so-called capacitor plates, which are two plates placed one in front of the other;
- The insulating material, interposed between the two reinforcements;
- The electric generator, which, connected to the two armatures, creates a potential difference between them. This potential difference causes one armature to assume a positive net charge (positive armor) and the other armature a net negative charge (negative armor).
While the positive reinforcement attracts the negative electric charges of the insulating material, the negative reinforcement attracts the positive ones.
Comparing the above elements with the Tecar device, it appears that:
- The two plates of the condenser are the mobile plate, with which the therapist massages the painful or inflamed anatomical area, and the fixed plate (called the return plate), which the therapist applies on the part of skin opposite to that to be treated.
- The insulating material is the anatomical area to be treated, including all its tissues and electrolytes . Electrolytes are substances that, in solution, have a certain electrical charge. In biological tissues, important electrolytes are, for example, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.
- The electric generator is the machine to which the two plates are connected and which the therapist regulates according to the needs.
The potential difference, created by the generator at the level of the two plates, moves the electrolytes present inside the tissues. The movement of electrolytes is what generates endogenous heat.
METHOD OF USE OF TECAR
The Tecar device can work in two modes : capacitive mode and resistive mode .
The capacitive mode is indicated for the treatment of problems at soft tissue level, with a low resistance to the current, such as muscles, skin, connective tissue, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.
The resistive mode, on the other hand, is ideal for the treatment of tissue damage with high resistance to the passage of current, such as bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, cartilages etc.
In light of this, it is quite clear that the choice of how Tecar is used depends exclusively on the type of biological tissue on which we must act.
- In capacitive mode, the use of an isolated mobile plate is what allows to act specifically on soft tissues.
- Conversely, in the resistive mode, it is the use of a non-insulated mobile plate that allows to act at the level of the tissues with a high resistance to the current.
Effects
There are three biological effects produced by Tecartherapy, consisting briefly in:
- Microcirculation increase
- vasodilation
- Increase in internal temperature
In essence, therefore, there are three energy levels and each has a different biological effect.
Based on what has just been stated, with regard to the link between the biological effect and the energy level used, it is clear that the choice of the amount of energy transferred by the device depends on the therapeutic objective . For example, if a patient has a problem that resolves with the effects of vasodilation, then the therapist will have to set the Tecar instrument to an intermediate energy level.
THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN THE DETAIL
The increase of the microcirculation consists in the increased blood circulation inside the smaller caliber vessels, such as capillaries, venules, arterioles, etc.
This involves at least two relevant consequences:
- An increase in energy transformations, which results in increased ATP production, by the cells involved.
- An increase in oxygen consumption in the most superficial layers of tissues.
The increase in microcirculation is indicated to reduce pain and / or inflammation in the acute phase, to treat muscle injuries in the acute phase and to reduce edema.
Vasodilation consists of an increase in the size of blood vessels, both arterial and venous.
The consequences associated with vasodilation include:
- The increase in the volume of blood flowing inside the vessels.
- A further increase in ATP production by the affected cells.
- An increase in oxygen consumption by the affected tissues.
- An improvement in lymphatic circulation.
- An increase in natural tissue repair processes (where, obviously, there are damaged tissues).
- A noticeable increase in internal temperature. In general, the patient perceives this increase just below the area in which the therapist has applied the movable plate.
Vasodilation is indicated to resolve muscle contractions and blood circulation problems of a certain severity, to improve lymphatic drainage and muscular trophism, etc.
The increase in internal temperature consists of the consistent production of endogenous heat, on the part of the treated anatomical area.
The following increases in internal temperature:
- Further vasodilation and a further increase in blood flow.
- Further improvement of lymphatic circulation and drainage.
- A further increase in energy transformations, which culminate with greater ATP production.
- A further increase in cellular repair processes.
- A distinct feeling of warmth at the level of the treated area.
The increase in temperature is indicated for solving chronic inflammations, tissue fibrosis, joint stiffness, lymphedema states, etc.
The main effects of endogenous heat
- Endogenous heat production even in depth
- Lowering the viscosity of muscle and connective tissue
- 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
- Endorphin release and pain reduction
Indications
In the medical field, Tecartherapy is widely used in recovery from injuries, such as sprains, tendon injuries, tendinitis, bursitis, outcomes of bone trauma, ligament distractions and joint problems; in the treatment of muscular and osteoarticular pathologies, such as contractures, muscle strains and tears, myositis, lumbago, sciatica, osteoarthritis and osteoarticular inflammation; in post-operative rehabilitation programs, such as after surgery to insert a prosthesis.
Knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, foot, hand, wrist and spine are the anatomical areas that are most suitable for treatment with Tecar.
Brief summary of therapeutic indications:
Muscle diseases
- contractures
- Stretch or tear
- Bruises
- Edema
Painful disorders of the spine
- lumbago
- back pain
- cervicalgia
Shoulder disorders
- Tendonitis and tenosynovitis
- Insertional tendinopathies
- Adhesive capsulitis
Elbow disorders
- epicondylitis
- Epitroclea
Wrist and hand disorders
- Tendinitis and tenosynovitis
- rhizarthrosis
Hip disorders
- Coxarthrosis
- Bursitis
- groin
Knee disorders
- Patellar chondropathy
- gonarthrosis
- Outcomes of traumatic lesions of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments
- Distortions
Ankle and foot disorders
- Outcomes of fractures
- Distortions
- Plantar fasciitis
- Yarrow tendinitis
Post-surgical rehabilitation
Features of a session
Before starting a classic Tecartherapy session, the therapist invites the patient to remove any clothing that covers the area to be treated and to sit on a suitable reclining bed.
Then, apply, on the area in need of care, a gelatinous substance, which serves to facilitate the massage by means of a mobile plate and to improve its quality of effects.
The removal of the gelatinous substance is simple (requires a simple piece of absorbent paper) and takes place at the end of the treatment.
Unless unforeseen, a session usually lasts 20-30 minutes . Usually, a complete cycle of Tecartherapy includes between 5 and 10 total sessions .
According to several studies, the massage of the area to be treated, carried out via the mobile plate, increases the beneficial effects of the Tecar.
Side effects
Tecartherapy is a safe treatment method, which does not involve significant side effects.
Overheating of the treated area, even when the instrument delivers a high level of energy, is widely bearable.
Contraindications
The Tecartherapy does not present particular contraindications .
The only people to whom doctors recommend precaution (and perhaps a specialist's consultation) are those with pacemakers, temperature-insensitive individuals and pregnant women .
Results
Several clinical studies, based also on the direct testimony of the patients, have shown that Tecartherapy is effective, that is it effectively shortens the healing time, in case of acute and chronic traumatic, muscular and osteoarticular pathologies.
ADVANTAGES
Appreciable results in a few sessions, great precision on the target to be treated, positive effects even on very deep tissues and absence of contraindications and significant side effects are the main advantages that make Tecartherapy a reliable and safe therapeutic solution.
