Efficacy of TECAR Therapy in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Evaluation of The Efficacy of TECAR Therapy in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the treatment efficacy of TECAR therapy, a modern application that has been increasingly used in recent years, compared to conventional physical therapy applications in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, according to the evaluation of the clinical findings of patients.

Methods: A total of 54 patients, aged between 40 and 75 years, were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received CPT. Group 2 received TECAR therapy in addition to CPT, applied three times a week for two weeks, for a total of 6 sessions. All patient's knee joint range of motion (ROM) was measured goniometrically, isometric quadriceps muscle strength was measured, and pain levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and disability levels were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) before treatment, at the end of treatment, at 1 month, and at 3 months.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Knee Osteoarthritis; Energy Transfer Capacitative and Resistive Therapy
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: conventional physical therapy; Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, hotpack; Device: TECAR

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 54
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Ankara, Turkey
    • Özge TEZEN

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 3 months of conservative treatment for unresponsive knee pain
• Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2-3 on radiographic evaluation
• Agreed to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of physical therapy (electrotherapy/exercise) in the past 3 months
• Intra-articular injection therapy in the past 3 months,
• History of surgery or trauma to the affected knee
• Inflammatory or neurological disease affecting the lower extremities
• Active vasculitis or severe peripheral vascular disease
• Pregnancy or lactation
• Diagnosed restless legs syndrome
• Neoplasia
• Local sensory impairment,
• Local or systemic acute infections
• Severe osteoporosis
• Pacemaker
• Psychiatric disorder and cognitive impairment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: conventional physical therapy (CPT); Group 1 (HP, TENS, knee isometric and theraband exercise) to painful side knee area, two weeks, five times a week, 10 sessions.	Device: conventional physical therapy; Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, hotpack; 10 sessions of HP and TENS for two weeks, five times a week. HP was applied to the painful knee area for 20 minutes using a heating pad for superficial heating purposes. TENS was applied to the painful knee area for 20 minutes at 80 Hz frequency
Experimental: conventional physical therapy (CPT) and TECAR therapy; Group 2 (HP, TENS, knee isometric and theraband exercise) 10 sessions, two weeks, five times a week and in addition TECAR therapy, to painful side knee quadriceps and peripatellar area, three times a week for two weeks, for a total of 6 sessions.	Device: TECAR; Transfer Energy Capacitative and Resistive Therapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)	0 min , 10 is maximum pain score	Before and the after treatment 0th day , 1th month, 3rd month
Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC)	This 24-item index comprises three subscales: pain, stiffness, and physical function, each measured on a five-point Likert scale ranging from "none" to "extreme."	Before and the after treatment 0th day, 1th month, 3rd month
Range of Motion (ROM)	Flexion and extension of the knee joint were measured using a universal goniometer relative to reference points.	Before and the after treatment 0th day, 1th month, 3rd month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Diers Myoline Isometric Muscle Strength Measurement System	quadriceps muscle Isometric Strength Measure: Increased isometric muscle strength is an indicator of recovery.	Before and the end of treatment 0th day, 1th month, 3rd month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 13, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 23, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): November 23, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 17, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 17, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: knee pain, osteoarthritis, capacitative and resistive energy transfer therap
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Arthritis; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis, Knee
• Other Study ID Numbers: E2-23-3792

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: participant data will not share

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No