Overview
The purpose of this study is to examine the acute and chronic effects of high frequency electrical current transfer (frequently called "TECAR") on pain and functional movement in individuals with a musculoskeletal injury or pain. The participants will be assigned into an experimental or a control group and outcome measures will be measured prior to, after, 24 and 48 hours following a single intervention session (Acute effects) as well as 3 and 6 months after the intervention (chronic effects).
Description
The purpose of this study is to examine the acute and chronic effects of high frequency electrical current transfer (frequently called "TECAR") on pain and functional movement in individuals with a musculoskeletal injury or pain. Participants referred for muscle strain injury (hamstring, quadriceps, gastrocnemius) or chronic low back pain will be randomly allocated into one of the three groups: an experimental group (muscle injuries), experimental group (low back pain) and a control group. The project is divided in two phases. In the first phase, the acute effects of TECAR therapy will be examined. Outcome measures will be obtained prior to, after, 24 and 48 hours following a single intervention session. The intervention consists of 20-min electrical energy transfer session (Capacitive mode, 0.5 Mhz radiofrequency, intensity 40%) or a typical transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS, asymmetric biphasic mode, rectangular pulse, f = 80Hz) protocol. In the chronic stage, participants will receive 10 sessions (3 times a week) receiving either protocol while outcome measurements will be obtained before, immediately, 3 and 6 months after the intervention. Analysis of variance designs will be used to compare differences in each outcome between groups at different measurement sessions. The alpha level is set to p <0.05.
Eligibility
Muscle injury group
Inclusion Criteria:
- Acute hamstring or quadriceps or calf strain injury
- Age above 18 years
Exclusion Criteria:
- Other injury or musculoskeletal condition
- Any observed organ dysfunctions
- Receipt of medication or treatment for the past 3 months
Low back pain group
Inclusion criteria
- Pain between bottom of ribs and buttock creases
- Incidents for at least half the days in the past six months
- Visual analogue pain score equal or greater than 2/10
Exclusion Criteria:
- spinal stenosis
- radiographic evidence of inflammatory disease affecting the spine
- fracture
- spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis
- important genetic structure abnormality in the spine
- daily intensive low back pain
- pregnancy
- use of medication that might influence heart rate and/or blood pressure
- psychiatric disorders
- receipt of medication or treatment for the past 3 months