Clinical trial NCT06784128: Impact of TECAR Therapy on Pain and Function in Adhesive Capsulitis:
Official title: Impact of TECAR Therapy on Pain and Function in Adhesive Capsulitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Adhesive Capsulitis
Keywords: Adhesive Capsulitis
Pain Management
TECAR Therapy
VAS
Lead sponsor: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-01-20
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 67
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Transfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy is a heat therapy method that increases blood circulation at the microscopic level by generating heat in the upper and lower layers of your tissues, reduces inflammation and supports tissue regeneration. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether this treatment reduces pain and improves functioning in patients with frozen shoulder disease.

Detailed description: Adhesive capsulitis (AC), commonly known as "frozen shoulder," is a prevalent and painful condition resulting from the contracture of the glenohumeral capsule, which significantly impacts individuals' quality of life. While AC is self-limiting in many cases, some patients may experience long-term functional limitations if not treated promptly. One promising intervention is transfer energy capacitive and resistive (TECAR) therapy, which has gained attention for its potential to enhance tissue regeneration, reduce inflammation, and improve pain management by generating heat in superficial and deep tissues. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of TECAR therapy on pain and functional outcomes in patients with adhesive capsulitis (AC).

This prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial included 60 patients \[TECAR group: 30, (50.37 ± 13.90 years); control group: 30, (55.27 ± 10.44 years)\]. Both groups completed a 2-week tailored therapeutic exercise program, with 30-minute hot pack application and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. The TECAR group also received three TECAR therapy sessions per week, for a total of six sessions. Pain was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), functional status with the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and supraspinatus tendon thickness and bicipital effusion were assessed via ultrasonography. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, 1 and 3 months post-treatment.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients who were than 18 years of age
* Patients with unilateral shoulder pain of at least 3 on a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS);
* Patients who experienced a more than 50% loss of passive ROM (abduction or external rotation) in the glenohumeral joint relative to the unaffected side
* Patients who had been experiencing the related symptoms for ≥ 3 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who had previous shoulder surgery
* Patients who had shoulder injection within the last 3 months
* Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease,
* Patients with cervical radiculopathy
* Pregnant patients
* Pateints with thyroid disease
* Patients with malignancy,
* Patients who had history of cardiac pacemakers,
* Patients with epilepsy
* Patients who had neurological disease with or without cognitive impairment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain
timeFrame: VAS for pain was applied to the patients before the procedure and at the 4th week and the 12th week after the procedure.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)
timeFrame: SPADI) was applied to the patients before the procedure and at the 4th week and 12th week after the procedure.
Other outcomes:
measure: Supraspinatus tendon thickness and bicipital peritendinous effusion
timeFrame: Supraspinatus tendon thickness and bicipital peritendinous effusion were measured using ultrasonography before the study , four weeks after treatment , and 12 weeks later.
Locations:
city: Çankaya
country: Turkey
facility: Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital
state: Ankara
Study officials:
affiliation: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
name: Öznur Uzun, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
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