Focused TECAR therapy for lower back pain from a herniated lumbar disc
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Focused Radiofrequency (TECAR) Therapy on Pain, Disability, Function, and Quality of Life in Patients With Lumbar Disc Herniation
Ankara City Hospital Bilkent · NCT07335718
This project will test whether focused radiofrequency (TECAR) therapy combined with a home exercise program helps reduce pain and improve function and quality of life in adults aged 20–60 with lumbar disc herniation.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 54 (estimated) |
| Ages | 20 Years to 60 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Ankara City Hospital Bilkent (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Ankara) |
| Trial ID | NCT07335718 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Adults aged 20–60 with chronic (over 12 weeks) lumbar disc herniation will be enrolled in a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial and assigned to receive focused radiofrequency (TECAR) therapy plus a standardized home exercise program or a control/sham procedure with the same exercise program. The planned sample size is 54 participants to achieve 95% statistical power. Key outcomes — pain (VAS, NRS), disability (Oswestry Disability Index, Roland-Morris), quality of life (SF-36), lumbar mobility (finger-to-floor distance, Schober) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) — will be measured before treatment, immediately after treatment, and one month after treatment. Treatments will be delivered in the outpatient Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation unit at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital by trained technicians and clinicians.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 20–60 with a diagnosed lumbar disc herniation and persistent low back pain for more than 12 weeks who can follow a home exercise program and attend outpatient visits at the study center.
Not a fit: Patients with prior lumbar surgery, neurological deficits, sequestered herniation, spinal stenosis meeting exclusion thresholds, spondylolisthesis, polyneuropathy, cardiac implants, active malignancy, or other excluded conditions are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce chronic low back pain and improve function and quality of life using a noninvasive physical therapy option.
How similar studies have performed: Some small trials and clinical reports of TECAR and related diathermy-type therapies report pain relief for musculoskeletal conditions, but high-quality randomized evidence specifically for lumbar disc herniation remains limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Having low back pain lasting longer than 12 weeks Having a diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation (bulging, protruded, or extruded) Being able to comply with the exercise program Willingness to participate in the study Being between 20 and 60 years of age Exclusion Criteria: Being younger than 20 years or older than 60 years Having a known and/or newly diagnosed malignancy Presence of cardiac implants such as a pacemaker Having inflammatory low back pain Having absolute spinal stenosis (anteroposterior diameter of the spinal canal \< 10 mm and anteroposterior diameter of the lateral recess \< 3 mm) History of surgery due to lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, vertebral fracture, or similar conditions Presence of lumbar spondylolisthesis Patients with sequestered disc herniation Patients with polyneuropathy Patients with central pain following stroke Patients with neurological deficits Having a diagnosed neurodegenerative disease Having a systemic musculoskeletal disease Patients with acute deep vein thrombosis Pregnancy Presence of infection at the skin surface where treatment will be applied Unexplained weight loss Bladder and/or bowel incontinence Having received physical therapy modalities or injections for low back pain within the last 1 month Having cognitive impairment Refusal to participate in the study \-
Where this trial is running
Ankara
- Ankara Bilkent City Hospital — Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye) (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: cemre y yılmaz
- Email: saymazcemre@gmail.com
- Phone: 0312 552 60 00
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Lumbar Disc Herniation, TECAR Therapy, Pain