Non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) is a common musculoskeletal condition with limited long-term response to conventional exercise and superficial heat therapy. Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer (CRet) is a deep thermotherapy technique delivering 448 kHz radiofrequency energy that increases local blood flow and oxygenation while promoting tissue healing. This study aimed to evaluate whether combining CRet with an exercise program provides greater improvements in pain, function, and trunk strength compared to exercise therapy alone in individuals with NSCLBP.
Twenty-six participants with chronic low back pain (duration > 3 months) were divided into two groups: Exercise-only (E group, n = 15) and Exercise + CRet (E + CRet group, n = 11). Both groups completed ten sessions over 4–5 weeks, two to three times per week. The E + CRet group received 15 minutes of CRet treatment per session (5 min capacitive + 10 min resistive) using the Indiba® Active Pro Recovery HCR 902 device at 448 kHz, applied to the lumbar paraspinal region. Pain intensity (VAS), functional disability (Oswestry Index), and trunk function (modified Kraus–Weber test) were evaluated pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 1-month follow-up.
Both groups experienced significant pain reduction after ten sessions (p < 0.016), but the E + CRet group showed a greater decrease in pain (VAS from 39.6 → 10.1 mm) compared to exercise alone (VAS from 35.7 → 23.0 mm; p < 0.05). Functional disability improved significantly in the E + CRet group both immediately post-intervention and at follow-up (Oswestry Index from 21.2% → 10.3%; p < 0.016), while no significant functional change occurred in the exercise-only group. Trunk strength improved in both groups, though without statistical difference between them. Pain relief and functional gains persisted through the 1-month follow-up, suggesting a sustained therapeutic effect of the combined treatment.
Combining Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer with an exercise program provided superior improvements in pain intensity and functional recovery compared to exercise alone in individuals with chronic low back pain. The results indicate that CRet’s deep thermotherapy may enhance muscle flexibility, circulation, and tissue healing, thereby potentiating the benefits of exercise. These findings support the inclusion of CRet (Tecar therapy) as an effective adjunct in physiotherapeutic management of NSCLBP.
