The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effect of TECAR therapy on pain, functional disability and electrophysiological parameters in adults with chronic discogenic sciatica . The main questions it aims to answer are: • Is there significant effect of TECAR therapy on pain, functional disability and Electrophysiological parameters (H-reflex latency and amplitude) ? Researchers will compare effect of adding TECAR therapy to conventional physical therapy program (TENS, hot pack, stretching exercises and core stability exercises) Vs conventional physical therapy program alone to see if there is a beneficial effect of adding TECAR therapy to physical therapy program Participants in study group will receive TECAR therapy in addition to conventional PT program while participants in control group will receive conventional PT program
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
34
* The participant lies prone or side-lying depending on comfort. * Conductive cream is applied to the lumbar region (L4-S1) and gluteal area. * Capacitive mode (CET) will be applied first to target superficial soft tissues. * Resistive mode (RET) will follow to target deeper structures including paraspinal muscles, facet joints, and nerve root pathway. * Each mode will be applied for a predetermined duration (e.g., 10 minutes CET + 10 minutes RET). * Intensity adjusted to produce a deep warm sensation without discomfort. * Total session duration: \~20 minutes treatment program will be delivered in manner of 3 sessions per week for four weeks.
conventional physical therapy program will include TENS, hot pack, stretching exercises and core stabilization exercises for 3 sessions per week for four weeks.
Faculty of Physical Therapy Cairo University
Giza, Egypt
RECRUITINGPain intensity
lower back pain will be assessed though Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) which is used to measure the severity of pain. It is a straight line with one end representing no pain and the other end representing the worst imaginable pain. The subject will mark a point on the line that corresponds to the current level of pain he or she experiences. Higher values indicate higher levels of pain while lower values indicate lower levels of pain
Time frame: from enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks
functional disability
Functional disability will be evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), which is considered the gold standard for assessing disability in low back pain and radiculopathy. The ODI consists of 10 sections evaluating daily activities such as lifting, walking, sitting, and personal care. It is scored from 0% to 100%, where higher percentages represent more severe functional impairment
Time frame: from enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks
Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex)
H-reflex has been measured in the soleus muscle by stimulating the tibial nerve with a one-millisecond pulse at 0.2pps of H-max. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the highest recorded H-reflex and the latencies of four spaced traces for both lower extremities will be averaged for each participant. lower amplitudes and delayed latencies indicate more damage to nerve root, while higher amplitudes and short latency indicates less damage
Time frame: from enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 weeks
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