TECAR Therapy and the Fisiowarm 7.0: The Technology Behind Faster Recovery

What Is TECAR Therapy?

TECAR — Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer — is a form of endogenous diathermy that uses a high-frequency electric current (typically in the 300 kHz–1 MHz range) to generate heat inside the body's own tissue, rather than applying heat from an external source as with hot packs or conventional ultrasound.

The device applies energy through two working modes. In capacitive mode, an insulated electrode is used, concentrating energy in tissues with higher water content — muscle, fluid-rich soft tissue, and areas of oedema. In resistive mode, a non-insulated electrode directs energy toward tissues with higher electrical resistance, such as tendons, ligaments, and bone — structures that are otherwise difficult to reach with heat-based therapies.

The Physiology: How Endogenous Heat Accelerates Healing

Because the heat is generated by the tissue's own resistance to the current — rather than being conducted from outside — the thermal effect penetrates significantly deeper than surface heat modalities, without overheating the skin. This localised increase in tissue temperature produces a cascade of physiological effects: vasodilation and increased local blood flow, accelerated cellular metabolism and ATP production, improved clearance of inflammatory mediators, and increased extensibility of collagen-rich tissue such as fascia and tendon.

These combined effects are the physiological rationale for using TECAR both in the acute-to-subacute management of musculoskeletal pain and in the later stages of rehabilitation, where improved tissue extensibility and circulation support a return to loading.

What the Clinical Evidence Shows

A randomised clinical trial examining chronic non-specific low back pain found that combining manual therapy with capacitive-resistive electric transfer therapy produced significantly greater short-term improvements in pain and disability than manual therapy alone. A separate randomised trial in patients with myofascial pain syndrome of the upper trapezius reported similar findings when TECAR was added to conventional physiotherapy.

A systematic review and meta-analysis pooling data across musculoskeletal pain conditions found a statistically significant reduction in pain scores associated with TECAR therapy, with the effect size increasing between four and eight weeks of treatment — suggesting cumulative benefit with a structured treatment course rather than a single-session effect.

Reviewers do note that trial quality varies across the existing literature and call for more standardised, low-risk-of-bias trials — consistent with the broader evidence base for many manual and electrotherapy modalities in musculoskeletal medicine.

Capacitive vs. Resistive Mode: Choosing the Right Tissue Target

One of the clinical strengths of TECAR is the ability to select the mode — and the frequency within it — based on the tissue being treated and the stage of the condition.

• Capacitive mode: lower resistance path, energy concentrates in fluid-rich, vascular tissue — used for muscle spasm, oedema, and superficial soft-tissue conditions.
• Resistive mode: higher resistance path, energy concentrates in bone, tendon, ligament, and fibrous tissue — used for tendinopathies, ligament injuries, and chronic fibrotic changes.
• Frequency selection: lower frequencies reach deeper structures; higher frequencies concentrate effect more superficially — allowing the clinician to tailor treatment to the depth of the target tissue.

The Fisiowarm 7.0: The Technology Behind Our TECAR Sessions

The TECAR unit we use in clinic is the Fisiowarm 7.0, manufactured by Golden Star srl — an Italian electromedical company based in Rome with a history in TECAR technology dating back to 1948, and devices distributed in more than 48 countries.

The Fisiowarm 7.0 uses a gold-plated capacitive electrode delivering energy at less than 200V — approximately 20–25% of the voltage required by older-generation devices — which reduces the risk of accidental burns while allowing more precise, comfortable dosing. The system allows frequency selection across a 300 kHz–1 MHz range in 1 kHz steps, letting our physiotherapists direct treatment to specific tissue depths depending on the condition, and is managed through an integrated tablet interface for precise, repeatable session parameters.

You can find full technical details on the manufacturer's official pages: the Fisiowarm® technology overview at fisiowarm.com, and Golden Star srl's company profile at goldenstar.it.

What to Expect During a TECAR Session at Iris

A TECAR session at Iris typically lasts 15–30 minutes and is applied directly to the skin over the treatment area using a handheld electrode, with the physiotherapist adjusting mode, frequency, and intensity throughout the session based on tissue response and patient feedback. The sensation is one of gradually building, comfortable warmth — never a burning or shock sensation.

We use TECAR as one component within a broader, assessment-led treatment plan — combined with manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and where relevant, movement re-education — for conditions including tendinopathies, myofascial pain, post-surgical stiffness, chronic low back and neck pain, and sports-related soft tissue injuries.