EFFICACY OF CAPACITIVE DIATHERMY BY RADIOFREQUENCY ON CELLULITE AND PERIMETERS REDUCTION: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

 Background: our objective wos to consider to know monopolar capacitive radiofrequency diathermy (MCRD) ef-ficacy, in static application, to reduce cellulite and body-circumferences on gluteus and posterior thigh and to identify the most effective treatment modality. Material and method: randomized pilot control trial, two study groups in parallel, was developed (Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología, Universidad de Sevilla, 2010-2011). First group received diathermy local application (30 minutes), the second one received this application followed by a segmentary one (20 minutes). Sample: 24 subjects, 12 women´s lower limbs with cellulite, assigned by systematic ran-dom. Each leg belonging to the same patient received one of two treatments (20 sessions, two weekly on non consecutive days) acting as a control over the other one from the same patient. Variables: cellulite grade and body-circumferences measured at 15, 20, 30 and 40 cm. from the anterior superior iliac spine and in the middle point bet-ween this one and the superior patellar pole. All of them were measured before (pretest) and after (postest) treatment.
results: both treatments were statistically significant (p < 0.05) between pretest and postest for reduction of cellulite and perimeters measured at 15 and 20 cm. Differences found for perimeters measured at 30 and 40 cm and in the middle point were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the two treatment modalities studied. Conclusions: MCRD in static application is effective in cellulite and body-circumferences reduction located within the electric field generated in the local application. No statistically significant differences were found between the two treatment modalities.