Our team at Health Space continues to explore some of the most innovative treatments from around
the world.
In late 2019, Health Space Rozelle massage therapist, Santino Mirarchi, became one of the first therapists in Australia to be trained under the guidance of world-leading recovery and rehab specialists, HumanTecar.
In this blog, we share some of the insights into HumanTecar, and how this world-first technology not only harnesses the body’s natural repair system, but also calls on the manual skills and experience of the therapist.
What are the origins of HumanTecar?
It was in the mid 1990s that HumanTecar pioneered Tecar therapy (‘Tecar’ being an acronym for Capacitive and Resistive Energy Transfer). Much of HumanTecar’s early research and development was devoted to elite sports; an industry where recovery and high performance can be the difference between Gold and Silver. In fact, it was at
the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 that the Italian Football Team was first given access to the technology to assist in the recovery of its players.
Fast forward to 2020, and HumanTecar has been adopted by some of the biggest names in world sport. None bigger than three-time Olympian Usain Bolt. Famously, Bolt’s physio, Eddie Edwards, was trackside when he succumbed to a hamstring injury in the lead up to his 2016 Rio Olympic campaign. Within the hour, Bolt was receiving treatment from Edwards with HumanTecar technology (1).
More recently, current world MotoGP champion Marc Márquez underwest shoulder surgery in December after taking out his 8th world title. As part of his post-surgery recovery, Márquez was interviewed live on Spanish TV while receiving his first rehab treatment from HumanTecar (2).
So what is the premise behind the technology?
HumanTecar’s HCR 1002 device is a 4th generation technology; an electromagnetic stimulator that acts on the body’s circulatory system. Rather than generating a superficial external heat (which is counterproductive in the case of inflammation), it works from deep within the tissue.
The HCR 1002’s precision allows the therapist to influence cellular metabolism, triggering the need for more oxygen and nutrients, and therefore, more blood flow to specific body districts to help bolster recovery. By acting on microcirculation, the therapist can support the body’s natural reparative and anti- inflammatory processes to maximise the body’s capacity for recovery; preserve and restore balance; and enhance performance.
Most importantly, as a therapist, the technology works seamlessly with our own manual therapies — whether that be as a soft tissue therapist, physio or chiropractor. This seamless and ongoing connection between patient, therapist and technology is a big part of what is driving HumanTecar’s acceptance in treatments involving traditional manual therapies.
In what scenarios would HumanTecar’s HCR 1002 be useful?
With the HCR 1002, we are working with a completely natural stimulation of the body. This means the instrument influences the speed at which the body can affect its own recovery. The benefits of this have already been applied in the NRL where HumanTecar has been called on to address a myriad of soft tissue injuries among players. That said, the therapist can also direct blood to those body parts that generally lack blood flow. Tendons are a great example of this! Following two injections to manage inflammation in the Achilles tendon in an A-League player, the team’s medical specialists turned to HumanTecar to reduce pain levels and bolster the body’s natural repair process. This ability to reduce inflammation and pain can make the HCR 1002 a viable alternative to injections where (for example) corticosteroids may typically be used. So if you’re struggling with your own injuries or niggles–like RSI, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, or swimmers shoulder–the HCR 1002 may be an option worth discussing with our HumanTecar therapist.
Not just for injuries, but for prevention and wellbeing.
For 25 years, HumanTecar’s team in Europe has worked alongside Ferrari Racing (3). Not just from a high performance perspective for F1 drivers, but also assisting with injury prevention protocols for its pit crew and manufacturing team. On top of this, a raft of wellbeing protocols have also been developed for those who work on the corporate side of the organisation (for example, dealing with stress and jet lag). It is here where HumanTecar therapists apply the technology to reboot the body and improve the quality of rest; rebalance vital functions; and provide the necessary energy and drive to restore ideal psychological and physical well-being. Just over a year ago, Nike’s global headquarters in Oregon, USA adopted the same HumanTecar protocols for their athletes and employees (4). Again, this is an example of a technology that was born in elite sport now being applied equally to both athletes and corporate employees.
Can HumanTecar help me “Feel my Best”?
While HumanTecar’s HCR 1002 has proven itself to be a powerful and versatile adjunct therapy, it’s a technology that still relies on the experience and knowledge of your therapist. So, like many other treatments for your health, HumanTecar is another opportunity for us to help your body heal itself–and, ultimately, help you feel your best. If you’re interested in finding out more, feel free to get in touch with Health Space Rozelle, the home of Sydney’s only HumanTecar therapist.
1. https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/12/sport/usain-bolt-olympics-fit/index.html
2. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1178572612334649
3. https://humantecar.com/en/humantecar-med-ex-ferraris-medical-partner.-from-professional-sport-to-the-corporate-welfare./
4. https://humantecar.com/en/nike-heaquarters-training/
