Tendinopathy is a common disease with a variety of treatments and therapies. Laser therapy appears as an alternative treatment. Here, we investigate the effects of laser irradiation in an experimental model of tendinitis induced by collagenase injection on rats' Achilles tendon, verifying its action in important inflammatory markers. Male Wistar rats were used and divided into five groups: control saline (C), non-treated tendinitis (NT) and tendinitis treated with sodium diclofenac (D) or laser (1 J) and (3 J). The tendinitis was induced by collagenase (100 μg/tendon) on the Achilles tendon, which was removed for further analyses. The gene expression for COX-2; TNF-α; IL-6; and IL-10 (RT-PCR) was measured. The laser irradiation (660 nm, 100 mW, 3 J) used in the treatment of the tendinitis induced by collagenase in Achilles tendon in rats was effective in the reduction of important pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and TNF-α, becoming a promising tool for the treatment of tendon diseases.

Laser photobiomodulation reduced skeletal muscle edema as well as cytokines and CRP, leading to a significant reduction in inflammatory markers.

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Studies that lead to the development of more accessible and low-cost electronic technologies and devices for biomechanical and biomedical analysis applications are becoming increasingly needed. In this work, the development of a multiaxial extensometric force platform will be addressed, aiming to improve the sensitivity and reduce the costs of existing platforms. Additionally, this platform can be used for analysis and characterization of flight time and postural characterization of volleyball athletes. As a result, a functional and easily produced prototype was created, due to the processes used (final cost of the developed platform—USD$100). The interfaces of visualization and analysis of the device functions were designed in LabView. The purpose of the experiments is to perform flight analysis of athletes, and all functions designed for the platform strength and endurance are focused on that same purpose. The prototype’s functions were evaluated by applying loads from 700 to 1000 N (Newtons) and its future integration with other instruments such as the surface electromyography (EMG) and an electrocardiogram (ECG) is expected to form an instrument kit that improves the characterization of studies of balance, strength and muscular endurance.