A comparative study of the dose-dependent effects of low level and high intensity photobiomodulation (laser) therapy on pain and electrophysiological parameters in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

Ezzati, Kamran; Laakso, E-Liisa; Saberi, Alia; Chabok, Shahrokh Yousefzadeh; Nasiri, Ebrahim; Bakhshayesh, Babak

doi:10.23736/s1973-9087.19.05835-0

Cited by 16 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The researchers concluded that both HPLT and LPLT are equally effective in treating CTS. Furthermore, Ezzati et al [11] conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial to compare the dose-dependent effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and High-Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) on pain and electrophysiology in patients with CTS. The study involved 98 patients with CTS, aged between 20-60 years, who were randomly assigned to five groups.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The results of this review show that the application of laser for the treatment of CTS can significantly improve the severity of symptoms of the condition. Some studies have suggested that HILT is more effective in reducing pain than LLLT [11] but other studies have reported a reduction in pain in LLLT as well [15,16,18] . This may be due to the different parameters of the laser application in the above studies, as different laser parameters can lead to different results [11,19] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some studies have suggested that HILT is more effective in reducing pain than LLLT [11] but other studies have reported a reduction in pain in LLLT as well [15,16,18] . This may be due to the different parameters of the laser application in the above studies, as different laser parameters can lead to different results [11,19] . Improved hand function, pinch strength and hyperemia were observed in all laser types [10,12,13] , While in LLLT there was also an improvement in the conduction velocity of the median nerve [13] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of laser therapy on the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms

Papanikolaou¹,

Iakovidis²,

Lytras³

et al. 2021

Nat. J. Clin. Orthop.

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The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common type of peripheral entrapment of the median nerve that occurs in the wrist and specifically in the carpal tunnel. Laser therapy is one of the most widely used therapies available to the physiotherapist for the treatment of symptoms in the management of patients with CTS. However, its exact effects as well as the appropriate treatment parameters have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this review is to describe recent research data on the efficacy of the application of laser in improving symptoms in patients with CTS as well as to provide data on device configurations and treatment time. The following databases were searched: PEDro, PubMed and Google Scholar, with the following keywords: carpal tunnel syndrome, physiotherapy, Low-Power Laser Therapy, High-Power Laser Therapy, rehabilitation. Both clinical studies and systematic reviews were included in the review and in total 10 articles were included. The results of this review show that laser treatment seems to have a positive effect on the treatment of symptoms in patients with CTS. However, the treatment parameters need to be further investigated, as different results can be obtained with different parameters.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The effect of laser therapy on the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms

Papanikolaou¹,

Iakovidis²,

Lytras³

et al. 2021

Nat. J. Clin. Orthop.

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“…[2][3][4][5][6] Positive therapeutic outcomes can be dependent on the ability of laser light to penetrate and ultimately reach pathological tissues. [7][8][9][10] As light transmits through tissue, it is lost by three processes: reflection, scattering, and absorption of light by water, melanin, or other chromophores. The depth of laser light penetration is dependent on the adjustable laser setting parameters of power density and wavelength.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5 Multiple randomized controlled trials that directly compare low-power (< 0.5 W) and high-power (> 0.5 W) laser therapy have proven that high power can be required for efficacy. [7][8][9][10] The highest power settings that can generate heat may need to be modified, depending on the condition being treated and the response of the patient. The upper limit of highpower laser settings to the patient can be modified in a number of ways, including faster movement of the treatment headpiece, administering therapy in pulsed light modes, using appropriate wavelength selection, and administration of specific cold or cryotherapy prior to laser therapy treatment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilization of the 1064 nm Wavelength in Photobiomodulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Penberthy¹,

Vorwaller²

2021

J Lasers Med Sci

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Introduction: Photobiomodulation or low-level laser therapy (LLLT;<0.5 W) has been used as a non-invasive treatment for various medical indications. Short (visible; 635-650 nm) and longer (invisible; 810-850 nm and 915-980 nm) near-infrared wavelengths have been commonly used, but power setting deficiencies or incorrect wavelength settings can cause negative outcomes. The 1064 nm wavelength as the longest wavelength is a relative newcomer in high-powered (>0.5 W) laser photobiomodulation therapy (HPL-PBMT) with unique biophysical characteristics. Methods: A comprehensive search of 2016-2021 PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases for "photobiomodulation" restricted to clinical trials for patients with a medical diagnosis was done. "1064 nm" content was identified and restricted to high-powered lasers (>0.5 watt). Cohen’s d was calculated for the effect size and the difference was determined as a measure of relative 1064 nm HPL-PBMT efficacy. Results: The 22 independent studies meeting inclusion criteria focused on knee arthropathies, spine, shoulder/elbow, wound, gynecological, or osteoporosis with evaluation of pain, function, quality of life, range of motion (ROM), and anatomy. Pain was reduced with statistical significance (P<0.05) in 90% of study assessments (n=20) and 100% of studies focused on the knee (n=6). Of 18 studies assessing functional outcome measures, 100% demonstrated statistically significant improvements. Follow-up assessments up to 6 months in 5 knee arthritis studies revealed long-term pain reduction after cessation of treatment. Improvements in wound healing, bone mineral density, and knee cartilage thickness were demonstrated. The largest effect sizes observed were pain reduction in knee arthritis (average Cohen’s d effect size=2.46). Conclusion: These studies have established that 1064 nm HPL-PBMT can effectively reduce pain, increase ROM, increase functional scores, and increase the quality of life for knee osteoarthritis and spinal disorders, with limitations. More studies are needed for clinical validation of single-trial data detecting changes in musculoskeletal conditions, cartilage thickness and bone density.

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