Is low-level laser therapy effective in acute or chronic low back pain?
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the
effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on pain and
functional capacity in patients with acute and chronic low
back pain caused by lumbar disk herniation (LDH). LLLT
has been used to treat acute and chronic pain of
musculoskeletal system disorders. This study is a randomized,
double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Forty patients
with acute (26 females/14 males) and 40 patients with
chronic (20 females/20 males) low back pain caused by
LDH were included in the study. Patients were randomly
allocated into four groups. Group 1 (acute LDH, n=20)
received hot-pack + laser therapy; group 2 (chronic LDH,
n=20) received hot-pack + laser therapy; group 3 (acute
LDH, n=20) received hot-pack + placebo laser therapy, and
group 4 (chronic LDH, n=20) received hot-pack + placebo
laser therapy, for 15 sessions during 3 weeks. Assessment
parameters included pain, patients' global assessment,
physician's global assessment, and functional capacity. Pain
was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) and Likert
scale. Patients' and physician's global assessment were also
measured with VAS. Modified Schober test and flexion and
lateral flexion measures were used in the evaluation of
range of motion (ROM) of lumbar spine. Roland Disability
Questionnaire (RDQ) and Modified Oswestry Disability
Questionnaire (MODQ) were used in the functional
evaluation. Measurements were done before and after
3 weeks of treatment. After the treatment, there were
statistically significant improvements in pain severity,
patients' and physician's global assessment, ROM, RDQ
scores, and MODQ scores in all groups (p<0.05). However,
no significant differences were detected between four
treatment groups with respect to all outcome parameters
(p>0.05). There were no differences between laser and
placebo laser treatments on pain severity and functional
capacity in patients with acute and chronic low back pain
caused by LDH.