Long-term effect of high-intensity laser therapy for persistent shoulder pain: A case report

Article type: Case Report

Authors: Aceituno-Gómez, Javier^{a; *} | García-Madero, Venancio Miguel^a | Criado-Álvarez, Juan José^{b; c} | González-González, Jaime^{c; d} | Gómez-Soriano, Julio^e | Avendaño-Coy, Juan^e

Affiliations: [a] University General Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado, Gerencia de Atención Integrada de Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain | [b] Primary Care Center of La Pueblanueva, Gerencia de Atención Integrada de Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain | [c] Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Castilla-La Mancha University, Talavera, Spain | [d] Primary Care Center of Santa Olalla, Gerencia de Atención Integrada de Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain | [e] Toledo Physiotherapy Research Group, Department of Nursing, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Castilla-La Mancha University, Toledo, Spain

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Javier Aceituno-Gómez, Hospital General Nuestra Señora del Prado, Servicio de Rehabilitación, Crta Madrid Km. 114, 45600 Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain. Tel.: +34 925803600 Ext: 86591; E-mail: jaceituno@jccm.es.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This case report describes the long-term effect of the high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) in a patient with chronic shoulder pain refractory in comparison to other treatments. CASE DESCRIPTION: Ten sessions of HILT were applied in a thirty-one-year-old woman diagnosed with subacromial syndrome. Assessment was carried out through different tests: Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and pressure pain threshold (PPT). All measurements were taken at four different points: at the end of the 10 sessions, after one month, three months after the intervention and nine months after the initial intervention. RESULTS: There was a clinically significant improvement in NPRS (decrease of 5 points), PPT (increase of 1.5 kg/cm2) and SPADI (decrease of 24 points) one month after the intervention. After three months, the increase of NPRS and SPADI required a 5-session intervention to support the clinical improvement. Six months after these booster sessions an increase in PPT and a decrease in NPRS and SPADI were observed. CONCLUSION: Results indicate the suitability of developing new research lines which will optimize the use of HILT.

Keywords: Shoulder pain, shoulder impingement syndrome, high intensity laser therapy, high power laser therapy

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-171044

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 33, no. 6, pp. 947-951, 2020