The effects of two different low level laser therapies in the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain: A double-blinded randomized clinical trial
Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey | [b] Department of Physical Rehabilitation and Medicine, School of Medicine, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey | [c] Department of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Haymana Vocational Health School, Ankara University, Haymana, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Şebnem Koldaş Doğan, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Soguksu, Antalya 07100, Turkey. Tel.: +90 2422499200; Fax: +90 2422510398; E-mail:sebnemkoldas@yahoo.com
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the
effectiveness of two different laser therapy regimens on pain, lumbar range
of motions (ROM) and functional capacity in patients with chronic low back
pain (CLBP). METHODS: Forty nine patients with CLBP were randomly assigned into
two groups. Group 1 (n= 20) received hot-pack + laser therapy 1 (wavelength
of 850 nm Gallium-Aluminum-Arsenide (Ga-Al-As) laser); group 2 (n= 29)
received hot-pack + laser therapy 2 (wavelength of 650 nm Helyum-Neon
(He-Ne), 785 ve 980 nm Gal-Al-As combined plaque laser) for 15 sessions. Pain
severity, patient's and physician's global assessments were evaluated with
visual analogue scale (VAS). Modified Schober test, right and left lateral
flexion measurements were done. Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire
(MODQ) was used for evaluation of functional disability. Measurements were
done before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After treatment there were statistically significant
improvements in pain severity, patient's and physician's global assessment,
ROM and MODQ scores in both groups (P< 0.05). After the treatment there
were statistically significant differences between the groups in lateral
flexion measurements and MODQ scores (P< 0.05) except in pain severity,
Modified Schober test, patient's and physician's global assessments
(P> 0.05) in favor of those patients who received combined plaque laser
therapy (group 2). CONCLUSION: Laser therapy applied with combined He-Ne and Ga-Al-As
provides more improvements in lateral flexion measurements and disability of
the patients, however no superiority of the two different laser devices to
one another were detected on pain severity.
