Clinical Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy as an Adjunct to Eccentric Exercise for the Treatment of Achilles' Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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• 作者：Steve Tumilty ; PhD^a ; ^{steve.tumilty@otago.ac.nz" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; Suzanne McDonough ; PhD^b ; Deirdre A. Hurley ; PhD^c ; G. David Baxter ; DPhil^a
• 关键词：Achilles tendon ; Laser therapy ; low-level ; Physical therapy techniques ; Rehabilitation
• 刊名：Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• 出版年：2012
• 出版时间：May 2012
• 年：2012
• 卷：93
• 期：5
• 页码：733-739
• 全文大小：1135 K

文摘

Tumilty S, McDonough S, Hurley DA, Baxter GD. Clinical effectiveness of low-level laser therapy as an adjunct to eccentric exercise for the treatment of Achilles' tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial.

absSec_2">Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to a program of eccentric exercises for the treatment of Achilles' tendinopathy.

absSec_3">Design

Randomized controlled trial with evaluations at baseline and 4, 12, and 52 weeks.

absSec_4">Setting

Primary care clinic.

absSec_5">Participants

Participants with midportion Achilles' tendinopathy were randomly assigned to 2 groups (LLLT n=20: mean age ± SD, 45.6±9.1y; placebo n=20: mean age ± SD, 46.5±6.4y). The 12-week evaluation was completed by 36 participants (90%), and 33 participants (82.5%) completed the 52-week evaluation.

absSec_6">Intervention

Both groups of participants performed eccentric exercises over a 3-month period. In addition, they received either an active or placebo application of LLLT 3 times per week for the first 4 weeks; the dose was 3J per point.

absSec_7">Main Outcome Measures

The primary outcome was the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment–Achilles' questionnaire (VISA-A) score at 12 weeks; secondary outcome was a visual analog scale for pain. Outcomes were measured at baseline and 4, 12, and 52 weeks.

absSec_8">Results

Baseline characteristics exhibited no differences between groups. At the primary outcome point, there was no statistically significant difference in VISA-A scores between groups (P>.05). The difference in VISA-A scores at the 4-week point significantly favored the placebo group (F₁=6.411, sum of squares 783.839; P=.016); all other outcome scores showed no significant difference between the groups at any time point. Observers were blinded to groupings.

absSec_9">Conclusions

The clinical effectiveness of adding LLLT to eccentric exercises for the treatment of Achilles' tendinopathy has not been demonstrated using the parameters in this study.