Low level laser therapy for tendinopathy. Evidence of a dose-response pattern.

Bjordal J M, Couppà C, Ljunggren E.

Physical Therapy Reviews. 2001; 6: 91-99.

To investigate whether low-level laser therapy can reduce pain from tendinopathy, the authors performed a review of randomized placebo-controlled trials with laser therapy for tendinopathy. Validity assessment of each trial was done acc. to predefined criteria for location-specific dosage and irradiation of the skin directly overlying the affected tendon. The literature search identified 78 randomized control trials of which 20 included tendinopathy. Seven trails were excluded for not meeting the validity criteria on treatment procedure and trial design. 12 of the remaining 13 trials investigated the effect of laser therapy for patients with subacute and chronic tendinopathy and provided a pooled mean effect of 21 percent. If results from only the nine trials adhering to assumed optimal treatment parameters were included, the mean effect over placebo increased to 32 percent. Laser therapy can reduce pain in subacute and chronic tendinopathy if a valid treatment procedure and location-specific dose is used.