laser and light therapy for soft tissue healing

BY: MELODY HAHN AND DAN IELLE KAY

LASER AND LIGHT THERAPY FOR SOFT TISSUE HEALING

WHAT IS LASER AND LIGHT THERAPY?

• Using Lasers and Light as a modality in treating injuries.• Photobiomodulation• AKA:• LLLT (Low Level Laser Therapy)• Phototherapy• LPLT (Low Power Laser Therapy)• Cold Laser Therapy

BROWNIE POINTS:

• Who can remember the type of laser we use here at WSU (and is the most commonly used laser?)

Aluminum Galllium Aresnide (AlGaAs)!!!

WHY SOFT TISSUE HEALING?

• Has been proven effective for:• Wound/scar healing• Ulcer healing• Surgery/destruction of tissue• Remember the only 3 legal FDA Approved injuries that LLLT

can treat?• Wrist pain associated with carpal tunnel, shoulder and neck

pain, and ITB pain. • 4:10 - 5:10

• Depth of penetration:• Can laser and light reach deep enough to treat soft tissues?• EG: Muscle, tendons, ligament, bone, etc…

WHAT RESEARCH IS AVAILABLE ABOUT SOFT TISSUE HEALING?

• Not much…• That we could obtain for free

• Most was done in other countries• Most research was done on animals…• Research not done on actual healing…

mostly done on pain control/management

PATHOLOGIES IN OUR RESEARCH ARTICLES:

• myofascial pain in the neck • multiple shoulder tendinopathies • osteoarthritis in knees • plantar fasciitis • shoulder impingement • chronic low back pain • tibia stress fractures• muscle fatigue

WHAT WERE THE DIFFERENT ARTICLES MEASURING?

• 6 articles that measured pain • 1 measured stress fracture healing• 1 measured muscle fatigue

DIFFERENCES IN TREATMENT PARAMETERS

• Power Output: Ranged from 30 – 100 mW• Dosage: Ranged from 1.5 – 16 J• One study did not state the power output• One study measured their power output in mV...

mW = mV?

• Do you remember treatment parameters we learned in class?

LASER TREATMENT PARAMETERS

MORE LASER TREATMENT PARAMETERS

OVERALL RESULTS

• 2 articles found no difference in the pain• 5 articles found a difference in pain…but

not a significant difference• 1 study found a significant difference in

pain level

ARTICLE ON LOW BACK PAIN

• Only article that found a significant difference in pain levels.• Morning stiffness associated with low back pain.

• Other 2 measurements? • Joint tenderness• Joint strength• No significant difference!!

ARTICLE ON LOW BACK PAIN

• Admits to lacking data on why LLLT is effective! (p. 4 top of page)

• Other comments about article?

MISSING AREAS IN RESEARCH

• Studies done on humans not animals• Studies done on soft tissue healing• vs wound healing, surgical, acne, hair removal,

etc..• Consistent parameters• Measuring pain relief among individuals• Reliable and equal among participants?

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?