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?