Investigation of the Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy for Chronic Low-Back Pain Patients

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on pain, functional status, and quality of life.

Materials and Methods: 40 patients between the ages of 18-65, with low back pain longer than three months, were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. The first group (n=20) were treated with LLLT and exercise combination, the second group (n=20) were only given 15 sessions of therapeutic exercise. The patients were evaluated during pre and post-treatment periods. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (MOL PDQ), and Short Form-36 (SF-36) were used to assess the pain severity, functional status, and quality of life of the patients respectively.

Results: There is a statistically significant decrease detected in post-treatment VAS and MOL PDQ scores compared to pre-treatment scores for both groups (p<0.05). A statistically significant improvement in post-treatment VAS and MOL PDQ scores were found in favor of LLLT in the comparison between the groups (<0.05).

Conclusion: Although LLLT has been proved to be effective in pain control and functional status of chronic low back pain, it does not effect on quality of life. There is a necessity for comprehensive, randomized controlled trials on this topic.   

Keywords

• Low-level laser
• exercise
• chronic low-back pain

Kronik Bel Ağrılı Hastalarda Düşük Yoğunluklu Lazer Tedavisinin Etkinliğinin Araştırılması

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı; kronik bel ağrılı hastalarda düşük yoğunluklu lazer (DYL) tedavisinin ağrı, fonksiyonel durum ve yaşam kalitesi üzerine etkilerini araştırmaktır.

Materyal ve Metot: Çalışmaya, üç aydan uzun süre bel ağrısı şikayeti olan, 18-65 yaş arası 40 hasta dahil edildi. Hastalar randomize olarak iki gruba ayrıldı. Birinci gruptaki hastalara (n=20) DYL+egzersiz tedavisi; ikinci gruptaki hastalara (n=20) yalnızca egzersiz tedavisi 15 seans olacak şekilde uygulandı. Hastalar tedavi öncesi (TÖ) ve tedavi sonrası (TS) dönemde değerlendirildi. Hastaların ağrı şiddeti değerlendirmesi Vizüel Analog Skala (VAS) ile, fonksiyonel durumu Modifiye Oswestry Bel Ağrısı Engellilik Anketi (MOS) ile, yaşam kalitesi ise Short Form-36 (SF-36) ile değerlendirildi.

Bulgular: Her iki grupta VAS ve MOS skorlarında TS’de TÖ’ye oranla istatistiksel olarak anlamlı azalma saptandı (p<0,05). Gruplar arası karşılaştırmada VAS ve MOS değerlerinde TS ’de DYL lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzelme saptandı (p<0,05).

Sonuç: Kronik bel ağrısında DYL tedavisinin ağrı kontrolü ve fonksiyonel durumda iyileşmede etkili olduğu gösterilmiş olsa da yaşam kalitesi üzerine etkileri saptanamamıştır. Bu konuda daha geniş kapsamlı, randomize kontrollü çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır. 

Keywords

• Düşük yoğunluklu lazer
• egzersiz
• kronik bel ağrısı

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