Efficacy of high intensity laser therapy in the treatment of male with osteopenia or osteoporosis: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Mohamed Salaheldien Mohamed Alayat, Ehab Mohamed Abdel-Kafy, Ahmed Mohamed Elsoudany and 2 others
PMID 28932011WHAT IT FOUND
In men with osteopenia or osteoporosis, high-intensity laser plus exercise produced lower pain and better health-related quality of life than placebo laser plus exercise or laser alone.
Fall risk was similar for laser plus exercise and placebo plus exercise.
Key findings
01All treatment groups showed significant decreases in post-treatment results compared with baseline mean values.
02Pain and health-related quality of life decreased more in the high-intensity laser plus exercise group than in the placebo laser plus exercise group or the high-intensity laser alone group, with the least effect in the placebo laser alone group.
03Fall risk did not differ significantly between the high-intensity laser plus exercise group and the placebo laser plus exercise group; both groups showed more significant decreases than the high-intensity laser alone and placebo laser alone groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The trial did not report bone density or fracture outcomes, so it cannot show that the treatments strengthened bone or prevented fractures. Only the external evaluator and therapists were blinded, and patients were not reported as blinded, so self-reported pain and quality of life may be influenced by knowing treatment. All groups were advised to walk daily, and the laser-plus-exercise and placebo-plus-exercise groups also did a home exercise programme, so the separate contribution of laser, supervised exercise, home exercise, and walking cannot be separated. Home exercise and walking compliance were not objectively confirmed, and the authors considered this a limiting factor. The study included only men older than 50 years with osteopenia or osteoporosis, so it does not show effects in women or in other body regions.
Declared interests
The project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFAH), King Abdulaziz city for science and Technology, award number 13-MED745-10. The supplied text does not state author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that high-intensity laser alone caused the improvement. All groups were advised to walk daily, and the strongest pain and health-related quality-of-life effects were seen when laser was combined with exercise.