ஜர்னல் ஆஃப் லேசர்ஸ், ஆப்டிக்ஸ் & ஃபோட்டானிக்ஸ்

The Effectiveness of High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) in the Treatment of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Dimitrios Stasinopoulos1,2*, Konstantinos Giannakou3 and Dimitrios Lamnisos3

The aim of the present systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) in the management of Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy (LET) and to provide recommendations based on this evidence. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified by a search strategy in six databases were used in combination with reference checking. RCTs that included HILT, patients with LET, and at least one of the clinically relevant outcome measures were selected. A qualitative analysis of the selected studies was conducted using the Furlan system. Results: Three primary studies met eligibility criteria. All studies had a low risk of bias. There is no evidence for the effectiveness of HILT compared to bandage for the management of LET in the short-term. There is moderate evidence that HILT is more effective than LLLT for the management of LET in the short-term. Conclusion: HILT is a dose-response modality, and the optimal treatment dose has obviously not yet has been discovered. Further research with well-designed RCTs is required to provide meaningful evidence on the effectiveness (absolute and relative) of HILT for the management of LET.