RESUMO
This study was performed to evaluate the effect of low energy laser irradiation on arthritis induced by type II collagen in rats 10 rats were used as normal control and 50 were utilized for induction of arthritis, 10 of them were not irradiated [arthritic control group] 20 were subjected to local laser application [experimental group] and 20 were exposed to sham laser irradiation [sham laser irradiated group]. Animals of arthritic control group were sacrificed 2 weeks after induction of arthritis Animal of experimental and sham laser irradiation group were subjected to clinical and radiographic examination before and after irradiation. Then they were sacrificed to evaluated histopathological changes in ankle joints after laser application, compared to arthritic control group. Our data reveal improvement of clinical radiographic and histopathological changes after laser therapy