Effect of low level laser therapy and exercises in the treatment of pain and functional disability in cases of knee osteoarthritis

ABSTRACT

Osteoarthritis OA is a widely spread disorder that may involve any synovial joint, but it mainly affects weight bearing joints, namely hip and knee. Treatments of knee OA mainly focus on pain and function. This is usually achieved by conservative, non pharmacologic therapies. Exercises are known to be effective in reducing pain, improve strength of quadriceps, improve knee mobility, and thus function. A recently introduced modality, Low intensity laser therapy [LLLT], is suggested to improve the condition of knee OA This study aimed to assess the efficiency of LLLT in conjunction with exercises in treatment of knee OA METHODS: sixty bilateral knees OA patients [22 males and 38 females], of age range 45-65 years and mean 52 +/- [6], were randomly selected and assigned to one of the three equal groups [20 patients each]; group A. treated with laser and exercises, group B received exercises only and. group C serves as a control group. Patients in experimental groups received 12 sessions [every other day]. Assessment of pain was estimated by visual analog scale, and function by 50 feet walking speed. These assessment were done pre and post experimentally in group A and B, and in one month interval in group C. Results showed that significant improvement in pain and function occurred in both groups A and B compared to group C, but no significant difference was seen in between both groups. LLLT and exercise have been concluded to be no more efficient than exercise alone in treatment of OA of knee joint