Efficacy of High Intensity Laser Therapy in the Mild Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Randomized Double-blind Controlled Trial / 대한정형외과연구학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to know the effect of high intensive laser therapy in patients with early stage of osteoarthritis of knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized, double blind controlled trial. 28 patients who had grade II osteoarthritis of Kellgren classification and knee pain were randomly divided into two groups. Patients underwent treatment 30 times, 5 times per week. the clinical evaluation was done by the pain, stiffness and functional score of the knee by the knee society clinical rating system, and the intensity of pain was measured also by a VAS (visual analogue scale), before and after the 1st sessions, Before and after the 2nd sessions and at 6 month after the 1st treatment. We checked hs-CRP and HA which was regarded as indexes of osteoarthritis activitiy. RESULTS: As a clinical result of high intensive laser therapy, VAS, pain and functional score were statistically more improved than those of before therapy, except stiffness (P<0.05). The results of the hs-CRP and HA which were not significantly different from those of before therapy. In the placebo group, all variables showed no difference. CONCLUSION: We concluded that Nd-YAG high intensive laser therapy in early stage of patient with osteoarthritis of knee would be helpful as noninvasive and conservative treatment for improvement clinical progress.