THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY (LLLT) FOR SHOULDER PERIARTHRITIS

The effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) for pain relief and improved range of motion (ROM) in shoulder periarthritis was investigated, and serum prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were measured to evaluate the underlying mechanism of LLLT action. This study included 40 women with a mean age of 62.7 years and mean symptom duration of 2.8 months. LLLT was effective in 32 patients (80%). In the “effective” treatment group, visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, range of abduction, flexion, and internal rotation, and serum PGE2 levels improved significantly. A correlation was observed between improvement in each ROM and VAS scores, and both were useful as indices of symptom improvement and treatment efficacy. PGE2 also decreased significantly after laser therapy and played a role in pain symptoms, but there was no correlation with improvement in the ROM or VAS scores. Thus, serum PGE2 levels did not reflect the degree of shoulder function or pain. In the “ineffective” treatment group, no improvement, no correlation between ROM and VAS scores, and no change in serum PGE2 levels after laser therapy were observed. This seems to represent a special group.