School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, USM, Penang, Malaysia 11800.
Low back pain (LBP) is a major health problem with enormous economic and social costs. The toll that bears on individuals, families and society make the successful management of this is common. Despite its widespread use, the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) is still controversial. Traditional treatments include drugs, physical treatment, back exercises and education, but they are not always completely helpful. Many people seek alternative treatments, such as LLLT. Therefore main goal of this study is to determine the effect of LLLT on the intensity of chronic LBP.
80 patients who had low back pain for at least 12 weeks were irradiated with low level laser. One group received laser therapy alone, one received laser therapy and exercise, and the third group received placebo laser therapy and exercise. Laser therapy was performed twice a week for 4 weeks.
72% of the active treatment group returned to work compared to 41% of the sham group. This 31% difference between the groups was significant. While the study's findings showed better results on some outcomes following active treatment, the report does not indicate the number of patients available at follow-up. In addition, the study reports only the percentage of patients who improved without clearly reporting the extent of improvement.
