Benefical effects of Low Level Laser Therapy in Musculoskeletal Disorders of Foot-Plantar Fasciitis, a Review

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common pathological condition affecting the hind foot and was first described by Wood in 1812, he attributed it to tuberculosis. By definition PF is an inflammation of the plantar fascia. There are lot of perpetuating factors for PF which can be divided under intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The major goal of therapy is to relieve pain and increase functional ability. Currently used treatments include complementary methods out of which LLLT is one of the most common. To conclude LLLT could produce pain relief by one or a combination of these mechanisms - collagen proliferation, anti-inflammatory effect, circulation enhancement, and peripheral nerve stimulation. Thus, there have been adequate physiological effects and evidences for the significant role of LLLT in musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore frequent use of LLLT should be undertaken in any clinical setup for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders of the foot- Plantar fasciitis.