Efficiency of low-intensity laser therapy in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis

Abstract

Aim: Lateral epicondylitis is the most common cause of lateral elbow pain and dysfunction, mainly caused by repetitive gripping or wrist extension during various activities. Although also known as tennis elbow, lateral epicondylitis often develops as a work-related condition and therefore poses an important public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of laser in the treatment of patients diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis. Material and Method: Patients who received low-intensity laser therapy (LILT) treatment and patients who received placebo LILT while waiting for extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) treatment with the same diagnosis were included in the study. A total of 60 patients in two groups of 30 were included in the study. The patients who received LILT treatment constituted the treatment group (n=30), and the patients receiving placebo LILT constituted the control group (n=30). VAS for resting and resisted wrist extension, HAQ, PRTEE-T pain, function, and total scales were used to measure patients' pain status and response to treatment. Results were compared by analyzing patient files and recorded data. Results: A total of 48 (80%) subjects were female and 12 (20%) were male. The mean age of the control group was 47.8±7.4 years, and the mean age of the treatment group was 45.7±8.5 years. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, gender, and occupational distribution (p>0.05). In our study, the group treated with LILT showed statistically significant improvement in all parameters (VAS, HAQ, PRTEE) we investigated compared to the control group (p