Investigating the Effect of High Power Laser in Improving the Clinical Symptoms of Patients with Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: Tendinitis is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder affecting the shoulder joint. Low-power lasers have been demonstrated to have beneficial effects, such as pain reduction and increased range of motion, in treating shoulder tendinitis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of high-power lasers on improving the clinical symptoms of individuals with rotator cuff tendinopathy. Methods: This study was a randomized, single-blind clinical trial involving 41 patients who were divided into 2 groups: The intervention group (21 participants) and the control group (20 participants). Both groups received the same physiotherapy treatment. However, the intervention group additionally received high-power laser treatment. Before and after the treatment, all patients completed the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to assess pain intensity and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire to evaluate shoulder functional activity. Shoulder range of motion was measured using a goniometer. Results: The average scores of both the VAS and DASH questionnaires showed a significant decrease after treatment in both the high-power laser and control groups (P = 0.001). However, the decrease in the intervention group was greater than that in the control group, and this difference was also statistically significant (P = 0.001). Following treatment, both groups exhibited a statistically significant reduction in the painful range of motion of the shoulder joint (P = 0.002). However, the difference between the 2 groups in this regard was not significant (P = 0.20). Conclusions: The combination of high-power laser treatment with conventional physiotherapy appears to have enhanced therapeutic effects. The laser's anti-inflammatory mechanism may have contributed to accelerated pain reduction and improved joint function. However, further studies are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.