NO EFFECT OF LOW-POWER LASER IN LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS

Thirty-six patients with lateral epicondylitis of the elbow (19 women, 17 men, median age 48 prs) were treated either with active laser or p lacebo, 18 patients in each group. The active laser was a GA-AL-AS 30 mW/830 nln low power laser (LPL). The study design was double blind an d randomized. The treatment session consisted of eight treatments, two per week. Patients were irradiated on tender points on the lateral ep icondyle and in the forearm extensors. Output power was 3,6 J/point. A follow up was performed by telephone, 10 weeks after the last treatme nt. No difference between laser and placebo was found on lateral elbow pain (Mann Whitney test, 95% confidence limits). We conclude that low power laser offers no advantage over placebo in the treatment of musc uloskeletal pain as lateral epicondylitis. Further studies with low po wer laser treatment of musculoskeletal pain seem useless.