Effects of photobiomodulation therapy associated with resistance training in elderly men: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial

Fritsch, Carolina G.; Dornelles, Maurício P.; Teodoro, Juliana L.; da Silva, Larissa X. N.; Vaz, Marco A.; Pinto, Ronei S.; Cadore, Eduardo L.; Baroni, Bruno M.

doi:10.1007/s00421-018-4023-8

Original Article
Published: 26 October 2018

Effects of photobiomodulation therapy associated with resistance training in elderly men: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial

European Journal of Applied Physiology volume 119, pages 279–289 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) combined with resistance training on knee extensors muscle mass, strength and functional capacity in elderly men.

Methods

In this randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, healthy elderly men (age 60–80 years) completed 12 weeks of resistance training (2×/week) with application of placebo (n = 13) or active PBMT (n = 11) on quadriceps muscles (850 nm, 240 J per limb) before each training session. Leg press and knee extension one-repetition maximum (1RM) tests, isometric and concentric peak torques, rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscle thickness, timed up-and-go (TUG) and chair rise-to-standing (CRS) tests were performed before and after the intervention period.

Results

There were significant improvements in all outcomes for both groups (p < 0.05), except for RF muscle thickness for the placebo group (p = 0.09). Large effect sizes (ES > 0.8) were observed for leg press and leg extension 1RM and CRS tests for both groups, as well as for TUG test for PBMT group. Isokinetic peak torque for both groups and TUG for placebo group had moderate increases (ES > 0.5). Muscle thicknesses and isometric peak torque had small increases (ES > 0.2) in both groups. Both null hypothesis analysis and magnitude-based inference support similar effects of PBMT and placebo treatments.

Conclusion

Different than previously evidenced in young subjects, PBMT with the parameters used in this study did not provide any additional benefits in comparison to placebo application on muscle mass, strength and functional capacity of healthy elderly men engaged in a resistance training program.

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Abbreviations

1RM:: One-repetition maximum
ATP:: Adenosine triphosphate
CRS:: Chair rise-to-standing
ICC:: Intraclass correlation coefficient
J:: Joules
PBMT:: Photobiomodulation therapy
RF:: Rectus femoris
TUG:: Timed up-and-go
VL:: Vastus lateralis

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Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank CAPES and CNPq for the scholarships provided.

Funding

The authors declare that no funding was received for the development of the study.

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Affiliations

Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Carolina G. Fritsch, Maurício P. Dornelles & Bruno M. Baroni
Exercise Research Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Dance, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Juliana L. Teodoro, Larissa X. N. da Silva, Marco A. Vaz, Ronei S. Pinto & Eduardo L. Cadore

Authors

Carolina G. Fritsch
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Maurício P. Dornelles
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Juliana L. Teodoro
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Larissa X. N. da Silva
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Marco A. Vaz
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Ronei S. Pinto
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Eduardo L. Cadore
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Bruno M. Baroni
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Correspondence to Carolina G. Fritsch.

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Communicated by William J. Kraemer.

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Fritsch, C.G., Dornelles, M.P., Teodoro, J.L. et al. Effects of photobiomodulation therapy associated with resistance training in elderly men: a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial. Eur J Appl Physiol 119, 279–289 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4023-8

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Received: 13 July 2018
Accepted: 17 October 2018
Published: 26 October 2018
Issue Date: 30 January 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4023-8

Keywords

Phototherapy
Low-level laser therapy
Strength training
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