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Low-level laser therapy with a wrist splint to treat carpal tunnel syndrome: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial

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Abstract

The efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) was evaluated in a total of 66 patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with a double-blinded randomized controlled study. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Group I received 15 sessions of a gallium-aluminum-arsenide laser treatment at a dosage of 18 J per session over the carpal tunnel area with neutral wrist splint. Group II received placebo laser therapy with neutral wrist splint. The patients were evaluated with the following parameters: (1) clinical parameters which consisted of visual analog scale, symptom severity scale, functional status scale, and pinch strength and grip strength before the treatment and at 5- and 12-week follow-ups and (2) electroneurophysiological parameters from nerve conduction study which were evaluated before the treatment and at 12-week follow-up. Fifty nine patients (112 hands: unilateral CTS = 6 hands and bilateral CTS = 106 hands) completed the study. Both groups I and II had n = 56 hands. Improvements were significantly more pronounced in the LLLT-treated group than the placebo group especially for grip strength at 5- and 12-week follow-ups. At 12-week follow-up, distal motor latency of the median nerve was significantly improved in the LLLT group than the placebo group (p < 0.05). LLLT therapy, as an alternative for a conservative treatment, is effective for treating mild to moderate CTS patients. It can improve hand grip strength and electroneurophysiological parameter with a carry-over effect up to 3 months after treatment for grip strength of the affected hands.

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Acknowledgments

This study has been supported by a grant from the Research Support Funding of the Faculty of Medicine at Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhriraj University, Thailand. We wish to thank all those who helped us to execute this clinical experiment. We are also grateful to Dr. Camilla M. Kao for editing this manuscript.

Disclosures

Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Source of funding

There was no external funding source outside of the University’s Research Funding Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Yupadee Fusakul, Thanyaporn Aranyavalai & Phongphitch Saensri

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Satit Thiengwittayaporn

Authors
  1. Yupadee Fusakul
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  2. Thanyaporn Aranyavalai
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  3. Phongphitch Saensri
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  4. Satit Thiengwittayaporn
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Correspondence to Satit Thiengwittayaporn.

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Fusakul, Y., Aranyavalai, T., Saensri, P. et al. Low-level laser therapy with a wrist splint to treat carpal tunnel syndrome: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Lasers Med Sci 29, 1279–1287 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-014-1527-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-014-1527-2

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