Investigation of the supplementary effect of GaAs laser therapy on the rehabilitation of human digital flexor tendons.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of laser photostimulation in rehabilitation of human digital flexor tendons with a placebo-controlled double-blind prospective study model. BACKGROUND DATA: Low-energy laser therapy has been applied in several rheumatoid and soft tissue disorders with a varying rate of success and it has also been shown to have a positive effect on tendon healing in animal experiments, but no clinical study on laser photostimulation in the treatment of human tendons has been reported to date. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed in a total of 25 patients with 41 digital flexor tendon injuries in five anatomical zones. In Group I (21 digits in 13 patients), whirlpool and infrared GaAs diode laser with a frequency of 100 Hz. was applied between the 8th and 21st days postoperatively and all patients were given the Washington rehabilitation program until the end of the 12th week. In Group II (20 digits in 12 patients), the same treatment protocol was given but the laser instrument was switched off during applications. RESULTS: The results of the study showed a significant improvement in the laser-treated group only for the parameter of edema reduction (p < 0.01) but the difference between the two groups was non-significant for pain reduction, hand grip strength, and functional evaluation performed according to Strickland and Buck-Gramcko systems using total active motion and fingertip-to distal palmar crease distance parameters (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Significant improvement obtained in edema reduction both immediately and 12 weeks after supplementary GaAs laser application in our study has been interpreted as an important contribution to the rehabilitation of human flexor tendon injuries because edema is known to have a detrimental effect on functional recovery during both early and late stages of tendon healing. However, our study has failed to show a significant positive effect of supplementary GaAs laser application on the other functional recovery parameters of human flexor tendon injury rehabilitation and we suggest further clinical study in this topic be done using different laser types and dosages in order to delineate the role of this promising treatment modality.

Tratamiento del dedo en resorte con laserpuntura / Treatment of the spring finger with laserpuncture

Se realizó un estudio prospectivo clínico-terapéutico a 76 pacientes, los cuales fueron tratados con laserpuntura, y con el diagnóstico de dedo en resorte, remitidos de la Consulta Externa del Hospital Militar Central “Dr. Carlos J. Finlay”. Sesenta y tres pacientes correspondieron al sexo femenino, el grupo de edades más afectado fue entre 40 y 60 años, y en el 75 por ciento del total, se obtuvieron resultados satisfactorios. Se exponen los criterios de diagnóstico, los fundamentos para determinar el realizar un proceder quirúrgico o conservador, la acción terapéutica de la acupuntura y de la irradiación con rayos láser y se hace énfasis en nuestra hipótesis de trabajo respecto a la acción sumatoria de ambos procederes, al estimular puntos específicos de acupuntura con rayos láser de baja potencia(AU)

Successful management of female office workers with "repetitive stress injury" or "carpal tunnel syndrome" by a new treatment modality--application of low level laser.

Female office workers with desk jobs who are incapacitated by pain and tingling in the hands and fingers are often diagnosed by physicians as "repetitive stress injury" (RSI) or "carpal tunnel syndrome" (CTS). These patients usually have poor posture with their head and neck stooped forward and shoulders rounded; upon palpation, they have pain and tenderness at the spinous processes C5-T1 and the medial angle of the scapula. In 35 such patients we focused the treatment primarily at the posterior neck area and not the wrists and hands. A low level laser (100 mW) was used and directed at the tips of the spinous processes C5-T1. The laser rapidly alleviated the pain and tingling in the arms, hands and fingers, and diminished tenderness at the involved spinous processes. Thereby, it has become apparent that many patients labelled as having RSI or CTS have predominantly cervical radicular dysfunction resulting in pain to the upper extremities which can be managed by low level laser. Successful long-term management involves treating the soft tissue lesions in the neck combined with correcting the abnormal head, neck and shoulder posture by taping, cervical collars, and clavicle harnesses as well as improved work ergonomics.