Efficacy of low-level laser therapy applied at acupuncture points in knee osteoarthritis: a randomised double-blind comparative trial

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) applied to acupuncture points on the knee joint in combination with exercise and advice in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Design:Randomised, double-blind, comparative clinical trial.Participants:Forty-nine patients with knee osteoarthritis were assigned at random into two groups: active laser group (n = 26) and placebo laser group (n = 23).Intervention:Using a gallium aluminium arsenide laser device, patients received either active or placebo LLLT at five acupuncture points on the affected knee during nine session Outcome measures:Patients were assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Saudi Knee FunctionScale (SKFS) at baseline, the fifth treatment session, the last treatment session, 6 weeks post intervention and 6 months post intervention.Results VAS scores showed a significant improvement in the active laser group compared with the placebo laser group at 6 weeks post intervention [meandifference -1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) of the difference -2.4 to-0.3; P = 0.014] and 6 months post intervention (mean difference -1.8, 95% CI of the difference -3.0 to -0.7; P = 0.003)using the independent samples test. SKFS scores also showed a significant improvement in the active laser group compared with the placebo laser group at the last treatment session (median difference -15, 95% CI of the difference -27 to -2; P = 0.035) and 6 months post intervention (median difference -21, 95% CI of the difference -34 to -7; P = 0.006) using the Mann–Whitney U test. Conclusions:The results demonstrate that short-term application of LLLT to specific acupuncture points in association with exercise and advice is effective in reducing pain and improving quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis.