APPLICATION OF LOW-LEVEL LASER THERAPY TO ORTHOPEDIC DISEASES AND EVALUATION OF ITS OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS

This paper reports the findings obtained in our recent clinical study of the characteristics of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and discusses the possibility of applying these findings to the treatment of previously unreported orthopedic diseases.Histological study of muscles: Following long-term (3-week or longer) irradiation, there was an increase in nerve activity, suggesting the possibility that irradiation have the potential to alter the distribution of the myofiber types.Application to a patient with osteoarthritis of the hip: The narrowing of the joint space and the range of motion of hip joint alleviated or improved and the pain lessened markedly.Application to patients with congenital clubfoot: The application of LLLT and corrective massage before the correction of deformities with a cast facilitated the correction, enabling further improvement in congenital clubfoot.The possibility of the application of LLLT in patients with osteoporosis: LLLT tended to stimulate ossification and suppress bone resorption temporarily, suggesting the feasibility of applying LLLT as a means of treating osteoporosis.The possibility of the use of LLLT applied to the neck for the improving the cerebral blood flow was evaluated in patients with spastic cerebral palsy, using single photon emission computed tomography.Better knowledge of the characteristics of light may expand the scope of application of phototherapy for other diseases.