Comparative study of shock wave therapy and Laser therapy effect in elimination of symptoms among patients with myofascial pain syndrome in upper trapezius

Authors

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the effects of laser therapy and shock wave therapy for symptoms treatment among patients with MPS in the upper trapezius muscle.
Materials and Methods: In a clinical trial study, 46 patients were selected based on the clinical criteria and physiathrist diagnosis. Subjects were randomized into two groups as follows: Twenty individuals were assigned to exercise-medication-laser therapy group, and 26 to exercise-medication-shock wave therapy group. The pain was assessed based on visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and SPADI in three stages: Before treatment, subsequently after treatment, and a month after treatment.
Results: One man and 19 women, age group of 45.3 ± 7.7 years, were assigned into laser therapy group. Two men and 24 women, average age group of 42.3 ± 10.4 were assigned into shock wave therapy group. A significant difference was found among our study groups before treatment and after starting treatment for VAS, NDI, and SPDI indices, that is, two methods of treatments were effective (P < 0.001). However, among these two treatment methods, laser therapy provided higher effect on VAS and NDI as compared to the radial shock wave method (P < 0.05) in 2 weeks from starting the treatment (consequent to treatment).
Conclusion: According to this study results, we can conclude that shock wave and laser therapy results on similar effect in long-term for relieve of pain and eliminating symptoms in patients with myofascial but laser provides a faster optimal results.

Keywords

1.
Hong CZ. Muscle pain syndromes. In: Braddom RL, editor. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders; 2011. p. 971-1002.  Back to cited text no. 1
    
2.
Travell JG, Simons DG. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction. The Trigger Points Manual. 1st ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1998.  Back to cited text no. 2
    
3.
Childers MK, Feldman JB, Guo HM. Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP). In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD, editors. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Saunders & Elsevier; 2008. p. 529-39.  Back to cited text no. 3
    
4.
Kuan TS. Current studies on myofascial pain syndrome. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2009; 13:365-9.  Back to cited text no. 4
    
5.
Hakgüder A, Birtane M, Gürcan S, Kokino S, Turan FN. Efficacy of low level laser therapy in myofascial pain syndrome: An algometric and thermographic evaluation. Lasers Surg Med 2003; 33:339-43.  Back to cited text no. 5
    
6.
Klein RG, Eek BC. Low-energy laser treatment and exercise for chronic low back pain: Double-blind controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1990; 71:34-7.  Back to cited text no. 6
    
7.
Vasseljen O Jr, Høeg N, Kjeldstad B, Johnsson A, Larsen S. Low level laser versus placebo in the treatment of tennis elbow. Scand J Rehabil Med 1992; 24:37-42.  Back to cited text no. 7
    
8.
Heussler JK, Hinchey G, Margiotta E, Quinn R, Butler P, Martin J, et al. A double blind randomised trial of low power laser treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 1993; 52:703-6.  Back to cited text no. 8
    
9.
Gur A, Sarac AJ, Cevik R, Altindag O, Sarac S. Efficacy of 904 nm gallium arsenide low level laser therapy in the management of chronic myofascial pain in the neck: A double-blind and randomize-controlled trial. Lasers Surg Med 2004; 35:229-35.  Back to cited text no. 9
    
10.
Altan L, Bingöl U, Aykaç M, Yurtkuran M. Investigation of the effect of GaAs laser therapy on cervical myofascial pain syndrome. Rheumatol Int 2005; 25:23-7.  Back to cited text no. 10
    
11.
Ozdemir F, Birtane M, Kokino S. The clinical efficacy of low-power laser therapy on pain and function in cervical osteoarthritis. Clin Rheumatol 2001; 20:181-4.  Back to cited text no. 11
    
12.
Simunovic Z, Trobonjaca T, Trobonjaca Z. Treatment of medial and lateral epicondylitis – Tennis and golfer's elbow – With low level laser therapy: A multicenter double blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on 324 patients. J Clin Laser Med Surg 1998; 16:145-51.  Back to cited text no. 12
    
13.
Ilbuldu E, Cakmak A, Disci R, Aydin R. Comparison of laser, dry needling, and placebo laser treatments in myofascial pain syndrome. Photomed Laser Surg 2004; 22:306-11.  Back to cited text no. 13
    
14.
Waylonis GW, Wilke S, O'Toole D, Waylonis DA, Waylonis DB. Chronic myofascial pain: Management by low-output helium-neon laser therapy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1988; 69:1017-20.  Back to cited text no. 14
    
15.
Vecchio P, Cave M, King V, Adebajo AO, Smith M, Hazleman BL. A double-blind study of the effectiveness of low level laser treatment of rotator cuff tendinitis. Br J Rheumatol 1993; 32:740-2.  Back to cited text no. 15
    
16.
Goats G, Flett E, Hunter JA, Stirling A. Low intensity laser and phototherapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Physiotherapy 1996; 82:311-20.  Back to cited text no. 16
    
17.
Dundar U, Evcik D, Samli F, Pusak H, Kavuncu V. The effect of gallium arsenide aluminum laser therapy in the management of cervical myofascial pain syndrome: A double blind, placebo-controlled study. Clin Rheumatol 2007; 26:930-4.  Back to cited text no. 17
    
18.
Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, Bjordal JM. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet 2009; 374:1897-908.  Back to cited text no. 18
    
19.
Damian M, Zalpour C. Trigger point treatment with radial shock waves in musicians with nonspecific shoulder-neck pain: Data from a special physio outpatient clinic for musicians. Med Probl Perform Art 2011; 26:211-7.  Back to cited text no. 19
    
20.
Wang CJ. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy in musculoskeletal disorders. J Orthop Surg Res 2012; 7:11.  Back to cited text no. 20
    
21.
Min H, Kim J, Jeong H. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy in myofascial pain syndrome of upper trapezius. Ann Rehabil Med 2012; 36:675-80.  Back to cited text no. 21
    
22.
Jeon JH, Jung YJ, Lee JY, Choi JS, Mun JH, Park WY, et al. The effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on myofascial pain syndrome. Ann Rehabil Med 2012; 36:665-74.  Back to cited text no. 22