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Low intensity monochromatic infrared therapy: A preliminary study of the effects of a novel treatment unit upon experimental muscle soreness
Author(s) -
Glasgow Philip D.,
Hill Iain D.,
McKevitt AnneMarie,
Lowe Andrea S.,
Baxter David
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
lasers in surgery and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1096-9101
pISSN - 0196-8092
DOI - 10.1002/1096-9101(2001)28:1<33::aid-lsm1012>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - placebo , delayed onset muscle soreness , medicine , biceps , physical therapy , intensity (physics) , post hoc analysis , anesthesia , tenderness , physical medicine and rehabilitation , surgery , muscle damage , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics
Background and Objective The current study (for which ethical approval was obtained) sought to assess the effect of low intensity monochromatic infrared therapy (LIMIRT) on experimentally induced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Study Design/Materials and Methods Healthy volunteers were recruited (n = 24, 12M:12F) and randomly allocated under strict double blind conditions to one of three experimental groups (n = 8, 4M:4F): Control, Placebo, or Treatment (840 nm; 3.0 J cm −2 , pulse frequency 1 kHz). DOMS was induced in a standardised manner in the biceps brachii of the nondominant arm. Subjects attended on 5 consecutive days during which the degree of pain and functional impairment was assessed. Results Analysis of results by using nonparametric Freidman and Kruskal‐Wallis H tests (with relevant post hoc tests) revealed significant differences ( P < 0.05) between Control and LIMIRT treatment groups for pain and tenderness scores. Despite trends in favour of the Treatment group, analysis failed to show any significant differences between the LIMIRT treatment and Placebo groups for all variables except mechanical pain threshold points 3–6 on day 2. Conclusion The results of the current study suggest that LIMIRT is ineffective in the management of DOMS at the parameters investigated. Lasers Surg. Med. 28:33–39, 2001.© 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.