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Improvement of Pain and Disability in Elderly Patients with Degenerative Osteoarthritis of the Knee Treated with Narrow‐Band Light Therapy
Author(s) -
Stelian Jean,
Gil Israel,
Habot Beni,
Rosenthal Michal,
Abramovici Iulian,
Kutok Nathalia,
Khahil Auni
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb01824.x
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , osteoarthritis , mcgill pain questionnaire , visual analogue scale , physical therapy , placebo group , knee pain , randomized controlled trial , light therapy , quality of life (healthcare) , surgery , alternative medicine , nursing , pathology , circadian rhythm
Objective To evaluate the effects of low‐power light therapy on pain and disability in elderly patients with degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee. Design Partially double‐blinded, fully randomized trial comparing red, infrared, and placebo light emitters. Patients Fifty patients with degenerative osteoarthritis of both knees were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: red (15 patients), infrared (18 patients), and placebo (17 patients). Infrared and placebo emitters were double‐blinded. Interventions Self‐applied treatment to both sides of the knee for 15 minutes twice a day for 10 days. Main Outcome Measures Short‐Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, Present Pain Intensity, and Visual Analogue Scale for pain and Disability Index Questionnaire for disability were used. We evaluated pain and disability before and on the tenth day of therapy. The period from the end of the treatment until the patient's request to be retreated was summed up 1 year after the trial. Results Pain and disability before treatment did not show statistically significant differences between the three groups. Pain reduction in the red and infrared groups after the treatment was more than 50% in all scoring methods ( P < 0.05). There was no significant pain improvement in the placebo group. We observed significant functional improvement in red‐ and infrared‐treated groups ( p < 0.05), but not in the placebo group. The period from the end of treatment until the patients required retreatment was longer for red and infrared groups than for the placebo group (4.2 ± 3.0, 6.1 ± 3.2, and 0.53 ± 0.62 months, for red, infrared, and placebo, respectively). Conclusions Low‐power light therapy is effective in relieving pain and disability in degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee.