Effectiveness of High-Intensity Laser Therapy in Subacromial Impingement Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: The short-term effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) was investigated as a retrospective case series for the treatment of the pain and disability associated with subacromial impingement syndrome (SAIS). Materials and methods: A total of 42 patients, who were diagnosed with subacromial impingement syndrome, underwent a total of nine sessions (three sessions per week) of high-intensity laser therapy. The patients were evaluated before therapy and 8 weeks after therapy using the pain and disability subscales and the total scores of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), as well as scores for the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale. Results: Significant differences were observed between SPADI pain, disability, and total scores and UCLA scores of the patients. Conclusions: HILT was found to be effective in the short term in the treatment of pain and disability in patients with SAIS.