Low back pain
LLLT for chronic non-specific low back pain meta-analysis
Glazov G, Yelland M, Emery J, et al. Acupuncture in Medicine. 2016.
A sham-controlled meta-analysis found short-term benefit in chronic non-specific low back pain, mainly in higher-dose non-acupuncture laser trials.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
mixed
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The review included 15 studies with 1,039 participants.
- Pain reduction favored laser treatment in subgroups using at least 3 J per point.
- The authors rated evidence as moderate for short-term benefit but called for rigorously blinded dosage-appropriate trials.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Varied by trial |
| Duration | Short-term treatment courses; varied by trial |
| Treatment area | Low back points |
| Device type | Low-level laser therapy, including some laser acupuncture approaches |
Caveats
- A later systematic review reached a more negative conclusion for non-specific low back pain.
- Clinical point-laser dose is not directly equivalent to broad LED panel exposure.