Low Level Laser Therapy With Physical Therapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Chronic Pain Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy With Physical Therapy for Pain and Improved Function in Individuals With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Terminated

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02785432
• Other study ID #: STU 012016-003
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 2016
• Est. completion date: November 2016

Study information

• Verified date: June 2020
• Source: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

1. Examine the use of low level therapeutic laser (LLLT) combined with physical therapy for improvements in pain, range of motion, and function in individuals with chronic pain from musculoskeletal conditions.

2. Compare changes in pain, mobility, and ability to return to home/work/recreational activities between treatments with standard physical therapy plus LLLT or the standard physical therapy program alone.

Description:

Potential subjects will be identified by their physician referral to the pain program and after initial evaluation by the medical personnel and physical therapy for appropriate inclusion in the pain program. For individuals who meet entry parameters for the pain program, this project will be discussed by their physical therapist for consideration of voluntary participation. If participants are willing to participate, appropriate consent and HIPPA permissions will be obtained.

After consent, the patient will be randomized to one of the two treatment cohorts which consists of utilizing either laser or sham laser before and during pain program participation. The principle investigator will be blinded to the treatment allocation group. The treating clinician will be aware of their treatment allocation assignment for laser application. Each treatment cohort will be completed as assigned. Physical therapy treatment in addition to the study intervention will be selected by the treating clinician based on participant's specific needs as standard of care would dictate. Outcome measures will be collected as described below.

Testing Schedule:

The assigned study intervention (LLLT or Sham) will be administered on each of the clinical visits for phase 1 and 2 of the study. Outcome measures will be completed on the following schedule.

Phase 1: Conducted during the period between acceptance to pain program and start the of the pain program (4 weeks). Baseline testing will be completed at the time of initial evaluation and enrollment to the study.

Phase 1 final testing (4 weeks) will be on the first clinic visit of the formal pain program. Phase 2: This phase is the 4-week formal pain program (2 visits/week x 4 weeks, total 8 visits). Final testing (8 weeks) will be on the final visit of the formal pain program.

Measurements:

A. Numerical pain rating scale (NPRS): perceived pain on scale of 0-10 (0=no pain, 10= extremely severe pain). Pain during the previous 24-hour period (best, worst, current) will be measured at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The average of 3 scores will be used.

B. Region specific functional outcome measure: A valid and reliable outcome tool of broad based physical function based on the body region of interest will be completed. Measured at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.

C. Questionnaires of fear avoidance (FABQ, or TKS) and sleep quality (Pittsburg sleep index) will be taken as measures of quality of life and impact. Measures will be taken at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.

All procedures, measurements, and interventions (exercises) are considered to be standard of care for rehabilitation and the subject's needs. The experimental aspect of the study is derived from the randomized selection of which laser intervention will be utilized before and during program participation.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Terminated
• Enrollment: 11
• Est. completion date: November 2016
• Est. primary completion date: November 2016
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 80 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 18-80 years old

2. Primary referral and acceptance to the UTSW McDermott Multidisciplinary Pain Management Program. All diagnoses will be included.

3. Physical therapy specific inclusion for acceptance to the pain program (and this study) include:

1. Musculoskeletal pain greater than 3 months

2. Pain upon palpation or with movement of the extremities

3. Medically cleared for physical therapy (exercise) in terms of cardiac, orthopedic, neurological impairments.

4. Cognitive, verbal, and physical abilities to self-detect and report pain and changes in exercise effort.

5. Ability to speak English and follow exercise based instructions.

6. Able to give informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to meet inclusion criteria for pain program

2. Current use of photosensitive medication (has been instructed to minimize sun exposure)

3. Active metastasis

4. Active infection

5. Diagnoses that exclude PT including cauda equine syndrome, myopathy, acute fracture (8-weeks).

6. Impaired sensation

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Chronic Pain
• Musculoskeletal Pain

Intervention

Device:
• Sham low level laser
Sham laser will be administered using the same time and contact exposure as delivered for the active group, but without any energy delivered.
• Active low level laser
Active treatment will be delivered using the time, contact, and energy exposures described in the arm description.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	McDermott Pain Management Clinic	Dallas	Texas

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)	Perceived pain on scale of 0-10 (0=no pain, 10= extremely severe pain). Pain during the previous 24-hour period (best, worst, current) will be measured at T1-T8. The average of 3 scores will be used.	Baseline, 4 week, 8 week
Secondary	Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia	Valid and reliable 11 item assessment of kinesiophobia. Scores range from 11-44, with higher scores indicating greater degrees of kinesiophobia.	Baseline, 4 week, 8 week
Secondary	Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index	The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a self-rated questionnaire which assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a 1-month time interval. Nineteen individual items generate seven "component" scores: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction.; The sum of scores for these seven components yields one global score. each scored 0 (no difficulty) to 3 (severe difficulty). The component scores are summed to produce a global score (range 0 to 21). Higher scores indicate worse sleep quality.	Baseline, 4 week, 8 week
Secondary	Patient Specific Functional Scale	Valid and reliable measure of the degree of difficulty with 3 self-selected activities as rated on an 11 point scale. The scores for the three activities are summed to create a total score ranging from 0-30, with higher scores indicating better/normal function.	Baseline, 4 week, 8 week