Subacromial Impingement Syndrome Approach Using High Intensity Laser Therapy

Effectiveness of High Intensity Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Subacromial Impingement Syndrome

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of high intensity laser therapy in the treatment of subacromial impingement syndrome.

Shoulder pain has a high prevalence in our society, several studies estimate an annual prevalence between 5% and 47%. It is one of the main causes of musculoskeletal pain, particularly in third place, after the low back pain and neck pain.

Symptoms of pathologies of subacromial space impingement syndrome, where, regardless of origin, pain is the number one symptom for the patient, which emanates functional impairment and the impact on quality of life. Because of the need to implement research to assess the effectiveness of high intensity laser therapy with new studies mayor methodological quality of obtaining conclusive results, and based on the scientific evidence supporting the low-power laser therapy as a useful tool in addressing the shoulder tendon pathology, we consider very interesting the realization of this research project.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients between 18 and 75 years old with diagnosis of subacromial impingement syndrome or any of the pathologies that compose it (tendinosis-tendinitis supraspinatus and rest of the rotator cuff, subacromial bursitis and tendinitis of the long head of the biceps).
• Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) less than or equal to 7.
• Forward flexion at least of 100º

Exclusion Criteria:

• Calcific tendinitis
• Complete rupture of the rotator cuff.
• Adhesive capsulitis.
• Clinical history of pathologies that without affecting the shoulder joint refer to painful shoulder symptoms (cervical root involvement, cervical surgery, cervical osteoarthritis and neurological pathologies)
• Fibromyalgia
• Be receiving physiotherapeutic treatment or have received it previously for this pathology one month before the start of treatment.
• Patients with alterations of thermal sensitivity.
• Derived from the absolute and relative contraindications of Laser Therapy:
• Photosensitive patients
• Neoplastic processes
• Hyperthyroidism
• Pregnancy
• Patients with a history of epileptic seizures