Effect of HILT vs LLLT in Treatment of Patients With Achilles Tendinitis or Plantar Fasciitis

Short and Long Term Effect of High Intensity Versus Low-Level Laser Therapy in Treatment of Patients With Achilles Tendinitis or Plantar Fasciitis: A Single Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the changes of heel pain, functional health and well-being after high-intensity and low-level laser therapy for plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinopathy

Plantar heel pain, also known as plantar fasciitis, causes soreness or tenderness of the sole of the foot under the heel, which sometimes extends into the medial arch. Pain associated with the condition may cause substantial disability and poor health-related quality of life. Achilles tendinitis is a common etiology of posterior heel pain that results in significant pain and loss of function. Calf exercise is initial management that may be supported by laser therapy. A treatment possibility high-intensity laser therapy is little explored. High-intensity lasers can deliver more energy deeper into tissue. The hypothesis is that both lasers are effective in treatment of plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinopathy, but high-intensity laser therapy is more effective.

The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the changes of heel pain, functional health and well-being after high-intensity and low-level laser therapy for plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinopathy.

The study was approved by Committee on Biomedical Research Ethics of Kaunas Region (2016-07-14 No. BE-2-32). Patients are recruited in out patient clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department in The Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) Kauno klinikos.

Inclusion Criteria:

• unilateral painful activity related symptoms from the Achilles region
• tenderness during palpation of Achilles insertion on calcaneus or couple centimeters above
• unilateral plantar heel pain, mainly during the first few steps upon rising in the morning
• tenderness at the insertion site of the plantar fascia o the calcaneus

Exclusion Criteria:

• bilateral heel pain
• other acute pathology (febrile fever, cold. etc.) that require treatment
• other painful conditions that require painkillers (tooth pain, back pain, etc)
• pregnancy
• history of recent trauma or foot surgery
• wounds, infections in treatment area
• impaired sensation in treatment area
• pigmentation changes on the skin in treatment area (tattoo, birthmarks)
• received oral or injected corticosteroids within the last 26 weeks
• diagnosis of systemic inflammatory arthritis (goat, rheumatoid arthritis, etc)
• diagnosis of neurological heel pain (radiculopathy)
• diagnosis of other heel pathology (calcaneal stress fracture, osteomyelitis, plantar fascia neoplasm, plantar fascia rupture, etc)