High-Intensity Laser Acupuncture for Treating Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

High-Intensity Laser Acupuncture for Treating Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: Impact on Pain, Function, and Patient Satisfaction

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is among the most prevalent forms of knee discomfort. The main complaint is typically anterior knee pain, which gets worse while jumping, bending knee, going up or down stairs, or sitting for long periods of time with bent knee. Teens and early adulthood are commonly affected by patellofemoral pain syndrome, with a higher frequency in females. In healthy general populations, the prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome is 22.7%, and in teens, it is 28.9%.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common cause of anterior knee pain that limits activities such as stair climbing, squatting, running, and prolonged sitting, leading to reduced function and participation (Crossley et al., 2016; Gaitonde et al., 2019). Exercise therapy is considered a key conservative treatment, especially combined hip and knee exercises, but additional non-invasive modalities may help improve pain relief and recovery (Collins et al., 2018). Laser acupuncture provides non-invasive stimulation of acupuncture points and may offer analgesic and functional benefits without needle insertion. Recent studies suggest that laser acupuncture and high-intensity laser therapy may improve pain and function in patients with PFPS (Ozlu et al., 2024). Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of high-intensity laser acupuncture on pain, knee function, and patient satisfaction in patients with PFPS.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (positive Clarkes sign and Waldron test)
• Age from 18 to 25 years
• Patients suffering from pain which aggravated by prolonged sitting, stair climbing, running, squatting, kneeling, hopping\jumping, overuse activities and relieved by rest for at least 3 months
• Visual analog scale (VAS) greater than 3 points in daily activity
• The ability to participate in the study and follow the treatment schedule.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Physiotherapy in the last 12 months
• Intra-articular injection in the last 3 months
• Other knee disorders such as: (osteoarthritis, previous knee surgery, history of knee arthroplasty, or traumatic injury related joint deformity)
• BMI greater than or equal 30
• Pregnancy
• Pacemaker insertion
• Photosensitivity
• History of using oral analgesic or NSAIDs in the previous 4 weeks,
• History of malignancy, psychiatric disorder, mental retardation, neurologic dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, or uncontrolled hypertension.