High-frequency laser therapy: a new alternative to physiotherapy in the treatment of cervical disk hernia.
OrthoEvidence Journal (OE Journal) - ACE Report
OE Journal. 2025;13(7):35 Front Med (Lausanne) . 2024 Dec 19:11:1429660.What this means for my practice?
Clinicians should remember that high-frequency laser therapy is as effective as conventional physiotherapy in improving pain, function, and quality of life in patients with cervical disk herniation. This supports its use as a viable non-invasive alternative in clinical practice. However, the absence of a placebo laser control and limited long-term data are key limitations, and further research is warranted to standardize protocols and validate long-term outcomes.
Study Summary
One hundred fifty patients with cervical disk herniation were randomized to receive high-frequency laser therapy plus exercise (n=50), conventional physiotherapy (TENS, ultrasound, hotpack) plus exercise (n=50), or exercise therapy alone (n=50). The primary outcome was the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary outcomes included range of motion (ROM), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and the Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36). Outcomes were assessed before treatment, after 3 weeks of treatment, and at 1 and 3 months follow-up. Overall, the results of the study revealed significant improvements in all outcomes across all groups, with greater improvements observed in the physiotherapy and high-frequency laser groups compared to the exercise-only group. There was no significant difference between physiotherapy and laser therapy groups, suggesting that high-frequency laser therapy may be an effective alternative to conventional physiotherapy in the treatment of cervical disk herniation.
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