LASER

in another other treatments such as aspirin and psychological assessments were used in conjunction with laser. Also some stud- ies relied on the patient’s perception of pain which while useful is limited by subjectivity and can be affected by outside factors such as depression which can play a part in the intensity of pain.

Cellular and animal research on laser has shown excellent results for wound healing and has lead to the progression of research into humans.

Sample sizes to date, while being small and including subjective measures, have shown good results for surface healing.

Contraindications and safety One of the significant advantages of laser is the absence of con- traindications.

It is safe on children’s growth plates however

many physiotherapists may also prefer not to use any modality on pregnant women or patients who have had cancer (although there is currently no evidence contraindicating laser in these cases).

Safety is an important factor and users and patients both need to wear protective goggles and use a room rather than a cubicle. Special training is strongly advised as laser can be misused. Local authorities also insist that lasers are registered and this normally costs around £500. If you buy a new laser the company from which you buy it will normally pay half of this.

Conclusion There has been good basic research into laser but much more is needed on specific wavelengths and dosages to allow repro- ducibility.

The strongest evidence for the benefits of laser lie in the promo- tion of healing of superficial wounds and soft tissue injuries that are situated close to the skin however much more research is required to prove the benefits at deeper levels. Specific conditions need targeting with significant positive results to encourage phys- iotherapists to use laser to its full potential.

References 1. Kitchen S and Partridge C. A review of low level laser. Physiotherapy 1991;77:161-166 2. Goldman JA and Chialella J. Laser therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 1980;1:93-101 3. Baxter DG. Therapeutic lasers: theory and practice. Churchill Livingstone, London, 1995 4. Agaiby L and Dyson M. The effect of light on the proliferation of endothelial cells. Fourth International Biotherapy Laser Association Seminar on Laser Biomodulation, Guys Hospital, London, 1990 5. Bolton PA, Young S, Dyson M. Macrophage response to light therapy - a dose response study. Laser Therapy 1991;101-106 6. Young S, Bolton P, Dyson M, Diamantopoulos C. Macrophage responsive- ness to light therapy. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 1989;9:495-505 7. Bihari I and Mester AR. The biostimulative effect of low level laser ther- apy of long-standing crual ulcers using helium neon laser, helium neon plus infrared lasers, and noncoherent light. Preliminary report of a randomised double blind comparative study. Omega Lasers, London, 1989 8. Trelles MA, Rigau J, Sala P, Claderhead G, Ohshiro T. Infrared diode laser in low reactive-level laser therapy for knee osteoarthrosis. Lasers in Medicine and Surgery, 1991;149-153 9. England S, Farrell AJ, Coppock JS et al. Low power laser therapy of shoulder tendonitis. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology 1989;18:427-431 10. Palmieri B. A double blind stratified crossover study of amateur tennis players suffering from tennis elbow using infrared laser therapy. Surgical Semeiotics, University of Modena, Italy, 1984

20-22 October, 2000

International

The Events Unit, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 14 Bedford

For a full programme and exhibition floorplan visit the congress website at

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Annual Congress and

OMEGA LASER SYSTEMS

EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY

Fast and effective treatment of:

• Pain relief – spectacular results including tendinitis, back pain, plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia

• Unresolved conditions – tendinitis, tenosynovitis, bursitis, capsulitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and RSD

• Acute and chronic sports and soft tissue injuries

– relied upon by sports injury clinics UK wide as well as premiership football clubs and Olympic physiotherapists for faster resolution and return to fitness

• Safe treatment – over pins, metal plates and plastic implants

• Pre and post operative irradiation – increase in rate of healing and reduction of scarring

• Acupuncture point stimulation

Helpful and expert advice freely available on how the therapy works, how to use it and how to ensure the best results. For information on the extensive library of research on low level laser therapy, free training and trialing equipment, please contact Omega Laser Systems help and support line:

6 Raleigh Court, Priestley Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 2PD Tel: 01293 550268 Fax: 01293 550269

E-mail: omegalaser@aol.com Website: www.omegalaser.co.uk SportEX 35