The Effects of Low Power Laser Therapy on Muscle Healing Following Acute Blunt Trauma

Abstract

Many forms of treatment are utilized by physiotherapists for the treatment of soft tissue injuries. One of these is the use of low powered laser (LPLT). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of LPLT (lj/cm², daily 10) on acute blunt trauma to muscles in controlled animal experiments. A reproducible model of single acute blunt trauma to the lower leg muscles of anaesthetized male rats (n=28) was used. The level of contractile protein content and collagenous protein content were determined 12 days post-trauma in control, injured, laser-control and laser treated animals. Our data demonstrated an overall decrease in the levels of contractile protein content, in the various groups, which were not statistically different (p>0.05), and an overall significant increase in the levels of collagenous protein content (p<0.005). It was concluded that the LPLT protocol used for the recovery of injured muscle was not of significant benefit during the time period employed in this study (day 3 to day 12 post-trauma) following acute blunt trauma. The data confirmed a decrease in the levels of contractile proteins and an increase in the levels of collagenous proteins in muscle following injury.