Efeitos da fototerapia utilizando a combinação de diferentes fontes de luz no limiar de dor do músculo trapézio: ensaio clínico randomizado, cruzado, placebo-controlado e duplo

Abstract

Pain in the cervical region is a musculoskeletal dysfunction that affects a considerable number of individuals, causing a loss of work and damage to their daily living activities. The use of phototherapy with low power laser (LBP) or light emitting diode (LED) in the physiological response to the pain in the neck region has shown satisfactory results, but more work has to be done in order to establish a standard of use. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of phototherapy on the threshold of acute pain in the trapezius muscle. Thus, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover clinical trial was conducted. For this, 62 volunteers aged between 18 and 35 years were recruited, divided into two experimental groups. The volunteers received the application of phototherapy in the descending trapezius muscle that was irradiated in a single point located in the region of the neck nuchal line. Before, immediately after and one week after the treatment the volunteers were evaluated according to the degree of pain classification (VAS) and pain threshold (algometry). Our results showed that phototherapy significantly increased (p <0.05) the pain threshold in the TFBM group in relation to the Placebo group, presenting a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.0072). We conclude that the combined use of different wavelengths at the same time can enhance the effects of phototherapy and protect against damage in skeletal muscle. Thus, it is possible to infer that the use of phototherapy, in the parameters used, in the treatment of acute pain in the cervical region provided a reduction of pain.