• Patrícia Pereira Alfredo, Jan Magnus Bjordal, Washington Steagall Junior, Rodrigo Álvaro Brandão Lopes-Martins, Martin B Stausholm, Raquel Aparecida Casarotto, Amélia Pasqual Marques, and Jon Joensen.
• 1 Department of Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
• Clin Rehabil. 2018 Feb 1; 32 (2): 173-178.

ObjectivesTo assess the long-term effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT), in combination with strengthening exercises in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.DesignFollow-up results at three and six months in a previously published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.SettingSpecialist Rehabilitation Services.SubjectsForty participants of both genders, aged 50-75 years with knee osteoarthritis grade 2-4 on Kellgren-Lawrence scale.InterventionThe LLLT group received 10 LLLT treatments with invisible infrared laser (904 nm, 3 Joules/point) over three weeks followed by an eight-week supervised strengthening exercise program. The placebo LLLT group received identical treatment, but the infrared laser output was disabled.Main MeasuresPain on a visual analogue scale, paracetamol consumption, and osteoarthritis severity measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Lequesne Index.ResultsThe new data obtained during the follow-up period showed that all outcomes remained stable and there were no significant differences between the groups at three and six months. However, daily consumption of rescue analgesics (paracetamol) was significantly lower in the LLLT group throughout the follow-up period, ending at a group difference of 0.45 vs. 3.40 units ( P < 0.001) at six months follow-up. We conclude that within the limitations of this small study, the previously reported improvement after LLLT plus exercise was maintained for a period of six months.ConclusionWe find that the immediate post-intervention improvements from LLLT plus strengthening exercises were maintained for six months.

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