Laser Therapy: Therapeutic Laser in the Management of Arthritis
by William J. Kneebone, RN, DC
 Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United
States according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and affects nearly 19
million adults.1 Arthritis is a broad category that covers over 100 different
manifestations. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are common and well known. There
is also childhood, general, gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and systemic lupus
erythematosis. Fibromyalgia is also considered a rheumatoid condition.
Commonly occurring symptoms in-clude pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around
the joints. Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can affect
multiple organs and cause widespread symptoms. Arthritis is more common in adults age 65
and over but occurs in all age groups. Nearly two out of three of the people with
arthritis are younger than 65. Women have an incidence of 24.4% and men 18.1% in all age
groups. It affects all races and ethnic groups.2
Studies of Efficacy
Laser therapy can be an effective adjunctive therapy in the management of arthritis as
demonstrated by the following studies:
- Palma found that red light laser blocks the increment of prosta-glandin e1 and
bradykinine in the plasma fibrinogen level.3
- Campana observed that after injection of calcium pyrophosphate into rats in order to
induce arthritis-like symptoms, that the untreated group exhibited a strong diffuse
inflammatory reaction. No inflammation was observed in the laser group.4
- Skinner stimulated human embryonic fibroblast cells with a GaAs laser. Maximum increase
of collagen production and cell biostimulation occurred after four episodes of laser
therapy at 24 hour intervals.5
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— April 2010
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