The subacromial syndrome is the most common source of
shoulder pain. The mainstays of
conservative treatment are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and
exercise therapy. Recently,
low-level laser therapy (
LLLT) has been popularized in the treatment of various musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the additive effects of
LLLT with exercise in comparison with
exercise therapy alone in treatment of the subacromial syndrome. We conducted a randomised clinical study of 80 patients who presented to clinic with subacromial syndrome (rotator cuff and biceps
tendinitis). Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. In group I (n = 40), patients were given
laser treatment (pulsed infrared
laser) and
exercise therapy for ten sessions during a period of 2 weeks. In group II (n = 40), placebo
laser and the same
exercise therapy were given for the same period. Patients were evaluated for the
pain with visual analogue scale (VAS) and shoulder range of motion (ROM) in an active and passive movement of flexion, abduction and external rotation before and
after treatment. In both groups, significant post-treatment improvements were achieved in all parameters (P = 0.00). In comparison between the two groups, a significant improvement was noted in all movements in group I (P = 0.00). Also, there was a substantial difference between the groups in VAS scores (P = 0.00) which showed significant
pain reduction in group I. This study indicates that
LLLT combined exercise is more effective than
exercise therapy alone in relieving
pain and in improving the shoulder ROM in patients with subacromial syndrome.