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Effects of low-level laser therapy (808 nm) on isokinetic muscle performance of young women submitted to endurance training: a randomized controlled clinical trial

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Abstract

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has shown efficacy in muscle bioenergetic activation and its effects could influence the mechanical performance of this tissue during physical exercise. This study tested whether endurance training associated with LLLT could increase human muscle performance in isokinetic dynamometry when compared to the same training without LLLT. The primary objective was to determine the fatigue index of the knee extensor muscles (FIext) and the secondary objective was to determine the total work of the knee extensor muscles (TWext). Included in the study were 45 clinically healthy women (21 ± 1.78 years old) who were randomly distributed into three groups: CG (control group), TG (training group) and TLG (training with LLLT group). The training for the TG and TLG groups involved cycle ergometer exercise with load applied to the ventilatory threshold (VT) for 9 consecutive weeks. Immediately after each training session, LLLT was applied to the femoral quadriceps muscle of both lower limbs of the TLG subjects using an infrared laser device (808 nm) with six 60-mW diodes with an energy of 0.6 J per diode and a total energy applied to each limb of 18 J. VT was determined by ergospirometry during an incremental exercise test and muscle performance was evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer at 240°/s. Only the TLG showed a decrease in FIext in the nondominant lower limb (P = 0.016) and the dominant lower limb (P = 0.006). Both the TLG and the TG showed an increase in TWext in the nondominant lower limb (P < 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively) and in the dominant lower limb (P < 0.000 and P < 0.000, respectively). The CG showed no reduction in FIext or TWext in either lower limb. The results suggest that an endurance training program combined with LLLT leads to a greater reduction in fatigue than an endurance training program without LLLT. This is relevant to everyone involved in sport and rehabilitation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Department of Physical Therapy and the Department of Physiological Sciences of the Federal University of São Carlos for assistance with this study, the research volunteers, the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for partial funding of the research, and the DMC Equipamentos for manufacturing and lending the laser device.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova), Av. Senador Salgado Filho, 3000, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil

    Wouber Hérickson de Brito Vieira

  2. Department of Physical Therapy, Laboratory of Eletrothermophototherapy, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Cleber Ferraresi & Nivaldo Antônio Parizotto

  3. Department of Physiological Sciences, Laboratory of Physiology of Exercise, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Sérgio Eduardo de Andrade Perez & Vilmar Baldissera

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  1. Wouber Hérickson de Brito Vieira
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  2. Cleber Ferraresi
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Correspondence to Wouber Hérickson de Brito Vieira.

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de Brito Vieira, W.H., Ferraresi, C., de Andrade Perez, S.E. et al. Effects of low-level laser therapy (808 nm) on isokinetic muscle performance of young women submitted to endurance training: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci 27, 497–504 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-011-0984-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-011-0984-0

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