SynthesisLasers in medical science2022
Efficacy of low-level laser therapy on pain, disability, pressure pain threshold, and range of motion in patients with myofascial neck pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Lasers in medical science, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of photobiomodulation on multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of randomized clinical trials.Systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Guidelines on Treating Fibromyalgia With Nonpharmacological Therapies in China.Journal of evidence-based medicine · 2025Guideline
- Effect of photobiomodulation on trapezius myofascial pain: a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.Lasers in medical science · 2026Trial
- Comparative effects of low-level laser acupuncture and dry needling on clinical and functional outcomes in patients with chronic cervical myofascial pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.Lasers in medical science · 2026Trial
- Multi-wave locked system laser therapy in chronic non-specific neck pain: a double-blind placebo randomized-controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine · 2025Trial
- Effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy associated with multimodal therapeutic intervention program versus multimodal therapeutic intervention program in chronic non-specific neck pain: A randomized controlled trial.Brazilian journal of physical therapy · 2026Article
- Myofascial release and fascial-targeted mechanical interventions in musculoskeletal rehabilitation: mechanisms, modalities, and integrative physiology.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Review
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome: An Update on Clinical Characteristics, Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment.Muscle & nerve · 2025Review
- The Impact of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Spasticity in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.Brain sciences · 2024Review
- Article
- Non-invasive Neuromodulation of Arrhythmias.The Journal of innovations in cardiac rhythm management · 2024Review
- Recent Advances in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury.The archives of bone and joint surgery · 2024Review
- High-frequency laser therapy: a new alternative to physiotherapy in the treatment of cervical disk hernia.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Article
- Effect of Low-level Light Therapy on Post-operative Healing of Secondary Chronic Osteomyelitis of the Jaws - A Prospective Study.Annals of maxillofacial surgeryArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is one of recent modalities for treatment of myofascial neck pain (MNP). Several RCTs have been conducted on its effectiveness. The aim of this comprehensive meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of LLLT on MNP. Electronic databases were searched for identifying eligible studies comparing the effectiveness of LLLT using any wavelength with placebo or active control in myofascial neck pain up to June 2022. Data related to pain intensity, pain pressure threshold (PPT), range of motion (ROM), and disability was analyzed as a pooled estimate of mean difference or standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random/fixed-effect model. Funnel plot and Egger's linear regression test were also conducted to examine the risk of publication bias. A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The data assessing laser effectiveness on different outcomes of 556 patients were considered for meta-analysis. Pooled results revealed that LLLT was significantly effective in pain reduction (MD = - 1.29, 95% CI = - 2.36; - 0.23, P < 0.001). Also, secondary outcomes including PPT (SMD of 2.63, 95% CI = 0.96; 4.30, P < 0.01) and right bending ROM (SMD of 3.44, 95% CI = 0.64; 6.24, P < 0.01) were improved, while disability (MD of - 7.83, 95% CI = - 17.1; 0.08, P = 1.34) did not improve significantly after LLLT. Our meta-data revealed that LLLT may reduce myofascial neck pain and its related outcomes. LLLT is suggested to be used by clinicians along with other therapies such as manual and exercise therapy.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.