Carpal tunnel syndrome
LLLT for carpal tunnel syndrome network meta-analysis
Cheung WKW, Wu IXY, Sit RWS, et al. Physiotherapy. 2020.
A network meta-analysis concluded LLLT plus splinting offered limited extra benefit and was not recommended for carpal tunnel syndrome management.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
no-clear-effect
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The review included six RCTs with 418 patients.
- LLLT plus splinting ranked highest for pain reduction probability, but the mean difference versus sham was not clinically significant.
- Symptom severity and function were not superior to splinting alone.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Varied by trial |
| Duration | Varied by trial |
| Treatment area | Wrist/carpal tunnel region |
| Device type | LLLT used with splinting |
Caveats
- This category should not be framed as settled or strongly positive.
- Nerve compression syndromes need clinical diagnosis and management.