Effectiveness of low-intensity laser on pain in patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy: A triple-blind randomized controlled trial

doi:10.5312/wjo.v17.i6.119961

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World Journal of Orthopedics

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2218-5836

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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA

Randomized Clinical Trial

Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.

World J Orthop. Jun 18, 2026; 17(6): 119961
Published online Jun 18, 2026. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v17.i6.119961

Table 1 Preintervention clinical variables by intervention group, n (%)/mean ± SD

	Placebo group (n = 40)	Intervention group (n = 40)	P value
VAS (cm)	6.8 (1.3)	6.9 (1.5)	0.746
Strength (N)	8.8 (3.4)	9.1 (3.5)	0.761
PPT (kg/cm²)	4.7 (1.3)	4.4 (1.1)	0.279
Flexion (º)	155. 6 (16.1)	154.5 (13.4)	0.751
Extension (º)	68.9 (11.3)	70.3 (13.6)	0.631
Aduction (º)	24.7 (6.6)	22.9 (5.1)	0.183
Abduction (º)	118.9 (32.9)	116.9 (36.2)	0.794
Internal rotation (º)	66.5 (18.4)	60.9 (16.7)	0.162
External rotation (º)	70.1 (16.7)	69.6 (16.4)	0.791

Summary measures of clinical variables of interest prior to intervention. The P value resulting from the application of Student’s t-test for independent samples or the Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. N: Newtons of force; PPT: Pressure pain threshold.

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Table 2 Between-group comparison of post-intervention clinical variables, n (%)/mean ± SD

	Placebo group (n = 40)	Intervention group (n = 40)	P value
VAS (cm)	6.1 (1.3)	4.1 (1.6)	< 0.001^a
Strength (N)	8.2 (2.9)	13.04 (3.5)	< 0.001^a
PPT (kg/cm²)	5.6 (1.1)	5.9 (1.1)	0.125
Flexion (º)	158.9 (13.6)	168.4 (12.6)	0.002^a
Extension (º)	69.5 (10.0)	81.4 (9.3)	< 0.001^a
Aduction (º)	26.3 (4.9)	27.9 (3.4)	0.338
Abducción (º)	127.8 (32.4)	163.3 (19.6)	< 0.001^a
Internal rotation (º)	66.9 (18.4)	74.3 (13.1)	0.104
External rotation (º)	70.8 (18.0)	80.5 (12.7)	0.025^a

^aP < 0.05.

Summary measures of clinical variables of interest after the intervention. The P value (P) resulting from the application of Student’s t-test for independent samples or the Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. VAS: Visual analogue scale; PPT: Pressure pain threshold.

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Table 3 Within-group pre-post comparison of clinical variables in each treatment group

Comparation	Placebo group	Intervention group
Comparation	Pre; post; P value	Pre; post; P value
VAS pre - VAS post	6.8 (1.3); 6.1 (1.3); < 0.001^a	6.9 (1.5); 4.1 (1.6); < 0.001^a
Strength pre - strength post	8.8 (3.4); 8.2 (2.9); 0.920	9.1 (3.5); 13.0 (3.4); < 0.001^a
PPT pre - PPT post	4.7 (1.3); 5.6 (1.1); < 0.001^a	4.4 (1.1); 5.9 (1.1); < 0.001^a
Flexion pre - flexión post	155.6 (16.1); 158.9 (13.6); 0.169	154.5 (13.4); 168.4 (12.6); < 0.001^a
Extension pre - Extension post	68.9 (11.3); 69.5 (10.0); 0.620	70.3 (13.6); 81.4 (9.4); < 0.001^a
Aduction pre - aduction post	24.7 (6.6); 26.3 (4.9); 0.003^a	22.9(5.1); 27.9(3.4); < 0.001^a
Abduction pre - abduction post	118.9 (32.9); 127.8 (32.4); < 0.001^a	116.9 (36.2); 163.3 (19.6); < 0.001^a
Internal rotation pre - internal rotation post	66.5 (18.4); 66.9 (18.4); 0.763	60.9 (16.7); 74.4 (13.1); < 0.001^a
External rotation pre - external rotation post	70.1 (16.7); 70.8 (18.0); 0.421	69.6 (16.4); 80.5 (12.7); < 0.001^a

^aP < 0.05.

Comparison of the scores on variables measured in patients before and after the intervention according to the group to which they belong. P value (P), result of applying Student’s t-test for related samples or Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test for related samples, as appropriate. VAS: Visual analogue scale; PPT: Pressure pain threshold.

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Table 4 Results of the repeated-measures Analysis of Variance for the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale, n (%)

Results	Pre	Post	Month	3 months	Time	Group	Time × group
Results	Pre	Post	Month	3 months	F (gL); P value; η²	F (gL); P value; η²	F (gL); P value; η²
Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale					F (2.3; 90.8) = 35.36, P < 0.001, 2 = 0.473	F (1; 39) = 8.32, P = 0.006, 2 = 0.176	F (3; 117) = 10.74, P < 0.001, 2 = 0.216
Placebo	36.2 (12.9)	24.7 (12.8)	42.9 (14.0)	24.8 (11.9)
Laser	36.6 (13.3)	27.4 (13.8)	26.6 (11.0)	22.7 (13.1)

The values are expressed as the means (SD). F, P value, and η² correspond to the repeated-measures Analysis of Variance. Greenhouse-Geisser correction was applied when need.

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Table 5 Post hoc comparisons (Bonferroni adjustment) for Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale scores

Time	Comparison group	Average DASH score differences	SD	P value	95%CI
Pre-intervention	Placebo-laser	-0.40	2.72	0.884	(-5.90, 5.10)
Post-intervention	Placebo-laser	-2.72	3.00	0.371	(-8.79, 3.36)
One-month	Placebo-laser	16.34	2.32	< 0.001	(11.65, 21.03)
Three-months	Placebo-laser	2.06	3.39	0.396	(-2.79, 6.90)

CI: Confidence interval; DASH: Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand.

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Table 6 Post hoc comparisons (Bonferroni adjustment) for Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scale scores

	Temporal comparison	Average DASH score differences	DE	P value	95%CI
Placebo	Pre - post	11.49	2.43	< 0.001	(4.74, 18.24)
	Pre - one month	-6.76	2.94	0.161	(-14.93, 1.41)
	Pre - three months	11.41	2.12	< 0.001	(5.52, 17.30)
	Post - one month	-18.25	2.13	< 0.001	(24.16, -12.33)
	Post - three months	-0.08	1.19	1.000	(-3.39, 3.23)
	One - three months	18.17	2.43	< 0.001	(11.41, 24.93)
Laser	Pre - post	9.17	2.40	0.003	(2.51, 15.83)
	Pre - one month	9.98	2.66	0.003	(2.59, 17.38)
	Pre - three months	13.87	2.30	< 0.001	(7.47, 20.26)
	Post - one month	0.81	2.94	1.000	(-7.36, 8.98)
	Post - three months	4.69	2.24	0.257	(-1.54, 10.92)
	One - three months	3.88	2.31	0.604	(-2.53, 10.30)

CI: Confidence interval; DASH: Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand.

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Citation: Rodríguez Fragua I, Briz Benito D, Romero-Morales C, Loaiciga Espeleta C, González Raja R, Sánchez Milá Z, Rodríguez Martín L, Ferreira-Sánchez MDR, Velázquez Saornil J. Effectiveness of low-intensity laser on pain in patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy: A triple-blind randomized controlled trial. World J Orthop 2026; 17(6): 119961
URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-5836/full/v17/i6/119961.htm
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.5312/wjo.v17.i6.119961

Rodríguez Fragua I, Briz Benito D, Romero-Morales C, Loaiciga Espeleta C, González Raja R, Sánchez Milá Z, Rodríguez Martín L, Ferreira-Sánchez MDR, Velázquez Saornil J. Effectiveness of low-intensity laser on pain in patients with supraspinatus tendinopathy: A triple-blind randomized controlled trial. World J Orthop 2026; 17(6): 119961 [DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v17.i6.119961]

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