low level laser therapy for painful joints

low level laser therapy (lllt) uses a light source that generates extremely pure light, of a single wavelength1. the effect is not thermal, but rather related to photochemical reactions in the cells. lllt was introduced as an alternative non-invasive treatment for oa about 10 years ago, but its effectiveness is still controversial2. a cochrane review of lllt in osteoarthritis included five trials, and concluded that despite some positive findings, the meta-analysis lacked data on how lllt effectiveness was affected by the important factors of wavelength, treatment duration of lllt, dosage, and site of application over nerves instead of joints1,3,4,5,6,7. a different review2 addresses some of these issues in a wider range of trials, and is broadly positive, if limited by numbers.