Table 1

Characteristics of the included trials

First author, yearParticipants at baseline (intervention)Participants at baseline (control)Intervention versus controlOutcome and time of reassessment after baseline (time used for analysis in bold)
Patellar tendinopathy
Liu 201469, LLLT versus ETn: 7
Age years: ≥ 18, ≤ 23
VAS pain mm: 67.9±13.2
n: 7
Age years: ≥ 18, ≤ 23
VAS pain mm: 65.7±15.4
4 weeks of LLLT versus 4 weeks of eccentric ETPain: VAS
Disability: modified-VISA
Reassessment: 4 weeks
Liu 201469, LLLT+ET versus ETn: 7
Age years: ≥ 18, ≤ 23
VAS pain mm: 67.9±12.2
n: 7
Age years: ≥ 18, ≤ 23
VAS pain mm: 65.7±15.4
4 weeks of LLLT and eccentric ET versus 4 weeks of eccentric ETPain: VAS
Disability: modified-VISA
Reassessment: 4 weeks
Stergioulas 200360n: 23
Age years: 29.2±13.4
VAS pain mm: 81.7±13.4
n: 21
Age years: 29.8±13.8
VAS pain mm: 75.9±18.8
2 weeks of LLLT versus 2 weeks of sham LLLTPain: VAS
Disability: Functional Index Questionnaire
Reassessment: 2 and 6 weeks
Achilles tendinopathy
Darre 199461n: 46
Age years: ≥ 18
VAS pain mm: 58.5±37.9
n: 43
Age years: ≥ 18
VAS pain mm: 72±34.3
2.4 weeks of LLLT versus 2.4 weeks of sham LLLTPain: VAS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 2.4 weeks
Naterstad†n: 20
Age years: 45.4±14.7
VAS pain mm: 52.9±26.1
n: 21
Age years: 45.8±13.9
VAS pain mm: 53.8±26.7
4 weeks of LLLT and cryotherapy and 12 weeks of eccentric and concentric ET versus 4 weeks of sham LLLT and cryotherapy and 2 weeks of eccentric and concentric ETPain: THIP VAS most painful activity
Disability: THIP VAS ADL
Reassessment: 4 and 12 weeks
Stergioulas 200868n: 20
Age years: 30.1±4.8
VAS pain mm: 79.8±9.5
n: 20
Age years: 28.8±4.8
VAS pain mm: 81.8±11.6
8 weeks of LLLT and eccentric ET versus 8 weeks of sham LLLT and eccentric ETPain: VAS during activity
Disability: -
Reassessment: 4, 8 and 12 weeks
Tumilty 200862n: 10
Age years: 41.4±7.6
VAS pain mm: 47.8±25.9
n: 10
Age years: 42.5±8.5
VAS pain mm: 39±20.2
4 weeks of LLLT and 12 weeks of eccentric ET versus 4 weeks of sham LLLT and 12 weeks of eccentric ETPain: VAS in morning
Disability: -
Reassessment: 4 and 12 weeks
Tumilty 201263n: 20
Age years: 45.6±9.1
NRS pain mm: 21.1±1.2
n: 20
Age years: 46.5±6.4
NRS pain mm: 19.3±0.9
4 weeks of LLLT and 12 weeks of eccentric ET versus 4 weeks of sham LLLT and 12 weeks of eccentric ETPain: NRS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 4, 12 and 52 weeks
Plantar fasciitis
Basford 199864n: 16
Age years: 42.5 (26–64)*
VAS pain mm: 57.9 (22.2–97)*
n: 15
Age years: 42 (33–51)*
VAS pain mm: 46.6 (4–86)*
4 weeks of LLLT versus 4 weeks of sham LLLTPain: Pain when walking in morning
Disability: limping in morning
Reassessment: 2, 4 and 8 weeks
Cinar 201770n: 29
Age years: 46.6±10.1
VAS pain mm: 61.3±19.4
n: 22
Age years: 44.2±9.7
VAS pain mm: 54.9±19.7
3 weeks of LLLT and stretching versus 3 weeks of stretchingPain: VAS
Disability: AOFAS-F activity limitations
Reassessment: 3 and 12 weeks
Cinar 201871n: 24
Age years: 46.5±10.3
NRS pain mm: 6.3±1.4
n: 17
Age years: 44±8.6
NRS pain mm: 6.2±2.1
3 weeks of LLLT and 12 weeks of stretching versus 12 weeks of stretchingPain: NRS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 3 and 12 weeks
Cinar 201871, ESWTn: 24
Age years: 46.5±10.3
NRS pain mm: 6.3±1.4
n: 25
Age years: 45.4±9.7
NRS pain mm: 6.7±2.7
3 weeks of LLLT and 12 weeks of stretching versus 3 weeks of ESWT (2000 mJ/mm2, session once per week) and 12 weeks of stretchingPain: NRS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 3 and 12 weeks
Elsehrawy 201872n: 23
Age years: 46.4±10
VAS pain: 85±8
n:23
Age years: 46±10.2
VAS pain: 82±15
3 weeks of LLLT and stretching versus 2 weeks of ESWT (2050 shocks/min, 10 Hz, 2.5 bars once per week) and stretchingPain: VAS
Disability: FFI disability subscale
Reassessment: 4 weeks
Kiritsi 201065n: 15
Age years: 41±12
VAS pain mm: 67±8.3
n: 15
Age years: 41±12
VAS pain mm: 67±9.3
6 weeks of LLLT versus 6 weeks of sham LLLTPain: ADL VAS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 6 weeks
Koteeswaran 202075n: 15
Age years: 30–60
NRS pain: 74.7±11.9
n: 15
Age years: 30–60
NRS pain: 72.7±8
2 weeks of LLLT and stretching versus 2 weeks of TUS and stretchingPain: NRS
Disability: FAAM
Reassessment: 2 weeks
Lamba 201366n: 40
Age years: 40.9±10.4
VAS pain mm: 57.5±10.8
n: 40
Age years: 40.4±9.7
VAS pain mm: 62±7.6
4 weeks of LLLT and stretching versus 4 weeks of sham LLLT and stretchingPain: VAS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 1,2, 3 and 4 weeks
Macias 201567n: 37
Age years: ≥ 18
VAS pain mm: 69.1±12.7
n: 32
Age years: ≥ 18
VAS pain mm: 67.6±11.8
3 weeks of LLLT versus 3 weeks of sham LLLTPain: VAS heel pain
Disability: FFI disability subscale 8 weeks
Reassessment: 1, 2, 3, 6 and 8 weeks
Sanmak 201973n: 17
Age years: 53*
VAS pain mm: 70*
n: 17
Age years: 49*
VAS pain mm: 80*
4 weeks of LLLT versus 3 weeks of ESWT (2 bar with 2000 shocks/min at 10 Hz once per week)Pain: VAS
Reassessment: 4 and 8 weeks
Ulusoy 201774, TUSn: 20
Age years: 53.4±14.7
VAS pain mm: 68.7±12.5
n: 20
Age years: 51.0±9.6
VAS pain mm: 66.6±1.1
3 weeks of LLLT and 7 weeks of ET and stretching versus 3 weeks of TUS (1 mHz; 2 W/cm2) and 7 weeks of ET and stretchingPain: VAS in morning
Disability: -
Reassessment: 7 weeks
Ulusoy 201774, ESWTn: 20
Age years: 53.4±14.7
VAS pain mm: 68.7±12.5
n: 20
Age years: 54.4±6.9
VAS pain mm: 66±11.2
3 weeks of LLLT and 7 weeks of ET and stretching versus 3 weeks of ESWT (2.5 bar with 2000 shocks/min at 10 Hz three times per week) and 7 weeks of ET and stretchingPain: VAS in morning
Disability: -
Reassessment: 7 weeks
Yüzer 200676n: 24
Age years: 49.6±1.2
VAS pain mm: 80±12
n: 30
Age years: 51.5±11.5
VAS pain mm: 76±15
1.4 weeks of LLLT versus steroid injectionPain: VAS
Disability: -
Reassessment: 5.4, 13.4 and 25.4 weeks
  • Numbers for age and pain are means±SD, unless otherwise indicated.

  • *Median with or without IQR.

  • †Naterstad et al. Efficacy of Low-level Laser Therapy as an addition to exercise and cryotherapy in chronic Achilles tendinopathy: a double-blinded randomised controlled trial.

  • ADL, activity of daily living; AOFAS-F, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score Function; ESWT, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy; ET, exercise therapy; FAAM, foot and ankle ability measurement questionnaire; FFI, Foot Function Index; LLLT, Low-Level Laser Therapy; NRS, Numeric Rating Scale; THIP, Tendinopathy Health Impact Profile; TUS, therapeutic ultrasound; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.