Characteristics of the included trials
| First author, year | Participants at baseline (intervention) | Participants at baseline (control) | Intervention versus control | Outcome and time of reassessment after baseline (time used for analysis in bold) |
| Patellar tendinopathy | ||||
| Liu 201469, LLLT versus ET | n: 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 ET | Pain: VAS Disability: modified-VISA Reassessment: 4 weeks |
| Liu 201469, LLLT+ET versus ET | n: 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 ET | Pain: VAS Disability: modified-VISA Reassessment: 4 weeks |
| Stergioulas 200360 | n: 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 LLLT | Pain: VAS Disability: Functional Index Questionnaire Reassessment: 2 and 6 weeks |
| Achilles tendinopathy | ||||
| Darre 199461 | n: 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 LLLT | Pain: 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 ET | Pain: THIP VAS most painful activity Disability: THIP VAS ADL Reassessment: 4 and 12 weeks |
| Stergioulas 200868 | n: 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 ET | Pain: VAS during activity Disability: - Reassessment: 4, 8 and 12 weeks |
| Tumilty 200862 | n: 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 ET | Pain: VAS in morning Disability: - Reassessment: 4 and 12 weeks |
| Tumilty 201263 | n: 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 ET | Pain: NRS Disability: - Reassessment: 4, 12 and 52 weeks |
| Plantar fasciitis | ||||
| Basford 199864 | n: 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 LLLT | Pain: Pain when walking in morning Disability: limping in morning Reassessment: 2, 4 and 8 weeks |
| Cinar 201770 | n: 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 stretching | Pain: VAS Disability: AOFAS-F activity limitations Reassessment: 3 and 12 weeks |
| Cinar 201871 | n: 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 stretching | Pain: NRS Disability: - Reassessment: 3 and 12 weeks |
| Cinar 201871, ESWT | n: 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 stretching | Pain: NRS Disability: - Reassessment: 3 and 12 weeks |
| Elsehrawy 201872 | n: 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 stretching | Pain: VAS Disability: FFI disability subscale Reassessment: 4 weeks |
| Kiritsi 201065 | n: 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 LLLT | Pain: ADL VAS Disability: - Reassessment: 6 weeks |
| Koteeswaran 202075 | n: 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 stretching | Pain: NRS Disability: FAAM Reassessment: 2 weeks |
| Lamba 201366 | n: 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 stretching | Pain: VAS Disability: - Reassessment: 1,2, 3 and 4 weeks |
| Macias 201567 | n: 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 LLLT | Pain: VAS heel pain Disability: FFI disability subscale 8 weeks Reassessment: 1, 2, 3, 6 and 8 weeks |
| Sanmak 201973 | n: 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, TUS | n: 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 stretching | Pain: VAS in morning Disability: - Reassessment: 7 weeks |
| Ulusoy 201774, ESWT | n: 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 stretching | Pain: VAS in morning Disability: - Reassessment: 7 weeks |
| Yüzer 200676 | n: 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 injection | Pain: 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.