Effect of polarized beam in the treatment of gonarthrosis GONARTROZDA POLARIZE ISIK TEDAVISININ ETKINLIGI

Abstract

In this study, we intended to investigate the effect of polarized light as an alternative therapeutic modality in 40 consecutive patients with gonarthrosis. The patients were randomly assigned in equal numbers to treatment groups and were employed either polarized light+progressive resistive exercise (PRE) or heat lamps+PRE lasting 15 sessions. Polarized light was applied for 4 minutes on medial and lateral surface of one knee for total of 8 minutes. All patients were examined before and after the treatment according to the following subjective criteria (pain at rest, first movement pain, pain on climbing stairs and pain during daily activities) and objective criteria (active and passive ROM, circumference of knee, circumference of quadriceps femoris, muscle strength of quadriceps femoris, duration of 50 m walk, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), maximum weight carried by quadriceps femoris) and general assessment. Although there was somewhat improvement in both groups statistically significant difference was not found (p>0.05). No serious adverse effects or deleterious effects related to the study were observed. Certain points such as the duration, site and amount of treatment, selection of cases will have to be further elaborated for there is no satisfactory and comprehensive knowledge on polarized treatment which is newly introduced into the therapeutic field.