The Impact of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Spasticity in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.

CONTEXT

Spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) is a condition characterized by muscle stiffness and involuntary movements, which greatly affect movement abilities and overall well-being. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has emerged as a treatment option for managing spasticity, though the current evidence varies.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review seeks to assess the efficacy of LLLT on spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. We hope it will pinpoint areas where more research is needed and suggest directions for future studies.

METHOD

A search of the literature was performed across databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Elicit. The search utilized keywords and the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. Only studies conducted in English that focused on children with cerebral palsy (CP) and explored the effects of LLLT on spasticity were considered. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated using assessment tools.

RESULTS

The search identified 534 references, out of which eight studies met the screening criteria for inclusion. All cited papers indicated reductions in spasticity with further mention of reduced pain and greater muscle strength by some authors.

CONCLUSIONS

This review indicates that LLLT shows promise in decreasing spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Nevertheless, a lack of treatment parameters, heterogeneity in research methods, and a lack of objective outcome measures weaken the results. This review underscores the importance of standardized procedures and carefully planned randomized controlled trials to establish conclusive findings on the effectiveness of LLLT in this population.