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Final Program


Final Congress Guide

Therapeutics

1000 Section - Using large-area low-level laser therapy for treating adhesive capsulitis

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

    Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

  • EY

    En Yang, MD

    Attending Physician
    National Taiwan University Hospital
    Taipei City, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

    • Co-Author/Coautor(s)

  • YC

    Ying-Chun Chen, MD

    Attending Physician
    Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch
    Hsinchu City, Hsinchu, Taiwan (Republic of China)

  • HC

    Hsing-Yu Chen, MS

    Physical Therapist
    National Taiwan University Hospital
    Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

    • Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

  • Chueh-Hung Wu, MD, PhD (he/him/his)

    Associate Professor
    National Taiwan University College of Medicine
    Taipei City, Taipei, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Objectives : To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of large-area low-level laser therapy (LALT) as an adjunctive treatment to conventional physiotherapy in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Design: This prospective, randomized controlled pilot trial enrolled adults aged 40–85 years with clinically diagnosed adhesive capsulitis. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either conventional physiotherapy alone or physiotherapy combined with LALT. Both groups received physiotherapy three times weekly for 12 weeks; the intervention group additionally received LALT for the first 8 weeks (three sessions per week, 10 minutes each) using a large-area divergent device. Clinical outcome parameters, including ultrasound-measured coracohumeral ligament (CHL) and inferior glenohumeral ligament (IGHL) thickness, pain scores, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and functional outcomes, and were assessed at baseline (T0), week 8 (T1), week 12 (T2), and week 24 (T3). Non-parametric statistical analyses and rank-biserial correlation effect sizes were applied.

Results: Seven participants were enrolled (4 intervention, 3 control), and six completed the trial. Significant within-group improvements from baseline were observed in CHL and IGHL thickness, pain scores, external rotation ROM, and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire at final follow-up at all participants.

Between-group comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences; however, median improvement consistently favored the LALT group. Moderate-to-large effect sizes were observed for reductions in CHL and IGHL thickness (r = 0.778 and 0.667), and improvements in active external rotation (r = 0.556), passive external rotation (r = 0.775), and DASH Part I scores (r = 0.556). No adverse events occurred.

Conclusion: This pilot randomized controlled trial suggests that LALT may provide additional clinical benefit when combined with conventional physiotherapy for adhesive capsulitis. Although between-group differences were not statistically significant due to the small sample size, the consistent trends and effect sizes support the potential role of LALT as an adjunctive therapy.