Dual Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy in Myofascial Trigger Points of Upper Trapezius

NCT07137728 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: UOL/IREB/25/09/0006
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 48
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether dual frequency low-level laser therapy can reduce pain, improve function, and increase neck movement in patients with myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. The study includes men and women aged 20 to 55 years who have been diagnosed with upper trapezius myofascial pain syndrome. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does dual frequency low-level laser therapy reduce pain more effectively than single wavelength laser therapy?
• Does dual frequency low-level laser therapy improve functional ability and cervical range of motion more than other treatments? Researchers compared three groups of participants receiving different treatments to evaluate their effects. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups:
• Group A received red wavelength low-level laser therapy with conventional physiotherapy
• Group B received infrared low-level laser therapy with conventional physiotherapy
• Group C received dual frequency low-level laser therapy with conventional physiotherapy All participants received treatment twice weekly for four weeks. Conventional therapy included stretching exercises, strengthening exercises, and postural correction.

Conditions

Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS); Neck Pain; Myofacial Trigger Points

Keywords

Low-Level Lazer Therapy; Dual Frequency Laser; Upper Trapezius Muscle; Myofascial Trigger Points; Myofascial Pain Syndrome; Neck Pain; Photobiomodulation; Physical Therapy Intervention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Pain Intensity (Visual Analog Scale)

  Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a 0-10 scale where higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.

  Baseline, Week 2, Week 4

• Functional Disability (Neck Disability Index)

  Functional disability was assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), which evaluates the impact of neck pain on daily activities.

  Baseline, Week 2, Week 4

• Cervical Range of Motion

  Cervical range of motion (flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation) was measured using a goniometer.

  Baseline, Week 2, Week 4

Study Arms (3)

Red Low-Level Laser Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received red wavelength low-level laser therapy (660 nm) combined with conventional physiotherapy including stretching, strengthening, and postural correction exercises.

Device: Red Low-Level Laser Therapy; Other: Conventional Therapy

Infrared Low-Level Laser Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received infrared low-level laser therapy (830 nm) combined with conventional physiotherapy.

Device: Infrared Low-Level Laser Therapy; Other: Conventional Therapy

Dual Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received dual frequency low-level laser therapy (660 nm and 830 nm) combined with conventional physiotherapy.

Device: Dual Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy; Other: Conventional Therapy

Interventions

Dual Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy DEVICE

Dual frequency laser therapy combining red (660 nm) and infrared (830 nm) wavelengths was applied sequentially to trigger points with a dose of 5 J/cm² per wavelength, twice weekly for four weeks.

Dual Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy

Red Low-Level Laser Therapy DEVICE

Red wavelength (660 nm) low-level laser therapy was applied to upper trapezius trigger points at a dose of 5 J/cm², frequency 9-10 Hz, for 60-100 seconds per point, twice weekly for four weeks.

Red Low-Level Laser Therapy

Infrared Low-Level Laser Therapy DEVICE

Infrared wavelength (830 nm) low-level laser therapy was applied to trigger points at a dose of 5 J/cm² for approximately 3 minutes per point, twice weekly for four weeks.

Infrared Low-Level Laser Therapy

Conventional Therapy OTHER

Conventional physiotherapy included stretching exercises, isometric strengthening, and postural correction techniques.

Dual Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy; Infrared Low-Level Laser Therapy; Red Low-Level Laser Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Men and women aged 20-55 years.
• Diagnosis of myofascial pain based on Simons criteria.
• At least two trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle.
• Pain duration ≥ 3 months.
• VAS pain score ≥ 5.
• Limited cervical range of motion (40-60%) due to trigger points.

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy.
• Use of anticoagulants.
• Bleeding disorders or dermatological diseases at treatment site.
• History of infectious, inflammatory, tumoral, cardiopulmonary, psychiatric, or systemic diseases.
• Kellgren stage 3-4 cervical osteoarthritis or cervical disc herniation causing radiculopathy.
• Diagnosis of fibromyalgia.
• Inability to follow instructions or complete questionnaires.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Lahore: lead

Study Sites (1)

MoveNow Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Centre

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Neck Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The outcome assessor was blinded to group allocation to reduce assessment bias.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants were randomly allocated into three parallel groups receiving red wavelength low-level laser therapy, infrared low-level laser therapy, or dual frequency low-level laser therapy, each combined with conventional physiotherapy.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 15, 2025
• First Posted: August 22, 2025
• Study Start: June 2, 2025
• Primary Completion: February 28, 2026
• Study Completion: March 2, 2026
• Last Updated: April 21, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

PA (1)