Evaluating Different Low-level Laser Therapies to Treat Neck Pain in Air Force Pilots and Flight Crew

Paul Crawford

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Neck Pain

Treatments: Procedure: Group 1 -- using Pinnacle Series Laser Device; Procedure: Group 2 -- using Pinnacle Series Laser Device; Procedure: Group 3 -- using Phoenix Thera-Lase Device

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT03945240

FWH20190105H

Details and patient eligibility

About

Determine the most effective and efficient treatment protocols for treating neck pain with LLLT.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to identify what are the most effective low level laser therapy (LLLT) dosimetry parameters when treating pilots and navigators complaining of flight related neck pain.

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 62 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

**Patients must be able to get care at Nellis Air Force Base (a military installation) in order to participate in this study**

Inclusion Criteria:

• Active Duty US Air Force pilots or onboard navigators, aged 18- 62 years of age
• maintain operational flight status at enrollment or within the last 6 months
• History of neck pain for a period of more than two months
• Score on the Neck Disability Index ranging from 15-24
• No physiotherapy or local injection in 3 months before starting the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnant
• major surgery or trauma in the previous 3 months
• unstable cervical spine
• cervical radiculopathy
• rheumatoid arthritis
• open wound over neck
• pace-maker or defibrillator implantation
• overt neuropathic pain or radiation pain
• inability to express pain or quality of life.
• history of neurological disorders
• medical diagnosis of fibromyalgia; systemic disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 3 patient groups

Group 1 (Pinnacle, lower dosimetry parameters)

Experimental group

Description:

Utilize the Pinnacle Series Laser by Aspen Laser Systems to apply LLLT

Treatment:

Procedure: Group 1 -- using Pinnacle Series Laser Device

Group 2 (Pinnacle, higher dosimetry parameters)

Experimental group

Description:

Utilize the Pinnacle Series Laser by Aspen Laser Systems to apply LLLT

Treatment:

Procedure: Group 2 -- using Pinnacle Series Laser Device

Group 3 (Phoenix)

Experimental group

Description:

Utilizing the Phoenix Thera-Lase by Phoenix Thera-Lase Systems, we will apply LLT.

Treatment:

Procedure: Group 3 -- using Phoenix Thera-Lase Device