الفهرس 
Effect of low level laser therapy on knee range of motion and functional abilities after total knee arthroplasty
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Abstract
Background: Persistence of functional limitations for patients with total knee arthroplasty signifies the need to find effective rehabilitation strategies. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of low level laser therapy on pain threshold level, local knee swelling, knee range of motion and functional abilities after total knee arthroplasty. Subjects and Methods: Forty participants (male and female) had received total knee arthroplasty referred from the orthopedic surgeon of the knee unit at Mansoura University hospital, Egypt and completed in outpatient physical therapy department of Mansoura health insurance hospital, Egypt. The participants were allocated randomly into two groups: Control group (A): 20 participants were treated with intensive functional rehabilitation program in form of (warming up and stretching exercises, specific strengthening exercises, functional task oriented exercises, endurance exercise and cooling down). Whereas experimental group (B): 20 participants were treated with low level laser therapy (LLLT) dose of 6 J/cm2 over 8 points around the knee, (continuous wave, wavelength 650 nm), 60 seconds per point with a total dose of 48J in each session in addition to the intensive functional rehabilitation program until complete 12 treatment sessions, two sessions per week for six weeks. Each session lasted 60-90 minutes. All participants were assessed at base line before starting physical therapy treatment and after 12 sessions. The measured variables were level of pain threshold by pressure algometer, local knee swelling measured by tape measurement, knee range of motion by digital goniometer and level of functional abilities by WOMAC index. Results: The results showed that within group statistics there was a statistical significant difference between pre and post treatment for all variables in each group. Also, there was no statistical significant difference between groups pretreatment regarding general characteristics and all measured variables (P > 0.05) except level of pain threshold which showed significant difference (P< 0.05)