Application of Laser Acupuncture in Rehabilitating Patients With Distal Radius Fracture

Distal radius fractures are very common, ranging between 17 and 20% of all diagnosed fractures, and are the most common fractures treated by orthopedic surgeons in adult patients. It is defined as a fracture of the distal radius, which is less than 2.5 cm from the radiocarpal joint. Usually it is the result of falling on the outstretched hand. These fractures occur in all age groups and a bimodal distribution is observed with a peak incidence predominantly young adult patients and another peak in older women.

In order to achieve successful functional results in distal radius fracture both an adequate treatment and timely and specific rehabilitation are required. The distal radius fracture guidelines generally indicate that rehabilitation therapy should begin at four to six weeks post injury or surgery after cast or external fixator is removed initiating passive/active ranges of motion exercises for the fingers, wrist and forearm. Patients are encouraged to use the wrist at home for light activities. At nine to 12 weeks post injury patients can initiate grip strengthening.

There is limited available literature on the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of fractures. Two case reports claim to have achieved an acceleration of bone healing and pain management of patients with proximal humerus fracture when treated with a combination of acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and herbal medicine. Another study concluded that electroacupuncture plus radiation therapy with infrared rays and passive exercises was clearly superior to therapy with only exercises after surgery for humerus fracture.

There is a modality of acupuncture using low level laser therapy, which is useful for tissue regeneration in general and to stimulate acupuncture points. Current clinical research has confirmed the therapeutic usefulness of laser acupuncture in and equine laminitis and in humans in treating myofascial pain, tennis elbow, knee osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases.

The low level laser therapy, is a type of noninvasively phototherapy that has been shown to modulate various biological processes depending on the power density, wavelength and frequency. A recent study using rats showed that laser stimulation of acupuncture point (located in the leg) caused a significant antinociceptive effect controlling the behavior induced in rats caused by pain after peritoneal injection of acetic acid and injection of formalin in rat paws. The effect is mediated by activation of the opioidergic and serotoninergic systems (5HT-1 and 5HT-2A receptors).