Comparison of Low-Level Laser Therapy and Therapeutic Ultrasound in the Management of Subacute Bursitis: A Patient-Reported Outcome Survey

Abstract

Background: Subacute shoulder bursitis is a common painful musculoskeletal condition that causes substantial functional limitation and often requires conservative physiotherapy management. Low-level laser therapy and therapeutic ultrasound are widely used electrophysical modalities, but their comparative effectiveness in this condition remains insufficiently defined. Objective: To compare the effects of low-level laser therapy and therapeutic ultrasound on pain, disability, and patient-reported progress in patients with subacute shoulder bursitis. Methods: A comparative prospective clinical study was conducted at the University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan. Twenty-six patients with subacute shoulder bursitis were allocated into two groups: low-level laser therapy (n=13) and therapeutic ultrasound (n=13). Pain intensity was assessed using the visual analogue scale, and disability was measured using the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. Patient-reported progress was also recorded at 1 month. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. At 1 month, the low-level laser therapy group showed significantly lower pain scores (3.8 ± 0.6 vs 4.7 ± 0.7; p=0.002) and lower SPADI scores (33.2 ± 3.8 vs 41.8 ± 4.3; p<0.001) than the ultrasound group. By 3 months, both groups demonstrated continued improvement, and between-group differences were smaller. Marked improvement at 1 month was reported by 76.9% of patients in the low-level laser therapy group versus 15.4% in the ultrasound group. Conclusion: Both modalities improved pain and disability, but low-level laser therapy produced greater short-term clinical benefit in subacute shoulder bursitis.