Infrared radiation in the management of musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain: a systematic review

• Christos Tsagkaris ; Andreas S. Papazoglou ; Anna Eleftheriades ^[1] ; Stavros Tsakopoulos ^[2] ; Athanasios Alexiou ; Mihnea-Alexandru Găman ^[4] ; Dimitrios V. Moysidis ^[3]
  1. [1] National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

     National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

     Dimos Athens, Grecia

     
  2. [2] University of Crete

     University of Crete

     Dimos Heraklion, Grecia

     
  3. [3] Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

     Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

     Dimos Thessaloniki, Grecia

     
  4. [4] “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy

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• Localización: EJIHPE: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, ISSN 2174-8144, ISSN-e 2254-9625, Vol. 12, Nº. 3, 2022, págs. 334-343
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Infrared radiation (IR) is a promising complementary treatment for musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain. By means of a systematic review, we evaluated the contribution of IR to the management of these ailments. PubMed-MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library–Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched until 20 December 2021. The literature search yielded 233 relevant records. Following the screening of titles and abstracts, 42 full-texts were evaluated. As per inclusion/exclusion criteria, 13 publications were entered into the qualitative assessment. These studies described the effects of IR in humans: three studies focused on osteoarthritis, four studies on fibromyalgia, and six encompassed a wider range of diseases (ankylosing spondylitis, recovery from sports injuries, myofascial pain syndrome). Based on the findings of our systematic review, we noted a decrease in pain levels, as evaluated by the visual analog scale (VAS), in patients suffering from musculoskeletal disorders treated with IR. In addition, IR use led to a decrease in Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FiQ) scores in subjects diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Nevertheless, IR has failed to facilitate muscle recovery following athletic injuries.