The effectiveness of High-Intensity Laser Therapy in de Quervain’s tenosynovitis: A randomized double-blinded controlled trial

Background: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (DQT) is an inflammatory condition of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, leading to pain and impaired thumb function. High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) has been proposed as a noninvasive treatment; however, evidence supporting its efficacy in DQT remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of HILT combined with thumb spica splinting in reducing pain and improving hand function in patients with DQT. Design: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial. Methods: Twenty-six patients with DQT were randomly assigned to either HILT (8 W, 150 J/cm², total energy 1,580 J per session) plus thumb spica splinting or sham HILT plus splinting. Treatments were performed three times per week for three weeks (nine sessions). Outcomes included pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS), lateral pinch strength (LPS), and hand function (Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation – Thai version, PRWHE-Thai), assessed at baseline, immediately after treatment, and three weeks post-treatment. Results: Both groups showed significant reductions in VAS scores at weeks three and six compared with baseline, with no significant between-group differences. LPS slightly increased in both groups without statistical significance. PRWHE-Thai scores improved significantly in the sham group, while the HILT group showed no significant functional gains. Splint compliance was comparable between groups. Conclusions: HILT (8 W, 150 J/cm², total energy 1,580 J) combined with thumb spica splinting did not demonstrate superior benefits over splinting alone in reducing pain or improving hand function in DQT. Further studies are needed to determine optimal HILT parameters and clinical applications. This study was registered with Thai Clinical Trials Registry on 12/07/2021. ( TCTR20210712004)