ObjectivesWe aimed to identify the effectiveness of photobiomodulation using low level laser therapy (LLLT), light emitting diode (LED) and others on the growth of the length of the growth plate by reviewing literatures.
MethodsWe searched literatures using PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL, Korea Traditional Knowledge Portal (KTKP), Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI), Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic (J STAGE), and Japan National Institute of Informatics Scholarly and Academic Information Navigator (CiNii) using the keywords "Growth plate" "Epiphyseal growth" "Epiphyseal plate" and "Laser", "light emitting diode (LED)", "near-infrared light", and "photobiomodulation". Search range included only original article which provided English abstract were selected. The search strategy contained no language limitation.
ResultsA total 556 studies were found. Then, 551 were excluded by scanning titles and abstracts and finally 5 articles were selected. Five articles were RCTs using rodents. Two of the 5 articles used InGaAlP Laser (630-685 nm), and the other 3 articles used GaAlAs Laser (780, 820, and 870 nm) to investigated the effects of LLLT on the growth of the length of the epiphyseal cartilage and the number of chondrocytes and thickness of each zone of the epiphyseal cartilage. Two articles concluded that LLLT had a beneficial effect on the longitudinal growth of the growth plate. In growth of the epiphyseal plate, there were no significant differences in others.
ConclusionsIt is might that LLLT influenced on the growth of epiphyseal plate by positive affect. However, further rigorous RCTs are warranted.