Feasibility of Using Detuned Laser as a Placebo In Manual Therapy Research: An Analysis of Participant Perceptions

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using detuned laser as a placebo intervention in manual therapy research.

We performed a secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial. In our analysis, 30 participants with chronic ankle instability (manual therapy group: n = 13, age = 33.1 ± 8.1 years, female participants = 50%; detuned laser group: n = 17, age = 31.9 ± 11.8 years, female participants = 72%) were asked to indicate which intervention (manual therapy [active] or detuned laser [placebo]), they thought they had received and to give a confidence rating on their response regarding the received intervention at the conclusion of the course of intervention. Independent t tests were used to compare the groups. Participants in both groups were asked the following open-ended question: "What did you think of the intervention?".

There were 52.9% participants in the detuned laser group and 53.8% participants in the manual therapy group who perceived that they had received the active intervention. The confidence ratings about their perceptions (6.7 ± 2.0, detuned laser group; 6.3 ± 2.4, manual therapy group) (P = .66) and the self-reported recovery ratings (1.9 ± 1.5 and 1.8 ± 1.2, respectively) (P = .77) were similar.

Participants in this study confidently perceived that detuned laser was an active intervention. They positively rated their recovery following the course of the placebo intervention and perceived that detuned laser was effective in treating their condition. Therefore, it is feasible for detuned laser to be used as a placebo for manual therapy trials.