Photobiomodulation therapy increases functional capacity of patients with chronic kidney failure: randomized controlled trial

Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been used in different populations as a strategy to attenuate muscle fatigue and improve exercise performance. Recent findings demonstrated that a single session with specific PBM doses during hemodialysis (HD) increased the upper limb muscle strength of chronic kidney failure (CKF) patients. Now, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the chronic effect of PBM on the functional capacity of this population. Secondarily, we aimed at investigating the effects of PBM on the patients’ strength, muscle thickness and echogenicity, perception of pain, fatigue, and quality of life. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in which the intervention group (IG, n = 14) received 24 sessions of PBM (810 nm, 5 diodes × 200 mW, 30 J/application site) on lower limb during HD. The control group (CG, n = 14) did not receive any physical therapy intervention, it only underwent HD sessions. As a result, there was an increase in the functional capacity (assessed through the six-minute walk test) for the IG compared with the CG [50.7 m (CI95% 15.63; 85.72), p = 0.01, large effect size, d = 1.12], as well as an improvement on lower limb muscle strength (assessed through the sit-and-stand test) [− 7.4 s (CI95% − 4.54; − 10.37), p = 0.00, large effect size, d = 1.99]. For other outcomes evaluated, no significant difference between-group was observed. Finally, PBM applied as monotherapy for 8 weeks in the lower limb improves functional capacity and muscle strength of CKF patients.