Acute effects of light emitting diodes therapy (LEDT) in muscle function during isometric exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are susceptible to early muscle fatigue. Light-emitting diodes therapy (LEDT) has been used to minimize muscle fatigue in athletes and healthy subjects. The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of LEDT on muscle fatigue and perception of effort in patients with COPD during isometric endurance test of the quadriceps femoris (QF). Ten patients (VEF₁ 50 ± 13 % of predicted) underwent a single LEDT and sham application, 48 h apart, in a randomized crossover design. The LEDT and sham were applied in three localized areas of the QF (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis). Before and after exposure to LEDT and sham, the patients performed an isometric endurance test (60 % of the maximum voluntary isometric contraction), until the limit of tolerance concomitant to surface electromyography recording (median frequency as mean outcome). The slope obtained from linear regression analysis of the median frequency (MF) over endurance time was also used as an endurance index. Endurance time increased significantly after exposure to LEDT (from 26 ± 2 to 53 ± 5 s) as compared to sham (from 23 ± 3 to 30 ± 4 s) (F = 64, P = 0.0001). A greater decline in MF was observed during isometric endurance test after sham, compared to LEDT (F = 14.6, P = 0.004). The slope of the MF over time was lower post-LEDT compared to post-sham (−0.7 ± 0.3 vs. −1.5 ± 0.8; P = 0.004). The dyspnea score corrected for endurance time was lower post-LEDT (P = 0.008) but similar for fatigue both post-LEDT and post-sham. A single application of LEDT minimizes muscle fatigue and increases isometric endurance time.