Low-level laser therapy is a common physiotherapeutic method used to support rehabilitation of patients with peripheral nervous system diseases, including compression syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome. It is believed to have an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect on the treated area. The purpose of this study was to review the literature covering the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. The analysis included reports published between 2002 and 2010 which considered a control group or a reference group. In the studies using low-level laser therapy, the groups differed in terms of the number of patients involved (from 11 to 81 participants), the age - from 26 to 78 and various degrees of carpal tunnel syndrome’s progression. The results were evaluated in relation to a mock treatment or other treatment methods. The following components have been primarily analyzed: clinical symptoms, global grip strength measured using a dynamometer and neurophysiologic parameters. Above all else, the applied low-level laser therapy led to a reduction in pain, an improvement in grip strength, and favourable changes in the terminal latency or nerve conduction velocity
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