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Can a light device help soldiers heal broken bones faster?

NCT ID NCT05843864

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study tested whether adding photobiomodulation (light therapy) to standard physical therapy helps military trainees with leg stress fractures heal faster. 105 participants received either real or sham light therapy for up to 6 weeks, and researchers tracked how quickly they returned to duty. The goal was to see if this non-invasive treatment could reduce pain and speed recovery.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
photobiomodulation therapy (light therapy device)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a safe, drug-free way to speed up recovery from stress fractures in active-duty personnel.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed trial with no phase designation, so results may not apply broadly. The sham control means any benefit might be due to placebo or natural healing.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

103 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jun 2023

Finished

Aug 2025

Lead sponsor

A government agency

The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

17 to 64 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * between ages 17-64 (inclusive) years old * Currently completing Advanced Individual Training (AIT) training at Fort Sam Houston and at least 6 weeks prior to graduation * Clinical diagnosis of metatarsal or medial tibial bone stress injury/stress fracture (unilateral or bilateral) by a healthcare provider based on accepted diagnostic criteria, with diagnostic imaging confirmation * Able to read and understand English language for consent purposes * Able to commit to study intervention and follow-up Exclusion Criteria: * Stress fracture to tibia that is not medial (e.g., anterior) or any location other than 5th metatarsal or medial tibia * Has already become a severe non-union bone stress injury/fracture * Received dry needling within the past 4 weeks * Received Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection, corticosteroid injection, or prolotherapy within the past 3 months * Diagnosis of neuropathy affecting sensation to pain * Current or chronic sciatica (lumbosacral radiculopathy) resulting in chronic or intermittent lower extremity pain, numbness, or tingling (all below the knee) * Current or previous diagnosis of eating disorder (e.g., bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, disordered eating, or other eating disorder not specified) * Diagnosis of porphyria (light induced allergy) or photosensitive eczema * Diagnosis of autoimmune disease (e.g., Lupus) * Albinism * Current use of anti-inflammatory steroids due to increased risk of Bone Stress Injury (BSI) with the past two weeks * Current use of medications associated with sensitivity to heat or light in the past five days (e.g., amiodarone, chlorpromazine, doxycycline, hydrochlorothiazide, nalidixic acid, naproxen, piroxicam, tetracycline, thioridazine, voriconazole) * Previous or current (within the past 2 years) use of Depo Provera * Current use of pacemaker * Tattoo in the area of treatment due to sensitivity to Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) * Concurrent participation in another research study receiving treatment for metatarsal or medial tibial bone stress injury/stress fracture * Currently pregnant or plan to become pregnant during intervention period (safety of PBMT not established in pregnancy) * Current diagnosis or symptoms of amenorrhea (≥ 6 months without a menstrual period) or oligomenorrhea (only 4-9 menstrual periods in a year)

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Brooke Army Medical Center

    San Antonio, Texas, 78219, United States