ORIGINAL ARTICLE Comparative study on laser and LED influence on tissue repair and improvement of neuropathic symptoms during the treatment of diabetic ulcers Natália Aguiar Moraes Vitoriano 1 & Daniela Gardano Bucharles Mont’Alverne 2 & Maria Iara Socorro Martins 1 & Priscila Sampaio Silva 1 & Cristiany Azevedo Martins 1 & Hortência Diniz Teixeira 1 & Camylla Bandeira Miranda 1 & Leila Maria Machado Bezerra 3 & Renan Magalhães Montenegro Jr 4 & José Carlos Tatmatsu-Rocha 2 Received: 11 July 2018 /Accepted: 15 January 2019 # Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract To compare the influence of laser and LED on tissue repair and neuropathic symptoms during treatment of diabetic foot. An intervention survey conducted in a health center located in Brazil, contemplating ten sessions, twice a week, with randomization in two groups. In one group, the wounds were treated with GaAlAs laser, with a wavelength of 830 nm, 30 mW, and power density 0.84 W/cm 2 , the other group by LED 850 nm, 48 mW, and power density 1.05 W/cm 2 . For the analysis of wound size, photographic records analyzed by the ImageJ® software were used, and the neuropathy evaluation card examined. With regard to the laser group, a reduction in wound extension of 79.43% was observed at the end of the 10th session; the patients in the LED group had a 55.84% decrease in the healing process; comparing the two therapies was observed a better healing in the participants of the laser group, with 81.17%, in relation to the LED after the end of the sessions; regarding the evaluation of the neuropathic condition, there was a significant improvement in both therapies. There was improvement of the neuropathic signs and symp- toms, also improvement of the tissue repair in the two therapeutic modalities; however, the laser presented a higher rate of speed in relation to the LED. Keywords Diabetes mellitus . Ulcers . Phototherapy . Lasers * Natália Aguiar Moraes Vitoriano nataliaaguiarm@gmail.com Daniela Gardano Bucharles Mont’Alverne daniela.gardano@hotmail.com Maria Iara Socorro Martins iara.martins16@gmail.com Priscila Sampaio Silva silvasampaiopriscila@gmail.com Cristiany Azevedo Martins cristiany_azm@hotmail.com Hortência Diniz Teixeira hortencia_diniz@hotmail.com Camylla Bandeira Miranda camyllabmiranda@gmail.com Leila Maria Machado Bezerra leila@unifor.br Renan Magalhães Montenegro, Jr renanmmjr@gmail.com José Carlos Tatmatsu-Rocha tatmatsu@gmail.com 1 University Hospital Walter Cantídio, Federal University of Ceará, Rua dos Lírios, no. 98, Eusébio, CE 61760-000, Brazil 2 Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil 3 Department of Physiotherapy, University of Fortaleza, Fortaleza, Brazil 4 Department of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil Lasers in Medical Science https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-019-02724-5