What Athletes Should Know about Infrared (Red) Light Therapy

Red light therapy, or infrared light therapy has been gaining traction in the sports community - and for good reason. Red light therapy uses light to aid in the treatment of both acute and chronic pain conditions, making it ideal for the today’s injured athlete.

The technology essentially works by helping the mitochondria that exist in muscle cells complete their natural respiration cycle more efficiently, ultimately resulting in successful and total recovery of the muscle tissues, in addition to short and long-term relief from pain caused by inflammation. It uses long wavelengths of light that penetrate deep below the skin’s layers, stimulating increased circulation and delivery of nutrient-rich oxygen to injured areas.

With that said, red light therapy works to not only repair the muscle tissues, but can also assist in:

Let’s talk about what makes red light therapy so effective:

• Healing of wounds:
  Red light therapy stimulates the healing of wounds through reducing the inflammatory cells and aiding in the formation of the natural latticework structure of the skin vs. the disorderly growth of scar tissue. It has also worked to minimize the appearance of scars.
• Joint pain reduction:
  Red light is capable of reducing pain and helping to increase the range of motion in joints affected by degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Supporting bone health:
  Low-level laser therapy aids in the regulation of bone growth, and may even be an effective tool for bone loss prevention.
• Improved sleep for athletes:
  Last, but certainly not least, red light therapy can help to improve quality of sleep and endurance performance in athletes - as one study found that those who received 30-minute red light therapy sessions every day for two weeks experienced better sleep quality, increased serum melatonin levels, and enhanced endurance performance.

What athletes should know before trying red light therapy

Athletes that choose to use red light therapy as their treatment method for injuries should also be sure that the treatment is ideal for them before beginning and committing.

It’s important to understand that red light therapy should not be viewed as a cure, but rather a tool for the improvement of the aforementioned conditions - and should be used in conjunction with near-infrared light (NIR) in order to ensure deep enough skin penetration to stimulate and repair cells.

It is also important to note that phototherapy may not be well suited for those very sensitive to light, and should ideally be used under the guidance of a professional - as every body and every condition is different, with different needs. Red light therapy is also most effective when used in conjunction with near-infrared light (NIR), which is what allows it to penetrate the skin deeply enough to reach and stimulate cells.

Finally, athletes should be aware that red light therapy works best as an ongoing treatment method, with continued use following recovery often required.

Discover the many benefits of red light therapy today

All the smart athletes are doing it, and recovering quicker because of it! Speak to a medical professional about how red light therapy can help you today — and for some of the most advanced in physical therapy in Las Vegas available for home use, check out Game Changers Sports Recovery’s Theralight 360 Laser Bed, designed to target the entire body for the complete recovery of cells.

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