Red Light Therapy for Muscle Recovery
Many athletes are discovering the benefits of red light therapy and infrared light therapy. This non-invasive modality can soothe aching muscles, aid recovery from sports injuries, and improve general wellness. Light therapy involves directing specific wavelengths of light, from an LED light source, to a body part. The light penetrates the skin to jumpstart tissue recovery. Read on to learn how to use red light therapy for sports injuries, muscle soreness and other issues that plague athletes.
How Does Red Light Therapy Work for Pain?
Red light therapy works by increasing blood flow and stimulating cell regeneration. Essentially, these devices help the mitochondria in muscular cells complete their respiration cycle more efficiently, making the muscles feel less fatigued. Improving the mitochondrial respiration cycle leads to better activation and formation of the muscle stem cells that eventually develop into healthy muscle tissue. This means that athletes who use red light therapy on their muscles can experience long-lasting healthy muscle tissue as a result.
Red light therapy also reduces inflammation that damages cells and makes muscles sore. Light therapy has also been shown to help grow muscles, making it not only a workout recovery asset, but also a boost to make your workouts more effective.
Benefits of Light Therapy for Athletes
A study published in the journal Laser Therapy followed a group of university athletes and measured the time it took them to return to play (RTP) following a sports injury. Sixty-five of them used LED light therapy to help with their injuries. These subjects experienced a mean RTP time of 9.6 days, compared with the mean anticipated RTP of 19.23 days. The researchers concluded, “LED phototherapy significantly and safely reduced the RTP in dedicated university athletes over a wide range of injuries with no adverse events.”
How to Use Light Therapy as an Athlete
Light Therapy Before and After a Workout
As mentioned before, light therapy affects cell regeneration and mitochondrial respiration. Red and infrared light can reach deep into joints and tissues, increasing circulation, oxygenation, cellular repair, and reproduction. Many athletes who use light therapy before or after working out experience less muscle soreness, faster post-workout recovery and better muscle tone. A number of research studies, including in J Biophotonics, have looked at the use of light therapy before or after working out, showing it beneficial for both.
Common Sports Injuries to Tackle with Red Light Therapy
Sports injuries typically fall into two categories: acute injuries or overuse injuries. Either type can cause intense pain and require an athlete to restrict their activity. Lost training time means reduced performance. The Laser Therapy study mentioned above covered injuries in both categories, including sprains, strains, ligament damage, tendonitis and contusions. Light therapy has also been shown to reduce neck pain, which is common not only for athletes but for “desk jockeys” as well.
