Laser Therapy – can help your soft tissue injuries!

The spring equinox is this month! That means more outdoor sports and activities.  Unfortunately, that can also mean injuries.  How many times have I heard about a sprained ankle playing soccer, or someone hurting their shoulder playing football, tennis or badminton with family or friends – to name a few scenarios. 

I want people to know, the faster you apply a therapy to your injury, the faster the recovery.  One of the options you have is laser therapy.

Laser therapy, also known as cold laser therapy, or low-level laser therapy or photobiomodulation is a conservative, non-invasive therapy that uses light energy to help promote healing, decrease inflammation and reduce pain.

When we sustain a soft issue injury, such as a strain or sprain, we often get swelling, inflammation, and pain.  Light therapy works by using wavelengths of light to trigger a series of biochemical reactions that help heal damaged tissue.

In regard to helping reduce pain, the light energy stimulates the release of endorphins, which are our body’s natural painkillers.

Light therapy can help decrease inflammation by producing pro-inflammatory cytokines.

And finally, the use of light therapy increases cellular metabolism, which can help speed up tissue repair and regeneration.

So, laser therapy is a good conservative option to help heal soft tissue injuries by promoting healing through cellular metabolism, thereby reducing pain and inflammation.  It is a safe and effective option for many types of soft tissue injuries and is often used in conjunction with other therapies, for example – proper exercises or stretches, chiropractic, or massage.

So, next time you hurt yourself, think about your options, including laser therapy!