The Healing Power of Red Light Therapy and How it Can Help You During Your Massage Treatment

Red light therapy (RLT) is gaining attention for its extraordinary ability to enhance tissue healing and reduce inflammation. This non-invasive treatment is emerging as an invaluable tool within treatment rooms of massage therapy, physiotherapy, as stand alone treatments, and for use at home. In this post, we will explore the many benefits of red light therapy related to tissue healing and inflammation, and we will provide practical advice on how to effectively combine this non-invasive and effective therapy with traditional massage techniques.

Understanding Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy operates using specific wavelengths of light within the 600 to 1,000 nanometer range. These wavelengths penetrate the skin and stimulate cellular activity. When absorbed by mitochondria—often called the powerhouse of cells—RLT boosts the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is what your cells use for energy! This increase in ATP helps improve blood flow and reduce oxidative stress.

RLT is not new; there are beams of red light that are emitted by the sun, and as a population we do not get as much sunlight as our ancestors. Red light is critical to human health, and with most tasks of daily life requiring more time indoors, we are not getting the optimal doses as humans once had. Red light has been used historically for wound healing, skin rejuvenation, and pain relief. Recent studies show it plays a critical role in inflammation reduction and tissue repair, making it an ideal compliment to your massage therapy treatment.

Benefits of Red Light Therapy in Tissue Healing

Accelerated Healing Process

One remarkable advantage of red light therapy is its ability to speed up the healing process. Exposure to red light encourages collagen production, a key protein that supports tissue structure and aids in repairing damaged areas.

Kala Red Light Therapy Pro Panel

Research indicates that RLT can lead to an approximate 47% faster recovery rate from injuries such as muscle tears and sprains, leading to less time off from activities or sports. A study conducted on University athletes shows from regular use of light therapy on injured tissue, athletes on average we able to return to sport within 10 days of injury, when 19+ days of recovery time were predicted by team therapists (PMID: 27141153) Chronic injuries such as tendonitis also see great benefits from introducing RLT into treatment settings due to the healing properties that light therapy can stimulate.

Improved Circulation

Enhanced blood circulation is vital for efficient tissue healing. Red light therapy increases blood flow, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach damaged areas. This boost aids in faster recovery and helps clear out waste products from metabolism, which can speed up healing.

Addressing Inflammation and Red Light Therapy

Reduction of Inflammatory Markers

Inflammation is a natural response to injury that is beneficial in short term, but chronic inflammation is known to enhance an individuals pain response. Red light therapy has been shown to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines—signalling molecules that encourage inflammation. This reduction facilitates a smoother healing process and less discomfort for individuals suffering from conditions like arthritis and tendonitis.

Mitigating Pain and Discomfort

The pain-relieving effects of red light therapy can be very significant. It effectively targets inflamed tissues, helping to reduce pain levels.

For massage therapists, combining RLT with massage techniques can create a comprehensive pain management strategy. Clients often leave sessions not only relaxed, but also with significantly reduced discomfort.

Other Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Alongside the amazing benefits that are yielded from utilizing RLT, the beauty industry has taken hold onto this modality. With increased collagen production, RLT helps increase cellular turnover and decreases inflammation. This is essential to promote healthier skin and yields anti-aging benefits such as reduction of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as treats skin conditions such as acne and rosacea (PMID: 24286286)

There has been quite a bit of emerging research to show the effectiveness of RLT when it comes to thyroid health and hormone regulation, as well as to help the circadian rhythm of the body - your wake and sleep cycles.

Red Light in the Treatment Room

Interested in incorporating red light therapy into a massage treatment with me? Here is what you can expect during your massage therapy treatment.

Your massage therapy treatment will look and feel generally the exact same when incorporating RLT. Once an area of the body has been treated via manual therapy techniques, the oil used in treatment will be removed from the target body part, and a cart with a red light panel will be wheeled over. The light panel will be approximately 6-12" away from your body for best results. Treatments will take approximately 10-15 minutes and the intensity of the light is determined by the targeted tissue (i.e. skin, muscle, joint, inflammation...). You may feel some heat being emitted from the panel, but not enough heat that will ever create discomfort. Depending on the area of interest, you may or may not be wearing a pair of glasses to protect your eyes from the beams of light.

Some contraindications for RLT can include...

• Photosensitive conditions (i.e. lupus)

• Retinal damage

• Medications influencing skin or eye sensitivity (i.e. Acutane)

• Pregnancy - studies have not been conducted

• Skin cancer or potential skin cancer

• Hyperthyroidism (head and neck applications only)

• Implants or medical devices - check with healthcare provider

• Epilepsy (if using flicker lights on panel)

• Eye disease

• Fever or infection

  
  
  
  

That's it! It is a very simple, non-invasive modality that is generally considered safe for everyone. If you have any questions please reach out to me at rachaelt.rmt@gmail.com.

See you in the treatment room!