Light therapy can increase oxygen delivery, reduce muscle damage, lower blood lactate levels, and reduce post-exercise muscle pain; all of which can help athletes naturally unlock optimal performance and accelerated recovery.
The science shows that light therapy:
- Generates cellular energy
- To unlock natural healing processes
- Like oxygen delivery, tissue repair, and more
- To enhance athletic performance
- And accelerate injury recovery
These are the benefits athletes need to stay active, keep going, and perform their best.
The Physical Toll on Athletes
Athletic pursuits take a dramatic toll on the body, for everyone from enthusiasts to D1 collegiate athletes and professionals. Many can suffer from any number of physical injuries, including:
- Bone breaks
- Stress fractures
- Muscle strain
- Inflammation
- Post-surgical recovery
- Tendinitis
- Sciatica
- And so many other conditions
So what’s the solution? Light therapy is a non-invasive intervention that addresses underlying cellular function, rather than masking symptoms.
How Light Therapy Works
Light therapy (or photobiomodulation) penetrates red or near-infrared light energy deeply into the body and is absorbed by mitochondria to generate more cellular energy (ATP).[1] This stimulates the body’s natural processes for regeneration, recovery, and renewal.
When the body’s natural energy and recovery processes are triggered, it’s better equipped to activate healing, fight infections, reduce inflammation, and repair damaged tissues. These processes enhance physical and mental performance and improve overall functionality.
Light Therapy Results
Professional or collegiate athletes and enthusiasts want wellness solutions that match their drive and keep them at the peak of their game. Red light and laser therapy can match their energy.
The non-surgical intervention has many promising benefits, including:[2]
- Triggering skeletal muscle regeneration
- Decreased inflammation
- Accelerated recovery
- Reduced exercise-induced muscle fatigue
One study found that pulsed laser therapy significantly enhanced post-exercise muscle recovery, resulting in approximately a 15% increase in muscle strength.[3]
Another study assessing light-augmented exercise-based interventions found that 88% of participants reported decreased rotator cuff pain (from 10/10 to 2/10) after 6 weeks.[4] Additionally, they also reported a significant improvement in functional rotation.
Real-world results like these paint a picture of the clear role light therapy can play in sports medicine.
The Role of Light Therapy in Sports Medicine
The effects of photobiomodulation for sports medicine can increase oxygen delivery, reduce muscle damage, lower blood lactate levels, and reduce post-exercise muscle pain.[5]
Traditional medicine’s answer is usually rest, surgery, or medications. These are invasive and time-consuming solutions that can take way too long and often merely mask symptoms.
Light-based interventions address wellness at the cellular level, enabling everything else to perform better and faster. But what does that mean for athletes?
Enhanced Performance
With the body firing on all cylinders, everything athletes do is optimized. More oxygen in the body drives more energy to the muscles for greater endurance.
Lower blood lactate levels help the body sustain higher levels of intensity during exercise. This helps maintain physical momentum and delays the onset of fatigue.
Better/Faster Recovery
Injuries derail training and delay progress. No true athlete likes to be benched.
Reduced muscle damage empowers faster recovery and improves energy levels. Reduced post-exercise muscle pain can help the body feel less sore and improve range of motion or flexibility.
Overall, this decreases the risk of future injury and increases systemic resilience. Meaning, athletes are better equipped to keep doing what they love for longer.
Light Therapy Can Help Athletes Get Back Out There and Keep Going Stronger
Elite and dedicated athletes aren’t just chasing a medal or a championship. They’re in a relentless pursuit of their personal best. Becoming the best version of themselves, inside and out.
Light therapy is a practical and proven intervention that can help by:
- Stimulating cellular energy
- Activate the body’s natural healing process
- Improving all the things the body needs to perform better
- Reducing the tissue damage that can delay recovery
For athletes, benefits like those are everything. The new year is nearly here, and it’s a time when most people are reevaluating their approach to health, wellness, and recovery.
Learn more about Aspen’s wellness solutions for athletes, including:
- TheraLight Red Light Therapy Beds: For full-body application
- Aspen Laser Class IV Laser Therapy Systems: For targeted, deep tissue repair
- TheraGo Portable Red Light Panels: For light therapy on the go or at home
Sources:
[1]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33471046/
[2][3]https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1572100025001668#
[4]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12079619/#wrr70043-sec-0008
