Supports cellular energy
Light absorbed by the mitochondria in your cells supports their production of energy (ATP), which is part of how tissue repairs and maintains itself.
Red Light Therapy
Red Light Therapy for Joint Pain & Arthritis
Non-invasive, drug-free support for painful joints and arthritic discomfort, working gradually over a course of short sessions to reach the tissue around the joint and encourage your body's own repair mechanisms.
Mechanism
Why red light therapy for joint pain
Red light therapy (photobiomodulation) delivers specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light into the skin and the tissue beneath it. Near-infrared wavelengths in particular reach deeper structures such as muscle, tendon, and the soft tissue around a joint, which is where arthritis discomfort tends to originate.
Encourages circulation
Local blood flow to the treated area is encouraged, bringing oxygen and nutrients to tissue that is working to recover.
Modulates inflammation
The body's natural inflammatory response is supported rather than suppressed, relevant for the persistent, low-grade inflammation common in arthritic joints.
Evidence
What the evidence suggests
Photobiomodulation has been studied for musculoskeletal pain, including knee osteoarthritis and other arthritic joints. The research points in a consistent direction worth understanding before you start:
- It is cumulative, not instant. Benefit tends to build over a course of sessions rather than after a single visit, as the effect on circulation and tissue compounds.
- Consistency matters. Outcomes in studies are generally tied to regular, adequately dosed sessions over several weeks.
- It is a complement, not a cure. Red light therapy is best viewed as support alongside your existing care: movement and any treatment your physician provides, not a replacement for it.
- Results vary by person and joint. Depth of the joint, severity, and how long the condition has been present all affect what you can expect.
We set realistic expectations from the first conversation. If we don't think red light therapy is likely to help your particular situation, we'll tell you plainly.
Process
What to expect
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Consultation.
We review the affected joint, your history, and your goals, then recommend a session frequency and an expected number of sessions.
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Sessions.
You relax lying down in our ARRC LED ATP RFQ bed for roughly 10 to 20 minutes. Sessions are warm and comfortable, with no pain and no downtime.
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Progress review.
We check in on your progress across the course and adjust the plan based on how the joint is responding.
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Red light therapy is available for physician-referred chronic pain treatment and as an adjunct to XERF treatments.