How does Laser Therapy work?
Low level lasers are a game changer for recovery and rehabilitation. They use the energy from light to excite electrons to produce more usable energy.
The electron transport chain (ETC) is the means by which our body turns the foods we eat into the molecules our cells need to perform almost every action. This molecule is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The ETC depends on electrons becoming “excited” and essentially moving to the next level and next stage in the chain. Laser therapy excites those electrons so your body can produce more ATP.
One of ATP’s biggest roles in the body is enabling cells and tissues to repair after damage. If we use laser therapy to improve ATP availability, the tissues can heal faster. In addition to healing faster, some chronic conditions can seem to have “stalled out” during their healing process. Laser therapy can kick-start the cells to heal again!
These effects are used on virtually any structure in the body including cartilage, skin, nerves, muscle, tendons, ligaments, bone, and even the brain!
At Helix Performance Recovery, we use the most trusted lasers in the industry (Erchonia) which enables us to utilize 3 different colors (i.e. wavelengths) of light including red, violet, and green. This is very important because each wavelength activates a different part of the ETC. We use laser therapy as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with manual therapy and exercise.
Author: Dr. Tag Wilber PT, DPT | Reference: Erchonia 2023, How Laser Therapy Works