What is Laser Therapy?

Laser Therapy is a patient favorite at Release Physical Therapy! Not only for its calming touch, but for its rehabilitative properties. At Release, we use the Summus Medical Laser, which uses red and infrared wavelengths of 660-980nm to induce therapeutic effects within the body. Not only are treatments beneficial, the light is non-ionizing, so treatments are very safe! The infrared wavelengths are able to penetrate to deeper tissue where enzymes absorption is high and can deliver a selective and specific effect on the tissue.

The many benefits of Laser Therapy

The light given off from the laser has many positive biological effects including:

  1. Accelerates cellular reproduction and growth. The light assists in tissue repair by increasing energy available to the cell, taking in nutrients and expelling waste at a faster rate.
  2. Improves vascular activity. It temporarily causes vasodilation, which increases the diameter of blood vessels and speeds up the formation of capillaries in damaged tissue.
  3. Increases metabolic activity. Laser Therapy facilitates oxygen delivery from bloodstream to cells and increases membrane permeability.
  4. Stimulates fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are the building blocks of healthy collagen, which leads to stronger tissue.
  5. Reduces formation of fibrotic scar tissue. Laser Therapy is used to treat open wounds, scars and burns for optimal healing.
  6. Reduces swelling. The light activates the lymphatic drainage system.
  7. Muscular pain relief. Laser Therapy decreases inflammation, scar tissue formation, and desensitizes active trigger points.
  8. Improves nerve function. Laser light treatments can speed the process of nerve growth and reconnection – increasing the amplitude for action potentials that enhance muscle activity. The light also has a positive effect on nerve blocking cells, which decrease their sensitivity.
  9. It doesn’t hurt. Laser Therapy does not cause pain, it treats pain. Many even find the light treatments calming.

How to get the most out of your laser treatments

Similar to other treatment techniques, laser therapy is most effective with consistency and delivers the best results when received two to three times a week, for a total of four to 12 treatments total (based on severity of injury). Think you could benefit from incorporating laser light treatments into your rehabilitative care plan? Book an appointment.

Check out the Summus Medical Laser’s blog for even more information on areas of application, benefits for tissue injury, neuropathy, migraines and more!

What patients say about laser treatments at Release Physical Therapy

“The laser helped reduce my inflammation and pain without having to experience the numbness of icing my ankle. Got me back on the golf course ASAP.”– Andrew Dana

“The laser calmed my acute back pain and made standing more tolerable after straining by back at the gym.” – Alex Myers

“I typically have moderate pain at my heel with standing and walking due to my plantar fasciitis. With the help of ReleasePT, their manual work followed by the use of laser, has really lessened my pain and allowed me to walk more easily, especially in the mornings.” – Katherine Smith