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Physiotherapists use laser therapy as part of their treatment, in conjunction with other treatment techniques. The aim of your treatment should not only be pain relief, it should look at the root of the problem and how you can improve as a whole. And that is why you shouldn’t expect to get laser treatment in isolation. The laser treatment itself tends to last anywhere between 2 and 10 minutes, depending on the size and depth of the structure being treated. This time will be incorporated into the overall time of your treatment session.
Physiotherapists are qualified to provide low-level laser therapy (LLLT). They will be able to adequately determine if laser treatment will benefit you and effectively incorporate it into your treatment plan. Mostly, it is used on structures like ligaments, tendons and joints that are made up of much more collagen. But, it can also be applied to all kinds of musculoskeletal injuries to help reduce pain, and inflammation and encourage cell reproduction.
Different types of application
Lasers with an output power of less than 0.5 Watts are classified as LLLT (low-level laser therapy), whereas lasers with an output power of more than 0.5 Watts are classified as HPLT (high-power laser therapy).
- HPLT creates heat on the surface of the skin due to their higher power density and these lasers are used in the laser medicine field to cut or destroy tissue (e.g., eye surgery)
- LLLT is often referred to as “cold lasers” since they do not create a heating sensation during treatment. This is the type of laser therapy that is used by physiotherapists.
Lasers with wavelengths between 660 nm and 905 nm have the ability to penetrate skin, and soft/hard tissues. This light has a good effect on pain, inflammation and tissue repair. Administering LLLT below this dose range has been shown to not be effective.
What changes in the bigger physiological picture
When the laser is placed against your skin, the light penetrates it and travels several centimetres. It gets absorbed by the mitochondria in each cell (this is the part of the cell that creates energy). The energy fuels many positive physiological responses resulting in the restoration of normal cell function but at an enhanced rate.
The effect is photochemical, not thermal, meaning it doesn’t have a heating effect on your tissues (thus, the name cold laser). The light triggers biochemical changes within your cells and can be compared to the process of photosynthesis in plants, where sunlight is absorbed by plant cells and it triggers a chemical reaction within the plant.
Now, zoom in on the cellular changes:
The primary effects of LLLT are brought about by photochemical processes in your cells’ mitochondria. Low-level laser light reduces oxidative stress in the tissue while increasing ATP synthesis. Here, the monochromatic red and infrared beams are absorbed by components of the respiratory chain. This enhances the electrochemical potential of protons, ATP, RNA, and protein synthesis. It also increases oxygen consumption, the membrane potential, and the synthesis of NADH.
Through this process it affects the function of connective tissue cells (fibroblasts), which accelerates connective tissue (collagen) repair and acts to decrease inflammation.
Conditions that respond well to Laser treatment
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Shoulder impingement syndromes
- Hip or shoulder bursitis
- Lower back disc pain
- Sciatica
- Tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
Source: Well Health Pro