Make no mistake, though, red light therapy is here to stay. With thousands of peer reviewed articles backing its use for all kinds of injuries and conditions, the research is too strong to ignore. Here are some recommendations on how to simplify the process of integrating photobiomodulation into a clinical setting.
Treatment Flow
The greatest treatment techniques and tools don’t matter if they don’t fit well into a clinic’s flow because they won’t ever get used. If clinicians don’t know how and when to use a tool or if that tool interferes with the clinician’s favorite techniques, it will sit idle on the shelf.
One of the great things about red light therapy is that it does not interfere with other modalities. In most cases, red light therapy will actually enhance patient outcomes when combined with other tools. Feel free to use red light therapy along with other tools like IASTM, cupping, dry needling, massage, joint mobilizations and more. Multiple techniques can be used at the same time (typically using a red light panel) or consecutively within a session. Because photobiomodulation is non-thermal and very safe, there is virtually no downside to adding it to your therapy plans.
An easy place to start with red light therapy is replacing hot packs and ice packs with red light wraps. Red light wraps offer low intensity light that is designed to be placed directly on the skin to deliver red and near infrared light to the treatment area.
Traditionally many clinicians have used hot packs early in a treatment session in an effort to warm up local tissue to prepare it for activity. Many patients also experience a reduction in pain and soreness with heat, which is an added bonus. Red light therapy can be a better alternative to hot packs because not only will it feel warm (due to the near infrared wavelengths of light), but it will energize the local cells and prepare the body for activity, while reducing pain.
Many of the same things can be said of ice. Rather than use ice and stim at the end of a treatment session to moderate soreness, red light therapy can be used to reduce pain and inflammation and promote healing, rather than slow it down, like ice has been shown to do.
Simply replacing heat and ice with red light wraps offers a lot of upside for most clinics while keeping the treatment flows consistent.
Passive and Active Uses
A nice advantage of using red light wraps is that they can be used while performing active movements. The wraps are designed to fit snuggly over the body part that is being treated and held on with a Velcro strap. This means that patients can perform light exercises or activities of daily living while receiving a treatment. Of course they can also use red light therapy passively while on a table or receiving other modalities at the same time, but all of that comes down to the decision of the individual clinician in conjunction with the patient to help them reach their desired outcomes.
Attended vs Unattended Uses
Photobiomodulation is not new. Most of us have been exposed to it in the form of cold lasers. One advantage of cold lasers is that they deliver an intense form of light, so the treatment time can be very short (if you are only treating a small area). The downside to intense forms of light is that patients can be burned if the laser is used for too long on an area. Thus, it is recommended that lasers only be used by properly trained healthcare providers in a clinical setting.
Red light wraps and panels deliver lower intensity light (as compared to lasers) over a longer period of time to achieve the proper dosage. Lower intensity light is ultra safe which makes photobiomodulation accessible to just about anyone. For the clinician, this means that red light therapy can be used as an unattended modality. A patient can be receiving the treatment on their own while a clinician tends to the needs of another patient. Red light therapy is also very safe when used at home.
Usage Guidelines
There are a few guidelines that consider when you start using red light therapy.
Contraindications:
There are relatively few contraindications for photobiomodulation. These include a pregnant belly, active cancer site, and patients with photosensitivity (either naturally or medication induced). The treatments may feel warm, but should not feel hot. If it does feel hot, consider shortening the treatment or turning down the intensity. Darker skin tones and tattoos will absorb light easier than fair skin, so you may need to adjust the overall dosage slightly based on these factors as well.
Dosage:
A standard treatment typically has a duration of 20 minutes. This timing can vary based on how acute the injury is and how the body responds to the modality. The more acute the injury, the lower the dosage should be (donsider full intensity x 10 min or 50% intensity x 20 min). Chronic conditions often need more light in order to reach a therapeutic level, so consider 20-30 minutes of treatment at full intensity to see results. Red light therapy should not be used more than once per day and can be used 3-5 times per week.
Red Light Wrap Care
Fringe red light wraps are made of high-quality neoprene with imbedded LED lights. It is an electronic device, so care should be taken when storing and cleaning them so they work well for the long run.
Wraps should always be stored flat whenever possible. They should not be folded as this can pinch the wires and damage the LED diodes. Red light
wraps should not be submerged in water or other cleaning liquids, but they can be wiped down with disinfecting wipes in between patients. Fringe also has clear plastic covers that fit easily over their wraps. These covers are very durable and can be easily cleaned and disinfected.
Fringe red light wraps come with a high-quality lithium-ion battery built in that is charged with a USB-C cord. A full charge lasts approximately 4-5 uses, making it accessible in virtually all clinics.
Conclusion
Red light therapy is highly effective, ultra safe, versatile, simple and can be used on a wide variety of conditions. This makes it extremely useful within a clinical setting and all therapists should consider integrating photobiomodulation into their daily workflow
