For many years, it was thought that laser therapy had a selective effect on damaged cells, and did not affect normal cells. This has now been disproven. It has been well established in numerous studies that laser therapy can improve muscle performance. However, the mechanism for this process has never been established.

We know that low-level light therapy (LLLT) increases cell survival, improves behavioral recovery from neuro-degeneration and speeds wound healing. These beneficial effects are thought to be mediated by upregulation of processes in the mitochondria. But there must be other factors. This study discovered one of those new factors.

This study used a sensitive method for assessing the oxygenation in muscle tissue and show for the first time that LLLT induced a dose, and fiber dependent increase in muscle oxygenation. LLLT was particularly effective at enhancing the aerobic capacity of intermediate and red fibers. The findings suggest that LLLT may enhance the oxidative energy metabolic capacity of different types of muscle fibers and that LLLT may be used to enhance the aerobic potential of skeletal muscle. This has important findings since LLLT could eventually be used to improve athletic performance in high level athletes. (Photochem Photobial. 2010 April 16)

Literature on laser therapy studies have helped the following conditions:
• Low level laser treatment of tendinopathy (Photomed Laser Surg, 2010)
• Low level laser therapy can be effective for tendinitis (Dept. Physiotherapy Science, Bergen, Norway)
• Low power laser therapy of shoulder tendonitis (Scandinavian journal of rheumatology, 1989)
• Laser treatment for tendinitis (Div. of Physiotherapy Science, Univ. of Bergen, Norway, 1997)
• Effects of low-level laser and plyometric exercises in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow) (Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 2007)
• Low level laser therapy reduces: inflammation in activated achilles tendinitis (Progress in biomedical optics and imaging, 2006)