What is LASER?
LASER means Light Amplification from Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Through a specially designed chamber which excites molecules, a LASER generates an intense beam of coherent light. LASERs are used in many ways including drilling and cutting. They have also been used in the medical field for 40 years. Physiotherapy uses LASER to facilitate pain relief, to accelerate healing and decrease inflammation.
How does LASER work?
There are 3 key benefits
Photo acoustic
This stimulates free nerve endings in the tissue which can help with nearly instantaneous pain relief
Biostimulation
Causes a faster exchange of oxygen and ATP metabolites and allows more oxygen atoms to reach mitochondria. The oxygen facilitates greater repair in damaged tissue. ATP allows for faster synthesis of DNA and RNA which leads to faster recovery, healing and swelling reduction in the treated area
Thermic
Thermic effect cause vasoldilation, which allows for larger amounts of oxygen to be delivered to the tissue and more metabolites to be absorbed
Physiotherapy and LASER therapy
A class IV (high powered/hot) LASER can be used to treat the following conditions
- Tendonitis-Sciatica
- Osteoarthritis of the hip, knee and ankle
- Disc herniation
- Hip or shoulder bursitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Shoulder impingement
References
- Low Level Laser Therapy - PhysiopediaIntroduction The term Laser is the acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A laser light is monochromatic, collimated, and coherent. A laser is a device that produces such a light. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) is used by some physiotherapists to treat
- Therapeutic Modalities - Physiopedia Introduction Therapeutic modalities are commonly used by physiotherapists to help their patients/clients achieve therapy goals.[1] Electrophysical agents are used to create physiological effects, and these electrotherapy modalities has been making part of the physiotherapy-used modalities for
- Research articles – Page 104 – Physiospot – Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy in the SpotlightToggle navigation oPhysiospot oPhysiospot About News Contribute Courses Shop Contact Search Search Search oPhysiospot About News Contribute Courses Shop Contact p o + Home News Physiopedia Physioplus Research Interviews Reviews Partners Voices Select a category Home News
- Lateral Epicondyle Tendinopathy Toolkit: Summary of the Evidence - Physiopedia by Topic 14.1 Manual Therapy 14.2 Exercise 14.3 Acupuncture 14.4 Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) 14.5 Ultrasound (US) 14.6 Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) 14.7 Iontophoresis Using Dexamethasone 14.8 Iontophoresis Using NSAID or Lidocaine 14.9 Orthotic Devices 14.10 Taping
- Atlantoaxial Osteoarthritis - Physiopedia Definition/Description Atlantoaxial Osteoarthritis is a metabolically active, dynamic process that involves all joint tissues such as cartilage, synovium/capsule, ligaments and muscles. It refers to a clinical syndrome of joint pain accompanied by varying degrees of functional limitation and
- http://www.rehabpub.com/2019/04/treating-pain-low-vs-high-power-lasers-difference/
- Song HJ, Seo HJ, Lee Y, Kim SK. Effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Medicine. 2018 Dec;97(51). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6319951/ (last accessed 24.6.2019)
- Babatunde OO, Jordan JL, Van der Windt DA, Hill JC, Foster NE, Protheroe J. Effective treatment options for musculoskeletal pain in primary care: A systematic overview of current evidence. PloS one. 2017
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5480856/
How the laser works
