What is Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)? 

Low level laser therapy (also known as ‘cold laser’) is the application of red and near infra-red light over injuries or lesions to improve wound and soft tissue healing, reduce inflammation and give relief for both acute and chronic pain.

LLLT is used to: increase the speed, quality and tensile strength of tissue repair; resolve inflammation and relieve pain (analgesia).

How does LLLT work?

The effectiveness of cold laser therapy lies in its ability to trigger the body to heal itself.  Penetrating into targeted tissue, laser light stimulates mitochondria in target cells to produce additional ATP, which fuels cell repair and regeneration.  The laser simply jumpstarts the healing process and since the laser used operates within a specific wavelength range that is non thermal, there is no risk of tissue damage or other complications.

 

What can Back on Track do for me?

Back on Track clinics are committed to providing leading edge therapies. We are equipped with the most technologically advanced laser systems on the market today. This includes:

  • The Theralase TLC 2000: A Theralase super pulsed laser has the unique ability to penetrate tissue up to 4″ below the dermis – 5 times further than the closest competitor – treating deep chronic arthritis conditions commonly found in the knees and shoulders.

See www.theralase.com/TLC-2000

 

What kinds of conditions does LLLT help?

  • Acute/Chronic Pain : Pain is believed to originate from an ionic differentiation of potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+) ions across a cellular membrane. LLLT increases cellular membrane permeability and causes a reabsorption of sodium and expulsion of potassium molecules, removing the gradient and thus the pain signal at source.
  • Musculoskelatal Conditions: Therapeutic laser treatments provide patients with a safe, effective and painless therapy that uses the body’s own natural healing systems to relieve pain, increase joint mobility, increase tissue integrity and promote cell regeneration. LLLT has been shown to be effective in treating:
    • Low Back Pain
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Neck Pain/Whiplash
    • Knee Pain
    • Shoulder Pain
    • Tendinopathy (Tendonitis/Tendonosis)
    • Sprains/Strains
    • Muscle Tears
    • Sports Injuries
    • Contusions
    • Post-Op Rehab

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  • Inflammation: LLLT has an anti-oedemic effect, as it causes vasodilation, but also because it activates the lymphatic drainage system to drain interstitial fluid (drains swollen areas).
  • Arthritis: No clinically tested modality is proven to be more effective for arthritis. While arthritis is a chronic condition without a cure, LLLT treatments can provide substantial relief from symptoms by reducing inflammation of the joints, eliminating pain, increasing range of motion of the joints and improving immune cell production and efficiency.

Wound Healing: Laser treatments accelerate each of the three phases associated with the natural healing of wounds: inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. The result is a reduction in pain, inflammation reduction, increased stimulation of connective tissue (granulation tissue) and increased capillary production (angiogenesis) leading to improved blood flow during proliferation.