Question
How does photobiomodulation therapy fit into an overall treatment plan for acute injuries, and how does it impact expected recovery timelines?
Answer
Photobiomodulation therapy can be an excellent choice for acute musculoskeletal injuries over other modalities like ice, which causes vasoconstriction. The laser helps reduce inflammation and pain without the need for vasoconstrictive cooling. It's recommended to perform the laser treatment first before any manual therapy. This allows the laser's effects to reduce muscle guarding and pain, enabling better mobility and soft tissue work during the session. The light therapy also initiates delayed physiological responses like increased circulation and natural pain relief over the next 30-40 minutes post-treatment. Overall, using photobiomodulation early in the treatment plan for acute injuries helps optimize the outcomes from the hands-on techniques.
While photobiomodulation has been shown to speed functional recovery, clinicians must maintain realistic expectations regarding healing timelines with their patients. For example, with a grade 2 hamstring strain typically requiring 4-6 weeks, laser may reduce that by 15-20% with optimal treatments. However, the fundamental tissue healing process cannot be drastically shortened beyond those norms. The laser treatments quickly reduce initial inflammation and pain, which can mislead patients into thinking they are fully recovered and ready to return to full activity. Clinicians must continue performing objective tests and setting appropriate timeline expectations, even when the laser provides early subjective improvements.
This ask the experts is an excerpt from the course Laser Therapy: Review of Photobiomodulation and Dosing for Specific Conditions, in partnership with Enovis™ by Mark Callanen, PT, DPT OCS.
