In a heated gridiron game against the Dallas Cowboys in December 2004, Philadelphia Eagles’ star wide receiver Terrell Owens caught a routine pass in the third quarter, only to be brought down by Dallas’ Roy Willams. Owens’ right leg buckled back on the fall, which broke his fibula and sprained his deltoid ligament. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Philadelphia had just secured home field advantage for the playoffs, largely due to Owens’ impressive performance during the regular season. Philadelphia’s Super Bowl aspirations turned grim.

Undaunted, Owens swore he would recover in time to play in the Super Bowl, which was only six weeks away. In addition to the therapies one might expect, such as invasive surgery or physical therapy on a submerged treadmill, Owens sought out more unorthodox treatments. He slept in a hyperbaric chamber – the kind made infamous by Michael Jackson – believing it would facilitate healing. He also underwent light therapy to reduce his pain and inflammation, as well as expedite healing in both his tendon and fibula.

The combination worked. Owens went on to play in Super Bowl XXXIX, and though the Eagles lost, it appeared as though he had never been injured. While it’s still undetermined how important light therapy was to his notable recovery, the gradual emergence of light therapy as a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of injuries and disorders suggests Owens was ahead of the game.

Light therapy, known alternatively as cold laser therapy or phototherapy, is the application of lower power – thus “cold” – laser or infrared light to an afflicted area. Endre Mester, a Hungarian researcher, initially discovered its therapeutic benefits in the 1960s. Mester, who had been experimenting with lasers in an attempt to find new ways to fight cancer, noticed that the incisions on test animals treated with the light healed faster than those on his control subjects. Over the years, many additional benefits of cold laser therapy have been discovered.

The light itself is delivered through direct contact with the skin. Some devices, such as the Salt Lake City-based Dynatronics Solaris, use a probe with LEDs at one end. Others, such as Tampa, Fla.-based Anodyne Therapy’s, employ a large, flexible pad embedded with diodes. David Zeiger, DO, of Healthworks IMC in Chicago says, depending on the power and frequency of the light used, it may penetrate the skin anywhere within a range of a few millimeters to several inches.

Though the claims for light therapy invite skepticism, the mechanism that allows light therapy to work is relatively straightforward. Mitochondria absorb the light, convert it to ATP energy sources and fuel cellular processes. The resulting surplus of ATP can trigger a number of beneficial effects including reduced inflammation, improved blood flow, protein and enzyme synthesis, as well as cell replication and repair. As Zeiger says, “It’s really exciting. What you are doing is using light energy to stimulate the regeneration of mitochondria in all kinds of cells – nerves, muscles, lymph [and] even ligaments.”

As a result, laser therapy excels at alleviating muscular and skeletal pain, and is commonly used to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) and soft tissue damage. It has also been used to combat the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy and to foster healing of diabetic ulcers.

Zeiger, who adopted light therapy as an integral part of his practice when the FDA approved it three years ago, describes a particularly interesting application he has found for cold lasers. “Patients with ligament injuries can be rehabilitated through a procedure known as prolotherapy, which is when a damaged ligament is injected with a mildly irritating but harmless solution, such as dextrose, phenol or glycerin. The solution induces inflammation and increased blood flow to the damaged ligament, effectively helping it regenerate.” Adding laser therapy expedites the process by reducing pain, improving blood flow and facilitating the cellular process required for regrowth.

In addition to its remarkable therapeutic applications, light therapy has many other important qualities. Typical treatment sessions are brief, lasting anywhere from five to 30 minutes, and a course of therapy may only require a few sessions a week for several weeks. Patients typically respond to the treatments quickly, often reporting reduced pain in as little as five minutes.

Bob Cardon of Dynatronics relates a story about one of their clients. “We demonstrated our Solaris equipment on a retired Army sergeant who relied on a walker because of chronic knee pain. After five minutes of light therapy, the pain had subsided enough that he was able to walk unassisted. He actually purchased one of our units for use at home.” 

Proving itself as a non-invasive, painless and safe treatment, light therapy is finally maturing out of “unorthodox treatment” stigma in the United States. To combat any lingering fears, Zeiger says, it can be used around pacemakers or over them if shielding is used. Laser therapy will not interfere with or cause discomfort near ceramic or metal implants. It does not conflict with blood thinners or other medications. While light therapy benefits are abundant, Zeiger says the list of undesired side effects is short. “[There may be] some redness to the treated area, which fades quickly,” he explains.“ Otherwise there are no ill effects – no pain, itching, burning or other symptoms.”

Equipment costs, depending on the vendor, are also relatively low. Light equipment a physical therapist might use, for example, ranges from $5,000 to $6,000. Laser therapy is not a treatment available only to high profile athletes and the rich. It can relieve suffering among a broad spectrum of patients.