Laser may seem like a farfetched idea for physical therapy, but these lasers are different than you might think. These are not laser pointers people use to entertain their pets, or the lasers used for surgical procedures or tattoo removal. These are class 4 cold lasers used to improve the benefits of therapy. Class 3 lasers in the medical field have been shown to be effective in treating superficial wounds, cuts, and abrasions. Class 4 cold lasers have increased power which allows for deeper penetration into the tissues.
Class 4 lasers provide health benefits by enhancing the microcirculation of the arterial blood supply, venous and lymphatic return of the injured area. This can include injuries to muscles, ligaments and even bones. Another thing that the laser does is stimulate a photochemical response in order to influence increased blood supply to the tissues. Different wavelengths of the lasers are specific to different tissues.
What Cold Laser Therapy Can Treat:
Muscle and joint pain
Stiffness associated with arthritis
Pain associated with muscle spasms
Hand pain and wrist pain associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Neck pain
Lower back pain
Wound healing
Examples of Injuries Cold Laser Therapy Can Help:
Acute injuries, such as strains, sprains, and shoulder injuries
Repetitive-use injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome
Traumatic injuries, such as post-motor vehicle accident with cervical strain/sprain
Chronic issues such as frozen shoulder and arthritis
Cold laser therapy should NOT be used on suspicious cancerous lesions, or carcinoma, over the thyroid, on pregnant patients, and there should not be direct irradiation of the eyes.
At John Goetze Physical Therapy, we use Cold Laser Therapy to compliment our manual therapy and to accelerate the healing process to get you back in the game. A typical treatment session can take anywhere from five to twenty minutes, dependent on your injury or condition, and most conditions require six to twelve treatments over a two to four week period of time. If you are having any issues performing at the level you would like to or to the level you used to perform, contact us and come in for an evaluation to see how we can help.
