Phototherapy is the general term for light therapy. Light energy can be produced by a variety of devices such as Light Emitting Diodes and Super Luminous Diodes and Cold Lasers. All three of these devices have therapeutic effects. However the depth of penetration and tissue that is affected greatly varies between all three forms of therapy.
LED’s and SLD’s, produce broader beams of light that are non-coherent. This type of light therapy can be very helpful for superficial wound healing, ulcers and burns. LED’s will normally penetrate less then 1 cm. SLD’s are more powerful and can penetrate about 2.5 cm. LED’s and SLD’s are often sold to consumers they are not considered 3-B lasers.
In contrast, true Cold Lasers have been used for over 35 years. The laser light is well ordered with synchronized light waves that is referred to as coherence. This is a very unique property. This property is maintained when the light enters the tissue. True Cold Lasers with a wavelength around 830*nm can penetrate 5cm with a lateral spread of 3cm. Cold Lasers are used when you want deeper penetration. Many more tendons, ligaments, and muscle tissues are able to be treated. The wavelength of the laser is also important. For the deepest penetration 785nm-830nm has shown to be far more effective in treating tissue then any other wavelength. This is important because not all cold lasers are created equal. In our office we only use FDA cleared 3-B lasers when treating knee pain.
Dr. Schnee, D.C. has all three types of phototherapy available in her office. But she only uses true cold lasers such as the ML 830 and Med X for knee problems. Numerous studies have shown that lasers are far more effective then LED’s and SLD’s due to their unique properties and penetration depth.
*In Japan, where laser therapy is considered a preferred medical practice, Dr. Noriko Mochizuki et al published a clinical study on the effect lasers had on ATP (adenosine triphosphate- this is how our cells get the energy they need to accomplish everything they need to). The scientists found that tissue levels of ATP were significantly increased when the target area was treated with 830nm wavelength laser light. The study further stated that this beneficial increase in ATP production was not the result of temperature modification, but rather a direct response to the effect of laser light photons. This study also showed that while 830nm wavelength laser light stimulated ATP increases, laser light at 632nm showed no effect. |
