If you want to get the most benefit from your Red Light/Infrared Therapy sessions, here’s a little secret: consume foods that promote the generation of nitric oxide.  For when you consume nitric oxide-promoting foods, combined with the nitric oxide released naturally within your red blood cells by your Red Light/Infrared Therapy sessions, you are therapeutically modulating nitric oxide bioactivity — and maximizing the benefits produced by your therapy sessions for the best possible therapeutic outcomes for yourself!

What is Nitric Oxide (NO)?

Nitric oxide has been called the “miracle molecule” and described as “the body’s natural vasodilator” for its beneficial effects on circulation and blood pressure. The nitric oxide (NO) molecule is gaseous, intracellular and intercellular, produced endogenously within your body through the oxidation of L-arginine in the endothelial cells which line the blood vessels in the inner layer of the arteries. “NO is a short-lived diatomic signaling molecule that exerts multiple effects on kidney, cardiovascular and metabolic functions, including modulation of renal autoregulation, tubular fluid and electrolyte transport, vascular tone, blood pressure, platelet aggregation, immune cell activation, insulin-glucose homeostasis and mitochondrial function.”  Scientists have discovered that NO also affects the liver, the eyes, and the gastrointestinal and nervous systems.

The Important Role of NO

In 2012, a scientific study stated that, “Nitric oxide (NO) has led a revolution in physiology and pharmacology research during the last two decades.” Although first identified as an endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) in connection with the vascular system, “Over the following years, however, the focus on NO research rapidly expanded from the vascular system to its role in immunity and inflammation, the nervous system, pregnancy, aging, and cell death.”  “…NO has emerged as a fundamental signaling device regulating virtually every critical cellular function, as well as a potent mediator of cellular damage in a wide range of conditions.”

Dangers of Compromised NO Production

Because NO plays such a vital role in the body, “Insufficient production of NO (for example, during older age and in various disease conditions) can adversely impact health and physical performance.”  “Reduced NO bioactivity due to compromised NO generation or increased metabolism has been associated with aging and kidney, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, which are often coupled with increased generation of ROS leading to oxidative stress.”  And oxidative stress can be very damaging, as many healthcare professionals believe that it is the common denominator behind hundreds of diseases, plus the aging process itself.  Since NO is so crucial to good health, the ability of Red Light Therapy to locally release NO is extremely valuable!

Foods that Increase Nitric Oxide

NO can be boosted within the body by consuming nitrate-rich foods.  Green leafy vegetables such as arugula (the highest known source of nitrates), spinach, Swiss chard, parsley, and celery elevate NO levels. Other NO-enhancing foods are walnuts (high in L-arginine which converts into NO), watermelons (high in the amino acid L-citrulline, which converts into L-arginine and then into NO), pomegranates, cranberries, hot chili peppers, onions, garlic, raw cacao powder, dark chocolate, and beets — beet greens, beet chips, and beetroot juice.   And citrus fruits such as lemons, oranges, and grapefruits contain high amounts of Vitamin C, which raises levels of NO synthase (NOS) enzymes that convert L-arginine into NO, making citrus helpful to NO production.

Red Light/Infrared Therapy Releases NO

Scientific research proves that Red Light Therapy releases NO. How?  Photons of light emitted by the Red Light and Infrared Light Therapy pads are readily absorbed through the skin, penetrating deeply into tissues. Upon absorption, light is converted into signals that induce a wide range of beneficial biochemical processes in cells that stimulate and aid the body’s innate healing processes. During a Red Light/Infrared Therapy session, NO is a beneficial chemical released from blood vessels lining the endothelium. NO causes vasodilation, which significantly improves blood flow and circulation in the local area where therapy pads are placed. And, increased circulation helps to decrease inflammation and reduce pain.

In Conclusion – Try Red Light/Infrared Therapy

NO plays a vital role in a many key functions throughout the body, especially in promoting vasodilation and increased blood flow. Using Red Light and Infrared Light Therapy is a simple, easy, and dependable way to release NO so that blood, oxygen, and nutrients can flow optimally for pain relief and healing support. If you are looking to repair or enhance your health (and/or relieve pain and restore function) Red Light/Infrared Therapy can help.

And if you are a chiropractor, physical therapist, acupuncturist, or podiatrist, consider adding Red Light/Infrared Therapy to your treatment menu.  One Red Light/Infrared Therapy system can bring your patients years of improved health!  

Contact Rob Berman at Energia Medical at 860-707-4220 or via email Rob to learn more about Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems from Energia Medical.

Citations

Carlström M. Nitric oxide signalling in kidney regulation and cardiometabolic health. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2021 Sep;17(9):575-590. doi: 10.1038/s41581-021-00429-z. Epub 2021 Jun 1. PMID: 34075241; PMCID: PMC8169406, p. 575.

Bescós R, Sureda A, Tur JA, Pons A. The effect of nitric-oxide-related supplements on human performance. Sports Med. 2012 Feb 1;42(2):99-117. doi: 10.2165/11596860-000000000-00000. PMID: 22260513, Abstract.

Sobrevia L, Ooi L, Ryan S, Steinert JR. Nitric Oxide: A Regulator of Cellular Function in Health and Disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016;2016:9782346. doi: 10.1155/2016/9782346. Epub 2015 Dec 21. PMID: 26798429; PMCID: PMC4699049, p. 1.

Pacher P, Beckman JS, Liaudet L. Nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in health and disease. Physiol Rev. 2007 Jan;87(1):315-424. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00029.2006. PMID: 17237348; PMCID: PMC2248324, Abstract.

Jones AM, Thompson C, Wylie LJ, Vanhatalo A. Dietary Nitrate and Physical Performance. Annu Rev Nutr. 2018 Aug 21;38:303-328. doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-082117-051622. PMID: 30130468, Abstract.

Carlström M. Nitric oxide signalling in kidney regulation and cardiometabolic health. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2021 Sep;17(9):575-590. doi: 10.1038/s41581-021-00429-z. Epub 2021 Jun 1. PMID: 34075241; PMCID: PMC8169406, p. 587.

Acupuncturists, did you know that adding Red Light and Infrared Therapy to your treatment menu can bring a whole new dimension to your practice, opening the door to greater benefits for your patients that result in better patient outcomes?  That’s because the ancient traditional healing art of acupuncture and the modern day healing modality of Red Light/Infrared Therapy pair perfectly. And used together, they become a dynamic, winning treatment team that can be relied upon to deliver consistently outstanding results and bring a new flow of energy into your practice!  Here are the reasons why.

Needles and Light Waves Produce Similar Results

While acupuncture utilizes fine needles to penetrate the body in order to trigger specific meridians to relieve both acute and chronic pain and stimulate healing, Red Light and Infrared Light Therapy achieves the same beneficial results by employing light waves that are absorbed by the body.  This is because applying light “to tissues and organisms can elicit both stimulatory and inhibitory responses, depending upon the light parameters used.”  

And, like the benefits produced by acupuncture, science has discovered that Red Light/Infrared Therapy “…results in beneficial therapeutic outcomes including but not limited to the alleviation of pain or inflammation, immunomodulation, and promotion of wound healing and tissue regeneration.”  Red Light and Near Infrared Therapy uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in specific wavelengths in the visible and infrared spectrum that penetrate the skin and are absorbed by tissues, nerves, tendons, ligaments, organs, and even bones, to achieve fast acting pain relief and healing support.

More Similarities

Red Light/Infrared Therapy, like acupuncture, not only relieves pain and discomfort, but increases blood flow and circulation, boosts tissue oxygenation, relaxes muscles and the nervous system, and stimulates and accelerates the body’s own innate healing processes through the release of nitric oxide (NO), ATP, NADH, RNA, and other highly beneficial chemicals.

And like acupuncture, Red Light and Near Infrared Light Therapy can be used on every part of the body, helping the body regain and maintain health and wellness. Red Light/Infrared Therapy also matches acupuncture in being an all-natural, highly dependable, and cost-effective alternative to the potential risks, negative side effects, and sky-rocketing costs of pharmaceutical drugs and surgery.

Red Light/Infrared Therapy Adds Value

Red Light Therapy can add value to your treatment sessions for the simple reason that one Red Light Therapy pad can enhance circulation and relieve pain and stiffness over a large area of the body.  Also, Infrared Light Therapy may possibly enhance and augment the benefits of your needling work. Red Light/Infrared Therapy has been described by patients as being gentle, soothing, and comforting, and can help your patients to reach a deeper level of relaxation during their acupuncture treatments.

Non-Invasive, Safe, and Risk-Free

Since Red Light and Infrared Therapy is non-invasive, it generates additional value by being a treatment option for patients who are afraid of needles. Also, since the skin is never penetrated, there is no risk of bleeding, bruising, or infection. And, most importantly, Red Light/Infrared Therapy is completely safe and risk-free, as clinical studies have found that Red Light and Infrared Light Therapy “has a wide range of benefits on various patient populations, different medical indications and conditions without any serious risk of adverse effects.”

How to Administer

No matter your style of acupuncture, Red Light/Infrared Therapy is extremely easy to incorporate into your treatment sessions in several ways:

• Pre-Needling:  Light Therapy pads may be used on areas requiring greater chi and circulation for at least ten minutes before needling. The pads will increase blood flow and relieve pain quickly.  The warmth of the therapy pads will cause the patient’s body to relax, and then insertion and manipulation of the needles may actually be easier.
• During Needling:  Most acupuncturists utilize Light Therapy pads at the same time as needling, usually as soon as treatment begins. Wherever the pads are placed, chi and blood circulation will increase in that local area. Light Therapy pads soothe tissues and ease the buildup of muscle tension, deepening the patient’s relaxation and enhancing stress reduction. Light Therapy pads can then be moved around the body, working on different problem areas as the session progresses.  Most Light Therapy pads are flexible enough to be versatile, allowing the same pad to be used on different areas to treat a range of conditions.
• Post-Needling:  Give your patient a complete twenty-minute Light Therapy session immediately after needling. Light Therapy pads can be placed where the needling was administered, or on other acupoints throughout the body where support is needed. Red Light/Infrared Therapy will enhance relaxation, and trigger cellular processes that accelerate the body’s own innate healing ability.
• Stand-Alone Treatment:  Red Light/Infrared Therapy can be administered by itself as a standalone treatment option, which may appeal to patients who have a fear of needles. During this time, the patient may be left unattended, allowing you to treat other patients.   

Red Light/Infrared Therapy Can Boost Your Revenue:

Adding Red Light/Infrared Therapy to your treatment menu can boost the revenue of your acupuncture practice in four distinct ways:

• As an add-on to needling for an extra fee.
• As a stand-alone treatment option for patients afraid of needles, or for those who discover that they enjoy and benefit from Red Light/Infrared Therapy.
• Through the sales of Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems to patients for their home use.
• By broadening your treatment menu and making your practice more unique, helping it to stand far above the ever-growing competition — potentially increasing your client base.  

The Bottom Line

Used together, acupuncture and Red Light/Infrared Therapy make a great treatment team!  By adding Light Therapy to your treatment menu, you can energize your practice, boost your revenue, and bring greater benefits to your patients that result in better patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction. Red Light and Infrared Light Therapy is easy to integrate and easy to administer. Plus, Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems offer a fast ROI and are surprisingly affordable, with a wide range of systems available to meet the needs of any acupuncture practice. 

For more information, contact Rob Berman at 860-707-4220 or via email.

Anders JJ, Lanzafame RJ, Arany PR. Low-level light/laser therapy versus photobiomodulation therapy. Photomed Laser Surg. 2015 Apr;33(4):183-4. doi: 10.1089/pho.2015.9848. PMID: 25844681; PMCID: PMC4390214, p. 183.

Ibid., p. 184.

Tsai SR, Hamblin MR. Biological effects and medical applications of infrared radiation. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2017 May;170:197-207. doi: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.04.014. Epub 2017 Apr 13. PMID: 28441605; PMCID: PMC5505738, p. 3.

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As a physical therapist, you may treat patients from infants to seniors and all ages in between.  And although your patients suffer from a wide range of conditions, your goal is always the same — to reduce and relieve your patients’ aches and pains while maintaining, or increasing and restoring, their range of motion and mobility without the need for expensive and possibly risky surgery, or the long-term use of potentially addictive pain medications. And you employ a combination of treatment strategies to reach this goal.

Better Patient Outcomes

Is there anything that can make your job easier and ensure better patient outcomes at the same time?  How about having a non-invasive, painless, and risk-free treatment modality at your fingertips that can be used anywhere on the body, and can always be depended upon to quickly and effectively relieve pain, increase circulation, relax muscles, and accelerate the body’s own innate healing processes?  This would certainly multiply your chances for always achieving your goal, and enable better patient outcomes.  Several thousand scientific studies on pubmed.gov prove that Red Light/Infrared Therapy is just such a treatment modality that pairs well with hands on therapy to assist the success of your treatment plans!

Pairing Red Light/Infrared Therapy with Physical Therapy

Just like physical therapy, Red Light/Infrared Therapy is up to the task of relieving pain and discomfort in a wide variety of health conditions. And like physical therapy, Red Light/Infrared Therapy can be used to treat conditions at the soles of the feet all the way up to the shoulders and the neck.  It can quickly increase circulation and provide relief from any type of pain, soreness, and stiffness anywhere on the body.

All types of tears, sprains and strains respond well to Red Light/Infrared Therapy.  Red Light/Infrared Therapy can improve a patient’s ability to bend and straighten a knee, an ankle, or an elbow, or relieve pain in a hip. Even chronic degenerative conditions that a physical therapist treats regularly, such as osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis, respond well to Red Light/Infrared Therapy.  And Red Light/Infrared Therapy pairs perfectly with exercise to help patients restore function after surgery.

Excels with Musculoskeletal Issues

Physical therapists routinely encounter patients with a range of musculoskeletal problems, and Red Light/Infrared Therapy excels at treating these issues. Red Light/Infrared Therapy, “…has been shown to reduce inflammation and edema, induce analgesia, and promote healing in a range of musculoskeletal pathologies.”  Acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain of any cause is amenable to Red Light/Infrared Therapy.  A German study done in November, 2017 concluded that Red Light/Infrared Therapy “…shows potential as an effective, noninvasive, safe and cost-efficient means to treat and prevent a variety of acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions.”  

Fast Pain Relief PLUS Healing Support

Science has found that Red Light/Infrared Therapy not only provides fast-acting pain relief, it also supports the body’s own innate healing processes. Red Light/Infrared Therapy “…is beneficial for pain relief and can accelerate the body’s ability to heal itself.”  Wherever a Red Light/Infrared Therapy Pad is placed on the body, photons of light are released which induce cascades of beneficial biochemical processes within the cells, increasing mitochondrial products such as ATP, NADH, protein, and RNA, and releasing nitric oxide (the body’s natural vasodilator), which allows for greater circulation. Blood rich in oxygen and nutrients can flow more freely into that local area, reducing pain and supporting the body’s natural healing ability. Increased circulation enables tissues to heal, and nerves to eventually regenerate, which in turn allows for an increase in sensation — which is especially beneficial for patients suffering from dysfunction caused by impaired sensation anywhere on the body.

Red Light/Infrared Therapy Is FDA Cleared

Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems have been granted FDA clearance for increasing circulation, relieving pain, relaxing muscles, relieving muscle spasms, and relieving the aches and stiffness caused by arthritis — and all of these are important and essential results for physical therapists!  Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems are considered to be Class II medical devices.

Easy to Administer

Because Red Light/Infrared Therapy is so safe and risk-free, it can be administered without concerns for any negative side effects. Patients can be left unattended during their therapy sessions, allowing you to treat other patients.  Administering Red Light/Infrared Therapy is simple and easy:  therapy pads are placed on the body where needed, the system is turned on, and the pads do their work. Most Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems will automatically shut off after twenty-minutes, signaling the conclusion of the therapy session.  Since Red Light/Infrared Therapy treatment pads are highly flexible, this makes them very versatile, allowing for the same pad to be used on different body areas. Multiple pain issues can be treated simultaneously using several pads during the same treatment session. 

How to Use Red Light/Infrared Therapy

Red Light/Infrared Therapy may augment many benefits of your hands on therapy.  Red Light/Infrared Therapy can be administered either before or after physical therapy.

• Before Hands On Therapy:  Red Light/Infrared Light Therapy can be administered before hands on treatment to provide pain relief faster and more effectively. Photons of light will penetrate the skin and increase circulation in muscles, tissues, and joints, reducing pain, stiffness, and soreness wherever the therapy pads are placed. This may potentially enable greater flexibility and range of motion to be achieved during the hands on therapy and make stretching and exercising easier and less painful.
• After Hands On Therapy:  Because of the many benefits caused by this increase in circulation stimulated by the photons of light, administering Red Light/Infrared Therapy after hands on therapy may help the increase in flexibility and range of motion achieved manually to be maintained for a longer time period.  And any pain, soreness, or stiffness still lingering after the stretches and exercises may then be eased.

The Bottom Line

It is easy to see how Red Light/Infrared Therapy pairs extremely well with physical therapy. Adding Red Light/Infrared Therapy to your treatment tools can greatly enhance the success of your treatment plans. Red Light/Infrared Therapy can not only quickly and effectively relieve your patients’ aches, pains, and stiffness, but it can augment the results of your hands on therapy and biostimulate and accelerate their body’s own innate healing processes.  There is no downside to integrating Red Light/Infrared Therapy into your practice!  Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems are surprisingly affordable, with a wide range of systems available to meet the needs of any size practice. 

For more information, contact Rob Berman at 860-707-4220 or email Rob.

Citations

Cutler, Howard B. et al.  The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) For Musculoskeletal Pain. MOJ Orthop Rheumatol. 2015  ;  2(5): . doi:10.15406/mojor.2015.02.00068, p. 1.

Baltzer, AWA., et al. Low level laser therapy : A narrative literature review on the efficacy in the treatment of rheumatic orthopaedic conditions. Z Rheumatol. 2017 Nov;76(9):806-812. doi: 10.1007/s00393-017-0309-1, p. 2.

Cotler, Howard B. et al.  The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) For Musculoskeletal Pain. MOJ Orthop Rheumatol. 2015  ;  2(5): . doi:10.15406/mojor.2015.02.00068, p. 7.

Image Credit: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/patient-doing-physical-rehabilitation-helped-by-therapists_21539971.htm#query=physical%20therapy&position=0&from_view=search&track=sph">Freepik</a>

Everyone loves a good massage, from on-holiday hotel guests to harried business professionals to injured athletes.  And in the next decade, demand for massage therapists throughout the United States is projected to greatly increase.  The future for massage therapists is looking very bright —the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that “Employment of massage therapists is projected to grow 32 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.”  

This is great news for those who will become licensed massage therapists within the next several years. But for those already established as professionals, it means that your competition will be growing by leaps and bounds. So is there any surefire way to not only maintain a healthy and profitable practice, but to also stand far above your competitors?  Yes – by adding Red Light/Infrared Therapy to your treatment menu!

Pair Massage Therapy with Red Light Therapy

Just like massage therapy, Red Light/Infrared Therapy is non-invasive and excels at relieving pain, discomfort, soreness and stiffness in soft tissues and muscles. And like massage therapy, Infrared Light Therapy can be used to alleviate issues from the soles of the feet all the way up to the shoulders and the head.

The feel-good nature of Red Light/Infrared Therapy makes it a perfect adjunct to massage therapy!  Clients have described Red Light/Infrared Therapy, like massage therapy, as relaxing, soothing, and comforting as the Light Therapy pads emit a gentle heat and provide fast and effective relief from aches, pains, stiffness, and soreness.  But Red Light/Infrared Therapy offers much more.  It reliably increases circulation and has been proven to accelerate the body’s own innate healing processes. Red Light Therapy systems are considered to be Class II Medical Devices, having been granted FDA clearance for increasing circulation, relieving pain, relaxing muscles, relieving muscle spasms, and relieving the aches and stiffness caused by arthritis.

Expands the Benefits of Massage Therapy

Red Light/Infrared Therapy can also alleviate pain in the joints, as the photons of light penetrate into areas where massage alone may not reach. The benefits of your massage session can be expanded by wrapping a Light Therapy pad around a client’s hip, shoulder, elbow, ankle, or knee, thus providing a fast, effective, and perhaps a deeper level of pain relief in those areas than massage alone could achieve because, “These low doses of light have demonstrated the ability to heal skin, nerves, tendons, cartilage and bones.”  Therefore, Light Therapy can add value to any massage therapy practice, allowing you to expand your treatment menu and enhance your scope of therapy for better client outcomes. 

Supports and Accelerates Healing

Researchers have discovered that Red Light and Infrared Therapy can stimulate and accelerate the body’s own innate healing processes.    Wherever a Light Therapy pad is placed on the body, photons of light are released which induce cascades of beneficial biochemical processes within the cells, increasing mitochondrial products such as ATP, NADH, protein, and RNA, as well as nitric oxide, which allows for greater circulation. Blood rich in oxygen and nutrients can now flow more freely into that local area, reducing pain and supporting the body’s own innate healing ability, repairing tissues and eventually regenerating nerves — which is especially beneficial for athletes suffering from sports–related injuries or clients requiring rehabilitation from a wide range of conditions.

Safe and Risk-Free

Red Light/Infrared Therapy is unique in that it is risk free and can be administered without any concerns about safety and negative side effects.  According to Dr. Michael R. Hamblin, who has studied Light Therapy extensively, Red Light Therapy has been proven to have “…an almost complete lack of reported adverse effects...”  Because Red Light/Infrared Therapy is so safe and risk-free, clients can be left unattended during their therapy sessions. 

Administration is Simple and Easy

Administering Red Light and Infrared Light Therapy is very simple and easy:  therapy pads are placed on or wrapped around the body where pain relief is needed, the system is turned on, and the pads do their work.  Most Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems will automatically shut off after twenty-minutes, signaling the end of the therapy session. Maintenance is also easy: Therapy pads can be kept clean and sanitary because they are coated in silicone which is easy to clean. And most systems are easy to pack up and take with you for in-home appointments.

Ways to Administer Red Light/Infrared Therapy

No matter what type of massage you specialize in, be it Swedish massage, deep-tissue massage, sports massage, etc., Red Light/Infrared Therapy can be easily incorporated into your therapy sessions in several ways:

• Pre-Massage:  Utilizing Red Light/Infrared Therapy before hand work commences may often be the most beneficial approach for both your clients and for you.  Light Therapy pads may be used on areas with the greatest need of relief from pain or stiffness for ten to twenty minutes before massaging begins. These pads will warm up tissues and trigger an increase in blood flow to relieve pain quickly.  And the warmth of the therapy pads will cause the client’s body to relax and be easier for you to massage, saving you some hard work by helping reduce the pressure of your hand work that may have been needed to otherwise achieve the same results.
• During Massage:  Utilize Red Light/Infrared Therapy throughout the duration of the massage to soothe tissues and ease the buildup of muscle tension, deepening the client’s relaxation and enhancing stress reduction. The Light Therapy pads can be moved around the body to work on problem areas as you do your hand work on other areas.  Most Light Therapy pads are flexible enough to be versatile, allowing the same pad to be used on different areas to treat a wide range of conditions in soft tissue, muscles, and joints.
• Post-Massage:  Give your client a complete twenty-minute Red Light/Infrared Therapy session immediately after the massage. Light Therapy pads can be placed wherever additional support is needed. Red Light/Infrared Therapy will further enhance relaxation, and also trigger cellular processes that accelerate the body’s own innate healing ability.
• Stand-Alone Treatment:  Red Light/Infrared Therapy can be administered by itself as a standalone treatment option, which may appeal to clients who suffer from chronic painful conditions.

Add Red Light/Infrared Therapy to Your Treatment Menu

Red Light/Infrared Therapy pairs extremely well with massage therapy. And adding Light Therapy to your treatment menu will make your practice stand out from the ever-growing competition. Red Light/Infrared Therapy can not only quickly and effectively relieve your clients’ aches, pains, and stiffness, but it can augment the results of your hands on therapy and accelerate their bodies’ own innate healing processes.  Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems are surprisingly affordable, with a wide range of systems available to meet the needs of any massage therapy practice. You should especially check out our half body pad. Treat for 10 minutes on the part of the body you are not treating. 

 For more information, contact Rob Berman at 860-707-4220 or via email.

Citations

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Massage Therapists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/massage-therapists.htm (visited October 28, 2021), p. 1.

Cotler, Howard B. et al.  The Use of Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) For Musculoskeletal Pain. MOJ Orthop Rheumatol. 2015  ;  2(5): . doi:10.15406/mojor.2015.02.00068, p. 4

Hamblin, Michael R. “Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation.” AIMS biophysics vol. 4,3 (2017): 337-361. doi:10.3934/biophy.2017.3.337, p. 14.

Image Credit: <ahref="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/profile-view-young-man-getting-lomi-lomi-massage-spa-clinic_28030758.htm#query=massage%20therapist&position=1&from_view=search&track=sph">Image by tonodiaz</a> on Freepik

Attention, podiatrists!  Does your practice need a swift kick into higher gear for a better bottom line?  A tried and true way of sparking new life into your practice, and a benefit for both your patients and your revenue, is by adding something new to your treatment menu. Red Light/Infrared Therapy is a non-invasive, painless, simple, easy to administer, highly effective, and risk-free healing modality that pairs extremely well with podiatry, and may be just what your practice needs!  Here is how Red Light/Infrared Therapy can be used in your clinic.

Pair Podiatry with Red Light/Infrared Therapy

Adding a new healing modality that augments and enhances your podiatric treatments can lead to better patient outcomes, which result in greater patient satisfaction and a wave of positive word of mouth for your practice— which should expand your client numbers and subsequently your revenue, and also make you stand out from the ever-increasing competition.

Red Light/Infrared Therapy works well with podiatry. Red Light/Infrared Therapy quickly increases circulation and relieves pain, making this modality an effective alternative to corticosteroid injections and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for fast-acting pain relief.  Through the use of regular light therapy sessions, painful sub-acute and chronic conditions of the lower extremities may prove manageable without surgery. 

Expand Your Services

Red Light/Infrared Therapy’s ability to biochemically stimulate the body’s own innate healing processes may augment the benefits of your podiatric treatments, providing greater healing support for the wide range of foot ailments that you see daily with your patients.  Studies show that pain in any part of the foot, from the toes to the Achilles tendon and up to the ankle, will respond well to Red Light Therapy, thus ensuring that Red Light/Infrared Therapy can add value to any podiatry practice. Adding Red Light/Infrared Therapy to your treatment menu will allow you to expand your services plus enhance the scope of your therapy for better patient outcomes. 

Soothing, Relaxing, and Much More

Patients have described Red Light/Infrared Therapy as relaxing, soothing, and comfortable as the Light Therapy pads work and provide fast relief from pain, stiffness, and soreness.  The feel-good nature of Red Light/Infrared Therapy is perfect for soothing an aching foot!  But Red Light/Infrared Therapy offers much more.  It reliably increases circulation, provides quick and effective pain relief, relaxes muscles, relieves muscle spasms, and relieves the aches and stiffness caused by arthritis — all of which will benefit patients suffering from painful conditions of the lower extremities. Red Light/Infrared Therapy also stimulates and accelerates the body’s own innate healing processes. Red Light/Infrared Light Therapy systems are considered to be Class II Medical Devices, and have been granted FDA clearance.

Red Light/Infrared Therapy Supports Cellular Healing

Wherever a Red/Infrared Light Therapy Pad is placed on the body, photons of light are released which induce cascades of beneficial biochemical processes within the cells, increasing mitochondrial products such as ATP, NADH, protein, and RNA, as well as nitric oxide, which allows for greater circulation. Blood rich in oxygen and nutrients can flow more freely into that local area, reducing pain and supporting the body’s natural healing ability. Increased circulation enables tissues to heal, and nerves to eventually regenerate, which in turn allows for an increase in sensation — which is especially beneficial for patients suffering a lack of sensation in one or both feet.

Uniquely Safe and Risk-Free

Red Light/Infrared Therapy is unique in that it is risk free and can be administered without any concern about safety and negative side effects.  According to Dr. Michael R. Hamblin of the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, who has studied light therapy extensively, Red Light Therapy has been proven to have “…an almost complete lack of reported adverse effects...”.  

Administering Light Therapy is Easy

Because Red Light/Infrared Therapy is so safe and risk-free, patients can be left unattended during their therapy session, allowing you to treat other patients.  Administering Red Light/Infrared Therapy is very simple and very easy:  therapy pads are placed on or wrapped around the feet or legs, the system is turned on, and the pads do their work.  Most Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems will automatically shut off after twenty-minutes, signaling the end of the therapy session.  Maintenance is also easy: The therapy pads can be kept clean and sanitary by placing the patient’s foot and ankle in a disposable plastic bag at the start of each therapy session. Or better yet, just wipe down the silicone side with LEDs and you are ready to go with the next patient.

Boost Your Revenue

Red Light/Infrared Therapy can boost the revenue of your podiatry practice in several ways:

• As an add-on to podiatry for an extra fee.
• As a stand-alone treatment option, which may appeal to patients with acute or chronic pain.
• Through sales of Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems to patients for home use.
• Through the development of in-home programs for patients with chronic conditions to help them between office visits. Patients buy their own Red Light/Infrared Therapy system for self-treatment in the convenience of their home. 

Light Therapy Pads for Foot Treatment

Energia Medical offers four pads which are perfect for treating foot conditions:

• Energia Medical’s Foot and Ankle 122 Diode Pad:

This uniquely-shaped 3-section pad is flexible and versatile, allowing it to be used in two ways: extended or folded over.

• Energia Medical’s Long Painbuster 180 Diode Pad:

At 16”x 5”, the length of this highly flexible long and narrow pad allows it to be used in several ways: over the top of the foot and under the sole; under the sole, up the heel, and into the calf area; or put both feet on top of the pad to treat the toes or the heels.

• Energia Medical’s Foot & Calf 131 Diode Pad:

This pad can treat the sole of the foot and the back of the calf simultaneously. Conveniently attached Velcro straps wrap over the top of the foot plus around the calf to securely hold the pad in place. Like the Foot and Ankle 122 Diode Pad, this pad can be used in two ways: under the foot and extending up the back of the calf, or folded in half to treat both the top and bottom of the foot. The top section of this pad measures 7”x 9” while the middle to bottom section is 4.5”x 15.5”.

• Energia Medical’s Small 90 Diode Pad:

The size and rectangular shape of this pad make it ideal for foot treatment. Just place the foot on top of the pad, or put the pad over the toes or strap across the ankle with Velcro. At 9.8” x 4.5”, this pad should easily cover the toes, sole, heel, or ankle area.

Summing Up

Doctors of Podiatric Medicine worldwide have found that Red Light/Infrared Therapy is a great partner to podiatry.  Red Light/Infrared Therapy can not only provide your patients fast and effective pain relief and accelerate and support their body’s own healing processes, but it can also benefit your clinic’s revenue stream.  Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems are surprisingly affordable, plus they offer a fast ROI.  

For more information on Red Light/Infrared Therapy systems for your Podiatry practice,  email Rob or call Rob Berman at860-707-4220.

Citation

Hamblin, Michael R. “Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation.” AIMS biophysics vol. 4,3 (2017): 337-361. doi:10.3934/biophy.2017.3.337, p. 14.

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