So, you’ve gone and done it - you’ve pulled a muscle. We’ve all been there, it’s no fun. That sudden pain, the frustration of having to stop what you’re doing and wait for it to heal. But what if there was a way to speed up the healing process? Well, there is! And it’s not just rest, ice, heat, and elevation. Red light therapy is a new treatment that can help improve your healing rate, and there’s science to back it up.

First, let’s talk about what a pulled muscle is and how it happens. A pulled muscle is when a muscle is stretched beyond its capacity. This can happen due to overuse during physical activity or repetitive motion, direct trauma to the muscle, sudden changes in direction, or excessive force. It can occur in any part of the body, but is most common in the back, legs, and arms. Symptoms include soreness at rest and/or when engaging it, swelling, bruising, and weakness in the affected area. Severe injuries may require physical therapy or surgery, but in most cases, a simple pull can heal on its own with a little help.

Traditional treatments for pulled muscles include rest, ice, heat, compression, and elevation. But red light therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for improving the healing process. Red light therapy is a non-invasive, safe treatment that can help stimulate tissue repair and promote healing. Studies have shown that it can help improve range of motion and increase blood flow to the muscles, which can help speed up the healing process.

But how does red light therapy work for pulled muscles? When red light is introduced to the muscles, it can help increase blood flow and reduce inflammation. This increased blood flow allows the muscles to receive more oxygen and nutrients, which can help speed up the healing process. Red light therapy can also help reduce swelling by decreasing the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body.

The way red light therapy works is by stimulating the mitochondria in cells. The mitochondria have endogenous photo receptors, with cytochrome C oxidase (CCO) as one of the key integral member proteins that are involved in this process. When red light is introduced, the chain reaction triggered by the decoupling of the bond between CCO and nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide in this context competes with oxygen and by this mechanism is released, allowing the mitochondria to again take up the oxygen molecules that were originally displaced by the NO. This allows the cell to respirate more efficiently, optimizing all the processes of that cell. The subsequent surge of NO into the bloodstream is also beneficial as NO acts as a vasodilator and helps increase blood flow. With increased blood flow and increased oxygenation, leading to optimal production of ATP by the mitochondria, a cascade of other secondary benefits occur. The speeding up of healing tissue, the reduction of inflammation as well as many other positive changes from this initial reaction have been observed by numerous studies involving red light.

A study conducted with 65 university athletes found a significant reduction of recovery time using NIR light. They found that "The average LED-mediated RTP (Return To Play) in the 65 subjects was significantly shorter at 9.6 days, compared with the mean anticipated RTP of 19.23 days." (1). Although it can be a little tricky to have controlled studies done on a specific injury at a given time, there are plenty of studies conducted on red light and muscle recovery and growth. This lends itself to the idea that red light can help with healing pulled muscles, as many of the mechanisms that can help muscles recover faster after a workout would be the same as healing a pulled muscle.

Another study found that red light significantly decreased pain and prevented delayed onset muscle soreness in subjects trying to recover from eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage (2). This suggests that red light therapy may be effective in enhancing recovery and reducing muscle soreness after intense workouts.

Moreover, a review of literature that included 13  studies found that red light therapy improved muscle strength and endurance, suggesting that it may enhance physical performance.

In addition, another study found that red light therapy improved the recovery of sprint performance in male athletes (4)

A further review demonstrated that pbmt was "PBM can increase muscle mass gained after training, and decrease inflammation and oxidative stress in muscle biopsies" (5)

Based on these findings, it seems that red light therapy has the potential to be a valuable tool for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to enhance their recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and improve their physical performance.

If you're interested in trying red light therapy for yourself, there are many options available. From wraps to torches, to big panels, you can find one for you! You no longer have to visit a spa or wellness center that offers red light therapy sessions, you can purchase a red light therapy device for home use. Many at-home devices are relatively affordable and easy to use, making them a convenient option for those who want to incorporate red light therapy into their daily routine.

In conclusion, while the research on red light therapy is still in its early stages, there is evidence to suggest that it may be effective in promoting recovery and enhancing physical performance. If you're an athlete or fitness enthusiast looking for ways to improve your training and recovery, consider giving red light therapy a try.