Medically reviewed by Karen Wolters, RN and Joanna Fearnley, LPNAccording to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, thanks to all the aging baby boomers, physical therapy may be the fastest growing occupation in America: Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 18 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.  In light of this extremely favorable outlook for growth in the physical therapy field, just how does a Doctor of Physical Therapy stand out above the ever-increasing competition?  What can you offer patients that will maximize their pain relief, assist them in managing chronic conditions, and accelerate their speed on the road to greater wellness and a happier, healthier, and more active lifestyle?  NIR (infrared/red light) Therapy can be your answer!NIR Therapy and Physical TherapyPhysical therapists utilize different health modalities to benefit their patients. So it is no surprise that NIR Therapy is rapidly growing in acceptance and popularity in the PT community.  NIR Therapy is non-invasive, and can assist therapists to achieve their goal of helping patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility without expensive and risky surgery, or the need for long-term use of potentially addictive pain medications. Because pain relief and increased circulation come so quickly by NIR Therapys ability to release nitric oxide, ATP, and other therapeutic chemicals, it partners perfectly with physical therapy.  NIR Therapy can provide support and pain relief for dysfunctions and restrictions that a physical therapist may routinely encounter in muscles, joints, ligaments, nerves, bones, and tissues.NIR Therapy Is SafeLike physical therapy, NIR Therapy can be used on any area of the body (except the eyes).  It is easy to administer, is highly effective, is dependable, and, most importantly, it is painless and extremely safe. NIR Therapy can be utilized without concern about harmful side effects. NIR Therapy is also known as photobiomodulation, or PBM.  A 2017 study by Dr. Michael R. Hamblin, a pioneer in light therapy, concluded that, PBM has an almost complete lack of reported adverse effectsNIR Therapy effectively relieves pain, increases circulation, relaxes muscles, relieves muscle spasms, and relieves the aches and stiffness caused by arthritis. Increasing circulation can help tissues to heal and nerves to eventually regain sensation, which aids in the recovery of functionality and mobility.NIR Therapy is very helpful to muscles. According to Dr. Hamblin, It is not therefore surprising that PBM can also help to heal muscle injuries, not to mention reducing muscle pain and soreness after excessive exercise. Also, both types of the most common forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid, which PTs see regularly in their practice, have proved to be amenable to light therapy. According to Dr. Hamblin, Both types have been successfully treated with PMB. Put NIR Therapy on Your Treatment MenuNIR Therapy sessions have been described by patients as gentle, relaxing, soothing, and comforting.  The pain relief and cellular benefits experienced during a NIR Therapy session can last for several hours afterwards.NIR Therapy may augment the benefits of hands-on physical therapy. NIR Therapy can be administered before manual therapy to make your patients pain relief faster and more effective. It can increase circulation in limbs and joints; relieve soreness and stiffness in the upper and lower back, neck, and shoulders; or help support hips and knees.  This may allow for greater flexibility and range of motion, which will potentially make stretching and exercising easier and less painful.If NIR Therapy is administered after manual therapy, NIR light penetration may help the increase in flexibility and range of motion to be maintained for a longer period, due to the benefits of increased circulation.  Also, pain, stiffness, or soreness lingering after the exercises and stretches may be relieved.Choosing the Right PadsTo be most effective, the pad(s) in your system should cover the entire area where pain relief and increased circulation are needed.  The largest pads, such as the Large 264 Pad in HealthLights Clinical Line, would be the most helpful to treat upper or lower back, hip, shoulder, or knee pain; while small rectangular-sized pads such as HealthLights Small 90 Pad would be helpful to relieve pain in the neck, TMJ area, or wrist. HealthLights 132 Medium Pad is helpful for pain in the hands and elbows. Long thin pads such as HealthLights 180 Pad can be wrapped around joints, or small pads with more diodes like the Focus 64 Pad can be used to more intensely treat localized areas. For leg and foot issues, the 122 Foot & Ankle Boot and the 131 Foot & Calf Boot are available as either a single or dual boot system.Sales to PatientsBecause NIR Therapy is so easy to administer, therapy sessions can be performed by the patient on their own, or with the assistance of family members.  Most manufacturers of NIR Therapy equipment, like HealthLight, offer healthcare professionals the option of purchasing systems at wholesale and then reselling them to patients. Physical therapists can encourage patients with chronic conditions that need daily treatment to purchase their own systems for in-home use. Patients recovering from surgery or accidents may wish to have their own therapy systems at their disposal, especially for pain relief.Benefits of Adding NIR TherapyNIR Therapy can be a very beneficial part of your patients treatment plan, and hold an important position in your treatment tool box. And by offering NIR Therapy, your practice will stand out from the competition.  But most importantly, NIR Therapy will bring quicker and better pain relief and increased circulation to your patients to improve their quality of life.  So consider adding NIR Therapy to your treatment menu.  HealthLights Clinical Line of pads and controllers offer many system options.  And HealthLights Express At-Home Line of systems with conveniently attached controllers is perfect for in-home use by your patients.

Medically reviewed by Karen Wolters, RN and Joanna Fearnley, LPNAs LED Light Therapy is being utilized by more and more chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, podiatrists, and acupuncturists worldwide, LED Light Therapys many benefits for the human body are becoming increasingly known and appreciated.  Many people are now aware of the positive effects of Red and Infrared LED Light.  But what about Blue LED Light?  How does Blue LED Light benefit the body?Blue LED Light BenefitsBlue LED Light can be defined as light given off from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the visible light spectrum between the wavelengths of 400 to 500 nanometers (nm).  Blue Light sits on the spectrum between violet and green.  While Blue Light is readily absorbed by the skin and is very beneficial, it does not penetrate as deeply into tissue as does Red Light and Infrared Light. Blue light (400470 nm) has a lower potential for penetration and reveals useful for skin conditions in the epidermis layer of the skin.There multiple Blue LED Light benefits. Wavelengths of Blue LED Light between that same range of 400-470 nm have been found to be intrinsically antimicrobial.  Blue LED Light can photodynamically inactivate the cells of a wide spectrum of bacteria (Gram positive and negative) and fungi.  Science has discovered that Blue LED Light can fight even bacteria resistant to antibiotics such as staph and MRSA, making it very effective for decontaminating the skin disinfecting cuts, scrapes, bites, burns, stings, and surgical incisions. Blue LED Light can keep open wounds, sores, and skin eruptions free of germs.  This anti-microbial nature of Blue LED Light benefits both health and beauty.Safe and Risk-FreeBlue LED Light in the beneficial range of 460-470 nm is safe and risk-free, and has no reported adverse side effects.  The concerns regarding potential problems from Blue Light exposure from computer screens, tablets, laptops, televisions, and smartphones is associated with Blue Light wavelengths in the potentially problematic lower range of 415-455 nm.Mixing Blue, Red, and Infrared LED LightBlue LED diodes are often paired with red diodes and/or infrared diodes in LED Therapy Pads.  This is because different colors or wavelengths of LEDs have different levels of penetration within the body.  This difference in depth of penetration results in different effects at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels.Red Light is known to penetrate deeper in tissues when compared to blue light.  But the deepest level of tissue penetration is achieved by Infrared Light.  So combining LEDs of two or three colors/wavelengths may be the best option for creating a therapy pad with more powerful light penetration.  And mixing different colored LEDs together on a single pad allows the different wavelengths to complement each other and work together synergistically to bring greater benefits to the body.  One scientific study suggested that, synergistic effects of mixed light is due to synergy between the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect of blue and red light respectively.Try Blue LED Light TherapyIf you would like to experience the benefits of Blue LED Light, HealthLight, a leading American manufacturer of professional, medical-grade FDA-cleared LED Light Therapy devices, makes four Blue LED Therapy pads that contain blue diodes:104 Face Mask Blue LED Therapy Pad:This mask offers 52 blue diodes (465 nm) and 52 red diodes (630 nm). (No infrared diodes.) The pad fits over the eye area like a standard mask, but can also be used over or under the chin and lower face; around the forehead area; the front or back of the neck; and either side of the face for maximum skin benefits.  (This pad can also be purchased as part of the Whole Body Deluxe Package available in HealthLights Clinical Line.)264 Large Blue LED Therapy Pad:The 264 Large Blue Pad offers 120 blue (465 nm) diodes and 144 infrared (850 nm) diodes.  It measures 8 x 15, making it easy to treat large areas like the upper or lower back, joints, and limbs.132 Medium Blue LED Therapy Pad:The 132 Medium Blue Pad offers 60 blue (465 nm) diodes and 72 infrared (850 nm) diodes.  It measures 8 x 9, making it convenient for treating almost every area of the body.180 Long Tri-Color Blue LED Therapy Pad:This pad is 5 x 16 for long or narrow locations, such as down the back or legs, across the chest, or wrapped around an arm, leg, or foot.  As its name suggests, it contains 180 LEDs in 3 wavelengths: 40 blue (465 nm) diodes, 40 red (630 nm) diodes, and 100 infrared (850 nm) diodes.All four pads are available in both of HealthLights two product lines: their Clinical Line of systems for healthcare professionals that utilizes separate three-port or six-port controllers that can run 3 to 6 pads simultaneously, and their Express At-Home Line of systems for consumers that features attached controllers with convenient one-button operation.HealthLight makes the most durable and most powerful clinical strength LED LightTherapy devices available today.  Purchasing a HealthLight LED Light Therapy system will provide you and your family, or you and your patients, years of effective pain relief plus accelerate and support the bodys own innate healing processes the best way to regain and maintain health and wellness without the need for pharmaceutical drugs and surgery.

For those seeking out red light therapy, there are two options to choose from when considering the treatment, either going to a clinic/spa or purchasing red light therapy pads and performing at home light therapy. Many prefer the comfort of their own home, especially if theyre suffering from pain and would like more than one application of the therapy, and therefore choose to purchase red light therapy devices. Red light therapy at home can be practiced whenever the patient feels they want to reduce pain in a certain area of their body, there are different size pads for different areas of the body so it is effective for any area where you are experiencing pain.Red light therapy at home Performing red light therapy at home is just as effective, and you will be much more comfortable inside your house. Another benefit of red light therapy at home is you can reuse the devices you have purchased, if you are someone that is frequently in pain, it might be worth buying a device to use on a regular basis. Before investing in a device for at home light therapy, there are some steps you should take to ensure you pick the right one to effectively reduce the pain you are experiencing. Firstly, ensure you know the source of pain and from here you can pick a device specific to that area. Work out your budget and start researching! How to use red light therapy at homeWe are here to guide you on how to use red light therapy at home and give you some tips, mainly if you have never used it before. Red light therapy will help to heal and repair the pain you are experiencing, but cant be used as a complete cure for the root of the suffering. A variety of conditions can be helped with the use of red light therapy, including skin disorders, pain, inflammation and wounds. Using red therapy at home couldnt be more simple, and you can follow these steps when you have received your device: Ensure you purchase the right device for red light therapy home useThere is nothing worse than ordering the wrong device, so make sure you read all the details before paying online.  You will want to receive your red light therapy at home device as quickly as possible, especially if youre in pain. There are a range of different devices on the market, including handheld red light therapy machines, light panels and full-body devices so do your research before putting in your order and you will find a product within your price range. HealthLight red light therapy pads are all great for home use.Set the device up following the instructionsEvery device will come with instructions, and these must be read properly before use. Different suppliers and products have different usage rules so if you have previously used red light therapy at home and you have now ordered from a different brand, you should still read the instructions. Cleanse your skin before using the red light therapy padand remove any makeup, dirt or oil; you can then place it at a comfortable distance from your body where you are experiencing the pain. Turn the device onThere will be an on switch you need to press or flick and you can then select an appropriate wavelength and intensity level. Start with a low-intensity level and then gradually increase the level. Position the device in the right spotHold the device close to the skin or place it on the affected area. HealthLight recommends 10-20 minutes at a time for the treatment sessions using HealthLight therapy pads. However, this can vary depending on your condition and the particular device you are using. Relax and enjoy the processThe process shouldnt be stressful, it should be relaxing and beneficial. The red light therapy can be used once or twice a day, this will all depend on the outcome youre looking for. Clean the device thoroughly after useThis must happen after every session as you dont want to let any bacteria linger on the device after use. Turn it off and clean it with products that the manufacturer recommends in the instructions. Red light therapy home use is a safe way to reduce pain and target areas that are bothering you. For those that have medical issues, you should consult your doctor before using red light therapy devices or get in contact with the supplier of red light therapy products prior to ordering.