The British Physiotherapy Society recommends laser therapy as an analgesic physical agent recommended in the physiotherapy of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. For the Society of Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine, on the other hand, laser therapy is an excellent complementary method for the treatment of early post-traumatic conditions.
What are bio-stimulation lasers?
Biostimulation lasers began to be used in the early 1960s, although the most dynamic development of this form of treatment has been in the last 30 years. Low-energy laser therapy has properties:
- anti-inflammatory,
- analgesic,
- anti-edematous,
- stimulating blood microcirculation and immune processes in tissues.
Laser treatments help with wound healing, bone fractures and other injuries and can be used, among other things, in..:
- sports medicine,
- orthopaedics,
- rheumatology,
- laryngology,
- dentistry,
- neurology,
- dermatology.
How do biostimulation lasers work?
Biostimulation is a therapeutic method of initiating or stimulating the body's physiological response using small doses of energy that raise the local tissue temperature by no more than 1°C, resulting in thermal bioactivation. Once the skin is exposed to the laser, the energy is absorbed and the resulting primary responses such as biophysical and biochemical effects occur. These produce analgesic, anti-inflammatory and stimulating effects.
Biostimulative laser energy produces the following biological effects:
- acceleration of cell metabolism,
- an increase in the number of mitochondria, the energy centres of cells,
- improving the functioning of the lymphatic system,
- an increase in pain-relieving endorphins,
- blocking pain receptors,
- altering the functioning of cell membranes.
The action of the soft laser leads to an increase in the proliferation of new cells and the removal of dead ones, as well as collagen synthesis and the formation of new blood vessels.
For whom is laser therapy beneficial?
Laser therapy is a form of adjunctive treatment used in physical therapy, paediatrics, dentistry, dermatology, general medical practice, acupuncture, addiction treatment, sports medicine and veterinary treatments. Low-power lasers are also used successfully in cosmetology, for example in the treatment of acne, including rosacea, and skin with vascular problems. The indications for laser therapy are extensive. Among its most common applications today are:
- inflammation of soft tissues and joints,
- healing wounds,
- neuralgia and myalgia,
- conditions after injuries to the musculoskeletal system,
- venous and lymphatic disorders, oedema,
- overload, damage to muscles, tendons and ligaments,
- psoriasis, acne, scars,
- nerve palsy.
- degenerative changes in the joints of the limbs and spine,
- gout,
- heel spur,
- carpal tunnel syndrome.
- sciatica,
- periodontal diseases
- purulent infections,
- spinal pain syndromes,
- enthesopathies,
- treatment of haematomas,
- 0delaying the skin ageing process,
- impaired bone fusion.
However, the action of low-power lasers has also found new applications, including in athletes to speed up the recovery of muscles after intensive exercise.
Laser therapy in rehabilitation
Laser therapy in physiotherapy involves the use of low-power laser radiation and irradiation of the body surface performed locally or over larger areas. In physiotherapy, the low-power laser works in the infrared and red light range. Through biostimulation, it stimulates cells to regenerate faster, influencing faster healing, acting as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oedema.
It is worth knowing that the use of laser therapy in the field of physiotherapy differs from other applications of lasers in medicine in that they are used to stimulate cells rather than destroy them. The low-power laser, which causes a slight increase in temperature, is a safe method of light therapy, affecting only lesions without affecting healthy tissue.
How does the laser treatment work?
The practitioner sets the appropriate laser power and radiation dose with the use of the correct applicator with a specific focus or dispersion as indicated by the practitioner.
The physical therapist positions the laser perpendicular to the part of the patient's body to be irradiated. During the treatment, the probe does not directly touch the patient's body, although it is extremely precise. The person being treated should not move during this time.
The laser treatment lasts up to 20 minutes. Typically, the patient should undergo a series of six to 15 treatments.
