Red light therapy isn't new-age wellness. It has been studied for knee pain for more than 30 years. Red (660 nm) and near-infrared (850 nm) light are absorbed by your mitochondria, which can increase cellular energy (ATP), help regulate inflammation, and improve local circulation.
Here's how it works:
When specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light (typically 660nm and 850nm) penetrate your skin, they reach deep into your tissues—including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even bone.
At the cellular level, these light wavelengths are absorbed by your mitochondria, triggering a cascade of beneficial biological responses:
Increased ATP Production: Your cells produce more energy (ATP), which they use to repair damage, clear waste products, and function optimally. More cellular energy means faster tissue repair and regeneration.
Reduced Inflammation: Red light therapy modulates inflammatory markers, helping your body maintain the right amount of inflammation for healing without the excessive inflammation that delays recovery and causes pain.
Enhanced Blood Flow: Light therapy stimulates the formation of new capillaries and improves circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your healing tissues while removing metabolic waste more efficiently.
Collagen Synthesis: Red light stimulates fibroblasts to produce more collagen, the structural protein your body uses to rebuild damaged tissue and minimize scar formation.
Pain Reduction: By reducing inflammation and stimulating endorphin release, red light and infrared therapy helps ease pain.
The result? Your body heals the way it's supposed to—efficiently and thoroughly.