If there's one body part we take for granted, it's our knees. If they're in pain or injured, we're relatively immobilized. Having a slight knee injury or knee pain foreshadows potential knee issues later on in life. And the stats don't lie. Some of the most common surgeries include knee replacements and ACL surgery. As of now, ACL reconstruction surgery is performed in the United States 100,000 times each year.
Whether you have an ACL injury or require surgery, one thing is for certain: you want to recover as quickly as possible. While light therapy isn't a newcomer to the world of medicine, its treatments are now being used in various ways, including post-surgery recovery.
How light therapy can help ACL injury/surgery recovery
While light therapy proves highly beneficial post-recovery, many physicians recommend using light therapy before surgery for greater effect. Prior to surgery, light therapy aids with the following:
- Strengthening muscle, bone, and organ tissue.
- Increasing ATP production in the cell’s mitochondria.
- Eliminates oxidative stress and inflammation.
By exposing the body to light therapy prior to surgery, you increase the chances of a quicker recovery.
Once the surgery is completed, light therapy should be used for the following:
- Reduce pain during the post-surgery recovery period.
- Promote the healing of chronic and acute wounds.
- Fewer ruptures of wounds when treated with light therapy.
- Less excess blood and fewer complications when using light therapy.
- Promote the anti-inflammatory healing process and the body’s natural healing process.
- Decreased incision bleeding via light therapy.
Whether it’s an ACL injury or surgery situation, light therapy reduces inflammation, acts as natural pain relief, and helps people recover quicker from surgeries with less pain. But how does light therapy achieve this?
The secret of light therapy
Light therapy harnesses the power of light to help the body heal from the inside out. When red and near-infrared light penetrates the skin, and into the cells, the cell's mitochondria energy source (ATP) is stimulated.
Energy helps damaged cells heal, and new cells are created quicker. Thus, new blood vessels and tissues are formed, leading to an overall quicker healing time. When your body's cells are functioning optimally, your injuries and the post-surgery body heal optimally.
In addition, light therapy also improves the appearance of scars. Scientists have conducted studies proving the power of light. One peer-reviewed study examined the hypertrophic scars on 15 children. The study found that scars treated with light therapy significantly reduced scarification and appearance than those who were not treated with light therapy.
Light therapy can provide immense benefits for those suffering from an ACL injury or post-surgery, affecting your overall well-being and mental health. No one wants to spend weeks immobilized, but you can speed up the healing process with light therapy.