laser therapy for sports injuries in nashville

6/17/2015 Laser Therapy for Sports Injuries in Nashville — Chiropractor Nashville TN - Art of Health Chiropractic

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Laser Therapy for Sports Injuries in NashvilleL A S E R T H E R A P Y

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy for Sports Injuries

Sports injury rehabilitation is all about getting back in the game quickly and with optimalhealth. A relatively new tool for the treatment of sports injuries is finding global success,and it is doing so in a fast, efficient way. In fact, Dr. Oz has called it the "no-pill painbuster."

Trauma from sports injuries causes damage to the cells that make up soft tissues. Thesedamaged cells release chemicals that provoke a natural inflammatory response in thebody, which result in redness, swelling, warmth and pain in the injured area. Persistent orrecurrent inflammation can predispose athletes to early-onset arthritis or degenerativechanges in their joints. This condition can affect the weekend warrior to the elite athlete.

The application of deep tissue laser therapy reduces short-term inflammation.Additionally, laser therapy significantly lowers the risk of arthritis frequently resultingfrom sports injuries. Laser therapy is used by professional sports teams and athletes totreat inflammation, provide deep-tissue therapy, and accelerate pain relief to help athletesminimize downtime. For the past decade, deep tissue laser therapy has revolutionizedtreatment in the professional sports world including NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and USACycling athletes, as well as Ironman triathlon competitors, competitive runners, collegeathletes, former Olympic athletes, and elite cross-fitters.

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MECHANISM OF ACTION FOR LASER THERAPY

Laser therapy works to photobiostimulate chemically damaged cells via specificwavelengths of light in a coherent manner. Coherence means that light photons propagatein the same direction, amplitude and phase. This is important to maximize the depth ofpenetration in order to trigger a biological response.

The cell membrane within the skin absorbs these photons via a photochemical effect, notphotothermal; therefore, laser therapy does not cause heat damage to the tissues.

When cells are chemically damaged through injury, they stimulate the pain cycle. Lasertherapy excites kinetic energy within the cells by transmitting these healing stimuli thatare photons. Once photons reach the cells of the body, they promote a cascade of cellularactivities.

Laser therapy can ignite the production of enzymes, stimulate mitochondria, increasevasodilation and lymphatic drainage, ATP synthesis, and elevate collagen formationsubstances to prevent scar tissue. This is a critical step in reducing chronic, disablingmyofascial pain syndromes. Simply stated, deep tissue laser therapy enables athletesto get out of pain faster and heal at the same time.

CONDITIONS TREATED

I have found the laser to be a superior tool for the rehabilitation of athletes. Laser therapyis a scientifically proven and effective treatment for a wide range of sportsinjuries including:

acute and chronic pain neck and back painbursitis jumper's knee tennis elbowAchilles tendonitis chronic joint pain of the elbow, wrist, and fingers plantar fasciitis shoulder injuries

As supported by the literature in the field, I see consistent results with my athleticpatients for a variety of conditions:

Deep tissue laser therapy is an effective treatment for sports injuries, particularlyjumper's knee, tennis elbow and Achilles tendonitis. Laser therapy has been recommended as a treatment option for tennis elbow.



Laser therapy reduces pain after treatment in acute neck pain and up to 22 weeksafter completion of treatment. It has positive effects on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and changes inbiochemical markers related to post-exercise recovery. A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial showed that laser therapy and exercisetherapy is more effective than exercise therapy alone for the purposes of improvingpain and active / passive ROM in patients with subacromial syndrome. Laser therapy has been shown to be effective for treating chronic neck and shoulderpain, as well as chronic heel pain from plantar fasciitis.

The ease of using the laser and the speed with which the athletes respond are key featuresof laser therapy. Most laser treatment sessions last from just 10 to 15 minutes. In myexperience, its versatility is unmatched because it can be a stand-alone treatment or usedin conjunction with chiropractic adjustments, soft-tissue release, instrument-assistedtreatments, elastic therapeutic tape or any rehab-oriented protocol.

An Example: Ankle Sprains

One specific application for deep tissue laser therapy is ankle sprains, which have an 80percent recurrence rate and high rates of subsequent chronic symptoms. The mostfrequently seen ankle injury is an ankle inversion sprain.

There are a host of causes and risk factors for ankle sprains; a previous history of anklesprain is the most common risk factor. I've found laser therapy to be instrumental inreducing the swelling and tissue damage that are typically associated with an acute anklesprain. I've seen recovery times that have been literally decreased by days.

Laser therapy has varied benefits and functions as a superior alternative to analgesics,NSAIDs, medications and other modalities. Furthermore, deep tissue lasertherapy reduces the need for surgery and has virtually no contraindications.

C L I C K H E R E F O R O U R N E W P A T I E N T S P E C I A L

References

1. Morimoto Y, Saito A, Tokuhashi Y. Low level laser therapy for sportsinjuries. Laser Therapy, 2013;22(1):17-20.

2. BMJ Clinical Evidence made recommendations to include low-level laser therapyfor tennis elbow in 2011.

3. Chow RT, Johnson MI, Lopes-Martins RA, et al. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy

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in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis ofrandomized placebo or active-controlled trials. Lancet, Dec 5,2009;374(9705):1897-1908.

4. Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, De Marchi T, et al. Effects of low-level lasertherapy (LLLT) in the development of exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue andchanges in biochemical markers related to postexercise recovery. J Orthoped SportsTherapy, Aug 2010;40(8):524-532.

5. Abrisham SM, Kermani-Alghoraishi M, Ghahramani R, et al. Additive effects oflow-level laser therapy with exercise on subacrominal syndrome: a randomised,double-blind, controlled trial. Clin Rheumatol, 2011;30:1341-1346.

6. Low level laser therapy to reduce chronic pain. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00929773,2009.

Dr. Callie Gant and Dr. Michael Buczynski founded Art of Health Chiropractic to createa happier, healthier Nashville. Feel free to call the office at 615-953-7544 with anyquestions or to schedule your first appointment. (Article edited from Dr. RobertSilverman - see the full post here)

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laser therapy for sports injuries in nashville

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