PHYSICAL RECOVERY AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES
Red light therapy can improve muscle performance, reduce muscle fatigue during exercise, and enhance muscle recovery. It benefits athletes, individuals with muscle injuries, and patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. (R)
Red light therapy enhances muscle strength, reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and decreases biomarkers of muscle damage more effectively than cryotherapy. Researchers concluded that photobiomodulation improves recovery after intense exercise better than cryotherapy (R)
Photobiomodulation can increase muscle mass gained after training, reduce inflammation, and decrease oxidative stress in muscles. (R)
Stimulation of the quadriceps with near-infrared light immediately after leg press and knee extension exercises reduces muscle damage and soreness while increasing muscle mass, recovery, and athletic performance. (R)
Near-infrared light therapy immediately after leg press exercises led to greater strength gains compared to strength training without NIR therapy. Thigh circumference gains were also slightly higher in the NIR group. (R)
Red and near-infrared light therapy has been shown to enhance muscle endurance and recovery. It increases exercise repetition count by nearly 13% and delays muscle fatigue onset by over 11%. Moreover, it significantly reduces key biochemical markers such as lactate, creatine kinase, and C-reactive protein associated with muscle fatigue and inflammation, making it a powerful tool for performance improvement and recovery. (R)
Red light therapy for elite female basketball players positively influenced their endurance performance. (R)
Infrared light therapy enhances the effects of exercise in obese women undergoing weight loss. Improvements in lipid profiles and reduced fat tissue suggest increased metabolic activity and changes in fat metabolism. (R)
