Study validates low level laser therapy

April 29, 2017—Multi Radiance Medical’s MR4 super pulsed laser better enhances athletic performance and recovery compared to Class IV lasers, according to a recent study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Athletic Training.

Thiago De Marchi, et al. from the Sports Medicine Institute at the University of Caxias do Sul in Brazil compared the Multi Radiance Medical super pulsed laser to two other commercially available lasers in a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Participants received phototherapy before a set of leg exercises and were then measured on three outcomes: maximum voluntary contraction, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and creatine kinase (CK) levels up to 96 hours after the exercise protocol.

The results found that the Multi Radiance Medical super pulsed laser performed better than the Class IV lasers on all outcome measures. Participants using the super pulsed laser recovered faster and avoided fatigue, reducing the risk of injury.

“…super pulsed laser/light demonstrated better results than either low-powered continuous laser/light or high-powered continuous laser/light in all outcome measures when compared with placebo,” the authors concluded. “The increase in CK activity using the high-powered continuous laser/light compared with placebo warrants further research to investigate its effect on other factors related to muscle damage.”

There are over 10 recent peer reviewed studies published in journals documenting the beneficial ergogenic effects of Multi Radiance super pulsed laser photobiomodulation therapy on athletic performance and recovery.

Despite Class IV manufacturer claims of effectiveness, research on high-powered lasers remains of poor scientific quality due to the inability to mask the excessive heat produced during application. This “heating” precludes a true double-blinded, placebo-controlled study protocol.

Super pulsed lasers emit light in billionth-of-a-second pulses which prevents photon accumulation at the skin’s surface. This creates a high peak power for effectively relieving pain, yet a relatively low average power to eliminate risk of thermal damage.

De Marchi, et al. conducted the study to provide clinicians with a direct product comparison of commercially available laser therapy devices in order to help incorporate photobiomodulation into medical practice.

“Our findings can help clinicians make better decisions regarding device choice in this field,” the researchers concluded.

Read the journal article and view the study PDF.

Source: Multi Radiance Medical