How Light Therapy Promotes Increased Athletic Abilities
In almost all likelihood, you have probably seen light therapy panels or beds being introduced in both gyms and wellness centers. You may be thinking, what exactly are those things, and do they really work, or is it all hype?
Light therapy is one kind of therapy that uses photobiomodulation therapy. This type of therapy makes use of particular types of red LED lights. The main reason that we see them so often in gyms and other health centers is because of the fact that they possess several health benefits. This includes things such as preventing injury and also increasing athletic abilities.
What exactly is light therapy
Light therapy is one type of therapy that makes use of photobiomodulation. These light therapy devices are responsible for emitting light at certain wavelengths. This light is then taken in by cytochrome c. This is a protein that falls within the part of a cell’s mitochondria. The effect of absorbing light therapy is that it boosts the production of cellular energy within the body. This happens due to increased ATP production that happens in the mitochondria. Through all of the above-mentioned ways, light therapy can really help in reducing pain, muscle, and joint stiffness and also help with swelling.
How can light therapy benefit your sporting abilities?
It is important to point out first of all that light therapy can be very beneficial if used just for the sake of using it. It does not necessarily have to be for a particular chronic condition. This is one of the main reasons why pro athletes and sports teams have made it a part of their regular exercise and training regime. This type of therapy has the potential to drastically improve sporting performance. This is because light therapy reduces muscle fatigue and also increases the endurance of the athletes. Light therapy is also really helpful for preventing injuries from taking place in the first place and/or for treating injuries.
When you use a light therapy device that is registered with the FDA, there is very little risk involved. A lot of clinical studies and research have shown that light therapy is a pretty safe form of therapy, and not too many known side effects of this therapy exist.
How light therapy helps prevent injury
Probably one of the most popular applications of this type of therapy is the prevention of injury. It goes without saying that one of the best ways of reducing the risk of injury is performing a proper warm-up. When you are warming-up, the heart rate of the body increases gradually, and it is also responsible for circulating to loosen joints and increase the flow of blood to the muscles. Light therapy has the potential to significantly help with this process because of a thing known as vasodilation. When this happens, the body’s blood vessels widen, and it allows for more blood to flow easily through the body.
How to reduce muscles from getting fatigued with light therapy
Muscle fatigue can be defined as the ability of the body to exert and generate force. This is the reason why the tenth rep is much harder than the first one. Fatigue of the muscles affects all athletes in all kinds of sports. While proper training and exercise can go a long way in terms of reducing fatigue, there still does remain a point which when crossed will cause fatigue. As a result of this, performance can drop. There are two main reasons for muscle fatigue, and both of those reasons can be mitigated with the use of light therapy.
- The storage of energy in muscle fiber
- Making sure there are enough metabolites in the fibers of the muscle
- Energy Shortage
Metabolites build-up
These are normally known as waste products that are the result of contractions in the muscles. They include things such as potassium, reactive oxygen species, and also lactic acid. These are the things that are responsible for the burning sensation during physical exertion, and they significantly increase muscle fatigue. Light therapy can really help with this issue. It achieves this by reducing the buildup of lactic acid by compromising the activity of the enzyme that is responsible for it.
Pre or Post Workout?
One of the major advantages of this type of therapy is that there is no downtime and that it can be used pre or post-workout. So far, we have delved into how light therapy before exercise can help, but it is important to note that it can really help after a strenuous exercise session as well. It can significantly lower the chances of the muscles getting sore after an exercise session or a game.
