Red light therapy for joint pain in Chicago: knees and shoulders

Joint pain has a way of shaping a Chicago day: the stairs up from the Roosevelt platform, a run along the lakefront that ends with a swollen knee, or a shoulder that complains every time you reach for the top shelf. Red light therapy for joint pain is one of the tools we use at our South Loop clinic, mainly for knees and shoulders, as one part of a larger care plan. In this post we'll explain what it is, how it may help, how we think about a fresh flare-up versus a long-standing problem, and what a session is like.

What red light therapy is, and what it isn't

Red light therapy, also called photobiomodulation, uses specific wavelengths of light to encourage repair in the cells of injured or inflamed tissue. At our clinic it's delivered with the Kineon MOVE+, a wearable device that combines deep red LEDs at 660 nanometers with low-power near-infrared lasers at 808 nanometers. It straps directly around the joint being treated.

It helps to be clear about what it isn't. It isn't a heat lamp, it isn't a full-body panel, and it isn't a high-power Class IV laser. The MOVE+ uses Class 1 lasers, the lowest laser class. You'll find the full device details on our page about red light therapy at our Chicago clinic.

How red light therapy may help a painful joint

Cells absorb certain wavelengths of red and near-infrared light, mainly in the mitochondria, the parts of the cell that produce energy. Photobiomodulation is still being studied. The working explanation is that this absorption may make more energy available for repair, improve local blood flow, and calm inflammatory signaling in the tissue.

The two wavelengths do different jobs. Red light is absorbed close to the surface, while near-infrared light is absorbed less by skin and travels further toward the joint. Because the MOVE+ wraps around the joint, the light reaches the tissue from several angles at once rather than from a single hand-held point.

Red light on its own isn't designed to change how a joint moves or carries load. That's why we use it alongside care that addresses the mechanics of the joint, and why its effects build over a course of sessions rather than in a single visit.

Acute flare-ups and chronic joint pain

Joint pain tends to show up in one of two ways, and we think about red light a little differently for each.

A recent flare-up. You rolled a knee in a pickup basketball game, or a shoulder flared after a weekend of moving boxes, and the area is sore and swollen. Once your exam has ruled out a fracture or a more serious injury, red light therapy may help calm the irritated tissue while the rest of your plan gets the joint moving well again.

A long-standing problem. The joint has been wearing down for years, as with knee osteoarthritis, and it flares whenever you load it: a long walk, a flight of stairs, a day on your feet at a conference. Here red light is a supporting treatment, used to help manage the irritation while the rest of the plan works on strength, mobility, and how the joint carries load.

In both cases the exam comes first. Red light therapy isn't right for every case, and your doctor will tell you whether it belongs in your plan.

Knee or shoulder pain that keeps coming back? Book your new patient exam so we can find out what's driving it and whether red light therapy fits your plan. Same-day and same-week appointments are usually available. Book online or call (312) 987-4878.

Knees: where we use it most

Knees are where red light therapy does most of its work in our clinic. It's one component of our Knee Restoration Program, alongside knee decompression, shockwave therapy, and rehab, for patients with knee osteoarthritis and other long-standing knee problems. If you're not yet sure what's behind your knee pain, our page on knee pain explains how we evaluate it.

We've covered the knee in more depth elsewhere, so we won't repeat it here. For the knee-specific detail, read red light therapy for knee pain in Chicago and our explainer on the benefits of red light therapy for knee pain.

Shoulders: part of Shoulder Strong

For shoulders, red light therapy sits inside our Shoulder Strong Program. We use it for shoulder pain such as frozen shoulder and rotator cuff irritation, alongside shockwave therapy, soft tissue work, adjustments, and rehab.

A stiff, sore shoulder often comes with tissue that has tightened up over months. Red light may help settle the irritation, while the hands-on work and exercises focus on getting the shoulder moving again.

Who it tends to suit

In our experience, red light therapy is most often a fit for people like:

• A lakefront runner whose knee swells after longer runs and who wants to keep training
• A downtown desk worker with a shoulder that aches more as the week goes on
• An older adult with knee osteoarthritis who wants to stay active and is looking at non-surgical options

We use red light therapy mainly for the extremities and rarely on the spine. If your pain is in your neck or back, your plan will usually center on other treatments. If a joint other than your knee or shoulder is bothering you, ask at your exam and your doctor will tell you plainly whether red light fits.

What a session is like

The MOVE+ is strapped around the joint over bare skin while you sit or lie comfortably. A session runs about 10 to 15 minutes. There are no needles and no pressure, and most patients feel gentle warmth or nothing at all.

Because the lasers are Class 1, no protective eyewear is needed, and most patients go straight back to their day. Red light is usually delivered in the same visit as the rest of your program, so it adds little time to your appointment.

Common questions

Does red light therapy help joint pain?

It may. Photobiomodulation is used for joint pain because it appears to calm inflammation and support repair, and many patients in our knee and shoulder programs notice easier movement as their program progresses. Results vary from person to person, and it works best as one part of a plan rather than on its own.

Is this the same as K-laser therapy?

No. K-laser therapy usually refers to a higher-power Class IV laser. The light therapy we offer today is red light therapy with the Kineon MOVE+, a lower-power red and near-infrared device. If a Class IV laser is what you're looking for, ask at your exam and we'll tell you plainly whether what we offer fits your case.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on the joint and the program you're in. Your doctor will recommend a course after your exam and adjust it based on how you respond.

Does insurance cover it?

Coverage varies by plan. We run a complimentary benefit check and go over the results with you at your second visit, alongside your findings, so you know where you stand before care begins.

Getting started in the South Loop

We're at 1147 S. Wabash Ave. #250B, above the Trader Joe's, close to Printers Row and the Museum Campus. Your first visit is the evaluation: a health history, an exam, and X-rays when your history and exam call for them. At your second visit we go over your findings and recommend a plan, with red light therapy in it only if it fits.

Book your new patient exam online or call (312) 987-4878. Same-day and same-week appointments are usually available.

This is general information, not medical advice. Book an exam for a diagnosis specific to you.