Red Light Therapy at Advanced Health Chiropractic

Red light therapy, also called photobiomodulation, uses specific wavelengths of light to encourage repair in the cells of injured or inflamed tissue. At our South Loop clinic it is 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 and straps directly around the joint being treated.

We use red light therapy mainly for joints: knees above all, as part of the Knee Restoration Program, and shoulders in the Shoulder Strong Program. It is not part of every care plan. Your doctor adds it when the exam points to a joint where calming inflammation is likely to help the rest of the plan work.

It sits alongside the tools we use every day: chiropractic care, spinal decompression, shockwave therapy, and physical therapy. Red light is a supporting treatment, not a replacement for finding and correcting what is driving the pain.

Getting red light therapy 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. Red light therapy starts with a new patient exam, so we can see whether it belongs in your plan before anything else happens.

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

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, and the working explanation is that this absorption can make more energy available for repair, improve local blood flow through the release of nitric oxide, and calm inflammatory signaling. In plain terms, the tissue may get a nudge toward healing while the rest of your care plan addresses the mechanics of the joint.

The two wavelengths do different jobs. Red light at 660 nanometers is absorbed close to the surface, in skin and the tissue just beneath it. Near-infrared light at 808 nanometers is absorbed less by skin and travels further toward the joint. Because the MOVE+ holds its emitters against the skin all the way around the joint, the light reaches the tissue from several angles at once rather than from a single hand-held point.

The effects build over a course of sessions rather than in a single visit, which is why red light therapy is scheduled as part of a program.

At Advanced Health, red light therapy is most often used for:

• Knee pain and knee osteoarthritis, as one component of the Knee Restoration Program
• Shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, and rotator cuff irritation, within the Shoulder Strong Program
• Other painful joints such as hips, ankles, elbows, and wrists, where inflammation is part of the picture
• Tendon irritation around a joint that is slow to settle
• Swelling after an injury, once fractures and serious injury have been ruled out

We use it mainly for the extremities: shoulders, knees, feet, and ankles. We rarely use it on the spine, where care usually centers on adjustments, decompression, physical therapy, and soft tissue therapy. If knee pain is what brought you here, our post on red light therapy for knee pain goes deeper on the knee specifically.

Red light therapy is not right for every case. Your doctor will tell you at the exam whether it belongs in your plan.

The MOVE+ is strapped around the joint being treated, over bare skin, while you sit or lie comfortably. A session runs about 10 to 15 minutes. You may feel gentle warmth; the device should never feel hot, and if it does your provider will adjust it. The MOVE+ uses Class 1 lasers, the lowest laser class, so no protective eyewear is needed and there is no downtime afterward.

Red light therapy is usually delivered in the same visit as the rest of your program, for example alongside knee decompression, shockwave therapy, or your adjustment, so it adds little time to your appointment.

Many patients notice changes such as less swelling, easier movement, or a lower intensity of joint pain as their program progresses. How quickly that happens varies with the joint, how long the problem has been present, and what else is in the plan. Red light therapy works as part of a program that also addresses the mechanics of the joint, which is how we use it at Advanced Health, rather than as a stand-alone treatment.

Your doctor will set the number of sessions in your plan and reassess your response as care progresses.

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

Do you offer K-laser therapy?

Not at the moment. The light therapy we offer today is red light therapy with the Kineon MOVE+, a lower-power red and near-infrared device that straps around a joint. If a Class IV laser is what you are looking for, ask at your exam and we will tell you plainly whether what we offer fits your case.

What is chiropractic laser therapy?

It's a broad term for light or laser treatment given in a chiropractic office. It can mean a higher-power Class IV laser or a lower-power device like the one we use. If you're comparing clinics, ask which device they use and which laser class it is. The answer tells you a lot about what a session will be like.

Is this deep tissue laser therapy?

No. "Deep tissue laser therapy" is a term usually used for higher-power Class IV lasers. The MOVE+ is a lower-power red and near-infrared device. We don't quote a penetration depth for it because the manufacturer doesn't publish one.

Does red light therapy help with joint pain and inflammation?

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 a red light panel or mask?

No. Consumer panels and masks shine red light across the skin, mostly for cosmetic purposes. The MOVE+ combines red LEDs with near-infrared lasers and wraps a specific joint, and we use it for a specific clinical reason inside a care plan.

Why get red light therapy at a chiropractor's office instead of at home?

Red light devices are widely sold for home use. What an office visit adds is the exam: finding out what is driving the joint pain, whether light therapy fits at all, and what else the joint needs, such as decompression, shockwave therapy, or rehab. Red light on its own is not designed to change how a joint moves or carries load.

Does red light therapy hurt?

No. There are no needles and no pressure. Most patients feel gentle warmth or nothing at all.

Is it safe?

Red light therapy is well tolerated by most patients. Tell your provider if you are pregnant, have an active cancer diagnosis, or take medication that makes your skin sensitive to light, so the plan can be adjusted.

How many sessions will I need?

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

How do I get started?

Book your new patient exam online or call (312) 987-4878. Same-day and same-week appointments are usually available. Your exam determines whether red light therapy belongs in your plan.