How Cold Laser Therapy Helps Stave Off the Effects of Osteoarthritis in the Knee
In healthy knees, cartilage is constantly being broken down, replaced and rebuilt. There is a delicate balance between enzymes that break down the cartilage and cells that help restore it. The aging process, disease, injury and surgeries to the knee joint eventually make it so that cartilage is being broken down faster than it is being rebuilt. In osteoarthritis, the balance between cartilage degradation and reformation is disturbed, and there is a net loss of collagen and proteoglycans in the cartilage (two important raw materials that make up cartilage). It is believed that osteoarthritis of the knee develops due to there being more enzymes destroying the cartilage then chondrocytes (cartilage forming cells) creating it. When this process continues over a period of time cartilage begins to erode. This results in increased knee joint pain, deformity, and limited joint mobility.
Cold lasers emit specific wavelengths of light that directly excite the primary energy producer of the cell, chromophore cytochrome C oxidase. This enzyme is found in every human cell, and once it’s stimulated it increases the rate at which ATP (adenosine triphosphate) or energy is produced by the cell. This ‘jumpstart’ in cellular metabolism creates more fuel and energy for the cell, and as a result a cascade of beneficial physiological events occurs. Ultimately, what is realized from a cold laser therapy treatment is a decrease in inflammation, pain and healing time for the injured tissue or joint; as well as the ability for tissue to heal and repair itself without the need for invasive care.
Besides decreasing osteoarthritis knee pain, inflammation and improving joint mobility cold laser therapy is believed to help stave off the effects of osteoarthritis in the knee by inhibiting cartilage destruction, promoting cartilage repair and enhancing cartilage preservation. Cold laser therapy does this by stimulating and inhibiting specific enzymes, proteins, cells and molecules that play a role in osteoarthritis of the knee.
- Cold lasers inhibit the inflammatory protein interleukin-1. According to arthritis research interleukin-1, a cytokine plays a direct role in destroying cartilage and it also suppresses any chance of repairing it. In an osteoarthritic knee, there are high levels of interleukin-1 which is believed to do the following:
- Interleukin-1 stimulates more of the enzymes that destroy cartilage
- Interleukin-1 does not allow type II collagen to be produced-so cartilage cannot be rebuilt or replaced.
- Finally interleukin-1 suppresses cells that make cartilage (chondrocytes) from producing proteoglycans. (Water, Proteoglycans, collagen, and chondrocytes make up the primary framework or matrix for hyaline cartilage, the cartilage that cushions the knee joint.)1.
- Cold laser therapy stimulates Growth factor activity.
- Cold laser therapy helps stimulate fibroblasts (cells that produce collagen) production. Fibroblasts are needed for collagen development which is necessary to make cartilage.2
- Cold laser therapy indirectly helps Increase the tensile strength of the tissue. When Osteoarthritis begins to destroy the collagen/proteoglycan matrix due to the imbalance of enzymatic activity it creates an increase in water content in the cartilage making the knee more susceptible to injury. Studies indicate that cold laser therapy increases the strength of the collagen molecules by increasing intra and inter-molecular hydrogen bonding so there is less likelihood of injuries to the cartilage or meniscus.3,4,5,6
Research indicates that enzymes such as growth factors are increased with cold laser therapy. Growth factors are important for healthy knees because they stimulate chondrocyte activity which in turn allows cartilage to be repaired and rebuilt. (Cartilage repair in the knee is directly dependent on chondrocyte activity). In addition, Growth factors help counter act cartilage degradation by switching off interleukin-1.1
In summary, cold laser therapy is vital to preserving, repairing and stimulating cartilage in an osteoarthritic knee. This is ultimately achieved through exciting or inhibiting either directly or indirectly vital enzymes, proteins, molecules or cells needed to maintain a healthy knee.
To see what many of our patients have to say about Cold Laser Therapy, check out some of their video testimonials, here!
If you live in the Dallas, Fort Worth or surrounding areas call our office at 214- 596-1051 to find out if you’re a candidate for Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program.
Or if you would like more information about Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program fill out the form on the right side of this screen to get your FREE report mailed to you entitled, Amazing Cold Laser Therapy the Missing Link to Knee Pain Relief!
Dr. Alexandra K. Schnee, B.S.,D.C.,-Your Cold Laser Professional for the Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas Area-“Helping People with Knee Pain and Joint Pain in the Dallas, Fort Worth and surrounding areas since 2001.”
1.Martin, Richard. Laser-Accelerated Inflammation/Pain Reduction and Healing. Practical Pain Management. Page 24. Nov/Dec 2003.
2. Almeida-Lopes L, et al. Comparison of the low level laser therapy effects on cultured human gingival fibroblasts proliferation using different irradiance and same fluence. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2001. 29(2):179-184.
3.Enwemeka CS and Reddy GK. The biological effects of laser therapy and other modalities on connective tissue repair processes. The Journal of Laser Therapy. Vol 12. World Association of Laser Therapy. 2000.
4. Reddy GK, Stehno-Bittel L, and Enwemeka CS. Laser Photo Stimulation Accelerates Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats. Wound Repair and Regeneration. 2001. 9:248-255.
5. Stadler I, et al. 830nm irradiation increases the wound tensile strength in diabetic murine model. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2001. 28 (3):220-226.
6. Parizotto N, et al. Structural analysis of collagen fibrils after He-Ne laser photostimulation. 2nd congress, World Association for Laser Therapy. Kansas City 1998.
