How Can Cold Laser Therapy Help My Knee Pain?

There are multiple benefits to receiving cold laser treatments.  The list below gives a brief overview of just a few of them.

• Relieves or Eliminates acute and chronic knee pain
  • Cold Laser Therapy blocks pain transmitted by nerve cells.
  • Cold Laser Therapy reduces/eliminates inflammation, therefore there is less swelling in the knee and less knee pain.
  • Cold Lasers also help release high levels of pain killing chemicals such as endorphins and enkephalins.
• Increases the speed, quality, and tensile strength of tissue repair in the knee
  • Photons of light from cold lasers penetrate deeply into tissue and accelerate cellular reproduction and growth.
  • Lasers also increase the energy of the cell so that the cell can take on nutrients faster, and get rid of waste products. When the cell is damaged or injured, for instance in arthritis, it is not able to repair itself so the knee continues to deteriorate. This is why it is so important to help the cells repair themselves so that the deteriorative process stops.
  • As a result of the laser, the regenerative cells of tendons, bone, ligaments and muscles repair faster.
  • Cold Lasers also reduce the formation of scar tissue following tissue damage from cuts, scratches, burns or surgery.
• Increases blood supply to the tissues in and around the knee joint
  • The lasers we use in our office significantly increase the blood supply to damaged tissue therefore speeding up the healing process and reducing scar tissue in and around the knee joint.
• Stimulates the immune system
  • Cold Lasers have a direct effect by stimulating immunoglobulin and lymphocytes.
• Stimulates and improves nerve function
  • Cold lasers stimulate nerve function.  Without proper nerve function one will eventually feel numbness, tingling and/ or burning sensations around the knee joint. 
• Develops collagen and muscle tissue
  • Collagen is the essential protein (found in cartilage) required to replace old tissue or to repair injuries in body tissues.
• Helps generate new and healthy cells and tissue
  • Cold Laser Therapy re-energizes cell membranes allowing the transport of essential nutrients, specific enzymes, and greater oxygen flow across cell walls allowing healthy new cells to grow in the soft tissues of the knee.  (Nutrients will not cross an injured or sick cell wall, thus slowing the healing process and not allowing new cells to grow).  For example, the degenerative process in Osteoarthritis is unknown.  But it is thought to represent a defect in the cellular repair process.  Cold lasers help heal and repair cells that are damaged and irritated this results in the restoration of normal cell function.

• Promotes faster wound healing
  • The cold lasers we use in our office stimulate fibroblast development (fibroblasts are the building blocks of collagen, which is predominant in wound healing) in damaged tissue in the knee
• Reduces inflammation (swelling) in the knee
  • Cold Lasers have an anti-edema effect.  They cause vasodilation of the cells which activates the lymphatic drainage system (drains swollen areas).  As a result, there is reduction in swelling in the knee caused by bruising or inflammation. 

“The laser treatment speeds up cell repair & stimulates the immune, lymphatic, & vascular systems.” Paul Silbert, M.D, Chief of Neurology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

It is important to remember that Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program not only includes cold laser therapy but combines other modalities to help work on your strength, range of motion and overall improved health and function of your knee.

If you live in the Dallas/ Fort-Worth Metroplex and would like more information about Dr. Schnee’s Cold Laser Knee Program please call our office at 214-596-1051, or fill out the form on the right hand side of this page and a FREE 16 page report about cold laser treatments will be mailed to you within 72 hours.

Article by Dr. Alexandra K. Schnee, B.S.,D.C.,-Your Cold Laser Professional of the Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas Area-“Helping People with Knee Pain and Joint Pain in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area since 2001.”

Reference: Martin R., Laser-Accelerated Inflammation/Pain Reduction and Healing.  Practical Pain Management. Nov/Dec 2003 3(6):20-25.