Best Red Light Therapy for Knee Pain in 2023 [from Experts]
I don’t know how you’re aging, but for me, my right knee is a show-stopper. It was always a “trick knee” that stopped working for no reason. Now it also has arthritis, synovial bodies, old injuries, and scar tissue from surgeries.
I don’t want pharmaceutical side effects. What I do want is the best red light therapy for knee pain.
You know that red light therapy helps reduce pain from arthritis, and exercise — it targets any inflammation-related pain, which is the vast majority of all painful episodes.
But how do you know which device is best for knee problems such as arthritis, scar tissue, and inflammation? Below are my favorite red light therapies for fast relief, cheap relief, and for whole body repair. Right below that, I tell you why I chose these specific models.
BEST PORTABLE KNEE PAIN RELIEF
DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live
- Best portable red light therapy for knee pain
- Light wavelengths that reduce inflammation
- Pad wraps and stays put so it’s easy to place
- Portable for easy travel
- Rechargeable battery for freedom during your session
- Vibration and magnetic fields therapy for extra relief
Visum Light
- Best clinical-grade red light therapy for knee pain
- Light wavelengths that reduce inflammation
- Green light to reduce anxiety and migraine
- Portable for easy travel
- Rechargeable battery for freedom during your session
- Built-in preset for pain therapy
- Pulsation frequencies to enhance the effectiveness
- Quality built for professionals at spas and medical offices
- 10 Hz and 40 Hz pulsation for dementia and brain injury use
BEST WHOLE-BODY (including the knee) PAIN RELIEF
Mito Red Light MitoMEGA
- Best wholistic whole-body red light therapy for knee pain
- Whole body pain relief and exercise recovery
- A very well-known and popular brand you can trust for customer service
- Light wavelengths that reduce inflammation
What Are the Best Red Light Therapies for Painful Knees?
Evaluating red light therapy for knee pain is easy when you ask this one question that I’ll share with you now: Do you want fast relief? Or cheap relief. That’s the bigger question.
After that, there are smaller decisions such as “Do you want a portable device? Or a whole-body panel that bathes all of you in healing light?”
I wish everyone could see how powerful red light therapy is. It would eliminate so much pain and suffering.
To help you decide on the right device, I’ve done the research for you to help you find the perfect one for you.
1. DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live: Best Portable Red Light Therapy for Painful Knees
Overview
If you take the anti-inflammatory effects of infrared and red light penetrating into the mitochondria, and you combine them with a subtle vibration and magnetic fields that match the earth’s pulse, you get the DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live pain-relieving red light therapy device.
Clinicians know that the best red light therapy for the knee actually sits right on the knee, and that’s what Jazz Band Live does. It conforms to the knee joint, hugging it while outputting the healing light directly to the joint.
What I like about Jazz Band Live is that it combines four modes of therapy to reduce and even eliminate inflammatory pain.
The light coming from the Jazz Band Live absorbs in cellular energy centers to turn off chronic inflammation.
The slight (almost imperceptible) vibration is similar to what happens when you put newly sprouted seedlings outside.
In a perfectly still environment, new growth can die, but give it just enough stress of a light wind, and the natural strengthening process creates a bold and healthy plant. That’s what vibration does to the cells, too.
Next, there is magnetic field therapy that aligns perfectly with the Schumann Resonance.
If you have ever heard of “earthing,” the Schumann Resonance is the frequency of the earth itself.
It’s why walking barefoot or being at the beach is so energizing, it puts us back in alignment with the earth.
These therapies combine with a moldable pad that holds onto you naturally, and that you secure with a Velcro strap for a portable pain-relief session.
The Jazz Band Live price is in line with competitors, so the only downside is that you need to do two 30-minute sessions a day for maximum results.
Key Benefits
Pricing
The Jazz Band Live is $279 plus the power pack is another $79.95 ($358.95). Use this link to get the pad and the rechargeable battery pack included for $328.95
Jazz Band Live Pros
Jazz Band Live Cons
How to Use the Jazz Band Live
1. Note the Time of Day
Some people are affected by light at night. If you’re worried about insomnia, use the light in the morning or afternoon.
2. Clean the Skin
Ideally, use light therapy before adding lotions to the skin.
3. Turn on the Power
Press the power button.
4. Hold the Light at a Distance
Place the light directly on the target area.
5. Fold the Device
Wrap the device around the treatment area such as an arm or leg, or allow it to lie flat on the back and similar areas.
6. Time the Session
Use the light for 30 minutes, 2 times a day.
2. Visum Light: Best Clinical-Grade (and Fastest) Red Light Therapy for Painful Knees
Overview
The Visum Light is considered the best-targeted, medical-grade red light therapy. This is because it is specifically designed to deliver red light therapy to the targeted area with precision and effectiveness.
I know I said above that you want a device that sits right on the knee, but here’s one exception I’m happy to make. The Visum Light is so powerful that you don’t need to hold it right on the knee. “Paint” the Visum Light back and forth while holding the lamp head just off the skin itself.
It’s so powerful that any photons lost to reflection when the light is away from the skin are extras you just didn’t need. This lamp is that powerful.
The Visum Light includes 7 preset settings — with one specifically for pain relief — as well as 7 Nogier Frequencies, a specialized pulsation feature, in addition to pulsation in the 10 Hz and 40 Hz frequencies.
The 10 and 40 Hz pulsation feature allows you to use the Visum Light for dementia and brain injury therapy, as these are the exact wavelengths and pulsation settings used in successful red light therapy studies for dementia (including Alzheimer’s), as well as Parkinson’s, and brain injury. (Do 10 Hz or 40 Hz for brain injury, and 40 Hz for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.)
The Visum’s power is unparalleled, giving you a full treatment in one to two minutes. Although this is an LED light therapy device, it has the power of a laser.
Key Benefits
Pricing
The Visum Light retails for $1,999. You can pay in installments via a financing deal on the VisumLight.com website. There is currently a coupon available for $500. Use code 500More to acquire the Visum Light for $1,499.
Visum Light Pros
Visum Light Cons
How to Use the Visum Light
- Use at any time of day (but use in the morning if you have insomnia to avoid the light bothering your circadian rhythm).
- Use before adding lotions and makeup.
- Press the power button.
- Press P (for Program) five times. You will see ‘5 – skin’ on the display.
- Press the power button again to start.
- ‘Paint’ the skin with the light, going side to side or up and down for two minutes per area.
3. Mito Red Light MitoRED MitoMEGA: Best Red Light Therapy Knee and Whole Body Relief
Overview
Although it’s not Mito Red Light’s most expensive panel (by quite a bit), the MitoRED MitoMEGA is their biggest bang for your buck.
I admit that the MitoMEGA — while being an excellent therapy device — is not the ideal shape for knee therapy. But hear me out, there’s a good reason I included it in this list.
When you do whole-body therapy, you get a systemic, whole-body anti-inflammatory feedback loop. All ships rise in this ocean of light, including the healthy knee hiding under all that joint pain.
The MitoMEGA packs 300 LEDs into a huge 432 sq. in. surface to give you the most healing light on every inch of your body.
It showers you with anti-inflammatory, pro-blood-flow healing energy that brings the knee along for the trip.
Mito Red Light is one of my favorite manufacturers because they truly get what red light therapy is all about. When non-US manufacturers build copycat devices, they copy the MitoMEGA and the Mito Red Light other therapy devices.
When you measure the power from a red light therapy device, you have to use the right kind of light meter. The industry is chock full of bragging about “irradiance” when the real values are half of those claimed because they used the wrong meter type.
Mito Red Light solved this problem by certifying their devices’ power through a third-party measuring company. The MitoMEGA delivers 2.8 joules per sq. cm. per minute, or 28 joules to every square inch of your body [front or back] every 10 minutes.
This means you get a muscle-soothing, pain-relieving dose of light quickly and effectively from the MitoMEGA panel.
Key Benefits
Pricing
The MitoMEGA is $1049, but if you use this link and the coupon RED at checkout, you’ll get 5% off, for a price of $996.55.
MitoMEGA Pros
MitoMEGA Cons
How to Use the MitoMEGA for Your Knee
1. Use at Any Time of Day
Use at any time of day (but use in the morning if you have insomnia to avoid the light bothering your circadian rhythm).
2. Use on Clean Skin
Use before adding lotions and makeup to avoid blocking light from entering your cells.
3. Turn on the lamp
Press the power button.
4. Distance from light to target
Position yourself 6 inches (up to 12 inches) away from the light.
5. Time per treatment
Use for 10 minutes on the front, and 10 minutes on the back; alternatively, alternate, doing the front of the body one day, and the back the next.
Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Arthritis and Painful Knees FAQ
What is red light therapy and how does it work?
Red light therapy delivers light at a low energy (which is why it’s also called ‘low-level light therapy’). It uses specific wavelengths to relieve pain and stiffness, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation. The light penetrates the skin and is absorbed by the body’s cells, where they stimulate the production of ATP, which is the energy source for cells. The ATP powers cellular repair and cellular cleanup (autophagy), which flushes cellular waste and also reduces inflammation.
Can a light therapy device help with joint pain and arthritis?
A good arthritis light therapy device uses both red and infrared light, but it’s a fact that infrared alone can help with joint pain and arthritis. Light therapy is often used in physical therapy environments for exactly this purpose. Red light therapy absorbs in the mitochondria, which are organelles inside the cells. There, they increase cellular energy, which is a major component of how red light therapy works. The technology is excellent for relieving pain and is often used to ease arthritis pain.
Does red light therapy treatment work for rheumatoid arthritis?
There are several studies on the effect of low-level laser therapy (aka red light therapy) on arthritis pain, but these studies mainly focus on osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition with many symptoms in common with osteoarthritis. Where the arthritic pain is caused by chronic inflammation, the effects should theoretically be the same.
What type of arthritis can be treated with red light therapy?
Red light therapy can be used to treat different types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. It can also be used to treat other types of pain and inflammation, such as chronic knee and back pain. But the science focuses mainly on osteoarthritis rather than the autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis). Theoretically, the mechanisms should work on all arthritis. That is the increased blood flow, oxygenation of the area, improved collagen production, reduced prostaglandin activity all work to quell the pain signals quantity and severity, and therefore the therapeutic benefits are probably the same. Still, the science needs to be done on autoimmune arthritis conditions.
How long does it take for red light therapy to work?
The length of time it takes for red light therapy to work varies depending on the individual and the condition being treated. Some people may experience relief after just one session, while others may need several sessions before they start to notice a difference. A more powerful therapy is best for fastest results.
What are the benefits of red light therapy for joint pain?
Red light therapy for arthritis, and for joint pain in general, reduces inflammation while triggering production of collagen. Combined, the reduced inflammation and new collagen support tissue repair and pain relief. The therapy also releases nitric oxide from the mitochondria (inside the cells), and this dilates blood vessels. The extra blood flow also improves tissue repair and therefore lightens the joint pain.
Can I use red light therapy at home?
Yes, the red light therapy devices we discussed in this article are all for at-home use. Light therapy for arthritis used to be available only from doctors, at medical offices, and using only lasers. At-home light therapy works as well as lasers, but it does take more time per session. At-home red light therapy devices use safe LED lights and are easy to use for arthritis and inflammatory pain relief. These devices use specific wavelengths of light that help you manage arthritis from the comfort of your own home.
Is red light therapy better than other types of arthritis treatment?
Red light therapy is just one arthritis treatment and may not be suitable for everyone. It is important to discuss your treatment options with a healthcare professional to find the best approach for your individual needs. However, many people find that red light therapy is effective for managing their arthritis pain.
How often should I have red light therapy sessions?
You can do red light therapy every day, up to twice a day if using a budget device, but only once per day if using a strong device. So if you’re using the Visum Light, do therapy once a day. If using the Jazz Band Live, do therapy twice a day. If using the MitoMEGA panel, you can go either way.
Is it safe to use red light therapy?
Red light therapy is generally considered safe when used as directed. People with epilepsy, who are taking light-sensitive medications, or who have skin or neurological conditions might find pulsing light to be a problem. So despite that it is non-invasive, non-toxic, and has no side effects, it is important to speak with a healthcare professional before starting red light therapy.
Can the combination of red and blue light therapy be beneficial for arthritis?
While blue light therapy has been shown to reduce inflammation, it has not been tested for use for arthritis pain.
