Red Light Therapy for Knee Pain: How I Beat Arthritis
I was 50 when my right knee blew up.
My doctor did not want to replace it because I was “too young.”
The new knee would wear out, and I’d be having surgery again at 60, 70 and 80 years old.
After years of physical therapy, I discovered red light therapy, and that took my healing to a new level.
I never had my knee replaced, but I can walk up and down the stairs without pain.
My biggest success with red light therapy has been using it on my osteoarthritis knee pain.
Studies show that my experience is typical.
Red light therapy reduces inflammation, swelling, and pain in osteoarthritic knees.
I’m 62+ years old now, and I still use my original knee because I’ve been lucky to know that red light therapy helps control the pain and damage.
Takeaways
- Knee osteoarthritis is the degeneration of the knee joint
- The pain from knee osteoarthritis comes from the inflammation and loss of cartilage, causing the rubbing of bones
- Red light therapy (photobiomodulation) is the use of low-energy delivery of light to heal at the cellular level
- Studies show that red light therapy is very effective in reducing knee joint pain from osteoarthritis
Red Light Therapy for Knee Pain (How to Avoid Knee Replacements)
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease.
It breaks down the cartilage, which is the tissue that covers the ends of bones.
Cartilage is what allows joints to move.
The bones in the joint rub together as cartilage breaks down. That rubbing leads to pain, stiffness, and loss of function.
(Red light therapy has many pain relief powers. Learn more in my article: Red Light Therapy for Chronic Pain: Inflammation & Arthritis
How Knee Osteoarthritis Breaks Down the Joint
Knee osteoarthritis usually affects the cartilage on the thigh bone’s (femur) ends.
It also usually affects the shin bone (tibia) and the kneecap (the patella).
The joint space narrows as the cartilage wears away.
Sometimes, bone spurs form from the constant rubbing.
These effects result in pain and swelling.
They decrease the range of motion and make walking, climbing stairs, and bending the knee difficult.
Knee osteoarthritis is a cluster of physical events that cause pain.
- Cartilage breakdown
- Chronic inflammation of the synovial membrane
- Reduced synovial fluid
- Swelling from inflammatory attacks
The immune system attacks the knee.
The reason for this is simple and frustrating.
The knee’s degeneration appears as if it’s under attack.
The immune system whips into gear, looking for the invader.
The enemy is wear and tear, something the immune system can never fix.
The swelling is the immune system’s attempt to kill the invader, but it attacks the knee, causing osteoarthritis pain.
Osteoarthritis is More than a Pain in the Knee
The loss of cartilage and rubbing bones cause a host of symptoms.
These include pain, stiffness, swelling, range of motion limitations, cracking sounds, and muscle weakness.
Pain
Knee pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis and can be felt as a dull ache or sharp pain.
Pain may be worse after periods of inactivity, such as sitting or sleeping, or after physical activity.
Stiffness
Stiffness in the knee joint can make it difficult to bend or straighten the knee, particularly after periods of inactivity.
Swelling
Osteoarthritis can cause the knee joint to become inflamed, leading to swelling and tenderness in the affected area.
Limited Range of Motion
As the disease progresses, the range of motion in the knee joint may become limited, making it difficult to perform daily activities such as walking or climbing stairs.
Cracking or Popping Sounds
As the cartilage in the knee joint wears down, it can cause the bones to rub against each other, leading to cracking or popping sounds.
Muscle Weakness
Knee osteoarthritis can cause muscle weakness in the thigh muscles, contributing to difficulty with mobility.
Who Gets Knee Osteoarthritis Pain?
Knee osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease that affects a large proportion of the population, particularly the elderly.
According to a recent study published in the Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Journal, it affects approximately 14% of individuals over 45, and its prevalence increases with age.
The study also found that knee osteoarthritis is more common among women than men, with women having a 1.7 times higher prevalence rate.
In addition, individuals who are overweight or obese are at a higher risk of developing knee osteoarthritis, with the prevalence increasing by 2-3 times in those with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher.
Risk Factors for Knee Osteoarthritis
The biggest osteoarthritis risk factor is age. The older we get, the more likely we are to develop these problems.
The main contributors to knee osteoarthritis pain are:
- Age
- Genetics
- Obesity
- Injury
- Surgery
- Overuse
Which of these did I have at age 50, when my knee came to a grinding halt?
Just age, genetics, obesity, injury, surgery, and overuse.
Early Intervention Benefits
Knee osteoarthritis pain is widespread.
The good news is that preventative measures are more effective than repair.
The bad news is that once the damage is too prevalent, the knee joint stops working, except to tell you how much it hurts.
The symptoms of knee osteoarthritis pain can worsen over time if left untreated.
Traditional Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment Options
Treatment for knee osteoarthritis typically involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, such as weight loss, physical therapy, medications, assistive devices, and surgery.
Lifestyle Modifications
Weight loss and regular exercise can help reduce knee joint stress and improve overall joint health.
Physical Therapy
Strengthening exercises and stretching can help to improve joint mobility and reduce pain.
Medications
Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can help manage pain and reduce inflammation.
In some cases, prescription medications, such as corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid injections, may be recommended.
Assistive Devices
Using braces, orthotics, or other assistive devices can help reduce stress on the knee joint and improve mobility.
Surgery
In severe cases of knee osteoarthritis, surgical intervention may be recommended.
Options include partial or total knee replacement surgery, as well as arthroscopy to remove damaged tissue or bone spurs.
Self-Care Measures
- Resting the joint
- Hot packs
- Cold packs
- Exercises, especially of the vastus medialis muscle above the knee
What is Red Light Therapy, and How Does it Help?
Red light therapy is a non-invasive therapeutic modality that uses low-level red light wavelengths to promote healing and reduce pain and inflammation.
Red light therapy devices typically emit light in the 600-1100 nanometers (nm) range (also known as “red” and “infrared”), which is believed to penetrate the skin and stimulate cellular activity.
Potential benefits of red light therapy include improved circulation, increased collagen production, reduced inflammation and pain, and enhanced tissue repair.
Red light therapy treats musculoskeletal conditions, including osteoarthritis, back pain, and tendonitis.
In addition, red light therapy has been used in the treatment of skin conditions such as acne and rosacea and the management of mood disorders such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and depression.
Red light therapy is considered safe and well-tolerated, with few side effects.
However, as with any therapeutic intervention, individuals need to consult a healthcare provider before starting it, particularly if they have any underlying medical conditions.
Should You Use Red Light Therapy for Your Knee Osteoarthritis Pain?
The evidence shows that red light therapy is an effective non-invasive treatment modality for knee osteoarthritis pain.
It offers potential benefits such as reduced inflammation, improved joint function, and decreased pain, making it a promising option for individuals seeking a safe and effective alternative to conventional treatments.
Red Light Therapy and Osteoarthritis
Photobiomodulation, also known as red light therapy (red light therapy), is a non-invasive treatment approach that uses low-level laser therapy or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to stimulate cellular function and reduce inflammation.
Several dozen studies show that red light therapy reduces pain and swelling in arthritic knees.
During red light therapy, light energy is delivered to the affected area using a device such as a handheld wand.
The light penetrates the skin and is absorbed by cells in the body, which can help to stimulate cellular activity and reduce inflammation.
Studies have shown that red light therapy might effectively reduce pain and improve mobility in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
It relieves pain by reducing inflammation and improving circulation in the affected joint.
The immune system interprets constant degeneration as an attack. It sends killer cells and swelling to the knee to fight off the invader.
It can never win this fight because the invader is old age.
Red light therapy triggers growth factors that probably work by rebuilding cartilage in the knee.
This signals the immune system that the constant degenerative attack is less of a threat.
That turns off the chronic inflammation switch.
Red Light Therapy vs. Traditional Knee Treatment
Using non-invasive treatment options for knee osteoarthritis pain can offer several potential benefits over traditional treatment approaches, which may involve invasive procedures or medications.
Some potential benefits of non-invasive treatments for knee osteoarthritis pain include:
Complications
Non-invasive treatments such as red light therapy or physical therapy typically have a lower risk of complications than more invasive treatments such as surgery.
This can reduce the potential for negative side effects or adverse reactions to medications.
Improved Mobility
Noninvasive treatments such as physical therapy or low-impact exercise can improve joint mobility and flexibility, reducing pain and improving overall joint function.
Reduced Medication
Non-invasive treatments may be able to reduce the need for medications such as NSAIDs or corticosteroids, which can have adverse side effects or interact with other medicines.
Cost-Effective
Non-invasive treatments may be less expensive than invasive procedures or ongoing medication costs, making them a more cost-effective option for some patients.
Minimal Recovery Time
Non-invasive treatments typically require little to no recovery time, allowing patients to resume their normal activities more quickly.
Red Light Therapy for Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Study
red light therapy significantly reduces osteoarthritis pain, according to the study “Low-intensity LASER and LED (photobiomodulation therapy) for pain control of the most common musculoskeletal conditions,” published in 2022.
This study evaluated red light therapy on 48 patients with knee osteoarthritis pain.
The subjects were randomized. Half were given placebo treatment.
Neither the researchers nor the subjects knew which subjects received real red light therapy and who received a placebo.
OA pain dropped significantly after four weeks of red light therapy, but only in the treatment group.
The placebo group continued to experience the same severity of pain.
The standardized measurements included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain and function scores, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and timed up-and-go (TUG) test.
Patients who received red light therapy reported no adverse effects or complications.
The study suggests that red light therapy may be a safe and effective non-invasive treatment for knee OA pain and function.
However, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal red light therapy parameters for knee OA treatment.
Final Thoughts
I was lucky to be born in “the future,” when we have technology to ease the pain of growing older.
Red light therapy is scientifically and clinically shown to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis in the knee.
As an adjunct to physical therapy, it effectively gives you back your range of motion.
As a preventative measure, when you can feel the arthritis creeping up on you, it’s a no-brainer.
Here are my favorite red light therapies for knee osteoarthritis.
References
DE Oliveira MF, Johnson DS, Demchak T, Tomazoni SS, Leal-Junior EC. Low-intensity LASER and LED (photobiomodulation therapy) for pain control of the most common musculoskeletal conditions. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2022 Apr;58(2):282-289. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.07236-1. Epub 2021 Dec 16. PMID: 34913330; PMCID: PMC9980499.
