The goal here isn’t to convince you that red light therapy is a miracle treatment or to sell you a machine. Instead, the information that follows is intended to help you understand the science behind Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT). In turn, you will be able to separate the evidence from the marketing and make informed decisions about your health.
If you only remember a handful of things from this post, let them be these.
“Red Light Therapy” is really called photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT)
You may have heard it referred to as several different names:
- Red Light Therapy (RLT)
- Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)
- Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT)
- Cold Laser Therapy
- Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT)
These terms all describe the same general field of treatment. Red light therapy has become the commonplace phrase, however, Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) is now the preferred scientific and medical term.
What does Photobiomodulation mean? This is how the word is broken down:
Photo = Light
Bio = Living tissue
Modulation = To change or influence (stimulate or inhibit)
In simple terms, PBMT uses specific wavelengths of light to influence the behaviour of our cells. Typically, PBMT is trying to accelerate [or stimulate] tissue repair, and inhibit pain.
PBMT is all about improving cellular health
Every cell in your body requires energy to function.
That energy comes from a molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
Think of ATP as the rechargeable battery that powers every cell in your body.
The structures responsible for producing ATP are called mitochondria, often referred to as the “powerhouses” of the cell.
Specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light are absorbed by an enzyme inside the mitochondria called cytochrome c oxidase.
This is an enzyme that facilitates the bonding of phosphate to adenosine diphosphate [ADP]. Simply put, the partiocular blend of light wavelengths helps the mitochondria produce ATP more efficiently.
More ATP means your cells have more energy available to carry out the jobs they’re already designed to do.
These include:
- Repairing damaged tissue
- Supporting healthy inflammation
- Producing collagen
- Maintaining healthy nerve function
- Recovering after exercise
- Supporting normal cellular function
PBMT doesn’t teach your body how to heal.
Your body already knows how to do that.
Instead, PBMT may help provide your cells with more energy to perform those jobs more efficiently.
A Simple Analogy
Imagine renovating a house.
The builders already know exactly what to do.
The plans have been drawn.
The tools are ready.
Now imagine the electricity keeps cutting out.
The builders spend more time waiting than working.
Photobiomodulation doesn’t employ more builders.
It doesn’t redesign the house.
It simply supplies more power to the tools the builders are already using.
That’s a useful way to think about what PBMT is doing inside your cells.
Not all red light devices are created equal
This is perhaps the most important message within this body of information.
There are now hundreds of red light products available.
Face masks.
Light panels.
Belts.
Caps.
Hand-held devices.
Whole-body beds.
Beauty treatments.
Recovery centres.
With so many options available, how are you to know what’s worthwhile?
Current research suggests that three factors are particularly important.
1. Wavelength
Different wavelengths of light penetrate to different depths within the body.
The two wavelengths with some of the strongest scientific support are approximately:
660 nm (Red Light)
Excellent for more superficial tissues such as skin and shallower muscles.
850 nm (Near-Infrared Light)
Penetrates deeper into muscles, tendons and joints.
Many high-quality clinical systems, including the NovoTHOR whole body light bed, combine both wavelengths to treat tissues at different depths.
2. Irradiance
Irradiance simply describes how much useful light reaches the tissue.
A helpful analogy is watering your garden.
Imagine trying to water your tomatoes.
You could use:
- A small spray bottle.
- A garden hose.
Both contain water.
Both will eventually water the plant.
However, one delivers the water much more effectively.
Light works in much the same way.
For PBMT to have a meaningful biological effect, enough useful light must actually reach the target tissue
3. Dose
Dose refers to the total amount of light energy delivered during a treatment.
Interestingly, more is not always better.
Too little light may have very little effect.
Too much light can also reduce the benefits.
Researchers refer to this as the biphasic dose response.
The goal isn’t simply “more light.”
The goal is the right dose.
Distance Matters
Light intensity decreases rapidly as you move further away from the source.
This means standing a long distance from a light panel may significantly reduce the amount of useful light reaching your body.
For this reason, treatment distance is an important part of delivering an effective PBMT session. The closer your body can be to the source of the light, the less chance the light has to scatter before it reaches the treatment site.
Remember – light is absorbed by clothing. Using light therapy products whilst clothed is the same as trying to get a sun tan underground.
A Helpful Analogy
Plants don’t simply need “light.”
They need:
- The right wavelength
- Enough light intensity
- The right amount of exposure time
Your cells are remarkably similar.
Photobiomodulation isn’t simply about shining something red at the body.
It’s about delivering the right wavelength, at the right irradiance, for the right dose.
Does Laser Work Better Than LED?
This is probably the most commonly debated topic within PBMT.
The short answer is:
Not necessarily.
Lasers produce a highly organised, coherent, beam of light. Think of a spot light shining on somebody on a stage.
LEDs dproduce more widespread light that is incoherent. Think of flood lights on a tennis court.
However, once light enters your body it scatters very quickly.
Many researchers therefore argue that what matters far more is:
- The wavelength
- The irradiance
- The dose delivered to the tissue
Rather than whether the light originally came from a laser or an LED.
Both technologies have an important place in modern photobiomodulation.
What Can PBMT Help With?
Research into photobiomodulation is growing rapidly, with thousands of published scientific papers investigating its use.
Some of the strongest evidence currently supports its use in helping with:
- Temporary relief of musculoskeletal pain
- Exercise recovery
- Muscle fatigue
- Muscle performance
- Soft tissue healing
- Wound healing
- Tendon and ligament injuries
- Reducing inflammation
- Improving circulation
- Supporting recovery following some injuries and surgical procedures (under appropriate medical guidance)
Researchers are also investigating many other potential applications. While some early findings are promising, it’s important to distinguish between areas supported by strong clinical evidence and those where research is still emerging.
PBMT Complements Exercise – It Doesn’t Replace It
One of the most powerful things you can do for your health is to keep moving.
Pilates, strength training, walking and regular exercise all remain fundamental to maintaining healthy muscles, bones and joints.
Photobiomodulation isn’t designed to replace exercise.
Instead, many clinicians view PBMT as helping support the body’s natural recovery processes, allowing people to recover more effectively between training sessions or while recovering from injury.
Think of exercise as telling your body to adapt.
Photobiomodulation may help provide your cells with the energy needed to support that adaptation.
The two work together, not against one another.
Why I Chose the NovoTHOR?
When I decided to introduce photobiomodulation into my practice, I wasn’t looking for the brightest lights or the most impressive marketing.
I wanted a system built around the factors that the research consistently tells us matter.
The NovoTHOR combines:
- Whole-body treatment
- Two extensively researched wavelengths (660 nm and 850 nm)
- Carefully controlled irradiance
- Evidence-based treatment protocols
- Comfortable treatments lasting around 20 minutes
For people requiring treatment across multiple body regions, whole-body photobiomodulation can also be significantly more practical than treating one small area at a time.
The Bottom Line
If you remember only one thing from everything above, remember this:
Photobiomodulation isn’t simply about buying a red light.
It’s about delivering:
- The right wavelength
- At the right irradiance
- For the right dose
- To the right tissue
That’s what the science consistently tells us.
Want to Learn More?
If this has sparked your curiosity and you’d like to learn more about Photobiomodulation Therapy or experience the NovoTHOR for yourself, I’d be delighted to help.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing ongoing aches and pains, looking to enhance your recovery from exercise, or simply interested in optimising your health, feel free to get in touch.
