Red Light Therapy, also known as photobiomodulation (PBM), uses specific red and near-infrared wavelengths to support cellular energy, circulation, tissue repair, and inflammation regulation.

At Excelsior Integrative Massage Therapy and Wellness, we use Red Light Therapy primarily for musculoskeletal concerns rather than cosmetic treatment. Therapy is targeted directly to an area such as the low back, shoulder, knee, hip, calf or another region affected by pain, irritation, muscle overload or delayed recovery.

Red Light Therapy can be booked on its own. However, at our clinic it is most commonly incorporated into a Massage Therapy + Red Light Therapy Integrative Session, allowing photobiomodulation and hands-on treatment to be used together when appropriate.

Learn more about the benefits of Red Light Therapy in our detailed blog post.

How Red Light Therapy Works for Pain, Inflammation and Recovery

Photobiomodulation uses red and near-infrared wavelengths that can be absorbed by light-sensitive molecules within cells. This interaction may influence mitochondrial activity, nitric-oxide signalling, oxidative balance and other cellular processes involved in inflammation, pain and recovery.

You will sometimes see this simplified to “red light increases ATP.” ATP—the energy cells use—is part of the picture, but photobiomodulation is more complex than simply giving cells extra energy. The biological response can vary according to the wavelength used, the amount of light delivered, the tissue being treated and the condition involved.

Unlike ultraviolet light, red and near-infrared wavelengths are non-ionizing. Red Light Therapy does not work by tanning, burning or damaging tissue.

Treatment time alone also does not determine how much photobiomodulation someone receives. Different devices produce different outputs, so a lower-output device may require a longer treatment time than a device designed to deliver its treatment dose more efficiently.

Woman using targeted red and near-infrared light therapy on the shoulder

Our Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy System

At Excelsior Integrative, we use a flexible red and near-infrared photobiomodulation system designed for targeted treatment of specific areas rather than broad, full-body exposure.

Because the device contours directly around the body, it can be positioned over areas such as the low back, shoulder, hip, knee or extremities. This makes it especially useful in a manual therapy setting, where treatment is typically focused on a particular painful, irritated or recovering region.

The system combines six red and near-infrared wavelengths: 630, 660, 810, 850, 904 and 1064 nm. Using multiple wavelengths allows the treatment area to receive both visible red and near-infrared light, which interact with tissue at different depths.

Treatment is delivered in a programmed 10-minute cycle. This is shorter than the exposure time required by some of the Red Light Therapy equipment previously used at our clinic, but treatment time alone does not determine dose. Photobiomodulation dose depends on factors including wavelength, light output and exposure time.

For this reason, we focus on delivering an appropriate targeted treatment dose to the area being addressed, rather than assuming that a longer session is necessarily more effective.

Why Use Both Red and Near-Infrared Light?

Red and near-infrared wavelengths do not interact with the body in exactly the same way.

Visible red light is generally absorbed more superficially, while near-infrared wavelengths can interact with tissues at greater depths. Combining the two can therefore be useful when treating musculoskeletal areas involving several tissue layers.

A painful shoulder, knee or low back, for example, may involve skin, fascia, muscle, connective tissue and deeper structures within the same region.

This does not mean that a particular wavelength can be guaranteed to reach one precise muscle, tendon or joint in every person. Tissue depth, anatomy, skin characteristics and device placement all influence how light is absorbed.

When Might Red Light Therapy Be Useful?

At Excelsior Integrative, we primarily consider Red Light Therapy when pain, inflammation, muscle recovery or tissue irritation is part of the clinical picture.

It may be considered for areas affected by exercise-related muscle soreness, persistent soft-tissue irritation, joint discomfort, overuse, training-related fatigue or recovery following an injury.

It may also be useful when an area is too sensitive to tolerate aggressive hands-on treatment. Photobiomodulation provides a non-invasive treatment option that does not require deep pressure, needles or electrical stimulation.

We do not view Red Light Therapy as a replacement for assessment, rehabilitation, exercise, progressive loading or medical care. It is better understood as one potential tool within a broader treatment or recovery plan.

Red Light Therapy for Pain and Inflammation

Pain is complex. It cannot usually be explained by a single tight muscle, inflammatory molecule or damaged structure.

Research into photobiomodulation suggests that red and near-infrared light may influence inflammatory signalling, local circulation and cellular processes associated with pain. Clinical studies have reported reductions in pain in some musculoskeletal conditions, although results vary according to the condition and treatment protocol used.

This is one reason we use RLT as an adjunct rather than a cure.

Reducing discomfort may make movement, exercise or hands-on treatment easier to tolerate. It does not necessarily correct the underlying reason a problem keeps returning.

Red Light Therapy for Muscle Recovery

Photobiomodulation has also been studied in exercise and sports recovery.

Research suggests appropriately dosed red and near-infrared light may help reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and support recovery of some measures of muscle performance following demanding exercise.

This can make RLT useful during periods of heavier training, following competition or when muscle soreness is interfering with comfortable movement.

It does not replace the fundamentals of recovery: adequate sleep, nutrition, appropriate training load and enough time between demanding sessions still matter.

What Does the Research Show?

Photobiomodulation has been studied across a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, although the strength of the evidence varies depending on the condition, treatment dose and study design.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining photobiomodulation for knee osteoarthritis found that treatment was associated with reduced pain compared with placebo. The authors noted, however, that the certainty of the evidence remained low and did not support using photobiomodulation as a replacement for other appropriate treatments.

Research: Photobiomodulation therapy for pain and disability in knee osteoarthritis

Photobiomodulation has also been studied in exercise and muscle recovery. Research suggests that appropriately dosed red and near-infrared light may help reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and support recovery of some measures of muscle performance, although results vary considerably between protocols.

Research: Effects of photobiomodulation on exercise performance and recovery

For sports injuries, a 2024 systematic review found evidence that photobiomodulation may reduce musculoskeletal pain in injured athletes. Importantly, the available research did not demonstrate that it shortened the time required to return to sport.

Research: Photobiomodulation therapy for musculoskeletal injuries in athletes

This distinction matters. Pain relief, improved comfort and faster tissue healing are not necessarily the same outcome. At Excelsior Integrative, we therefore use Red Light Therapy to support pain management and recovery rather than promising that it will accelerate healing or shorten recovery time.

Research has also explored photobiomodulation for other musculoskeletal complaints, including plantar heel pain, tendinopathies and joint-related pain, with results that vary according to the condition and treatment parameters.

For a more detailed discussion of how photobiomodulation works, what different wavelengths may do and where the evidence is strongest or weakest, see our Benefits of Red Light Therapy guide.

Woman receiving targeted red and near-infrared light therapy on the neck and upper back

What Does a Red Light Therapy Treatment Feel Like?

Red Light Therapy is non-invasive.

There are no needles, electrical currents or manual pressure involved. The RLT unit is positioned directly over the treatment area, and most people simply feel the flexible device resting against the body. Some mild warmth may be noticeable during treatment.

The device is generally applied directly to clean skin, before massage creams, oils or other topical products are used on that area.

A standard treatment at our clinic cycle lasts 10 minutes.

Can Red Light Therapy Be Booked on Its Own?

Yes.

Standalone Red Light Therapy is available for clients who want focused photobiomodulation without massage or another hands-on therapy.

The appointment allows time to identify the treatment area, position the Lumaflex Essential Pro and complete its 10-minute treatment cycle. Treatment is generally focused on one primary region at a time rather than briefly moving the device between several unrelated areas.

Standalone Red Light Therapy may be useful when hands-on treatment is not desired, when an area is particularly sensitive, or when RLT is being used as part of an existing recovery plan.

Most clients at Excelsior Integrative, however, choose to incorporate Red Light Therapy into a massage therapy appointment.

 Combining Red Light Therapy with Massage Therapy

Our Massage Therapy + Red Light Therapy Integrative Session combines targeted photobiomodulation with individualized hands-on RMT treatment.

Because our RLT device is flexible and wearable, it can often be positioned over the priority area while your Registered Massage Therapist treats another region of the body.

For example, the unit may be applied to the low back while massage begins elsewhere. Once the 10-minute light treatment is complete, the device can be removed and hands-on treatment can continue over the low back as appropriate.

This allows Red Light Therapy to complement the massage rather than simply replacing a large portion of the appointment with passive treatment time.

It also allows the treatment to be sequenced appropriately: RLT can be applied directly to clean skin before massage cream or other topical products are used.

For appointment options, treatment structure and booking information, visit our Massage Therapy + Red Light Therapy page.

How Many Red Light Therapy Sessions Are Needed?

There is no universal number of sessions that applies to everyone.

Photobiomodulation research uses a wide range of treatment frequencies and treatment doses. How often RLT is appropriate depends on the condition being addressed, the stage of recovery, the treatment goal and how the individual responds.

Someone using RLT around a demanding training period may have very different needs from someone dealing with persistent joint or soft-tissue discomfort.

For this reason, we do not assume that every client needs a predetermined package or fixed number of treatments.

Like any other therapeutic modality, Red Light Therapy should be judged by a simple question:

Is it helping?

If symptoms and function are not changing, simply adding more light treatments is not necessarily the solution.

What Red Light Therapy Cannot Do

Red Light Therapy is sometimes marketed with an enormous range of claims. We prefer to be more specific.

RLT cannot diagnose the source of pain. It cannot restore strength that has not been rebuilt through exercise. It cannot correct poor training load, replace appropriate rehabilitation or eliminate the need for medical assessment when symptoms warrant it.

It should not delay evaluation of severe, unexplained or worsening pain, neurological symptoms or other concerning changes.

Our Red Light Therapy service is also not a cosmetic full-body light treatment or tanning service. Its use at Excelsior Integrative is primarily directed toward pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal recovery.

For the appropriate situation, however, it can be a comfortable and low-burden addition to a broader treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Photobiomodulation has shown promising results for pain in some musculoskeletal conditions and may influence cellular processes involved in inflammation. Results vary according to the condition, treatment dose and individual response, which is why we use RLT as a supportive modality rather than presenting it as a standalone cure.

The RLT device used at Excelsior Integrative has a programmed 10-minute treatment cycle. Different photobiomodulation devices may require different treatment times because dose depends on wavelength, light output and exposure time rather than duration alone.

Yes. Targeted standalone Red Light Therapy is available. At Excelsior Integrative, however, RLT is more commonly used as part of our Massage Therapy + Red Light Therapy Integrative Session, where photobiomodulation and hands-on treatment can be combined during the same visit.

No. Red Light Therapy is non-invasive and does not involve needles, electrical stimulation or manual pressure. Most people find the treatment comfortable.

It may be useful following demanding exercise or during heavy training periods. Research suggests photobiomodulation may reduce some measures of post-exercise muscle soreness and support recovery, although it does not replace adequate rest, nutrition and appropriate training management.

Red Light Therapy is generally well tolerated, but treatment may not be appropriate in every situation. Relevant health history, medications, photosensitivity and the area being treated should be considered before treatment. Medical clearance may be recommended when appropriate.

Standalone Red Light Therapy is not generally reimbursed in the same way as massage therapy, and individual insurance plans vary.

When Red Light Therapy is incorporated into treatment provided by a Registered Massage Therapist, the appointment may be eligible for reimbursement under most massage therapy benefits when provided by an RMT, subject to the terms of the client’s individual plan.

No. Red Light Therapy may support pain management and recovery, but it does not replace assessment, hands-on care, strengthening, rehabilitation or medical treatment when those are appropriate.

You Might Also Like

If you are interested in using Red Light Therapy alongside hands-on care, this RMT Integrative Session combines individualized massage therapy with one targeted 10-minute red and near-infrared light cycle on the primary area being addressed. Learn what the appointment involves, who it may suit and how the light treatment is incorporated without replacing your massage time. [Explore Massage Therapy + Red Light Therapy]

Red Light Therapy is promoted for everything from skin health to chronic pain, but the evidence is much stronger for some applications than others. Our detailed guide examines how photobiomodulation works, what current research suggests about pain, inflammation and recovery, and where the evidence remains uncertain. [Read]

Interested in Red Light Therapy?

Red Light Therapy can be booked as a standalone targeted treatment, but at Excelsior Integrative it is most often incorporated into a Massage Therapy + Red Light Therapy Integrative Session when both photobiomodulation and hands-on treatment may be useful.

If you are dealing with persistent muscle tension, exercise-related soreness, an irritated joint or a recovering area, your RMT can incorporate a targeted Red Light Therapy treatment into your massage based on the region being addressed.

Red Light Therapy is also available as part of our Facial Cupping + Gua Sha + Massage + RLT treatment. Because that session is designed for the face and neck, a different Red Light Therapy unit is used than the targeted musculoskeletal system described on this page.

Located near Yonge & Eglinton in Midtown Toronto, serving clients from Davisville, Mount Pleasant, Leaside, Lawrence Park, Forest Hill and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Not sure if Red Light Therapy is right for you? Contact us to discuss your specific needs and explore the best treatment options.

Visit our services page to explore other complementary treatments.