The Use of Cold Laser Therapy in the Management of Foot and Heel Pain

ML830 Laser at Family Foot and Leg Center, P.A. Naples,FL

There are a number of treatments available for foot pain and heel pain. One of these is the use of cold laser, which uses low intensity or low levels of laser light.

Also known as low level laser therapy or LLLT, low power laser therapy, soft laser, and therapeutic laser, it has been used for many years in treating sports injuries, back pain, neck pain, arthritic joints, muscle stiffness, and many other acute and chronic pain conditions.

Laser is actually an acronym and it stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser have several uses, depending on the intensity and appropriate wavelength used. The use of laser therapy in managing pain, laser sends light energy which is absorbed to increase production of adenosine triphospate or ATP in the cells. Increase ATP production promotes muscle relaxation. Cold laser therapy also stimulates the the nerves and help generate new healthy cells.

Laser stimulates and improves blood circulation, sends more immune cells to damaged areas and promotes cellular oxygenation. It reduces inflammation by enhancing lymphatic drainage and speeds up healing.

Cold laser therapy improves tissue healing, reduces inflammation, and has an analgesic effect. This pain treatment is non invasive and there are no side effects. During treatment the patients will not feel any pain or discomfort. The properties of cold laser is that it penetrates the skin with no heating effect and no damage to the skin.

One of the recommendations in the clinical practice guidelines published September 2010 in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy states that clinicians should consider the use of low level laser therapy to decrease pain and stiffness in patients with Achilles tendinopathy along with other interventions such as physical therapy, stretching, use of foot orthoses, and night splints.

Different kinds of cold lasers are used to treat inflammation, reduce pain, alleviate nerve irritation and improve musculoskeletal conditions. Cold laser is different from the conventional lasers used in surgery which is widely used to cut or burn tissues, as seen in cancer treatment. Cold laser treatment or low level laser treatment do not produce head but instead converts light energy into chemical energy to increase the natural healing ability of the body.

To date, there are a number of cold laser that use different wavelengths, power and coverage area that are cleared by the FDA. One of the cold lasers used to accelerate healing and improve recovery time is the ML830. It gets its name based on a wavelength of 830nm that has a penetration capacity of around 5cm covering an area of about 3cm. It is useful in providing immediate pain relief for conditions like soft tissue injury, arthritis, muscle spasm, joint pain, stiffness, bursitis, tendonitis, knee and ankle pain, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and tendon tears. As a non invasive medical device, the ML830 provides reliable and effective treatment options to the clinician and patient.

Family Foot and Leg Center in Naples, FL offers ML830 cold laser treatment for foot pain and heel pain. Contact Dr. Kevin Lam at (239) 430 3668 for more details.