04/12/2025
This is a really important part of treatment with all the machine modalities out there.
I use my laser a lot but often on different frequencies, strengths and density. One size does not fit all when it comes to muscle tears or tendon damage or ligament strain.
I was revisiting some notes on photobiomodulation the other day, and it struck me how far we’ve come in understanding something that used to feel a bit like “magic light therapy.”
Over the years, the research has become clearer: the dose matters, the wavelength matters, and the tissue target matters even more. And yet, in the clinic, it can still feel surprisingly easy to slip into old habits - grabbing the laser because “it usually helps” without pausing to ask whether we’re using the right parameters for the specific tissue and condition in front of us.
Reading this weeks blog, this line stands out: Photobiomodulation isn’t just about turning light on; it’s about delivering energy in a way the cell can actually use. That reminder alone shifts the focus from the machine to the physiology - from “doing laser” to supporting mitochondrial function, modulating inflammation, and influencing pain pathways in a meaningful, evidence-informed way.
It also made me think about how often we underestimate the importance of calibration, treatment distance, or even the pigment and density of the tissue we’re treating. These tiny details add up, and they’re exactly what separate a protocol that “sort of works” from one that consistently delivers results.
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for those small refinements, the tweaks in technique or reasoning that make a modality more intentional, more effective, and more aligned with the science we keep learning.
If you’d like to read the full blog that inspired this reflection, drop BLOG in the comments and I’ll send you the link.
