Light Touch

posted by Apollo Lasers on Friday, October 9, 2015

For practitioners, one of the biggest benefits of low-level laser therapy is how easy it is to use. However, that being said, three items are critical: knowing the proper treatment site and the correct therapeutic laser dosage, while also treating contributing factors outside the pain site.

For example, one important area is the thoracolumbar fascia, which helps the body move and helps transfer forces for the lower to the upper extremities. For example, mechanical loads are transferred from the hips, pelvis and lower back to the upper back, shoulders and arms via the TLF.

The TLF consists of three layers that attach to many core-stabilizing structures: an anterior layer, a middle layer and a posterior layer. When you apply laser therapy to the TLF, you can help improve force production across the body and thus reduce pain. 

When you treat certain conditions, make sure to also include the TLF. This original article includes recommended dosage parameters for the following conditions:

• Elbow tendinitis
• Knee pain
• Shoulder pain 

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Laser therapy is a wonderful tool for people seeing a drug-free, noninvasive treatment option for musculoskeletal pain. But it is only as effective as the clinician using it. Pointing it at the wrong spot won’t get you far and having the correct diagnosis is crucial.

The diagnosis is not the cause of the condition. Treating the site of pain with the proper therapeutic laser dosage is a fundamental first step to baseline success. If you don’t identify the correct dosage to target tissue, your clinical outcomes will be poor. You also need to treat contributing factors outside the site of pain such as soft-tissue or fascial restrictions, decreased joint mobility, and trigger points. A linchpin location for laser therapy that has carryover to many musculoskeletal conditions is the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF).

Why the TLF? This area is important for the biomechanics of movement because of its unique ability to shift loads and transfer forces from the lower extremities to the upper extremities.

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This article excerpt, by Perry Nickelston, DC, NKT, FMS, SFMA, originally appeared here: http://www.chiroeco.com/light-touch-therapeutic-laser-dosage/74794/.