Not All Red Lights Are Created Equal

Don't worry. We're not about to turn this into a physics lesson!

But if we're going to use therapeutic equipment alongside our massage and rehabilitation work, I do think we should understand what we're actually putting on the horse.

First up… red is not just red!

This is probably the biggest thing I've taken from looking more closely at photobiomodulation.

When we look at a red light device, our eyes basically tell us:

Yep. That's red.

Scientifically, however, there is much more going on.

Light exists at different wavelengths, measured in nanometres (nm), and therapeutic photobiomodulation devices may use visible red wavelengths, near-infrared wavelengths or combinations of the two.

Different wavelengths interact with tissue differently, which is one reason manufacturers may combine wavelengths within equipment intended for therapeutic use.

And remember something from our last blog?

Near-infrared light isn't visible to our eyes.

So judging a device simply by how brightly it glows red doesn't tell us the whole story.

What about all those LEDs?

You'll often see devices covered in lots of little lights or LEDs.

LED simply stands for light-emitting diode.

What's more important from our perspective is what those LEDs have been designed to deliver.

When looking at a therapeutic device, we might therefore start asking:

What wavelengths does it use?
Does it combine red and near-infrared?
How is the light distributed across the treatment area?
What treatment protocol does the manufacturer recommend?

Suddenly, we're looking beyond “that's a nice bright red pad” and beginning to understand the equipment properly.

That's exactly what I want our Wolds students and graduates to become confident doing.

Does power matter?

Yes, but this is where we need to be slightly careful.

You may come across terms such as power output, irradiance, energy density or dose when looking at photobiomodulation equipment.

They sound complicated, but essentially they are helping to describe how much light energy is being delivered and how it is being delivered to the treatment area.

A bigger number on a specification sheet doesn't automatically mean:

“Brilliant! This one must be better.”

The intended application, wavelength, distance from the tissue, treatment duration and overall dose can all be relevant.

This is why I'd much rather see therapists using a properly designed device according to clear manufacturer guidance than trying to create their own treatment protocol based purely on what sounds most powerful.

With therapeutic modalities, appropriate application matters more than chasing the biggest number.

And then there's the treatment area

This one is particularly relevant when we're dealing with horses.

They're quite big!

If we're interested in working over an area such as the back or hindquarters, the size and design of a device may affect how practical it is to use.

A small handheld unit and a larger flexible pad may both use red and/or near-infrared wavelengths, but they're clearly very different pieces of equipment.

One might suit a small, targeted area.

Another may be designed to cover a broader muscular region.

This doesn't necessarily make one better than the other.

It comes back to a question we've repeated throughout this series:

What are we trying to achieve?

Once you know that, choosing the appropriate equipment becomes much more logical.

Why manufacturer information really matters

This is something I think is going to become increasingly important as red light equipment becomes more readily available.

A reputable manufacturer should be able to tell you what its equipment actually delivers.

Not simply:
“It's red light and it's good for horses.”
We want useful information.
What wavelengths are being used?
How should the equipment be positioned?
How long is a treatment session?
How frequently is the manufacturer recommending its use?
Are there situations where it shouldn't be used?
How should the equipment be maintained and used safely?

Good manufacturer guidance gives us something concrete to work from.

And as therapists, we can then combine that information with our own education, assessment skills and professional judgement.

A quick shopping checklist – without going shopping!

If I were teaching one of our students to start looking at red light equipment, I wouldn't tell them to immediately choose a particular machine.

I'd tell them to start asking questions.

1. What wavelengths does it use?
Don't just look for the words “red light”. Find out what the device actually produces.
2. Does it include near-infrared wavelengths?
Remember, you won't necessarily be able to see these with your eyes.
3. What area has the equipment been designed to treat?
Think about how you realistically intend to use it on a horse.
4. Are the treatment protocols clear?
You shouldn't have to guess how long or how frequently the manufacturer intends the equipment to be used.
5. Is there good information available from the company?
Education, technical information, safety guidance and support all matter.
6. Do you understand why you're buying it?
Probably the most important question of all!
Don't buy a machine and then go looking for horses to use it on.

Understand the modality first.

Where does this leave us as massage therapists?

Hopefully, after these three blogs, red light feels a little less mysterious.

We've gone from:
“What's that glowing red thing?”
to understanding a little about photobiomodulation, cellular responses, red and near-infrared wavelengths, treatment parameters and now the equipment itself.

But I want to bring us right back to where we started.

Our hands still matter.

A piece of equipment doesn't replace palpation.

It doesn't replace understanding anatomy.

It doesn't replace movement assessment.

And it certainly doesn't replace recognising when something isn't within our remit and needs veterinary investigation.

What technology can potentially do is sit alongside those skills.

And that's where I think things become really exciting.

So, after three blogs… what do we think about red light?

I'm definitely interested.

The more we explore photobiomodulation, the more fascinating the science becomes and the more I can see why this area has attracted so much attention within human and veterinary rehabilitation.

For me, though, the exciting bit isn't simply owning another machine.

It's understanding how and why we might use it.

That's the difference between collecting equipment and developing professionally.

And it's exactly why we're going to continue exploring modalities like this through Wolds Equine Rehabilitation & Training and our CPD.

One last thought before we switch the red lights off…

Technology within equine therapy isn't going to stand still.

Equipment will continue to develop.
Research will continue.
Our understanding will change.
And that's a good thing.
As therapists, we don't have to know everything.
But we should be willing to keep learning.

So if you've followed all three of these blogs, I hope the next time you see a horse standing underneath that familiar red glow, you don't just think:

“Red light therapy.”

I hope you find yourself wondering:

What wavelengths are being used?

What's the intended treatment objective?

What does that particular equipment deliver?

And how could it appropriately complement everything else we're doing for this horse?

Because ultimately, the machine is only one part of the picture.

Good hands, good knowledge, good equipment and good professional judgement all need to work together.

And as we continue developing our CPD and exploring different modalities at Wolds Equine Rehabilitation & Training, that's exactly the approach we'll be taking.

Keep the hands. Keep asking questions. And don't be afraid to add a little technology along the way.