Red light therapy, also known as low-level light therapy (LLLT), has become a game-changer for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. From building muscle and enhancing endurance to speeding up recovery, this cutting-edge treatment is making waves in the fitness community. But here’s the question: Should you use red light therapy before or after a workout for maximum benefits?
This guide dives into the research and helps you determine the best approach to leverage red light therapy for performance enhancement, muscle recovery, and injury prevention.
The Science of Red Light Therapy for Fitness
Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of light (630–850 nm) to penetrate skin and muscle tissue, stimulating cellular energy production, reducing inflammation, and improving circulation. The result? Faster recovery, greater endurance, and reduced risk of injuries.
Studies have shown that red light therapy:
- Improves strength, speed, and endurance.
- Accelerates muscle recovery and reduces soreness.
- Promotes faster healing of sports injuries.
Whether applied before, during, or after workouts, red light therapy offers distinct benefits.
Red Light Therapy Before a Workout: Priming Your Performance
Applying red light therapy before exercise can significantly boost your workout performance.
Key Research Supporting Pre-Workout Use
- A 2015 meta-analysis found that pre-exercise red light improved time-to-exhaustion, repetitions, and post-exercise recovery.
- A 2018 study showed athletes who received red light therapy before working out had increased strength and reduced fatigue.
- Research from Brazil (2012) reported that red light reduced oxidative stress and muscle damage while enhancing endurance in untrained athletes.
Benefits of Pre-Workout Red Light Therapy
- Improved strength and endurance: Athletes demonstrated better grip strength, increased power output, and reduced muscle fatigue.
- Delayed onset of fatigue: Red light helps muscles sustain activity longer, allowing for high-intensity performance.
- Enhanced muscle growth: Over a 12-week period, pre-workout red light therapy showed significant improvements in muscle size and strength.
If you’re looking to push harder and recover faster, pre-workout red light therapy is a must.
During Your Workout: A Lesser-Known Option
While applying red light during exercise is less common, it’s effective in specific scenarios.
Highlights from Research
- A 2018 study found that runners treated with red light during treadmill training experienced improved running economy, reduced fatigue, and increased total distance.
- In a 2014 study, red light combined with treadmill workouts enhanced quadriceps power in post-menopausal women.
If you use equipment like treadmills or stationary bikes, integrating red light therapy during workouts can boost performance and minimize fatigue.
Red Light Therapy After a Workout: Recovery Accelerator
Post-workout red light therapy focuses on muscle recovery and injury prevention.
Key Research Findings
- A 2016 clinical trial found that red light therapy post-workout reduced muscle soreness and increased muscle recovery in rugby players.
- A 2014 study showed improved recovery after “damaging eccentric exercise,” with reduced soreness and better range of motion.
- A 2011 study observed increased muscle performance when red light was applied immediately after strength training.
Post-Workout Benefits
- Faster muscle repair: Red light accelerates healing of microtears in muscle fibers, enabling quicker recovery.
- Reduced DOMS: Red light minimizes delayed onset muscle soreness, keeping you motivated to stick with your fitness routine.
- Pain relief and inflammation reduction: Ideal for easing post-workout joint pain and promoting connective tissue healing.
Best of Both Worlds: Red Light Therapy Before and After Exercise
For optimal results, consider combining pre- and post-workout red light therapy.
The Science Behind Dual Treatments
- A 2018 study with 77 participants revealed that red light therapy before and after workouts resulted in significant increases in time-to-exhaustion and oxygen uptake, along with reduced body fat.
By priming your muscles before exercise and promoting recovery after, you’ll unlock peak performance while minimizing downtime.
How Red Light Therapy Boosts Athletic Performance
1. Improves Cellular Energy Production
Red light therapy stimulates mitochondria to produce more ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the fuel for cellular activity. This leads to enhanced muscle performance and accelerated healing.
2. Reduces Inflammation
Chronic inflammation can derail recovery and limit performance. Red light therapy combats oxidative stress and promotes a healthier immune response.
3. Enhances Blood Flow
Increased circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to muscles while flushing out waste products like lactic acid. This supports recovery and reduces soreness.
4. Stimulates Collagen Production
Collagen is vital for healthy muscles, tendons, and joints. Red light promotes collagen synthesis, which helps repair muscle tears and prevent joint pain.
At-Home Red Light Therapy: Your Path to Peak Performance
Investing in a high-quality red light therapy device allows you to enjoy these benefits from the comfort of your home.
With Lumavit devices you can choose between one of the pre-set modes for Red Light Therapy choosing between e.g. “Recovery”, “Fitness” or “Inflammation” – each mode delivering an individual composition of wavelengths, intensity and pulsing of the light.
You can find our range of products HERE.
Treatment Recommendations
- Apply red light to bare skin for 5–20 minutes before and/or after exercise.
- For chronic injuries, longer treatment sessions may be needed for sustained results.
Unlock Your Potential with Red Light Therapy
Whether you’re an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, red light therapy can revolutionize your performance and recovery. Use it before a workout to enhance endurance and strength, and after a workout to accelerate recovery and prevent injuries.
With consistent use, you’ll see improvements in strength, speed, and recovery – all from the comfort of your home. Choose a high-quality device like the Lumavit Home Series to maximize the benefits of this natural, science-backed therapy.
Embrace red light therapy and achieve your fitness goals faster than ever.
Sources:
1. Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Dalan F, Ferrari M, Sbabo FM, Generosi RA, Baroni BM, Penna SC, Iversen VV, Bjordal JM. Effect of 655-nm low-level laser therapy on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue in humans. Photomed Laser Surg. 2008 Oct;26(5):419-24. doi: 10.1089/pho.2007.2160. PMID: 18817474.
2. Leal-Junior EC, Vanin AA, Miranda EF, de Carvalho Pde T, Dal Corso S, Bjordal JM. Effect of phototherapy (low-level laser therapy and light-emitting diode therapy) on exercise performance and markers of exercise recovery: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci. 2015 Feb;30(2):925-39. doi: 10.1007/s10103-013-1465-4. Epub 2013 Nov 19. PMID: 24249354.
3. Rossato M, Dellagrana RA, Sakugawa RL, Lazzari CD, Baroni BM, Diefenthaeler F. Time Response of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Muscular Fatigue in Humans. J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Nov;32(11):3285-3293. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002339. PMID: 29385005.
4. Leal Junior EC, Lopes-Martins RA, Rossi RP, De Marchi T, Baroni BM, de Godoi V, Marcos RL, Ramos L, Bjordal JM. Effect of cluster multi-diode light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) on exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and skeletal muscle recovery in humans. Lasers Surg Med. 2009 Oct;41(8):572-7. doi: 10.1002/lsm.20810. PMID: 19731300.
