Unlike most home remedies, red light therapy is backed by hundreds of peer-reviewed clinical studies that show effectiveness for pain and joint disorders, with very few risks or side effects. Below we’ll dive into some of the science and research behind LED red light treatments for pain.

Red light therapy has a strong clinical track record for osteoarthritis pain. In one double-blind clinical study, 50 patients with degenerative osteoarthritis in both knees were treated with either red light, infrared light, or a placebo for ten days. 

There were no significant pain improvements in the placebo group. But the red and infrared groups saw their pain reduced by over 50%. This led the research team to conclude that red light therapy “is effective in relieving pain and disability in degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee.”

Red light therapy for ankle pain:

In a 2018 clinical trial, patients with acute ankle sprains were treated with red light from LED devices for six days. Compared to a placebo group, the patients reported significantly less ankle pain after three days. The researchers concluded that red light therapy “is effective for pain and edema in the initial phase of ankle sprains.”

Red light therapy for lower back pain: 

Red light therapy has consistently shown good clinical results for lower back pain. Infrared and near infrared light have demonstrated improved pain scores in studies and trials, especially for the treatment of chronic lower back pain