Light, used as medicine.
Class IV Laser and Red Light Therapy are two of the more useful tools in modern recovery. Both work through photobiomodulation, focused therapeutic light that stimulates cellular repair, reduces inflammation, and speeds tissue healing. Dr. Maurer uses them alongside adjustment, soft-tissue work, and rehab, not as standalone fixes.
Cases that respond well.
Stubborn tendon issues
Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinitis, lateral elbow pain, rotator cuff irritation. Tendon tissue is famously slow to remodel; laser accelerates the process when paired with loaded rehab.
Post-surgical recovery
Once cleared by your surgeon, laser can support scar tissue remodeling, reduce post-op inflammation, and shorten the time before you return to full movement.
Acute sprains and strains
Ankle sprains, hamstring strains, calf pulls. Used in the first 1 to 2 weeks to manage inflammation without NSAIDs and to maintain tissue quality during off-loading.
Chronic spine and joint pain
Long-standing low-back, neck, knee, or hip pain that is not resolving with adjustment alone. Laser is added to the plan, not substituted for it.
Plantar fasciitis
One of the most well-studied indications. Combined with foot mobility work and calf release, response rates are good.
Race & event recovery
Post-marathon, post-tournament, or post-tournament block. Speeds the return to normal training.
Two technologies. One mechanism.
Both Class IV Laser and Red Light deliver specific wavelengths of light that interact with mitochondria in your cells, increasing ATP production and modulating the inflammatory response.
Class IV Laser
High-power, focused, deep-penetrating. The right tool for a specific injury site, a stubborn tendon, or a deep recovery point. Sessions are typically 6 to 12 minutes per area.
Red Light Therapy
Lower-power, broader coverage. The right tool for whole-region recovery, inflammation across a larger area, or supportive care between targeted treatments. Sessions are typically 10 to 20 minutes.
Integrated into care
Used in combination with chiropractic adjustment, IASTM, cupping, and functional rehabilitation. The order matters, soft tissue first, laser second, adjustment last in many cases.
Honest sessioning
You will get a specific number of sessions to expect, with re-evaluation points. If something is not working at the 4-session mark, the plan changes.
We do not use laser over an active malignancy in the treatment area, over the abdomen during pregnancy, directly over a recent corticosteroid injection, or on patients with photosensitivity from medication. We screen for these on every first visit.
Laser and Red Light questions.
What is Class IV Laser Therapy?
Class IV Laser Therapy uses focused, high-power therapeutic light to penetrate tissue and stimulate cellular repair. The clinical name for the underlying mechanism is photobiomodulation. It is non-thermal at therapeutic doses, drug-free, and most patients feel only a mild warmth during a session.
How is Red Light Therapy different from Class IV Laser?
Both work through photobiomodulation, but they treat different jobs. Red Light panels deliver broader-area, lower-intensity light over a larger surface and are useful for general recovery, inflammation, and skin and connective-tissue support. Class IV Laser delivers higher power to a focused area and is the better fit for a specific injury site, deep tendon work, or a stubborn recovery point.
What conditions respond well to laser and red light?
Common cases include tendinopathy (Achilles, patellar, lateral elbow), post-surgical recovery, plantar fasciitis, chronic low-back and neck pain, sprains and strains, post-event recovery for runners and lifters, and stubborn inflammation that has not responded to rest. Dr. Maurer integrates laser and red light into a broader plan rather than offering them as a standalone treatment.
Are there side effects?
Therapeutic laser is generally very well tolerated. Some patients notice mild local warmth or transient redness. Eye protection is worn during Class IV sessions. We screen for contraindications such as pregnancy over the abdomen, active malignancy in the treatment area, and recent steroid injections.
How many sessions do I need?
Acute injuries often respond within 4 to 6 sessions. Chronic conditions typically need 8 to 12 sessions, scheduled close together at the start and tapered as the tissue responds. Dr. Maurer reviews progress at each visit and adjusts the plan rather than locking you into a fixed package.
Related: Soft tissue & recovery therapies · Sports chiropractic · Overuse injuries
Get the recovery you need.
Call to describe what you are dealing with. We will tell you whether laser belongs in the plan, or whether something else does.