Infrared light wavelengths are now being used to train muscles and treat muscle injuries. The question is, how can this therapy help your muscles? Here we will talk about several benefits of infrared therapy influencing your muscles.
Near-infrared light wavelengths energize your body cells to trigger the growth and repair of muscle cells and tissues. Many gyms and healthcare facilities are now incorporating red light therapy at the gym to reduce recovery time after exercising. Let’s discuss these benefits in detail.
Infrared Therapy for Muscle
Infrared light wavelengths start just after the visible light wavelengths. Therefore, they are not visible to our eyes. From 780 nm to 1 mm, light wavelengths are considered ar infrared light wavelengths.
However, only a smaller portion of infrared wavelengths can be used for therapeutic purposes. The near-infrared wavelengths ( 810 nm – 870 nm) give you the best therapeutic benefits. Although bigger wavelengths can travel deeper into the body, they don’t carry enough energy to benefit your health and can burn your skin.
When near-infrared light wavelengths fall on the body cells, mitochondria gather energy from the light wavelengths. These energized mitochondria then elevate metabolic activities in the whole body.
When metabolic activities increase, several things start to happen at the same time. First, the damaged body cells can repair themselves and replicate healthy growth. Therefore, your body heals faster and gets rejuvenated.
Secondly, the enhanced metabolic condition improves circulation in the body. Thus, blood can effectively reach all over the body and can carry important nutrients.
Thirdly, near-infrared wavelengths heat up your muscles to get to an ambient temperature where metabolic activities can be performed most efficiently. And lastly, several hormones and protein production in the body is influenced when light is administered to your body.
These four factors contribute to the following benefits to your muscles:
Recover and Improve Muscle Mass
Your whole body depends on your muscle mass to carry it from one place to another. You may want to increase your muscle mass for several reasons. In that manner, infrared therapy can help you.
Exercising is the primary way to increase your muscle mass. Also, your body will need plenty of protein to grow your muscles.
When near-infrared therapy is administered, it repairs the damaged muscle cells and tissues. Additionally, it helps grow new muscle cells to aid in building your muscle mass.
Also, near-infrared therapy triggers elevated growth of collagen protein. This protein helps exceptionally in building your muscle.
Reducing Muscle Pain
While building muscle, it is common to get injured. Muscle injuries can keep you away from training for a long time while harming your overall growth.
You can administer near-infrared light therapy to get rid of muscle pain quickly and get back to your training. In addition to helping new cell growth, near-infrared light wavelengths improve your body’s overall circulation.
With better circulation, oxygen-rich blood can reach the injured area to promote faster wound healing. The bigger light wavelength can reach your deep muscle tissues and start healing from there. Thus, you can get relieved of pain faster when using near-infrared light therapy.
Improve Flexibility
Warming up before your exercise session is quite crucial. Without properly warming up, the risk of injuries only increases.
Using infrared therapy before exercising heats up your muscle. Therefore, your muscles get unclenched, and your flexibility range improves. The heating up of muscles also aids in reducing pain and soreness.
Aids with Arthritis Pain
Arthritis patients often experience swelling and tenderness in their muscles and joints. Some patients may experience stiff muscles and tremendous pain due to this chronic illness.
Near-infrared therapy has shown significant promise in treating arthritis pain. The heating up of muscles, combined with better circulation, healing properties, and triggering of melatonin hormone, helps patients cope with arthritis pain.
Removing Toxins and Other Cellular Matter
As mentioned before, near-infrared wavelengths help heat up your body. Therefore, your body sweats, and toxins can be removed from your body.
With improved circulation, this process becomes more effective, and you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a near-infrared therapy session.
Cardiovascular Workout
Many saunas are now incorporating infrared light wavelengths to heat up. While it is more comfortable than classic ones, it also offers elevated health benefits.
When you spend 30 minutes in an infrared sauna, your body gets rid of different harmful cellular matters like toxins. Additionally, it can mimic a cardiovascular workout for your heart for better bodily function.
Bottom Line
By perfecting LED light technology, near-infrared therapy has emerged with exceptional health benefits. Once you administer this therapy, your muscles become stronger and get better mass than before.
However, consult your doctor or gym instructor before getting this therapy for the first time. This therapy is completely safe. So, you can just turn on your device, expose yourself to the therapy light, and have a 20 -30 minutes session for the best results for your muscles.
