Laser Therapy for Sports Injuries: Faster Recovery, Less Pain

When an injury takes you out of the game, every single day matters. Whether you pulled a muscle at practice, tweaked your knee on the weekend, or have been dealing with nagging pain that just won't quit, you want to get back to doing what you love as fast as possible.

That's exactly why we use Class IV laser therapy (also called photobiomodulation therapy, or PBM) at Feel Good Chiropractic in Ankeny, IA. It's the same technology trusted by over 250 professional sports teams, and it's available right here in Ankeny.

The Bottom Line

Photobiomodulation therapy uses targeted light energy to help your body heal faster, reduce pain, and get you back to your sport or activity sooner. No drugs. No surgery. No downtime.

Why Athletes Need Better Recovery Options

Athletes push their bodies hard. Whether you're a high school competitor in Ankeny, a weekend golfer, or training for your next race. Injuries happen, and the most common ones we see include:

• Muscle strains and pulls
• Tendonitis (shoulder, elbow, Achilles, and more)
• Ligament sprains
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Overuse and fatigue injuries
• Plantar fasciitis

The old-school approach of ice it, rest it, and pop some ibuprofen can help you feel a little better for a while. But it doesn't do much to speed up actual healing. That's what makes laser therapy different. It works at the cellular level to help your body repair itself faster.

How Does Photobiomodulation Therapy Work?

Our LightForce Class IV therapy laser delivers specific wavelengths of near-infrared light deep into injured tissue. When that light energy reaches your cells, several important things happen:

• Energy production increases. The light stimulates your mitochondria (the "power plants" inside your cells) to produce more ATP—the fuel your body uses to heal and rebuild.
• Inflammation is reduced. PBMT helps calm down the inflammatory response that causes swelling and pain after an injury.
• Blood flow improves. Better circulation means more oxygen and nutrients get delivered right where your body needs them most.
• Pain signals are reduced. The light energy helps interrupt the way your nerves send pain messages to your brain, giving you real relief.

The result? You heal faster, hurt less, and get moving again sooner.

Real Benefits for Athletes in Ankeny

Shorter Downtime

Laser therapy helps speed up recovery from soft tissue injuries. That means fewer missed games, practices, and workouts. For athletes in Ankeny and the Des Moines metro area, this can be the difference between watching from the sidelines and being in the action.

Less Muscle Soreness

If you've ever had that deep, achy soreness a day or two after a tough workout, you know what delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) feels like. PBMT can help reduce that soreness so you can train harder and recover smarter.

Drug-Free Pain Relief

One of the biggest advantages of laser therapy is that it gives you real pain relief without relying on anti-inflammatory drugs or painkillers. It's completely non-invasive and has no side effects. That matters—especially for young athletes and anyone who wants to avoid unnecessary medication.

Who Uses Class-IV Laser Therapy?

This isn't some fringe treatment. Laser therapy is trusted and used by:

• NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, and other professional sports league trainers
• Olympic physical therapists and chiropractors
• College and university athletic programs

Teams use it both to treat injuries and to stay ahead of them—addressing aches and soreness between games before they turn into bigger problems.

Common Sports Injuries Treated with PBMT

Here are some of the most well-studied conditions where Class IV laser therapy has shown strong results:

These are some of the same conditions we treat every day at Feel Good Chiropractic in Ankeny.

Why Chiropractic Care + Laser Therapy Works So Well

At Feel Good Chiropractic & Wellness, we don't just use laser therapy on its own. We combine it with chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapy to give you a complete recovery plan.

Here's why that combination is so powerful:

• Chiropractic care restores proper joint movement and function.
• Laser therapy supports tissue healing, relieves pain, and reduces inflammation.

Together, they address both the structural problem and the cellular healing process at the same time. That means faster relief, more complete healing, and better long-term results.

Laser Therapy for Sports Injuries in Ankeny, IA

Whether you're a competitive athlete, a dedicated gym-goer, or a weekend warrior here in Ankeny or the greater Des Moines area—you deserve a recovery plan that actually works. Our Class IV laser therapy gives your body the boost it needs to heal faster, without drugs or downtime.

Ready to get back in the game? Schedule your appointment online or call us at (515) 416-4245. Same-day appointments are often available.

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Sources

1. Verma S, Esht V, Chahal A, et al. Effectiveness of High Power Laser Therapy on Pain and Isokinetic Peak Torque in Athletes with Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy: A Randomized Trial. Biomed Res Int. 2022;2022:4133883. Published 2022 May 20. doi:10.1155/2022/4133883
2. Tumilty S, Mani R, Baxter GD. Photobiomodulation and eccentric exercise for Achilles tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial. Lasers Med Sci. 2016;31(1):127-135. doi:10.1007/s10103-015-1840-4
3. Roberts DB, Kruse RJ, Stoll SF. The effectiveness of therapeutic class IV (10 W) laser treatment for epicondylitis. Lasers Surg Med. 2013 Jul;45(5):311-7. doi:10.1002/lsm.22140. PMID: 23733499. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23733499/
4. de la Barra Ortiz HA, Parizotto N, Arias M, Liebano R. Effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy in the treatment of patients with frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci. 2023;38(1):266. Published 2023 Nov 20. doi:10.1007/s10103-023-03901-3
5. Ordahan B, Karahan AY, Kaydok E. The effect of high-intensity versus low-level laser therapy in the management of plantar fasciitis: a randomized clinical trial. Lasers in Medical Science. 2018;33(6):1363-1369. doi:10.1007/s10103-018-2497-6