Soft-tissue injury / contusion recovery
Pulsed red and blue light patch for acute thigh contusion RCT
Wells, et al. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. 2024.
A randomized trial tested a pulsed red/blue light patch after induced thigh contusion and found improved quadriceps torque and power during acute recovery.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
partially-replicable
Key findings
- The protocol used a 30-minute patch treatment immediately after contusion and during daily follow-up visits.
- Quadriceps torque and power improved versus control during acute recovery.
- The patch form factor is consumer-relevant, but the red/blue pulsed protocol is device-specific.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | 30 minutes |
| Frequency | Immediately after contusion and daily during follow-up |
| Duration | Not reported |
| Treatment area | Thigh contusion region |
| Device type | Pulsed red and blue light patch |
Caveats
- Induced contusion research does not cover severe traumatic injuries.
- Blue/red pulsed patches are not interchangeable with standard red/NIR panels.