Heat therapy for sports related injuries is suddenly back in vogue. As details of my ongoing battles with plantar fasciitis emerged, a handful of people in my social circles recommended infrared therapy for that specific injury. Another tennis buddy who struggled with tennis elbow for an extended period of time swears that he recovered only after he started using the heat treatment on a regular basis.
Red light therapy is generally considered safe and there are a handful of peer reviewed clinical studies that show that it has some positive benefit. However, researchers aren’t exactly sure how and why it works. One theory is that the heat increases blood flow which stimulates healing. Since planter fasciitis and tennis elbow are localized in parts of the body with relatively low circulation, it feels intuitive that heat therapy would help.
I am currently using a portable free standing lamp recommended by a friend. I strive for a 15 minute session each day. Since the therapy is performed with my feet propped up and typically while drinking a glass of wine, it’s fairly easy to stay on track.
My most significant challenge with daily application of the heat therapy is business travel. I have found the particular model of the lamp I am using to be a little too unwieldy to carry even in checked luggage. I am likely to try out a more portable wrap form factor of the technology in the near future.
After a month of use, I firmly believe that regular infrared therapy is helping with my plantar fasciitis issues. My foot feels immediately better as the heat treatment is applied. That effect carries forward to the subsequent day. The most powerful indicator to me are the days when I do not have the lamp with me. I can feel the difference.
I recommend giving infrared heat therapy a try for anybody who is battling a chronic injury such as planter fasciitis and tennis elbow. The cost benefit ratio is reasonably good. Each session takes minimal time and effort and the pain relief is immediate during treatment. It’s worth a try.
 | Red Light Infrared Heat Lamp by TheraLamp |
- Infrared Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Trial, Pain Research and Management, February 2006.
- Outcome of plantar fasciitis treatment using monochrome infrared irradiation, J Med Assoc Thai, October 2012.
- The n-of-1 clinical trial: the ultimate strategy for individualizing medicine?, Personalized medicine vol. 8,2 (2011)
