Accelerate Wound Healing by Using Cold Laser Therapy (for Humans, Equines and Pets)

Wound Healing

The natural healing of a wound can be divided into three phases: the inflammatory phase, the proliferatory phase and the remodelling phase.
Inflammation
This step may have unpleasant effects because it causes pain, but the inflammatory phase is necessary for tissue repair. First, in the area of the wound, there appear platelets and white blood cells. Then, there is a peak in the number of macrophages. These cells will clean the area and remove all of the dead tissue. In addition, they also release products (“factors”) which will stimulate the second step of wound healing, namely proliferation.
Proliferation
This is the formation of “granulation tissue”. There is an activation of fibroblasts and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the production of new capillaries (small blood vessels). Fibroblasts are connective tissue cells which form the basis of new tissue. A special kind of fibroblast is the myofibroblast. This cell can contract itself like a smooth muscle cell. In this manner, the surface of the wound will diminish in size (wound contraction).
Remodelling
This is the final step of wound contraction.
What happens when a laser is placed on an open wound?
The laser accelerates the different phases, such that only the pleasant and necessary components of the inflammation are preserved.  A shorter inflammatory reaction causes less pain. Laser stimulates the fibroblasts during the proliferatory phase. Laser speeds up angiogenesis and causes temporary vasodilation (i.e.: the diameter of the blood vessels increase in size).


In this fashion, nutrients can be supplied more easily. (i.e.: Greater blood flow equals greater oxygen and fuel molecules to the area and hence a greater production of Adenosine Tri-phosphate (ATP), the basic energy source of a cell). In angiogenesis, the final result is a greater number of blood vessels, through the growth of new tissue. Laser also accelerates the absorption of a haematoma through the stimulation of prostacyclin.


To receive research information please call 1-866-843-5273 or visit www.theralase.com

Beneficial Equine Applications and Results Using Laser Therapy

Since the early '80s, light therapy has been used in the horse world for treating equine concerns and helping owners and trainers keep their horses in top shape. The first light therapy that was widely used on horses was laser therapy, also called low level laser therapy (LLLT) or cold laser therapy.

After many years of researching the therapeutic effect of LLLT (Low Level Light Therapy), be it laser or LED, the following is a list of treatable conditions for your animals:

·         Treatment of traumatic, inflammatory and overuse injuries.

·         Pain relief and healing of arthritic lesions.

·         Reduce abscess and treat persistent non-healing wounds such as cold sores and ulcers.

·         Prevent or minimize keloid (raised pinkish scar tissue at the site of an injury; results from excessive
tissue repair) formations and adhesions.

·         Reduce edema and reduce pain from surgical and other treatments.

·         Encourage formation of collagen and cartilage in damaged joints.

·         Encourage repair of tendons and ligaments.

·         Reduce stress and stimulate healing.

Now, why should YOU use it?

Many studies have reported great results with LLLT therapy for the following equine and canine concerns:

General: Arthritis pain, bursitis, bruising, burns, edema, deep muscle problems, hematomas, inflammation, tight or sore muscles and infections.

Hoof Problems: Abscesses, bone spurs, inflammation, navicular, ringbone and laminitis.

Leg and Body: Ankle problems, bone chips, hock problems, inflammation, ligament soreness, tendon problems, sore backs, splints, strains, stifle issues, sprains, swelling, shoulder pain, hip pain, sore backs, sore necks, salivary gland problems, wounds, cuts, scrapes and for stimulating trigger points and acupuncture points.

But how does it work and why?

We found many impressive studies that included the following:

·         The LLLT at specific wavelengths are reported to increase circulation by increasing the formation of new capillaries. New capillaries speed up the healing process by carrying more oxygen as well as more nutrients needed for healing and they can also carry more waste products away.

·         Collagen is the most common protein found in the body and the essential protein used to repair damaged tissue and to replace old tissue. Studies cite that LLLT and LEDs stimulate the production of collagen. It has been reported that by increasing collagen production, less scar tissue is formed at the damaged site.

·         LLLT therapy is reported to stimulate the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the major carrier of energy to all cells and provides the chemical energy that drives the chemical reaction of the cell. Increases in ATP allow cells to use nutrients faster and get rid of waste products faster by increasing the energy level in the cell.

·         Increases lymphatic system activity. Edema has two basic components, liquid and protein. Research has shown that the lymph vessel diameter and the flow of the lymph system can be doubled with the use of light therapy. This means that both parts of edema can be eliminated at a much faster rate to relieve swelling.

·         Reduces the excitability of nervous tissue. The light energy stimulates the release of endorphins which are the body's own long term pain fighting chemicals.

·         May improve peripheral neuropathies by stimulating nitric oxide production.

·         Increases RNA and DNA synthesis, which helps damaged cells to be replaced more quickly.

·         Increases the process of scavenging for and ingesting dead or degenerated cells by phagocyte cells for the purpose of clean up. This is an important part of the infection fighting process. Destruction of the infection and clean-up must occur before the healing process can take place.

·         Stimulates fibroblastic activity that aids in the repair process. Fibroblasts are present in connective tissue and are capable of forming collagen fibres.

·         Stimulates tissue granulation and connective tissue projections, part of the healing process.

·         Stimulates trigger and acupuncture points.

·         Helps relax muscles.

We have found no reports of adverse side effects regarding Theralase technology. It is repeatedly reported that when the cell is "reenergized" it accepts no more energy, so you cannot cause harm and it is reported to have no effect on healthy tissue. The body will not absorb what it cannot use.

Caution is urged for those taking photosensitive drugs. Please do not use on pregnant mares unless you are being advised by a veterinarian who is familiar with light therapy, we have found no studies citing use on pregnant mares… so before we recommend… more research is needed.

For more information please call 1-866-843-5273 or visit www.theralase.com

Independent Chiropractic Laser Care Users Study

Laser care users were asked to name the patient complaints they had the most success with using laser care treatment. Here, extremity pain (knee, hand, foot, etc.) led the pack, as more than three quarters of DCs treated that complaint successfully. This was followed by neck and shoulder pain (72 percent), back pain (60 percent), TMJ disorders (41 percent), disc herniation (29 percent) and disc herniation with radiculopathy (27 percent).

Laser care users were then asked how their practice benefited from using laser care. Eighty-three percent of DCs reported better patient outcomes, followed by an increase in patient satisfaction with care (69 percent), increased referrals (42 percent), increased practice income (40 percent) and an enhanced reputation in their community (30 percent).

In the next question, we asked laser care users to assess a number of statements about their current laser provider. Ninety percent of laser care users are confident in the quality of their laser, while 92 percent believe in the philosophy of laser care. Not all users thought their laser was affordable. Here, 32 percent totally agreed, 30 percent somewhat disagreed, 27 percent somewhat agreed and 12 percent totally disagreed. Based upon the information provided with their laser, 45 percent totally agreed they were able to use it almost immediately, while 34 percent somewhat agreed, 11 percent somewhat disagreed and 10 percent totally agreed. Thirty-six percent of DCs totally agreed that they required additional information above what was included with the purchase before they were completely confident in using the laser, while 28 percent somewhat agree, 18 percent somewhat disagree and 18 percent totally disagree.

Not surprisingly, 92 percent of DCs who use laser care would recommend other DCs add laser care to their practice. When asked why, 75 percent said that it has been a very effective part of the treatment strategy, while 45 percent said their patients enjoy laser care and have referred others as a result of the laser care. Forty percent saw an increase in practice income and another 26 percent reported that the reputation of their practice has improved.

Thirty-three percent of laser care users revealed they use laser care on 10 percent or less of patients, while 31 percent said they use laser care on a quarter of their patients, 17 percent use it on half of their patients, 9 percent use it on three-quarters of their patients, and 11 percent use laser care on almost all of their patients.

Published by MPA Media, publishers of Dynamic Chiropractic, Nutritional Wellness, To Your Health and Dynamic Chiropractic Practice Insights. October 2010

For further information about laser therapy and how it could increase your practise income or to obtain a copy of the study, please contact 1-866-843-5273 or visit www.theralase.com

Redirecting Your Chiropractic Practice For Profit http://ping.fm/pTqJ8

Redirecting Your Practice For Profit

The best time may be now

Written by Rhonda Mostyn, BSc, DC, Cert. LT

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy The first years in practice are often filled with challenge, always filled with learning, and usually quite exhilarating. It is a time of tremendous growth as you build your practice from patient zero toward a steady stream of dedicated patients. It may be likened to a new marriage – all new and exciting with a strong commitment to making it work. Now flash forward five or 10 years in time. You have an established clinic, a good reputation, and a consistent routine. Are you still satisfied or are you missing that old spark of excitement you experienced in the early days? Of course there is comfort in the consistency of an established practice, but there is challenge and energy in effecting change. If you are ready to make a change, there are many choices available. You can learn a new technique, renovate, relocate, add a new service or a new practitioner. The challenge is in selecting a good fit for you and your practice. Take your time and choose wisely if you are looking for a new direction for your practice. Ask yourself: will this change give me a renewed enthusiasm for practice? Will it be of interest to my patients? Will it help grow my practice? Does it have long-lasting appeal to both myself and my patients? In this article, I would like to talk about making transitions in practice by sharing with you the changes that I have made in my own practice, why I chose these innovations and how they have worked for me and my patients. CHOOSING CHANGE – FROM WELLNESS CLINIC TO LASER CLINIC The path I chose took me through a significant shift in philosophy and patient care model. After 10 years as a wellness practitioner treating mostly spinal conditions and using hands-on techniques, I was ready for my change. I decided to advance in the area of technology by bringing cold laser therapy into my practice. Incorporating laser as a primary modality in practice helped me grow as a practitioner, and has moved my practice in new directions. I’ve studied the technology and learned the art of treating with laser. I’ve increased my knowledge in extremity and sports injury treatments, including orthopedic tests and presenting symptoms, as having the laser has attracted this demographic of patients into my clinic. I have increased my base of seniors, a booming population, since I have a new tool that works so effectively for those suffering from painful, chronic arthritis. I have attracted patients seeking “needle-less acupuncture” since my laser is equipped with a laser acupuncture probe. Making this change has not only attracted new laser patients to my clinic, it has also increased the number of chiropractic patients whom I have been able to treat. Once comfortable in the clinic, and with me as their health practitioner, these new patients often shift from laser treatments alone to a combined program of chiropractic care and laser therapy. Educating these patients about chiropractic is much easier from the inside. The change from a wellness practice to a laser centre also has served as a perfect opportunity to recall inactive chiropractic patients by sending out a newsletter or e-mail announcing this exciting clinic news. Rebranding my practice as a technologically advanced centre has also opened doors to new medical referral sources. Most medical doctors are more comfortable with technology than they are with a healing profession that has been around for a 150 years! This has provided me with a renewed opportunity to meet with doctors and specialists, many of whom would not have referred for chiropractic care alone. IMPLEMENTING CHANGE Change requires decision making, planning and execution. In shifting from a wellness clinic to a laser centre there were a few key areas that had to be addressed. Redesigning the patient care model. In our centre, laser became the primary modality. For acute or chronic injuries, the laser was used for the first two weeks of care to address the key issues in healing musculoskeletal injuries: decreasing pain, decreasing inflammation and repairing tissues. At that point, the patient was re-examined. Chiropractic would then be integrated into care for any conditions that were not responding to laser or that had not reached maximal recovery. Of course, there are exceptions, namely, cases where spinal dysfunction clearly had to be addressed from the start of treatment with chiropractic. Training for clinic staff. Staff should be knowledgeable and comfortable with any new changes to a clinic. Hopefully, they will be as enthusiastic about your changes as you are. In our clinic, all staff received complete training on our new technology, including applications and full operation, regardless of their role in the clinic. The reception staff required this knowledge, as well, to confidently transfer information to callers and patients. Chiropractic Health Assistants (CHAs) required the training so they could assist with treatments when required. Learning new skills is refreshing, to most employees, and fundamental to personal and professional growth. Laser centre marketing. The direction you choose to take your practice in can take many forms but the key to getting the word out about these new directions is marketing. If you have a significant patient base, you may choose to keep costs low by sending an e-mail notice to all your active and inactive patients. Marketing externally costs more, but brings in new patients. To spread the word about our new laser, we sent unaddressed ad-mailouts to local postal codes, flyers to local businesses, placed ads and an article in a neighbourhood paper, and also sent a notice to all our existing patients and contacts. We redesigned our website and filled it with information on our new service. In future, we plan to look at larger newspapers and radio as marketing tools, since they have been proven to reach wider and larger audiences. ADVANCING TIMES, ADVANCING OPTIONS “If the rate of change outside your organization is greater than the rate of change inside your organization, the end is in sight.” – Jack Welch, CEO of GE 1981-2001. There are certain elements in every practice that must change with the times: billing procedures, insurance, new governing laws, fees, etc. Then, there are changes that are truly the choice of individual practitioners. Practitioners may choose to change the practice because they are feeling stagnant or bored; however, they may choose to redirect in order to keep pace with neighbouring clinics that are setting new standards for patient expectations. A few sparse treatment rooms furnished with old chiropractic benches and a dusty modality may be the picture of clinics of yore. Clinics are now offering everything from in-house pools with swimming lessons, to yoga classes or a full range of esthetic services. In my case, the simple addition of a cold laser unit helped transform my practice by opening doors to new patients, new referral sources and a new stream of advertising. It provided the perfect marriage of effective modern technology with the tried and true healing of chiropractic. It was the answer to my recent ponderings: Am I satisfied with the status quo in my practice? Am I ready to embrace change? Considering these questions can be a turning point in the career of any practitioner. Finding the answers and the right direction for your change is a process well worth the effort for the professional rewards that will be garnered. • Dr. Rhonda Mostyn, a chiropractor and certified laser technician, is the clinic director at Theralase, a leading Canadian manufacturer and distributor of cold lasers. As director, she oversees all aspects of patient laser treatment programs, clinical trials, training, and practitioner education. She has lectured extensively and published numerous articles on the topic of laser therapy. Prior to joining Theralase, Dr. Mostyn was the director of a multidisciplinary wellness clinic in Toronto from 1996-2006.  For further information please call 1-866-843-5273 or visit www.theralase.com

Therapeutic Choices for Rehabilitation

Therapeutic Choices for Rehabilitation Cold laser therapy and patient programs

Written by Rhonda Mostyn, BSc, DC, Cert LT

Rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries involves integrating the best possible therapeutic tools at the optimal phases of healing. It’s kind of like baking. Use the finest chocolate in your cake, mix all the ingredients properly and you’ll turn out a quality dessert. For the patient, the dessert is simply feeling and functioning better in the fastest time possible. With new therapeutic products promoted on a regular basis, practitioners must make informed decisions when choosing the most effective tools for their patient programs. Technological advances in health-care products have made coming to these decisions even more challenging as the practitioner is obligated to stay up to date with new technology. As well, patients are more likely to “shop around” for the best choices in therapy. For rehabilitation practitioners, as well as patients, cold laser therapy, an emerging technology, has become a frequent therapeutic choice. In this article we’ll look at why cold lasers have gained popularity in the area of injury rehabilitation. EFFECTS ON HEALING: INFLAMMATION Healing of soft tissue injuries can be generalized into three key phases: (1) initial inflammatory phase, (2) tissue repair stage, and (3) remodelling phase.1 The goal of integrating laser into the patient’s rehabilitation program will be to hasten or re-activate the healing process by stimulating each of these phases of healing. The initial inflammatory phase, characterized by pain, swelling, redness and warmth, is an important stage of healing. Monocytes and macrophages aid in clearing necrotic material and angiogenesis takes place. In the case of rehabilitation of chronic injuries, inflammation has often been prolonged and is interfering with the progress to subsequent phases of healing. Initiating cold laser therapy in the early stages of healing reduces the incidence of chronic inflammatory conditions. One of the most important functions of cold laser therapy is that it stimulates the metabolism of cells in damaged tissue and leads to increased cellular byproducts, including ATP. This increase in ATP can then be used to fuel an array of reparative processes required for healing in the tissues. The formation of new blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and collagen fibres is stimulated. Laser therapy also produces temporary vasodilation of blood vessels and activation of lymphatic vessels. The increased blood flow in the area helps to clear away inflammatory products while the enhanced lymphatic drainage removes the interstitial fluid that builds up in the inflamed site. COLD LASERS AND TISSUE REPAIR In addition to clearing away inflammation, cold laser therapy plays an important role in tissue repair. When damaged tissue is irradiated by laser, the number of fibroblasts in the tissue increases. Fibroblasts actively create new collagen by synthesizing the collagen precursor procollagen and modifying the procollagen into tropocollagen. The tropocollagen assembles into collagen fibrils, which then assemble into collagen fibres. New collagen fibres are then used to repair damaged tissue in the area, including ligaments, tendons and muscles. Research has shown that chronic overuse injuries such as tendinosis are associated with a failed healing response in which the body’s fibroblasts produce abnormal tendon and ligament collagen.2,3 The normal parallel bundled fibre structure is disturbed; the continuity of the collagen is lost, with disorganized fibre structure and evidence of both collagen repair and collagen degeneration. Laser therapy, on the other hand, has been shown to promote new tissue fibres that are well organized and have up to 30 per cent greater tensile strength. IMPROVED STRENGTH OF LIGAMENTS AND TENDONS Fung et al. studied the morphology of collagen fibrils in healing medial collateral ligaments (MCL) in rats. The MCLs were surgically transected and were divided into three groups: those receiving laser treatment at a higher power (63.2 J/cm2), those receiving laser treatment at a reduced power (31.6 J/cm2), and a control group receiving no laser treatment. When the MCLs were examined at three and six weeks post surgery by electron microscopy, the researchers discovered that both laser-treated groups showed an increase in collagen fibril size.4 In a separate study, Oliveira et al. looked at the effect of laser therapy on healing of transacted Achilles tendons in rats. The researchers used polarization microscopy to examine and compare the collagen fibres in healing tendons of rats irradiated with laser compared with those in a control group. Their results supported an improvement in collagen fibre organization in the laser-treated group over the controls.5 WHERE DOES LASER FIT IN? Laser therapy should be initiated from the first phase of rehabilitation to decrease inflammation and promote tissue healing. Decreased inflammation will aid in pain reduction and tissue healing will limit atrophy and fibrosis in tissues. In this author’s experience, the number of sessions required is largely dependent on the chronicity of the injury. Treatment initiated early in an acute injury may only require two to three weeks of care, whereas laser therapy initiated at a later phase, or for a chronic injury, will require about four to six weeks of treatment. A COMMON PRESENTATION: LATERAL EPICONDYLITIS There have been many studies reporting the efficacy of cold laser therapy treatment for lateral epicondylitis.6,7,8 Oken, et al. compared the effects of cold laser therapy to bracing or ultrasound in a prospective, randomized controlled trial. They divided 58 patients into three groups: bracing plus exercise, ultrasound plus exercise, and CLT plus exercise. Results from this study showed that bracing had a shorter beneficial effect than did ultrasound and laser therapy in reducing pain, and that laser was more effective than bracing and ultrasound in improving grip strength after treatment.9 In another study, Stergioulas compared treatment with a combination of laser and plyometric exercises to sham laser and plyometric exercises in 50 patients. Patients were treated for eight weeks, one to two times per week. The laser plus exercise group had a significant decrease in pain, increase in wrist range of motion and in grip strength and improved weight test results compared to the exercise only group at eight weeks of treatments and at eight weeks followup.10 Laser treatment for rehabilitation of this injury should be focused on repairing damage and minimizing fibrosis at the point of attachment of extensor carpi radialis brevis at the lateral elbow. Treatment can also be performed over the forearm extensor muscles to increase microcirculation and relax the muscles. Laser light is well absorbed by chromophore-rich blood, which is abundant in most tissues. However, relatively avascular structures such as tendons require relatively higher doses of laser light. A typical course of laser treatments for chronic lateral epicondylitis would require three to six weeks of treatments, scheduled a minimum of twice weekly. CHOOSING A LASER FOR YOUR FACILITY Once a rehabilitation practitioner has decided that a cold laser device will be an efficacious addition to their patient programs, they should spend time investigating and comparing laser systems. It’s important to choose a system that will best fit with their facility. For instance, if a large proportion of patients present with lower back pain or myofascial syndromes, a system with multiple lasers would be best to cover these large treatment areas. Short treatment times are very valuable in high-volume clinics in keeping pace with patient demand. Portability of the laser may be important in large facilities with several practitioners and treatment rooms. For any facility, a system that is easy to learn and operate is always best. The practitioner should also ensure that extensive training and support materials are included to minimize time out of their busy schedule for training new staff. Although all cold lasers are not created equal, research supports this technology as an effective tool for healing musculoskeletal injuries. This research is valuable but it is not the key to the rising popularity of lasers in rehabilitation. Satisfied patients and practitioners drive this trend. An increase in high-quality laser products accommodates the needs of various facilities and thus supports this trend. In fact, the question is whether cold laser therapy is, in fact, a trend at all, as it establishes a solid reputation as treatment of choice in facilities nationwide. References Tendon Injury and Tendinopathy: Healing and Repair, Sharma, P, Maffulli, N., The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). 2005; 87:187-202. Chronic Achilles tendinopathy. A survey of surgical and histopathological findings. Astrom M, Rausing A. Clin Orthop Jul; (316):151-64, 1995. Trauma modifies strength and composition of retrodiscal tissues of goat temporomandibular joint. Cooper B, Oberdorfer ML, Rumpf D, Malakhova OE, Rudman RA, Mariotti A. Oral Diseases 5:329-336, 1999. Effects of a Therapeutic Laser on the Ultrastructural Morphology of Repairing Medial Collateral Ligament in a Rat Model. Fung DT, Ng GY, Leung MC, Tay DK. Lasers Surg Med. 2003; 32(4):286-93. Effect of Low Level Laser Therapy With Different Therapy Regimes on The Process of Tissue Repair in Partial Lesion Calcaneous Tendon. Oliveira et al. Lasers Surg Med 2009 Apr; 41(4):271-6. A Systematic Review with Procedural Assessments and Meta-Analysis of Low Level Laser Therapy in Lateral Elbow Tendinopathy. Bjordal JM, Lopes-Martins RA, et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Disord. 2008 May 29; 9:75 Effects of 904 nm Low Level Laser Therapy in the Management of Lateral Epicondylitis: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Lam LK, Cheing GL. Photomed Laser Surg. 2007 Apr; 25(2):65-71. Treatment of Medial and Lateral Epicondylitis with Low Level Laser Therapy: A Multicenter Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study on 324 Patients. Simunovic Z, Trobonjaca T, Trobonjaca Z. J Clin Laser Med Surg 1998 Jun; 16(3):145-51. The Short Term Effect of Laser, Brace, and Ultrasound Treatment in Lateral Epicondylitis: a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial. Oken, O, Kahraman, Y, et al. J Hand Ther. 2008 Jan-Mar; 21:63-7. Effects of Low Level Laser and Plyometric Exercises in the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis. Stergioulas A, Photomed Laser Surg. 2007 Jun; 25(3):205-13. Dr. Rhonda Mostyn, a chiropractor and certified laser technician, is the clinic director at Theralase, a leading Canadian manufacturer and distributor of cold lasers. As director, she oversees all aspects of patient laser treatment programs, clinical trials, training, and practitioner education. She has lectured extensively and published numerous articles on the topic of laser therapy. Prior to joining Theralase, Dr. Mostyn was the director of a multidisciplinary wellness clinic in Toronto from 1996-2006.  For further information please call toll free 1-866-843-5273 or visit www.theralase.com

The Equine Vet and Accelerated Healing Through The Use of Cold Laser Therapy

In the observation of cold laser therapy, it doesn’t seem, in fact, like much is going on. The laser probe is simply held in contact with the skin; chances are, your horse doesn’t notice much either! The probe is attached to a portable base and emits a beam of light (red to near infrared) that’s directed at the problem area — such as a bowed tendon, inflamed joint or post-operative wound. The treatment can be as short as a few minutes or as long as a half an hour, and is repeated anywhere from once a day to once a week, depending on the nature of the condition.

This process is often referred to as low-level or cold laser therapy, because unlike other lasers, these ones don’t produce any heat. Rather than having a thermal effect, the light energy, once absorbed by the tissues, induces chemical reactions that can in turn influence cellular behaviour. Used to treat a variety of musculoskeletal injuries and ailments in the horse, laser therapy is credited by some with accelerating the natural healing processes of the body and relieving pain.

Exactly how therapeutic lasers work is something that is still not completely understood. What scientists do know is that laser irradiation does cause changes at a molecular and cellular level. “The laboratory evidence on cell cultures and animals leaves no doubt that low-level laser can effect cellular communication and physiological processes for the benefit of the patient,” says Michael Hamblin, Principal Investigator at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. “It’s a fundamental tenet of biology that cells try to protect themselves against stresses if they can — and they have pretty good machinery to both detect stress and protect themselves. It’s thought that a lot of beneficial effects of light come via this route.”

John Kopas, of Milton, Ontario, is one trainer that decided to give cold laser a try after a few treatments helped a filly of his recover from some swelling around her ankle. “I heard about it through a client of mine,” he explains. “I went over to his farm one Saturday and was given a demonstration by a representative of one of the cold laser manufacturers. The rep visited my barn later that morning and we tried it on a filly I was planning to race that coming Monday. She had a little swelling and inflammation in her left front ankle and was hanging on the left line. We treated her Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning. When we raced her Monday night, she was perfect.”

Kopas decided to lease a unit from the manufacturer and has used it a few times since to treat horses with inflammation around their ankles and hocks. “The great thing about the unit I have is that the protocols are all determined by the machine,” he explains. “There’s a card you refer to, and whatever treatment you are going to use, you just punch in the code for it and the prescribed time comes up. It’s actually very easy to use.”

So far, Kopas says he has seen some positive results. “I’ve found that it works very well with soft tissue injuries,” he says. “As far as problems inside the joint, I’m still up in the air, and it may be that it just takes a little longer for that to kick in. I’ll continue with it for a while and incorporate it into the other things we do — like cold hosing and doing them up with leg paint and whatnot.”

While scientists are still hashing out the correct combination of dosage parameters to elicit optimum benefits, no adverse effects of cold laser therapy have been reported. In saying that, the laser should never be pointed directly at the eyes, however, or used on the belly of a pregnant mare. Recent studies have also indicated that the use of cortico-steroids may inhibit beneficial effects of laser therapy.

Mimi Porter, an experienced equine therapist who uses laser therapy on a regular basis in her Lexington, Kentucky, rehabilitation business, also cautions against mistaking symptom relief for a cure. “Laser therapy can reduce pain and tissue swelling, but time is still needed for complete tissue repair and maturation to take place.”

She also stresses the importance of a complete veterinary evaluation and diagnosis before beginning laser therapy, if you choose to do so. “You need to understand the nature and extent of the injury so it can be treated effectively – otherwise you could just be wasting your time and money. Any non-veterinarian therapist offering the service should always work by referral from the vet.”

Finally, both sufficient knowledge and experience are key in getting the maximum bang for your buck out of an alternative treatment like laser therapy. “There are a lot of good tools out there, but it’s important to know what your tool produces and how long it takes to give a dose to a given type of tissue,” says Porter. “If you are in the market for a laser device, make sure the manufacturer is interested in giving you plenty of support in terms of education and training.”

For more information call 1-866-843-5273 or visit www.theralase.com. 

TRAINING THE EQUINE CHAMPION

Carl Jamieson has been a household name in Ontario for over three decades now, and has conditioned (and often drove) his pacers and trotters to victory in virtually all the top stake races in harness racing.

But Up The Credit’s powerful effort in the North America Cup was a perfect Father’s Day gift to three generations of Jamieson paternity.

“The North America Cup is the race that everyone wants to win,” remarked an ecstatic Jamieson after the race. “It’s a very special race, and even more special that Jody (Jamieson) was driving him. My dad (Frank) turned 85 yesterday. He’s here, and my mom (79-year-old Pauline) would’ve been here, but is in the hospital after surgery.”

Up The Credit (p, 2, 1:51.4; 3, 1:49, $923,440) took his two-year-old record in just his second start in 2010, unleashing a 26.2 final quarter to defeat Big Jim in the Dream Maker leg at Mohawk. However, his juvenile campaign was stopped after five starts due to injury.

“Up The Credit had an issue in his right knee,” explained Jamieson. “We knew they had some sesmoiditis, and we were dealing with that. But then he started getting on one line and wouldn’t train properly. I knew he had a ton of speed, but we found a chip that was too large to be taken out, so we stopped with him. We used magnets and a cold laser machine to help heal the knee.”

Cold laser machine?

“It’s called a Theralase TLC — a cold laser machine that I bought for $15,000. I use it all the time on all my horses. Basically, it promotes healing by stimulating cell reproduction in an affected area. It can be used on humans as well. My mother fell last autumn and scraped her arm so badly that we had to cut the skin off. The Theralase has settings like ‘003 for sutures’… ‘004 for wounds’ and so on. I set it at ‘004’ and treated mom’s arm for three minutes each day, and after three days it was pretty much healed.

“The Theralase has both a ‘People Chart’ and a ’Horse Chart.’ If you are treating a human’s knee, you’d set it for ‘038’ and for a horse’s knee at ‘059’.

So, we used all the traditional treatments in terms of rubbing and applications and added the use of magnets and the Theralase. This year, he’s been sound and the knee is good, though I expect there’d be some calcification as a result of the chip.”

This scribe has always been fascinated by technological innovations in the treatment of our light harness equine athletes. ‘Cold laser treatment’ has been used for many years among human athletes, including professional baseball, hockey and football players. Increasingly, cold laser systems have found their way into physiotherapy, dentistry and medicine. Jamieson is one of a number of Ontario trainers that use laser therapy to assist their equine athletes to recover from the stress of racing.

Between the North America Cup elimination and final, Up The Credit was found to be sick.

“We took his blood on Tuesday, and his white count was 10.53,” Jamieson said. “The normal range for the white count is 5.5-9.5, and his ‘differentials’ were high as well, indicating he was probably fighting a bug of some kind.

Because it was so close to race time, we couldn’t treat him with a number of preferred medications. I treated him with sulpha pills, which are antibiotics with no cut-off time.

“Jody told me that Up The Credit had been carrying on the left line, and on Wednesday we found a little bit of a curb, not very big, but it was hot and pinching him. We treated that enough to get him through the race. Since we’ve got three weeks until the Meadowlands Pace, I’ll start treating the curb tomorrow (Monday).” With the Theralase?

Theralase Announces Appointments to U.S. Medical and Scientific Advisory Board chiropractor http://ping.fm/WJfie

Theralase Announces Appointments to U.S. Medical and Scientific Advisory Board

Elite practitioner group agrees to serve as medical advisors as Theralase expands into US market

Toronto, Ontario – July 6, 2011, Theralase Technologies Inc. (TSXV: TLT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James R. Andrews as Chairman to its Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. Further appointments include senior medical orthopaedic practitioners and healthcare specialists from the renowned American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) and Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center located in Birmingham, Alabama (ASMOC). Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, founded by Dr. Andrews, is a specialized North American facility widely recognized throughout the world for the treatment of a full range of orthopaedic sports injuries. ASMI is a world renowned sports medicine research and education foundation. Joining Dr. Andrews as Advisory Board appointees are medical and physiotherapy specialists from ASMI, including: Dr. Lyle Cain, Dr. Jeffrey Dugas, Kevin Wilk, DPT and Lanier Johnson.

Dr. James Andrews, ASMI Chairman and Medical Director, is internationally recognized for his 48 years of scientific and clinical research in orthopaedic surgical practice, specializing in knee, shoulder and elbow sports injuries. Dr. Andrews is the Senior Orthopaedic and Medical Consultant to many collegiate and professional sports teams and has served on the Sports Medicine Committee of the United States Olympic Committee. He is a past president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. He also serves as a Director of several public and private medical and business corporations.

Dr. Lyle Cain is a 1994 graduate of the University of Alabama Medical School, a practicing orthopaedic surgeon, Fellowship Director and a senior staff member of ASMI. Dr. Cain serves as an orthopaedic consultant to collegiate and professional sports teams and is a member of a wide range of professional orthopaedic medical committees and institutes, including: the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the International Cartilage Repair Society.

Dr. Jeffrey Dugas is a 1994 graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine, a practicing orthopaedic surgeon, Fellowship Director and a senior staff member of ASMI. Dr. Dugas serves as an orthopaedic consultant to collegiate and professional teams. Dr. Dugas has been widely published in medical journals for clinical studies on orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine injuries. He has received numerous awards and honors in his specialized field of orthopaedics and sports medicine and is a member of many professional medical organizations, including: the American Medical Association, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sport Medicine, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Society for Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, and the International Cartilage Repair Society.

Kevin Wilk, DPT, holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the Massachusetts General Health Institute of Boston, following 22 years as a practicing physical therapist. Since 1999, Dr. Wilk has been an Affiliate Member of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and since 1984 a Member of the Sections for Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics and Research of the American Physical Therapy Association. He is currently the President of the Sports Physical Therapy Section of the APTA. He is widely published in the fields of sports medicine and orthopaedic rehabilitation and is currently involved in numerous clinical studies and projects in the field of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

Lanier Johnson has a BS degree from the University of Alabama and a MBA from Auburn University. Mr. Johnson has been associated with Dr. Andrews and ASMI since 1990 and currently serves as the executive director of ASMI. Mr. Johnson has many years of management experience in the practice of sports medicine professional services and the development of comprehensive facilities for the practice of Sports Medicine. Mr. Johnson is the architect and developer of the Sports Medicine / Fitness

Program and Traveling Van Facility for the PGA Tour.

Roger Dumoulin-White, President and CEO of Theralase Technologies Inc. stated, “We are delighted that Dr. Andrews, Dr. Cain, Dr. Dugas, Kevin and Lanier have agreed to be reappointed to the Theralase Medical and Scientific Advisory Board for another 5 years. They are an elite team of professionals who are able to help guide Theralase in the expansion of our world class therapeutic medical laser technology into the US medical market. We are looking forward to working hand in hand with the whole team as we dramatically increase our sales in the US medical market in 3Q 2011 and beyond.

 James Andrews, MD, Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center Birmingham, Alabama stated, “Our rehab specialists have reported outstanding success when using the Theralase therapeutic laser system for rehabilitation of certain shoulder, knee, elbow and other neuromuscular skeletal conditions. The Theralase laser is now a standard of care treatment methodology within our rehab clinics and is a great tool in helping our athletes return to competition.”

Lyle Cain MD, Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center stated, “I have recommended the Theralase laser for many soft tissue conditions of the shoulder, knee, elbow and other traumatic injuries.  The Theralase laser has been an excellent adjunct to treatment by our physical therapies in our clinic and has been successful not only in treating athletes, but also the general population with injuries of the joints.  The laser has been an excellent tool to help provide a healing response and to help the body heal these injuries.”        

Jeff Dugas MD, Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center stated, “We believe in Theralase technology and recommend its use to our patients.  With very minimal to no risk, this modality makes sense in the treatment of many of the commonly encountered sports medicine conditions.”             

Kevin Wilk, DPT, Champion Sports Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama stated, “We are extremely confident in the efficacy of Theralase laser technology… in so much that we incorporate it in our daily treatment of nearly every patient… I really love the Theralase and my patients love it!”

About Theralase Technologies Inc.

Theralase Technologies Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and markets patented, superpulsed laser technology utilized in biostimulation and biodestruction applications. The technology is safe and effective in the treatment of chronic pain, neural muscular-skeletal conditions and wound care. When combined with its patented, light sensitive Photo Dynamic Compounds (PDCs), Theralase laser technology is able to specifically target and destroy cancer cells, bacteria and viruses.

This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those projected herein. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchanges) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.