Can red light therapy help pain caused by rotator cuff tear

I don't think red light is going to penetrate far enough to do anything directly for a rotator cuff, but it might help with the body's overall health, relaxation, and even recovery.
All the red light you need is available free, just dress up fully and lie in the sun!
Especially with age I think a variety of similar treatments may also have many benefits - from sauna and steam room to hot shower or bath.
Of course don't overdo any of them, a few minutes once a day seems about right.

I had red light therapy at my Chiropractor for a Baker’s Cyst behind my knee. It was massive and very painful. Red light therapy healed it.

I’ve also had treatments on a frozen shoulder that kept returning. It is healed and I have nearly full mobility.

I hope this helps in answering your question.

Have you had experience with red light therapy? Are you a physician?

@mimikat9
I'm just a civilian and have read all the various suggestions, what science there is on it, and my own experiences.

I have a wide belt that I use for red light therapy on my back. It was about 200. Will this be as effective as red light therapy at an office of a healthcare provider. My husband is a retired orthopedic surgeon and is not a fan of chiropractic medicine

@nanasusan You will need to look at the ratings for the red light device you bought, then read whatever RESEARCH material you can find on treating your specific condition with red light therapy. That does not include any ads/literature by sellers or on web sites.

Here is an article specifically evaluating red light therapy in rotator cuff injuries:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/wrr.70043
Note that they were evaluating specific wave-length pulsed lights. All subjects in this small (20 subject) study were under age 60. The specific treatment was effective for most in lowering pain, but not necessarily improving function. Functional use improved with a multi-prong approach "...Another study by Eslamian et al. [18] found that incorporating PBM into a combination treatment of exercises, along with heat therapy, ultrasound and TENS, resulted in greater pain relief than the combination therapy alone in a group of 50 patients with RC tendinitis. Overall, multiple evidences determine the effect of PBM in reducing pain, improving ROM of the shoulder, and quality of life. Contradictorily, a few studies showed no change in ROM after PBM therapy, although pain was improved after a month's follow-up [19, 20]..."

Here is a deep-dive:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8946909/
Their conclusion: "Overall, IR appears as a safe and effective complementary therapy for a number of musculoskeletal conditions, including knee OA, FM, and chronic myofascial pain. Its efficacy remains debatable when it comes to low back pain and muscle damage in sports injuries. Given the diversity of therapeutic means and applications, further research is necessary in order to establish the optimal indications and treatment plan for the clinical use of IR in musculoskeletal medicine."

So effective? Big maybe when used alone. Best to see a rehabilitative physical therapist for a multi-modal approach.

(PS With several tears, my body did not respond to therapy, and I ended up with extensive rotator cuff surgery and therapy. I am doing greatnow, about 2 years later.)

Good morning, sorry to hi-jack the thread, but I have a question regarding red light therapy that I have not seen discussed. About two weeks ago I tried red light therapy with a device my wife bought for me. There are three settings, Low, Medium, and High, and two wavelengths, 660nm (Red Light), and 850nm (Near Infrared).

I have been dealing with permanently locked/spasmed muscles in my right side (oblique and flank muscles), which no doctor I've seen over the past three years can tell me why. Multiple procedures and treatments from doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, physical therapy techs, etc., etc. have not made any difference.

So, I used this flexible red light pad that can wrap around my right side for the recommended 20 minutes on the lowest setting. About 10 minutes after using this pad, my right side locked in a severe spasm/cramp and I had to lay down. Now, two weeks later, my right side is still in a painfully cramped condition to where I'm spending more and more time laying on my back in bed.

Has anyone experienced this, red light therapy causing more cramping instead of relieving it?

Not cramping but I went to a red light place medical grade for my rotator cuff pain and after first session it hurt more think it works on inflammation and probably brought it to the surface like detox Afraid to try now

@marcd2k I'm sorry to hear of your negative experience. As with any alternative or complementary treatment, red light and near infrared therapies are best prescribed and administered in a medical setting. Once a safe, effective dosage has been determined, the treating medical person may be able to recommend appropriate home therapy.

In spite of all the hype, especially on the internet, alternative modalities are neither intrinsically safe nor risk-free.

When it comes to musculo-skeletal issues, a physiatrist is the specialist to seek out. Have you seen one?

@silvern12 What is a "red light place"? What were the qualifications/training for the person administering the therapy?