How to Use Red Light Therapy to Reduce Joint Pain

A new treatment option that’s effective, easy-to-use, and non-invasive.

Joint pain effects millions of people the world over, some with mild discomfort and stiffness, and others with outright pain and limited mobility.

Medications, topicals, physical therapy, and even surgery are traditional treatment options that can be helpful.

But for those looking for a natural, non-invasive, and effective alternative, red light therapy has emerged as a promising option.

An increasingly popular trend in both wellness and athletics, you may have already heard about red light therapy being used in a variety of ways, such as improving skin health, healing wounds, boosting muscle recovery, and more.

Add reducing joint pain to the list, as well.

There are even red light devices available today that are specially designed to treat joint pain.

Here, we’ll cover everything you need to know about using red light therapy to reduce your joint pain and get back to moving pain-free.

Note: Featured products are independently selected and reviewed by Compression Athlete. If you purchase through our links, we may earn commission.

Here’s how red light therapy specifically targets joint pain.

One of the most common health conditions among adults, joint pain hinders your physical ability and can even be painful enough to keep you sidelined from activity.

Whether you’re experiencing pain in your knees, hips, ankles, shoulders, elbows, or wrists, any form of joint pain will affect your body’s range of motion and make certain movements more difficult.

This is where red light therapy comes in and why more and more active individuals are drawn to it as an effective and non-invasive treatment option.

Red light therapy combines red and near-infrared wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular function and energy production. 

This, in turn, increases blood flow, triggers anti-inflammatory molecules, reduces oxidative stress in affected tissues, and promotes cellular repair.

The result is improved joint function and a reduction in joint pain and discomfort.

In other words, red light therapy works by simply boosting your body’s natural healing process.

These red light therapy devices work best for joint pain.

Our body joints come in many forms.

Some simpler like the hinge joint in our elbow for back-and-forth movement, and others more complex like the ball and socket joint in our hip that allows a multi-directional range of motion.

Whatever form they take, it’s a spot in our body where two bones meet and move against one another.

So, it’s not too surprising that all the wear and tear from physical activity over the years tends to hit these areas hardest, resulting in limited mobility and painful discomfort.  

Thankfully, there are two red light therapy devices on the market today that are specifically designed for optimal joint pain treatment: the Kineon MOVE+ Pro and the Recharge Health FlexBeam.

These devices have flexible designs for difficult to treat areas and deliver targeted red and infrared light straight to your joints and muscles.

1. Kineon MOVE+ Pro

The Kineon MOVE+ Pro features advanced red light technology with safe and powerful Class 1 infrared lasers and deep red LEDs. This red light therapy device utilizes a convenient and versatile design that can be used on multiple areas of your body.

Shop at Kineon: Kineon MOVE+ Pro

Kineon’s MOVE+ Pro targets joint pain, inflammation, and stimulates healing with a 3x module configuration with 2 emission areas per module. This red light therapy devices comes with a 1-year warranty and a 30 day at-home trial.

2. Recharge Health FlexBeam

The Recharge Health FlexBeam features a flexible and wearable design that fits snug to the contours of your body for maximum efficiency. This red light device utilizes powerful wavelengths in a 3 light pod design with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Shop at Recharge Health: Recharge Health FlexBeam

Recharge Health’s FlexBeam has 3 easy-to-use preset programs and 3 sets of durable Velcro bands that allow you to use FlexBeam anywhere on your body. This red light device comes with a hardshell carry case, 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 2-year warranty.

For $60 Off Use Coupon Code: CompressionAthlete

If you’d like to see additional red light device options, including other wearable and full-body options, we’ve put together a list of the best red light therapy devices.

Red light treatment sessions for joint pain are short and easy.

One of the great aspects of red light therapy is that it can be applied practically anywhere on your body.

This includes all the joints in your body: knees, elbows, hips, shoulders, ankles, wrists, hands, neck, back, etc.

And the actual treatment is incredibly easy and hassle-free to complete.

Simply point your red light therapy device at your target joint and absorb the light into your skin.

If you’re using a wearable device, position the emission area so that it’s in direct contact with your skin and secure the device so that it fits comfortably around your joint.

If you’re using a panel device, make sure your joint is in range of the light emissions (you’ll be able to see the red light on your skin at the applied area).

In either case, it’s important that you don’t wear any clothing over the treatment area, as the light needs to be absorbed by your skin for a consistent duration.

Red light therapy treatment sessions are also relatively short in comparison to other treatment options.

In general, the recommend session time for red light therapy is only 5 to 15 minutes a day.

With a high-quality red light therapy device, this amount of time is all you really need to reap the full benefits.

And while you can safely use your red light device for longer, it likely won’t produce additional benefits.

Interested in learning even more about red light therapy? Read our Complete Guide.

And if you’re looking for performance joint support while active, check out our top picks for the best compression arm sleeves and leg sleeves.