Case Report: Red Light Therapy in Concussion Athletes

Patient History:

A 19-year-old NCAA Division I women’s soccer player sustained a concussion from head-to-head contact with an opponent during a match. She had two prior concussions, both from her high school playing career. Her position relies heavily on aerial play and frequent heading, so she is exposed to repetitive head impacts more than most of her teammates. After one of those earlier injuries, she had post-concussive headaches that lasted well beyond the typical recovery window. Years later, the headaches still come back when a training session or match involves a lot of heading.

Treatment History:

Her earlier concussions were managed conventionally. She rested until her symptoms cleared, then gradually returned to activity, with exertion levels monitored by heart rate. Her return to play was not smooth: symptoms came back several times along the way, and each time she had to step back in the progression before moving forward again.

Current Treatment:

The current concussion management system is very strict and consists of two phases with three steps per phase with strict guidance throughout the process. Concussion return to play protocols typically take 7 days or more and are based on symptoms to dictate the speed of progressions and regressions. 

Transcranial Red Light Therapy (RLT) was utilized as a part of her return to play progression.  Each day, she wore a red light head wrap with LED red and near infrared light.  Her initial dosage of RLT was low (10 min at 50% intensity) and progressed to a full dosage within several days (20 min at 100% intensity).  Alongside her RLT, she was progressed through increasingly higher activity loads, as well as sensory inputs that included visual and vestibular training. Each phase of the protocol was completed in one day, progressing without any exacerbation of symptoms. Overall, her return to play program took 6 days to fully complete and integrate back into full soccer activity.

Discussion:

The athlete previously experienced a traditional return to play program with only moderate success and long-lasting lingering symptoms.  The current return to play protocol, which included Red Light Therapy and multiple neurological inputs quickly resolved her symptoms and was encouraging to the athlete.  She was able to expedite her activities rapidly and return to full soccer activity without hesitation, which the athlete couldn’t say of her previous concussions.

Transcranial Red Light Therapy has been shown to improve neuroinflammation and aid in self-repair of brain tissue.  Dosage guidelines are still evolving and should be considered on an individual basis. 

Conclusion:

Red Light Therapy can be an important part of a comprehensive concussion treatment plan for concussions due to its ability to improve symptoms and moderate neuroinflammation. 

For more information on red light therapy, visit Fringeheals.com.