MLS Laser Therapy: Innovative Treatment to Accelerate Recovery From Sports Injuries

How MLS Laser Therapy Accelerates Healing From Sports Injuries

Sports injuries affecting the feet or ankles can significantly disrupt athletic performance and training schedules, but Multiwave Locked System (MLS) laser therapy can help get you back on your feet quickly. This innovative athletic recovery treatment is available to central Minnesota athletes at St. Cloud Foot & Ankle Center, where we help athletes of all levels recover quickly and safely from sports-related foot and ankle injuries. Below, our sports medicine specialists discuss how MLS laser therapy works, which sports injuries respond best to this treatment, and what to expect when choosing this recovery option. 

What Makes MLS Laser Therapy Ideal for Athletic Recovery

MLS laser therapy represents one of the most significant advancements in sports medicine treatment options available to athletes in the St. Cloud area. 

Therapeutic Lightwaves

MLS laser therapy delivers two therapeutic light wavelengths at the same time: one that targets inflammation and another that addresses pain. This ensures that the benefits of both lightwaves arrive at damaged tissues at optimal intervals, enhancing effectiveness beyond what lasers that use a single wavelength can achieve.

Non-Invasive Treatment

Treatment via MLS laser therapy is completely non-invasive, with no needles, incisions, or medication side effects to worry about. You'll feel a gentle warming sensation as the laser energy penetrates deep into injured tissue, where it stimulates cellular activity and enhances blood flow to the affected area.

Brief Treatment Sessions

Most athletic recovery sessions last just 10-15 minutes, making treatments easy to fit into even the busiest training schedules. Many St. Cloud athletes report feeling improvement after their very first session, though a series of treatments typically provides the most significant results.

No Downtime Required

Perhaps most importantly for competitive athletes, MLS laser therapy allows you to maintain conditioning during recovery. Because there's no downtime required after treatment, you can often continue modified training while healing, helping prevent the fitness losses that typically accompany injury recovery periods.

How MLS Therapy Works: The Science Behind Faster Recovery Times

Are you wondering how MLS laser therapy accelerates recovery from sports injuries? This advanced treatment involves several biological mechanisms that work together to speed healing.

Increased ATP Production

At the cellular level, laser energy is absorbed by mitochondria—the powerhouses within your cells—leading to increased production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy molecule that fuels all cellular activities, including those involved in tissue repair and regeneration. With more energy available, cells can work more efficiently to heal damaged tissues.

Enhanced Blood Flow

The treatment also triggers vasodilation, expanding blood vessels in the injured area to increase circulation. This enhances blood flow to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to damaged tissues while more efficiently removing waste products. For St. Cloud athletes recovering from foot and ankle injuries, this improved circulation means faster healing and reduced swelling.

Reduced Inflammation

MLS laser therapy modulates the inflammatory response associated with a sports injury, helping to reduce excessive inflammation that can slow healing while preserving the beneficial aspects of inflammation necessary for recovery.

Increased Collagen Production

Research indicates that laser therapy stimulates fibroblast activity, leading to increased production of collagen, which forms the structural framework of many tissues, including tendons and ligaments. The accelerated synthesis of collagen results in stronger repair of damaged tissues.

Pain Relief 

MLS laser therapy has an analgesic effect, reducing pain by decreasing nerve sensitivity and stimulating the production of endorphins. As a result, this laser therapy sports treatment helps athletes resume at least light activities sooner rather than later, preventing muscle atrophy and fitness losses associated with extended periods of inactivity due to injury.

MLS Laser Therapy Sports Treatment: What to Expect

Knowing what to expect during the MLS laser treatment process can help you feel comfortable with and confident about the procedure and your overall recovery plan. Here’s what to expect as a patient at St. Cloud Foot & Ankle Center: 

Initial Assessment

When you come in for your initial evaluation, you will meet with one of the St. Cloud sports medicine podiatrists on our team, who will examine and diagnose your specific injury, as well as discuss your athletic goals, in order to determine whether or not laser therapy is appropriate for you. If so, they'll answer any questions about the treatment and put together a personalized athletic recovery treatment plan for you. 

Treatment Preparation 

Compared to other medical procedures, preparing for MLS laser therapy is minimal. You don’t need to do anything special to prepare —you can even come directly from work or a light training session. Once you arrive for your appointment, you'll need to remove your shoes and socks to expose the treatment area. That’s the extent of preparation required. 

MLS Treatment

During the procedure, the laser device will directed over the injured area, and you won’t experience any pain related to the treatment. Patients often report feeling a pleasant warming sensation as the laser energy penetrates the tissues, though some say that they don’t feel anything during the procedure. An entire treatment session typically lasts between 10 and 15 minutes.

Post-Treatment Activities

After being treated, you’ll be able to return to work, drive, or perform light activities immediately after laser therapy. Your podiatrist doctor will advise you on appropriate activity levels during your treatment plan and recovery period. Patients can often participate in modified training while their healing progresses.

Treatment Frequency

The recommended treatment frequency varies based on the type of injury you have and how severe it is. Athletic recovery treatment plans usually include between six and ten MLS laser therapy sessions. For optimal results, treatments are typically scheduled two or three times per week.

We understand athletes' urgency to return to sports and prioritize prompt treatment scheduling. Our Central Minnesota podiatry practice offers flexible appointment times, including early morning and evening availability, in order to accommodate athletes’ busy training schedules and work commitments.