NCT07477678

Red Light Therapy: a Potential Strategy to Reduce Sports Injury Risk?

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cláudio da Silva Ferreira · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study investigates whether near-infrared light therapy can acutely improve ankle dorsiflexion mobility and hamstring flexibility, two factors associated with sports injury risk. Healthy adult students will complete three randomized conditions: a control session, a 10-minute cycling warm-up, and a 10-minute exposure to a red and near-infrared LED panel (MITO LIGHT®). Mobility and flexibility will be assessed before and after each condition using the Knee-to-Wall Test (KWT) and the Active Knee Extension Test (AKET). The study aims to determine whether photobiomodulation may serve as a potential strategy to reduce musculoskeletal injury risk.

Detailed description

This randomized crossover study examines the acute effects of near-infrared LED-based photobiomodulation on ankle dorsiflexion mobility and hamstring flexibility in healthy adults. Each participant will complete three sessions in randomized order: (1) control, (2) 10-minute cycling warm-up, and (3) 10-minute exposure to a red and near-infrared LED panel (MITO LIGHT®), emitting wavelengths range of 800-860 nm. The LED panel will be positioned at 15 cm distance at 100% intensity. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will include the Knee-to-Wall Test (KWT) and the Active Knee Extension Test (AKET). The study is conducted at the Human Movement Laboratory of the University of Aveiro and follows ethical approval from the CEIC-UA. Data will be anonymized and processed according to GDPR. The goal is to determine whether photobiomodulation may contribute to reducing sports injury risk by improving key biomechanical parameters.

Conditions

• Ankle Dorsiflexion

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Near-infrared photobiomodulation	Exposure to a near-infrared LED panel emitting wavelengths range of 800-860 nm for 10 minutes at a distance of 15 cm and 100% intensity. Mobility and flexibility tests (KWT and AKET) are performed immediately before and after the exposure.
OTHER	Cycling Warm-up	10 minutes cycling warm-up on a stationary cycle ergometer at 55-75% of maximum heart rate, followed by mobility and flexibility assessments.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-03-23
• Primary completion: 2026-04-13
• Completion: 2026-04-20
• First posted: 2026-03-17
• Last updated: 2026-03-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal