Key result
Photobiomodulation therapy applied to the quadriceps immediately after exhaustive cycling significantly reduced blood lactate levels at 20 minutes post-exercise compared to placebo (5.46 vs 9.25 mmol/L).
Why the study?
Further research was warranted to understand the physiological impact of photobiomodulation therapy on post-exercise recovery and muscle functionality.
Does photobiomodulation therapy improve acute recovery (reduce blood lactate and heart rate, improve Wingate test performance) in healthy males after exhausting cycling exercise?
RCT (n=12)
Double-blind
Drawing lots
No
Does photobiomodulation therapy improve acute recovery (reduce blood lactate and heart rate, improve Wingate test performance) in healthy males after exhausting cycling exercise?
Photobiomodulation therapy applied immediately after exhausting exercise may facilitate faster acute recovery by reducing blood lactate and heart rate and improving subsequent muscle performance.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports PBMT for faster acute recovery after exhaustive exercise; confirms lactate and HR reductions in this RCT.
The application of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) to delay skeletal muscle fatigue and shield against muscle damage represents a novel frontier in the field of exercise physiology. Further research is warranted to understand the physiological impact of PBMT on post-exercise recovery and muscle functionality. The objective of this research is to assess the impact of PBMT on the quadriceps following strenuous cycling, focusing on blood lactate (BL) levels, heart rate (HR), perceived exertion (RPE), and performance in the Wingate (WG) test. The study involved 12 male participants who were randomly allocated to either an active PBMT group or a control group, with treatments administered to the rectus femoris muscles bilaterally post-exhaustive cycling. The cycling exercise workload was 50 Watts (W); it increased by 50 W every 30 s at 60 rpm until the onset of exhaustion; and 30 s of active recovery was allowed between intervals. The BL, HR, and RPE were measured at several time points: pre-exercise, post-exercise, and at 10 min and 20 min post-exercise, as well as post-WG test. BL was significantly reduced in the PBMT group compared to the placebo group at the 10-min (p < 0.05) and 20-min (p < 0.01) marks post-exercise, and also post-WG test (p < 0.01). Additionally, HR was significantly lower in the PBMT group immediately following the WG test (p < 0.01). Both the mean (p < 0.05) and peak power outputs (p < 0.05) were found to be superior in the PBMT group. The application of PBMT to the quadriceps post-exhaustive exercise resulted in reduced BL and HR, along with improved WG test results, suggesting that PBMT may facilitate faster recovery following physical exertion.
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Liu et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Exercise-induced muscle fatigue (n=12). Photobiomodulation therapy vs. Placebo was evaluated on Blood lactate level at 20 minutes post-exercise (mmol/L) (Cohen's d 1.18, p=<0.01). Photobiomodulation therapy applied to the quadriceps immediately after exhaustive cycling significantly reduced blood lactate levels at 20 minutes post-exercise compared to placebo (5.46 vs 9.25 mmol/L).
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