Arthritis pain can make everyday movement uncomfortable. Stiff joints, inflammation, tenderness and reduced mobility can all affect how you move throughout the day, whether you're walking, exercising, working or simply going about your normal routine.
Red light therapy is becoming increasingly popular as a natural, non-invasive approach to supporting joint health and managing discomfort.
So, how can red light therapy help with arthritis pain?
Red light therapy can help reduce pain and inflammation, support circulation, improve joint mobility and promote healthier cellular activity around affected areas. Research into photobiomodulation has found particularly promising results for osteoarthritis-related pain, especially in the knees.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a general term used to describe conditions that affect the joints. There are many different types, with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis being two of the most common.
Osteoarthritis involves changes to the tissues within and around a joint and is often associated with pain, stiffness and reduced movement.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the joints.
While these conditions are different, inflammation, pain and reduced mobility are common concerns, which is why light therapy has attracted interest as a way to support joint health.
What Is Red Light Therapy?
Red light therapy, also called photobiomodulation, uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to stimulate cellular activity.
Unlike ultraviolet light, red and near-infrared light does not work by damaging the skin. Instead, the light is absorbed by cells and can influence processes involved in energy production, circulation, inflammation and tissue repair.
Near-infrared wavelengths can penetrate deeper into tissue than visible red light, making them particularly relevant when looking at areas such as joints and muscles.
How Can Red Light Therapy Help Arthritis Pain?
1. Red Light Therapy Can Help Reduce Joint Pain
Pain is one of the biggest challenges associated with arthritis, and reducing discomfort is one of the most researched potential benefits of photobiomodulation.
Red and near-infrared light can interact with cellular processes involved in pain signalling and inflammation. This can help calm inflammatory activity and reduce the intensity of pain signals.
Research into knee osteoarthritis has found significant reductions in pain following photobiomodulation treatment.
A 2025 randomised controlled trial involving people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis found that photobiomodulation significantly reduced pain compared with both placebo and no-treatment groups. The treatment group also showed improvements in pain, stiffness and functional limitations.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 studies involving 542 participants also found that photobiomodulation reduced pain intensity in people with knee osteoarthritis.
This makes pain relief one of the most interesting applications of red and near-infrared light for joint health.
2. It Can Help Calm Inflammation
Inflammation plays an important role in many forms of arthritis.
When inflammatory activity increases around a joint, it can contribute to pain, swelling, stiffness and discomfort.
Photobiomodulation can influence cellular pathways involved in the inflammatory response. This is one reason red and near-infrared light are being studied for inflammatory conditions.
By supporting a healthier inflammatory response, red light therapy can help create a more comfortable environment around the affected joint.
Research into LED photobiomodulation has found effects on inflammatory markers, swelling and other indicators of arthritis in experimental models.
3. Red Light Therapy Can Help Reduce Joint Stiffness
Arthritis isn't only about pain.
Stiffness can make it harder to bend a knee, move a shoulder, open your hands or get moving after sitting for a while.
By helping reduce inflammation and discomfort around a joint, red light therapy can help support easier movement.
Research into photobiomodulation for knee osteoarthritis has reported improvements in stiffness alongside reductions in pain.
The goal isn't simply to make a joint feel better at rest. Supporting comfortable movement is an important part of maintaining everyday function.
4. It Can Help Improve Mobility
When pain and stiffness are reduced, movement can become easier.
Red light therapy can help support joint mobility by addressing some of the factors that make movement uncomfortable, including inflammation, pain and tissue stiffness.
Research has found improvements in physical function alongside pain reductions following photobiomodulation for osteoarthritis.
A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials in older adults found that photobiomodulation combined with exercise produced improvements in knee pain, overall function and range of motion.
This is particularly relevant because maintaining movement is an important part of supporting healthy joints.
5. Red Light Therapy Can Support Circulation
Good circulation is important for delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues and supporting normal cellular function.
Photobiomodulation can influence microcirculation, helping support blood flow around the treated area.
Improved circulation can support the delivery of oxygen and nutrients while helping tissues clear metabolic waste products.
In a randomised pilot study involving people with knee osteoarthritis, customised photobiomodulation was associated with reduced pain as well as improvements in microcirculation and quality-of-life measures.
6. It Can Support Cellular Energy Production
One of the key ways photobiomodulation works is by interacting with mitochondria within cells.
Mitochondria are often described as the energy-producing structures of our cells. They help generate the energy cells need to perform their normal functions.
Red and near-infrared light can interact with cellular components involved in energy production, supporting ATP production and cellular activity.
For tissues around an irritated or stressed joint, supporting normal cellular energy production can help create better conditions for the body's natural maintenance and repair processes.
7. Red Light Therapy Can Support Healthier Joint Function
The benefits of red light therapy aren't limited to pain.
When pain, inflammation and stiffness are better managed, it can become easier to move the joint normally.
This can support everyday activities such as:
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Walking
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Climbing stairs
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Exercising
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Bending and stretching
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Getting up from a chair
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Using your hands and fingers
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Performing everyday household activities
Research into photobiomodulation has found improvements in pain and functional outcomes in people with knee osteoarthritis, supporting its potential as a complementary approach to joint health.
Red Light Therapy for Knee Arthritis
The knee is one of the most commonly studied joints when it comes to photobiomodulation.
This is partly because knee osteoarthritis can significantly affect movement and everyday activities.
Studies have investigated different wavelengths and treatment protocols, including both red and near-infrared light.
Research suggests that near-infrared wavelengths can be particularly useful when targeting deeper tissues around the knee. However, the ideal wavelength, dose and treatment schedule can vary between studies and devices.
For this reason, red and near-infrared light are often considered together when discussing photobiomodulation for joint health.
Can Red Light Therapy Help Arthritis in the Hands?
Hands and fingers can also be affected by arthritis, with stiffness, discomfort and reduced mobility making everyday tasks more difficult.
Red light therapy can be used on smaller areas of the body, making the hands another area of interest for photobiomodulation.
The same basic principles apply: light interacts with cells within the treated area and can help support circulation, cellular energy production and a healthier inflammatory response.
For people interested in supporting joint comfort in the hands, the ability to target a specific area is one of the practical benefits of LED light therapy.
Red Light Therapy for Arthritis vs Other Pain Relief Options
Red light therapy is different from treatments that work primarily through medication or physical cooling or heating.
Instead, photobiomodulation uses light to interact with cellular processes.
This makes it an appealing option for people looking for a non-invasive, drug-free approach to supporting joint comfort.
It can also fit alongside other healthy habits that support joint function, such as appropriate movement and exercise.
The aim is not to replace professional care, but to provide another way of supporting the body's natural processes.
How Often Should You Use Red Light Therapy for Arthritis?
Consistency is important when using red light therapy.
Research studies typically use repeated treatments over a number of weeks rather than relying on one session.
However, there isn't one universal treatment schedule for every type of arthritis, joint or light therapy device. Wavelength, irradiance, treatment time and distance from the light all affect the amount of energy delivered.
Following the instructions provided with your specific device is therefore important.
Why Use Near-Infrared Light for Joint Pain?
Red light is generally associated with more superficial tissues, while near-infrared wavelengths can penetrate further.
This makes near-infrared light particularly interesting for areas such as:
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Knees
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Shoulders
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Elbows
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Hips
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Wrists
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Hands
The ability of near-infrared light to reach deeper tissue is one reason it is frequently investigated in research involving joints and musculoskeletal pain.
The Bottom Line
Arthritis can affect much more than the joints themselves. Pain and stiffness can influence how comfortably you move and how easily you get through everyday activities.
Red and near-infrared light therapy can help support joint health in several ways.
Red light therapy can help:
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Reduce joint pain
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Calm inflammatory activity
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Reduce stiffness
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Support mobility
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Improve circulation
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Support cellular energy production
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Promote healthier tissue function
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Support everyday movement and joint function
Research into photobiomodulation has shown particularly promising results for knee osteoarthritis, with studies reporting improvements in pain, stiffness and function.
Rather than simply masking discomfort, red light therapy works at a cellular level, supporting processes involved in energy production, circulation and the body's inflammatory response.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. If you have concerns about this issue, speak with a qualified healthcare professional.