Red Light Therapy for Tendonitis: Tennis Elbow and Achilles

Tendon pain that will not settle, such as tennis elbow, a sore Achilles or an aching shoulder, is one of the main reasons people try laser or red light therapy. This guide sets out what the trials found for each area, why loading exercise stays the main treatment, and how a course of THOR laser can fit around it.

Tendon problems (tendinopathies) are one of the approved uses of THOR devices in the UK. A targeted THOR laser session is £80 for 30 minutes at our Chiswick clinic. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.

Quick answer

Several reviews of placebo-controlled trials report short-term pain relief from low-level laser for tendon problems, mainly tennis elbow, Achilles tendinopathy and shoulder tendinopathy, especially when recommended doses are aimed directly at the tendon. The results are not consistent, and some well-run trials found no extra benefit when laser was added to exercise. Gradual loading exercise remains the core treatment, and laser is best seen as a way to ease pain while you build it up.

Tendonitis or tendinopathy?

Many people say tendonitis, but long-standing tendon pain usually involves changes in the structure of the tendon rather than ongoing inflammation, which is why clinicians call it tendinopathy. It often builds up after a change in activity, such as more running, gripping or lifting, and tends to feel worse at the start of activity or the morning after.

What the trials found

Tennis elbow

• 2008 review, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 13 placebo-controlled trials with 730 people. Overall, laser gave a small extra reduction in pain. Trials that aimed specific wavelengths and doses directly at the tendon found short-term pain relief and less disability, alone or with exercise.
• 1994 trial, Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. A double-blind trial of 830 nm laser on tender points over the outer elbow and forearm. The authors concluded that the laser offered no advantage over placebo.

Achilles tendinopathy

• 2008 trial, American Journal of Sports Medicine. 52 recreational athletes did eccentric heel-drop exercises with real or placebo laser. At four weeks, pain during activity was lower with real laser, at about 54 compared with 72 on a 100-point scale.
• 2012 trial, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 40 people did eccentric exercises for three months with real or placebo laser. Laser was ahead at four weeks, but at the main 12-week check there was no difference between the groups.

Shoulder tendinopathy

• 2015 review, Physiotherapy Research International. 17 randomised trials. Laser gave clinically important pain relief compared with placebo, about 20 points on a 100-point scale on its own and about 16 points when added to exercise.

Tendon problems in general

• 2010 review, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery. 25 trials across different tendons. Twelve were positive and thirteen were inconclusive or found no effect. Positive results were linked to using recommended doses.

Taken together, laser may ease tendon pain in the short term for some people, particularly when the dose is right, but it does not replace exercise and not every trial found a benefit. For more trials, see our guide to low level laser therapy in London and our red light therapy research library.

Plantar heel pain (plantar fasciitis)

Plantar fasciitis affects the thick band of tissue under the foot rather than a tendon. A 2022 review in Musculoskeletal Science and Practice of 14 studies with 817 people found that laser reduced heel pain more than placebo in the short term, by about 2.3 points on a 10-point scale, based on four trials with 234 people. Plantar fasciitis is not listed separately among the approved uses of THOR devices in the UK, so we make no treatment claims for it. Our plantar fasciitis exercises guide covers the treatments with the best evidence.

Exercise comes first

Tendons respond to load. A programme that gradually increases the load on the tendon, such as heel drops for the Achilles or wrist exercises for tennis elbow, has the strongest evidence and is the main treatment physiotherapists use. The NHS also advises resting from the activity that causes the pain, using ice or painkillers for short-term relief, and seeing a physiotherapist if it does not improve. Start with our tennis elbow exercises, or book physiotherapy in Chiswick for a tailored plan.

Laser can sit alongside that plan. Many people use it to take the edge off pain so that the exercises feel more manageable.

What a THOR laser course looks like

Your first visit starts with a check of your symptoms, any scans, your medicines and your goals. You wear protective eyewear, and your practitioner places the laser probe over a set of points along the painful tendon for about 30 minutes in total. Most people feel nothing or gentle warmth. Trials have commonly used two or three sessions a week for around four weeks, alongside exercise. We agree a short course with you, review it, and stop if it is not helping.

Cost of laser therapy for tendon pain

At Omnia in Chiswick, a THOR laser session is £80 for 30 minutes. A NovoTHOR full-body session is £70 for 20 minutes, and the Omnia Red membership gives eight NovoTHOR sessions a month for £225. For tendon pain in one area, the targeted laser is usually the better fit. Read NovoTHOR vs THOR laser to compare.

Who should take care

Laser therapy is generally well tolerated. Tell us before treatment if you are pregnant, take medicines that make the skin sensitive to light, have epilepsy triggered by light, or have a history of cancer. Treatment is not given over an area of active cancer or over a new lump or pain that has not been assessed by a doctor, and you always wear the eye protection provided. A recent steroid injection into the tendon is worth mentioning at your consultation. Read is red light therapy safe for more.

When to see a doctor

Go to A&E or call 111 straight away if you feel a sudden snap or sharp pain at the back of your ankle and then cannot walk normally or stand on tiptoe, as this can be a ruptured Achilles tendon. Also seek urgent help if a joint is hot, red and swollen and you feel unwell or feverish.

See a GP if tendon pain is getting worse despite rest and exercise, keeps you awake at night, or has not improved after a few weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Does red light therapy work for tendonitis?

Reviews of placebo-controlled trials report short-term pain relief from low-level laser for some tendon problems, especially tennis elbow, Achilles and shoulder tendinopathy, when the dose is right. Results vary, and laser works best alongside a loading exercise programme rather than instead of it.

Is laser therapy good for tennis elbow?

A review of 13 placebo-controlled trials found a small extra reduction in pain overall, with clearer short-term benefits in trials that aimed recommended doses directly at the tendon. Some trials found no benefit. Wrist and forearm exercises remain the main treatment.

How many laser sessions do I need for tendon pain?

Trials commonly used two or three sessions a week for around four weeks. We agree a short course with you and review your pain and function along the way, so you are not committed to more sessions than you need.

Can red light therapy help plantar fasciitis?

One review found laser reduced heel pain more than placebo in the short term, based on four trials. Plantar fasciitis is not listed separately among the approved uses of THOR devices in the UK, so we make no treatment claims for it. Stretching, footwear and loading exercises are the main treatments.

Laser therapy for tendon pain in Chiswick

Our clinic is at 8 to 9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue, Chiswick W4 1LZ, close to Turnham Green station, on bus routes 94, E3 and 272. Limited parking is available on request when booking. Our physiotherapists work in the same building, so laser sessions can be planned around your exercise programme.

Read more about low level laser therapy in London, red light therapy for joint pain, or explore red light therapy in Chiswick.

Book THOR laser in Chiswick: £80 for 30 minutes. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have any of the warning signs above, seek medical attention.