NovoTHOR: whole-body treatment
NovoTHOR is a bed-style pod lined with red (660 nm) and near-infrared (850 nm) LEDs above and below, so the entire body receives light at once from a fixed distance. A session lasts 20 minutes. Because it treats everything at the same time, it suits whole-body goals such as recovery after training, widespread muscle or joint aches and general wellbeing. It is used by professional sports teams and rehabilitation clinics.
THOR Laser: targeted treatment
THOR Laser is a clinical-grade low-level laser applied by a practitioner directly to a specific site. Laser light is coherent and can be delivered at higher intensity to a small area, reaching deeper structures such as tendons, ligaments and joint capsules. It is the tool for a defined injury: a tennis elbow, an Achilles tendinopathy, a painful knee, or long-term back or neck pain. These are approved uses of THOR devices in the UK. Treatment times are short, a few minutes per site.
How they differ
Coverage versus depth is the simplest way to think about it. NovoTHOR covers everything at a moderate dose; THOR Laser concentrates a stronger dose where it is needed. NovoTHOR is unsupervised once you are in the pod; THOR Laser is delivered hands-on by a practitioner who assesses the area first.
Using both together
For someone recovering from an injury who also trains hard, the combination makes sense: a full-body session for general recovery, plus targeted laser on the injured site. The two complement rather than duplicate each other. At Omnia in Chiswick we assess which you need at the first visit and build a plan, often alongside physiotherapy or manual therapy.
For more on the THOR laser, including the research on tendon, joint, back and neck pain, see low level laser therapy in London.
Book red light therapy in Chiswick: sessions from £70. Book online or call 020 4515 0000. Read more about red light therapy at Omnia. 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.
What they have in common
Both are photobiomodulation, both are non-invasive with no downtime, and both draw on the same body of photobiomodulation research.