THOR laser in Chiswick W4
Targeted cold laser therapy for tendon problems, chronic joint pain, and back and neck pain, used alongside exercise and physiotherapy. Below is what 10 clinical trials and 9 reviews found, including the trials where it did not help, with a link to every study.
Quick answer
Low level laser therapy, also called cold laser therapy or photobiomodulation, uses a low-power laser to shine red and near-infrared light onto the painful area. It does not cut, burn or aim to heat the tissue. Reviews suggest it may ease back and neck pain a little in the short term compared with a sham laser, and may help some tendon problems. The effects are modest, the trials are mixed, and NICE advises against laser therapy for osteoarthritis. We use the THOR laser alongside exercise and physiotherapy, never instead of them.
Before you book: new, severe or unexplained pain should be checked by a GP first. In the UK, the THOR laser is approved for tendon problems, chronic joint pain, and back and neck pain. A 30-minute THOR laser session costs £80, and you can start with a free 15-minute consultation. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.
The treatment
Low level laser therapy shines red and near-infrared laser light through the skin onto a tendon, joint or muscle. It is called cold laser therapy because it uses low power and does not aim to warm the tissue. Researchers think the light is absorbed by mitochondria, the energy-producing parts of cells, and that this may affect pain signalling, inflammation and tissue repair. How much it helps in practice depends on the condition and the dose, which is why the research below matters.
The THOR laser is a low level laser. A practitioner holds a small probe against the skin over the painful area, so the light is concentrated on one spot at a time. It is a different kind of treatment from a high power (class 4) laser and from a whole-body LED bed.
Low power, held on the skin over one area, such as a tendon, a knee or the lower back. It does not aim to heat the tissue. This is the treatment on this page.
Often called high-intensity laser therapy. It runs at much higher power and usually warms the tissue. Several trials below used high power lasers, and we label them, because their results do not automatically apply to a low level laser. The THOR laser is not a high power laser.
LED beds spread red and near-infrared light over the whole body at once rather than focusing on one spot. For whole-body sessions, see NovoTHOR red light therapy in Chiswick. Our guide to laser vs LED photobiomodulation explains the difference.
What we use it for
In the UK, the THOR laser is approved for tendon problems (tendinopathies), chronic joint pain, and back and neck pain. It is also approved for oral mucositis, a mouth condition caused by cancer treatment, which this page does not cover. For any other condition, this is not an approved use of THOR devices in the UK, and we make no treatment claims for it. If you are looking for laser therapy near you in West London, our clinic is in Chiswick W4. Laser therapy is often offered as part of physiotherapy, sometimes called laser physiotherapy, and at Omnia it can be combined with physiotherapy and a home exercise plan.
Long-standing tendon pain such as tennis elbow, Achilles tendon pain and shoulder (rotator cuff) tendon pain. Exercise that gradually loads the tendon remains the main treatment, and laser may help ease pain while you build it up.
Chronic joint pain is one of the THOR laser's approved uses. For osteoarthritis, NICE advises against laser therapy because it found insufficient evidence of benefit, so we talk you through exercise-based care first. See our knee pain and osteoarthritis pages.
Laser therapy for back pain and neck pain that has lasted for weeks or months, without signs of a serious cause. Most of the trials on this page are on back and neck pain. Read more on our back pain page.
The evidence
These are the randomised trials of laser and light therapy for back and neck pain in our research folder, checked against their published records. We have grouped each trial by what it actually compared, and we say which used a high power laser. Of the three trials that beat a placebo, all used high power lasers, so the case for low level lasers rests mainly on the reviews further down.
Pilates reduced pain, disability and catastrophising in both groups. Adding light therapy gave no extra benefit, and neither group improved its balance.
The published summary does not say whether a laser or an LED device was used.
Neck pain and disability fell in both groups, and fell more in the laser group.
The summary describes a high-intensity laser, not a low level laser. The title mentions ultrasound but the summary only says physiotherapy, so the comparison is not fully clear.
This trial measured balance and posture, not pain. Balance improved for a short time and then faded, and neither laser did better than its sham when added to stabilisation exercises.
All three treatments reduced pain and disability, while the untreated waiting-list group got slightly worse. The laser group had the largest fall in pain, and pulsed ultrasound did best for disability.
Without a sham device, a placebo effect cannot be ruled out.
Laser with exercise and ultrasound with exercise both reduced pain and disability, while exercise alone made no significant change. The laser group did best overall, and only that group gained back movement.
A small trial with no sham device.
Both groups improved in pain, movement and disability. The combined red and infrared laser gave more side bending and less disability, but pain relief was the same with both lasers.
Both groups had less pain and more neck movement. The laser group gained more movement and function, and had less pain, than the placebo group.
This used a high-intensity laser, not a low level laser like the THOR laser.
Pain fell in both groups, but it fell more in the laser group by the end of the three weeks.
The authors call this low level laser therapy, but the laser ran at 20 watts over a large treatment head, far more power than a typical low level probe.
All three groups improved. Laser with exercise did better than placebo laser with exercise and better than laser on its own.
This used a high-intensity laser, not a low level laser like the THOR laser.
The treated group had less disability and less fear of activity than at the start. The published summary compares the treated group with its own starting point, not with the placebo group, and does not report a change in pain.
The summary calls this light therapy and does not say whether the device was a laser.
The study summaries in our folder were supplied by THOR Photomedicine, the maker of the THOR laser. Every summary on this page was written by us from the published record.
The bigger picture
Reviews pool trials together, so they give a fairer picture than any single study.
Back pain
15 sham-controlled trials, 1,039 people with chronic low back pain. Laser reduced pain by up to about 1.4 points on a 10-point scale in the short term. The benefit appeared only in trials using higher doses, in people who had had back pain for under 30 months, and not when the laser was aimed at acupuncture points. The authors rated the evidence moderate quality. Read on PubMed
Seven placebo-controlled trials, 394 people. Pain scores after treatment were lower with low level laser than with placebo, by about 14 points on a 100-point scale. There was no clear effect on disability or on how far people could move their spine. Read on PubMed
Neck pain
17 trials, 10 of them at high risk of bias. For chronic neck pain, moderate-quality evidence from two trials (109 people) favoured laser over placebo for pain, disability and quality of life up to the medium term. Results for neck muscle (myofascial) pain conflicted. The authors called for larger, longer trials. Read on PubMed
Eight trials, 443 people. In five trials of neck muscle pain, laser improved pain by about 10 points on a 100-point scale. The authors judged this too small to matter to patients and called the evidence inconclusive. Read on PubMed
Seven trials that added light therapy, mostly low level infrared laser, to exercise for chronic neck pain. Four found a short-term pain benefit, but it fell short of a change patients would clearly notice, and no trial found less disability. Read on PubMed
20 trials of high-intensity laser, not low level laser, for neck pain. Added to other physiotherapy, especially exercise, it lowered pain by about 14 points on a 100-point scale, with smaller gains in disability and movement. The overall certainty of the evidence was low. Read on PubMed
Tendons and knee osteoarthritis
Tennis elbow: 13 placebo-controlled trials, 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, while trials aimed at acupuncture points, or using some other wavelengths, found no benefit. Read on PubMed
25 controlled trials across tendon problems. Results were mixed: 12 were positive and 13 were inconclusive or found no effect. Positive results were linked to using recommended doses, and pooled data favoured laser for grip strength in tennis elbow and for pain in Achilles tendon problems. Read on PubMed
Knee osteoarthritis: 22 placebo-controlled trials, 1,063 people. Laser reduced pain and disability more than placebo, with the largest effects at recommended doses. Two authors are past presidents of the World Association for Laser Therapy, a non-profit body. NICE reviewed the evidence on osteoarthritis and reached a different view (see below). Read on PubMed
In short: reviews suggest low level laser may reduce back and neck pain a little in the short term compared with a sham laser, mainly at adequate doses. Effects on disability are less clear, and several of the most positive trials used high power lasers. For tendons and knee osteoarthritis the reviews are encouraging but mixed, and UK guidance does not recommend laser for osteoarthritis.
UK guidance
For back pain, the NHS advises staying active, exercises and stretches, and painkillers, with group exercise, physiotherapy, manual therapy and CBT if the pain is severe or lasting. It does not mention laser therapy. NHS back pain
NICE makes no recommendation on laser therapy for low back pain. It recommends self-management advice and exercise, and manual therapy only as part of a package that includes exercise. It advises against several machine-based treatments, including ultrasound, TENS and interferential therapy, but does not mention laser. NICE guideline NG59
NICE says: "Do not offer any of the following electrotherapy treatments to people with osteoarthritis because there is insufficient evidence of benefit", and laser therapy is on that list. It recommends therapeutic exercise for everyone with osteoarthritis. NICE guideline NG226
NICE has no clinical guideline on laser therapy for neck pain or tendon problems. Because NICE recommends against laser for osteoarthritis and exercise has the strongest evidence across all of these conditions, we offer the THOR laser as a supportive option alongside exercise and physiotherapy, not instead of them.
At our clinic
Most trials on this page gave two or three sessions a week for two to eight weeks. We agree a plan with you at your first visit, review how you are doing after a few sessions, and stop if it is not helping.
We go through your symptoms, any diagnosis, your medicines and any reasons laser may not suit you. You can start with a free 15-minute consultation.
You and the practitioner both wear protective eyewear. The probe is held against the skin over the painful area, and most people feel nothing or slight warmth.
You can go straight back to your day. There is no recovery time. We may suggest exercises to keep up at home.
We check your pain and movement against how you started, then decide together whether to continue.
Safety
Side effects in the trials were rare, although not every trial recorded them carefully. Laser light can damage the eyes, so it is never shone towards the eyes and protective eyewear is always worn. Tell us before your first session if any of these apply, as we may change the treatment or advise against it:
Call 999 or go to A&E if back pain comes with numbness around the genitals or bottom, new problems controlling your bladder or bowel, or weakness or numbness in both legs. See a GP urgently if pain is sudden and severe, getting worse quickly, or comes with fever or feeling unwell. Read more on light therapy safety.
Prices
| Treatment | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| THOR laser, targeted to the area being treated | 30 minutes | £80 |
| NovoTHOR whole-body bed | 20 minutes | £70 |
| Omnia Red membership | 8 NovoTHOR sessions a month | £225 |
| Consultation | 15 minutes | Free |
For courses and packages, call the clinic. Low level laser therapy is not routinely available on the NHS.
Questions
Cold laser therapy is another name for low level laser therapy, also called photobiomodulation. A low-power laser shines red and near-infrared light onto the painful area, such as a tendon, a knee or the lower back. It is called cold because it does not aim to heat the tissue.
No. Class 4 lasers, used in what is often called high-intensity laser therapy, run at much higher power and usually warm the tissue. The THOR laser is a low level laser and does not aim to heat the tissue. Some trials on this page used high power lasers, and their results do not automatically apply to a low level laser.
No. Most people feel nothing or slight warmth where the probe touches the skin. There is no recovery time, and you can go straight back to your day.
It varies. Most trials on this page gave two or three sessions a week for two to eight weeks. We agree a plan at your first visit and review it after a few sessions, so you are not committed to a long course if it is not helping.
For back pain, reviews of placebo-controlled trials suggest a small, short-term reduction in pain, mainly at adequate doses, with less clear effects on disability. For knee osteoarthritis, one large review found benefits, but NICE advises against laser therapy for osteoarthritis, so we talk you through exercise-based care first.
Not routinely. NICE makes no recommendation on laser for low back pain and advises against it for osteoarthritis. At Omnia, a 30-minute THOR laser session costs £80.
The THOR laser is targeted to the area being treated, such as a tendon, knee, neck or lower back, and costs £80 for 30 minutes. The NovoTHOR bed covers the whole body in one 20-minute session for £70. We can advise at your first visit.
Getting to our Chiswick clinic
Omnia Lifestyle, 8 to 9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue, Chiswick, London W4 1LZ. A short walk from Turnham Green station on the District line, with buses 94, E3 and 272 nearby. Limited parking is available on request when booking.
Book THOR laser therapy in Chiswick: £80 for 30 minutes. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.
Last reviewed 15 October 2026. This page is for information and does not replace advice from your GP.
Find us
Omnia Lifestyle
8-9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue
Chiswick, London W4 1LZ
A few minutes’ walk from Turnham Green station on the District line.
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8-9, Bedford Corner, W4 1LZ
