Horizon Light Therapy
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Horizon Infrared Therapy from Hill Therapeutics The “right” phototherapy device can accelerate tissue repair 1,2 and eliminate or reduce pain 3,4,5 inflammation 6 and loss of range of motion.5 New research also has shown the beneficial effect of light on nerve regeneration.7,8 But, what is the “right” device? With a slew of manufacturers and sometimes misleading claims, it is not easy to sort through information and find the best product for your money. Here the 5 most important factors regarding light therapy: 1. Power: The power for a low-level light system is expressed in milliwatts or mW. 1000 milliwatts equals 1 watt. Higher wattage corresponds to a faster treatment; however this is dependent on the size of the probe. Most medical research and literature advocate a light dose between 3-8 J/cm2. 9,10 Basically, the dosage depends on the size of the device, power and treatment time. 3-8 J/cm2 is considered a relatively low dosage and follows the Arndt-Schultz Law that low stimuli activate physiological processes where high stimuli inhibit physiological responses. Whether it takes 1 minute or 20 minutes, as long as you provide an adequate dose, your patients will benefit. When comparing the power of different manufacturer’s devices, it is important to ask how long it takes to produce 1 joule per cm 2. Unless you are treating acupuncture points, it is not practical to buy a very low powered device (<50mW). 2. Wavelength: Look for a device that emits infrared light (>750nm). It has been established that the penetration of light is deeper with higher wavelengths.11,12 A strictly red light device will not penetrate deep enough and will be ineffective at treating deep musculoskeletal conditions.11 Many devices have a combination of red and infrared light. Red light is beneficial at superficial levels and is used as a visual indicator that lets the user know when the device is operating since infrared light cannot be seen with the human eye. 3. Cluster size: Today’s phototherapy devices are made of LEDs/SLDs and Lasers. SLD means super luminous diode. SLD is a fancy way of Image showing active infrared diodes saying LED and with today’s technology there is no difference between the two. Because of the makeup of lasers, they tend to be spaced farther apart which reduces their ability to effectively treat larger areas.13 Lasers and LEDs produce the same therapeutic effect and lately some researchers prefer LEDs over Lasers.13,14 LED systems tend to be more affordable, durable and portable. The diodes can be packed closer together and there are more wavelengths available.13,14 4. Ease of use: The light device should be lightweight, portable, and have a friendly user interface. Since light therapy treatment times are typically quick, you do not want a device that takes longer to set up than to treat. 5. Price: Price is typically the biggest deciding factor when purchasing a new device. With the current competition available, you shouldn’t have to pay more than a couple thousand dollars for a high quality, high-powered light device. Over for more -

The Horizon Infrared Device Hill Laboratories, predominately recognized as a high quality medical-table manufacturer, has expanded its therapy line by developing the Horizon Infrared light device. The Horizon Infrared and Red Light Therapy unit delivers a powerful 800mW of infrared (880nm) and red (660nm) light with 36 infrared LEDs and 7 visible red LEDs. The treatment surface plate is roughly 2" in diameter. A dose of 4 J/cm2 takes a little over 90 seconds. The Horizon probe can be purchased as a plug-in to the new HF54 Hands Free Ultrasound or separate as a portable standalone. The...