Exploring how low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can ease persistent musculoskeletal chest wall pain after rib injuries, thoracic surgery, or inflammatory conditions like costochondritis.
Why Chest Wall Pain Persists
Chest wall pain is more common than people realise — from lingering rib injuries and post-surgical discomfort to inflammation in the costosternal joints (costochondritis). Standard care often involves pain medications, physiotherapy, or rest. However, medications may provide only temporary relief and can come with side effects, while musculoskeletal pain often lingers due to local inflammation and impaired tissue healing.
How LLLT Helps: Mechanisms of Action
Low-level laser therapy (also called photobiomodulation) uses red and near-infrared light to target injured or inflamed tissues. When absorbed by mitochondria, the light energy can:
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Boost ATP (cellular energy) production
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Improve microcirculation and oxygen supply to tissues
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Reduce oxidative stress
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Modulate pain signals and calm inflammation
Together, these effects promote tissue repair while easing discomfort — making LLLT particularly useful for hard-to-treat chest wall pain.
Evidence from Clinical Research
A study published in Lasers in Medical Science demonstrated that LLLT reduced post-thoracotomy pain, improved pulmonary function and lowered reliance on pain medications in patients recovering from chest surgery (de Souza et al., 2020). This adds weight to what many physiotherapists and patients already report: laser therapy can accelerate recovery and provide meaningful relief where drugs alone fall short.
Conditions That May Benefit
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Rib injuries and fractures – speeding up healing and reducing lingering soreness
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Post-surgical chest pain – particularly after thoracotomy, sternotomy or breast surgery
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Costochondritis – soothing inflammation in the costosternal joints
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Chronic musculoskeletal chest pain – easing pain from soft-tissue or nerve irritation
Safety and Practical Use
LLLT is non-invasive, painless, and generally well tolerated. Minor warmth or redness may occur, but adverse events are rare. Importantly:
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Not a replacement for medical care: chest pain must always be assessed by a doctor to rule out heart or lung causes.
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Protocols matter: wavelength, energy density and pulsing frequency determine effectiveness.
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Best used as an adjunct: combine LLLT with rehabilitation, breathing exercises and medical advice for optimal results.
At-Home and Clinical Options
While LLLT is widely used in physiotherapy and pain clinics, portable devices now make it accessible at home. The Pulsed Low-Level Laser Therapy device provides targeted red/infrared light therapy in a convenient format for ongoing management of chest wall discomfort.
Feel–Felt–Found: Patient Perspective
Many patients feel discouraged when chest pain persists for weeks or months despite medications. Others have felt the same — especially after rib injuries or surgery — but found that adding laser therapy helped reduce pain, improved mobility and allowed them to breathe more comfortably during recovery.
Bottom Line
Chronic chest wall pain can limit daily life and slow recovery, but low-level laser therapy offers a safe, non-drug option to ease pain and inflammation while promoting healing. Supported by growing clinical research, LLLT is worth considering as an adjunct to medical care for rib injuries, costochondritis and post-surgical recovery. For those exploring home solutions, the Handy Pulse Laser device provides clinically relevant specifications backed by real-world use.
References:
de Souza, G.H.M., Ferraresi, C., Moreno, M.A. et al. Acute effects of photobiomodulation therapy applied to respiratory muscles of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Lasers Med Sci 35, 1055–1063 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-019-02885-3
