Effects of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Muscle Strength and Muscle Endurance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Across 23 trials in healthy people, PBM was associated with small average gains in muscle endurance and strength. The results do not establish a best protocol or a rehabilitation benefit in patients.

Zhai H, Wang T, Yan H, Xu N, Zhai H, Wei H.
Journal of integrative and complementary medicine · Publication date: 2026-09-18
Added to site: 2026-09-20
DOI: 10.1177/27683605261488795

Electronic publication date verified in Europe PMC.

Modalities

Photobiomodulation, Red and near-infrared light

Clinical focus

Muscle endurance, Muscle strength, Exercise performance

Population

Healthy human participants, including athletes and physically active people

Sample

23 randomized controlled trials; the total participant count was not reported in the accessible abstract

Intervention / method

PBM applied before performance testing across varied powers, energy doses, treatment intervals and application sites

Comparator

Placebo light procedures

Clinician summary

Random-effects pooling found small effects for endurance and strength. Most subgroup differences were nonsignificant, and dose, timing and population signals were exploratory rather than validated prescribing rules.

How to interpret the findings

Protocols and populations varied, the accessible abstract did not report the total sample, and subgroup results were exploratory. The review concerned healthy participants, so clinical rehabilitation and neurological generalizability remain unestablished.

Equipment and disclosures

PBM devices and parameters varied across the included randomized trials and were not itemized in the accessible abstract.

Funding and competing-interest details were not available in the checked indexed record.

Related evidence

Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.