Red Light Therapy for Tennis Elbow: Evidence, Aim and Settings
Red light therapy for tennis elbow has the best research support of any tendon problem: a review of 13 placebo-controlled trials found less pain with light than with placebo, most clearly when near-infrared light was aimed at the sore tendon. In several trials, light was added to wrist exercises rather than used instead of them. Below: what the evidence shows, where to aim, the settings trials used, exercises, braces, injections, golfer's elbow, warning signs and how to set up a panel at home.
Key takeaways
- A 2008 review pooled placebo-controlled trials with 730 patients and found pain 10.2 mm lower on a 100 mm scale with light than with placebo. Bjordal, 2008
- When 904 nm near-infrared light was aimed at the tendon, pain was 17.2 mm lower than with placebo across 5 trials. Bjordal, 2008
- In a 50-person trial, light plus plyometric exercise over 8 weeks gave less pain and a stronger grip than placebo light plus the same exercise. Stergioulas, 2007
- A 2022 physiotherapy guideline says clinicians "may use laser therapy for improvements in pain and grip strength". Lucado, 2022
- An NHS referral guide states that 90% of people with tennis elbow make a full recovery within a year. NHS Tayside
Does red light therapy for tennis elbow work?
For short-term pain relief and grip strength, the research points to yes, especially when light is added to an exercise programme. The gains are moderate and were measured over weeks, not years.
Tennis elbow is overload of the tendon that lifts the wrist, with small tears near where it attaches to the bony point on the outer elbow. AAOS OrthoInfo
The main review pooled 13 placebo-controlled trials. Bjordal, 2008
| Measure | Light compared with placebo |
|---|---|
| Pain at the end of treatment, all trials | 10.2 mm lower on a 100 mm scale (10 trials) |
| Pain, 904 nm aimed at the tendon | 17.2 mm lower (5 trials) |
| Pain, 632 nm red light | 14.0 mm lower (1 trial) |
| Overall improvement | 1.36 times as likely (7 trials); 1.53 times with 904 nm at the tendon |
| Pain 3 to 8 weeks after the course ended | 11.30 mm lower (6 trials) |
The authors concluded that light seems to offer "short-term pain relief and less disability". No serious side effects were reported.
A wider 2021 review of tendon trials found pain 1.06 points lower on a 10-point scale with light plus exercise than with sham light plus exercise. Tripodi, 2021 Our guide to red light therapy for tendonitis covers that review in detail.
Where on the elbow should the light go?
On the sore tendon, where it meets the bony point on the outside of the elbow. The trials with the clearest results aimed light at that attachment.
A 2010 review of 10 trials found that light on tender or trigger points eased pain with a pooled effect size of 0.71 after treatment and 1.05 at follow-up. Chang, 2010 Grip force and range of movement also improved.
Pain from tennis elbow can spread into the forearm and wrist. Mayo Clinic, 2025 A panel lights a broad area, so the tendon and upper forearm sit in the beam together. Our red light therapy for arms guide uses the same aim.
Is red or near-infrared light better for elbow pain?
Both bands appear in positive trials. Most used 904 nm near-infrared laser light, one used 632 nm red, and a 2025 trial combined red and near-infrared LEDs with a laser.
The 2025 trial was triple-blinded and placebo-controlled, with 50 adults. de Oliveira, 2025 Its device combined 640 nm and 850 nm LEDs, a 905 nm laser and a static magnet, used twice a week for 3 weeks.
- Responders: 72% of the light group had at least 30% less pain, against 40% with placebo.
- Side effects: 2 of 25 people felt a biting sensation and skin warmth, and all of it settled.
The magnet means this was not light alone. For red light therapy for elbow pain at home, red and near-infrared together fit both lines of evidence.
What settings did tennis elbow trials use?
Small doses aimed at the tendon, two to five sessions a week, for 2 to 4 weeks in most trials and 8 weeks in one. Nearly all used clinic lasers on a few points of skin, with exercise alongside.
| Study | Light | Dose | Sessions per week | Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bjordal 2008 review, effective trials | 904 nm laser | 0.25 to 1.2 J per point, 2 to 6 points | Varied | Median about 3 |
| Lam and Cheing 2007, 39 people | 904 nm laser, plus exercise | 0.275 J per tender point | Not stated | 9 sessions in total |
| Stergioulas 2007, 50 people | 904 nm laser, 40 mW, plus plyometric exercise | 2.4 J/cm² | 2 for 4 weeks, then 1 | 8 (12 sessions) |
| Emanet 2010, 49 people | Laser at the WALT dose | WALT dose | 5 | 3 (15 sessions) |
| de Oliveira 2025, 50 people | 905 nm laser, 640 and 850 nm LEDs, magnet | 60 seconds at each of 4 sites | 2 | 3 (6 sessions) |
| WALT 2010 dose table | 780 to 860 nm laser | 4 J over 1 to 2 points | Daily, or every other day | 2, or 3 to 4 |
The World Association for Photobiomodulation Therapy recommends daily sessions for 2 weeks or sessions every other day for 3 to 4 weeks. WALT, 2010
In the 39-person trial, both groups exercised, and the light group gained more in pain threshold, grip and function. Lam and Cheing, 2007
Laser joules per point do not convert into a broad panel's output; what carries over is the pattern of modest doses, regular sessions and exercise. More light is not always better, as our article on how much red light therapy is too much explains.
Should you do wrist exercises before or after red light?
Either order fits the research, as long as the exercises stay. Many people find light first, then exercises, an easy routine on the same day.
The 2022 guideline gives resisted wrist exercise a Grade B recommendation, stronger than the Grade C for laser. Lucado, 2022
The 2008 review found two trials that paired light with slow lowering and stretching exercises, and recovery came 4 and 8 weeks sooner. Bjordal, 2008 Exercise stays the base, and light is the add-on.
Load matters as much as exercise. "Most people who get tennis elbow don't play tennis," Mayo Clinic notes; plumbing, painting, cooking and mouse use are common causes. Mayo Clinic, 2025 The NHS advice starts with cutting back on the activity that set it off. NHS, 2024
Can you wear a tennis elbow strap or brace with red light therapy?
Yes: keep the strap for activity and take it off for the session, because light needs bare skin. Never remove a splint or brace that a doctor or physiotherapist has told you to keep on.
The NHS lists a forearm strap or a wrist or elbow brace as self-care. NHS, 2024 The guideline supports a counterforce strap during activities that bring on the pain, for relief in the moment. Lucado, 2022
A 58-person trial gave everyone stretching and strengthening exercises, then added a brace, ultrasound or laser. Oken, 2008 Pain eased in all three groups, and grip strength rose in the laser group after treatment.
Can red light therapy help golfer's elbow?
It has been studied far less than tennis elbow. The closest evidence comes from the tennis elbow trials and one mixed trial of 324 people that included 50 with golfer's elbow.
Golfer's elbow causes pain on the inner elbow, where the tendons that bend the wrist and fingers attach. Mayo Clinic, 2026
In the mixed trial, the group given both trigger point and scanner light had complete pain relief with better function in 82% of recent and 66% of long-standing cases. Simunovic, 1998 It did not report golfer's elbow separately and scored 4 of 10 for quality on PEDro. Aim at the tendon on the inner bony point.
Exercise does the main work. One NHS hospital programme: Royal Orthopaedic Hospital
- Stretch: hold a wrist stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, 3 times, 3 times a day.
- Slow lowering: lower the wrist over about 6 seconds, 3 sets of 10, 3 times a day.
- Progress: add a small weight after a week or two.
The same hospital says golfer's elbow "will settle on its own", though it can take months or years. Numbness or tingling in the ring and little fingers can mean the nerve behind the inner elbow is involved, so see a doctor. AAOS OrthoInfo
Can you use red light after a cortisone injection for tennis elbow?
Ask the clinician who gave the injection before adding light to the same elbow. Light does not replace an injection or any treatment a doctor recommends.
Steroid injections can ease pain, but orthopaedic surgeons say they are "used sparingly". AAOS OrthoInfo The NHS Tayside guide puts advice, load changes and slow lowering exercises first. NHS Tayside
Anti-inflammatory gels and tablets are common self-care, and ibuprofen, diclofenac and ketoprofen appear on lists of medicines that can make skin sensitive to light. DermNet Our precautions rule out use with photosensitising medication, so anyone taking a medicine should check with their pharmacist or doctor before using the device.
After elbow surgery, light is only for once the wound has fully closed and the surgeon agrees, never over stitches.
How long does tennis elbow last, and when should light make a difference?
Tennis elbow usually settles within a year, and many cases ease after a few weeks of rest. In trials, the light benefit showed at the end of a 2 to 4 week course and was still present 3 to 8 weeks later.
The NHS says it "usually gets better after resting your arm for a few weeks", though it can last more than a year. NHS, 2024
- 2 weeks: see a GP if self-care has not helped.
- 6 weeks: physiotherapy if it has not improved.
- 6 to 12 months: surgery may become an option.
Orthopaedic surgeons report that 80 to 95% of patients do well without surgery. AAOS OrthoInfo It can return, so keep the exercises going once pain eases.
Give light time. In a 49-person trial of 15 sessions over 3 weeks, the light group had improved more than the placebo group at the 12-week check. Emanet, 2010 Keep the same settings for three to four weeks before judging, and log pain out of 10 when you lift a kettle or shake hands.
When should elbow pain be checked by a doctor first?
See a doctor before any light for a swollen, warm elbow with a fever, an elbow you cannot bend, one that looks deformed after a fall, or a sudden pop with weakness. Numbness or tingling into the hand also needs checking.
- Fever and warmth: a swollen, warm elbow with a fever needs immediate care. Mayo Clinic, 2026
- After a fall or knock: an elbow you cannot bend, that looks deformed or may be broken needs immediate care.
- A sudden pop: a pop or snap with sudden weakness needs urgent advice.
- Nerve signs: numbness or tingling into the hand, or arm pain with neck pain, since neck nerve problems can mimic tennis elbow. Lucado, 2022
- No change: no better after 2 weeks of rest and self-care. NHS, 2024
For a fresh injury, first aid comes first. Our joint pain hub covers other warning signs.
How do you use the Kivorla panel for tennis elbow?
Sit or stand side-on with the elbow about 6 inches from the panel, goggles on and eyes closed. It is fine to start further back, at about 12 inches, with a shorter session and dimmed channels, then move closer once you are used to it.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel carries 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%. Its 630 nm channel sits next to the 632 nm red of the elbow trial, and its 810 and 830 nm channels sit in the 780 to 860 nm band of the WALT table. The mask is for the face only.
- Position: hang it on a door or wall with the included door hook, pulley, hanging cables and screws, with the centre at elbow height, or stand it upright on the floor.
- Aim: bend the arm slightly and turn the outer bony point to the panel, or the inner elbow for golfer's elbow. Use bare, clean skin, strap off, and do not rest the arm on the panel.
- Face: stay side-on and never face the panel. See our guide to red light therapy goggles.
- Channels: 630, 660 and 670 nm on; 810, 830 and 850 nm on; 1060 nm optional; 480 and 590 nm at their lowest or off; pulse off, for continuous light.
- Timer: 10 to 15 minutes; the panel stops at 5 minutes if no time is set.
- Routine: three to five times a week, on the same day as your exercises, with at least 6 hours between 30-minute sessions.
The trials gave small doses at a few points. To stay closer to that range, set a shorter timer (from 1 minute), turn the channels down from 100%, or step back to 12 inches. Warm is fine, hot is not: if it feels hot, step back or stop. The surface stays at or below 40°C.
With reduced feeling in the arm, start at 12 inches with a short session and check the skin afterwards. The panel is not for Fitzpatrick skin types V or VI, or for use while pregnant, breastfeeding or preparing for pregnancy, or within 2 weeks of sunburn on the body.
Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Read the precautions before ordering. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and are not intended to treat tennis elbow or golfer's elbow. See a doctor or physiotherapist for elbow pain that lasts beyond 2 weeks of self-care, numbness in the hand or pain after an injury, and keep the exercise plan they give you.