Enhancing Athletic Performance

By Robert M. Cohl, DC

We introduced the Erchonia Cold Laser in 2004 at our office to speed up and enhance soft tissue injury healing. That was the same year the cold laser was sought after by two teams in the NFL New England Patriots, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Professional sports teams play hard and fall hard. Pick up any sports section of the newspaper any day and you will find that a team player is out for a sports-related injury. It could be either a traumatic or an overuse injury.

Athletes may have surgery, and then go into a rehabilitation program until the injury is healed and resolved. Even when there is no sports-related injury, athletes need daily rehabilitation — incorporating programs in strength, flexibility, and endurance — in order to maintain optimum performance.

As a Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, I have seen how the addition of low level Erchonia Cold Laser therapy for the last 11 years has sped up the healing time in the personal rehabilitation programs for our patients. The cold laser works on all types of tissue bones, joints, muscles, ligaments as well as the blood vessels and the nerves to the injured site. Post-surgical wound healing and follow-up rehabilitation is reduced by approximately one-half. This applies to rotator cuff surgery, arthroscopic knee surgery, and acute injuries of the spine, such as lumbar disc and cervical disc inflammation/degeneration.

Historically, Erchonia laser was the first therapeutic medical device to get FDA clearance in January 2002. This was for chronic neck and back pain. The results showed a 64% improvement in pain reduction, along with increased muscle strength and range of motion.

Post-concussion syndrome is now being addressed by using a low level laser protocol for acute and chronic brain inflammation. Starting in the beginning of 2015, a low-level laser protocol has been developed to address Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Statistically the highest occurrence of TBI happens in whiplash from motor vehicle accidents, men's football, and women's soccer. A functional neurological exam is conducted that assess balance, proper visual function, right and left brain balancing, and of course pain and memory deficits. Nutritional biochemistry blood analysis is also part of a successful brain injury management program.