None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Evidence suggests that phototherapy via red/infra-red light applied directly to the muscle has the potential to enhance various aspects of sports performance with a proposed mechanism that includes increased mitochondrial respiration. A systematic review concluded that phototherapy consistently provided an ergogenic effect on skeletal muscle (Borsa et al., 2013). Participants will be asked to attend four exercise sessions at a University of sports laboratory where they will be exposed to either red light (630 & 660 nm), infra-red light (810, 830, and, 850 nm), combined red and infra-red light, or a placebo from a commercially available portable phototherapy device (SOHL® Complete) for 5 minutes before a submaximal effort to assess the impact on oxygen uptake. We hypothesize that short-duration exposure to specific wavelengths of light will improve aerobic fitness
Interventions
Participants will be asked to attend four exercise sessions at a University of sports laboratory where they will be exposed to either red light (630 & 660 nm), infra-red light (810, 830, and, 850 nm), combined red and infra-red light, or a placebo (device turned on, but paused so no light is emitted), The light will be delivered with participants standing in front of the phototherapy device (SOHL® Complete) at a distance of 30 cm for 5 minutes,
A researcher will accompany the participant into a
Participants will be asked to attend four exercise sessions at a University of sports laboratory where they will be exposed to either red light (630 & 660 nm), infra-red light (810, 830, and, 850 nm), combined red and infra-red light, or a placebo (device turned on, but paused so no light is emitted), The light will be delivered with participants standing in front of the phototherapy device (SOHL® Complete) at a distance of 30 cm for 5 minutes, A researcher will accompany the participant into a private, windowless room in a University of Waikato campus laboratory. They will give instructions to the participant, position them in front of the phototherapy device, and provide them with the eye-protection. Adherence will be assessed verbally during and after the intervention. Participants will be exposed to one of either red light (630 & 660 nm), infra-red light (810, 830, and 850 nm), combined red and infra-red light (630 & 660, 810, 830, and 850 nm), or a placebo in a randomised order during the four separate visits to the laboratory. Immediately after the light exposure, the participants will perform 7, 3 minute submaximal exercise bouts on a rowing ergometer. Each bout of submaximal exercise will be separated by 2 minutes rest and each visit to the laboratory will be separated by at least 3 days.
Sponsors
University of Waikato
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
18-30 years old male and female rowers No history of photosensitivity No current injury that could be aggravated by submaximal rowing.
Exclusion criteria
None
Outcome results
None listed