LED treatment for horse injuries
Recovery from injury is rarely difficult to understand. It is difficult to sustain. The plan is clear in week one and much harder in week nine, when the horse looks fine, the scan says otherwise, and the routine has to continue anyway. LED treatment is designed for exactly that stretch: something short, safe and repeatable that you can do every day without it becoming a project.
This page covers the injuries we are asked about most, what red and infrared light supports in each, and a suggested session routine. It is a starting point for a conversation with your vet — not a replacement for one.
What light does in injured tissue
LED treatment is non-invasive and non-thermal. Red and infrared light within the optical window — roughly 600 to 900 nanometres — penetrates biological tissue and interacts with the cellular processes involved in repair, circulation and energy production. Infrared wavelengths reach deeper structures such as muscle, tendon and joint; shorter red wavelengths act closer to the surface.
What that means in practice is modest and specific: light does not repair tissue, it supports the conditions under which the body repairs its own tissue. That is why it works alongside veterinary treatment rather than instead of it, and why consistency matters more than intensity.
Light does not heal an injury. It supports the biology that does.
Before you start
Four things worth settling before the first session, in every case below.
Get a diagnosis. Treating the wrong structure consistently is worse than treating nothing.
Agree the plan with your vet, including whether light treatment suits the stage the injury is at.
Position the system directly over the affected structure, with the straps stable enough that it stays there.
Keep a short daily record — session, area, and what the tissue looked like before and after.
Common injuries, and how light is used
Session routines below are our general recommendations. Your vet's guidance takes precedence over all of them, particularly in the first days after an acute injury.
Tendon injuries
Frequent in horses, and usually the result of strain, overuse or trauma rather than a single bad step. Recovery is slow and the risk of re-injury is real. LED treatment supports fibroblast activity and collagen production — the cells and the material that rebuild tendon — while supporting local circulation and the regulation of inflammatory signalling through a rehabilitation measured in months.
5-minute sessions, 2–3 times daily during recovery, then once daily for prevention.
Muscle injuries
Muscle recovers faster than tendon, but soreness and guarding after a strain change how the horse moves, and compensation creates the next problem elsewhere. LED treatment supports ATP production and cellular energy in the affected fibres, along with circulation through the area and the inflammatory response that follows the injury.
Up to 10-minute sessions, 1–2 times daily during recovery, then once daily for maintenance.
Arthritis and joint inflammation
Joints are vulnerable both to inflammation and to the degenerative change that long-standing inflammation can lead to. LED treatment supports cellular activity and circulation in the tissue around the joint, and the processes involved in maintaining cartilage and connective tissue — which is why daily use through a long management plan tends to matter more than intensive short blocks.
5-minute sessions, 2–3 times daily, then once daily as needed.
Inflammation
Acute or chronic inflammation slows recovery and takes the edge off performance. Inflammation itself is not the enemy — it is how damaged tissue is cleared — but it needs to resolve on schedule. LED treatment supports the regulation of the inflammatory response and improves local blood flow through the affected area.
5–10-minute sessions, 1–2 times daily until stabilised, then once daily.
Wounds and surgical incisions
Wound healing is where light-based treatment has the longest history. LED treatment supports tissue regeneration through fibroblast activation, helps manage swelling around the site, and supports the local immune response — relevant in stable environments where keeping a wound clean is a daily task in itself.
5-minute sessions, up to 3 times daily initially, then once daily until resolved.
Back pain and soreness
The back carries both the rider and the mechanics of movement, which makes it prone to soreness and to secondary strain when something else is wrong. LED treatment supports circulation through the long muscles either side of the spine and the regulation of inflammation that contributes to discomfort. Back soreness is often a symptom, so it is worth asking what else is causing it.
Up to 10-minute sessions, 1–2 times daily.
Hoof conditions
Hooves determine mobility, and conditions such as bruising, abscesses or laminitis cause significant pain. LED treatment supports circulation and tissue regeneration around the hoof structures. Because these conditions vary so widely in cause and severity, we do not publish a single routine for them.
Contact us for a schedule tailored to the specific condition.
If your horse's condition isn't listed here, get in touch — we're happy to talk through whether light treatment is a sensible part of the plan, and where it isn't.
Built in Sweden for daily use
A treatment you have to plan around does not get done. Our systems are built for the opposite: short sessions, stable positioning, and materials that survive a stable rather than a clinic — dust, moisture and the occasional knock included.
Each system carries two types of LED strap, alternating: red at 660/670 and 730 nm, infrared at 810 and 850 nm. No blue light, which only reaches the surface of the skin.
Choosing the right system
The right system is decided by where the injury is and how much area you need to cover.
Wrap72
Legs and joints — fetlock, knee, hock. Suits one or two legs and targeted work on a defined structure.
Wrap108
More extensive coverage when the affected area is larger, or when more than one area needs treating.
Stifle Wrap
Shaped for the stifle, and adapts to the chest, shoulders and back — including the compensatory soreness that follows a limb injury.
Working out where to place the system on your horse? Start with the treatment points guide, poll to hoof →. For the technical comparison between systems, see the system guide →.
You don't have to buy to begin
Nobody plans an injury, and nobody wants to make a purchase decision in the first week of one. Our rental programme lets you start treatment now and decide later, with no deposit, no minimum period and no binding commitment. If you decide to keep it, up to three months of rental is credited toward the purchase.
LED treatment supports the natural processes involved in recovery and tissue repair. It is not a cure, it does not shorten the biology of healing, and it does not replace veterinary diagnosis, imaging or treatment. The routines on this page are general recommendations — your vet's plan takes precedence, especially in the acute phase of an injury.
Common questions
How long is an LED treatment session for a horse?
Typically five to ten minutes per treatment area, depending on the condition. During the active phase of an injury this may be repeated two or three times a day; for maintenance, once daily is usually enough. Longer is not better — consistency is what matters.
Can LED treatment be used on an open wound?
Light-based treatment is widely used to support wound healing, and our recommendation for wounds and surgical incisions is five-minute sessions up to three times daily initially. How and when to apply it around an open or surgical wound should be agreed with your vet, who knows the site and the risk of contamination.
Is LED treatment safe to use without professional supervision?
The application is non-thermal and non-invasive, and the systems are designed to be used by horse owners in a normal stable environment. What still needs professional input is the diagnosis and the plan — knowing what you are treating, and whether the stage of the injury suits it.
How soon after an injury can LED treatment start?
That depends on the injury and is a veterinary decision. In the first days after an acute injury, the priority is diagnosis and stabilisation — light treatment is more often introduced once the immediate picture is clear and a rehabilitation plan exists.