Traumatic damage to ligaments or tendons.

Tears may occur in tendons (the connective tissue attaching muscle to bone) or in ligaments (the connective tissue attaching bone to bone in a joint) following trauma to the tissue. The aging process can make these tissues more vulnerable to a tear. Tears may be mild (1st degree where less that 10% of the fibres are involved); moderate (2nd degree where 50% or more of the fibres are involved); or complete (3rd degree where all of the fibres are disrupted). All can cause pain swelling and tenderness especially when stretched and 3rd degree tears can lead to significant joint instability in the case of ligament tears and muscle weakness in the case of tendon tears.

Laser therapy significantly reduces the healing time of the ligament and tendon. The increased circulatory response(angiogenesis), improved lymphatic drainage, and increased cellular activity all serve to reduce the injury damage and loss of function, facilitating the rapid repair and result in stronger healed tissue structures.