If you were to take a sample of doctors and athletic trainers and ask them what therapy they recommend for post-exercise muscle recovery, chances are, most would still point you to ice.
Cryotherapy—or “icing”—has long been considered the gold standard for managing inflammation and soreness after workouts. It typically involves applying ice packs, cold water immersion, or entering specialized cryochambers to expose the body to extremely cold temperatures. The goal? Reduce inflammation, ease pain, and accelerate recovery. But as science advances, this decades-old recommendation is facing a powerful challenger: Red Light Therapy.
A Head-to-Head Comparison: Red Light Therapy vs. Ice
Recent research has turned the spotlight—literally—on Red Light Therapy (RLT). Unlike ice, which simply numbs and restricts blood flow, RLT uses red and near-infrared wavelengths of light to actively influence biological processes. In 2019, a scientific review compared cryotherapy with Red Light Therapy across three clinical trials and two animal studies, all focused on muscle recovery post-exercise.
The results were unambiguous: Red Light Therapy outperformed cryotherapy in every single study.
Participants who used RLT experienced significantly less delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and inflammation. More strikingly, only Red Light Therapy showed the ability to reduce muscle damage itself—indicated by lower levels of creatine kinase, a key marker of muscle stress. Cryotherapy, in contrast, failed to make any meaningful impact on this measure of cellular damage.
![A Head-to-Head Comparison: Red Light Therapy vs. Ice]()
![Understanding Why Red Light Therapy Works Better]()
Understanding Why Red Light Therapy Works Better
The difference in outcomes makes sense when you consider the mechanisms at play. Red Light Therapy stimulates the mitochondria in your cells—the energy powerhouses—to ramp up ATP (energy) production and modulate oxidative stress. This increase in cellular energy fuels repair processes, reduces inflammation, and triggers the production of growth factors essential for tissue healing.
Cryotherapy, by contrast, works by constricting blood vessels, limiting blood flow to the affected area. While this can help reduce swelling and provide short-term pain relief, it does very little to promote actual healing at the cellular level. In fact, some experts have suggested that cryotherapy may even delay recovery by interrupting the body’s natural inflammatory response, which is necessary for tissue repair.
Does Intensity Matter? Yes—But Not in the Way You Think
One common myth surrounding Red Light Therapy is that higher intensity equals better results. Many consumer devices boast intensities upward of 100 mW/cm²—but the very studies that demonstrated Red Light Therapy’s superiority used low to moderate intensities. Intensity (or irradiance) refers to how much light is being delivered per square centimeter, and the sweet spot for therapeutic benefits appears to be between 20 and 40 mW/cm²—the same range found in natural sunlight.
This is exactly where Fringe Red Light Therapy products excel. Their devices are engineered to deliver red (660nm) and near-infrared (850nm) light at sun-like intensities—not too little, and not too much. This balance makes them an ideal choice for post-exercise recovery without risking overstimulation.
Even better, Fringe wraps and panels are designed for convenient, targeted use—wireless, portable, and built for flexibility whether you’re recovering at home or right on the sideline.
