OrthoLazer

OrthoLazer utilizes a technology called photobiomodulation (PBM), sometimes referred to as low-level laser therapy or therapeutic laser treatment.

This treatment delivers specific wavelengths of light into tissues, where light energy interacts with cellular processes involved in inflammation, metabolism, and tissue repair.

OrthoLazer uses Class IV therapeutic lasers designed to deliver light energy to musculoskeletal tissues.

Treatments are noninvasive, generally painless, and do not require injections, medications, or recovery downtime. Sessions typically last approximately 5–15 minutes, depending on the area being treated.

Following total hip replacement (THA) or total knee replacement (TKA), some degree of swelling, inflammation, and discomfort is expected. Although these are normal parts of the healing process, excessive swelling can make early rehabilitation more challenging.

Dr. Tauchen recommends considering OrthoLazer as an additional recovery tool following hip and knee replacement surgery, particularly during the early postoperative period.

Potential benefits include:

• Reduced inflammation and swelling: Helping control postoperative swelling may improve comfort and make early rehabilitation easier.
• Improved pain management: Laser therapy may help decrease postoperative discomfort and potentially reduce the need for certain pain medications.
• Support for tissue and wound healing: Photobiomodulation may stimulate cellular processes involved in tissue repair.
• Improved early mobility: Less swelling and discomfort may allow patients to participate more comfortably in physical therapy and daily activities.

Importantly, OrthoLazer is intended to complement—not replace—physical therapy, appropriate medications, walking, and other established postoperative recovery recommendations.

Several clinical studies have demonstrated encouraging results for photobiomodulation following joint replacement surgery.

A randomized clinical trial published in The Journal of Arthroplasty evaluated laser therapy following total knee replacement. Patients receiving laser treatment demonstrated improvements in postoperative pain, knee motion, functional recovery, and opioid consumption compared with conventional recovery protocols.

Another randomized trial published in 2025 found that patients receiving photobiomodulation after knee replacement experienced less postoperative swelling and improved early walking performance compared with patients receiving standard postoperative care alone.

While these findings are promising, studies remain relatively small, and additional research is necessary to determine the ideal treatment protocols and long-term benefits. Evidence specifically involving total hip replacement is more limited.

OrthoLazer may also be a useful option for patients experiencing chronic hip or knee arthritis who are not yet ready to pursue joint replacement.

For patients wishing to exhaust nonsurgical treatments, laser therapy offers another option that may help manage symptoms without injections or additional medications.

A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Open evaluated 22 randomized clinical trials involving more than 1,000 patients with knee osteoarthritis. Researchers found that appropriately dosed laser therapy significantly reduced pain and improved physical function compared with placebo.

However, laser therapy does not reverse cartilage damage or cure arthritis. Its primary potential benefit is symptom relief, and results vary between patients.