By: Dr. Bruce Mark, DC | Hollywood Laser Pain Center | Hollywood, Florida
The science of athletic recovery has advanced considerably in recent decades, and Class IV laser therapy is one of the modalities increasingly studied for use in recovery and performance settings. For competitive and recreational athletes across Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, and Broward County’s year-round athletic community, Hollywood Laser Pain Center offers the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol as one of several modalities used in a comprehensive recovery and maintenance approach. The space between training sessions, where physiological adaptations actually occur, is widely recognized as an important part of an athlete’s longer-term progress.
Athletic recovery is not passive. The physiological adaptations that contribute to fitness, strength, and resilience generally occur during recovery, not during the training session itself. When recovery is inadequate, training can produce accumulated tissue stress rather than progressive improvement, and the risk of overuse injury rises.
At Hollywood Laser Pain Center, I bring a perspective to athletic recovery shaped by my own athletic background. I played college football at Wake Forest University, which gave me familiarity with the training demands and culture athletes work within. Combined with 27-plus years of clinical practice in Hollywood, Florida, Graston Technique certification, and acupuncture training, this background informs the recovery-oriented approach available to this community’s athletic population.
Why Does South Florida’s Year-Round Training Environment Create Specific Recovery Demands?
Broward County’s year-round warm climate means athletes often do not get the involuntary recovery periods that colder climates impose. Year-round training without proactive recovery management can be associated with the accumulation of tissue micro-stress, the substrate from which chronic overuse injuries are generally understood to develop. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has documented that chronic tendinopathy, the most prevalent overuse injury in recreational athletes, accounts for approximately 30 percent of sport-related musculoskeletal injuries.
For Broward County’s cycling, running, golf, tennis, swimming, and paddling communities, this translates to a consistent baseline of tissue stress that is commonly addressed through active recovery management rather than passive rest alone.
What Does the Research Say About Photobiomodulation in Athletic Recovery?
Photobiomodulation has been studied for its cellular-level effects in athletic and rehabilitation contexts. Published research has examined the relationship between laser energy and mitochondrial ATP production, oxidative stress markers that accumulate during intense exercise, and connective tissue processes including fibroblast activity and collagen synthesis. Studies in the peer-reviewed literature, including work by Leal Junior and colleagues, have examined creatine kinase levels in athletes following photobiomodulation after eccentric exercise compared with controls.
A 2017 systematic review in Lasers in Medical Science examined photobiomodulation across a range of musculoskeletal injuries, reporting findings most relevant to tendon and muscle conditions. At Hollywood Laser Pain Center, the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol uses Class IV near-infrared laser energy as part of a broader recovery and care plan. Treatment sessions typically run 20 to 30 minutes, and each plan is developed on an individual basis following clinical evaluation.
What Does Graston Technique Add as a Recovery Tool?
Beyond injury treatment, Graston Technique is sometimes used in routine athletic maintenance. Tendons and fascial structures loaded repeatedly during training can develop areas of micro-fibrosis, small deposits of disorganized collagen that may affect tissue mechanics and contribute to injury risk. Regular soft tissue assessment and instrument-assisted mobilization is designed to address these areas as part of an ongoing care plan.
In cyclists, areas of concern commonly include the iliotibial band and quadriceps tendon. In golfers and tennis players, the forearm extensors and rotator cuff are frequent areas of focus. In runners, the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia are common areas of attention. Athletes at Hollywood Laser Pain Center can access Graston Technique as part of a broader performance-maintenance plan, an approach that has been incorporated more widely into sports medicine settings over the past decade.
What Does Acupuncture Add for Recovery and Performance?
For athletes who experience pain sensitization from cumulative training stress, where the nervous system’s response to stimuli can become disproportionate to the underlying tissue load, acupuncture is recognized as a neuromodulatory option that influences pain processing pathways. Combined with laser therapy and Graston Technique, an integrated approach reflects the multidisciplinary clinical environment at Broward Medical and Rehab.
Visit reliefnowlaser.com/providers/hollywood/ to learn more. Patient education content is available at youtube.com/@ReliefNowNation. Contact Hollywood Laser Pain Center at 2607 Polk Street, Hollywood FL 33020 | 954-925-7333.
About the Author
Dr. Bruce Mark, DC | Hollywood Laser Pain Center | 2607 Polk Street, Hollywood FL 33020 | 954-925-7333 | reliefnowlaser.com/providers/hollywood/
Dr. Mark earned his Doctor of Chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic with honors and has practiced for more than 27 years in Hollywood, Florida. A former collegiate football player at Wake Forest University, he holds certifications in Graston Technique and acupuncture and practices at Broward Medical and Rehab. He is a provider in the national ReliefNow® network.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Effectiveness of treatments may vary depending on individual circumstances. Consult a qualified healthcare professional to discuss your specific medical needs and treatment options.
