Red Light Therapy Before or After Workout: Which Is Better?

The Short Answer: Before for Preparation, After for Recovery

Red and near-infrared light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation (PBM or PBMT), has been studied for its potential effects on muscle performance, fatigue, soreness, and recovery.

Research does not support a simple “one timing fits all” rule. However, several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that pre-exercise photobiomodulation can support aspects of muscle performance and post-exercise recovery. A 2024 meta-analysis of 34 randomized controlled trials found improvements in muscle endurance and recovery of muscle strength, although the results varied according to activity level and treatment protocol. 

Research on post-workout use is also promising, particularly when the goal is to support recovery from exercise-induced muscle stress. But the evidence is more variable, and results depend heavily on factors such as wavelength, dose, treatment area, device characteristics, and the type of exercise performed.

Why Use Red Light Therapy Before a Workout?

Think of your pre-workout routine as preparation rather than simply a warm-up. A quality session begins before your first rep, mile, or interval.

Photobiomodulation uses specific wavelengths of red and/or near-infrared light to deliver light energy to tissue. Researchers have investigated whether this exposure can influence muscular function and the body's response to exercise.

Earlier systematic reviews found that phototherapy applied before exercise was associated with improvements in measures such as time to fatigue and repetitions to fatigue, with the most consistent findings observed in studies using red or infrared wavelengths. 

More recent research continues to point toward potential benefits from pre-exercise application. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis found low-certainty evidence that PBMT applied before exercise reduced muscle soreness and was associated with improved muscle performance at 24 hours following exercise-induced muscle damage. 

Potential benefits of pre-workout use

• Support muscle performance during demanding sessions
• Support muscular endurance
• Help prepare muscles for exercise-related stress
• Potentially reduce the severity of post-exercise soreness
• Build recovery into your routine before the workout even begins

Importantly, these findings should not be interpreted as a promise of improved athletic performance for every person. PBMT studies use different wavelengths, doses, treatment areas, and exercise protocols, so results cannot automatically be generalized to every consumer device or workout.

What About Red Light Therapy After a Workout?

Post-workout is where red light therapy naturally fits into a recovery-focused lifestyle.

Exercise creates a temporary physiological challenge. Depending on the intensity and type of training, muscles may experience fatigue, soreness, and other markers associated with exercise-induced stress. Researchers have therefore investigated PBMT as a potential recovery modality.

A systematic review of phototherapy research found evidence that phototherapy may influence post-exercise recovery and muscle function, although the quality and consistency of evidence varied between studies.

At the same time, it is important to keep expectations realistic. A 2025 systematic review specifically examining whole-body PBM found only five eligible studies involving 105 physically active participants. The review found possible improvements in sleep quality in some studies, but did not find evidence that whole-body PBM improved exercise performance or fatigue biomarkers. 

In other words, the science behind localized PBMT and whole-body light therapy should not be treated as interchangeable. This distinction matters when choosing a device and deciding what outcomes to expect.

Potential benefits of post-workout use

• Make recovery part of your post-training ritual
• Support muscles following strenuous exercise
• Complement other recovery habits such as sleep, nutrition, hydration, and mobility work
• Provide a convenient, non-invasive addition to a structured wellness routine

Before vs. After: Which One Should You Choose?

What Does the Research Actually Tell Us?

The most important point is that photobiomodulation is dose- and protocol-dependent. Wavelength, irradiance, energy density, treatment duration, distance from the body, treatment area, and timing can all influence the outcome.

For example, a randomized controlled trial involving high-level soccer players found that pre-exercise PBMT using 810 nm near-infrared light influenced muscle performance, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and biochemical markers of muscle damage. Interestingly, the study found better outcomes at a lower power setting than at higher power, reinforcing the principle that more light is not necessarily better. 

A 2025 meta-analysis of near-infrared pre-irradiation also reported improvements in several measures of lower-limb muscle function and exercise-induced muscle stress, while noting substantial heterogeneity among the included studies. 

This is why responsible light therapy should not be reduced to a simple claim such as “more powerful equals more effective.” The objective is an appropriate protocol—not maximum exposure.

How to Build Red Light Therapy Into Your Workout Routine

Option 1: The Performance-Focused Routine

If you are preparing for strength training, a demanding cardio session, or a performance-focused workout, consider making red light therapy part of your pre-workout ritual.

1. Light therapy
2. Dynamic warm-up
3. Training session
4. Hydration and nutrition
5. Recovery and rest

This approach is particularly attractive when your goal is to feel prepared rather than simply react to soreness after training.

Option 2: The Recovery-Focused Routine

If your priority is recovery, place your light therapy session after training or later in your daily routine.

1. Training session
2. Cool-down and mobility
3. Light therapy
4. Hydration and appropriate nutrition
5. Quality sleep

The goal is not to replace the fundamentals of recovery. Light therapy works best as part of a broader approach that includes adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, hydration, progressive training, and appropriate rest.

Option 3: The High-Consistency Routine

For people who train frequently, the most sustainable approach may be to integrate light therapy into the part of the day where it is easiest to maintain. A beautifully designed wellness routine is only useful if it fits naturally into your life.

Rather than chasing a perfect protocol, prioritize consistency, appropriate use, and realistic expectations.

Red Light Therapy Is Not a Replacement for Recovery Fundamentals

Even with encouraging research, photobiomodulation should be viewed as a complement to—not a replacement for—the foundations of physical recovery.

Your recovery strategy should still begin with sufficient sleep, appropriate nutrition, hydration, intelligently programmed training, rest days, and professional guidance when you are dealing with pain or an injury.

Red light therapy is best considered one component of a more sophisticated approach to personal wellness: one that supports your ability to train, recover, and maintain your routine over time.

So, Should You Use Red Light Therapy Before or After Exercise?

If you have to choose one, before your workout currently has the stronger research rationale for supporting exercise performance and subsequent recovery.

That does not mean post-workout use is ineffective. Recovery-focused use remains an area of active research, and individual responses can vary. The evidence is particularly important to interpret carefully when moving from localized PBMT research to whole-body applications.

At QuasarMD, our philosophy is simple: your wellness technology should work with your lifestyle, not complicate it. Whether you use light therapy before training, after training, or as part of a consistent daily ritual, the goal is to create a routine you can realistically maintain.