Abstract: A method for treating selected tissue, including exposing the selected bone or tissue to laser light having a wavelength between approximately 600 and 1400 nm, and maintaining such exposure of the selected tissue or bone to the laser light for a period of time sufficient to deliver a laser light dosage of at least 7 Joules/cm2 per treatment and maintaining such exposure for a period of time sufficient to deliver a laser light dosage of at least 1500 Joules per treatment within a 24 hour period of time. The method also includes upcollimating the laser light such that the laser delivers to the selected tissue a substantially coherent beam of laser light having a cross-sectional area of at least 2 cm2, and, further, delivering the laser light to a depth of at least 5 mm in the selected tissue.

Abstract: A method for the therapeutic treatment of biological tissue of a patient with a low level laser. The method is achieved by diagnosing the nature and extent of the tissue disorder, establishing at least one treatment area, exposing the treatment area to monochromatic, coherent light below the level necessary to cause thermal damage to the tissue being treated, wherein said light is in the near infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and treating the treatment area for sufficient treatment time to produce clinically beneficial effects by delivering a dosage greater than 20 joules/cm2.