Application of Laser Therapy in Rehabilitation of Acute Ankle Joint Injury: A Case Report

Case Overview

Patient Zhang Xiaozha, male, 33 years old, 90kg, visited the Perfect State Rehabilitation Studio on August 13, 2025, due to an acute ankle joint injury. The patient had sprained his ankle the day before, resulting in significant swelling around the outer ankle and surrounding bruising. Palpation revealed tenderness on both the medial and lateral malleolus, with obvious pain and limited movement during passive motion of the ankle joint. Active dorsiflexion or plantar flexion of the ankle caused sharp pain in the outer ankle. Due to the pain and swelling, the patient’s mobility was severely limited. When walking, he could only move slowly with small steps, unable to fully bear weight on the affected foot. Going up and down stairs required the support of handrails for assistance.

Treatment Plan

The patient underwent a laser therapy treatment plan using the Deep Tissue Laser Therapy System (model: LaserMedix4500) manufactured by ForwardMax (Xiamen) Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd. The treatment was set to program mode for acute injury, with a power of 30W, a treatment time of 10 minutes, and a frequency of once daily for 10 consecutive days.

The treatment combined non-contact standard treatment heads and large-area non-contact treatment heads, focusing on the swollen and bruised areas around the ankle joint. The treatment cycle began on July 15, 2025, with 10 consecutive sessions.

pretherapy→treatment

surname and personal name	Zhang Xiaza	man		age	33
symptom	The patient sprained his ankle the day before he came to the clinic. There was significant swelling at the lateral malleolus of the ankle joint and bruising around the ankle joint.Tenderness was found in both medial and lateral malleoli on palpation.When the ankle joint is passively active, the pain is obvious and the movement is limited.When the ankle is actively dorsiflexed or plantar flexed, there is a stinging pain in the lateral malleolus,The patient’s mobility is severely restricted due to pain and swelling. When walking, they can only take slow, small steps and avoid fully bearing weight on the affected foot. The pain and difficulty in movement become particularly noticeable when climbing stairs, requiring them to rely on handrails or other external aids. Even while standing, maintaining stability with the affected foot proves challenging for extended periods.
Treatment modalities	Scheme mode Disease selection: acute injury; Power: 30 W; Time: 10 Min;Treatment: once a day for 10 days.
Treatment modality	contact		Standard treatment headA large area non-contact treatment head
	Touch compression type		Small area massage treatment headA large area massage treatment head
	First (date: 7.15); Second (date: 7.16); Third (date: 7.17); Fourth (date: 7.18); Other:
Treatment course	After two weeks and 10 laser treatments, the overall condition of the foot was significantly improved.1. Swelling subsidenceVisual presentation: Before treatment, the foot swelling was obvious and the texture almost disappeared. After treatment, the swelling of the foot back was significantly reduced, and the skin luster was reduced to a near normal state.Measurement data: before treatment, the circumference of the most swollen part of the foot and ankle measured by a soft ruler was 30 cm, and after treatment, the circumference of this part decreased to 25 cm, indicating a considerable degree of swelling regression.2. Improvement of bruisingBefore treatment, the bruise on the lateral ankle joint was dark purple. After treatment, the color of the bruise was significantly lightened, gradually from dark purple to light purple and yellowish green, and gradually restored to normal skin color.3. Pain and improvement in mobilityPain Relief: Before treatment, patients experienced sharp stabbing pain during active dorsiflexion or plantar flexion of the ankle joint, as well as passive foot movements. The pain was intense and unbearable. After treatment, patients reported significantly reduced pain during activities. When performing the same active and passive movements, only mild dull pain was present, indicating a substantial decrease in pain intensity compared to pre-treatment levels.Improvement of limited mobility: Before treatment, the patient could only move slowly and take small steps when walking, and the affected foot could not bear full weight. After treatment, the patient’s gait was normal when walking, and the affected foot could gradually increase the load, and the situation of limited mobility was significantly improved.
treat  feedback	Perfect State Rehabilitation Studio
Hospital name	Perfect State Rehabilitation Studio			Doctor’s signature and date		Li Jingxuan, 2025.8.14

Discussion

This case demonstrates the effectiveness of laser therapy in rehabilitating acute soft tissue injuries. Through 10 systematic laser treatment sessions, the patient showed significant progress in reducing swelling, absorbing bruising, alleviating pain, and restoring function. Laser treatment, through photobiomodulation, promotes local blood circulation, reduces inflammatory responses, and accelerates tissue repair, effectively addressing symptoms of acute injury.

This treatment plan is safe, effective, non-invasive, and painless, with high patient acceptance. It provides a viable rehabilitation option for acute ankle joint injuries.