The Effect of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Muscle Performance in Volleyball and Football Players: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Context: The use of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) as an adjunct to improve muscle performance and accelerate recovery in high-level volleyball and football players remains controversial.

Objective: To determine whether PBMT improves skeletal muscle performance in ball sports athletes, and whether there are differences in the improvement of skeletal muscle performance by PBMT between volleyballers and footballers.

Data sources: A comprehensive search of the Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, and PubMed databases was conducted through April 10, 2025.

Study selection: Eligible studies included those explicitly categorized as randomized controlled trials (RCT) of PBMT interventions for high-level volleyballers and/or footballers; 14 studies met the inclusion criteria.

Study design: Meta-analysis.

Level of evidence: Level 2.

Data extraction: The primary outcome measures included maximal voluntary contraction force (MVC), number of repetitions, and creatine kinase (CK) levels. Means and standard deviations for each variable of interest were used to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs).

Results: The active laser had no significant effect on MVC (mean difference [MD], 19.67; 95% CI, 7.36 to 31.72; P = 0.31)]; however, it significantly increased the number of repetitions (SMD, 0.58; 95% CI, -0.05 to 1.21; P = 0.04) and significantly decreased CK levels (MD, -45.37; 95% CI, -55.52 to -35.22; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: PBMT can delay muscle fatigue onset and reduce CK levels in ball sports athletes. The improvement in skeletal muscle performance induced by PBMT showed differences between volleyballers and footballers, as there was a significant increase the number of repetitions in volleyball players, whereas a significant decrease in CK levels was noted in footballers.