THE FUTURE OF
RECOVERY IS HERE
Discover the power of red and infrared light therapy.
The College of Health Professions will be the leading institution of excellence in health and human services, education, health care and research, producing highly skilled practitioners, educators, and researchers through high quality educational programs, meaningful experiential learning opportunities and the development of scientific and intellectual inquiry for the promotion of health equity in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.
College of Health Profession's Mission
UTRGV Sports Science Initiative
Dr. Juan Gonzalez had an idea for this initiative with the support of the Department of Health and Human Performance (HHP) and the College of Health Professions. He would take existing and allocate new sports science equipment not only for teaching and research but in the application of athletic performance while giving Exercise Science and Kinesiology students experiential student service learning. This will give students real world experience in applying it to elite level athletes, high school athletes, amateur athletes and individuals with the need for red and infrared light therapy.
If You Build It, They Will Come
The Inaugural UTRGV Sports Science Initiative was to research and recommend what red and infrared panels would be selected based on the technology and budget constraints. This research determined that the Infraredi Pro Ultra panels would best serve the department's needs.
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Once the Infrared Pro Ultra panels arrived it was the Exercise Science students who demonstrated initiative in helping to assemble all 15 panels together. Miguel Trevino, Sarah Martinez, Vanessa Jaramillo (Exercise Science Intern for Dr. G) took the lead in this huge endeavor.
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Dr. G's Pediatric Exercise Physiology courses also took active roles in the evaluation and rearranging of space for these panels. The students got to experience first hand how the science of exercise physiology is put to real world application.
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These students saw first hand what else goes on behind the scenes in creating laboratory space in order to create an effective and functional lab testing facility.
UTRGV Women's Volleyball Team Uses Redlight Therapy
The UTRGV Sports Science Initiative will support the UTRGV Women's Volleyball team through the application of red and infrared light therapy before their strength and conditioning workouts and before home volleyball games.
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Exercise Science students will be trained to use the Infrared Pro Ultra panels in support of these female athletes. This will be student driven to give Exercise Science students real world applications in the science of red and infrared light therapy on the physiology of an athlete in training throughout the Periodization training year.
VISION
We’re changing the way the Rio Grande Valley thinks of athletic performance recovery.
Athletic performance in contemporary times relies on many approaches but one theme central to success has been on the “recovery,” of the athlete after training efforts and competitions. The UTRGV Sports Science Initiative aims to take the theory of sports science and apply it. This initiative with the support of the Department of Health and Human Performance and the College of Health Professions will take existing and projected sports science equipment and not only use this technology for teaching and research but in the application of athletic performance while giving Exercise Science and Kinesiology students experiential service learning opportunities.
The Science of Red and Infrared Light
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Red and infrared light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is found in daily sunlight and it is not harmful to human or animal life.
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Red light operates between 620 to 750 nanometers (nm). Infrared light ranges between 780nm to 1mm. Infrared light is what you feel in warmth when using infrared light treatments. Typically the human eye can detect wavelengths between 380nm to 700nm.
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Distance of the body to the red and Infrared light panel.
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Power of redlight panel.​​
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The frequencies with which the red and infrared lights are emitted.
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The surface area of the body exposed to the red and infrared lights.
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Duration of exposure. More is not better. Research suggest 10-12 minutes is optimal.
Keys to Red and Infrared Light Therapy
Vision
Blocking Red & Infrared Light to The Eye
There is no evidence in the literature that red and infrared light affects human vision in a negative fashion. In fact there is some research being conducted on the use of red and infrared light on the health of the human eye.
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Nevertheless, all participants using the Infraredi Pro Ultra Panels will be required to wear special glasses that will block light in the range of 350nm to 1500mm range. These glasses are the ULTREMA Red Light Therapy Glasses.
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Blocking Light
Red and Infrared Light Improves Sleep Quality
Red and Infrared light therapy has been shown to improve the quality of sleep individuals by increasing the levels of Melatonin. This important especially in athletes in training but also in individuals suffering from insomnia. As we age, we do not produce the Melatonin we once produced when we were younger.
