Advances in the application of photobiomodulation technology in spinal cord injury rehabilitation.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system trauma that often leads to irreversible motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction, posing significant challenges to both patients' quality of life and the public healthcare system. Photobiomodulation (PBM), a non-invasive, low-risk physical therapy technique, activates intracellular photoacceptors with specific wavelengths of light (primarily near-infrared and red light). By regulating pathways involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and neural repair, PBM offers a novel approach to SCI rehabilitation. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms of PBM and summarizes the evidence for its application in the recovery of motor, sensory, and reproductive functions, as well as in autonomic dysfunction following SCI. What's more, it analyzes the efficacy and safety of PBM in combination with other interventions and outlines future research priorities in this field, aiming to guide the clinical translation and application of PBM in SCI rehabilitation.