By: Dr. Goodman, DC + Dr. Bradberry, DC | ReliefNow Laser Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina
Ironman triathletes completing 2.4-mile swims, 112-mile bike rides, and full marathons in a single day represent the extreme end of endurance sport demand. The overuse injury patterns they develop, including iliotibial band syndrome, patellar tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, rotator cuff tendinosis, and lumbar stress from combined swim-bike-run loading, are the same patterns that Charlotte cyclists, runners, swimmers, and multi-sport athletes across Mecklenburg County present with at a lower intensity. At ReliefNow Laser Charlotte, Dr. Goodman has direct clinical experience with Ironman athletes. The Regenerative Medical Laser protocol he applies to training-derived tissue damage is the same protocol available to every Charlotte endurance athlete. You can read more on ReliefNow Laser Charlotte’s provider page.
Who Treats Charlotte’s Endurance Athletes?
Dr. Bradberry competes across soccer, football, basketball, golf, and running, and he understands the multi-sport body. His CCSP credential and his background working with Olympic-level athletes reflect the performance-recovery standard that Charlotte’s endurance community looks for. Endurance athletes rarely present with a single isolated complaint. A runner training for a fall marathon may carry an irritated Achilles on one side and a tight IT band on the other, each feeding the next problem. Treating the athlete as a connected system, rather than a list of separate parts, shapes how care is planned at the clinic.
How Does Regenerative Laser Therapy Address Endurance Injuries?
The tissue demands of endurance sport are specific. Tendons and fascial structures under high repetitive loading develop areas of micro-fibrosis, small deposits of disorganized collagen that impair tissue mechanics and increase injury vulnerability. The Regenerative Medical Laser protocol targets these structures with photobiomodulation, a light-based approach intended to stimulate organized fibroblast activity and support normal tissue mechanics during healing.
A 2017 systematic review in Lasers in Medical Science examined photobiomodulation and tissue repair in musculoskeletal injuries. Additional research on Achilles and patellar tendinopathy, two of the most common presentations among endurance athletes, has looked at laser therapy at the tissue level. This growing body of work is part of why many sports clinicians consider light-based therapy alongside conventional rehabilitation. Patient education on the approach is available through the ReliefNow patient education channel on YouTube.
Why Movement Patterns Matter for Recovery
Dr. Goodman’s neurokinetic therapy training addresses the compensatory movement patterns that endurance athletes develop from asymmetrical training loads. IT band overactivation can trace back to inhibited gluteals. Cervical strain often follows from an aggressive aero position on the bike. Plantar fascial overloading frequently starts with deficits in running gait. Looking at these patterns alongside the tissue-level laser protocol is part of his clinical approach, because addressing the source of a load problem tends to matter as much as treating the tissue that absorbed it.
Charlotte’s triathlon and endurance community continues to grow, and athletes across the region train year-round through changing seasons and race calendars. Having a clinician who understands both the physical demands of the sport and the mechanics of recovery gives local athletes a resource built around how they actually train.
Contact and Authors
To learn more, visit ReliefNow Laser Charlotte’s provider page. Contact ReliefNow Laser Charlotte at 4601 Park Rd Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28209, or call 704-527-7246.
About the authors: Dr. Eric Goodman, DC, studied at UNC-Charlotte and Palmer College of Chiropractic, with post-graduate training in neurokinetic therapy, acupuncture, laser, rehabilitation, and nutrition. Dr. Douglas Bradberry, DC, graduated from the University of Florida and Palmer College of Chiropractic with honors and holds the CCSP credential. Both are providers in the national ReliefNow network.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any treatment program.
