I recently got my hands on a Move+ Red Light Therapy device from Kineon Labs. If you’re familiar with my blog, you know that this isn’t the first Photobiomodulation (PBM) device that I’ve used. I regularly use and have written about the 2.0 generation of devices made by Joovv. The Move+ is a different take on PBM.
Form Factor
When you first compare the Move+ to similar devices, the most glaring difference is the form factor. Most other PBM devices are various sized ‘panels’. The Move+ incorporates three light modules into an adjustable strap. This makes it ‘portable’ when compared to all but the tiniest panel devices. This alone is a major upgrade for many use cases. I’ve discussed before how one of the most annoying things about using the panel based PBM devices is trying to consistently position them to get a repeatable treatment. This is especially true of the non-full body ones.
Using red light panels often require you to dedicate your therapy time 100% to the treatment. The need to position your treatment area and the sometimes blinding lights prevent you from doing other things at the same time. The adjustable strap of the Move+ is great for specifically targeting joints while still allowing you to do other things. The red light is focused on the area you are treating and moves along with you. Once setting the strap and modules, you can consistently spot treat in the same way every time. The modules are fully removable from the strap. They can be plugged directly into the included charger in between sessions. The entire system fits in the included carrying case (pictured above).
Red Light Technology
The PBM technology used in the Move+ is another notable difference. Many panels utilize a combination of red light LEDs (usually in the 660 nm range) and infrared (~850 nm range) that can be independently controlled. The infrared setting of these devices often generates heat. In some cases, added heat is useful, but I often turn off the infrared lights on my panels to avoid the added heat. Each Move+ module has LEDs that emit red light in the 650 nm range, but also has lasers operating in the near infrared range (808 nm). I noticed no additional heat generated using the Move+ during my tests.
Usage
Recently, I’ve been working on improving my pistol squat and I have been using the Move+ to enhance recovery after doing so. This device is designed perfectly to use on the knee joint. It works very well and after a few days of using it and trying various ways to reconfigure it for other joints, I started to think about how cool it would be to have more configurable ways of using the modules. Finding an effective way to use it on my ankle was difficult without resorting to some of the techniques I would need to use with the panel style devices. Kineon recently released a video discussing a new strap prototype that they are working on. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these!
Update (3/9/2023): I received the strap prototype referenced above. It is currently shipping with all new Move+ purchases and can be purchased directly from Kineon if you bought the original Move+. It is much more configurable, works great for smaller joints and comes with 3 additional ‘module holders’. These means you have three ‘vertical’ and three ‘horizontal’ that you can combine in any configuration. See photo below:
Since the system consists of tiny modules that can communicate with each other, I can definitely see new ‘module holding’ devices that come out in the future that eliminate some of the current limitations of the form factor.
I’m going to start an additional experiment with the Move+ in the next week or two. I feel that it is uniquely positioned to excel in this experiment. So far, my experience with this device has been positive. Although it can’t replace every use case that I currently use my Joovv panel for, it excels in some areas to the point that I can’t see going back to the Joovv for targeted joint treatment. I look forward to see what else Kineon produces in the future.
The Company
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to sit down with one of the founders of Kineon and talk about the Move+, his company and other health related matters. It was a great conversation and made me feel even better about supporting what they are doing in this space. If you have specific questions about the Kineon Move+ or my experience with PBM in general, feel free to reach out directly or in the comments. Interested in getting your own Move+? I have a link that will give you a discount (will show in cart or use code JASONDONMOYER). Try it out and let me know what you think!
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