The Best Infrared Therapy Devices for Arthritis (& How to Use)

If arthritis is making simple things feel harder than they should, like opening jars, standing up after sitting, typing, walking down stairs, or even getting your rings on in the morning, you are probably looking for relief that does not mean taking more pills every day.

Infrared therapy can be one of the most practical at-home tools for arthritis pain and stiffness, but only if you match the device to the right joint, the right type of relief, and your comfort level.

In this guide, I’ll show you the best infrared and red light options for arthritis by pain area, explain the difference between heat-based and light-based devices, and help you avoid wasting money on the wrong kind of device.

Start here: Do You Need Heat Relief (Infrared) or Red Light Therapy?

• Choose a heat-based device if your biggest problem is stiffness, achiness, and wanting fast comfort.

Best for: hands, back, hips, shoulders, knees, and morning stiffness.

• Choose a red/near-infrared light device if you want light-based therapy with less surface heat.

Best for: smaller joints, knee wraps, wrists, elbows, and people who do not tolerate strong heat well.

• Choose a sauna or sauna blanket if your arthritis affects multiple joints and your whole body feels stiff.

Best for: systemic stiffness, widespread aches, “I feel old all over” days.

👉 In a Hurry?

Jump straight to the best infrared devices for arthritis based on where you hurt most and what kind of relief you want.

• Best for stiff, painful hands: infrared heat therapy gloves
• Best for knee arthritis: red/near-infrared knee wrap or a heating knee brace
• Best for back or spinal arthritis: infrared heating pad
• Best for shoulder or hip arthritis: mid-size FIR pad or red/NIR wrap
• Best for whole-body stiffness: infrared sauna or sauna blanket
• Best fast comfort tool for sore hands: heated hand massager

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Is Infrared Heat Good for Arthritis?

It can be.

Infrared-based therapies can help reduce pain, ease stiffness, and improve comfort or function with arthritis, especially if you use it consistently.

For example, it can help when:

• Your fingers feel stiff in the morning
• Your knees ache after walking or standing
• Your back tightens up after sitting
• Your hips or shoulders feel sore and hard to loosen

Here are a few study examples:

How Does Infrared Radiation Work?

There are two main ways these devices help:

1. Heat-based infrared – this is what you get with infrared heating pads, gloves, belts, and saunas.

These devices mainly help through gentle radiant warmth, which can make stiff joints feel looser, increase comfort, and make movement easier for a while.

That can be especially helpful when arthritis makes your body feel tight, creaky, or slow to get going.

2. Red and near-infrared light therapy – this is what you get with LED wraps, panels, and some IR lamps.

These devices are less about strong heat and more about light-based therapy, often called photobiomodulation.

That is why red/NIR devices can feel very different from a hot heating pad, even though both may help with arthritis symptoms.

Infrared is part of sunlight, and it’s the warming ‘radiant heat’ you feel, even when the air is cool.

In technical terms, infrared therapy uses red (about 600–700 nm) and near-infrared (about 700–950 nm). Heating pads/saunas emit far infrared (≈3–20 µm).

The Best Infrared Devices for Arthritis by Pain Area

Who Should Be More Careful with Infrared Therapy for Arthritis?

Infrared therapy can be helpful for many people with arthritis, but it is not something to use carelessly just because it feels natural.

Use extra caution if:

• The joint is hot, red, or acutely swollen
• You have neuropathy or reduced sensation
• You are taking photosensitizing medication
• You have had a recent injection or surgery
• You have poor circulation or severe vascular disease
• You are pregnant
• You have known or suspected cancer in the treatment area

Stop treatment if your pain suddenly gets worse, the area becomes more swollen, your skin looks irritated or blistered, or you feel dizzy or unwell.

That is especially important with heating pads, saunas, and stronger heat-based devices, which can still burn or irritate the skin if you overdo the temperature or session length.

1. Infrared Lamp for Arthritis

An infrared lamp is recommended if your inflammation areas are few and small (Hand arthritis/knee/elbows, etc.).

Use an infrared lamp if your arthritis pain is localized (hands, elbows, knees) and you want short, targeted sessions.

Infrared heat lamps use red and near-infrared light to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness, as well as to improve blood circulation and joint mobility.

They transmit invisible infrared rays (light waves) deep into your body, all the way to your muscles, nerves, and bones.

The warmth can temporarily increase local circulation (study), which may help loosen stiff joints and ease pain during a flare.

Most manufacturers recommend 10-15-minute sessions a few times a day.

There is no proven benefit to doing it for longer than that.

Be aware of any contraindications, such as acute skin diseases or loss of sensation.

How Do You Use an Infrared Lamp for Arthritis?

Set the lamp about 12 to 24 inches from the painful joint, expose the skin if possible, and use it for about 5 to 10 minutes at first.

Shorter sessions are smarter at the beginning.

The goal is warming comfort, not trying to “cook out” the pain.

👉 You can also make your own infrared lamp.

2. Infrared Heat Therapy Gloves 

More than a few studies have proven that thermal treatments are helpful for Osteoarthritis in the hands and feet, including reducing pain (by 1.10 points on a scale of 1-10) and morning stiffness duration (by 28 minutes!).

Choose heated gloves if your hands are stiff, sore, weak, or hard to use, especially in the morning.

For hand arthritis, this is one of the easiest devices to use consistently because you can simply put them on, sit back, and let the warmth do its job.

That matters more than it sounds.

When your hands hurt, even simple things like buttoning clothes, gripping a steering wheel, chopping vegetables, typing, or opening jars can feel exhausting.

A good pair of infrared or heated therapy gloves can help by warming the joints gently and making your hands feel looser and easier to use.

The best ones are comfortable enough to wear for at least 30 minutes, with adjustable temperature levels so you do not overheat your skin.

Here’s one of my top choices for 2026:

👉 See the 6 BEST Infrared Therapy Gloves of 2026!

The Savior heated gloves are made with soft and comfortable cotton material and have 3-level temperature control.

The fully charged batteries will stay hot for 3 hours and 45 minutes on the medium setting and about 2-2.5 hours on the high setting.

They are also waterproof and work even in sub-zero temperatures!

I also recommend heated socks for people suffering from arthritis foot pain.

3. Infrared Heating Pad 

This is one of the best choices if your arthritis affects larger or curvier areas like the lower back, spine, hips, or even the knee if you want longer heat sessions.

You can use an infrared heating pad – for larger pain areas (spinal arthritis, etc.), or use knee heating pads (braces) for arthritis knee pain.

Jade/tourmaline FIR pads are designed for steady radiant heat, but they can still get hot enough to irritate skin or cause burns if you overdo the temperature or duration. Use a thin towel layer and a timer for the higher temperatures.

The best ones are very low EMF (if you keep the control away from your body) and have many temperature settings to choose the most comfortable one for your needs.

If I had to recommend one device type for spinal arthritis or bigger pain zones, this would be near the top.

Knee heating pads can also be very helpful for knee arthritis, and an added benefit is that you can move around with them (at least with the battery-powered ones).

Some of them have a vibration massage functionality, and some even include magnets to fight inflammation.

4. Red Light Therapy for Arthritis

LED wraps are best when you want light-based therapy without heavy heat, especially for knees, wrists, or shoulders.

Choose an LED wrap if you want light-based therapy without heavy heat, especially for knees, wrists, elbows, or shoulders.

This is a good fit for people who like the idea of infrared therapy but do not want a strong, hot device sitting on the skin.

Most arthritis-friendly wraps combine red and near-infrared light, which gives you a more practical mix than red light alone.

For smaller joints, this can be a good option.

For bigger joints or deeper-feeling pain, light wraps may still help, but many people find they want either a stronger wrap or a heat-based device for comfort.

Studies usually utilize infrared wavelengths, but some studies found that near-infrared light therapy at 810 nm can reduce arthritis-related inflammation.

👉 See my comparison of the best LED wraps here.

5. Infrared Sauna for Arthritis

Choose an infrared sauna if your arthritis affects multiple joints or your whole body feels stiff, tight, and heavy, especially in the morning.

This is not the most targeted option in the guide, but it is often the most appealing if your pain is spread across your back, hips, knees, shoulders, and hands all at once.

A sauna session can be helpful on those days when you do not just feel one sore joint.

(This is backed by science)

That said, sauna use is not for everyone.

It can cause dehydration, lightheadedness, or overheating if you push the temperature too quickly.

Start lower, hydrate well, and stop if you feel unwell.

If you want whole-body warmth rather than targeted treatment, this is one of the strongest options.

If your budget is tighter, an infrared sauna blanket can give you a similar whole-body feel for less money.

👉 Compare the best portable FIR saunas for arthritis relief.

(👉 Save $105 on the Higher Dose sauna blanket (full-body option) with code MEITAL75)

6. Electric Heated Hand Massager

A heated hand massager is ideal if gripping, typing, or daily hand use triggers your arthritis pain.

An electric heated hand massager may seem like just a gimmick, but surprisingly, it can be a game-changer for people looking for relief from hand arthritis symptoms.

These massagers combine gentle heat therapy with compression (through airbags) and vibration (through tiny motors) to quickly boost blood circulation to the palm, fingers, and wrist (see the best heated wrist wraps).

A 15-minute relaxing treatment that feels almost human can leave you pain-free for the rest of the day and enable you to use your hands normally to work, type, or do anything else you need to do.

How Often Should You Use Infrared Therapy for Arthritis?

That depends on the device, but many people use heat-based devices for 20 to 60 minutes and light-based devices for 5 to 20 minutes per area, as tolerated.

Follow the device instructions and start lower.

How to Choose the Best Infrared Device for Arthritis

The best device depends on where you hurt, how much heat you tolerate, and whether you want targeted relief or whole-body relief.

1. Start with the pain area – Small joints like hands, wrists, and elbows usually do better with gloves, wraps, lamps, or small pads.

Larger or deeper-feeling pain areas like the back, hip, or spine usually do better with a heating pad, belt, or sauna-style option.

2. Decide whether you want heat or light – if your main problem is stiffness and tightness, heat often feels better faster.

If you want less surface heat and more targeted sessions, a red/NIR wrap may be the better fit.

3. Think about how likely you are to actually use it – a device only helps if it becomes part of your real life.

If you know you won’t set up a sauna or deal with a complicated wrap, a simple pad or glove may help more simply because you’ll use it more often.

4. Do not overspend too early – you do not need to start with the most expensive device.

If you are not sure how your body responds, a smaller, lower-cost device can be a smart first step.

5. Safety matters more than hype – look for clear instructions, realistic session times, temperature control where relevant, and a design that matches your pain area.

The best infrared device for arthritis is not the one with the biggest claims.

It is the one that fits your sore joint, your comfort level, and your daily routine well enough that you’ll keep reaching for it.

Final Thoughts

Infrared therapy can be a very practical, drug-free way to make arthritis feel more manageable at home.

Not because it cures arthritis.

But because it may help with the things that wear you down every day: pain, stiffness, movement discomfort, and that “everything feels harder than it should” feeling.

If your arthritis is mostly in your hands, start with gloves or a heated hand device.

If it is in your knees, shoulders, or elbows, a wrap may make more sense.

If your back, hips, or spine are the main problem, a heating pad is often the most practical place to start.

And if your whole body feels stiff, a sauna or sauna blanket may be worth the bigger investment.

The best infrared device for arthritis is not the most expensive one.

It is the one that fits your sore joint, your tolerance for heat, your daily routine, and your budget well enough that you will actually keep using it.

To your health and happiness,

Meital

Studies

Oosterveld, F.G.J., Rasker, J.J., Floors, M. et al. Infrared sauna in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Rheumatol 28, 29 (2009).

Jean Stelian, MD, et al. Improvement of Pain and Disability in Elderly Patients with Degenerative Osteoarthritis of the Knee Treated with Narrow‐Band Light Therapy

Hamblin, M.R. Can osteoarthritis be treated with light?. Arthritis Res Ther 15, 120 (2013).