A method for treating selected tissue, including exposing the selected
bone or tissue to laser light having a wavelength between approximately
600 and 1400 nm, and maintaining such exposure of the selected tissue or
bone to the laser light for a period of time sufficient to deliver a
laser light dosage of at least 7 Joules/cm.sup.2 per treatment and
maintaining such exposure for a period of time sufficient to deliver a
laser light dosage of at least 1500 Joules per treatment within a 24 hour
period of time. The method also includes upcollimating the laser light
such that the laser delivers to the selected tissue a substantially
coherent beam of laser light having a cross-sectional area of at least 2
cm.sup.2, and, further, delivering the laser light to a depth of at least
5 mm in the selected tissue.