Sports Injuries

Injuries directly caused by participation in sporting events. Can commonly be a factor of repetitive stress injury or an overuse of a particular part of the body when participating in a certain sports activity.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy boosts white blood cell activity, which helps in damaged areas of the body where infection could appear. Oxidative metabolism and protein synthesis are increased thereby increasing oxygen concentration in injured areas. Reduced pressure and swelling to an injury is also an advantage provided by HBOT.

Several English football teams have used the technique to successfully treat injured players; in one case, an athlete with ligament damage reduced recovery time by 33% with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and a second player receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy recovered in only four days, even though doctors had predicted a three-week lay-off (‘Are Hyperbaric Treatments Good for Running Injuries?’ Running Research News, vol. 10(2), pp. 12-13, 1994).

HBOT as an Adjunct to Sports Training

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy’s (HBOT) use for sports medicine has been reported on in scientific journals, and studies have been carried out in order to evaluate the positive effects involved.

The benefits of HBOT include:
• A reduction of swelling and pain in acute stage
• Speeds up recovery and return to active training
• Improves fracture healing
• Aids recovery from exhaustion and collapse

HBOT has been the secret weapon and training advantage of many star athletes and professional sports teams, including: John Smoltz, Mario Lemieux, Lance Armstrong, Evander Holyfield, Wayne Rooney, Charlie Ward, Terrell Owens, and the Jacksonville Barracuda’s. HBOT has been trusted by teams in the NFL, NHL, NBA, and the MLS.

Keywords: sports, hurt, injure, treatment