The Current State of Traditional Sports Injury Treatments

As the popularity of competitive sports grows, so does the incidence of injury. Sports injuries can develop through contact sports, repetitive motions or sports related accidents. Further, they can affect any muscle, bone, ligament, or tendon. The most common sports injuries include: ankle strain, groin pull, hamstring strain, ACL tear, knee injury, tennis elbow or rotator cuff injuries.

Recovery for athletes following competition or injury remains a constant concern, for coaches, athletes, and their fans, as inadequate recovery can affect performance, cause fatigue and increase the chance of another injury. Finding the perfect balance between recovery, training, and competition is crucial to optimize performance. Traditional treatment options for sports injury include: ice, compression, bandaging, medication, physical therapy, and rest. However, these modalities can take weeks to months before the athlete is fully recovered and ready to compete again. For elite athletes, long durations away from their respective sports are just not ideal. Furthermore, there is little scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of these traditional treatment options.

Can hyperbaric oxygen therapy help athletes recover faster from sports injuries?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)  delivers high-pressure oxygen to individuals enclosed in a hyperbaric chamber. Since HBOT has been used as a treatment to relieve injuries for non-athletes, scientists became interested in discovering the benefits HBOT can bring to competitive athletes.

The Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan performed a randomized controlled study to investigate whether HBOT facilitates faster recovery for exercise-related injuries. The researchers examined cellular damage markers (creatine phosphokinase, glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase, and myoglobin) for both the control group and the HBOT group.

“World-class athletes, including Lebron James, Jessie Graff and many others, are using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to speed up their recovery”

The group of athletes that received HBOT demonstrated a significant decrease in their cellular damage marker levels. Therefore, the evidence suggests that HBOT can reduce cellular damage markers (creatine phosphokinase, glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase, and myoglobin), which can stimulate early recovery from muscular injury and reduce recovery time. Additionally, other studies have demonstrated that HBOT can reduce inflammation and improve cognition.

Furthermore, world-class athletes, including Lebron James, Jessie Graff and many others, are using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to speed up their recovery from intense training sessions.

The evidence and case studies discussed suggest that HBOT can be used as an adjunct therapy to speed up recovery from sports-related injuries and optimize performance. If you are searching for effective ways to recover from sports-related injuries, please contact our staff and see how Aalto Hyperbaric can aid in your recovery.

Today’s healthcare challenges and tomorrow’s breakthroughs can only be solved by those who search for deeper explanations of the body’s processes. At Aalto Hyperbaric, we are committed to our patients’ health. In order to provide the best possible care for our patients, we rely on critical scientific analysis to evaluate evidence. Our goal is to help you make the best decision for your health and to help you heal on your terms.

World-Class HBOT in Century City, Margate, and Woodland Hills

At Aalto Hyperbaric, we have three state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen treatment centers in Century City, Margate, and Woodland Hills.  Our treatments are safe, painless, and non-invasive. They are scientifically proven to treat a number of temporary and chronic conditions that traditional medicine may not address. Schedule an appointment with us today at 1-888-303-HBOT, or email us anytime at info@aaltohyperbaric.com.