Sports and Hyperbarics
Injuries caused by sports related activities are a substantial concern among players, coaches, and parents alike. As inflammation and pain play primary roles with respect to recovery, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been shown to significantly reduce inflammation and ameliorate pain. Additionally, HBOT can accelerate and enhance healing from surgeries and wounds. New evidence supports HBOT as an adjunct and practical treatment to help moderate the effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and enhance brain scan results. HBOT is often utilized by both physicians and individuals to help reach a full recovery from high-impact insults to the body and is currently used by some of the U.S. Olympic Teams to treat sports-related injuries as a part of their official medical techniques and equipment. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of HBOT for sports-related injuries with the following:
Accelerate Recovery From Sports-Related Injuries with HBOT:
- Increases Collagen Production
- Reduces Inflammation & Pain
- Faster & Better Recovery from Sprains, Tears, & Bone Fractures
- Stimulates the Creation of New Blood Vessels
- Enhances Recovery from Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) & Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries
- Decreases Susceptibility Towards Reinjuring Target Areas
- Rapid Recovery from Concussions & Head Injuries
- Improves Brain Scan Results
Faster Recovery from Surgeries with HBOT
- Accelerates & Enhances Healing
- Reduces Inflammation for Optimal Pre-Surgical Conditions
- Reduces Risk of Infection
- Stimulated the Creation of New Stem Cells
- Decreases Hospital Time
Amplify Recovery from Intensive Training with HBOT
- Accelerated Healing from Muscle Strain
- Improves Blood Flow
- Increases Energy Levels
Enhance Performance with HBOT
- Improves Concentration
- Increases Serotonin Levels
- Accelerated Jet Lag Recovery
- Decreases Lactic Acid
Study: Autism Symptoms Reduced with HBOT
In 2011, a case report was published involving an NFL player who suffered multiple concussions. This subsequently led the development of hydrocephalus (accumulated fluid in the brain), which required emergency shunt brain surgery. They star athlete continued playing and won the Super Bowl, only for his shunt to fail, which led to additional emergency back-to-back surgeries. Following his surgeries, he received 40 one hour treatments of HBOT. After the treatment protocol, he was independently assessed with neurocognitive evaluations and brain scans by the Amen Clinic in California. Marked improvement in 5 out of 6 indices on the MicroCog assessment for cognitive functioning (a computerized assessment sequence designed to detect early signs of cognitive impairment) was confirmed, in addition to drastic enhancements with respect to his brain scan.
