The application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a simple and safe one, used by many professional athletes, trainers and their physicians for quicker recovery from injuries and numerous studies support both quicker and stronger tissue recovery with HBOT. With recent advancements in hyperbaric technology and the increase in accessibility of this procedure, many athletes are utilizing and integrating the benefits of HBOT within their training regimens for the enhancement of performance. The studies on improving performance have been inconclusive; mainly due to, the complexity of the biological responses to HBOT, as well as the variations in (1) experimental designs (e.g. exercise intensity and modality, level of oxygen, number of participants), (2) muscles involved (arms and legs) and (3) training status of the participant. It should be noted that HBOT has been granted to be an approved treatment by The World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) and is being used to improve exercise performance in sports practice. In terms of the use of HBOT for performance enhancement, this study focused on one key variable and that being the "timing of the procedure" (ie, before exercise, during exercise, or after exercise). The systematic review and meta-analysis provided by this study demonstrated that HBOT is most effective in improving muscle endurance performance when administered during exercise (and not before). <view study> Read Less

32 professional or semi-professional rugby players with grade 2 MCL injury of the knee took part of this study and the ones that were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy reported less pain and more importantly were able to return to play quicker. Professional athletes of all sports should take note of this study. <view study> Read Less

A 14 day course of hyperbaric pretreatment for 14 days (once a day at 2.5 ATA) improved mitochondrial morphology and significantly increased the levels of ATP. This study shows a “restoration of mitochondrial function” and helping to improve cellular energy levels. <view study> Read Less

Bone loss is a common problem seen in the aging population, mainly due to disuse. This is also a seen in astronauts, patients that are on extended bed rests, and in people leading a sedentary lifestyle. Disuse-induced Bone Loss is can lead to osteoporosis and higher risks of bone fractures. When bones are more frequently subjected to mechanical loads (i.e. weight-bearing exercise), bones adapt by increasing in bone mass. The opposite occurs when the bones are not regularly exposed to mechanical loads leading to a loss of bone mass and increased risk of fracture. In this study, a 10 day course of mild hyperbaric therapy (1.3 ATA) was shown to protect and counter disuse-induced bone loss while helping to enhance new bone formation. <view study> Read Less

The results of this study showed a synergistic effect of HBO and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) on knee cartilage regeneration. “The aggregation and activation of growth factors released from platelets whose activation is increased in the hyperbaric environment may explain this synergistic effect. This may result in a better regeneration than the effect of PRP or HBO alone” <view study> Read Less