Every physically active individual or athlete aims to stay injury-free so that they can consistently follow their training regimen and achieve their goals.

“Unfortunately, avoiding injury is almost impossible for people who follow an active lifestyle,” explains medium hyperbaric oxygen therapy (mHBOT) practitioner, Joseph Winer.

“Thankfully, when injury strikes, athletes, gym enthusiasts and physically active individuals have various ways to minimise their recovery time to get back to their active lifestyles.”

One such innovation is mHBOT. “During treatments, a person breathes 100% oxygen intermittently while inside a hyperbaric chamber that is pressurised to greater than sea-level pressure. This process has added benefits that many conventional methods don’t offer.”

In this regard, there are 3 noteworthy mHBOT benefits to consider as far as recovery from injury is concerned:

1. Active Recovery

For any physically active person, complete recovery is just as important as the time it will take to recuperate as this can reduce injury risk.

“To optimise recovery, athletes should remain active and forgo passive recovery. This is one of the reasons why mHBOT is ideal because it may reduce recovery time by up to 30%,” states Winer.

Recovery should include periods of restorative activity and not just periods of inactivity spent sitting down or lounging around.

2. Healing & Treating Injuries

Similarly, mHBOT may speed up healing and recovery from injury. “This is because the use of oxygen as a healing agent helps reduce muscle fatigue, slows down scar formation, increases bone and cartilage regeneration, as well as stem cell activation. This helps one get back into the swing of their active life in less time,” adds Winer.

Injuries that may benefit from mHBOT therapy include:

  • Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and other ligament injuries
  • Muscle strains and fatigue
  • Cartilage damage

3. Treating Compartment Syndrome

Compartment syndrome is a condition that occurs when there’s a build-up of pressure inside a muscle compartment, which causes swelling and can cause bleeding within the tissue.

“People who enjoy recreational running or jogging and those who compete in long-distance endurance events can suffer from compartment syndrome. This is a rare often painful ailment that is potentially dangerous. An mHBOT chamber may be an effective way to prevent this painful condition,” says Winer.

A performance boost

Beyond the injury prevention benefits, mHBOT treatments can help to improve performance, which is what every active individual and athlete works toward.

“They train at high altitudes to increase red blood cell production and the oxygen-carrying capacity. Making use of mHBOT can aid their performance gains. It can also improve mental focus and clarity, which are additional factors required for peak performance,” concludes Winer.