Athletes Seek Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Sports Recovery
Some of the most innovative and cutting-edge treatments are available for top athletes, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Their extreme training regimens and demanding travel programs creates an extraordinary strain on their bodies. Therefore, sports recovery therapy is an integral part of an athlete’s daily routine.
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment has become a favorite sports recovery tool for many athletes, because of the immense benefits to their bodies. Athletes usually use hyperbaric oxygen therapy for injury prevention, performance optimization, and recovery & rehabilitation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a non-invasive treatment that can help anyone seeking to obtain greater overall health and wellbeing.
Why Athletes Are Using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Professional athletes receive HBOT to help them with sports recovery from various kinds of injuries, ranging from joint pain to muscle tears to broken bones and even concussions. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has a multitude of benefits for athletes, including:
- Increasing Physical Performance
- Improved Mental
- Clarity
- Better Sleep
- Decreasing Soreness
- Healing Inflammation
- Increasing Energy
Cited by: AALTO Hyperbaric Medical Group
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Speeds Up Concussion Recovery Time
One of the most common sports related injuries, are concussions. Concussions occur in a wide range of sports and affect athletes at every level, from little leaguers to the pros. Sports concussion has become a significant problem over the years. It has made headlines with reports about the consequences of returning to play too soon, as well as research findings on the long-term effects of the injury. Recognizing symptoms of a concussion and providing proper treatment is especially important for younger athletes because it typically takes them longer than adults to fully recover.
If concussions are left untreated, or not treated properly, it can lead to major neurological damage.
Repeated concussion has been linked to increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Data from studies of former American footballers is staggering. A survey of more than 2000 retired professional players found that those with a history of multiple concussions were three times more likely to have been diagnosed with clinical depression. Another study of death certificates found that the death rate from neurodegenerative diseases was three times higher for pro-footballers than the general population.
Cited by: The University of Queensland
Utilizing sports recovery therapies, such as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, can help speed up the healing process for athletes. HBOT has been used for years to help famous athletes recover from CTE.
Joe Namath, who played for the New York Jets, suffered from multiple head injuries as an NFL quarterback. As a result, he dealt with memory loss, focus issues, and feelings of anxiousness and irritability After trying HBOT, not only have his symptoms subsided, but he has become an advocate for HBOT and was recently a keynote speaker at the Long Island Head Injury Association’s Celebrity Sports Forum.
Bill Romanowski, a retired linebacker, also uses HBOT to help address the lasting results of at least 20 concussions he suffered from during his 16 years in the NFL. Dr. Scott Sherr, HMS Medical Advisor and Head of Innovation and Protocol Development, treated Romanowski at a hyperbaric facility in California for his condition, showing very positive results.
Famous Athletes Use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Sports Recovery, Not Just Injuries
Some athletes use HBOT to stay in optimal condition, maximize their performance, and prevent injuries. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is famous for his strict workout and sports recovery regimens. Phelps used HBOT to help his body recover after tough workouts while training for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Retired baseball player Rafael Soriano also used this treatment for sports recovery. Soriano reportedly said that since he began incorporating HBOT into his sports recovery routine, he didn’t feel as exhausted while in training.
NFL running back Rashad Jennings, who most recently played for the New York Giants, revealed some of his post-game habits, which include sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to help enhance his “body’s natural healing process.” As he explains, this practice is a bit “different” compared to other therapies, but he’s “become accustomed” to it and continues to include it in his routine.
Pro athlete, Isaiah Vidal, speaks on his HBOT journey for sports recovery:
“When I first discovered H-bot it was one of those things where I’m always looking to get one percent better than my competition so every time I enter the chamber I know I can recover. I think ultimately what hurts the most as an athlete is tissue damage. You have to understand when you’re working out you’re tearing tissue and then you’re eating to recoup the tissue. When you’re in a pressurized state in a way you’re also in-taking oxygen. The biggest thing for me that I’ve discovered as an athlete from H-bot is that I recover faster. I’m not as beat up, I’m not as sore, I’m not as fatigued mentally, physically and spiritually. Every week I am beating my body up as an athlete day in and day out. So when I come in here I’m able to recover.”
Cited by: KOAA