Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy for Sports Performance
In a hyperbaric chamber, you are delivered 97% oxygen in an environment with increased pressure.
Now for a little math, stay with me. At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 760 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) which is equivalent to 1 ATA, (atmospheric absolute). Because air consists of only 21% oxygen, when we breathe, we only get 160 mmHg of oxygen. The pressure in the hyperbaric chamber can be increased to 1.3 ATA, or 1.4 ATA if comfortable, raising the total pressure to 988 mmHg.
Under pressure, your lungs are able to accumulate more oxygen and carry it to the rest of the body through red blood cells. This extra availability of oxygen stimulates healing and fights infection that would not be possible under regular air pressures.
How does this benefit me as a performance athlete?
Almost every one of our athletes here at San Diego Personal Training experiences some form of injury at some point in their lifetime. We wanted to provide the best means of recovery for sports enhancement so therefore we implemented the HBO Chamber!
Let us give you a run down of the benefits you will receive for performance enhancement.
HBO treatment has been shown to be promising for tissue remodeling after injury and for the recovery of fatigue.
Fact: There are three factors (recovery in the supply of energy, rapid removal of fatigue substances, and stabilisation of hormone levels) that are important in recovery. Oxygen is necessary for this recovery to begin.
We know that natural recovery works in an organized manner following a sports injury such as a fracture, ligament injury or other damage. Generally, this recovery process is classified by 3 phases: inflammatory, proliferative and remodelling (maturation) phase. Oxygen plays a crucial role in each of these phases.
This begins with the hemostasis phase where the body tries to stop the bleeding. Second is the inflammatory phase to kill bacteria. Next is the proliferative phase to fill the wound. Finally is the maturation phase where the body’s collagen and strength begin to come back. The last phase can take years to complete depending on various conditions. With the body saturated by oxygen, the natural healing process is sped up.
Imagine how well your body will perform when it recovers more than twice as fast?
Let us give you an idea of sports enhancement possibilities.
The best experience of HBO use as a recovery method from muscular fatigue occurred during the Nagano Winter Olympics with seven participating athletes. After physical activity, the athletes received HBO treatment for 30–40 minutes at 1.3 ATA, with a maximum of six times per athlete and an average of two times per athlete. An athlete who experienced tension and sharp pain of the abdominal muscles was able to play a game after HBO treatment with almost no pain. Another player who was experiencing anterior knee pain was treated within 2 days of injury and was able to perform afterwards with no difficulty.
Our HBO is 1.4 ATA (atmospheric pressure) producing 97% oxygen uptake at 10 Liters per minute. Our sessions are 60 minutes long! The immense benefits of enhanced oxygen uptake will increase your personal training benefit by innumerable measures.
Written by Becca Petit and Danielle Barker