Sports Injuries and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

In recent years professional and amateur sports teams have started using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to treat sports injuries. Breathing Oxygen under increased pressure of more than 1ATA is referred to as hyperbaric oxygen therapy. HBOT can be used to treat muscle contusions, ankle sprains, delayed onset muscle soreness and soft tissue healing amongst other conditions. Oxygen is of utmost importance in the aerobic energy system and researchers have also investigated the possible ergogenic (performance enhancing) effects of HBOT.

HBOT is used in a sports medicine setting to reduce hypoxia and edema and appears to be particularly effective for treating crush injuries and acute traumatic peripheral ischemias. When used clinically, HBOT should be considered as an adjunctive therapy as soon as possible after injury diagnosis.

How it works

During HBOT treatment, a patient a patient breathes 95% to 100% oxygen at pressures above 1.0 atmosphere absolute (ata). Normally, 97% of the oxygen delivered to the body tissues is boumd to haemoglobin, while only 3% is dissolved in the plasma. At sea level, barometric pressure is 1 ata, or 760mm Hg,and the partial pressure of arterial blood (Pa02) is approximately 100mm Hg. At rest, the tissues of the body consume about 5ml of 02 per 100ml of blood. During HBOT treatments barometric pressures are limited to 3 ata or lower. Breathing in 100% oxygen in the chamber.The combination of increased pressure (3ata) and increased oxygen concentration (100%) dissolves enough oxygen in the plasma alone to sustain life in a resting state.

What it does

Swelling and lack of oxygen are the major components in changes that affect the injured tissues. This also affects the micro-circulation or clumping of red blood cells that in turn impede circulation in already compromised tissue. Although plasma may still get through to tissues, at normal atmosphere, there is very little oxygen present to sustain life and promote healing. The usual treatment protocols between 1 and 2 atas provide enough oxygen in the plasma to promote healing of damaged tissues.

Vasoconstriction High tissue oxygen concentrations cause blood vessels to constrict, which can lead to a 20% decrease in regional blood flow. This decrease is more than made up for by the increased oxygen concentration in the plasma that reaches the tissue. The net effect is decreased tissue inflammation without hypoxia, a mechanism by which hyperbaric oxygen therapy is believed to improve crush injuries.

Neovascularization and tissue healing High tissue oxygen concentrations accelerate the development of new blood vessels. This can be induced in both acute and chronic injuries. Regenerating epithelial cells also function more effectively in a high oxygen environment. These effects have proven effective in treating tissue ulcers and skin grafts.

Bone Healing Increased levels of oxygen allow increased levels of bone healing to take place

Blunting The Magnitude of the injury The potential benefits for sports injuries appear to be a blunting of the magnitude of the injury, possibly by controlling the neutrophil (white blood cell) adhesion as well as an enhancement of healing processes requiring oxygen stimulated collagen formation and phagocytosis.

Conclusion

So the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are:

  • Reduction in swelling and pain
  • Prevention of hypoxia of the traumatized tissues
  • Quicker healing of tissues, ligaments and fractures
  • Reduction of scar tissue formation
  • Helps return players to their game sooner