In recent years, athletes and sportspersons from around the world have begun using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for faster recovery and improved performance. Many well-known sporting legends such as LeBron James, Michael Phelps, and Tim Tebow have spoken publicly about their experiences with hyperbaric therapy, and the benefits they have received from this alternative treatment procedure.
To gain a complete and thorough understanding of hyperbaric therapy and its effects on athletes, it is important to first understand what factors are involved in this alternative treatment procedure. Fundamentally, hyperbaric therapy works with the help of oxygen. A large quantity of pure and pressurized oxygen is administered, which helps speed up the recovery process.
A hyperbaric chamber for athletes can be used to deliver this oxygen to the sportsperson requiring treatment. After stepping into the sealed vessel known as a hyperbaric chamber, the patient can sit or lie down while inhaling pure oxygen under heightened levels of atmospheric pressure. Each hyperbaric session can last for anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes.
The duration of a session is usually determined by a doctor or hyperbaric expert, depending on the type of injury or illness being treated. In the domain of sports, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is being increasingly prescribed by doctors for various types of injuries such as ligament tears, traumatic brain injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, and decompression sickness for deep-sea divers.
Types of Hyperbaric Chamber for Athletes
The rising popularity of hyperbaric treatment has prompted manufacturers to design different types of hyperbaric chambers. Each chamber type has its own advantages and drawbacks, and the buyer can make a choice depending on his or her needs and requirements. The most popular in the sporting world is the portable hyperbaric chamber for athletes. However, the other versions also have their own benefits. Some of the various types of hyperbaric chambers available in the market have been listed below.
- Multi-place hyperbaric chamber
These chambers are large and heavy. They can accommodate more than one person at a time, which means that two or more people can receive hyperbaric therapy at the same time inside a multi-place hyperbaric chamber. These chambers are, however, quite expensive and impossible to move around once they have been installed. They are typically found in hospitals and large hyperbaric clinics.
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- Mono-place hyperbaric chamber
A mono-place hyperbaric chamber, as the name suggests, can only accommodate a single person at a time. Only one person can receive HBOT during a single session inside such a chamber. It is relatively cheaper and easier to install. Therefore, it is often purchased for personal use and installed in the home or residence of the patient. However, most mono-place chambers cannot be carried from one place to another frequently.
- Portable hyperbaric chamber
This is the lightest and most affordable of all the hyperbaric chambers available. They are also frequently used by athletes, as they can be carried along when the athlete is on tour. Being portable, these chambers can be folded up and carried from one place to another with relative ease. Hence, they are the perfect option for sportspersons who want regular hyperbaric therapy while on tour.
Reasons for Purchasing a Hyperbaric Chamber for Athletes
Hyperbaric therapy can be very beneficial to athletes because sporting injuries such as sprains, fractures, and ligament tears are very common in the world of professional sports. In extreme cases, athletes can even suffer from more critical injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). In such cases, immediate and effective treatment is not only beneficial but can even be critical for saving the injured athlete’s career.
According to studies, oxygen facilitates tissue regeneration and stem cell growth. Therefore, it can help enhance the speed of recovery for athletes dealing with a sporting injury. This means that the athlete can get back on the field sooner they would have been able to without the intervention of HBOT. This can play a vital role in saving their career, as too much time away from the game can spell disaster for the sporting career of a young athlete. Even for veterans, a quicker recovery period can do wonders, allowing them to get more practice and participate in a larger number of games.
An enhanced supply of oxygen in the body and the brain can also help an athlete focus better during the game, thus leading to enhanced sporting performance. As a result, with quicker recovery periods and improved focus, hyperbaric therapy can give an athlete a real edge in his or her career. Above all else, this is the reason for the growing popularity of hyperbaric chambers for athletes and sportspersons around the world.
In Conclusion
Mentioned above are some of the reasons why amateur athletes, as well as sporting legends around the world, are turning to hyperbaric therapy for improved performance and quicker recovery. For the best results, however, sportspersons should invest in a high-quality hyperbaric chamber for athletes manufactured by a trusted company or brand.
