What You Need to Know About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Sports Recovery and Performance
The ability to endure pain and push through the limits is a hallmark of actual athletes. However, sustaining and elevating performance requires more than physical strength and skill.
Athletes who integrate hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) into their recovery and training regimens have a competitive advantage over those who do not.
Increased Oxygenation
During HBOT sessions, your body is exposed to oxygen at pressures much more remarkable than atmospheric pressure (at least 1.5x atmospheric pressure). It enables your lungs to take in more oxygen as you breathe in.
The extra oxygen in the blood helps reduce lactic acid, which causes muscle soreness. It translates to reduced recovery times and the ability to train hard and recover quickly.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves energy delivery and mitochondrial function in athletes. That is why some of the world’s best athletes use this treatment to stay in peak condition.
After a sports injury or workout, HBOT can also help heal and strengthen bones, tendons, and ligaments. A clinical study published in Scientific Reports showed that HBOT can significantly decrease post-injury swelling and enhance muscular regeneration after exercise in humans. The study also found that mHBOT can improve the oxygenation of cells, reduce inflammation, and promote tissue, bone, and tendon healing.
Increased Circulation
Physical maintenance and recovery are critical to achieving your goals, whether you’re an elite athlete or a fitness enthusiast. In addition to disciplined training, this requires a regimen that can accelerate and improve healing from intense exertion and injuries.
Many top athletes report using HBOT to aid in their recovery. The treatment increases circulation in the body, delivering more oxygen to the tissues. It can reduce muscle fatigue and help heal injured bones, ligaments, and tendons more quickly.
HBOT has also been shown to reduce the inflammatory response that often accompanies exercise-related injuries significantly. You can work at higher intensities more frequently by reducing discomfort and lactic acid buildup that hinder your body’s recovery capacity.
Many athletes who have suffered from crush or concussion injuries have found that mHBOT can drastically speed up the recovery process and increase the quality of their recovery. MHBOT sessions improve blood flow and oxygenation, promote stem cell activation, and decrease inflammation.
Increased Endurance
The body can heal and regenerate itself, even during strenuous exercise. HBOT accelerates the healing process, allowing the athlete to return to play quickly.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy allows your lungs to absorb more oxygen than is possible when breathing normal air, which can help increase your endurance. After working out or playing a game, athletes can benefit from using this product as it helps relieve muscle fatigue and soreness.
HBOT can also improve the mitochondrial respiration of your cells. It is vital because the mitochondria produce energy in your cells. By enhancing the ability of your mitochondria to produce energy, HBOT can enhance your athletic performance and boost endurance.
Increased Mental Focus
Often, mHBOT sessions improve mental clarity and focus while also increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This systemic effect is helpful to eliminate fatigue, improve endurance, and accelerate recovery from injury.
The influx of oxygen that comes with HBOT helps reduce the protein buildup that causes swelling after exercise or injury. This inflammation is a natural protective response meant to help prevent further damage but can also hamper healing. HBOT decreases inflammation and speeds up the rate of tissue repair.
The influx of oxygen that comes with HBOT can also boost white blood cell creation, helping athletes fight off infection and illness. It also stimulates the brain, sparking energy production and waking inactive neurons. It is a powerful tool that can help athletes think faster and more effectively in pressurized situations, such as game-winning. The influx of oxygen can also help improve the quality and depth of sleep, allowing athletes to rest more deeply and recover better.
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Deepak is a lover of nature and all things sporty. He loves to spend time outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of the natural world. Whether he's hiking, biking, or camping, Deepak enjoys being active and in touch with nature. He also loves to compete and push himself to his limits. Deepak is an avid cyclist, runner, and swimmer. He has competed in several triathlons and marathons, and is always looking for new challenges to take on.