Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers:Reasons why athletes benefit from
Lebron James and Michael Phelps have several things in common. They are not only masters in the games they play in; basketball and swimming respectively but they also rely on a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for support in the improvement of their performance during games and competitions. Athletic performance is gruesome and very demanding of the human body. While these athletes are greatly talented, the use of technology enhances the level of athlete’s performance greatly.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to treat illnesses related to diving by having one breath near pure oxygen in a small chamber or room. It may also be used to support the healing of people who are suffering from other conditions such as wounds and this works even for invisible wounds that may be created internally in the body which occur in bodies of athletes.
It can be used by professional athletes, spas, and gyms, physicians can also use them in their practices on their patients, and families can also use them at home.
The first of these chambers was built in 1662 by a physician who sealed off a room using bellows and valves in a bid to try and cure respiratory diseases that were common with his patients at the time. This technology advanced over time due to the benefits that patients were deriving from it. In the 1940s, the first hyperbaric oxygen chamber was created and it started being used on divers from the US navy who were suffering from respiratory ailments.
Modern Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber provides great oxygen therapy to users because they use the latest technology.
How Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers works
The chamber works by enabling the patient to breath pure oxygen intermittently while inside the chamber which is pressurized at a pressure higher than that of sea level. The oxygen levels that are thus provided in the chamber, are higher than the normal oxygen levels that people breathe under normal conditions and it helps in the increase of oxygen levels in the lungs.
All human body organs and tissues require oxygen to function optimally and normally. Additional oxygen in the body system helps in the repair of damaged tissues as well as fighting infections in certain areas and conditions.
The hyperbaric oxygen chamber may work as an outpatient procedure or through home use using the portable chambers. In most cases where a recommendation is made by a doctor on the number of sessions that a patient will go through depending on the condition of the patient. The sessions may range from 1 for those with little ailments such as carbon monoxide poisoning or up to 6 sessions for patients with soft tissue necrosis.
For athletes, the hyperbaric oxygen chamber can help in the following ways;
Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers Helps in Active Recovery
The level of training, practice, and condition that is required by an athlete stresses the body and its organs. For this reason, every athlete must have a recovery program that enables the body time to recover and revert to its normal body conditions. All athletes must, therefore, take days of rest that allows their bodies to have a full recovery after engaging in tough and hard workouts.
Athletes who have used the hyperbaric oxygen chamber for recovery have singled it out for its great success in the optimization of their body conditions and it has helped them recover faster especially during injuries that keep them away from the game. Famous footballer, Christiano Ronaldo is one of the famous athletes who have used this technology to increase his recovery chances from a knee injury.
The chamber hastens the recovery and healing processes through flushing tissues that have a high level of oxygen and this helps the bodies of athletes to increase activation of stem cells and fasten the regeneration of cartilage to recover from an injury. It also helps in the reduction of muscle exhaustion and fatigue.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers Healing and Treating Injuries
In any sporting activity, injuries are unavoidable because by nature some sports have a lot of contact against competitors and they may collide and suffer knocks, or fall off to the ground. By the nature of any sport, the body has a risk of getting injuries at some point.
In the past, professional athletes’ injuries have been treated through resting and letting the body recover naturally from the injuries or knocks.
However, the use of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber has offered a great change in the provision of therapy for athletes who have been injured. It helps the injured tissue to get more oxygen which penetrates quickly through the blood and hence creates a higher circulation on the injured part and enhances healing.
Injuries such as muscle strains, fatigue, and ligament injuries can all be treated using this chamber.
Treatment of Compartment Syndrome
Compartment syndrome is a rare condition which is pain caused by internal pressure from tissues that are bleeding or swollen. Elite and professional athletes usually suffer from it and it can be cured using the hyperbaric oxygen chamber to ease the pain for the athlete.
Treatment of concussions
The National Football League players are prone to concussions to the nature of the game. Players suffer from knocks that result from collisions that may cause complicated head injuries if not addressed in time. The use of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers helps in reducing pain and reduces the severity of the problem.
Increased mental focus
The use of the hyperbaric oxygen chamber increases an athlete’s ability to focus on the sport. It takes more than skill and physical strength to compete at the highest levels as an athlete and the mental focus is an important component of helping an athlete succeed.
Using the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers enables an athlete to reduce brain fog and thus increases the mental focus of an athlete thus enabling him or her to compete with a clear mind focusing on the goals and strategies of the sport they are involved in.
Conclusion
While the benefits mentioned here are for professional athletes, this technology is available for use to anyone who is engaged in any physical activity regardless of the motive. The benefits mentioned herein are immense for everyone.