Babul, S., Rhodes, E. C., Taunton, J. E., & Lepawsky, M. (2002). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a form of treatment for an acute soft tissue injury. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 34(5), Supplement abstract 553.

Sedentary females (N = 16) were formed into control and experimental groups and performed 300 maximal voluntary eccentric contractions (30 sets of 10 repetitions per minute) on the non-dominant leg at a slow speed (30 degrees per second). The hyperbaric treatment consisted of breathing 100% oxygen for 60 minutes at 2.0 ATA while the control group breathed 21% oxygen. Both groups received the treatment immediately after exercise injury and for each of the next three days.

There were no differences between the groups on any measures.

Implication. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy does not alter recovery from exercise-induced muscle injury.

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