HBOT for Athletes: Boosting Performance, Speeding Recovery, and Preventing Injury

Athletes are always looking for their next win, whether they are at the professional level or a weekend warrior. But, in doing so, they also encounter several challenges. Fatigue and injuries can seriously damage one’s competitive edge. In some cases, an injury or recurring injury forces athletes to abandon their sport entirely.

In recent years, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has emerged as an effective way to address injuries, aid in recovery, and improve athletic performance, both mentally and physically. Even if you’re an amateur athlete who is just passionate about your sport of choice, HBOT is a viable way to take your performance to the next level.

How Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Help Athletes?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help athletes by:

• Enhancing physical performance and endurance
• Improving mental clarity and cognitive function
• Supporting better sleep and recovery
• Increasing energy and stamina
• Speeding up healing from injuries
• Reducing inflammation and preventing re-injury

Continue reading to learn more about the hyperbaric oxygen therapy benefits for athletes and how you can get started.

4 Ways Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Enhances Athletic Performance

There are four main HBOT benefits for athletes. 

1. HBOT Can Boost Strength, Endurance, and VO2 Max

Studies speak volumes about  HBOT’s transformative impact on physical athletic performance:

• Higher strength and endurance
• Increase mitochondrial efficiency 
• Enhance maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max)
• Contributes to faster healing after an injury
• Expedites recovery from non-injury soreness
• Reduces the incidence of injury occurrence or reoccurrence
• Breaks up the cycle of inflammation that athletes often experience

Hyperbaric chamber benefits don’t stop there.

Watch NFL neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon explain why he not only recommends the hyperbaric oxygen protocols of the Aviv Medical Program to patients with concussive injury to the brain, but also how his own participation in the program has improved his athletic performance and recovery times.

2. HBOT Can Increase Mental Clarity and Reaction Speed

Cognitive performance, which is a foundational focus of the Aviv Medical Program, plays a crucial role in athleticism. Intensity, focus, and attention support the physical fundamentals of a sport. 

Research illustrates that patients who have undergone HBOT experience improvement in areas such as attention, focus, and information processing speed—all of which contribute to better athletic performance. 

Two athletes who previously completed HBOT have spoken openly about its benefits.

Peter Paltchik is a Judo champion who was not just looking to maximize his physical capacity, but also his cognitive fortitude. Paltchik describes the program as his “ace card” to success:

“To be an Olympic medalist, every second counts. You must be able to analyze, to react, to think very quickly. This is the difference between winning and losing. In order to be the most complete athlete and the best fighter I can, I must have the best cognitive capabilities such as handling extreme levels of stress, concentration, making decisions in real time. After I joined the program, I felt the improvements in my mind and body. I was sharper, more focused in fights, and I was able to make quicker decisions.”

Alon Day, a four-time European NASCAR champion, also benefited from the program. Unlike other sports, race car driving is about intense, small motor movements. Drivers require significant grip strength to control the steering wheel at high speeds. Small movements of the hand and foot can make the difference between finishing first or crashing. The environment also takes a physical toll, as drivers wear a fireproof suit with no air conditioning, which can lead to dehydration.

Racing requires intense cognitive focus for an extended period. This is one area where Day made significant strides. After completing the Aviv Medical Program, Alon achieved approximately 15% improvement in cognitive function.

“There is nothing like it in the world. You cannot go to the gym and get the same results. When I came over there every morning, I felt like I was a bionic man, being in the hyperbaric chamber at the cutting edge of medicine. At the end of the hyperbaric treatment, when the season started, I was at my best. I won the championship, and I broke every record. In my opinion, this treatment is for whoever needs to be on top of their game.”

3. HBOT Enhances Sleep Quality and Recovery

Sleep is imperative to restoring the body after a hard workout. But sometimes, depending on injuries, daily stressors, and the pressure athletes face, getting consistent, quality sleep is easier said than done. 

The good news is that research indicates the cognitive and physical improvements that come with HBOT help improve sleep quality. This has also been the case for those who have suffered from long COVID and experienced chronic insomnia.

4. HBOT Elevates Energy and Stamina Levels

HBOT encourages the body to heighten its aerobic stamina, including lung capacity and cardiovascular endurance. The exciting part about the therapy is that it focuses on helping individuals of all ages.

Watch PGA Tour golfer and Ryder Cup winner Tommy Fleetwood as he describes his experience with the Aviv Medical Program:

When 14-year-old Linden Perry suffered from post-concussion syndrome due to a sports injury, she regained her health and performance through a holistic treatment program—one that entailed HBOT, cognitive, and physical training. The personalized treatment plan left Perry more energized and gave her the confidence to continue to excel in her athletic programs.

Choosing the Right Type of HBOT for Athletes

While all hyperbaric chambers have the same goal, to deliver 100% oxygen in a high-pressure environment, not all chambers are created equally. There are different types of chambers that each possess a unique process.

Monoplace Chambers: Pros and Limitations

• Monoplace chambers administer oxygen to one person at a time. The chamber’s structure reflects a tube or cylinder in which individuals lie in a horizontal position while the chamber is typically compressed with 100% oxygen.
• Soft-side monoplace chambers are more “portable” than the rigid cylindrical HBOT chambers made of glass or plastic. These chambers, however, cannot reach the level of pressurization to produce high-level results.

But neither of these chambers is manufactured with the intent of offering oxygen fluctuation, which peer-reviewed published studies reveal is a key technique to optimizing results from HBOT.

Multiplace Chambers: Optimal for Athletes

Multiplace chambers or “suites,” such as the one at Aviv Clinics in The Villages, Florida, can utilize the science behind oxygen fluctuations in a pressurized environment. This mechanism produces the underlying elements of enhanced athletic performance. Research indicates that this specialized protocol, known in the scientific community as the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox, can produce:

• Stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Stem cells can exist as any cell type in the human body. As it relates to physical performance, stem cell production supports the heart, lungs, and muscles. Lungs breathe deeper and more efficiently, allowing athletes to perform at a higher level for longer periods without becoming winded. The heart is able to pump out more oxygenated blood to other organs and muscles, and muscle growth occurs at a faster pace.
• Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). HIF plays a role in angiogenesis, or the creation of new blood vessels. With more routes for blood to travel throughout the body — to the heart, lungs, and muscle tissue — more oxygen is also getting to those areas. This prevents fatigue and muscle soreness. HIF is also instrumental in creating new red blood cells, ensuring that maximum oxygen flow goes to the organs.
• Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF is a protein that gets released during HBOT treatments and “signals” blood vessel formation. Again, the more blood that can flow to key areas of the body, the higher one’s athletic capacity.

Maximizing HBOT for Athletes with a Holistic Program

For any athlete looking to reap the benefits of a hyperbaric chamber, it’s not just about the oxygen or even the oxygen fluctuations. Athletes need to incorporate additional components to reach their full potential.

Paltchik and Day both experienced brain-based enhancements thanks to the cognitive training element of the Aviv Medical Program. Nutritional coaching and physical training are other areas that can help athletes push their bodies to maximum output. That’s why the Aviv Medical Program can be personalized for each individual client.

A personalized program considers variables like an athlete’s unique biology, medical history, and performance goals to create a customized prescription for treatment.

How to Maximize Your Athletic Performance With HBOT

In short, to get the most out of HBOT as an athlete:

1. Choose a clinic that uses fluctuating oxygen protocols (the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox)
2. Combine HBOT with cognitive and physical training
3. Follow a personalized treatment plan tailored to your sport
4. Incorporate nutrition coaching for energy and recovery
5. Track your progress with performance metrics

The Bottom Line: Personalized HBOT for Athletic Performance

Whether you are a professional athlete or simply want to advance your athletic capabilities to their best potential, HBOT can help. To truly transform your game, the personalized approach of the Aviv Medical Program is second to none in achieving peak performance.

Athletes who go through the Aviv Medical Program may undergo HBOT along with physical, cognitive, and nutritional training. This holistic program is key to helping our patients enhance their health for the long run. 

Contact us to learn more about how the Aviv Medical Program can help you achieve your goals.

 

Last Updated July 14, 2025