What Researchers Did
Researchers tested whether HBOT could improve concussion recovery in youth athletes using an AI-based brain wave measurement tool (EEG biomarker) to objectively track improvement.
What They Found
Eleven student-athletes with confirmed concussions had a median EEG brain score of 18 (out of 100) at baseline, well below the 70-point threshold considered normal. After a median of 3 HBOT sessions at 1.5–2.0 atmospheres, the median score rose to 85, and the median final follow-up score (2–22 days later) was also 85. No adverse events occurred.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian youth athletes, concussion is a common and sometimes prolonged injury. This small pilot study suggests HBOT may speed recovery beyond the standard rest-and-wait approach, and that objective brain measurements can confirm improvement. Parents and coaches seeking active treatment options for student athletes may find this evidence encouraging, though larger trials are needed before HBOT becomes standard care.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified. Concussion is not an OHIP-covered indication for HBOT in Ontario.
Study Limitations
This was a pilot study of only 11 patients with no control group, so it cannot rule out that athletes would have recovered at this rate without HBOT.