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.
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.