What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a systematic review of nine small randomized trials involving 219 participants to assess the benefits and harms of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for soft tissue injuries and delayed onset muscle soreness.
What They Found
The review found no significant differences in time to recovery, functional outcomes, pain, or swelling between hyperbaric oxygen therapy and sham treatment for acute ankle sprains in one trial of 32 participants. Overall, the nine included trials, involving 219 participants, did not demonstrate a clear benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for soft tissue injuries or delayed onset muscle soreness.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing soft tissue injuries or muscle soreness should be aware that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may not offer significant benefits for these conditions. It is important to discuss alternative evidence-based treatments with a healthcare provider.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
Limitations include the small number of participants across the nine included trials and the extraction of most data from graphs in the original reports.