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  5. Kushnareva Yu.V., Abutalimova S.M., Popov A.N. Possibilities of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for recovery of the functional state of athletes after COVID-19

Kushnareva Yu.V., Abutalimova S.M., Popov A.N. Possibilities of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for recovery of the functional state of athletes after COVID-19

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Publication date: 01.03.2023
DOI: 10.51871/2782-6570_2023_02_01_3                         
UDC 796; 615.835.3; 578.834.1

POSSIBILITIES OF USING HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY FOR RECOVERY OF THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF ATHLETES AFTER COVID-19

Yu.V. Kushnareva, S.M. Abutalimova, A.N. Popov

FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of the FMBA of Russia”, Essentuki, Russia

Annotation. The purpose of the work was to conduct a literature data analysis on possibilities of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for athletes after COVID-19. The authors conducted a
theoretical analysis of domestic and foreign sources. We have revealed, that this method is successfully applied during pandemic for rehabilitation of patients who had coronavirus. The method is also used in sports practice for recovery of an athlete’ functional state during the preparative and contest season and for improvement of their performance. There are practically no studies on recovery of the functional state of athletes after COVID-19, who resumed training. Therefore, there is a need to develop a method of implementing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for this category of patients, which would allow increasing their functional and adaptive capabilities when resuming the training process, including training in middle altitude.

Keywords: hyperbaric oxygen therapy, athletes, COVID-19, rehabilitation, recovery, functional state, adaptation, hypoxia, middle altitude.

Introduction. Development and application of methods that allow effective recovery of the functional state and increase of performance of athletes after SARS-coV-2 (COVID-19) is a relevant issue of sports medicine. It is known that the coronavirus infection affects almost all organs and systems: the upper and lower respiratory tracts, the cardiovascular system, the digestive tract, the nervous system, as well as blood-forming organs. Systemic hypoxia serves as a result of COVID’s negative effect. In some cases, post-COVID syndrome may occur, including more than 85 different symptoms. The most frequent are: asthenia, cognitive and psychoemotional disorders, slow recovery of the functional capabilities of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, reduced tolerance to physical activity. It may occur regardless the COVID’s severity: latent, low, moderate, high and critical [1-2]. There is a suggestion that athletes are not included in the high severity risk group, however there is no reliable data on the disease’s consequences. There is practically no information on changes in tolerance to physical and sports activity [3].

In the field of sports medicine, Russian and foreign colleagues developed medical guidelines of systematic recovery to training after coronavirus with safe mode for athletes [4-5]. A number of scientists consider the disease’s severity when developing the said guidelines (they have suggested a division into four clinical groups with inclusion of a list of diagnostic studies and an approximate time period of limiting physical activity for athletes) [6-7]. Thus, an issue of searching effective methods for restoring the functional state of athletes after COVID-19 is of great relevance. The fact that return of athletes to the training process might be carried out in middle altitude, where their body can face barometric hypoxia, should also be considered [8-9].   

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy might become an effective method of recovering athletes after COVID-19.

Methods and organization. The authors have conducted and analysis of literature sources of domestic and foreign authors, included in eLibrary, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus scientific databases. Following keywords in Russian and English were used in the search for publications: спортсмены, реабилитация, ГБО, sport after COVID-19, elite athletes, hyperbaric oxygenation.

Results and discussion. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a method of oxygen saturation under pressure higher than the atmospheric in a hypobaric chamber. The principle of the method is as follows: when breathing under increased pressure, an increase of liquid medium (blood, lymph, tissue fluid etc.) that occupy approximately 70% of body mass occurs. It leads to an increased oxygen content in fluids and tissues of a body, and is a basis for a physiological effect. Under the influence of this method, following processes take place: formation of non-specific and specific adaptation reactions as a response to changes of external and internal environment, which leads to functional and metabolic reconstruction on various levels, as well as normalization of bioenergy-based processes in damaged tissues and organs due to the influence on mitochondrial oxidation. An increased oxygen content in plasma, as well as an increase in oxygen-carrying capacity of blood under the influence of high pressure creates preconditions for eliminating hypoxia. A pronounced detoxification effect occurs due to the effect caused on microsomal oxidation [10]. Favorable effects of the therapy justify a broad application in clinical practice and for therapeutic purposes to treat different pathological states [11]. In sports practice, hypobaric oxygen therapy is used as an additional way for treating muscle injuries [12-14].

During pandemic, this method is used in clinical practice for rehabilitation of patients after coronavirus. Some researchers have noted that after sessions in a hypobaric chamber systemic hypoxia reduces, blood circulation improves and severity of inflammation processes decreases [15-17]. A.N. Polikarpochkin and others were observing patients after COVID-19 who were diagnosed with “Virus pneumonia caused by COVID-19” and had lung damage percentage from 20 to 40%. The test subjects passed the therapy course. The researchers noted that “hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be applied for patients after COVID-19, since in hyperoxic conditions various body systems are shifted to lower and more economic level of functioning – breathing is less frequent, heart rate decreases, cardiac output reduce and erythrocyte content in blood reduces”. They have also found that as a result of the course, positive changes of the body’s functional capabilities occur. It is shown in increased blood oxygen saturation, improved functional state and level of physical performance. The therapy also solves the primary task to ensure timely delivery of oxygen to cells and tissues, primarily brain cells. Taking the conducted research into account, the authors recommend considering the hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an effective way to recover the functional state of athletes after virus pneumonia. The main sanogenetic factors in this case are excess oxygen, its replacing effect and its reflexive effect on the functions and systems of the body [18-19]. Respectively, application of the therapy is also advisable in sports practice for recovering the functional state of athletes after coronavirus.

There are also studies, the purpose of which is aimed towards examining the therapy’s influence on restoring the functional state of athletes after training and competitive loads, as well as on increasing sports performance.

For example, A.G. Shchurov et al studied dynamics of restoring functional state after physical activity using hyperbaric oxygen therapy and came to a conclusion that when the body is saturated with oxygen under high pressure in a hypobaric chamber, not only the recovery processes accelerate, but also physiological reserves expand, which, according to the authors’, makes this method effective for restoring functional state after exercise [20].

V.S. Chernyj in his work justifies an effectiveness of applying the therapy for correcting functional state and performance of athletes in the pre-season period. The researcher notes that the application is advisable in case when functional state of the body and performance of athletes are at initially low level due to reduced physical activity or training effects during vacation, also during a period of “a pronounced decline in performance”.  It may be also implemented in case when there is a need to conduct a planned smooth reduction of the functional state and performance indicators of athletes to their initial level without a risk of readaptation processes’ failure. Therefore, the therapy should be used in strict accordance with tasks of the training process and the specific training program [21].

A.N. Polikarpochkin thinks that the therapy increases quality of adaptation to physical activity during the training process and can be maximally effective during the pre-season training. The author recommends inclusion of the therapy in the set of medical and restorative measures in case of declined functional state, to increase the performance level during competition [22].

Foreign authors also note effectiveness of the therapy when restoring functional state of athletes between intense training sessions [23]. There are studies on successful application during Olympic games in Nagano. Y. Ishii et al reported a successful experience of applying the hyperbaric oxygen therapy for recovering functional state of athletes between performances [24].

Therefore, most of scientists demonstrate that the therapy has a positive effect on the recovery of functional state and increase of athletes’ adaptive capabilities.

We have also found the studies that show inclusion of the therapy to increase physical capability and functional reserves of the body of athletes. Some researchers tried to use the procedures to increase effectiveness of performing high-intensity training loads, but it led to negative results [25-27].

It is necessary to notice that different hypobaric chambers were used, exposure modes, a number of sessions and set goals were different.

Nevertheless, the use of examined methods in restoring functional state of athletes and increasing their adaptive capabilities is justified and promising. However, further research is needed for effective methods of applying hyperbaric oxygen therapy for athletes after COVID-19, which would allow increasing their functional and adaptive capabilities when resuming to training, including training in middle altitude.

Conclusion. The conducted analysis allows us to conclude that the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in sports practice is substantiated. The method can also be applied for restoring functional state of athletes after COVID-19, who returned to training. Still, further research in this field, correction of applied exposure modes and choice of an appropriate session number are required.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Yulia Valerievna Kushnareva – Senior Researcher of the Biomedical Technologies Center, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of Federal Medical and Biological Agency”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Sabina Malikovna Abutalimova – Candidate of Medical Sciences, Senior Researcher of the Center of Biomedical Technologies, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of the FMBA of Russia”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Aleksandr Nikolaevich Popov – Junior Researcher of the Center of Biomedical Technologies, FSBI “North-Caucasian Federal Research-Clinical Center of the FMBA of Russia”, Essentuki, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

For citation: Kushnareva Yu.V., Abutalimova S.M., Popov A.N. Possibilities of using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for recovery of the functional state of athletes after COVID-19. Russian Journal of Sports Science: Medicine, Physiology, Training, 2023, vol. 2, no. 1. DOI: 10.51871/2782-6570_2023_02_01_3

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