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The effect of intermittent hyperbaric oxygen on short term recovery from grade II medial collateral ligament injuries

University of British Columbia

Objective: To examine the hypothesis that intermittent exposure to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) will increase the rate of recovery from a grade II medial collateral complex injury. Design: A double blinded controlled study of a treatment group and control group of patients who experience an initial clinical assessment, a magnetic resonance imaging scan of the knee (MRI), two weeks of either HBO or sham treatment, a second MRI post-treatment and six weekly follow up visits after the injury. Setting: Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Patients: Nineteen patients entered; 14 completed the clinical assessment portion, 9 of the fourteen completed pre and post treatment MRIs. Interventions: Treatment group: ten HBO treatments consisted of 2 atmospheres absolute (ATA) for one hour with 100% oxygen (02) in ten out of fourteen days in the first two weeks of recovery. Control group: ten HBO treatments consisted of 1.2 ATA with air for one hour in ten out of fourteen days in the first two weeks of recovery Main Outcome Measures: MRI pre-post treatment volumetric analysis; weekly assessments and comparisons of the injured and uninjured knee of: 1) a subjective questionnaire, 2) pain, 3) thigh girth, 4) knee girth, 5) range of motion, 6) maximum flexion, 7) one legged jump test. During the last three weeks a comparison of times straight running to a figure of eight course was made. Results: Significant findings were found during the treatment period (the first two weeks) specifically. A more rapid decrease in the volume of edema in patients treatment with HBO as measured by MRI was observed. Patients treated with HBO also experienced less muscle wasting, greater range of motion and maximum flexion improvements. Comparisons of the running tests suggest a greater mobility during the 4th, 5th and 6th week of recovery. Analysis of variables measured throughout all the trials did not show any significance. Length of the study may have contributed to their insignificance. Conclusions: Early intervention with HBO after a sports injury may be beneficial in increasing the rate of recovery. Possible mechanisms are discussed.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2009-03-14

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6037

Human Kinetics

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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