Diving for a ball in Week 1 of the NFL season, New Orleans Saints elite wide receiver Marques Colston broke his collarbone, a major injury that takes four weeks to heal. To the astonishment of trainers, however, Colston was back on the field two weeks later. His secret? A hyperbaric chamber.
According to its manufacturer Oxy Health LLC, the hyperbaric chamber works by increasing the atmospheric pressure surrounding a person,which in turn forces more oxygen into the blood to be transported to damaged tissue.
Colston owns a portable hyperbaric chamber, which he keeps in his home. When injured, he stays in the chamber for hours on end, even sleeping in it at times. “You get out of there, you feel fresh and recuperated,” he said.
Colston is one of a growing number of professional athletes who, along with their team trainers, are using the latest technology to deal with injuries. He summed up the thoughts of many athletes when he recently said, “I don’t let my body heal. I heal my body.”
Unfortunately, portable hyperbaric chambers are too expensive for most athletes, but with technology rapidly advancing, it may not be too long before the common man can heal his body like the pros. Until then, continue to employ the RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation.