![HERO] Athlete recovering after sprint interval training](https://cdn.marblism.com/wlNM3W5bRcI.webp)
Have you ever finished a set of sprints and wondered whether there is a smarter way to recover afterwards? Perhaps your legs feel heavy, your breathing is still catching up, and you are keen to get more from your next training session without simply adding more intensity.
It is a fair question. Sprint interval training can be remarkably effective, but it also asks a lot from your muscles, nervous system and energy stores. A recent randomised controlled trial explored whether adding a low-dose hyperbaric oxygen session immediately after each sprint workout could help athletes build more power over time.
The short answer is interesting but slightly less dramatic than the headline: the study did not test one isolated session. It tested one session after each workout across four weeks.
Here is what the researchers found, and what it may : and may not : mean for your training.
What did the study actually investigate?
The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in 2025, involved 24 healthy men. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups:
- Sprint interval training alone
- Sprint interval training followed immediately by a low-dose hyperbaric oxygen session
Both groups completed the same four-week sprint interval training programme. The difference was the recovery protocol used after each workout.
The researchers assessed several outcomes before and after the programme, including aerobic fitness, body composition, anaerobic power, sleep quality, mood and heart-rate variability.
You can read the study abstract on PubMed, and the study was also highlighted through the Hyperbaric Experts latest research page.
What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic power?
To understand the results, it helps to separate two types of physical performance.
Aerobic fitness is the ability to produce energy using oxygen over longer periods. It supports activities such as distance running, cycling, rowing and sustained sports performance.
Anaerobic power is about producing a large amount of force quickly, without relying primarily on oxygen-based energy production. It matters during short, intense efforts such as a sprint start, a jump, a powerful change of direction or the final burst towards a finish line.
Think of aerobic fitness as your dependable long-distance engine. Anaerobic power is the turbo button : useful, exciting and not designed to be pressed continuously unless you enjoy negotiating with your hamstrings.
The study found that both groups improved aerobic performance after four weeks. However, the group completing hyperbaric oxygen after each sprint workout made greater gains in several measures of anaerobic power.
How much more power did the hyperbaric oxygen group gain?
The researchers reported larger improvements in the sprint interval training plus hyperbaric oxygen group for:
- Peak power: an increase of 21.6%, compared with 11.9% in the sprint-only group
- Peak power relative to body mass: an increase of 24.1%, compared with 13.0%
- Mean power relative to body mass: an increase of 31.6%, compared with 11.8%
There was also a significant interaction for mean power, with increases of 24.5% in the combined group and 10.6% in the sprint-only group. However, the post-hoc comparison was not statistically significant, partly because of an outlier.
In plain English, the participants who received low-dose hyperbaric oxygen after their workouts appeared to develop more sprint-related power across the four-week training period.
That is a promising signal, particularly for athletes whose performance depends on short, explosive efforts. But it is still a signal from a small study : not a guarantee that every athlete will experience the same result.
Did hyperbaric oxygen improve aerobic fitness as well?
Not more than sprint training alone.
Both groups improved their aerobic performance and body composition, but the researchers did not find a significant additional benefit from adding hyperbaric oxygen.
This is an important detail. It suggests that the sprint interval training itself was doing useful work for aerobic fitness. The added oxygen sessions appeared to have their clearest effect on anaerobic power rather than creating a broad improvement across every performance measure.
The same pattern appeared in the recovery-related outcomes. There were no significant added benefits for sleep quality or heart-rate variability.
So, while some participants may have felt refreshed after sessions, the study does not show that adding hyperbaric oxygen after sprint training automatically improves sleep or measurable recovery markers.
Why might oxygen after sprints support power development?
Sprint training places a high demand on your muscles. During very intense efforts, your body needs to produce energy quickly, and that process creates a temporary imbalance between demand and supply.
After exercise, your body begins restoring energy reserves, regulating inflammation and repairing the small stresses created by training. Oxygen plays an important role in these processes because it supports energy production and normal cellular activity.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing concentrated oxygen in a pressurised chamber. The pressure allows oxygen to dissolve more deeply into the bloodstream and may support oxygen delivery beyond what breathing ordinary air provides.
One possible explanation is that the post-training oxygen exposure helped the participants manage the demands of repeated sprint sessions, allowing useful adaptations to build across the four weeks. However, this study did not establish the exact biological mechanism. The authors called for further research using larger studies and biomarkers to explore what may be happening inside the muscles and blood.
That is the sensible scientific position: the outcome is encouraging, while the explanation remains under investigation.
Does one session after one sprint workout boost your power?
This study cannot answer that question.
The participants did not receive one isolated session and then complete an immediate power test to see whether they became more explosive later that day or the following morning.
Instead, they completed a repeated pattern: sprint interval training, followed by low-dose hyperbaric oxygen, across four weeks. The improvements were measured at the end of that training period.
The most accurate interpretation is therefore:
Repeated low-dose hyperbaric oxygen sessions immediately after sprint interval training may enhance training-related gains in anaerobic power over several weeks.
That is different from saying one session creates an immediate power boost.
Current research on hyperbaric oxygen around exercise remains mixed. Some studies have explored oxygen exposure before or after exercise, while others have looked at oxygen during recovery between efforts. The protocols, pressure levels, oxygen concentrations, exercise programmes and participants can all vary, making direct comparisons difficult.
If you are considering HBOT for sports recovery, it is better to think in terms of supporting a consistent training and recovery routine rather than searching for a one-session shortcut.
How does the study protocol compare with Flow Well HBOT?
Protocol details matter. The study used a low-dose hyperbaric oxygen protocol, but its exact settings should not be assumed to be identical to every HBOT service.
Flow Well HBOT uses 1.5 ATA at 93% oxygen. This is a lower-pressure, wellness-focused protocol selected for a balance of comfort and oxygen exposure. It should not be described as the same as a study using 2.0 ATA, 100% oxygen or another pressure and concentration.
That distinction is especially important when interpreting research. The study’s results belong to the 24 healthy male participants who followed that particular four-week protocol. They should not be presented as proof that Flow Well clients will achieve the same power increases.
Flow Well provides non-invasive therapies for general wellness and recovery support. Alongside HBOT, its wider approach can include the mechanical movement and compression from Vasotherapy, using compression through garments, boots or pressure pads. Flow Well’s model combines the oxygen saturation from HBOT with mechanical movement and compression from Vasotherapy, but this study tested neither Vasotherapy nor the combined Flow Well approach.
What should athletes take from this research?
If you train for sprinting, field sports, combat sports or any activity requiring repeated bursts of power, the study offers a useful area for further exploration.
It suggests that the timing of recovery support may be worth considering. The participants received the low-dose hyperbaric oxygen session immediately after their sprint interval workouts, rather than at an unrelated time of day.
However, oxygen therapy should sit alongside the basics, not replace them. Your progress still depends on sensible programming, adequate carbohydrates and protein, hydration, sleep, warm-ups, strength work and enough easier days.
There is no universal recovery formula. One athlete may respond well to a particular routine, while another may need more rest, a different training load or a closer look at nutrition and sleep. Useful progress is usually built through patience and consistency : annoyingly sensible, but generally more reliable than chasing magic buttons.
When should you seek professional advice?
This article is for general education and is not personal medical advice. Before booking HBOT, speak with a qualified healthcare professional and the treatment provider if you are pregnant, have a medical condition, have ear or sinus problems, have a lung condition, have recently had surgery or take regular medication.
You should also avoid pushing through warning signs during training. Chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness, unusual dizziness or symptoms that feel concerning deserve prompt medical attention rather than a heroic final sprint.
The bottom line
The 2025 trial found that four weeks of sprint interval training combined with one low-dose hyperbaric oxygen session after each workout produced greater improvements in several measures of anaerobic power than sprint training alone.
Both groups improved aerobic fitness and body composition. The added hyperbaric oxygen did not create significant extra benefits for aerobic capacity, sleep quality or heart-rate variability.
The study was small, involved only healthy men and did not test the effect of one isolated post-sprint session. Larger, controlled trials are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.
If you are curious about whether HBOT fits your training and recovery routine, you can book a consultation call with Flow Well. It is a low-pressure way to discuss your goals, understand the protocol and decide what feels appropriate for you.