Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) means breathing concentrated oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. Under pressure, your blood plasma carries more dissolved oxygen than it does at sea level, and that is the entire basis of the therapy.
At BodyPro Chiropractic & Sports Medicine we run a hard shell OxyHelp chamber at a true 2.0 ATA. Every session is clinically overseen rather than self-serve, and screening comes before your first session.
Pressure is measured in atmospheres absolute (ATA), with 1.0 ATA being normal air pressure at sea level. The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, which maintains the recognized list of hyperbaric indications, requires pressures of at least 2.0 ATA with near-100% oxygen for every indication on that list.
The inflatable soft-shell chambers common at wellness studios and recovery spas typically reach about 1.3 ATA — below that threshold. The UHMS position statement is direct on this point: it does not recommend low-pressure fabric chambers for any medical purpose other than acute mountain sickness, and notes that a mild hyperbaric exposure breathing air delivers no more oxygen than breathing oxygen through a mask at sea level.
If you are comparing chambers around Los Angeles, the pressure figure is the specification that separates them, and most providers do not publish it.
We would rather be straight with you than market around this. The FDA-cleared and UHMS-approved indications for HBOT are specific, and most are serious medical conditions: decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, air or gas embolism, gas gangrene, crush injury and acute traumatic ischemia, certain problem wounds, necrotizing soft tissue infections, refractory osteomyelitis, delayed radiation injury, compromised grafts and flaps, severe anemia, central retinal artery occlusion, intracranial abscess, acute thermal burns, and sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Athletic recovery, general wellness, and performance optimization are not on that list. The FDA has publicly stated that HBOT has not been proven effective for a range of conditions it is widely marketed for, and has cautioned that patients may wrongly assume these devices are cleared for uses they are not. We do not offer HBOT as a treatment for any condition outside its cleared indications.
Some athletes use HBOT as part of their recovery routine, and we are not going to pretend the evidence is stronger than it is.
A 2026 meta-analysis found hyperbaric oxygen associated with improvement in markers of exercise-induced muscle injury, but found no benefit for muscle soreness. A Cochrane review of delayed onset muscle soreness found insufficient evidence to establish an effect, and some indication that it may increase interim pain. This use is not FDA-cleared and the evidence is limited and mixed.
If you want to use HBOT on that basis, you should do it knowing exactly that — which is a different conversation from being sold a result.
You relax in a private, two-person suite with a TV for a 60 to 90 minute session. Pressure increases gradually, producing an ear-pressure sensation similar to a descending flight; you equalize by swallowing or yawning, and we slow down or pause if your ears are not clearing. There is no sedation and no downtime afterward.
If you have a cold or congestion on the day of your session, reschedule — you will not equalize comfortably.
HBOT is generally well tolerated, and the most common side effect is mild ear pressure. It also has real contraindications, which is why screening is not optional here: certain lung conditions — untreated pneumothorax in particular — recent ear or sinus surgery, active respiratory infection, some cardiac conditions, and certain medications all need to be discussed before a first session.
Pressurized oxygen environments also carry fire risk, which is why we are specific about what may and may not come into the chamber. Nothing flammable on skin or in hair; no vapes, lighters, or battery-powered devices. Our team will walk you through it.
That is hard-shell, 2.0 ATA, clinically overseen — at or below what many 1.3 ATA providers in Los Angeles charge. HBOT here is billed directly rather than through insurance.
If you want to talk through whether HBOT makes sense for your situation, contact our team. You will get an honest answer about what it is and is not cleared for. We are on Santa Monica Blvd in West LA, and we also offer shockwave therapy and chiropractic sports medicine care.
This page is general information, not medical advice, and is not a claim that hyperbaric oxygen therapy treats any condition outside its cleared indications. Talk to a qualified clinician about your specific situation.