Author(s): HU, X., NAKAGAWA, Y., KANATANI, K., TAKAGI, T., KAWABATA, T., Institution: KANSAI UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 996

INTRODUCTION:
Participating in multiple high-intensity races in a short period can accumulate fatigue, negatively impacting subsequent performance. (1). Recognizing this, it is crucial to promptly employ fatigue recovery techniques, ensuring athletes can recover and maintain proper conditioning during rest periods whenever possible. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) has been proposed to inhibit the progression of muscle fatigue and promote recovery (2). However, research on the effectiveness of HBO2 interventions during rest periods on subsequent exercise performance in competitive events with multiple races per day is still limited. Hence, this study aims to ascertain the effects of inter-exercise HBO2 exposure on subsequent anaerobic exercise performance and explore its potential to enhance athletes competitive performance.
METHODS:
Eight athletes performed the Wingate Test (WAnT,30s) on a bicycle ergometer twice with a 60-minute break in between. Participants also underwent two trials under different rest conditions: normobaric normoxia (NN) at 1.0 ATA with 20.93% oxygen, and hyperbaric hyperoxia (HH) at 1.3 ATA with 100% oxygen. The Wingate Test assessed both mean power and maximal power. Blood lactate concentration (BLa) and percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) were measured 40 seconds before and after exercise, as well as at 3 minutes, 5 minutes, and every 10 minutes during the rest periods. Heart rate (HR) was continuously monitored from the beginning of the experiment using a heart rate monitor. The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was recorded using the Borg scale through interviews after completing the WAnT. All experimental data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Corresponding T-tests were utilized to compare exerted power, and BLa and HR were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (condition x time). The significance level for all statistical analyses was set at less than 0.05.
RESULTS:
In the NN condition, the mean anoxic power after exposure was significantly reduced compared to pre-exposure (p<0.05). In contrast, in the HH condition, pre- and post-exposure values were nearly identical (p>0.05). However, there was no significant difference in maximum power between pre- and post-exposure in both conditions (p>0.05). Moreover, the HH condition exhibited significantly lower BLa and higher SpO2 after the WAnT compared to the NN condition (p<0.05). However, resting HR and post-exercise RPE showed no significant differences between the HH and NN conditions (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION:
For athletes who participate in multiple high-intensity races per day, our results suggest that HBO2 intervention between exercises may inhibit the accumulation of BLa and have a positive effect on physiological parameters related to oxygen saturation. These findings increase the likelihood that exposure to HBO2 during the rest period between repetitive, high-intensity exercises may contribute to promoting post-exercise recovery and maintaining subsequent exercise performance.