On a recent podcast with former Raptors star Vince Carter, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry revealed that he uses a hyperbaric chamber to help his body recover.

Lowry, 33, is a six-time all-star in his 14th NBA season. Carter, 43, set an NBA record this year for longevity by playing in his 22nd season. He’s the only NBA player to ever suit up in four different decades.

“I go home and I sleep in a hyperbaric chamber, four or five hours,” Lowry said on the podcast, “Winging It with Vince Carter” as the two discussed how players are extending their NBA careers.

That revelation left us with a whole bunch of questions:

What’s a hyperbaric chamber?

A hyperbaric chamber is a hard shell hospital-grade equipment, usually of cylindrical shape, in which pure oxygen is pressurized and concentrated to below-sea levels.

Hyper = more; baric = pressure.

What’s hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

Health Canada defines hyperbaric treatment as a form of medical therapy where a patient goes into a hyperbaric chamber so they can breathe air that’s 100 per cent oxygen for a set amount of time. Regular air that we breathe is only 21 per cent oxygen.

Why are hyperbaric chambers used?

On Health Canada’s web page, it says the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society recognizes hyperbaric therapy as an effective way to treat 14 specific conditions, ranging from soft tissue and radiation injuries to decompression sickness and many sorts of infections.

By concentrating a high percentage of oxygen in the affected areas of the body, the hyperbaric treatment makes healing quicker.

What else is the therapy used for?

Health Canada says some private clinics claim hyperbaric oxygen therapy can treat things like multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, AIDS, cancer and stroke — but there has been no scientific evidence to prove such claims.

Famous celebrities who use a hyperbaric chamber?

Michael Jackson started using a hyperbaric chamber after the music superstar was severely burned while shooting a Pepsi commercial in 1984. He reportedly liked the therapy so much, he had a chamber installed at his residence.

Professional athletes who also use the hyperbaric therapy to accelerate injury recovery or improve their physical condition, include Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, golf champion Tiger Woods, tennis star Novac Djokovic and FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

Myth or reality, is the therapy effective?

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According to Progressive Medical Centre, hyperbaric treatment speeds up an athlete’s recovery time from regular injuries. A sprained ankle might heal in four days instead of eight, or a thigh bruise can mend in one week instead of three.

Is it for just for elite athletes?

Laurie-Anne Fayle, the director of Toronto HBOT in North York, said her centre has been offering services for the past 11 years and has treated thousands of people from a six-month-old to a 92-year-old. Clients includes professional athletes as well as regular folks.

Toronto General Hospital has had the hyperbaric centre since 1964, but a number of private clinics have since started to provide the service.

What’s the price?

A 90-minute session at Toronto HBOT costs $190. Treatment differs from patient to patient, but Fayle said the longest session lasts about six hours.

Would it be effective for weekend warriors?

If you play pickup sports and feel sore the rest of the week, or have a minor nagging injury, you’d need some commitment for hyperbaric therapy to work. Fayle said it usually takes several sessions for the treatment to be effective, not just a one-off visit.

Can I get a hyperbaric chamber for my home?

Manufacturers don’t usually sell hospital-grade equipment to individuals for residential use, because “you can’t store enough medical-grade oxygen legally at your house to run even one treatment,” she said.

At Toronto HBOT, it requires 3,000 liquid gallons of oxygen to run six hyperbaric chambers all day.

Plus, there’s a danger of being combustible — which is why patients going into the chambers can’t take in any electronics.

Usually when someone says they have a hyperbaric chamber at home, they mean a hyperbaric bag — like a mini version of the chamber. These bags have been in service for decades, initially used by people who were going to climb Mt. Everest where the air is thin and it’s expected they’d need extra oxygen, according to Fayle.

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