Altichamber

In soccer, this device is used for faster athletes’ recovery.

Altichambers are used for medicine hyperemia. It is a complex medicine device which is used for to enable residence in the area of high or low atmosphere pressure, related to normal pressure of 1 bar. Their application allows a whole series of physiological reactions, that are caused by lower or higher pressure than normal atmosphere pressure.

There are three types of altichambers:

1)      Hypobaric chamber – this device enables abode in the area of pressure lower than atmosphere normal of 1 bar. Hypobaric chamber is a “flying simulator”, or in some cases mountain simulator, cause it simulates diluted air and higher altitude conditions.

2)      Hyperbaric chamber – this device enables abode in the area of higher than pressure of atmosphere normal of 1 bar. Hyperbaric chamber is a “diving simulator”, just its inside is filled with air instead of water.

3)      Hypo and hyperbaric chamber – this device contains both hypo and hyperbar conditions inside of itself. It is well used for recovery, healing and widespread in medicine. It enables stay in the 100%  oxygen area; on higher pressure(0-3bar); or lower pressure(oxygen concentration 10-21% and pressure till the limit of -0,5 bar; as needed.

Most often process that is used for athletes is following:

Body parts are put in altichamber(hands, legs) in which is created decompression to 1100-1500m altitude(decompression level is lower if load is bigger). Procedure lasting is 1-2 min, after that pressure is increased for 0,5-0,7 atmospheres, and that lasts 10-30 seconds(compression), and again decompression to the starting values is created; and then it is done for third time. Same procedure is repeated with the other hand or leg. Total time of whole procedure is 12-15 minutes, 6-7 minutes for each hand or leg. Altichamber massage is recommended to be used with other recovery devices the most 2 times per microcycle, cause if used wrong it can have counter effect. 

“Technology of sports training and recovery”, Julijan Malacko&Dragan Doder