Hydrogen Water Baths Speed Healing of Toe Injury in Kickboxer
- Authors
- Alex Tarnava
- Journal
- The Journal of Science and Medicine
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.37714/josam.v2i4.57
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Canada
- Health Condition
- Acute Musculoskeletal Injury
- Body System
- Musculoskeletal
TL;DR
A man with a toe injury experienced faster pain relief and improved movement after treatments with hydrogen-rich water, suggesting it might be a good alternative to traditional rest and ice methods.
Key Finding
A single patient treated with hydrogen-rich water baths showed rapid reduction in pain and swelling, improved movement, and faster return to activity following an acute toe injury.
Summary
This case report describes one middle-aged man who injured his toe while kickboxing and received four 25-minute sessions of hydrogen-rich water baths (a special water containing dissolved hydrogen gas) over one week. The patient reported rapid improvement in pain, swelling, range of motion, and ability to walk and exercise compared to what typically happens with standard injury treatment (rest, ice, compression, elevation).
Practical Takeaway
While this case report suggests hydrogen-rich water may help with acute injury recovery, it describes only one person's experience. Much larger, controlled studies are needed before drawing conclusions about whether hydrogen-rich water is truly more effective than standard injury treatment. This early evidence may warrant further investigation, but individual results can vary significantly.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Traditional treatments of soft tissue injuries (STIs) and some musculoskeletal injuries (MSK-Is) involves therapies such as the RICE protocol, which consists of rest, ice, compression and elevation for several days following acute trauma. Designed to improve comfort and reduce pain…