Effects of Ozone Therapy on Muscle Damage

This randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of different ozone therapy modalities on recovery following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy male amateur collegiate football players aged 18-30 years.

Thirty-two participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: autohemotherapy, ozone sauna therapy, ozonated lavender oil massage, or a no-intervention control group (n = 8 per group). All participants completed a standardized eccentric exercise protocol to induce muscle damage and fatigue.

Following exercise, participants in the intervention groups received a single session of their assigned treatment, while the control group remained at rest without any recovery intervention. Autohemotherapy involved withdrawal of venous blood, exposure to an oxygen-ozone mixture, and reinfusion. Ozone sauna therapy was applied in a sealed cabin under controlled conditions with measures to prevent inhalation. Ozonated lavender oil massage was administered to the lower extremities using standardized massage techniques.

Blood samples were collected at baseline, immediately post-exercise, post-intervention, and at 24, 48, and 72 hours after intervention. Serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and uric acid (UA) were analyzed as indicators of muscle damage and metabolic stress.

Statistical analysis was performed using two-way permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) to assess group, time, and group × time interaction effects.

Inclusion criteria

• male football players aged 18-30 years
• playing exclusively in the midfield position
• active participation in regional professional football leagues (non-top-tier)
• engagement in regular football training at least four sessions per week with a minimum duration of 90 minutes per session
• absence of acute or chronic musculoskeletal injuries within the preceding six months
• no use of anti-inflammatory medications or ergogenic supplements within the four weeks prior to the study

Exclusion criteria

• female football players
• diagnosed cardiovascular, metabolic, or neurological disorders
• known hypersensitivity to ozone exposure or lavender oil
• any surgical intervention within the past six months
• concurrent participation in alternative recovery or therapeutic interventions during the study period
• playing positions other than midfield