Healing of crush injury
At Wesley Hyperbaric, we use hospital-grade hyperbaric chambers in a licensed medical setting, supervised by doctors and nurses. These chambers deliver 100% oxygen at higher pressures to treat complex medical conditions like crush injuries, radiation wounds and chronic ulcers. They’re very different from “wellness” or portable chambers you might see in gyms or spas; those don’t reach medical treatment levels or provide the same results.
Healing of crush injury
How the body begins healing after a crush injury
Crush injuries can happen in a split second; but the damage they cause can last for weeks or months. Whether it’s a car crash, heavy machinery accident, or a workplace incident, the body takes a serious hit.
At Wesley Hyperbaric, we see many patients recovering from these complex injuries. They often ask the same question; “how long does a crush injury take to heal?”
The short answer is: it depends on how severe the damage is, how well oxygen reaches the tissue, and whether complications develop.
What is a crush injury?
A crush injury happens when part of the body, usually a limb, is trapped under a heavy weight or force. The pressure damages not only the surface but also the muscles, nerves and blood vessels beneath.
Common outcomes include:
- Fractures or broken bones
- Swelling and deep bruising
- Nerve compression
- Disruption of blood flow
- Muscle death (ischaemic necrosis)
Even short-term pressure can destroy cells and block oxygen delivery. The skin may look intact while the underlying tissue is already deteriorating.
What happens after the crush?
When the trapped area is freed, blood rushes back into the tissue. This sudden return of circulation can cause further harm. Doctors call it reperfusion injury. It happens when oxygen floods back into damaged cells, triggering inflammation and oxidative stress.
The result is swelling, pain, and more pressure inside the muscle compartments. This is where another complication – compartment syndrome – can appear.
When swelling becomes dangerous: compartment syndrome
The body’s muscles are organised into small compartments, each wrapped in a tough layer of connective tissue called fascia. After a crush injury, swelling inside these compartments can rise sharply, cutting off blood flow and oxygen.
This is called compartment syndrome, and it’s a medical emergency.
Typical signs include:
- Severe pain that feels out of proportion to the injury
- Extreme tightness or firmness in the limb
- Numbness or tingling
- Weakness or inability to move the limb
- Pale or cold skin
If untreated, the trapped tissue can die within hours. Permanent damage or amputation may follow.
Crush injuries can look fine on the outside, but inside, tissue may already be struggling. That’s why early treatment is key; to prevent complications like compartment syndrome.
HBOT oxygen Brisbane
How HBOT supports the healing of crush injury
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves sitting in a pressurised chamber and breathing 100% oxygen. Under this pressure, oxygen dissolves more deeply into the blood plasma. It travels to injured areas that normal blood flow can’t reach, giving cells the supply they need to survive and repair.
For crush injuries, HBOT works by:
- Delivering oxygen directly to damaged tissue, even through restricted blood vessels
- Reducing swelling by narrowing capillaries while keeping oxygen levels high
- Stimulating new blood vessel growth to restore circulation
- Limiting tissue death and saving at-risk cells
- Supporting immune function and fighting infection
HBOT is not a quick fix; but it creates the ideal conditions for natural recovery.
By increasing oxygen delivery to crushed tissues, we can reduce swelling, improve healing, and often prevent further tissue loss.
How long does a crush injury take to heal?
Recovery depends on many factors:
- The amount of tissue damage
- Whether surgery or fasciotomy was required
- Presence of infection
- Patient health and circulation
- Use of advanced treatments like HBOT
Mild crush injuries may heal in a few weeks. Severe injuries, especially with compartment syndrome, can take several months and often need rehabilitation.
At Wesley Hyperbaric, we’ve seen patients recover faster and with fewer complications when HBOT is started early in their treatment plan.
With hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we’re giving the body the tools it needs to heal faster and more completely; especially after something as complex as a crush injury.
Why early treatment matters
Starting HBOT soon after the initial trauma or surgery makes a real difference. Tissue deprived of oxygen can die quickly, turning what might have healed into a chronic wound or infection.
Early oxygen therapy can:
- Keep damaged muscle and skin alive
- Reduce inflammation and pain
- Help surgical repairs and grafts survive
- Improve mobility and reduce scarring
At Wesley Hyperbaric, treatment plans are created in consultation with your GP or specialist, so HBOT fits smoothly into your overall recovery.
Is HBOT for crush injuries covered by Medicare?
Yes. Healing of crush injury is recognised by Medicare as an approved indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It falls under acute traumatic ischaemias, where tissue oxygen is restricted by trauma.
Eligible patients can usually access HBOT with full or partial funding through Medicare or private health insurance.
Our administration team can help you confirm eligibility and coordinate the referral process with your GP or surgeon.
FAQs
Medical-grade hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing 100% pure oxygen inside a pressurised chamber, usually between 2.0 and 3.0 ATA (atmospheres absolute). This is done in a hospital setting, under medical supervision. At Wesley Hyperbaric, every treatment is individually prescribed and monitored by trained hyperbaric doctors and nurses.
The main difference is the level of pressure and the type of oxygen you breathe. In medical HBOT, you’re breathing pure oxygen at much higher pressures. This significantly increases the amount of oxygen delivered to your tissues, which supports healing.
“The most important difference is that in medical HBOT you breathe pure oxygen at higher pressures, which allows much greater oxygen delivery to tissues than can be achieved in wellness or portable chambers.”
Dr Susannah Sherlock, Medical Director at Wesley Hyperbaric
That’s usually called mild hyperbaric therapy (mHBT). It typically involves breathing normal air or slightly oxygen-enriched air at lower pressures – usually between 1.3 and 1.5 ATA. These sessions often happen in portable or inflatable chambers, and are not medically supervised.
Not really. Lower pressures can’t deliver the same oxygen levels to your tissues as medical-grade HBOT. They are not approved for treating medical conditions and won’t have the same clinical outcomes. For example, they are not suitable for things like radiation injury, diabetic wounds, or other chronic conditions that require deep tissue oxygenation.
Yes. Medical-grade HBOT is delivered in accredited hospital settings like Wesley Hyperbaric, where strict safety protocols are followed. Mild hyperbaric chambers are not regulated to the same standard and may not be staffed by medical professionals.
What to do if you or someone you know has a crush injury
- If the injury has just happened, go straight to the emergency department.
- If you’re in recovery and swelling, pain or poor healing are persisting, ask your GP or surgeon about hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
- Bring scans, reports or wound information to your first appointment at Wesley Hyperbaric.
We work closely with hospitals, GPs and rehabilitation teams to support each stage of recovery.
Crush injuries can be complex, painful and slow to heal; but with the right oxygen therapy, the body’s natural recovery processes can work more effectively.
If you’re looking for support with the healing of crush injury in Brisbane, our medical team at Wesley Hyperbaric is here to help.
Wesley Hyperbaric; Brisbane’s first and largest private hyperbaric oxygen therapy facility.
Call 1300 030 363 or visit www.wesleyhyperbaric.com.au
Your journey starts with these 3 steps
When you have completed your hyperbaric sessions, your condition is reassessed by one of our doctors.