Sport Approach

The Sport Approach

2008-12-08T03:17:00.000-08:00

Over the past decade athletics have changed dramatically. Athletes are practicing year round which leads to an increase in sport specific training, strength/conditioning, psychological demands, and competition. Escalating participation in sports has lead to increase demands on the body and more overuse injuries in young athletes are becoming apparent. I have dedicated this site to young athletes and parents that wish to better understand sport performance and necessary factors to advance to the next level.

Throughout this site I will be discussing scientific, evidence based research to help advance performance through sport specific training, cause and prevention of injury, psychological preparation, and nutrition.

Athlete Nutrition and Supplementation

2008-12-08T01:35:00.000-08:00

Heavy resistance training breaks down muscular protein, which ultimately leads to muscle hypertrophy. Nutrition plays a vital role in muscular growth and amino-acid/protein is the key nutrient regulator for muscle fiber hypertrophy. Proper protein supplementation after intense exercise over 12-14 weeks will net significant muscular hypertrophy. Consuming a combination of carbohydrate and protein supplement may be optimal for accelerating skeletal muscle growth. Ingestion of carbohydrates produces an insulin spike causing muscle cells to absorb amino acids at an increased rate which is thought to help promote gains in protein absorption and muscle mass.

Androstenedione

Increases testosterone

Arginine and Ornithine

Elevates human growth hormone

Arginine

Raises nitric oxide

ATP

Increases Energy

Bee Pollen

Increases Energy

Beta Alanine

Improves endurance Acid buffer Enhances creatine

Betaine

Increases Energy

Boron

Elevates Testosterone

Branched Chain Amino Acids

Increases protein synthesis, reduces protein breakdown (i.e. improves recovery)

Buffers Sodium BicarbonatePhosphate Salts

Acid buffer improves anaerobic performance, reduces fatigue

Caffeine

Weight loss/fat burner improves endurance, improves reaction time, improves alertness

Carnitine

Improves energy by helping to transport fat inside the cell to be burned

Chrysin

Blocks testosterone andandrostenedione conversionto estrogens

Ciwujia

Increases endurance

Citrulline-malate

Increases aerobic capacity, increases endurance, increases arginine and nitrous oxide production, increases ATP production, improves recovery, improves creatine effect

Chromium Picolinate

Reduces body fat Increase lean mass

Coenzyme Q-10

Increases energy antioxidant, improves aerobic capacity

Colostrum

Elevates human growth hormone

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

Lowers body fat, increases lean mass

Cordyceps Sinensis

Increases exercise capacity, improves endurance, increases muscle oxygen levels

Creatine

Improves strength, improves power, improves speed, gain weight

Deer Antler Velvet

Improves protein synthesis and strength, enhances endurance, stimulates immune system, anti-inflammatory

DHEA

Improves energy, increases testosterone, elevates mood, lowers body fat

Ecdysone

Promotes muscle growth, retains nitrogen, raises testosterone

Ephedrine

Improves energy, burns fat, decreases conversion of carbs to fat, reduces appetite

Ginseng

Increases energy, improve recovery

Glandulars

Glandulars ingested stimulates the associated organ or gland

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Increase cartilage and synovial fluid in joint space

Glutamine

Combats over training, improves recovery, raises human growth hormone

Glycerol

Prevents dehydration

Green Tea

Weight loss, fat burner

Guarana

Improves endurance, burns fat

HMB (Beta-hydroxy BetaMethylbutyrate)

Improves recovery, increases strength, reduces body fat

Inosine

Increases energy, increases blood O2 capacity

Methoxyisoflavone

Gain muscle, reduces body fat

Medium Chain Triglycerides MTC

Weight loss, fat burner

Octacosanol

Improves endurance

Omega-3 fatty acids

Increases human growth hormone, improves strength, reduces inflammation, reduces bad cholesterol (LDL)

Phosphatidylserine

Lowers cortisol levels to improve recovery

Protein powders and meal replacement drinks

Improve strength, stimulate growth, helps recovery, mandatory for injury repair

Pyruvate

Lowers body fat, improve energy

Ribose

Improves energy, increases work output

Rhodiola Rosea

Increased strength, increases mental function, increases endurance

Smilax

Increases testosterone

Tribulus Terrestris

Increases testosterone by elevating lutenizing hormone

Tyrosine

Increases alertness, precursor to dopamine

Velvet Bean

Increases growth hormone by increasing dopamine

Zinc

Increases testosterone, wound healing, immune function

Injuries in Young Athletes

2008-12-08T01:25:00.000-08:00

Over the past decade an increase in sport participation has lead to overuse injuries in young athletes. One of the biggest contributing factors is improper training. These injuries result from repeated intrinsic (growth) and extrinsic (repetitive motions) stresses followed by inadequate recovery. The American Academy of Pediatrics has reported an increase in the number of children specializing in a sport year round which appears to be contributing to the rise of injury. A resent report in San Diego states that there is roughly 125 baseball teams for children under the age of 10 that partake in as many as 80 games a year, far more than most college teams. Parents are hiring private batting coaches for their Little League players under the presumption that batting makes their children better applicants for college. The general thought is that if children do not specialize before high school, then they are not prepared to compete at higher levels. The increase in athletics for youth does not come without an increase risk of injury. Proper education to the parent and the young athlete will come enhanced skill and peak performance.

The most common cause of overuse injuries comes from repetitive motions that stress bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles followed by inadequate rest. As we know stresses to these structures can make them stronger but without proper recovery time they result in the opposite and become injured. Because these injuries do not result from trauma and are not acute they are often difficult to diagnosis and require medical attention. Improper alignment and function may also predispose one to injury. For instance, a coach might not know proper spinal/scapular/shoulder movement and might find it hard to deny a volleyball player from playing time.

The fact that children are growing separates young athletes from mature athletes. A common location for growth in youth is in the epiphysis of bones and associated growth cartilage located at the growth plate. This is where bones grow and lengthen by adding more bone and is located at the proximal (beginning) and distal (end) of bones. Young athletes commonly get this confused with growing pains but can raise a concern when the individual is partaking in continuous physical activity. For instance, a young athlete complains of deep dull pain and is a pitcher for a Little League team. With continuous use and misalignment, muscles are known to compensate and can become shortened and/or lengthened depending on the location. Because the bone is still growing at the epiphysis, tightened muscles are able to torque the bone. Again, an injury that is associated with overuse. Studies are now showing that overuse of young pitchers can result in tightened rotator cuff muscles causing a torque in the humerus. High school and college pitchers are now noticing a new bread of injury due to torsion in the humerus bone. This phenomenon is also seen in sprinters and jumpers located at the proximal anterior tibia, a syndrome called Osgood-Schlatter and Sever’s disease located at the Achilles tendon into the heel. These conditions come with great concern because intrinsic stresses can live with the athlete for a lifetime once the bone sets.

Prevention of Overuse Injuries

The American College of Sports Medicine has stated that roughly 50% of overuse injuries in children and adolescents can be prevented. An experienced coach must be educated in proper training skills involving technique and length of practice. A suitable warm-up and an organized practice schedule will help reduce injury and enhance sport performance.

Regardless of the sport, warm-ups with repeated contractions are necessary in reducing muscle tears and preventing serious muscle tears. A warm up will increase the temperature of the body and encompassing muscles which help muscle contraction and relaxation. General warm ups such as jogging, and related warm up such as kicking a soccer ball help warm up the entire body and specific muscles related to the sport. It is important to use the same muscles pertaining to the sport. An adequate amount of time for a warm-up is 10-12 minutes and should not result in muscle fatigue. The physiological benefits to warm-ups are: muscles contract faster, muscles relax faster, range of motion is increased, increase temperature will enhance metabolism, increase blood flow, and psychological preparation. Varying practice is a great way to reduce overuse injury. Repetitive activities can result in fatigue, boredom, and lack of fun. Distributing a diverse practice is better for performance, learning and injury prevention. Random practice is far more superior in retaining motor task compared to repetitive practice. Studies have shown an athlete will retain better performance when mixing up forehands and backhands in tennis opposed to numerous repetitions of just forehands and backhands. Random practice will bring about desired results more quickly and will enhance game play decision making. In other words, practice in game like situations. Varying practice sessions will decrease fatigue, produce desirable learning effects, and allow more time for recovery.

Rotator Cuff - Tears and Strains

2008-12-07T00:47:00.000-08:00

Rotator Cuff injuries are commonplace in the sports world. Stretching before strenuous exercise is always recommended.