Tag Archives: Blood Pressure

October 08 – Issue 3

Welcome again to my newsletter updating the public on the latest news within the industry. With the Olympics being held in Beijing this Summer, I thought of reporting the success of the games, not to mention the terrific display of the British athletes.

Federation of Holistic Therapists Update

Recent developments in the FHT institutions have worked on formalizing the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for sports therapists. Jennifer Wayte has been working hard to outline exactly what each massage discipline should be doing to meet regulations. She has already produce specific curricula for sports massage and remedial massage. As the largest therapist group, the FHT is trying to get a link with the Olympic Committee as this will aid the status of all FHT members, along with opening new opportunities for its members. 

What Happens in an Injury? Part 1

Injuries are classed in 4 phases; The inflammatory/acute phase, the sub-acute/proliferation phase, the remodeling phase and the functional phase. The inflammatory phase is when the damaged blood vessels in the injured area bleed causing a natural and vital inflammatory reaction. Special cells called phagocytes are released into the injured area to aid the removal of waste products from the injury, such as dead cells. A short period of rest should follow the injury to allow this reaction to take place. Managing the swelling will assist the effectiveness of the repair. Following the PRICE regime is considered the most effective way. Protect the injured area from further injury and resting are the first things to do. Icing the injured area should follow. The ice slows down metabolism and blood flow (vasoconstriction), reducing the swelling and relieving pain. After the ice has been removed, the increase in blood flow (vasodilation) will help flush out the waste products and help reduce swelling. Compressing the injured area with a bandage will help disperse the fluid from the swelling and elevating the area above the heart will also help with the return of waste fluids towards areas where it can be excreted.¹ The inflammation phase usually lasts between 1 and 7 days, depending on the severity of the injury.

Groin Injuries

The groin is one of the most common area for sporting injuries, but also one of the most complicated to diagnose correctly. This is because of the amount of structures in the area. Muscles around the groin area include leg and back muscles, and in total there are over 10 prominent muscles that may get strained. The most common muscle to be injured is the adductor longus muscle on the inside of the leg. Other problems can be from the bones such as stress fractures and osteitis pubis (muscle tendons pulling the pubis area in the pelvis), but another common complaint could be hernia problems.² The most prominent symptom of hernias is pain in the groin area when coughing. If this is the case consult a doctor. Reasons for groin injuries may include unbalanced muscle pairings, age, sport, weak core muscles and overtraining, amongst other. Rehabilitation for groin injuries should concentrate on core strengthening and sport specific training.³

Quick Facts!!!

“Chris Hoy is Britain’s most successful athlete for 100 years in a single Olympics by winning 3 gold medals in Beijing.”

“Usain Bolt won 3 gold medals for Jamaica and in doing so he broke 3 World Records as well.”

“132 athletes managed to achieve more than 1 medals at the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps managed a record 8 golds for the USA.”

References

1. Dinsdale, N., A Competitive Cyclist With Extensive Soft Tissue Trauma of the Lower Limb, SportEx Dynamics, 2008, Issue 17 (Jul), pp. 8-10.

2. Peterson, L. & Renstrom, P., Sports Injuries, 3rd edition, Taylor & Francis, London.

3. Maffey, LL. & Emery, C., What are the Risk Factors for Groin Strain Injury in Sport? A systematic review of the literature, Sports Medicine, 2007, Vol. 37, pp. 881-894.

July 08 – Issue 2

 Welcome again to my newsletter updating the public on the latest news within the industry. The current issue will have a special concentration on pre-season training as many athletes from various sporting backgrounds will be starting pre-season very soon, if not already.  Also new in the current edition are small facts you may be interested in. If you would like to know something that hasn’t been included in this the current edition, send me an email with the topic and I will try and include it in the October issue.

Chocolate Helps Blood Pressure!!!

It’s true, recent findings by a group of scientists found that eating 100 grams of dark chocolate a day for an 15 day period significantly reduced blood pressure¹. It is believed that flavanols in cocoa are responsible for the drop in blood pressure found in the group tested. The test was a great success for all chocolate lovers, though further testing is needed to identify if there are the same benefits in milk chocolate and white chocolate. Larger, more diverse studies are also needed to further show the benefits that chocolate, and in particular, cocoa flavanols in the chocolate have. 

Periodisation, What is it?

Sports seasons can be split into different sections, each with its own specific objective. This usually consists of 3 phases; pre-season, competitive and off-season.             Many believe the pre-season phase to be the most important as it is preparing the athlete, or group of athletes for the main competitive phase. A bad pre-season can often lead to a bad start to a season. Pre-season follows a general principle called the S.A.I.D. principle, meaning Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. It is intended to prepare the bodies aerobic and anaerobic systems for the competitive season that follows. The athletes peak performance is not generally reached in this phase as competitive match play is always more demanding, but preparing the body as close to the intended intensity is of great advantage to the athletes. A good pre-season programme will be specific to the individuals in the sport and should be followed by a well constructed training programme in the competitive phase to maintain higher levels of performance².

Sporting Key Points For Pre-Season

  • Pre – Season should follow a good off – season programme that maintains suitable aerobic capacity.
  • Different sports require different types of training and within sports, different positions differ on demands as well.
  • Different body types recover at different rates. Have suitable recovery times between training sessions.
  • Don’t overwork individuals, injuries will occur. Injury prevention is key.
  • Use some fitness tests to compare base and progressing fitness levels. Make sure they are sport specific.
  • Be as close to competitive fitness before the competitive season begins.²

Can Massage Help?

Pre-season puts a huge demand on the body, as it follows the off-season phase and thus meaning a period of reduced intensity. The increase in intensity causes stresses on the body in which they have not adapted to. Sports massage can assist in minimising the risk of injury as micro-traumas occur within the muscles when exercising. Regular sessions of massage between training sessions can decrease recovery time and reduce the onset of muscle soreness. This allows the athlete to perform at a higher level when required to. The regularity of a massage depends on the level, intensity and quantity of training that the individual is performing. For example, elite athletes may have a sports massage every day, whereas a person who participates in exercise to keep healthy may wish to have a massage every 2 to 3 weeks².

SportExercise Decreases Risks of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of chronic fatigue and diffuse muscle pain and sleep problems. It has been suggested by Mannerkorpi and Henriksson that aerobic exercises performed at a low and moderate intensity, such as swimming, walking or cycling, could improve the symptoms and distress levels in individuals with fibromyalgia. This means that 30 minutes of regular activity, maybe 4 or 5 times a week, could not only reduce the risk of fibromyalgia, but also reduce the risk of the onset of cardiac problems in later life³.

Can Soap Cause Allergies?

Atopic Dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, has risen in recent years. A suggestion for this may be the increase in use of strong soaps and exfoliants. The UCL Institute of Child Health recently published an article advising people that strong soaps and exfoliants used over-excessively strip the skins epidermis (outer layer), resulting in an allergic response. Professor Callard of the institute quoted “from a clinical viewpoint, it is important to stress that over-zealous washing, using harsh detergents and/or abrasive skincare products that can damage the skin, are likely to be at fault.” 

Quick Facts!!!

“Adults lose 2 to 3 litres of water a day at rest, via sweat, breathing and waste products.”

“During exercise you should drink 150 to 300 ml of water every 20 minutes.”

“Men need 11 to 13 cups of water a day to replace fluid loss whereas women need 8 to 9 cups a day.”

Some of you may know, I have recently been training to take part in a marathon challenge held at and around Colworth Park in Sharnbrook. The challenge involved completing 3 separate races over 3 days, totalling 26.2 miles in total. I completed the challenge in 3 hours and 41 minutes, running through fields, tracks and even behind Santa Pod race track! I decided to raise money for Keechs Cottage Childrens Hospice as well and have managed to raise over £300. If you wish to donate you may still do so at www.justgiving.com/carminecientanni

References

1. Grassi, D., Necozione, S., Lippi, C., et al, Cocoa reduces blood pressure and insulin resistance and improves endothelium-dependant vasodilation in hypertensives, Hypertension, 2005, Vol. 46; pp. 398-405.

2. SportEx Dynamics, April 2008, Issue 16; pp. 6-21.

3. Mannerkorpi K. and Henriksson, C., Non-pharmacological treatment of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, Best Practice and Research: Clinical Rheumatology, June 2007, Vol. 21 (No. 3); pp. 513-534.

4. UCL Institute of Child Health (www.ich.ucl.ac.uk)