Fact File

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What Are Sports Injuries?

"Sports injuries" are injuries that happen when playing sports or exercising. Some are from accidents. Others can result from poor training practices or improper gear. Some people get injured when they are not in proper condition (starting out). Not warming up or stretching enough before you play or exercise can also lead to injuries. The most common sports injuries are:
• Sprains and strains
• Knee injuries
• Swollen muscles
• Achilles tendon injuries
• Pain along the shin bone
• Fractures
• Dislocations.

What's the Difference Between an Acute and a Chronic Injury?
There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. Sprained ankles, strained backs, and fractured hands are acute injuries. Signs of an acute injury include:
• Sudden, severe pain
• Swelling
• Not being able to place weight on a leg, knee, ankle, or foot
• An arm, elbow, wrist, hand, or finger that is very tender
• Not being able to move a joint as normal
• Extreme leg or arm weakness
• A bone or joint that is visibly out of place.

What's the Difference Between an Acute and a Chronic Injury?
There are two kinds of sports injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly when playing or exercising. Sprained ankles, strained backs, and fractured hands are acute injuries. Signs of an acute injury include:
• Sudden, severe pain
• Swelling
• Not being able to place weight on a leg, knee, ankle, or foot
• An arm, elbow, wrist, hand, or finger that is very tender
• Not being able to move a joint as normal
• Extreme leg or arm weakness
• A bone or joint that is visibly out of place.
Never try to "work through" the pain of a sports injury. Stop exercising when you feel pain. Exercising more will only causes more harm. Some injuries should be seen by a doctor right away. Others you can treat yourself.
If the pain or other symptoms get worse, you should call your doctor. Use the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed healing. Follow these four steps right after the injury occurs and do so for at least 48 hours:
How Are Sports Injuries Treated?
Treatment often begins with the RICE method. Here are some other things your doctor may do to treat your sports injury.
• Rest. Reduce your regular activities. If you've injured your foot, ankle, or knee, take weight off of it. Although it is good to start moving the injured area as soon as possible, you must also take time to rest after an injury. All injuries need time to heal; proper rest helps the process. Don't use your injured limb until you are sure you can stretch the injured area without pain, swelling, or stiffness. Build up step by step to full speed.
• Ice. Put an ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes, four to eight times a day. You can use a cold pack or ice bag. Take the ice off after 20 minutes to avoid cold injury.
• Compression. Put even pressure (compression) on the injured area to help reduce swelling. You can use an elastic wrap, special boot, air cast, or splint. Ask your doctor which one is best for your injury.
• Elevation. Put the injured area on a pillow, at a level above your heart, to help reduce swelling.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

What Can People Do to Prevent Sports Injuries?
These tips can help you avoid sports injuries.
• Don't bend your knees more than half way when doing knee bends.
• Don't twist your knees when you stretch. Keep your feet as flat as you can.
• When jumping, land with your knees bent.
• Do warm-up exercises
• Always stretch before you play or exercise.
• Don't overdo it.
• Wear shoes that fit properly, are stable, and absorb shock.
• Use the softest exercise surface you can find; don't run on asphalt or concrete.
• Run on flat surfaces.
• Don't be a "weekend warrior." Don't try to do a week's worth of activity in a day or two.
• Know your body's limits.
• Build up your exercise level gradually.
• Strive for a total body workout of cardiovascular, strength-training, and flexibility exercises.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).(2009). What Are Sports Injuries? Retrieved from: http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sports_Injuries/sports_injuries_ff.asp

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Why Is It Important to Wear Proper Shoes While Working Out?

Whether your workout involves running, walking, sports or gym equipment, a decent sport shoe is a must. Injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness or weight loss attempt. Investing in a quality shoe can help you to prevent foot and ankle damage, and make your workout a more pleasant and comfortable experience.

Types of Shoe
A variety of sport shoes are on the market for every type of exercise. Running shoes that have inbuilt shock absorbers are available for joggers, and lightweight walking shoes are available for walkers. Aerobic shoes are lightweight and shock absorbing to prevent foot fatigue and to cushion the ball of the foot, which is put under pressure from aerobic exercise. Tennis shoes have flexible soles to protect your feet from the quick side-to-side movements of tennis. Thick-soled, high top basketball shoes provide extra protection against ankle and foot injuries caused by jumping. Cross-training shoes are also available. These are suitable if you perform a number of sport or exercise types in your workout.

Choosing a Shoe
The American Orthopaedic Foot & amp; Ankle Society recommends that the type of shoe you choose should depend on the sport you are most active in. If you perform a certain type of exercise three times a week or more, choose a corresponding sport shoe.

The McKinley Health Centre recommends that you try on shoes in the afternoon or evening, or after your workout as your feet are largest at these times. Try the shoes on with sports socks to ensure a good fit and stand up when trying the shoes to make sure they fit. Leave a half inch between your big toe and the tip of the shoe and make sure you can easily wiggle your toes. Bend the shoe to make sure it is not overly flexible as this can indicate a lack of support.

Benefits of a Proper Shoe
Choosing a proper shoe can help to protect you against common injuries associated with your type of workout. Good shoes can lessen the impact of your step and cushion the foot from heavy landings. In addition, sport or exercise specific shoes can improve your performance, enabling, for example, quick direction changes.

Foot Injuries and Shoes
Improper workout footwear can cause a number of injuries. Besides the more obvious injuries, including ankle strains and fractures, bunions and corns, some other lesser known injuries are common. Metatarsalgia, a condition which presents as pain in the ball of the foot, can be worsened by poorly fitting footwear, according to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre.

Replacing Your Shoes
Worn out sport shoes do not provide your feet with adequate protection during your workout. According to Michigan State University Extension, running shoes should be replaced after every 350 to 500 miles. If you run 20 miles a week, this means you should replace your shoes every 20 to 25 weeks. Netwellness advises against judging the wear of your shoes from the treads on the bottom. Instead, check the mid-sole of the shoe that will show damage sooner.

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Water and Your Diet: Staying Slim and Regular With H2O :drinker:

Find out if you're getting enough water to keep your metabolism cranking at peak efficiency and your digestive system functioning well.

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve probably heard a lot about water and weight loss. Can drinking more water really help you lose weight? The short answer is yes -- and no.
If you’re already well hydrated and getting plenty of water, getting more water into your diet probably won’t make a lot of difference. But if you’re going through your days a little -- or a lot -- dehydrated, as many people are, getting enough water could help.
“In my experience, most people are not aware of how much they’re drinking and are not drinking enough -- many, as little as half of what they need,” says Amanda Carlson, RD, director of performance nutrition at Athletes’ Performance, which trains many world-class athletes.

How Water Boosts Metabolism

“Water’s involved in every type of cellular process in your body, and when you’re dehydrated, they all run less efficiently -- and that includes your metabolism. Think of it like your car: if you have enough oil and gas, it will run more efficiently. It’s the same with your body.”

“Your metabolism is basically a series of chemical reactions that take place in your body,” says Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville. “Staying hydrated keeps those chemical reactions moving smoothly.” Being even 1% dehydrated can cause a significant drop in metabolism.

Hungry or Thirsty? How Water Helps a Diet

It’s also very difficult for the body to tell the difference between hunger and thirst. So if you’re walking around feeling a gnawing sense of hunger, you might just be dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water instead of grabbing a snack.
Research has also shown that drinking a glass of water right before a meal helps you to feel more full and eat less. “Many people do find that if they have water before a meal, it’s easier to eat more carefully,” says Renee Melton, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition for Sensei, a developer of online and mobile weight loss and nutrition programs.
One study, for example, found that people who drank water before meals ate an average of 75 fewer calories at each meal. That doesn’t sound like a lot -- but multiply 75 calories by 365 days a year. Even if you only drink water before dinner every day, you’d consume 27,000 fewer calories over the course of the year. That’s almost an eight-pound weight loss.

The Digestive Health Benefits of Water

But getting enough water doesn’t just help you regulate how much you eat -- it helps you digest it properly, as well.
“Water allows your kidneys to function properly and filter everything they need to, and allows us to eliminate effectively and not be constipated,” Melton says. “People who don’t get enough fluids in their diet tend to be constipated.”
And that’s not all. The single biggest cause of painful kidney stones is chronic dehydration. When you don’t get enough water, calcium and other minerals build up in your urine and are harder for your body to filter out. They can form the crystals that make up kidney and urinary stones.

Doctors who specialize in pediatric kidney problems report seeing more kidney stones in children in recent years, and they believe it’s because of a combination of factors. Many kids aren’t drinking enough water. Also, many kids are overweight and eat a poor diet.

“I’ve been in this field for over 30 years, and I’d say that until about the last 10 to 15 years, you almost never saw stones in kids,” says Robert Weiss, MD, chief of pediatric nephrology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital of the Westchester Medical Center in New York. “Lately, the frequency is increasing dramatically.”
How Much Water Do You Need?
How can you know if you’re getting enough water to keep your metabolism cranking at peak efficiency and your digestive system functioning? The formula used to be “one size fits all” -- eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. But that’s changed, experts say.

“It depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live,” Nessler says. “In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If you’re living in a hot climate and exercising a lot, you’d be on the higher end of that range; if you’re in a cooler climate and mostly sedentary, you’d need less.
Another quick way to check: look in the bowl after you’ve gone to the bathroom. If your urine is clear or very light yellow and has little odor, you’re well hydrated. The darker and more aromatic your urine, the more dehydrated you are.
How can you build more water consumption into your day? Try these tips:
• Carry an insulated sports bottle with you and fill it up periodically.
• Keep a glass of water on your desk at work.
• Keep another glass next to your bed. Many of us wake up dehydrated first thing in the morning.
• Switch one glass of soda or cup of coffee for a glass of water.
• Drink small amounts of water throughout the day. Six glasses all at once isn’t good for you!

Shaw, Gina. (n.d) Water and Your Diet: Staying Slim and Regular With H2O. Retrieved from;
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/water-for-weight-loss-diet

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Fluids and electrolytes during exercise

Maintaining water balance is an important consideration during exercise. Physical activity results in increased heat production, and evaporation of sweat from the skin allows the body to dissipate this heat and maintain a normal body temperature. The amount of fluid lost as sweat varies according to factors such as the intensity and duration of activity and the air temperature.

In hot weather, long distance runners can lose up to two litres of water per hour. However, on average, sweat losses equate to approximately one litre of fluid for each hour of exercise. Failure to replace lost fluid results in dehydration. Severe dehydration can lead to heat stroke and can be fatal but even mild dehydration (having lost as little as just over 2% of body weight) affects exercise performance. Fluid losses in excess of 5% of body weight can reduce exercise capacity by as much as 30%. It is therefore important to keep well-hydrated by drinking before, during and after exercise.

Electrolytes such as sodium, and to a lesser extent magnesium and potassium, are also lost from the body with sweat. However, except in extreme cases, losses are small and replacement during exercise is not a priority. 'Sports drinks' often contain electrolytes, particularly sodium. These have the effect of stimulating water absorption from the small intestine, which is beneficial during exercise. In addition, after exercise, replacing lost sodium is essential for full recovery and rehydration.


Before exercise

It is important to begin an exercise session well-hydrated. Drinking 400 to 500ml of fluid 10 to 15 minutes prior to exercise is recommended.


During exercise

To offset fluid losses, it is suggested that 150 to 250ml of fluid should be drunk every 15 minutes. The choice of drink depends on the intensity and duration of the activity. For exercise sessions lasting less than one hour, which are of low to moderate intensity, water is suitable. However, if the activity is more intense or lasts longer than one hour, specially formulated drinks containing carbohydrate and/or electrolytes may be more appropriate.

Adding carbohydrate to drinks, usually in the form of glucose polymers, is a useful way of increasing the fuel supply to the working muscles and can delay fatigue during endurance exercise. However, the higher the carbohydrate concentration of a drink, the slower the rate at which it leaves the stomach (the rate of gastric emptying) and therefore the slower the speed at which fluid from the drink is likely to get into the body. The addition of electrolytes, especially sodium, promotes absorption from the intestine and encourages fluid retention.

The type and duration of the activity, and, in particular, whether supplying fuel or fluid is the main priority will therefore determine the optimal carbohydrate and electrolyte composition of the drink. Commercial sports drinks generally fall into one of three categories - isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic - based on their carbohydrate and electrolyte concentrations. Isotonic and hypotonic drinks are the most usually consumed during exercise.


Sports drinks

Type Content Use
Isotonic Fluid, electrolytes, 4 -8% carbohydrate Fluid replacement during and after exercise. Fuel supply during exercise.
Hypotonic Fluid, very low electrolyte and carbohydrate content (<4%) Rapid fluid replacement without energy provision.
Hypertonic Fluid, electrolytes, high level of carbohydrate (>10%) Post-exercise glycogen replenishment. Not suitable for rehydration during exercise.

Isotonic drinks have the same osmolarity as plasma (the liquid part of blood) so are absorbed relatively quickly. The electrolyte content encourages fluid absorption and the carbohydrate content of 4% to 8% is sufficient to provide a useful amount of energy yet not so high as to hinder fluid absorption. Therefore, during exercise, this formulation strikes a balance between fluid replacement and fuel supply and is the most popular of the commercially available sports drinks.

If more rapid fluid replacement is a priority, hypotonic drinks are the most appropriate. These contain very low levels of carbohydrates and electrolytes and are suitable for athletes such as gymnasts who require fluid rather than energy provision.


After exercise

After exercise, rehydration and full recovery can only be achieved if the electrolytes which have been lost in sweat are replaced as well as the water. The small amount of sodium added to some commercial sports drinks therefore means these can have a beneficial rehydrating effect compared with plain water. However, salt supplements are not normally necessary.

Drinks containing carbohydrate can also help replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores (see above) and the high levels of carbohydrate (around 10% to 15%) in hypertonic drinks make them suitable for this purpose. However, this concentration of carbohydrate inhibits fluid absorption and, consequently, hypertonic drinks are not usually suitable for rehydration during exercise.


Milk and hydration

There is increasing interest in the use of milk as a rehydration solution since milk is a natural provider of water, sugar and electrolytes.
A study from Loughborough University found that milk may be more effective than water, and commercially produced sports drinks at rehydrating the body after exercise.
The presence of water, sugar (in the form of lactose) and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) in milk make it a great candidate as a recovery solution after exercise.
The results of this study are supported by another study by the same researchers that found that the subjects became sufficiently rehydrated with both skimmed milk and a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution after exercise-induced dehydration. Interestingly skimmed milk ensured they were in a positive fluid balance at the end of the recovery period, but the carbohydrate-electrolyte solution ensured normal fluid balance.

The Dairy Council (n.d) Fluids and electrolytes during exercise, Retrieved from: http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=126