The Athlete Stop

Stay Hydrated for Optimal Athletic Performance

It will be essential for you to stay well hydrated this summer. Dehydration can compromise your exercise performance and may impair your mental/cognitive performance. Hydration is especially important for those who have more than one practice or game in a day, those who have an increased sweat loss, and endurance athletes. When fluid balance is achieved, athletic performance will be at its best!

Before exercise: At least 4 hours before you start exercising, drink ½ cup of fluid for every 40 pounds of body weight.

During exercise: You should hydrate during every break. Sports drinks should be used for intense exercise lasting 60 minutes or more; if you are exercising in extreme heat and humidity.

After exercise: You should drink 3 cups of fluid for every pound lost during exercise. In order to determine how much sweat you lost during exercise, weigh yourself before you start exercising and then weigh yourself after.

What’s that Bright, Funky Tape?

That bright, funky tape is just not any kind of tape, and it’s not just for looks. It is called kinesiotape, and is part of your rehabilitation. Kinesiotape can be used for a variety of medical conditions, such as orthopedic and neuromuscular. It also can be used in conjunction with a multitude of other treatments and modalities, and is effective during the rehabilitative and chronic phases of an injury. Kinesiotape can be applied in hundreds of ways, and has been proven to have positive physiological effects on the skin, lymphatic and circulatory system, fascia, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.

Kinesiotape helps your body’s healing process by supporting and stabilizing your muscles and joints without restricting your range of motion. Additionally, the kinesiotape continues to manipulate your soft tissue to prolong the benefits of manual therapy. It is recommended use be in conjunction with evaluation and manual therapy, since it is not a stand-alone treatment. Additionally, in order to gain the most benefits of this therapeutic tape, it first must be specifically applied based upon your needs after evaluation.

How does it work?
After application, the kinesiotape facilitates your body’s lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin; which in turn increases the interstitial space and causes a decrease in inflammation of the affected area(s). Additionally, this microscopic elevation also improves blood circulation, which aids the speed of healing. Kinesiotape also has the ability to re-educate the neuromuscular system, reduce pain and inflammation, enhance performance, prevent injury, and assist the body in returning to homeostasis.

Benefits of Kinesiotape
• Support the injured area
• Alleviate pain
• Reduce inflammation
• Enhance performance
• Prevent injury
• Promote good circulation
• Promote good healing
• Assist the body to homeostasis

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the kinesiotape keep me from playing sport?
No, the tape will not prevent you from playing your sport. Kinesiotape allows your skin to “breathe” by not constricting or suffocating your skin, nor does it affect your biomechanics. It will allow you to continue with your current range of motion.

How long can I wear it? Can I shower with it?
Kinesiotape can be worn for three to five days, since it is water-resistant and wicks away moisture. You can shower with it as usual.

Is it going to irritate my skin?
The tape is latex-free and can be worn by most people. If you get a rash where the tape was applied, simply remove the tape and apply an anti-itch cream.

Kinesio® (n.d.). Kinesio Taping® Method [rehabilitative taping technique]. Retrieved from http://www.kinesiotaping.com/us/global/corporation/about/kinesio-taping-method.html

Get Your Plate in Shape!

If you are reading this, you are probably a competitive athlete and exercise regularly. But have you thought about what you do off the court is impacting you on the court? Are the foods and beverages you are choosing, cancelling out all the work you do in practice?

Here are some Tips on Shaping Up Your Plate:

• Fill up half your plate first with fruits and vegetables, then go for the rest.

• Choose 100% whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice.

• Keep down the fat. Avoid “deep fried” and choose lowfat or fat free dairy products.

• Mix up your protein. Nuts, seeds, and beans need some love too!

• Limit the caffeine and sugar drinks like sodas and energy drinks.

• Enjoy your food but eat less. Remember the old adage: Do you eat to live or do you love to eat?

• Keep enjoying your sport! You are not only having fun, but also staying physically active!

Shin Splits

I am often told that “My son/daughter has shin splints and the only thing I can do is ice and rest.” This is not entirely true. Depending on the type of shin pain and the location it may be due to the tight tissue around the leg. There are 2 major muscles that you have to look with shin splits, Anterior and Posterior Tibalis.

Two muscles attach to the shin in different areas. The fascia also attaches the muscle to the bone. If you have any over use injury (repetitive jumping or running) these muscles and tissue can become tight and cause pain. Sometimes the pain is directly on the shin itself and sometimes it is in the soft tissue. Depending on the severity of the pain and the location the doctor may want to do an x-ray to rule out a stress fracture that can occur over time if left untreated.

Concession Stand Fuel Up

It’s competition weekend, and you’re out of food and snacks! Is the concession stand your only hope? If you are out of your own food, and there is not enough time to leave the gym in between competitions, here are some tips on making the best choices at concessions.

Choose a water sports drinks*, or 100% fruit juice. NO soda, tea, coffee, or energy drinks.
*To replenish your electrolytes, you can choose a pickle.

Choose soft pretzels (with mustard), baked chips, trail mix, with seeds/nuts, or popcorn.
NO candy, regular chips, chocolates, cookies, donuts, or ice cream.

Choose a hamburger, chicken burger, or cheese pizza.
NO hot dogs, frito pies, nachos, pepperoni pizzas, or cheeseburgers.

Acute Phase of Healing

The first phase of healing after an injury occurs is
called the inflammation phase, this is the body’s
natural response to stress or injury.

Here is what it looks like:
1. Injury or stress occurs
2. Blood flow increases to that area to start healing
3. White blood cells release chemicals to “clean up”
area of injury
4. After the injury is cleaned the 2nd phase will start.

The inflammation phase should only take 3-7 days
depending on the type of injury. If the inflammation
or swelling is still present there might be some
underlying issues that could cause it to stay.
1. If your PH is more acidic
2. If you are in a brace and your joint is immobile
3. A chemical imbalance
(deficient in a vitamin or mineral)
3. Auto immune disorder
4. There is a more serious injury

The “RICE” method works best for the first couple of
days of a new injury (rest ice compression elevation).
After the first couple days of an injury and the
inflammation or pain do not decrease seek a health
care provider for further guidance.

What type of doctor do I see?

When someone gets injured, I am often asked, “What type of doctor do I see?”  This is a great question that deserves an informative answer, but it will follow this second question. Did you know that doctors (whether chiropractic (DC), medical (MD), or osteopathic (DO)) study from the same textbooks?  All doctors can diagnose, order X-rays and/or imaging procedures.  

Whether you see a MD, DC, or DO, the first thing needed is to diagnose the problem. Once that is completed, the next step is treatment. If the injury is a fracture or a complete tear of a ligament, then depending on severity, you would see an orthopedic doctor. If the injury is soft tissue in nature (sprain, strain, pulled muscle), then a sports rehab doctor would be a good choice.

So, when someone asks what type of doctor do I see, it all depends on how quickly you want to return to your sport. Did you know that the speed at which the tissue heals is dependent on how quickly you can get to 75-90% pain free range of motion?

My job as a sports rehab doctor is to get to that pain free range of motion as quickly and safely as possible. If you leave a soft tissue injury in a brace for a long time with no motion, then you will have a lot of scar tissue that you will have to work through to get to that pain free range of motion.  That is why the sooner we can get the injured area in motion, the quicker you will be back at your sport.
   
In future blog postings I will briefly describe the 3 different stages an injury goes through, and things you can do at home to help speed your recovery.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

New Year, New Beginnings

It’s a new year! 

Yep, already the second week into 2012!

   I’m sure we’re not any different from the rest of y’all.  We’ve reviewed what happened last year, happy with some things, hoped for different outcomes in some areas, but overall very satisfied and happy with the year as a whole and excited about this new year. 

   Hopefully you have set some goals for this year, and also wrote them down.  If you need some help in this area, we personally like to use Lululemon Athletica’s vision and goals worksheet to help you get thinking big and long term.  Also, don’t forget to make them S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely).  Unfortunately, so many people set goals but don’t make them SMART nor write them down or refer to them again until the next year.  We do not want this for you, and we know that you do no want that either.  Take this as encouragement to not only set your own goals, but also to write them down and refer to them at least weekly and monthly.  Folks that set goals, write them down, and purposefully strive for them achieve the desires of their heart. 

   If you need some examples, here are some SMART goals that have been shared with us so far:

1. I will finish the 2012 Aramco Half Marathon in 1:30 or faster.
2. I will place in one or more of my 12 competitions in 2012.
3. I will become an Ironman™[woman] at Cozumel November 25, 2012.
4. I will graduate cum laude from The University of Houston in December 2012.
5. I will lose 4 pounds per month to my pre-pregnancy weight by my birthday.
6. I will speak Spanish by using my Rosetta Stone^® on Tuesday and Thursday evenings to complete Levels 1-3 by December 25, 2012.

  Knowing where you want to go and writing them down is only the first step.  Next, you have to work backwards, and plan what steps you must take that will get you want to go. If you want more information on this concept, I would recommend reading “Habit 2” in Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effetive People. 

   We would like to be transparent with you, and share some of our SMART goals for 2012.  First, we will help 30% more people return to the sport they love and live a healthier lifestyle.  The other goal for 2012 is to start “The Athlete Stop Foundation” by September 1, 2012.  The Foundation will provide academic and athletic scholarships to servant leader athletes in our local community.  

   Some of our other goals include participating in at least 12 community events in 2012; so please stop by and say “Hi!” when you see us at a local sporting event, fitness fair, or health fair.  Some other things that we’ll be working on in 2012 are expanding the services we provide.  For example, The Athlete Stop is now offering genetic weight management testing; and we are also in the process of improving our Spectracell vitamin analyses and customized orthotics.  We’ll announce these improvements soon; very soon, we promise!

   We’re excited to start this year off with you, and are excited to see you achieve your goals too!  Happy New Year!