A great article about sports injuries thought I would share !!! Lake Oconee Breeze May 23, 2013 Be aware of the sports injury/nutrition connection By Dr. Justin Lance Lake Oconee Breeze LAKE OCONEE — One of the major concerns facing athletes of all ages is sports-related injury. Despite excellent advances in footwear, training techniques, chiropractic and medical care, sports injuries have increased exponentially over the past decade. Sports-related injuries are prevalent among athletes of all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re a weekend sports warrior or an elite professional athlete, everyone participating in athletics runs the risk of being sidelined by injury. The overwhelming majority of sports-related injuries affect the soft tissue. “Soft tissue” encompasses almost everything in the body except for bone. This includes muscles, ligaments, tendons and cartilage. The ankle, knee and shoulders account for almost 80 percent of all sports injuries. These areas are more vulnerable to injury due to the intrinsic networks of muscles, tendons and ligaments of which they are comprised. As athletes push themselves and their bodies to become better at their sports of choice, their muscles become increasingly stronger. Oftentimes, however, these strengthened muscles stretch the capabilities of the connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, cartilage, disk) designed to hold the muscles securely to the bone and surrounding muscles. When this happens, the connective tissue – especially ligaments and tendons -- is at an increased risk for injury. In addition, it is important to note that, in the technical sense, exercise does not “build” muscle. Exercise actually serves to “tear down” muscle by stressing the muscle and causing microscopic tears. Following exercise, the muscle repairs, rebuilds and becomes stronger. However, if exercise is not accompanied by proper nutrition, then the muscle tissue will begin to rob nutrient reserves from surrounding connective tissues like ligaments, tendons and cartilage to rebuild the muscle. Again, this puts the connective tissue at increased risk for injury and is why connective tissue injuries are the most common sports-related injuries. It is extremely important for athletes of all calibers to have proper diet and nutrition. There are certain vitamins and nutrients that all athletes, even the average weekend warrior, need to ensure the body has the proper building blocks for tissue strengthening and repair. Here are three of the most important: Vitamin C Complex- Helps with the formation of collagen, which is critical for the repair of damaged tendons and muscles. Vitamin C is a very misunderstood vitamin. Most Vitamin C supplements are sold in the form of ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid, however, is just one component of the whole Vitamin C Complex. So, to say that ascorbic acid is Vitamin C is like looking at a wheel and saying it is an automobile. If you are only taking ascorbic acid, try switching to Vitamin C Complex to enhance tissue repair and injury prevention. Trace Minerals- Trace minerals such as iron, selenium, manganese, zinc and copper are important for ligament strength. Also, nearly all enzymes present in the body are dependent upon the presence of these trace minerals to function properly. Minerals cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through diet. However, because much of today’s agricultural soil is depleted of these minerals, it is usually necessary to supplement the diet with a natural trace minerals supplement. Use caution when supplementing. Like vitamins, excess minerals can produce toxic effects. Vitamin E Complex- Vitamin E Complex helps support joint and ligament health, and can also help with joint and ligament repair. It helps reduce inflammation and pain, while also encouraging the production of cytokines. Cytokines help cells rebuild damaged ligaments and joints. The best way to get Vitamin E in the body is through a diet rich in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, as well as egg yolks, seeds and nuts. If your diet is rich in these types of foods, then supplementation might not be necessary. These are just a few of the nutritionals needed by the body to help handle sports-related stress. If you want to compete in sporting events with a decreased risk of incurring a soft tissue injury, then make sure you are covering all nutritional bases with a well-balanced diet and proper supplementation. By ensuring proper nutrition, it is possible to prevent injury by improving tissue strength, while also enhancing overall tissue repair and healing. Dr. Justin Lance can be reached at Pathways to Healing, 706-454-2040.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 11:13:31 +0000
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