United States Sports Academy
America's Sports University®
The Sport Digest - ISSN: 1558-6448
volume 16 number 3
ISSN: 1558-6448
- Did You Know?
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- There might be a genetic factor in smoking addiction?
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Scientists have located a genetic variation that can make people get hooked on cigarettes, which may ultimately lead to lung cancer. Christopher Amos, a professor of epidemiology at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, states, “This genetic variant makes you more likely to be dependent on smoking.” Smokers who inherit the genetic variant from both parents have a nearly 1-in-4 chance of developing lung cancer.
Source: Borenstein, Seth. Associated Press. Genetic Link Tied to Smoking Addiction. April 2, 2008. http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2008/04/02/1406208-genetic-link-tied-to-smoking-addiction
- High school sports are tough on the knees?
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The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Center for Injury Research and Policy studied high school athletes and found that, among them, the knee is the second most frequently injured part of the body. Although boys are more likely than girls to sustain knee injuries, injuries among girls are more devastating and debilitating. For boys, higher risk of knee injury was associated with football and wrestling; for girls, higher risk was associated with soccer and basketball. “We don’t typically think of gymnastics as a dangerous sport,” said Lara McKenzie, PhD, of Nationwide Children’s Hospital “It has the same clinical incidence of catastrophic injuries as ice hockey.” Still, McKenzie added, “We may be able to prevent and reduce the number of injuries if we were to establish a uniform set of rules and regulations for gymnasts, trainers, and coaches.”
Source: Dennis, Tami. Los Angeles Times. High school sports bring many injuries to their knees. May 22, 2008. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/05/in-high-school.html See also American Journal of Sports Medicine, June 2008.
- The youth sports industry may be hurting young athletes?
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Today’s youth sports industry may be a major cause of burnout and sports injuries in young athletes. Coaches and parents are piling on too much training, convincing young athletes to pick one sport and to compete year-round. Any athlete can be injured by overtraining, but those under age 12 are especially vulnerable. Coaches and parents need always to consider the athlete’s age and associated stage of physical development.
Source: Giordano, Dom. Philadelphia Bulletin. The Evening Bulletin – Inside Today’s Bulletin. Youth Sports Industry Burns Out, Injures Kids. May 23, 2008. http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19714758&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8
- Dehydration can occur without your realizing it?
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When it’s hot but you’re exercising or participating in sports anyway, you can become dehydrated without being aware of it. Especially if your body is unused to a sweltering climate, pursuing physical activity without hydrating properly places you at increased risk for dehydration. The American Council on Exercise tells athletes to drink 16–20 oz of fluids 2 hours prior to physical activity, plus 6–10 oz every 15 or 20 min throughout the activity, plus 16–24 oz per pound of body weight lost at the conclusion of the activity.
Source: Hendry, Erica R. USA Today. A Better Life Section. Drink up as summer heats up. Thursday, July 3, 2008. Pg 4D. www.usatoday.com
- HGH does not strengthen muscles?
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A recent report in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that, although human growth hormone (HGH) can boost muscles’ size, HGH does not necessarily make muscles stronger—or improve the performance of sport skills. In fact there are studies showing that HGH reduces stamina, brings on fatigue, and causes joint swelling and pain.
Source: Rosenfeld, Isadore. Parade, Medical Alert Section. When Muscles Don’t Make You Strong. April 20, 2008. Pg 17.
- The facts, nothing but the (heart) facts?
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Congestive heart failure affects many women and men and is linked to certain other health conditions. Here are incidence rates and risk factors:
- 1 in 5 individuals, out of all men and women, will suffer congestive heart failure.
- 1 in 9 men who never had a heart attack will suffer congestive heart failure.
- 1 in 6 women who never had a heart attack will suffer congestive heart failure.
Risk factors for congestive heart failure: High bllod pressure, History of heart attack, Coronary artery disease, Heart valve disease, Congenital heart failure, Heart infections.
Source: Painter, Kim. USA Today. A Better Life Section. Hope despite heart failure. Monday, February 25, 2008. Pg9D. www.usatoday.com Primary source: Framington Heart Study and American Heart Association.
- Moderate aerobic fitness may diminish diabetes risk?
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A recent study from the American College of Sports Medicine indicated that women with a low level of aerobic fitness or a high body mass index (BMI) are at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. The study also showed that walking vigorously for 30 min five days a week fosters mild to moderate aerobic fitness, which is capable of considerably reducing the risk of diabetes.
Source: Manzella, Debra. About.com Guide to Diabetes, Walking and Diabetes. Tuesday June 3, 2008. http://diabete.about.com/b/2008/06/03/moderate-level-of-earobic-fitness-reduces-risk-of-diabetes.htm
- Agencies are fighting a losing battle against childhood obesity?
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From 1994 to 2004, 1,639 new candies were introduced to the market; 52 new vegetable products showed up in supermarket aisles. In 1997 McDonald’s spent $571 million on advertising; the National Institutes of Science had just $1 million for its five-a-day fruits and vegetables promotion. It is clearly time for agencies of the government to step up and curb a problem that is out of control.
Source: Poiner, Robert. Research Reveals Little Progress in Government Fight Against Childhood Obesity. NYU Research. Volume 4, Number 2, 2008. Pg 12.
- It may be better to modify rather than cancel your workouts?
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It takes only three weeks of inactivity for aerobic capacity to sharply decline, sapping your energy and endurance. If you’re facing a tough period, try holding on to those gains by shortening or spreading out your workouts rather than canceling them. “If you exercise as intensely as usual, you can cut in half how long and how often you work out, with compromising what you’ve achieved,” said Bob Moffatt, PhD, of Florida State University.
Source: Consumer Reports on Health. How to stay fit, come what may. Volume 20, May 2008, Pg 8.
- These tips for healthy eating and drinking?
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- Use a smaller plate to make less food seem like more.
- Keep a bowl of fruit in an easy-to-reach place, for a healthy snack.
- Eat breakfast.
- Replace calorie-laden beverages with water.
- Measure your servings until you can estimate serving size accurately.
- Brush your teeth or chew gum to discourage snacking.
Source: Mayo Clinic Health Letter, Supplement: Special Report. Achieving a Healthy Weight. June, 2008, Pg 4.
- About this hidden heart-attack trigger?
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Several university studies have found that people who interrupt conversations are at a greater risk for heart problems. Duke University researchers reported that interrupting is associated with a 7 times greater risk of developing heart disease. They theorize that interrupting is a sign that a person is excessively competitive and controlling, two hallmarks of the worst “Type A” personality. But all that such individuals need to do is practice being good listeners.
Source: Bottom Line Health: Wellness Strategies. The Hidden Heart Attack Trigger. Spring, 2008, Pg 4.
- Helpful Hints
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- Six Ways to Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
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- For breakfast enjoy oatmeal with fresh berries, walnuts, and soy milk.
- Choose snacks of fruit, nuts, seeds, or fresh vegetables.
- Eat less red meat. Eat more fish.
- Don’t eat anything fried.
- Meals require vegetables, and green, orange and yellow vegetables are best.
- Drink plenty of water; for variety, add to your diet green tea, herbal tea, or fresh juice with nothing else added (100% fruit and/or vegetable juice).
Source: Jegtvig, Shereen. About.com Nutrition Section. Anti-Inflammatory Foods. May 5, 2008. http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflanfood.htm
- A Range of Back Pain Remedies
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- Acupuncture
- Alexander technique
- Balneotherapy
- Bowen therapy
- Breathing exercises
- Capsaicin cream
- Chiropractic care
- Magnesium
- Massage therapy
- Music therapy
- Prolotherapy
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Willow bark
- Yoga
Source: Wong, Cathy. About.com Alternative Medicine. Your Guide to Alternative Medicine. 15 Remedies for Back Pain Relief. May 21, 2008. http://altmedicine.about.com/od/chronicpain/a/back_pain.htm?p=1
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Aromatherapy in Sports Medicine Practice With Elite Athletes
Ancient documents and archaeological evidence convince us that aromatherapy was developed over 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Its utilization was first recorded by Herodotus around 425 BC. The Greek historian described the use of distillation to extract essential oils from plant-based materials. Later, during the Middle Ages, the pharmaceutical properties of certain aromatic plants were exploited against infectious diseases such as the plague. In the First World War, René-Maurice Gattefossé, a French chemist, used aromatic plants to treat soldiers’ wounds. Since then, aromatherapy has been utilized to ease aches and pains, heal injuries, manage stress and anxiety as well as depression, and restore well-being through relaxation, sedation, and stimulation (Cook & Ernst, 2000; Leach, 2004; Motomura, Sakurai, & Yotsuya, 2001).
Physiological Factors in Peak Performance of Tae Kwon Do Athletes
Tae kwon do is a full-contact, free-sparring sport in which points are awarded for head contact. Tae kwon do competition consists of three 3-min rounds with a 1-min break between rounds. Most points accumulated determines the winner. There are appropriate methods of training for peak performance in tae kwon do that equip the athlete with the physical endurance needed for continued training and competition—and success.
Chiefly, the tae kwon do athlete’s cardiorespiratory function, energy expenditure, and blood lactate system must be well controlled if peak performance is to be reliably achieved. Peaking, or the ability of an athlete to perform at his or peak capacity when competitions occur, is dependent upon proper physical training of several physiological factors (Hiroyuki et al., 1999). For optimum peaking, tae kwon do athletes should train, specifically, their aerobic and anaerobic capacities, their muscle strength, their neuromuscular coordination, their speed, and their recovery. It is well known that physical conditioning—aerobic capacity in particular—depends on four elements: maximal oxygen consumption, anaerobic threshold, work economy, and recovery (Howley, Bassett, & Welch, 1995).
Importance of Balance and Stability to Mastery of Sport Skills
It could be said that the world’s best athletes are always in control. It can be defined as mental control, as their recognition of specific situations within the game and how they can appropriately respond. Or as emotional control, their ability to ignore the things that don’t matter and focus on the things that do make a difference in the game’s outcome. But, certainly, the ability to control one’s physical self is a major issue for athletes. They must control their sports skills and execute them properly, despite numerous obstacles that are very physical in nature. An obstacle could be a rushing defensive lineman, in football; a tall, long-armed center, in basketball; or a quick-moving goalkeeper, in soccer. In all cases, a high level of physical control—more specifically, balance and stability—is required.
Balance and stability: The words may seem interchangeable, but they are not. The words are closely linked, of course, but they aren’t a two-way street, because it is possible for an athlete to have one but not the other.
The Functions of Yoga Exercise
Many studies have described the benefits of yoga exercises. Many scientific studies have found that mind-body interventions, including yoga, are effective in treating stress-related mental and physical disorders (Becker, 2000; Benson, 1996; Brown & Gerbarg, 2005). Brown and Gerbarg (2005) indicated that yogic breathing is a unique method for balancing the autonomic nervous system and influencing psychological and stress-related disorders.
The integration of yoga exercises into daily life can have great advantages (Scott, 2006). Evidence has shown that yoga enhances functioning of the body’s operating systems (Dinsmore-Tuli, 2002; Fronske, 2005; Gilmore, 2002; Heaner, 2001; Latona & Shelton, 2002; McGarvey, 2003; McGinnis, 2006). Heaner (2001) indicated that yoga increases self-control, self-discipline, and self-confidence. Yoga enables a person to manage both body and mind well.
Should Student-Athletes Get Paid?
Several issues are involved in the heated debate on whether student-athletes should be paid by their institutions for their athletic services. Some believe that student-athletes receive more than enough compensation through their awarded scholarships. Others believe that student-athletes should be rewarded for hard work and the revenue they bring to their colleges and universities. To further the debate, the authors would like to review a few comments from both proponents and opponents of pay for collegiate student-athletes, to help readers gain a better understanding.
Those who think student-athletes should not be paid provide several arguments. Their primary concern is that, once student-athletes start receiving benefits in monetary form, they will no longer be amateur athletes: When monetary rewards are given, the athlete is then a professional. In addition, cash payments could also impose unsportsmanlike conduct among players and university sport programs. When athletes accept scholarships, they are provided tuition, books, meals, housing, and sometimes graduate assistantships. At some colleges and universities, such support may reach a value of $200,000 over a four-year period. Student-athletes may also receive special treatment when it comes to academic issues, for example priority scheduling, tutoring assistance, and excused absences. Aren’t student-athletes, then, well-compensated already?
Athletic Departments Battle Facebook
Just as advances in Internet and digital technology have created new opportunities for collegiate athletic departments, they have also produced new challenges. Perhaps the most commonly encountered such challenge has been the advent of online communities such as Facebook and MySpace that give users virtual carte blanche to express themselves on the worldwide information superhighway. Athletic departments are learning that every student-athlete with a Facebook account is a potential public relations disaster.