Plantar fascitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, the ligament-like muscle band that runs from the heel of the foot to the ball of the foot. The plantar fascia provides the foot with the support necessary to lift the foot off the ground and is necessary for balance and foot stability. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Sports’ Category
Plantar Fascitis A Common Runner’s Ailment
Tuesday, September 18th, 2012Performance for a Price? Part 3
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012A new National Collegiate Athletic Association rule prohibits colleges from giving athletes muscle-building supplements such as creatine and androstenedione. Permissible supplements are carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate boosters, vitamins and minerals. (more…)
Performance for a Price? Part 2
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012A new National Collegiate Athletic Association rule prohibits colleges from giving athletes muscle-building supplements such as creatine and androstenedione. Permissible supplements are carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate boosters, vitamins and minerals.
However, because the NCAA stopped short of banning the supplements, college players are allowed to purchase the substances themselves at health food stores.
“If it is natural, people think it is safe. Some products sold at health food stores can be very dangerous if manufactured poorly, used improperly or in higher concentrations than recommended,” said Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center. “There are so many supplements infiltrating the market. Some contain unapproved drugs or contaminants that can cause great harm.”
Ephedra is one of the most controversial additives to several supplements on the shelves today. It affects beta-receptors in heart, Jalali said.
Ephedra is an ingredient sold in 200 unregulated dietary supplements and marketed as energy boosters and weight-loss aids. Ephedra supplements have been linked to side effects ranging from nervousness, anxiety, a fast heartbeat, high blood pressure and insomnia to kidney stones, psychosis, seizures, heart attack, stroke and death.
“Ephedra has an FDA warning, but it hasn’t been pulled from many health food shelves because it is a big seller,” Jalali said. “People need to carefully read all the ingredients in the supplements they take and make prudent decisions.”
Knowing what you are putting in your body can save your life. Your doctor is your best resource. Always remember, even if you don’t need a prescription to get a supplement, you should always let your doctor know that what you are taking.
Health professionals agree that adolescents under age 18 should not use creatine.
“There is rampant use of creatine in high schools,” Jalali said. “It increases performance, but we don’t have specific studies on this age group so I don’t recommend adolescents use it. Kids are better off getting on a diet program. They should drink mixes with protein powders, and nutrients and take base supplements like vitamins and minerals.”
A number of other groups are warning that use of creatine by teen-agers may be dangerous. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s Healthy Competition Foundation said anecdotal evidence from physicians, coaches, trainers and athletes indicate a link between creatine use and several adverse reactions, including cramping, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, dehydration, muscle strain, high blood pressure, incontinence, and abnormal liver and kidney functions.
According to Blue Cross and Blue Shield, a large number of high school seniors are using creatine monohydrate with little or no scientific evidence of its safety. One state high school federation in New Jersey is expected to recommend this year that its 440 members discourage athletes from using such diet supplements as androstenedione and creatine.
“Because there is a lack of [Food and Drug Administration] oversight, we are seeing an increasing trend of younger individuals having problems with these body-building supplements,” Lundblad said. “Most kids think it is OK to use these supplements because they are sold in stores.”
Another popular sport supplement that can be found on the shelves is androstenedione, a hormone that many athletes believe can be converted into the muscle-building male sex hormone testosterone. Andro achieved fame in 1998 when St. Louis Cardinals’ slugger Mark McGwire admitted he used it during his record-breaking 70-home run season.
“Everyone should avoid all andro products,” Jalali said. “It seems to enhance testosterone levels, but the JAMA study questions this. It also enhances estrogen levels, which can have negative effects on men, such as water retention and breast formation.”
Performance for a Price? Part 1
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012Are you a “weekend warrior” looking for a nutritional edge? Chances are you enhance your weekend sports activities during the week with a couple workouts at the gym, or maybe you lift weights or participate in a basketball, softball or soccer league. (more…)
Cash in on Kickboxing
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012Kickboxing fitness classes are being introduced across North America, spurred by a consumer frenzy for Billy Blanks’ Tae-Bo, a martial-arts workout developed in Los Angeles, Calif. Unlike other forms of aerobics or group fitness classes, kickboxing is relatively new for the majority of recreational exercisers and fitness professionals. Although boxing-style classes have been successful in the fitness environment for several years, implementing a martial-arts-inspired class requires additional planning and special consideration. (more…)
SELF Challenge 2011 35-Minute Walk/Run
Friday, November 4th, 2011Start walking or jogging at a moderate pace on a flat surface. After a five-minute warm-up, do one of the following drills for one minute, followed by five minutes of walking or jogging, followed by another one-minute drill, and so on. (more…)
Theories Abound as to What Makes Hard Throwing Pitchers
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011Conventional wisdom (what scouts and baseball people say) suggests that tall athletes with lean muscles are more likely to be effective as pitchers than individuals who are shorter with more compact muscles. If you observe enough major-league pitchers on TV you might come to the same conclusion. (more…)