A Free Weekly E-zine of Multisport Related Articles.

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now a small business venture which sponsors the OAC Racing Team, a women's road
racing and triathlon club, and the OAC Gatineau
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is not in any way associated with the two UK
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The Runner's and Triathlete's Web Digest is a weekly e-zine dealing with the
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THIS WEEK:

Enter to win one of 2 two trip packages from Alaska Airlines, RunnersWeb.com and
ShoeWallet.com.
The giveaway is for 2 packages of 2 roundtrip tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines
flies in the US/Mexico. We will be announcing the
winner May 25th. Enter here:
http://www.shoewallet.com/giveawayrw.html

We are still trying to get Yahoo News to add the Runner's Web to their indexing.
You can help us by completing and ending the form
at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/yahoo_news_site.html

Our site traffic continues to grow. For March 2005 we had an average of 7,055
visitors per day, a 64.5% increase over the daily
average of 4,288 for March 2004. On Monday, April 18th, 2004 we set an all-time
high of 11,455 visitors.


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Race Directors:
Advertise your event on the Runner's Web. Over 1.8 MILLION visits in 2004!
7,055 visitors per day for March 2005, a 65% increase over March 2004.
7,263 visitors per day for April 2005, a 62% increase over April 2004.
On Monday, April 18th, 2004 we set an all-time high of 11,455 visitors.

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Runner's and Triathlete's Web Content Partners:

* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey.
Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport athletes and a member of the OAC Racing
Team and X-C Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public
Health and works in the field of nutritional epidemiology as a Research
Associate with the University of California, San Diego. Her
column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

* Carmichael Training Systems
Carmichael Training Systems was founded in 1999 by Chris Carmichael. From the
beginning, the mission of the company has been to
improve the lives of individuals we work with through the application of proper
and effective fitness and competitive training
techniques. Whether your focus is recreational, advanced, or you are a
professional racer, the coaching methodology employed by CTS
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* Running Research News
Running Research News is a monthly newsletter which keeps sports-active people
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material which improves workouts, prevents injuries, and
heightens overall fitness. Check our latest column from Running Research News
at:
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On January 7th we started a new feature on the website - A Question and Answer
with Owen Anderson from Running Research News.
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* Peak Performance Online
Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for athletes, featuring the
latest research from the sports science world. We
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* Peak Running Performance
Peak Running Performance Is The Number 1 Technical Running Newsletter In
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* WatsonLifeSport
Lance Watson is "Just The Winningest Coach in Triathlon". He has been coaching
triathlon and distance running since 1987. Over the
years, Lance has coached some of the most successful athletes in the sport of
triathlon and duathlon.
Check out the Lance Watson Online Article Index at:
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This Weeks Personal Postings/Releases:
We have TWO personal postings this week.

ONE:
2005 Twisted10K Event Series
2 person team adventure running competition presented by REI!
Come participate in the Twisted10K! The June 11th event includes a 10K
Beginner or 20K Sport team trail running course in Salt
Lake City,
Utah. It promises to be a bit different than any other event than you've
participated in. Come out and see how much fun team
adventure
sports can be! These introductory adventure competitions will require you to be
smart and physical. Use your Brain and your Brawn!
A low
cost competitive race, great prizes, some cool swag and lots of fun! Don't miss
out on the opportunity to be a part of this very
unique event!
Register today online at http://www.Twisted10K.com or at any Utah REI retail
location. For additional information or questions,
check the
Twisted10K.com website or call 801.474.9103

TWO:
I am a runner in San Francisco, CA that was frustrated by trying to determine
exact route distances. I found driving them to be
tedious, time consuming, and less than accurate, especially when I wanted to run
on trails, through parks, and down one-way streets
where cars cannot go.
So, I got together with another runner-friend of mine and created a FREE online
application called Route Ruler, which allows
athletes to draw their own routes on downloaded maps and gives them exact
distances. As far as we know this is the only free service
of its kind, and it eliminates the need for buying costly GPS gadgets.
We are still fine-tuning some of the features and look of the site, but we do
have a website up at www.routeruler.com , and want
you to take a look at it. We feel it could turn out to be a great training tool
for some of your subscribers.
Since you are the experts, we wanted to see if you would send us any comments
you might have. If you like it, please feel free to
tell your subscribers, we feel it could prove a useful training tool for them.
Also please feel free to post a link to our site.
We will be constantly improving the look and usability of Route Ruler through
the coming months.
I hope you like it, and I look forward to any comments you may send.


This Week's Digest Article Index:

1. Science of Sport: Do You Really Have Tendonitis - Or Is It Tendonosis?
2. Multisport: Six Key Running Sessions
By Ben Wisbey, Endurance Sports Training - Online Coaching.
3. Science of Sport: Endurance Running - The slippery problem of taking in
sustenance when you're on the move
4. Young blood 'aids ageing muscles'
Young blood could help revive tired ageing muscles, researchers suggest..
5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
6. Enduring Questions - Should Your Sports Drink Contain Protein?
Sure, protein is great for postrun recovery. But while you're exercising? The
debate rages.
7. Twelve things you should know about your mitochondria that could change the
way you train
8. Multisport: Using Plyometrics to Improve your Triathlon Performance
9. Study: 3 percent follow health advice
Researcher 'surprised it was this low'.
10. Triathletes, Average Folks Tested at Lab
11. Sports drinks linked to tooth erosion
12. The unknown effects and regulation of sports supplements make for new
playing field
13. Sports Nutrition: Protein - The Building Blocks for Strength and Endurance
14. Vigorous Exercise May Slow Prostate Cancer Progression
15. A distinct science
The female body is more complex than once thought. Hormones, genetics and
environment all play a role.
16. How does lap swimming compare with other aerobic workouts?
Does a mile of swimming equate at all with a mile of running?
17. From Runner's World
18. Eat Fat to Lose Fat
19. Nutrition for Distance Running - Are we getting the message across to all
(Part One)
20. Fitness Without Frills (No Men Allowed)
21. GSSI Response to April 2005 NEJM Article on Hyponatremia in Marathon Runners
22. Ask the Tri Doc: Avoiding muscle cramps
23. Twelve essentials for marathon success
24. Antioxidants a key to 'long life'
Boosting the body's levels of natural antioxidants could be the key to a long
life, according to US scientists.
25. News Scan - A Collection of News Items


Runner's Web Weekly Poll: "Would you pay $250.00 for the new adidas 1
computerized shoe?"

You can access the poll from our FrontPage as well as voting on and/or checking
the results of previous polls.
Post your views in our Forum at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/runnersweb_forum.html
[Free Registration Required]

Last week's poll was " "These marathons were rated the top 10 in the world by
Runner's World. Which of them belong in your top
ten?
Amsterdam
Berlin
Boston
Chicago
Honolulu
London
New York City
Paris
Rotterdam
Stockholm"

The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. Amsterdam 16 6%
2. Berlin 19 7%
3. Boston 45 17%
4. Chicago 29 11%
5. Honolulu 20 7%
6. London 46 17%
7. New York City 43 16%
8. Paris 16 6%
9. Rotterdam 16 6%
10. Stockholm 17 6%
Total Votes: 267

Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
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Five Star Site of the Week: Jeff May.
"Welcome to Jeff May.ca.
I would like to welcome you to www.jeffmay.ca . I’m confident you will find
this site entertaining and informative. As you explore
this site you will find up to date news, competition results, a look into my
training and how you can book me to speak at your next
banquet or conference!
Running is the passion in my life. Unfortunately the way I compete isn’t an
internationally accepted way to race right now. I’ve
been allowed to compete here in Canada at most major events but not at any
international level games.
Despite not being eligible for the Paralympics due to the way I propel my chair
I continue to go out and compete when I doubt a lot
of others in my situation would. Why do I continue to put myself through the
heart ache of being overlooked for national teams when
I’ve finished as high as third at the Canadian Championships?
Simply I just love the sport to much and I get more out of trying to see how
fast my body can go, then judging myself against
others. One of my running idols Steve Prefontaine once said “To give anything
less then your best, is to sacrifice the gift”.
I truly believe in that concept and that’s how I approach every workout. For me
going to the track or going for a long run is a gift
and to not put forth my best effort each practice would only be cheating myself.
I only hope that all of you bring that same passion to something you love. I
wish you all the best!"
Visit Jeff's site at:
http://www.jeffmay.ca

Send us your suggestions for our Five Star site. Please check our list of
previous Five Star Sites available from the Five Star
Window under the link "Previous Five Star Sites" as we do not wish to repeat a
site unless it has undergone a major redesign.


If you feel you have something to say that is worthy of a Guest Column on the
Runner's Web, email us at
mailto:webmaster@... or leave your comments in one of our Forums at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/forum.html or from our FrontPage.

Our Photo Slideshow is updated on a random basis. Check it out from our
FrontPage.


Book of the Week: The Triathlete's Guide to Bike Training.
by Lynda Wallenfels
Focus on one of your most pivotal phases of triathlon—the bike. Lynda
Wallenfels, an accomplished triathlete and seasoned coach,
will improve your cycling development and performance by incorporating new
skills and drills into your next workout. Paperback.
Black-and-white photos, tables, and figures throughout. 6" x 9". 224 pp.
Buy the book from VeloPress at:
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?velogear+W5w7Pt+trgutobitr.html


More books from Amazon at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html
and Human Kinetics at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html

This Weeks News:

1. Science of Sport: Do You Really Have Tendonitis - Or Is It Tendonosis?
By Owen Anderson, Ph. D. (copyright © 2003-2005)

The Two Conditions Have Quite-Different Recovery Processes

Tendonitis has a tenacious grip on the sports world. At least 25 percent of
athletes treated for knee problems at major sports
clinics are typically diagnosed with tendonitis (1), and 40 percent of
competitive tennis players are thought to suffer from some
form of elbow tendonitis (2). In the world of running, as many as 30 to 50
percent of all endurance runners experience tendonitis
during a typical training year (3). Tendon injuries are among the most common
"overuse" injuries - maladies which occur when an
athlete's body is unable to adequately repair the insults it receives during
strenuous or prolonged workouts (4).
Why are tendons such easy prey for the injury bug? Because tendons are
constructed of strong, parallel, tightly packed bundles of a
unique protein called collagen, tendons are rather stout structures, but they
must transmit forces from muscle to bone and are thus
subject to powerful tensile stresses. In addition, the linear arrangement of
collagen fibers means that tendons resist shearing
(side-to-side and/or rotational) forces rather poorly; such forces are a natural
part of sporting activity, even during such
"linear" sports as endurance running. Tendons are also not noted for their
recovery prowess; although not as balky as the cartilage
covers on the ends of bones or the cartilaginous pads which cushion the knees,
tendons can take several days to mobilize the repair
process fully after a damaging workout - days during which another red-hot
training session may further aggravate the collagen
bundles.
Of course, the majority of athletes who are part of the tendonitis plague take
what are considered to be the appropriate steps to
alleviate their problems. They ice, they stretch, they take their
anti-inflammatory medications, and they attempt to strengthen the
hurting areas; some athletes are even daring enough to take a short rest from
their usual activities! There is just one little
problem, however: There is strong evidence that the majority of athletes
diagnosed with tendonitis are not really suffering from the
disorder. In effect, they are treating something which does not exist.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20050513_RRN_Tendons.html


2. Multisport: Six Key Running Sessions:
By Ben Wisbey, Endurance Sports Training - Online Coaching.
Introduction
If you are trying to fit quality running training around a working week and
domestic chores, then why not try these sessions? The
six sessions outlined below are designed to fit into a lunch break, in the early
morning before work or even after a busy day. None
of the sessions take more than 45 minutes, yet all provide a quality work out,
giving the most benefit from your training time.
Warm-up
Each session should begin with an easy 10-minute warm-up. This warm-up should
consist of 5-6 minutes of easy jogging, followed by
some drills such as high knees, butt kicks and strides. This way you will be
best prepared for your session. If you want to get the
most out of a session, then a warm-up is essential; limited time is no excuse to
skip the warm-up. Just as important as the warm-up
is the cooldown. At the end of each session complete a cooldown consisting of at
least 10 minute easy jogging, preferably over flat
terrain.
Recovery
If you are pushed to get back to work, or rushing to get home and do the daily
chores, then simply cut the suggested cooldown period
to 5 or 6 minutes and promote your recovery in the shower. How? Simply perform a
series of hot/cold recovery periods while showering
post training. This is done by showering under hot water for 2-3 minutes and
then under cold water (as cold as it will go) for 30
seconds. This should be repeated three times. This recovery technique will aid
in the removal of lactic acid and other fatiguing
by-products.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20050513_EST_Six_Key_Workouts.htm\
l


3. Science of Sport: Endurance Running - The slippery problem of taking in
sustenance when you're on the move:
'Energy gels' - concentrated, syrupy carbohydrate in a tube - are becoming
increasingly popular with endurance athletes, many of
whom believe that the gels can provide a surge of energy during prolonged races
difficult workouts. Can energy gels really enhance
performance?
In past issues of Peak Performance, we've said some pretty harsh things about
the gels, mainly because athletes have been slipping
them into their digestive systems without paying much attention to how much
water is also going into their gullets.
As a result, they often end up with their bellies filled with either a thick
gelatinous syrup (if they're stingy with the water) or
a too-thin broth (if they're liberal with it). The former can actually drag
intracellular water into the stomach, in effect
increasing the risk of dehydration; the latter - a stomach mixture with too much
water and too little carbohydrate - can lower the
rate at which carbos are delivered to the muscles. It seems safer to simply use
sports drinks, which are specially formulated to
have the right balance of H2O and carbs. So, why write about gels again?
Well, there is no escaping the fact that using sports drinks during a
competitive event is not always a trouble-free process,
either. For one thing, sports drinks are not always available when you need them
(the sports-drink 'stations' may be too far apart).
For another, the volunteers who mix sports-drink powder with water on the day of
the race sometimes experience problems with basic
mathematics - and make their concoctions too rich or too weak.
Unfortunately, there's no way to get around these difficulties by carrying your
own sports drink along with you: The stuff is just
too heavy! A mere pint of the stuff tucked into a waist belt can harm economy by
almost 1 per cent in an average female runner,
adding about two minutes to average marathon finishing time, for example.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20050513_PPO_Energy_Gels.html


4. Young blood 'aids ageing muscles':
Young blood could help revive tired ageing muscles, researchers suggest..
Old people's muscles are known not to heal in the same way young people's do,
but a Stanford University team suggests it is old
blood that is to blame.
The study found special stem cells come to the rescue of damaged young muscles,
but are not triggered in older ones.
Writing in Nature, the team say tests on mice suggest something in young blood
spurs the stem cells into action to repair the muscle
damage.
It had been recognised that old muscles had the capacity to repair themselves,
but that - for some reason - they failed to do so.
The Stanford researchers focused on muscle stem cells, called satellite cells,
that are spread throughout muscle tissue.
In young mice and humans, the cells come to life if they are needed to repair
damaged muscle.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4523463.stm


5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Don't Wear or Carry Weights When You Exercise.
Wearing ankle weights will not help you to run faster or longer, or jump higher.
Training is specific. To run faster in competition,
you have to run fast in practice. Ankle weights slow you down because they
interfere with your coordination and make you work much
harder to raise your knees. To train your muscles so you will be able to run
longer, you have to run faster or for a longer time.
The heavy weights will tire you earlier so you will not be able to run as fast
or as far.
Using ankle weights won't help you to jump higher, either. To jump higher, you
have to strengthen your leg muscles in the same way
that you would use them to jump. When you wear ankle weights, you strengthen
your leg muscles for lifting weights off the ground
with your feet. When you jump, you raise your body off the ground. To help you
to jump higher, you have to raise your body up
against resistance. You do this by doing leg presses or squats with heavy
weights on your shoulders.
Ankle weights can also increase your chances of being injured. Since they force
you to lift a much heavier weight when you raise
your knees, they strengthen the quadriceps muscles in the front of your upper
leg without strengthening the hamstrings in the back
equally. This can make your quad muscle proportionately so much stronger than
your hamstrings that you are prone to injury. The
same principles apply to carrying
weights when you walk or run, or wearing weighted belts or other devices.
Strength training should be done using weights with
proper form in specific exercises, and should be kept separate from your aerobic
activities.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: I'm always tired after I exercise. Would potassium
supplements help me?
Tiredness and cramps in athletes can have many causes, but lack of potassium in
their diets is not one of them. Many years ago, Dave
Costill of Ball State University tried to create potassium deficiency in
runners. He couldn't do it because potassium is found in
all foods except refined sugar, and his athletes would not stay on a diet that
consisted only of hard candy.
The kidneys and sweat glands conserve potassium so well that you don't lose
much. If an athlete develops potassium deficiency, it's
caused by drugs, such as diuretics or corticosteroids, or by diarrhea or
repeated vomiting. Some people try to control their weight
by making themselves vomit after eating. This is called bulimia, and the person
almost always denies vomiting. Their physicians can
prove that they are
vomiting by ordering blood and urine tests. If blood levels of potassium are low
and urine levels are high, vomiting is the likely
cause. Bulimia is a life-threatening practice, a message that was not given
enough attention in the recent news coverage of Terry
Schiavo.


6. Enduring Questions - Should Your Sports Drink Contain Protein?
Sure, protein is great for postrun recovery. But while you're exercising? The
debate rages.
There's no hotter issue in sports nutrition right now than the carbs versus
carbs-plus-protein controversy. The battle pits
scientist against scientist, small companies against behemoths, and new research
against long-held beliefs. At one crucial juncture,
it even threatens the foundations of exercise physiology.
This is quite a change from the time, not long ago, when carb was King of all
Exercise Land, and giving nutrition advice to runners
was easy: Eat carbs, and only carbs, before you run, while you run, and after
you run. Bon appetit!
The runner's perfect, or at least simple, nutritional universe began coming
apart in 1992 when a University of Texas exercise
physiologist named John Ivy first challenged King Carb. Ivy and his colleagues
published a study showing that a meal of carbs plus
protein (C+P) after exercise boosted the resynthesis of muscle glycogen (your
body's best energy source) more than carbs alone (C).
This was an important finding because glycogen resynthesis is the gold standard
for measuring recovery, and most coaches and
nutritionists believe that recovery is essential in any training program.
Only one problem: Ivy seemed to make a critical mistake in his research design.
He gave more total calories to the C+P group than to
the C-alone group. Doh! Of course you'll recover faster and better if you get a
bigger pile of grub on your plate.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s1-197-0-0-8011,00.html


7. Twelve things you should know about your mitochondria that could change the
way you train:
By Frank Horwill
1. Mitochondrion (singular) and mitochondria (plural), are a sub-cellular
structure found in all aerobic cells in which the reaction
of the Krebs cycle and electron transport system take place. The Krebs cycle is
a series of chemical reactions occurring in
mitochondria in which carbon dioxide is produced and hydrogen ions and electrons
are removed from carbon atoms (oxidation): also
referred to as the tri-carboxcyclic acid cycle (TCA), or citric acid cycle. The
mitochondria, which take up oxygen, represent the
powerhouse of a cell and are also frequently referred to as the ‘aerobic
furnaces’. Here, fuel and oxygen enter into energy-yielding
processes resulting in the formation of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), which is
stored in all muscle cells. Only from the energy
released by the breakdown of this compound can the cell perform its specialised
work.
2. Mitochondria are invisible to the naked eye and an average microscope; an
electron microscope is required. They are
sausage-shaped and are just a few micrometres long.
3. The mitochondrion has two membranes, the inner one forms folded structures
(the cristae) extending into the matrix of the
structure. Each membrane consists of layers of protein and lipid (fat)
molecules. The respiratory chain system is associated with
the protein layer. The process of oxidative phosphorylation involves the lipid
layers. The enzymes of the Krebs cycle are located in
the fluid matrix, the soluble part of the mitochondrial interior.
4. The more mitochondria an athlete possesses, the better will be endurance
performance. This is because they are the only cells
where carbohydrates, fats and proteins can be broken down in the presence of
oxygen to create energy for exercise.
More...from the Serpentine Running club at:
http://www.serpentine.org.uk/advice/coach/fh65.php


8. Multisport: Using Plyometrics to Improve your Triathlon Performance:
Background
Plyometric exercises have been successfully used by sprinters and power athletes
to develop their fast twitch muscle fibres and
improve their performance. The question is – can plyometric training improve the
performance of athletes in triathlon and other
endurance sports? The answer is YES.
Plyometric training utilises the stretch-reflex mechanism, allowing for much
greater than normal force to be generated by
pre-stretching a muscle (the eccentric contraction) before it contracts. In
plyometric exercise, overload is applied to skeletal
muscle in a manner that rapidly stretches the muscle immediately prior to the
concentric contraction i.e. drop jumping, standing
jump, multiple jumps, single leg jumps, hops, and bounds. These exercises
develop neuromuscular firing patterns and improve the
muscle contractility of specific muscle groups.
Paavolainen et al, 1999, has shown that explosive strength training
significantly improved the 5km running performance of well
trained runners. The effect was largely due to the neuromuscular adaptations
that reduced the time to exhaustion. The researchers
also found that the ability to produce force rapidly when the foot is on the
ground, thereby maintaining a short ground contact
time, is a factor predicting 5km running time. Furthermore, exhaustion during a
10km running trial was associated with a significant
impairment in all of these variables – ground contact time increased and muscle
activation decreased. Hence, plyometric training may
improve running performance by ensuring that muscle activation remains high
during the full duration of the race. This will ensure
rapid force production when the foot is on the ground, reducing ground contact
time, and ensuring a high running speed is
maintained.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20050508_TSO_Plyometrics.html


9. Study: 3 percent follow health advice:
Researcher 'surprised it was this low'.
Only 3 percent of Americans follow health advice to keep the weight off,
exercise regularly, eat five or more servings of fruit and
vegetables a day and avoid smoking, according to a report issued Monday.
Many studies show that people who eat healthily, exercise and do not smoke are
far less likely to develop heart disease, cancer,
diabetes and other chronic and deadly conditions.
Yet Americans find it almost impossible to take these steps, Mathew Reeves of
Michigan State University and colleagues found.
"I was surprised it was this low," Reeves said in a telephone interview.
Writing in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Reeves and colleagues said they
looked at surveys filled out by 153,000 adults as part
of the U.S. government's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2000.
Some 76 percent of those surveyed said they did not smoke. But just 23 percent
included at least five fruits and vegetables in their
daily diets, 22 percent exercised at least 30 minutes per day five or more times
a week, and 40 percent maintained a healthy weight
defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or less.
More...from CNN at:
http://us.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/diet.fitness/04/26/health.advice.reut/index.html


10. Triathletes, Average Folks Tested at Lab:
David Holmes looks like the kind of athlete who belongs at a human performance
lab, running on a treadmill while wearing a
heart-rate monitor and breathing into a mask. The amateur triathlete, a software
engineer from Chapel Hill, is a trim 160 pounds
with 7.3-percent body fat.
Fitness newbie Mike Pierce probably looks out of place at the Meredith College
lab run by Chris Eschbach, a triathlete himself. The
36-year-old salesman from Cary said he's gained a lot of weight since college,
and at 265 pounds, he's looking to lose about 50.
But both visited the lab and found out from a round of high-tech exercise that
they're making the same mistake: training too hard
when they're supposed to take it easy and not hard enough when they're supposed
to push themselves to their limits.
"If you just train, you're going to become more fit," Eschbach said. "This is
just an added tool for the analytical type of person."
Eschbach, an assistant professor of exercise and sport science at Meredith,
combines the lab tests with his experience as a
triathlete to help customers workout efficiently. He cautions that it's not a
"magic pill," and said some clients might end up
working out as they always have. But for many, it can provide information that
helps make their time in the gym more effective
More...from Newsday at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/wire/sns-ap-fit-testing-your-limits,0,2697837\
.story?coll=sns-ap-health-headlines


11. Sports drinks linked to tooth erosion:
Drinking specialist sports drinks can lead to high levels of tooth erosion, new
research reveals.
The drinks, popular with top athletes for boosting rehydration and energy
levels, cause up to 30 times more enamel loss than water.
Previous research had shown the drinks' high levels of caffeine and fructose
were beneficial to athletes, who can consume between
five and ten litres of these drinks a day when training.
However, the new study has shown that drinking sports drinks when exercising
increases the problems, as exercise dries out your
mouth, meaning there is not enough saliva to combat the drinks' acidity.
It is the acid and not the sugar in the drinks that causes the problem, because
it strips calcium from the enamel of the teeth.
"Tooth erosion can be a significant problem - when the enamel is dissolved the
tooth becomes a lot more sensitive. Eventually the
hard dentine and pulp can be exposed, leading to infection," said Dr Tony Smith,
head of research at Birmingham University's School
of Dentistry, who carried out the study.
The study tested one particular drink, which the researchers refused to name. Dr
Smith added: "This study has shown that whilst an
existing sports drink was erosive, it has been possible to formulate this new
sports drink with negligible erosive potential."
More...from Life Style Extra at:
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=HF812422Z&news_headline=sports_drinks_l\
inked_to_tooth_erosion


12. The unknown effects and regulation of sports supplements make for new
playing field:
You can’t open any sports section or turn on a sportscast without accusations
flying, speculation on culprits or talk about
asterisks begin added to records in the wake of Congress’ hearing on steroids.
While the national sports scene is being scrutinized and witchhunts are being
used to find the source of steroids and their abusers,
the trickle-down effect has reached further down the athletic ladder — high
school athletics.
It’s not even illegal anabolic steroids that may be putting high school athletes
at risk, but it’s the over-the-counter aides that
may affect their health in the future.
Head to any mall and chances are you’ll find a health food store that offers
enough protein powder, weight-loss aides and
performance enhancers that claim to augment performances on and off the field.
And prep athletes aren’t passing up the chance to
one-up the competition, even if it’s made negative headlines.
While the sale of ephedrine (a metabolism-boosting agent) has been banned by the
FDA, the most popular sports supplement among youth
is creatine, a substance produced naturally in the body in the kidneys, liver
and pancreas.
Creatine is used to produce energy in activities that involves sudden bursts of
high intensity. The synthetic version may increases
muscle mass or produce the necessary bursts of energy for short-term exercises
such as weightlifting or sprinting.
Scott Gregson took over quarterbacking duties for the North Tonawanda High
School football team early in the 2004 season and guided
the team to a Class AA championship.
More...from the Niagara Gazette at:
http://www.niagara-gazette.com/story.asp?id=1720


13. Sports Nutrition: Protein - The Building Blocks for Strength and Endurance:
The Running Nutritionist’s ® Health, Food and Fitness Topics ©
Series I: Food as Fuel
Protein is a nutrient superstar to the exercising individual. Even though
protein supplies only 5-10% of the energy required for
sport (especially when the athlete is underfed, overtrained and/or competing in
long distances), protein is critical for overall
health. Without protein, life (and sport) would not exist.
Every working cell in the body has some form of protein. There are as many as
10,000 different proteins in every human cell. Some of
the functions are structural as in hair, skin, bones and teeth. Others are
functional like the building and repairing muscle
tissues, regulating the body’s processes in digestion and metabolism, forming
blood cells, making muscles contract, transporting
other nutrients (like fat) around and protecting the body from infection. The
body uses protein in the form of amino acids.
The Meaning of "Aminos"
While carbohydrates have repeating identical units in its structure, all amino
acid chains are different. The sequence of amino
acids is specified by heredity. This creates our own individual structure,
mental and physical characteristics. That’s part of the
reason why some excel at sports more than others do. Therefore, blame talent or
lack of it on your ancestors!
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20050509_LD_Protein.html


14. Vigorous Exercise May Slow Prostate Cancer Progression:
A robust exercise regimen may slow the progression of prostate cancer and reduce
mortality directly associated with the disease
among older patients.
Men 65 or older who engaged in at least three hours of challenging physical
activity weekly appeared to have an almost 70% lower
risk than other patients their age of being diagnosed with high-grade advanced
prostate cancer (Gleason score 7 or higher), Harvard
investigators reported in the May 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Although the mechanisms are not yet understood, these findings suggest that
regular vigorous activity might be recommended to
reduce mortality from prostate cancer, particularly given the many other
documented benefits of exercise," wrote Edward Giovannucci,
M.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues.
For their investigation, the researchers analyzed data from the Health
Professionals Follow-up Study, a prospective cohort study of
47,620 U.S. male M.D.s, D.O.s, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, pharmacists,
and veterinarians, age 40 to 75 years. The subjects
had responded to questionnaires about their health and lifestyles at the study's
outset in 1986 and were followed-up via biennial
questionnaires through the end of January 2001.
More...from MedPage Today at:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/tbindex.cfm?tbid=1006&topicid=25


15. A distinct science:
The female body is more complex than once thought. Hormones, genetics and
environment all play a role.
No one needs a biology class to be persuaded of a profound fact of life: Men and
women are different.
Yet until relatively recently, the scientific world didn't seem to fully
appreciate that fact. For many years, most doctors believed
the differences between men and women were restricted to gynecology and urology.
The world of women's health focused on childbearing
and then on menopause. For virtually all other diseases and disorders, whatever
happened to a man, it was thought, also happened to
a woman.
As it turns out, the biological truth is vastly different. "Women aren't just
small men with different plumbing and hormone
problems," says Sherry Marts, a vice president of the Society for Women's Health
Research. "Basically there are differences pretty
much everywhere people have looked, in all the physiological systems of the
body."
Why, for example, are women 2.7 times more likely to suffer from autoimmune
diseases such as lupus, fibromyalgia and multiple
sclerosis? Why, after a left-hemisphere stroke, are women able to recapture
their language ability more easily than men? Why are
some cancers less fatal for women, while others are more so? Why are women more
sensitive to pain than men? And in one of the most
studied questions, why do women with heart disease have very different symptoms
from men?
Burgeoning research in cardiovascular disease, the central nervous system and
perception of pain, in the immune system and the field
of autoimmune disorders, has revealed fundamental differences between the sexes
in their vulnerability and experience of these
conditions. The recent mapping of the X chromosome promises to help scientists
understand the intricacies of that chromosome and of
human health, as well as more than 300 genetically linked diseases. And ongoing
results from two large studies of women — the Nurses
Health Study, a nearly 30-year-long project involving about 122,000 nurses, and
the Women's Health Initiative, with more than
160,000 participants in several clinical trials — provide a trove of scientific
research.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-unique9may09,1,4203728.story?coll=l\
a-headlines-health


16. How does lap swimming compare with other aerobic workouts?
Does a mile of swimming equate at all with a mile of running?
When comparing different activities in regard to fitness benefits, we’re really
talking about how much energy is required for each
one. You can imagine that this varies dramatically depending on age, sex, size,
weight, body composition, fitness level, and
exercise intensity. Ultimately though, we can estimate how many calories are
burned during exercise by measuring the amount of
oxygen consumed during it.
If you’re moderately well trained and competent in the activities that you’re
choosing, and you’re going to exercise just as
intensely during each session, then it comes down to the amount of muscle mass
involved and how long you perform the exercise for.
Don’t look at it as “2000 meters of swimming equals one mile of running.”
Rather, gauge your exercise by the amount of time spent on
task.
In swimming, skill and technique significantly impact energy expenditure. Most
people know how to run and ride a bike with
reasonable economy, but it takes years of practice to be able to swim properly.
Therefore, someone who is very inefficient in the
water may be burning more calories per minute than someone who has beautiful
technique. Also, experience comes into play. If you’re
not familiar with swimming, it may feel like you’re working extremely hard and
burning a lot of calories, but in reality you may
only working at a moderate intensity. One more difference with swimming is that
if you’re monitoring your heart rate, you’ll see
lower heart rates at given intensity levels, compared with running or cycling.
This is due to the physiological response to
exercising in a horizontal body position, and in a buoyant environment. The
heart can pump more blood easier since it doesn’t have
to overcome the forces of gravity to distribute it, as it does when you’re
standing up.
More...from Outside Online at:
http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/carmichael-20050414.html


17. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner
"One of the best ways to build power is to make room in your training program
for long intervals. You'll get the most bang for your
buck cranking out repetitions from 800 meters to a mile. However, don't be
tempted to hammer the first few intervals when you're
feeling fresh; it may come back to haunt you later. If you can't handle the pace
all the way through, slow it down." -Frank
Gagliano, coach of the world-class Reebok Enclave team in the Washington, D.C.
* Injury Prevention
If you're experiencing fatigue in your legs or feel as if you're in the first
stages of an injury, look at your running shoes.
Figure out if you're wearing the right shoes for your foot type, and make sure
those shoes haven't been around the track more times
than they can handle.
* Performance Nutrition
Sodas cause calcium to be leached from the bones, says dietitian Lisa Dorfman,
author of "The Vegetarian Sports Nutrition Guide"
(Wiley, 2000). A good substitute for soda, if you need something sweet to wash
down your lunch or snack, is wholesome fruit juice.
Or even better: chocolate milk. That way, you're replacing a calcium-leaching
drink with...calcium.
* Editor's Advice
Master Tip: "Alternate hard and easy days. This rule applies to all runners but
especially to masters, who take longer to recover.
Limit yourself to one speed session and/or one tempo run per week, and don't
overdo the weekly mileage." -Adam Bean, RW
international editorial director
* Words That Inspire
"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are
doing the impossible." -Saint Francis of Assisi, 13th
Century Catholic Saint


18. Eat Fat to Lose Fat:
Diets too low in fat may be responsible for stubborn bulges on bellies, thighs
and butts, according to a new study.
Dieters trying slim down by following extremely low-fat diets may be causing the
exact opposite results, according to new research
from the Washington University in St. Louis. Eating at least small amounts of
dietary fats, such as fish oils, might be a better way
to kick-start fat-burning, say researchers.
Scientists found that in mice, old fat stuck around when the liver had no new
fat to process. The results are further evidence that
extreme diets often aren't the ticket to a lean body, and a balanced diet is
likely important for more reasons than scientists
currently understand.
"Extremes of diet are sometimes unwise, because a balanced diet may be critical
for providing certain dietary signals that allow you
to respond appropriately to stresses, and one of those stresses is eating too
much," said Dr. Clay Semenkovich, a professor of
medicine, cell biology and physiology at the University of Washington and
co-author of the study.
More...from Wired.com at:
http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,67473,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_5


19. Nutrition for Distance Running - Are we getting the message across to all
(Part One):
Jane Griffin, BSc RD RNutr - Accredited Sports Dietitian & author of Nutrition
for Marathon Running, to be published by Crowood
Press in Autumn 2005.
There is probably no other area of sports nutrition that has been researched
more than that concerning the effect of diet on
endurance exercise and more specifically distance running.
The original work which led to the technique of carbohydrate loading was
published back in 1939 by two Scandinavian physiologists.
They compared the exercise tolerance of a group of subjects on a cycle ergometer
after they had followed a normal mixed diet, a diet
containing fat and protein and a diet high in carbohydrate - each for three or
four days. Following the diet high in fat and
protein, performance almost halved compared to that after the mixed diet. But
their endurance capacity nearly doubled after the high
carbohydrate diet compared to their performance following the mixed diet.
With the development of the biopsy needle in the early 1960s two Swedish
clinicians, Bergstrom and Hultman, were able to take very
small samples of muscle and analyse them for glycogen content. They showed that
fatigue in endurance exercise (in this case cycling)
was associated with a fall in muscle glycogen in the exercising muscles. Their
subsequent experiments published in 1966 were to
shape the concept of carbohydrate loading.
Using a specially adapted cycle ergometer with two seats side by side, they
pedalled with one leg each while resting the other.
Having pedaled to exhaustion and taken muscle biopsies from each other they
found that they both had very low levels of muscle
glycogen in the leg they had exercised. They continued to take biopsies for
three more days and were able to show that not only had
the muscle glycogen stores in the exercising legs returned to normal resting
levels after one day, but after three days muscle
glycogen levels were two or three times the normal resting level. This was
achieved whilst following a diet high in carbohydrate yet
there was no perceptible change in the muscle glycogen levels of the rested
legs. When they followed a diet high in fat and protein
but low in carbohydrate, muscle glycogen levels were not restored to normal even
after several days.
Other workers built on the work of Bergstrom and Hultman and were able to show
that high levels of muscle glycogen did not affect
speed at the start of exercise but did allow pace to be maintained for longer.
The point at which fatigue caused runners to drop
their pace (or hit the wall) happened later, resulting in a faster finishing
time.
More...from Lucozade Sport Science Academy at:
http://www.thelssa.com/lssa/article/article.asp?article=219&t=na_newsletter


20. Fitness Without Frills (No Men Allowed):
With the surgeon general urging Americans to do at least 30 minutes a day of
moderately vigorous exercise to improve their health,
and with some 60 percent of adults doing little or none, a program attractive
enough to prompt millions of otherwise sedentary women
to get out and "just do it" certainly seems worthy of praise.
Forum: Fitness and Nutrition
Considering the rapid growth of Curves, a privately owned no-frills fitness
company that claims more than 8,000 franchises here and
abroad, the concept is a winner. There is now one Curves outlet for every two
McDonald's in this country, and in LaCrosse, Wis.,
where two researchers recently studied what the program's participants can
expect to achieve, the ratio is reversed: two Curves for
every one McD's.
Curves outlets are spartan, nothing like high-end fitness salons that can be
off-putting to the less-than-fit and too costly to the
economically stretched. There are no mirrors, showers or locker rooms. And no
men. The organization does not seem to attract highly
competitive fitness buffs who may intimidate an out-of-shape woman in her 50's
or 60's.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/10/health/nutrition/10brod.html


21. GSSI Response to April 2005 NEJM Article on Hyponatremia in Marathon
Runners:
We have read and watched with interest the news coverage surrounding the study
published in the New England Journal of Medicine that
tracked the incidence of hyponatremia (a potentially-fatal condition caused by
dangerously low blood sodium levels) among 488
participants in the 2002 Boston Marathon.
We fear that the media coverage surrounding this study is doing a disservice to
the running and athletic communities by providing a
single-minded focus on the dangers of hyponatremia as compared to the more
common ailment of dehydration and consequent heat
illnesses. It's important that athletes don't allow this media coverage to
create a fear of drinking - because it's essential that
athletes drink appropriate amounts to replace their fluid and electrolyte
losses.
Dehydration is very common during marathon running and consequently can lead to
more dangerous heat-related illnesses. In fact,
recently, there have been numerous incidents of athletes requiring emergency
medical treatment and in some cases dying from
heatstroke during endurance events.
The fact is both heat illness AND hyponatremia are serious conditions for
marathoners. Participants can prevent life-threatening
situations by understanding how to prevent them.
Where we agree with the New England Journal of Medicine study is on the
importance of weighing before and after an endurance
activity and only replacing the fluids and electrolytes lost in sweat. These
messages are very consistent with the work that the
Gatorade Sports Science Institute has done for years. With endurance athletes,
our goal has always been to educate athletes on the
importance of being vigilant about appropriate fluid intake during endurance
events to avoid complications relating to BOTH
dehydration as well as hyponatremia.
However, peer-reviewed research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology
(the official publication of the American
Physiological Society*) in 1999 demonstrated that sports drinks do a better job
than water of helping athletes to maintain blood
sodium levels, which is critical to preventing hyponatremia.
We suggest that endurance athletes heed the advice of the American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM), which encourage athletes to do
the following in order to prevent both dehydration and hyponatremia during
endurance events:
More...from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute at:
http://www.gssiweb.org/hyponatremia.cfm


22. Ask the Tri Doc: Avoiding muscle cramps:
By Dr. Andrew Baldwin
Question:
Dear Tri Doc,
I recently completed a 20-mile training run in preparation for an upcoming
marathon. Everything went well with the exception of
muscle spasms in my left and right calves. The spasms felt like quick electric
shock twinges that occurred on and off for a period
of about 15 minutes.
I am a follower of Galloway walk breaks. After this occurred, I walked more
frequently. I carry water, Gatorade and Hammer Gel with
me. I consumed about 40 oz of water, 40 oz of Gatorade and 3 servings of Hammer
Gel. I consumed the water and Gatorade alternately
during the run about every 10 minutes (water then wait 10 minutes then Gatorade
and wait 10 minutes). Hammer Gel was at the start,
then at two hours, then at three hours. I finished the 20 miles in 3:30. I
urinated at the start of the run (clear) and at the end
of the run (clear).
I asked someone about the spasms, and they indicated that it was probably due to
dehydration. I had heavy salt residue (as usual)
all over my face and body. As such, I could have been dehydrated even though I
thought I had ingested enough liquid and urinated.
Thanks for your help,
John
Answer:
John,
I feel your pain. Muscle cramps can be so frustrating on those long runs, and
even more frustrating when you have followed a plan to
try to prevent them. So where did you go wrong? Your friend was correct that
dehydration could have been the culprit, but this is
just one of the many ingredients that can brew up a dreadful muscle cramp. The
three most likely causes of muscle cramping are:
fluid losses, muscle fatigue and loss of sodium.
The fact that you urinated clear both before and after your long run tells me
that you did maintain good hydration throughout. So
dehydration most likely was not the cause. What stood out most to me in your run
recap was your observation that your body was
coated with salt afterwards (and that this is a usual occurrence for you). Sweat
sodium concentration and sweat rate can vary
greatly from person to person. Athletes who look like they’ve been rolling
around in the salt flats of Utah every time they finish a
workout suffer huge sodium losses. Studies have shown that “salt-cakers” like
yourself are much more prone to muscle cramps during
exercise (Bergeron, 2000). On the issue of muscle fatigue, I’m not sure of your
level of conditioning, but I do know that a 20-mile
outing will cause fatigue in most people’s calves. I sure know it would in mine.
When a person’s calves are firing stride after
stride for hours on end, and that person also suffers a sodium loss, the stage
is set for muscle cramping.
More...from Triathlete Magazine at:
http://www.triathletemag.com/story.cfm?story_id=9626&publicationID=92&pageID=170\
5


23. Twelve essentials for marathon success:
By Frank Horwill
Fix a target time – This must be reachable and challenging. Some guides are your
10km time x 5 minus 10mins. Your half-marathon time
doubled plus 6½mins.
Train at your target time pace weekly – If your target is 2:37:12, that’s
6mins/mile. Start with 9 miles (one-third marathon) and
run the distance in 54mins. If the aim is 3:3:24 (7mins/mile), run 9 miles in
63mins, and so on. Once you feel comfortable with
pace, add a mile regularly at the same pace until you reach 18 miles (two-thirds
marathon). This might be an extra mile a week,
fortnight or month.
Get used to being on your feet for the duration of your target time – If your
target time is 4 hours, you have a tough time ahead
doing this bit! However, this run is not at marathon pace, it can be 2mins/mile
slower. Thus, a 3 hour potential marathoner running
slowly may only cover 20 miles in 3 hours. Getting used to the time on your feet
is important.
Train at your 10km speed regularly – If you accept the 10km indicator to your
marathon time in (1) above, this is an automatic thing
to do. You can either race 10km regularly or run 10km fast in training, or do 3
x 2 miles.
Train at your 5km speed regularly – The 5km distance is 80 per cent aerobic, not
so far away from the 99 per cent of the marathon.
One good session is called Variable Pace – run 400m at your best 5km time, then
go straight into the next 400m at your target
marathon speed. For a 3 hour target, this might be a lap of 93 secs followed by
one at 105 secs. Do as many consecutive laps this
way until the times cannot be reached. Take a rest, and start again. The aim is
to do 10km non stop this way.
More...from the Serpentine Running Club at:
http://www.serpentine.org.uk/advice/coach/fh54.php


24. Antioxidants a key to 'long life':
Boosting the body's levels of natural antioxidants could be the key to a long
life, according to US scientists.
Mice engineered to produce high levels of an antioxidant enzyme lived 20% longer
and had less heart and other age-related diseases,
they found.
If the same is true in humans, people could live beyond 100 years.
The University of Washington work in Science Express backs the idea that high
reactive oxygen molecules, called free-radicals, cause
ageing.
Long life
Free-radicals have been linked with heart disease, cancer and other age-related
diseases.
Dr Peter Rabinovitch and colleagues bred mice that over-expressed the enzyme
catalase.
Catalase acts as an antioxidant by removing damaging hydrogen peroxide, which is
a waste product of metabolism and is a source of
free-radicals.
Free radical damage can lead to more flaws in the cell's chemical processes and
more free radicals, making a vicious cycle.
Dr Rabinovitch said: "This study is very supportive of the free-radical theory
of ageing.
Free radicals
"It shows the significance of free radicals, and of reactive oxygen species in
particular, in the ageing process."
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4520727.stm


25. News Scan:
* Running Times Training Tip of the Month - The Effect of Rest
Concerned that you've just missed some training? Or, conversely, have you been
training so hard that you're feeling exhausted—or
worse yet, sore—every time out? Rest is a critical component to your training
plan, so break the habit of viewing a day off as a
failure.
If you're feeling sore, tired, or under the weather, a rest will allow your body
to heal and recover, allowing you to attack your
next phase of training with renewed vigor. Even if you're feeling fine, but have
been training hard for an extended period, a rest
can provide a much-needed mental and physical break from the rigors of running
every day.
According to Pete Pfitzinger, there's no need to worry about losing fitness
during a short rest. If you're out of action for an
extended period of time, though, a number of adaptations will take place. As he
wrote in his Pfitzinger Lab Report, "After two weeks
off, VO2 max and performance typically slip less than 2%. During the third week,
however, detraining's effects kick in. By the
fourth week, significant physiological changes have occurred." In addition to a
decreased VO2 max, your body will begin supplying
less blood to the working muscles, and your muscles' ability to store glycogen
will decrease.
If you find yourself forced to take some time off for reasons other than injury,
Pfitzinger recommends replacing higher volume
training with some high-intensity workouts, which will help you maintain that
hard-earned fitness even when you can't train every
day.

* Medical Corner - Chondromalacia
Q: I have serious chondromalacia. Should I get a knee scope? I hear that many
people are getting their knee scoped, and it seems to
work out fine. I am 36 and ran for about 11 years, then took the '90's off. My
comeback since '98 has been good, but my knees slow
me down on occasion. I work my quads like crazy, which has helped tremendously.
A: Chondromalacia is damage to the articular cartilage in a joint; this is the
cartilage that lines the ends of the bones in the
joint. It may be damaged traumatically or may degenerate over time. The degree
of damage ranges from superficial to full thickness
(down to the bone). A common form of chondromalacia involves the patella.
Surgery is not the primary treatment for this problem the majority of the time.
Exercises to improve pelvic, hip and quadriceps
strength may be helpful. Appropriate footwear, possibly including orthotics, may
help decrease symptoms. Some runners find a knee
brace helpful, though many find a brace irritating during long runs. Apply ice
to your knee(s) after running. Consider taking
glucosamine.
Surgery may be beneficial in cases where conservative management has failed. The
depth and amount of damage determine the likelihood
of surgical success. Depending on the procedure performed, it may take two to
six months to return to sports. In some cases,
chondromalacia patella is caused by chronic abnormal tracking of the patella
(knee cap) and a procedure to correct this may provide
some relief.
Surgery is not a guarantee that you will be able to return to running without
pain. Work with a physical therapist to make sure that
you are performing the correct exercises. Get a second opinion before having
surgery.
--Dr. Cathy Fieseler
[From Running Times]

* Can drugs help or hinder ligament healing?.
Studies have suggested that some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including
piroxicam, may improve ligament healing, whereas
other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen may have no
effect on the mechanical properties or may even deter
the healing process.
A study from the University of North Carolina, USA looked at ligament healing in
7 groups of rats using the following drugs -
piroxicam, naproxen, rofecoxib, butorphanol, 2 doses of acetaminophen, and a
control group.
Results showed the piroxicam group demonstrated significantly greater load to
failure compared with the control. No significant
differences were observed between other groups. They concluded Piroxicam
improves ligament healing, but this effect cannot be
attributed to all nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Opiate
analgesics, acetaminophen, and cyclooxygenase-2
inhibitors do not appear to categorically affect ligament healing.
[From SportsInjuryClinic.com]

* The diagnostic value of various techniques for diagnosing compartment syndrome
A compartment syndrome occurs when pressure inside a muscle sheath builds up and
causes pain. It is common in the lower leg.
Athletes complain of pain when running which goes away at rest.
A Netherlands study tried to determine if magnetic resonance imaging and
near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to diagnose chronic
exertional compartment syndrome. Patients were enrolled if there was clinical
suspicion of chronic exertional compartment syndrome,
and a fasciotomy was performed based on this suspicion. Before fasciotomy,
intracompartmental pressure, near-infrared spectroscopy,
and magnetic resonance imaging data were collected during and after exercise on
a treadmill. Near-infrared spectroscopy and
intracompartmental pressure values were recorded in the same manner after
fasciotomy.
They concluded the sensitivity of noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy is
clinically equivalent to that of invasive
intracompartmental pressure measurements.
[From SportsInjuryClinic.com]


***End of Articles***


This Weeks Featured Events:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites*

May 14, 2005:
Famous Idaho Potato Marathon - Boise, ID
http://www.famousidahopotato.com

Palos Verdes Marathon & Half Marathon - San Pedro, CA
http://www.w2promotions.com/public/start.php

St. George Triathlon - UT
http://www.sgtri.com/index_flash.html


May 15, 2005:
Bay to Breakers - San Francisco, CA
http://www.baytobreakers.com

ITU Ishigaki World Cup - Japan
http://www.triathlon.org/?call=TVRFdw==&id=NTMy&keep=sh

Mississauga Marathon - Mississauga, ON
http://www.mississaugamarathon.com/

Mizuno Edmonton Half Marathon and Canadian Championships - Edmonton, AB
http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=1189

Sugarloaf Marathon - Carrabassett Valley, ME
http://www.sugarloafmarathon.com

May 28-29:
National Capital Race Weekend - Ottawa, ON
http://www/ncm.ca


For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races, and
Calendars. Check the Runner's Web on Sunday and Monday for race
reports on these events at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html

For Triathlon Coverage check out The Sports Network at:
http://www2.sportsnet.ca/tvschedule/tvsked_sport.php?region=ONTARIO&schedule_id=\
\25

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken Parker
Runner's Web
mailto:webmaster@...
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html
A running and triathlon resource portal


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END...OF DIGEST...