Injury

  • Inflammation, Injury, Recovery, Sleep, Uncategorized, Wellness

    The Crucial Role of Sleep in Tackling Soreness: Maximizing Muscle Recovery

    No pain, no gain! That’s a phrase that unfortunately gets uttered too frequently and in too many scenarios. You don’t need be constantly sore to be improving physically. In fact, the exact opposite can often be more true. It’s that sweet balance between the two and sleep plays a major role to help ensure that soreness/pain part doesn’t overpower. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the intricate dance between sleep and muscle soreness. Two relatively new studies emphasize how prioritizing sufficient and high-quality sleep can be a game-changer.

    The Link between Sleep and Muscle Soreness

    Recent research is shining more light on the intricate relationship between sleep and muscle soreness. The studies reveal that inadequate sleep not only increases pain sensitivity but also hinders the body’s ability to recover effectively after intense workouts. So, why does this happen?

    When we’re sleep-deprived, our bodies produce higher levels of inflammatory markers and stress hormones. These physiological changes amplify our perception of pain, making even routine activities more uncomfortable. Additionally, the body releases fewer growth hormones during sleep deprivation, hindering the repair and growth of muscles. As a result, athletes may experience prolonged muscle soreness, slower recovery times, and an increased risk of injury.

    Maximize athletic performance: Uncover the sleep-soreness link, prioritize quality rest, and reach your peak potential.

    The Gold Standard: 7 to 8 Hours of Quality Sleep

    Now that we understand the impact of sleep deprivation, let’s discuss the optimal sleep duration for athletes. While individual needs may vary, aiming for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night is crucial. Ideally, strive for 8 hours or more to reap the full benefits of the restorative sleep cycles.

    During these precious hours, the body undergoes essential processes, including muscle repair, hormone regulation, and memory consolidation. Quality sleep not only accelerates recovery but also enhances cognitive function, reaction time, and overall athletic performance.

    The Power of Naps – A Complement, Not a Replacement

    In situations where a full night’s sleep is challenging to achieve, strategic napping can serve as a powerful ally. A short nap (20-30 minutes) can provide a quick energy boost and help alleviate some of the effects of sleep deprivation. However, it’s crucial to note that naps should complement, not replace, a full night’s sleep. Napping too close to bedtime or for an extended duration can disrupt nighttime sleep patterns.

    Tips for Enhancing Sleep Duration and Quality

    Now that we recognize the pivotal role of sleep in recovery, let’s explore actionable tips to improve sleep duration and quality for athletes:

    1. Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Set a regular sleep routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and improves the overall quality of your sleep.
    2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual: Engage in calming activities before bedtime, such as reading, stretching, or practicing mindfulness. Avoid stimulating activities like intense workouts or screen time at least an hour before bed.
    3. Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Ensure your sleep environment is conducive to rest. Keep the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows to support a restful night’s sleep.
    4. Limit Caffeine and Alcohol Intake: Reduce consumption of caffeine and alcohol, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime. These substances can disrupt sleep patterns and hinder the restorative benefits of rest.
    5. Stay Active During the Day: Regular physical activity is crucial for overall health and can promote better sleep. However, avoid intense workouts close to bedtime, as they may increase adrenaline levels and make it difficult to wind down.
    6. Mind Your Nutrition: Consume a well-balanced diet that supports your energy needs. Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime, as digestive discomfort can interfere with sleep.

    Conclusion

    Maximize athletic performance: Uncover the sleep-soreness link, prioritize quality rest, and reach your peak potential.

    In the pursuit of personal improvement, don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. By prioritizing quality sleep and aiming for a minimum of 7 to 8 hours per night, athletes can significantly enhance their muscle recovery, reduce soreness, and optimize overall performance. Remember, sleep is not a luxury but a fundamental pillar of your training regimen. Embrace these actionable tips, prioritize your rest, and watch as your athletic journey reaches new heights. Sweet dreams and stronger muscles await!

    Studies referenced: Study #1, Study #2

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  • Body Composition, Energy, Injury, Metabolism, Muscle, Performance, Recovery, Wellness

    The Impact of Inadequate Energy Intake on Muscle Building in Female Athletes: Fueling for Success

    As a sports dietitian, I understand the importance of proper nutrition in fueling athletic performance. For female athletes aiming to build muscle, adequate energy intake is key. In this blog post, we will explore the negative effects of inadequate energy intake on muscle building and highlight how eating enough to fuel training can help female athletes avoid these pitfalls. Drawing upon a study published in the Journal of Physiology, we will delve into the science behind these effects and provide practical advice for optimizing nutrition.

    Study: Unveiling the Consequences of Inadequate Energy

    A recent study titled sheds light on the detrimental impact of insufficient energy intake on muscle development. The research focused on a group of female athletes consuming below the recommended caloric intake for their activity levels. Over the course of ten days this group was compared to a second group that was being adequately fueled. To ensure protein amounts weren’t causing differences, both groups were consuming equal amounts of protein relative to their weight. Let’s examine the study’s findings and understand why adequate energy intake is crucial for optimal muscle building.

    Impaired Muscle Protein Synthesis

    Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is the process through which our bodies build and repair muscle tissue. Inadequate energy intake disrupts this crucial mechanism, impairing muscle growth. The study found that insufficient calories restrict the availability of nutrients required for optimal MPS, hampering muscle development and recovery. Eating an adequate amount of calories is essential to ensure the availability of these nutrients, providing the building blocks necessary for muscle protein synthesis.

    Under-fueling is incredibly common unfortunately. If not addressed, inadequate energy intake can be very detrimental for female athletes.

    Loss of Lean Body Mass

    Lean body mass, which encompasses muscle mass, is fundamental for athletic performance. Inadequate energy intake places female athletes at risk of losing lean muscle mass. When the body is starved of calories, it may resort to breaking down muscle protein to meet energy demands, resulting in muscle loss. Consuming enough calories to support training enables athletes to preserve and even increase lean body mass, enhancing strength, power, and overall athletic performance.

    Increased Risk of Injury

    Proper energy intake is crucial not only for muscle building but also for injury prevention. Inadequate energy intake compromises the structural integrity of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, making female athletes more susceptible to injuries. Insufficient calories impair the body’s ability to repair and maintain these structures, leading to strains, sprains, and other sports-related injuries. By consuming an adequate amount of energy, athletes provide the necessary resources for optimal tissue health and injury prevention.

    Impaired Recovery and Performance

    Under-fueling is incredibly common unfortunately. If not addressed, inadequate energy intake can be very detrimental for female athletes.

    Recovery is a vital component of an athlete’s training regimen. Inadequate energy intake prolongs recovery time and diminishes performance capacity. Not eating enough calories can restrict glycogen replenishment and hinder the restoration of energy stores. Without adequate fueling, athletes may experience persistent fatigue, reduced stamina, and diminished overall performance as it’s tough to perform when feeling like that. By meeting energy needs through proper nutrition, athletes can optimize recovery, replenish glycogen stores, and maximize performance potential.

    Hormonal Imbalances

    Adequate energy intake plays a crucial role in maintaining hormonal balance, particularly among female athletes. The study highlights that low energy availability can negatively impact thyroid function and levels. This contributes to a decreased metabolism where fewer calories are burned at rest. Extended time periods of under fueling can result in potentially longer term negatives that could impact body composition and unintended weight gain later down the road.

    Conclusion

    As a sports dietitian, I emphasize the significance of adequate energy intake for female athletes seeking to build muscle and optimize performance. The study we examined clearly demonstrates the negative consequences of inadequate calories on muscle protein synthesis, lean body mass, injury risk, recovery, and hormonal balance. By providing the necessary fuel for training and recovery, athletes can avoid these pitfalls and unlock their full potential.

    To ensure optimal nutrition, I recommend consulting with a registered sports dietitian such as myself who can provide personalized dietary recommendations tailored to your specific needs, goals, and training demands. Remember, proper nutrition is a foundational pillar of athletic success, empowering female athletes to excel, thrive, and reach their muscle-building aspirations. Fuel your training, fuel your performance, and fuel your success.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Injury, Performance, safety, Wellness, Youth

    Specializing in one sport may not be the best for young runners

    It’s becoming increasingly common for kids to start specializing in just one sport. Not only is this happening more overall but it’s happening at an even younger age as well. Logically this makes sense as the more you practice the better you get. So understandably if you start sooner and practice longer you would likely be better. In the world of sports and athletes though this could have some physical implications needing to be considered.

    Specializing in running

    There are different fun runs and events seemingly every week now. Ranging from the Turkey Trots to Shamrock Shake 5k runs families always have something to participate in. With these events it’s great to see young kids joining in on the runs as well! This is a great way to encourage physical activity in youth and get them interested in running. Certainly, better things than watching Netflix all day! For some kids who really enjoy it though may want to start running competitively. If wanting to do so, that’s great but be mindful if that becomes their only form of activity.

    Specializing in one sport is becoming increasingly common especially amongst youth athletes but some caution may be needed with this.

    Running is great physical activity and does wonders for the cardiovascular system! Running though involves a very repetitive movement done in just a single linear path. There may be some hills or slight turns but it’s generally the same actions and stress on the body. For overall wellness and strength of the entire body it’s best to mix things up a little bit. Participating in various sports that involve more changes in direction and different stress loads on the body will help to become more well-rounded an athlete and also decrease injury risk. Younger athletes in particular can really benefit from this.

    Youth athlete specialization

    Adolescents are going through a lot of changes physically. Particularly, it’s at a young age when bones do their most strengthening and development. Participating in different activities and exposing the body to different stressors sends the signal to those muscles/bones that they need to be strong to withstand those stressors. For an athlete who may only be running, they are getting just one stimulus. This can potentially increase the risk of injury later on, particularly stress fractures. Mixing things up with participation in other sports as well can help decrease this risk. Sports such as basketball or soccer which involve a lot of change of direction can provide that different stimulus to help strengthen bones even more.

    Decrease future injury risk in youth athletes

    Specializing in one sport can certainly be ok! If that particular athlete in particular athlete really enjoys one sport that is ok to prioritize it. That doesn’t mean it has to be the only form of activity that they have though. Playing different sports and proper strength training all can help keep the body healthy with less risk of injury. Pair that up with ensuring they are eating enough with some good calcium sources will have them built for success. 

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Alcohol, Body Composition, Hydration, Inflammation, Injury, Performance, Recovery, Sleep, Wellness

    Alcohol and its impact on your health goals

    Most people’s health goals involve things such as improved strength, body composition, energy, performance and recovery. Alcohol negatively impacts all of those across the board. For many of us, weekdays are the busiest and then as soon as the weekend comes, that’s when we prioritize resting. Unfortunately, though if that relaxation involves regular alcohol consumption it may never truly allow the body to get the rest it needs. That’s not to say you can never have alcohol! You just want to be very mindful of when and how much you are having. Athletes in particular whose livelihood centers around optimizing performance. Athletic Brewing is a great non-alcoholic beer example of how to potentially bridge the gap of having a cold one without hurting your goals.

    Alcohol prevents quality sleep

    A popular belief is that alcohol actually helps you sleep. This is based off of how many tend to fall asleep quicker after having some alcohol. This is a false belief as it simply gives the perception of better sleep. While it is true you may fall asleep quicker, the quality of sleep can be severely impacted. With deep and REM sleep being where a lot of the ‘magic’ happens this whole process gets skipped. As a result, the body isn’t able to recovery physically or cognitively as well.

    Alcohol is a part of many social settings and regularly abound. Just because it's common doesn't mean it isn't without negative effects.

    One day/night of this isn’t the end of the world. If done a bit more frequently though the effects will add up and take a toll. Sleep is one of the greatest factors into one’s wellbeing and anything that impacts it needs to be kept in consideration. Getting enough sleep overall is tough enough for most of us so it’s important to preserve the quality of what we do get.

    Body composition, recovery and injury

    This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise but if looking to optimize your physical wellbeing, alcohol isn’t of much assistance. Two of the biggest factors stem from cortisol and testosterone. Alcohol has a big impact on both of them in a negative way. Cortisol experiences an increase while testosterone has a decrease. Again, not an ideal situation for muscle building and repair.

    Cortisol is a stress hormone that stimulates muscle breakdown. Typically, cortisol is associated with general life and physical stress as well as poor sleep. Alcohol itself causes a direct increase in cortisol which adds to that. Testosterone is a key hormone that is very potent at stimulating muscle growth. Due to its benefits, that is why some athletes have gotten in trouble for taking some “extra” of it. Especially if recovering from an injury, to be back to your old self quicker try and avoid alcohol as best you can.

    Alcohol is not hydrating

    Just like sleep, hydration impacts everything in the body from head to toe. Alcohol though is a diuretic causing you to lose more water than what alcohol provides. Dehydration contributes to less blood volume overall causing the heart to have to work harder. With less blood, it needs to circulate more and quicker to make up for it. Blood delivers all the important nutrients to your muscles and organs as well and clears out any byproducts. It takes that to the kidneys and liver to clean things up and keep the body in a prime state.

    On top of that, when in a dehydrated state your body is at a greater risk for injury. A good comparison is a raw steak versus beef jerky. When in a hydrated state, your muscles are like a raw steak which is tough to tear if you tried to pull it apart. On the other hand, muscles are more similar to jerky when dehydrated. While it may still be a bit tougher to pull apart, it’s significantly easier than the steak. Nobody enjoys those annoying muscle pulls so control what you can control to decrease your risk. 

    Athletic Brewing – non-alcoholic option

    After so much discussion on the negative effects of alcohol, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a beer anymore! There is a surge in non-alcoholic beer companies now to help bridge that gap. None of which do it better than Athletic Brewing! That is why my wife and I are proud to have teamed up with them. Athletic Brewing allows the ability to enjoy a beer, especially in social settings, while not sacrificing your recovery. There are a lot of non-alcoholic beers out there but none have compared to the taste of Athletic Brewing. You still want to make sure you’re able to enjoy the beverage after all!

    Overview

    An occasional alcoholic beverage again, is not the end of the world. You just want to be very mindful and strategic of when and how much you are having. Especially now taking into consideration what some of the effects of that alcohol can be. This is why for the athletes I work with I encourage what I refer to as the 48-hour rule.

    Given the impact of alcohol I don’t want to have those effects anywhere around competition. Avoiding alcohol 48-hours before and after competition helps to ensure your body is primed for the event. It allows optimal performance and decreased injury risk in the moment as well as peak recovery afterwards. This same concept applies to non-athletes as well needing to perform their best as well. Choose your alcohol responsibly and when in doubt, less/none is best. Don’t be afraid to incorporate some non-alcoholic options as well like Athletic Brewing in those moments a craving hits.

    Reference: click here

    Check out Athletic Brewing: click here

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  • Body Composition, Diets, Energy, Injury, Muscle, Performance, safety, Weight, Wellness

    Faster weight loss is linked to greater injury risk

    Weight loss is one of, if not the most, commonly stated goals of athletes and physically active people. Improved body composition is the desire in hopes of improved strength, speed, health and aesthetics. It can be surprising what some may do in hopes of “looking better”. Unfortunately, with these hopes and desires the patience necessary isn’t always there. Living in a day in age where most things are instantaneous people want weight loss to be the same way. I hate to burst the bubble but it doesn’t quite work that way. Also, when some try crash diets or strategies to lose weight quickly it typically comes with a cost.

    Weight loss in weight class sports

    For some sports there is a little extra emphasis and attention paid to one’s weight. These are deemed as weight class sports where the specific tournament/match that one can compete in is purely dictated based on meeting certain weight requirements. Popular examples are wresting, UFC, judo, boxing and taekwondo. All of these require designated weigh-ins prior to the match starting to ensure weights are met. Weight classes are set to help avoid advantages that can be gained from a heavier competitor taking on a lighter competitor. To gain an edge with this, many will walk around at a higher weight and then cut right before weigh-ins. The weight loss is generally very quick and sometimes significant.

    This rapid weight loss has been found to be linked with increased risk of injury. And the faster the rate of weight loss, the greater the risk of injury associated with it. While being able to perhaps grant admission into the competition, is that trade worth it? More often than not it isn’t! The risk is potentially missing one weigh-in for one competition versus missing multiple for weeks of rehab depending on the injury.

    General weight loss goals

    Similar concepts apply for those not in weight class sports also looking to lose weight. Despite there not being a direct competition date on the line, the “now mentality” is present. It’s unfortunate though that the perspective of how the weight likely came on gradually over time. In response to it comes the desire to lose it in a tenth of the time that it came on. Such a strong desire can result in some fairly dramatic reactions and habits take place. Two of the most popular include crash diets and excessive exercise. Both can wreck having on long-term health.

    Weight loss is a main goal for many. Unfortunately it's typically wanted quickly and the faster weight is lost, the greater the negatives.

    Under such a calorie deficit caused by a crash diet and/or excessive energy there is a fairly large impact on body composition. Not in a good way either. In the early days of a crash diet the body loses a lot of muscle. While it helps the scale to decrease, it’s far from an ideal scenario. You’ve worked hard for that muscle and don’t want to just give it up like that. That greater the rate of weight loss, the greater the percentage of that loss comes from muscle. There are strategies to help decrease that impact but isn’t erased completely.

    Patience = everyone’s favorite word

    That old tortoise and the hare story always seems to come back up. With weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. For general weight loss, going at a slower rate with physical activity and some extra protein preserves your muscle mass. In general, about 0.5-1.0 pound weight loss per week is a good rate. While slower than some would prefer to hear it’s a good sustainable rate.

    For weight class sports, a good goal would be to try and have the day-to-day weight be close to weigh-in weight. This will help to decrease the amount of weight that needs to be lost to compete. With less of a gap to close, it should help mitigate some of that injury risk.

    Patience and consistency like in most cases will come out on top!

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Carbs, Injury, Recovery, Wellness

    Dental health impact of energy drinks and sports drinks

    It may come as a surprise but dental health is an issue for many athletes. At Olympic games, dental care is one of the most common requests. There are a variety of factors that impact this which need to be kept in mind for athletes, in particular energy drinks and sports drinks. Peak performance requires peak nutrition which is difficult to achieve with dental health issues.

    Prevalence of dental health issues

    Dental health may not come to mind first when thinking of performance but an unexpected procedure can have a big impact on a game/tournament.

    Globally, dental health is a big issue amongst many athletes. For some it has to do with lack of access to dentists for regular checkups which is a major issue. Without a check-up it’s too easy for a minor issue to become something much bigger. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games there were as many as 1600 dental treatments requested which had to be taken care of. Going to the dentist on a regular weekday is bad enough but imagine doing so in such an environment. Having to compete in the biggest moment of one’s life while having a sore mouth on top of it all. Competing your best requires feeling your best and dental health falls right in that category.

    Negative dental health contributing factors

    For active individuals there is a constant messaging of needing more and more carbs. Yes, carbs can be beneficial in the proper situation but sometimes the message gets confused. Sometimes this gets interpreted to thinking carbs need to be consumed 24/7 with drinks and food. With new sports nutrition products everywhere, this has become incredibly easy to do. Between energy drinks and sports drinks as well as gels, gummies and bars, carbs are easy to find.

    Constantly being exposed to high carb containing foods can be hard on teeth though. Typically, cavities get thought of around Halloween time due to kids eating all that candy. This same situation can become present with sports products but isn’t viewed the same way. Without keeping this in mind and making sure to properly clean and take care of one’s teeth, that constant exposure can lead to cavities and other issues as well.

    Increasing the risk of those issues is the fact that athletes are pushing their bodies to their limits in training. That effort impacts the immune system already and hurts the ability to fight off inflammation. While focusing on handling the stress of training, it can’t address the stress going on in the mouth. It’s the perfect storm and leaving the mouth very susceptible to potential issues. 

    Try to be proactive

    As mentioned previously, it’s tough to focus on the task at hand with a sore mouth! Being proactive as opposed to reactive is always the way to go and dental health is no exception. There’s never a good time for potential dental surgeries but if able to get ahead of things they can be prevented. If not prevented then at least addressed in more ideal times and situations. Nothing is worse than going into a major competition and then having to go and have dental surgery which can keep you out for a few days or more.

    As part of regular pre-season screenings, this is why dental checks are now becoming common amongst sports teams. Getting ahead of these things ensures healthy participation the rest of the year. Make sure you are taking care of your dental health as well. Brush regularly and have regular checkups with your dentist. During the day also make sure you aren’t constantly exposing your teeth to sugar as well. Sports drinks are intended to be used in specific situations when actually competing. Not necessarily while sitting on the couch because you enjoy the flavor. Your best ability is availability so keep those pearly whites healthy!

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Collagen, Injury, Muscle, Performance, Recovery, Wellness

    ACL recovery and injury prevention things to keep in mind

    Injuries are unfortunately part of what comes with sports and a common one is ACL injuries. Due to this, ACL recovery and injury prevention are key topics that need to be discussed in sport. Even for those who don’t classify themselves as an “athlete”, healthy ligaments are still very important. Nobody wants to deal with an injury or long recovery time so proper steps need to be taken.

    ACL injury causes

    Most ACL injuries occur in non-contact situations. Contact injuries are easy to see and understand what occurred but these are tougher to decipher. A main contributor seems to be in general a large training load being made without enough recovery time. Continuous training and small micro-tearing of the ACL continues to increase like muscles without rest. Poor day to day repair results in a bit of a ticking time-bomb waiting to go off.

    ACL recovery can be a long process. There are things that can be done though to help speed that up and decrease risk of injuring your ACL.

    ACL recovery starts with prevention

    Managing those small tears after training sessions and other physical activity is key. Monitoring the overall training load and intensity that is done helps ensure the proper rest time is offered in response to it. Tougher and more intense sessions need more rest. Nothing ground breaking there but it just needs to be monitored to know when it should be done. Then it’s actually doing it!

    Sometimes allowing yourself to take time off or having a lighter session is the toughest part. The feeling of needing to constantly push to stay above the competition is so strong. It’s just as much of a mental game that is played. But taking that time is a MUST to continue progressing. The most gains are actually gained on off days.

    Capitalizing on that prevention then is getting enough sleep. Proper sleep decreases the overall stress levels in the body. Stress doesn’t help anything but in particular it can impact your body’s ability to produce the ligament building/strengthening hormones to maximize recovery.

    Another major piece of the puzzle is collagen. Collagen is the main building block for tendons and ligaments. Just like you have protein to help build and repair muscles, collagen works in the same manner for tendons and ligaments. To get the most out of the collagen though you want to make sure that it contains some vitamin C. That helps the body to absorb it more effectively to actually work its magic.

    ACL recovery timeline

    Tendon and ligament injuries tend to take a bit longer to recover from. These areas typically get less blood flow to them which is a major reason for that delayed timeline. Blood is responsible to delivering those great nutrients and the collagen being consumed to the area. Incorporating some knee specific movement when able is important for this right here. That physical movement increases blood flow to the specific area to help aid nutrient delivery.

    ACL recovery strategies

    Finding a quality collagen is a big step and as noted previously it should have vitamin C within it. Two products that I typically recommend are Klean and Vital Proteins. Both of them are third party tested and have vitamin C within their products.

    Once those are acquired, taking them at the proper time is the next piece of the puzzle. The goal is to time it up with any rehab or exercise to take advantage of the increased blood flow. Drinking ~15g of collagen with vitamin C 30-60 minutes beforehand is perfect. That gives time for it to be absorbed and then the physical movement will help get that to the areas in need.

    Even after fully recovered and returned to full activity, continuing to take collagen can be helpful. It will maximize recovery between training sessions to help decrease the microtear buildup. As discussed earlier, recovery between sessions is very important and this will help maximize that. That combined with getting a lovely 8-10 hours of sleep each night and your ligaments are going to be feeling great!

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Energy, Injury, Performance, Recovery, Wellness

    Rest days are important, but when should they be?

    Taking rest day is incredibly important. Rest days are when the body is able to fully repair and strengthen itself from the work you put it through. Unfortunately rest days are sometimes viewed as unnecessary. The mindset of ‘if I’m not training, I’m not improving’ is very common and very strong. What needs to be understood is that a rest day doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a completely “off” day.

    What is a rest day?

    Having a proper rest day is incredibly important. There are a few things to consider though when deciding when to have one.

    A rest day can mean different things to different people/teams. Regardless the specifics of what it is, the goal is the same which is to let the body recover. Proper recovery ensures the body is strong and able to continue training and push harder the next day. Usually, these days involve things such as foam rolling, massage, yoga, mobility movements/stretches and very low impact activities. It isn’t a day to be viewed as sitting around doing nothing. The intensity is low but the intent of the activities themselves is still high.

    Best time for a rest day

    That is a million dollar question right there as there are a lot of variables to consider. The psychological piece is major for a team as you want to ensure after a match that time to decompress is provided. Playing at such a high intensity takes a lot out of you and a lot of recovery needs to take place. But whether that recovery is a full rest day or a lighter training session the next day is the big question. A recent study reviewing rest day scheduling habits of various top soccer clubs throughout the world shows having a rest day two days after a match may be the way to go.

    Recovery timeline impact on injuries

    Having a rest day two days after a match showed significant decreases in injury amongst the players. The situations specifically where this was noted when time between matches was 3 or 7 days. Part of this could be that it helps keep training loads of starters and substitution players equal. The day after a match, starters can have a lighter active recovery day while the subs could have a heavier workload to still get the work in they need. Maintaining that proper balance of total work ensures they are staying fit as well. Being more fit naturally decreases injury risk as was shown in the data collected.

    Rest day considerations

    While that second day appears to be more often than not the way to go, always keep an open mind. Evaluate all the different aspects before locking in the decision. Consider how you and/or the other players are feeling psychologically and what other events may be going on at the same time as well. The main thing though is to ensure that the proper training loads are being achieved while recovery opportunities are still available as well. Maintaining fitness helps minimize injury risk and so too does that rest. Just make sure on those rest days that nutrition and hydration are still being prioritized as well!

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Gut Health, Inflammation, Injury, Wellness

    Improve your gut health to improve your sore joints and feel better

    In athletes and the general public, sore joints is an all too common thing. Whether it’s to the point of arthritis, tendinitis or general soreness, I’ve yet to meet anyone who enjoys sore joints. One common denominator in all of this though is inflammation. Getting a better control of inflammation can make these symptoms better. Our gut is a key regulator for inflammation control and can play a large role in helping those sore joints.

    The gut’s role in inflammation

    Another term for our gut is microbiome, the bacteria lining our intestines. This bacteria is the first line of defense from pathogens getting into our body. A weak or damaged gut means it’s easier for those pathogens to get in which can cause all sorts of problems. Many of these problems display themselves as inflammation which can be joint inflammation specifically in certain situations. Full circle; weakened gut leads to increased inflammation in the body leading to sore joints.

    Ways to help sore joints

    As described previously, inflammation is the main target to help. Antioxidant heavy foods are going to be the main target for this. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, eat your fruits and vegetables! Those are still the biggest antioxidant contributors and should make up a big part of your diet. In addition to the antioxidants they contain, fruits and veggies are generally high in fiber too. Fiber is the main “food” for the good bacteria in our gut. Just like us, a well fueled gut will perform better and help keep the bad stuff and and take in the good stuff. Other things to consider are probiotics and curcumin which strengthen gut bacteria and are potent antioxidants respectively.

    Negative impacts on gut health

    One of the biggest things that can damage gut health is consuming a poor diet day after day. Having a fast food burger or some candy once in awhile isn’t the end of the world. But 100% if done consistently our body isn’t going to be happy. Low quality and highly processed foods don’t properly feed the microbiome in the gut. Without food it’s tough for anything to survive and that results eventually in a weaker gut barrier. That allows more inflammation to get into the system. This is a big reason why individuals who tend to eat more processed foods more often also tend to be sick more frequently.

    In the short term, antibiotics also can wreck havoc on the gut. Antibiotics are designed to eliminate those problematic bacterias causing inflammation and sickness in the body and they typically work great! The down side is that they tend to eliminate the good bacteria along with it. This can result in a bit of a spiral where poor diet increases the rate of being sick. Being sick can mean taking antibiotics to get better. After the antibiotics the gut is weakened and susceptible to getting sick….again. If restoring and strengthening the gut isn’t prioritized this process continues resulting in chronic inflammation which can certainly contribute to sore joints.

    Key takeaways to help avoid sore joints

    Nothing is a guarantee but there are things that can certainly help. Focusing on quality food is the foundation and potential supplements when needed can be that little extra boost in certain situations. But just as important is making sure we aren’t adding to that inflammation by consuming low quality foods. Big changes likely won’t occur overnight but consistency is the key.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Inflammation, Injury, Recovery, Supplements

    Sore Muscles Improved With The Help Of Omega-3s

    There’s nothing quite like finishing up leg day, walking like Bambi. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we wake up the next morning with even more sore muscles than the day before.

    While some muscle soreness is perfectly normal and part of the training adaptation, there’s certainly a fine line. Especially if it’s after a game with another one coming up again soon. Recovery is the key and omega-3s could help speed things up.

    The first thing to discuss though is what omega-3s are! Omega-3s are fatty acids most commonly found in fatty fish. This is why you hear the recommendation so often to eat fish three times per week. These fats are great at helping to reduce inflammation as this study showed.

    Why focus on inflammation for sore muscles?

    Inflammation can be a good thing in limited quantities because that is what helps us improve our workouts and strength over time. Exercise beats our body up a bit causing an increasing in inflammation. Our body then is forced to have to control that new inflammation and bring it back down. Regular exposure to this helps our body to be able to handle that inflammation and workload allowing us to get strong and train even harder.

    Image of runner with sore muscle from leg inflammation

    Too much inflammation and muscle breakdown though causes really sore muscles. This is because our body can’t handle the amount of inflammation and breakdown that is occurring. The fun part is, the soreness usually doesn’t peak until about two or three days after the event. Why have just one day of fun right?

    Image of tournament bracket

    In moments where we have quick turnarounds and need to perform optimally the next day (ie. tournaments) this is bad news. Muscle soreness, decreased range of motion and decreased strength is the exact opposite of what we are wanting. Having a good recovery strategy in place could be the key difference for you in these moments.

    Maximize the recovery time you have

    For optimal recovery the fundamentals will always be there; good sleep, hydration, fruit & vegetables, adequate protein, good fats and in case you missed it the first time…sleep! But omega-3s can certainly help provide a boost to maximize things.

    Eating fatty fish (ie. wild caught salmon) is great but if not a fan of eating fish, a quality fish oil supplement would be worth looking into. Generally, 2-5 grams per day is perfect depending on the situation.

    Enjoy your omega-3s, you will thank yourself later!

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