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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Exercise May Speed
Healing Time

Posted December 29th, 2007 at 4:21 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

Animal studies suggest that exercise may be even more important for older people than for younger ones. A report from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shows that exercise significantly decreased wound size and increased healing rate in older mice. However, exercise had little effect on the rate of wound healing in young mice. (American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, November 14, 2007).

Mice ran on a treadmill at moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day for eight days. They then were given four full-thickness skin wounds and the rate of wound healing was checked daily for 10 days. Compared to age-matched non-exercising mice, the older exercisers healed faster.
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USATF study reveals
charity fundraising by runners, walkers surges
to over $714 million

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 2:45 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Columns, SPOTLIGHT

Marking a trend of continued growth, road runners and walkers raised $714 million for charity in 2006, USA Track & Field (USATF) announced Monday. The figure marks a nearly 9 percent increase over 2005 and shows continued, steady increases since USATF began its annual charity survey in 2002.

The Nike Women’s Marathon and Half-Marathon was named the 2006 USATF Charitable Race of the Year, while the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its GREAT STRIDES program was honored as 2006 Charitable Organization of the Year.

Conducted internally by USATF, the national governing body of track and field, long-distance running and race walking, the study revealed that more than $714 million was raised for charitable causes by runners in 2006.

USATF gathered data from national charitable race series/organizations and a sample of nearly 200 running/walking races, including many of the country’s largest races.

“The continued growth of charity fundraising in the current economic climate shows the dedication of charity runners and walkers to their cause, as well as the strength of road running in this country,” said USATF CEO Craig A. Masback.
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Studies may link athletes and hypothyroidism

Posted June 13th, 2007 at 12:17 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Running & Training, Health & Fitness

My mood was great, my weight was fine, and my running times had never been better – I was in the best shape of my life. So why was I in my doctor’s office, being told I had hypothyroidism? How does a 21-year-old, daily runner with energy to spare wind up on medication to treat a condition commonly associated with middle age, lethargy and weight gain?

It might sound surprising, but my situation is far from unique. As more and more athletes are being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, medical professionals are starting to make the connection between intense training (around 50 miles of running a week) and a malfunctioning thyroid gland. Recently, elite athletes Galen Rupp and Adam Goucher were both diagnosed with the condition – surprising, considering they are two of the best competitive runners in the country, and they hardly fit the typical profile of people diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

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Impact of extreme weather conditions on marathon running performances

Posted May 23rd, 2007 at 1:00 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Training Tips

In general, marathon races are among the most physiologically demanding endurance events in the world with runners competing for a distance of 42 kilometers (26.2 miles). (3,6) Competitive marathon runners often maintain a pace equaling 70-90% of their VO2max (max output) for over two hours. (6) Both biological and environmental factors affect the thermoregulatory balance in marathon runners.

Marathon races are considered mass participation events, and heat injuries occur in less extreme conditions. When running in closer proximity to other runners, it has been reported that the physiological heat stress is three times more straining on the body compared to someone running solo in identical weather conditions. (6) As mentioned earlier biological and environmental factors play a role in maintaining thermoregulatory balance in marathon runners. Biological factors such as dehydration, metabolic rate and gender limit thermoregulatory control. (3)
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Baking soda may help athletes to exercise longer

Posted April 10th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is used as a medication to neutralize stomach acid in ulcer patients and as a home remedy for stomach distress.

Now researchers in Greece have shown that it may neutralize the acid in muscles during intense exercise and helps athletes to exercise longer (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise).

If you run or cycle as hard as you can, you start to breathe hard, and suddenly your leg muscles start to burn because your muscles have become acidic. It’s the burning in your muscles that forces you to slow down.
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