Why do you get injured in sports and how to avoid it?

Whatever sport you practice, the risk of injury is permanent. However, there are a multitude of solutions to avoid these injuries which may in the long term harm your sporting progress.

Contents

1. The cause of injuries and prevention
2. The different types of sports-related injuries

Causes of injuries and prevention

Lack of sleep

At the end of the exercise, an injury can occur in the event of muscle and energy fatigue. To do this, it is necessary to get a good night's sleep in order to recover the energy needed for the next day but also to promote muscle regeneration. Research seems to suggest that reduced sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of injury. Additionally, a study (1) of adolescent athletes sleeping less than 8 hours per night stated that they were 1.7 times more likely to be injured than those sleeping at least 8 hours per night. One thing is certain, sleep restriction impacts recovery processes and can increase risk factors for injury (2).

In addition, several studies show the difficulties experienced by athletes to fall asleep. One study (3) in particular, carried out on young athletes (107) over a whole year, showed sleep disturbance in 22% of athletes. Sleep difficulties occur particularly when practicing sports in the evening, due to the release of hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol. This is why it is recommended not to practice at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Glycine intake is recommended to improve sleep (4). This amino acid acts as an inhibitory brain neurotransmitter that improves sleep quality. With deeper, quality sleep, glycine decreases the need for sleep in athletes. Glycine can be taken in synergy with Collagen to prevent injuries during training and/or ZMP for more relaxing effects, rapid falling asleep and more restful sleep.

A bad warm-up

It is now obvious that before any effort, the importance of warming up is to be emphasized. Indeed, a good warm-up session can raise the temperature of the muscles (ideally from 36°C to 39°C). A sufficiently long warm-up will have beneficial effects on the elasticity of the muscle and will therefore improve the quality and duration of the training. Lack of heat and therefore muscle flexibility is usually a factor in muscle and tendon injuries. Additionally, increased heat causes blood vessels to dilate and thus accelerates blood flow to the muscles. Very often, it is recommended to warm up at least 10 minutes for 60 minutes of sporting activity.

In order to boost your warm-up, taking a food supplement such as Musclepump is recommended. The Musclepump is made up of several amino acids which act in synergy to optimize your session. The beta-alanine, citrulline and arginine present in MusclePump act as a nitric oxide (NO) booster, thus promoting congestion and muscle oxygenation. BCAAs have an anti-fatigue action by blocking the harmful effects of tryptophan and serotonin.

A lack of concentration

In order to achieve an optimal and effective session without risk of injury, it is important to stay focused and work on your mental preparation. Indeed, some athletes are under great pressure, especially during a competition or a high-profile event. Lack of concentration, stress, fatigue, can lead to physical problems. In addition, the regular and intense practice of sport generally leads to overtraining, which may be associated with an increased risk of injury. Muscle microlesions due to excess exercise are a source of chronic muscle inflammation. This state, associated with a lower concentration and a drop in motivation, increases the risk of injury. Injuries that immobilize the athlete are, in turn, a source of anxiety and stress and accentuate the physical and psychological fragility of the athlete (5).

Good concentration not only keeps the muscles alert and promotes physical performance, but also avoids the risk of a vicious circle: Stress to stress injuries.

The Mix focus composed of Citicoline, Astaxanthin and caffeine improves your concentration on all levels. It promotes energy and brain health, improves neurotransmitter activity and provides energy and motivation. In order to reduce your stress level, we recommend that you take a natural supplement with relaxing properties: Lactium.

An unsuitable diet

The importance of food is paramount when practicing physical activity. Indeed, the body draws all the more on its reserves when the muscles are strongly solicited: on average an athlete training regularly will need an intake of 2750 kcal/day against 1950 kcal for a sedentary person. The energy brought to the body comes mainly from the intake of micronutrients and nutrients present in food. If during the effort the body does not have enough or not the right resources, the risk of injury is present. According to a study (6) carried out on 340 adolescent athletes, those who respected the recommended nutritional intakes reduced the risk of injury by 64%.

Important to the nutrition of any athlete, carbohydrates must constitute 50% of our calorie intake, according to the recommendations of the National Agency for Health Safety and the Environment (ANSES). Lipids, twice as caloric as carbohydrates and proteins, are an important source of energy and contribute to muscle recovery and hormonal balance (stress reduction). And finally, protein plays an important role in the process of building and rebuilding muscle. Indeed, during physical exercise, the level of amino acids contained in the proteins of our body decreases, leading to muscle damage. From the end of the exercise or competition, it is therefore necessary to reconstitute the stock of muscle proteins used.

Our organic rolled oats are a real source of simple and effective carbohydrates. Our Musclewhey aims to adopt the role of "builder" by providing rapid muscle anabolism thanks to its richness in amino acids, as well as a basic action on the synthesis of muscle proteins. Its contribution facilitates recovery and reconstruction. Taking Omega 3 doubles the anabolic reaction when amino acids and insulin are present in the blood. Omega-3s also help reduce the impact and damage of body aches, by activating recovery and regeneration.

Vitamin and mineral deficiency

By the intense efforts required, the sportsman demands much more from his body than an average person. Indeed, his caloric expenditure, which is much higher, leads to an increase in his needs. During his permanent activity and his heavy sweating, the sportsman evacuates the essential nutrients, in particular the minerals. Thus the intake of vitamins and minerals must be adjusted.

By strengthening the antioxidant defenses of athletes thanks to Multivitamins , the physical integrity of athletes is protected (7). Taking vitamins would also help fight muscle injuries, particularly cramps (8). In addition, minerals such as copper, zinc, calcium and iron play an important role in injury prevention. They participate in the formation of elastin and collagen as well as vitamins A and C.

The lack of collagen

Collagen is the protein that provides joints, muscles and tendons with their cohesion, strength and elasticity. It is also he who is responsible for regenerating cartilage. This is why it is essential in the process of prevention against injuries but also in the event of healing.

After each muscular effort, the degradation of collagen in the joints and tendons intensifies. Supplementation is therefore necessary in order to balance the missing levels. In addition, Collagen is known to fight against osteoarthritis (9,10,11).

Composed of type I and II collagen, glucosamine, chondroitin and vitamin C, our joint Nutrimix has been specially designed for complete coverage of needs. N-acetylglucosamine in synergy with chondroitin sulfate accelerates cartilage regeneration and therefore joint recovery (12-13-14). It also exerts an anti-inflammatory action beneficial for joint integrity (15-16).

The different types of sports-related injuries

There are different types of injuries depending on the sport you play and the intensity at which you exercise. Among them, cramp, contusion or even strain. How do these injuries occur and what are their characteristics?

Muscle injuries

Cramp : Cramp is not an injury strictly speaking but rather a temporary dysfunction. It manifests itself as a very painful contraction of the muscle. Cramps occur in sports when you suffer from muscle fatigue or dehydration. It is, most of the time, relieved by stretching.

Contusion : When a heavy weight falls on you, for example, a contusion is a trauma to a muscle, which manifests as pain on impact, sometimes accompanied by swelling. This injury can also be related to a bruise (sometimes called blue), caused by the rupture of small vessels located under the skin, also following a shock or trauma.

Elongation: Elongation is a lengthening of the muscle that occurs after excessive strain on the muscle. The fibers are stretched and eventually break. This injury manifests itself as partial pain, similar to a very limited tear. Practicing a sporting activity is still possible but a little painful.

Strain: Strain is a stretching mechanism, more painful and more restrictive. We can speak of a stage 2 tear. At this stage, practicing physical activity and even walking becomes difficult.

Tearing: Tearing, like a muscle fracture, is very painful, so much so that it can cause a fall. This injury manifests itself as rapid swelling of the limb in question and is often compared to a stab.

Joint injuries

Tendonitis: Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons, often due to excessively repetitive movements during a sporting or professional activity. Following friction of the tendon against the bone, the fibers then partially rupture, causing pain.

Chondroitin Sulfate helps protect joints and regenerate tendons and cartilage.

Osteoarthritis : Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, which is characterized by the destruction of the cartilage that connects the bones. It manifests itself as stiff, painful and swollen joints for days. The pain is permanent.

Bursitis : Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, due to excess movement, for example during excessive strain during long workouts. It manifests itself as a pocket and swelling at the knee or back of the elbow.

Sprain: Sprain is a trauma to the ligaments, most of the time located at the ankle. It is caused by a sudden and violent movement, accompanied by twisting. The sprain manifests itself as disabling pain in the joint during use and sometimes more or less moderate swelling.

Dislocation: Dislocation, better known as dislocation, is the displacement of two bony ends within the joint. It is usually caused by a violent shock. During a dislocation it is impossible to make a natural movement as the pain is strong. Immobilization and rehabilitation are often recommended.

Studies

(1) Milewski MD, Skaggs DL, Bishop GA, et al. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with increased sports injuries in adolescent athletes. J. Pediatr. Orthop. 2014; 34:129–33.

(2) Deng-Fa Yang. Sleep deprivation reduces recovery from high-intensity exercise-induced muscle damage in a mouse model. Life Sciences Volume 235, 15 October 2019, 116835.

(3) Watson, Andrew M. MD, MS, et al. Sleep and Athletic Performance. Current Sports Medicine Reports: 11/12 2017 - Volume 16 - Issue 6 - p 413-418.

(4) Kohji Sato. Why is there a pronounced caudal-rostral gradient in brain glycine content. Medical Hypotheses Volume 120, November 2018, pages 1-3.

(5) Hasan GERÇEK. KTO Karatay University. Comparison of Sport Injury Anxiety of Athletes Doing Sports on Different Surfaces. February 18, 2021.

(6) P von Rosen, A Frohm et al. Too little sleep and an unhealthy diet could increase the risk of sustaining a new injury in adolescent elite athletes. 2017 Nov;27(11):1364-1371.

(7) Naziroglu M. Oral vitamin C and E combination modulates blood lipid peroxidation and antioxidant vitamin levels in maximal exercising basketball players. Cell Biochem Function. 2010 Jun;28(4):300-5.

(8) Chan-P. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of vitamin B complex in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps in elderly patients with hypertension. J Clin Pharmacol. 1998. 38: p. 1151.

(9) Adam, M. Therapie der Osteoarthrose, Welche Wirkung haben Gelatinepraparate? Therapiewoche (1991) 41:2456–2461.

(10) Seeligmuller, K. Dem Knorpel auf die Sprunge helfen. Therapiewoche (1993) 43:1810–1813.

(11) Barnett, ML Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with oral type II collagen. Arthritis & Rheumatism (1998) 41:290–297.

(12) Kessler MA Volume changes in the menisci and articular cartilage of runners: an in vivo investigation based on 3-D magnetic resonance imaging. Am J Sports Med. 2006 May; 34(5):832-6.

(13) Poolsup N., et al. Glucosamine long-term treatment and the progression of knee osteoarthritis: systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann Pharmacother. 2005 Jun; 39(6):1080-7.

(14) Reginster JY Long-term effects of glucosamine sulphate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lancet 2001 Jan 27; 357:251-56.

(15) BellGA. Use of glucosamine and chondroitin in relation to mortality. Eur J Epidemiol. 2012 Jul 25. [Epub ahead of print]

(16) Brasky TM. Use of glucosamine and chondroitin and lung cancer risk in the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort. Cancer Causes Control. 2011 Sep;22(9):1333-42. Epub 2011 Jun 25.