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Friday, April 22, 2016

Friday Food: Mahogany Chicken Wings

A little change up on a classic but full of flavor.  Great for weekend good outs or just because you're hungry.

Ingredients:
-3 pounds chicken wing, split and tips discarded
-1/2 cup soy sauce
-1/2 cup honey
-1/4 cup molasses
-2 tbsp chile sauce
-1 tsp ground ginger
-2 gloves garlic, finely chopped


Preparation:
-Place chicken in a shallow, medium dish.
-In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, molasses, chile sauce, ground ginger and garlic.  Pour the mixture over the chicken.  Cover and refrigerate approximately 1 hour, turning occasionally.
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-In a large baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer.  Bake in the preheated oven approximately 50 minutes, brushing with remaining soy sauce mixture often and turning once, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Study Spotlight: Full Contact Practice and Injury in College Football


There is a trend, especially in the higher levels of football to reduce the amount of contact that players are taking during the week.  With concussions being at the forefront of medical news and injury rates skyrocketing overall less contact seems to be the key.  This study takes a look at that with one team over a 4 year period and the results are interesting.


What They Did: 
This group of researchers took a look at the epidemiology of injury with a team over the course of four seasons.  They took a look at injuries and athlete injury exposures.  Injury rates were then correlated with the weekly exposures to full contact practices, total practices, formal scrimmages, and games.

What They Found:
They found that decreased exposure to full-contact practice may decrease the incidence of practice injuries and practice concussions however they found that game injury rates were over 6 times great than practice injury rates.  They also found that game injury rates had an inverse correlation with full-contact practice.

What It All Means:
It seems pretty intuitive that if you decrease the amount of contact in practice you will have less injuries and this study backs that intuition up.  What is interesting about this is that many teams are looking to decrease contact during the week and try and get people feeling more fresh for the weekend games this study shows that decreasing contact in the week leads to an increase likelihood of injury on the weekend.  It is kind of a double edge sword when you look at it and I personally believe it comes down fundamentals that are being taught early but also during practice.  A lot of injuries can be avoided if things are performed correctly through all training.

Might be a tough call for a coach.


Link: Full Contact Practice and Injury in College Football

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

How Should You Take Creatine?

By: Joel Luedke

For certain types of athletes creatine can offer several performance benefits and is often a staple in their nutritional regimen. However, there are a lot of misconceptions and uncertainty regarding how to take creatine. For example, I often get asked if cycling on/off is necessary, or whether or not it's best to take pre/post a workout or how much or what kind etc. This article attempts to clear up some of the confusion and offer some simple strategies on how to supplement creatine.

What Kind of Creatine is the Best?
As a result of the increasing popularity surrounding creatine a lot of supplement companies have attempted to come up with the latest and greatest formulation. 

There have been several studies that have compared different types of creatine to one another and most of the research suggests that creatine monohydrate (which is one of the original formulations and often regarded as the gold standard) is the superior form of creatine and if nothing else it is also usually the cheapest which is why I usually recommend it as the preferred formulation of creatine to supplement with.

How much do you need to take?
The standard loading dose is approximately 20-25 grams per day or 0.3 g/kg of body weight for more of a relative recommendation. Usually a loading dose is recommend for a period of 5-7 days then followed by a maintenance dose which is 2-3 grams or 0.03 g/kg of body weight per day.  Creatine is a large molecule which is stored within the muscle and therefore it takes up a lot of space. We actually have a cap or ceiling as to how much we can store within the body so there is no need to continue taking in a high amounts with the expectation of further increasing creatine stores within the body. Some of this will also depend on diet as several animal based foods contain small amounts of creatine.

Is Cycling Necessary?
Cycling is not really necessary. If you are someone who trains year-round and can afford a maintenance dose of 2-3 or maybe 5 grams per day for larger athletes, you can reap the benefits of creatine year round.  If you can't afford to buy creatine year round or don't train 12 months out of the year than you may as well cycle off of it during those periods as there may not be much benefit otherwise... unless you are taking it for the medical benefits (Future post on this). 

Also, as a follow-up to the previous section, if you do cycle off, then starting back up with a loading dose may help to saturate creatine stores faster if timing is important to your training and/or performance.

When Should I Take Creatine?
A lot of the research suggests that creatine should be added to your post-workout supplement regimen as it appears to enhance our ability to absorb and subsequently store creatine within the body. Also, pairing creatine with carbohydrates and protein appears to improve the bioavailability of creatine and improve creatine retention.

For more information on creatine and its endless list of benefits, check out the position stand put forth by the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Click Here For Article

Monday, April 18, 2016

Mobility Monday: Surviving the Plane Seat

By: Joel Luedke

Took a little trip this week and it involved a four hour flight and of course I don't fit very well on the plane (I don't think AJ does either).  We also wanted to follow this up from our car post last week.  Hopefully you don't spend as much time in a plane as you do a car but here are some tips to make that plane ride as comfortable as possible, especially if it starts getting over 2-3 hours.

Things It Fixes:
-Hip tightness
-Shoulder pain
-Discomfort in your back


Friday, April 15, 2016

Friday Food: Pork Chops w/ Sautéed Apples and Brussels Sprouts

We haven't done a lot of pork recipes lately so we wanted make sure to get one up for everyone and this one happens to combine many great things.  The great part of adding the brussels sprouts is because they are also extremely healthy for you.  Omega 3 fats have been found to be highly beneficial and brussels sprouts are a great source for you, even if had nightmares about them as a kid (they aren't so bad).  


Ingredients:
-12 ounces brussels sprouts, halved
-2 tbsp canola oil, divided
-5/8 tsp kosher salt, divided
-1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
-Cooking Spray
-4 (4oz) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
-2 tbsp unsalted butter-divided
-12 oz sliced Honeycrisp apple (1 large apple)
-1/3 cup unsalted chicken stock
-1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
-3 tbsp maple syrup
-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
-1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation.
-Preheat broiler to high.  Set the oven rack on the middle shelf.
-Combine sprouts, 1 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl; toss to coat.  Arrange sprouts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.  Broil 12 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes
-Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add remaining 1/4 tsp oil; swirl to coat.  Sprinkle pork with 1/4 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper; add to pan.  Cook 3 minutes.  Turn; cook 2 minutes or until done.  Transfer pork to a plate.
-Add 1 tbsp butter and apple to pan; saute 2 minutes.  Add stock and nutmeg; bring mixture to a boil. Stir in remaining 1/8 tsp salt, reaming 1 tbsp butter, syrup, Dijon mustard, and parsley; cook 1 minute.  Divide chops among 4 plates; top evenly with apple mixture.  Serve with sprouts

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Study Spotlight: How Does Hydration Status Influence Endurance Performance?

By: AJ Jagim

With race season right around the corner 1,000 of runners will be hitting the trails and courses for various 5k's, marathons and even some crazy-distance events that I can't even fathom.  With the start of race season, it's important to do everything you can to enhance performance, particularly if you are a competitive runner. This means everything from proper training, recovery, nutrition and hydration strategies. The focus of today's article highlights the importance of hydration status during exercise and what happens to our bodies as we progressively become dehydrated.

What did they do?
Researchers tested 8 elite cyclists on four different occasions. During each experimental trial they received different amounts of fluid (No fluid, Small fluid, Moderate fluid or Large fluid) and had them complete a 2 hour bout of exercise at 62-67% of their VO2 max in a warm climate.

They were also monitored for changes in body weight, core temperature, sweat rates, heart rate and stroke volume.

What did they find?
As would be expected the increasing amounts of ingested fluid helped to minimize dehydration throughout the 2 hr. ride. The "no fluid" condition resulted in a 4% decrease in body weight (likely due to a mismatch between fluid loss via sweat and withholding fluids during the ride; while the "large fluid" condition only lead to a 1% reduction on body weight. The researchers also found that the "no fluid" and "small fluid" conditions lead to greater increases in core temperature and heart rate while at the same time leading to decreases in stroke volume which is the amount of blood ejected from the heart each beat (essential for endurance performance). 

Take Home Message:
During exercise in warmer climates our bodies increase our sweat rates in an attempt to maintain core temperature. As this continues we lose more and more fluid and if we do not replace these fluids during a long run/ride we progressively become more and more dehydrated. This disrupts our ability to maintain core temperature (not good) as we are more likely to "overheat" on a really hot day if we are not consuming enough fluids.  To make matters worse, if we do not replace fluids, our plasma volume also decreases (major source of fluids within blood) which means less and less blood is getting back to the heart.

As a result, we aren't able to pump as much blood out per beat and per minute which means less blood is getting to the active tissues during exercise. Our bodies try to counteract this by increasing our heart rate (pumps blood faster, hoping to compensate for less blood ejected per beat) which means we are placing more stress on our cardiovascular system just to maintain our current pace.

Essentially this means you are likely to reach fatigue sooner or will have to slow your pace if you are progressively becoming more and more dehydrated during a warm ride/race.  So moral of the story: MAKE SURE YOU DRINK WATER DURING A RACE, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A LONG RACE ON A HOT DAY!  Aim for 1-2 cups of water every 15-20 min if at all possible. 

Click Here For Article

Monday, April 11, 2016

Mobility Monday: Car Gnarly

By: Joel Luedke

Spend a lot of time in the car?  Feel terrible when you get out? Yep, pretty common theme with me.  Kelly breaks down some things that can help you out if you are stuck in the car all the time or if you have a long road trip coming up.

There is not perfect solution but this can help get you out of the car as best you can.

Things It Helps:
-Shoulder and tight pec problems
-Over extension of the lumbar spine
-Tight hips



Thursday, April 7, 2016

Friday Food: Roasted Garlic Guacamole w/ Help-Yourself Garnishes


Huge fans of guacamole and how good it is for you.  Throw some garlic into the mix and game over. This one is great and can be used as a snack or for bringing to the party.  Enjoy.


Ingredients:
-6 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
-6 ripe medium avocados
-1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
-1 tsp salt
Garnishes
-3/4 cup Mexican queso fresco, salted pressed farmer's cheese, or firm goat cheese
-3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
-3/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
-1/2 cup crumbled crips-fried bacon
-1 16 ounce bag, large tortilla chips

Procedure:
 -To prepare guacamole: place unpeeled garlic in a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.  Cool, then slip off the skin; finely chop.  Scoop avocado flesh into a large bowl.  Add the garlic, cilantro and lime juice to taste.  Coarsely mash everything together.  Season with salt.  Transfer to a serving bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Courtesy: eatingwell.com


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Study Spotlight: Treatment Outcomes of Myofascial Decompression on Hamstring Pathology

By: Joel Luedke

Myofasical decompression or cup therapy ('cupping' for short) has been around for thousands and thousands of years dating back to China.  I've found that when something seems to be around that long, even if it falls out of popularity, it does work and thats why it gets continued use.  This one can make people a little uncomfortable and unfortunately the marks remain but there is not denying the fact that it works and well.

This is actually a master's thesis done by a graduate student that I worked with at OSU.  We also wanted to share this one as Holly Hanson of Hands on Health and was recently on Clinically Pressed and uses Cup Therapy.  Check out everything below and in this episode.

What They Did:
A group of athletes with hamstring pathology were treated using either myofascial decompression or hot pack and self treatment on a foam roller.

What They Found:
Both groups found significant increases in range of motion.  There was no significant differences when range of motion was compared.  However the patient perception was significantly effected in the myofascial decompression treatment group, in that they felt better.

What It All Means:
So long story short is that either type of modality you apply can be effective in gaining range of motion which is great but that isn't the whole story.  The perception part that was found in this study is the key in that patients felt better after the cup therapy.  I talk a lot with my students about the science of treating patients and that it is a must for what we do, keep it evidence based.  But at the same time there is an 'art' side to it.  If we can yield the same results from different modalities but one is able to get someone feeling 'better' that is a huge win for us as clinicians as it is going to allow them to feel like they improved and that can translate into faster healing times.

I look forward to more research coming out on this modality.

Reference:
Lacross, Z. Treatment outcomes of myofascial decompression on hamstring pathology.  Master's Thesis. May, 2014.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Exercise is Medicine....and it's Cheap Too!

Exercise is Medicine!

By: Andrew Jagim

This tagline has become quite popular not only within the fitness industry but in healthcare and the corporate wellness world as well. The tagline itself is fairly self-descriptive and hints at the idea that exercise or physical activity can play a role in healthcare, specifically as an option to treat certain medical conditions.  Exercise, which is often thought of as an optional activity that can be used to improve performance, help with weight loss or serve as a recreational activity; may offer more benefits than is given credit.  There are entire organizations that are dedicated to highlighting the importance of exercise and how it can be used in healthcare, particularly as a result of it's health promoting benefits. So can exercise be used as medicine and can it really be used in lieu of actual prescription medications? The short answer is Yes....for the most part....kind of. Okay maybe that wasn't a short answer after all.

Let me explain. Regular participation in exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, regular exercise can reduce blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, reduce triglyceride levels, reduce resting blood sugar levels, help with weight loss, help improve body composition, improve blood flow, improve soft-tissue integrity, improve bone mineral density, improve balance, improve strength, improve endurance and the list could literally go on for pages. Obviously, different types, intensities, duration and frequency of exercise offers different benefits which we've focused on with various previous posts in the past.  The good news, is that it doesn't take much to experience some of these health-related benefits as even brief 10 min walks throughout the day can help reduce your risk of developing various diseases.

There are also some great resources available that show how beneficial exercise can be at not only improve health and wellness but also in its ability to save money!  From one particular study, researchers found the following:

"The data suggest that increasing participation in moderate physical activity among sedentary adults may reduce direct medical expenditures - between $300 and £1,053 per person per annum - a US saving of $76.6 billion at 2000 prices."

You can see from a financial perspective there is the potential for some serious savings. Research has shown that 1 out of every 2 Americans has at least one chronic disease (hypertension, high cholesterol etc.) and 1 out of every 4 have multiple chronic diseases which translates to about $2 TRILLION annually and approximately 84% of all healthcare spending! THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.  All money that could easily be spent elsewhere if proper interventions (i.e. EXERCISE) were utilized as we mentioned above that a lot of the benefits of exercise can serve as reasons to begin an exercise program as a preventative strategy.  Which is important to note as studies have found that regular exercise has been shown to be just as effective as prescription drugs as far as the ability to treat various medical conditions. Regarding the statement I made earlier can the applicability of using exercise instead of prescription medications (Disclaimer: I'm not a real doctor with a medical degree, but I am an exercise physiologists so obviously consult your physician first before make any changes to your medications); there is very strong evidence that shows exercise can be used to manage a lot of the chronic diseases that we have been referring to. However if these conditions are left untreated for long periods of time than medications or even surgical interventions may be required. These are all reasons to get started early and use exercise to prevent these chronic health conditions in the first place and save yourself (and your employer) $1,000 of dollars worth of health care expenses later down the road.

Moral of the story, move now or pay later!

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Mobility Monday: The Stability Problems w/ Sitting

If you're like most people you spend a great amount of your time sitting.  Whether is be at work, school, driving or just your time at home you spend a lot of time on your butt.  We have a couple of articles (Study Spotlight, Sitting is Wrecking Your Hips) showing how hard it can be on your body and how you might be able to go about fixing it. This video breaks it down a little bit more in terms of really making you aware of how sitting presents so many problems.  This is full of information.

Things It Can Help:
-Sitting (kind of obvious)
-How to position with driving
-Transfer over to standing