Whats the most effective recovery strategy from after a run?

Fatigue in sport has become a topic of interest among athletes, coaches and sport scientists because it affects athletic performance across a wide range of sports. Sports related fatigue can be defined as a decline of muscle force or an exercise induced impairment of performance. (Knicker, 2011).

Scientists recruited 46 healthy male recreational runners taking part in the same half marathon event and assigned them to four groups of equal ability, which either had sports massage, cold water immersion (ice baths), active recovery or passive rest within 15 minutes after the event.

The sports massage group had a 20 minutes post event sports massage focusing on the legs. The cold water immersion group sat in cold baths where the temperature was maintained at fifteen degrees centrigrade plus/minus 1 degree. While participants in the passive rest group sat at rest on a bench. While those in the active recovery group jogged at 60% of their anaerobic threshold for all 15 minutes.

24 hours before the half marathon, immediately after the intervention and then 24 hours after the race jump height, muscle soreness, perceived recovery and stress were measured. The results show the sports massage and cold water immersion had no effect on objective markers of fatigue such as changes in muscle and the blood but they did have a significant effect ont he subjective fatigue measures, including perceived recover and muscle soreness. These interventions were more effective than passive rest while active recovery had no physical advantage and a negative effect on perceived recovery.

Reference

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0207313

Thai massage can help with Parkinson’s symptoms
Parkinson's disease affects 1 in 350 people in the UK (Parkinson's UK, 2018). A ransomised controlled trail allocated 30 patients with Parkinson's and muscle weakness to receive either six Thai massage treatments in three weeks alongside standard medical care or standard medical care alone. Patients in the Thai masage group showed significant improvements in their peak flexion torque, peak extension torque and time to maximal flexion speed. In conclusion the Thai massage study suggested Thai massage could help improve arm muscle strenght in people with Parkinsons. References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934701/
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How do your friends impact your health?
In my last blog article, I explored how your social network including your friends and family impact your motivation to be healthy. Being part of a group, or better yet, lots of groups is good for your health. The kind of groups doesn't seem to matter - it could be a family group, friendship group, religious or spiritual group, tennis or book club. What is important is that you identify with it and see it as a meaningful part of your life. Here are five good reasons why?

It can help you live longer

"As a rule of thumb if you belong to no groups but decide to join one, you cut the risk of dying over the next year in half" R Putman, Bowling Alone.

An adequate social life provides health benefits on a par with quitting smoking

The benefits of social ties are akin to those of exercise once you retire. In one study retirees belonging to two social groups had a 2% risk of death but if they lost touch with both groups it jumps to 12%.

It can protect your heart

Heart disease is generally lower for those who are members of a social group.

The risk of death from heart disease diminishes if you belong to more than one social group.

It can cut your risk of a cold

Those belonging to a wide range of social groups e.g family friends, work, recreation or religious groups are least likely to come down with a cold. Six or more types of diverse groups cut the risk of a cold more than four times.

It can alleviate depression

The more social groups you belong to the less likely you are to suffer from depression.

If you are depressed, joining a group can help you recover and cut the risk of a relapse by nearly a 1/4 if you join one group or by almost 2/3 if you join three.

If you are a member of a religious or spiritual group you are less likely to have depressive symptoms and more likely to have feelings of well being.

It motivates you to be healthy

References J Holt-Lunstad, T B Smith, J B Layton (2010) Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review, Plos Medicine NK Steffens, T Cruwys, C Haslam, J Jetten, S A Haslam Social group memberships in retirement are associated with reduced risk of premature death: evidence from a longitudinal cohort study, BMJ Open Volume 6 Issue 2 D Reed, D McGee, K Yano, M Feinleib (1983) Social Networks and coronary heart disease among Japanese men in Hawaii, American Journal of Epidemiology 117(4) 384-96

I Kawachi, B P Kennedy, K Lochner, and D Prothrow-Stith. (1997) Social capital, income inequality, and mortality. American Journal of Public Health September 1997: Vol. 87, No. 9, pp. 1491-1498.

DC Classen, SL Pestotnik, JF Lloyd, JP Burke (1997) Adverse drug events in hospitalised patients. Excess length of stay, extra costs and attributable mortality JAMA Jan 22-29;277(4):301-6.

F Tabassum, J Mohan, P Smith (2016) Association of volunteering with mental well-being: a lifecourse analysis of a national population-based longitudinal study in the UK BMJ Open 6(8)

A Moe, O Hellzen, K Ekker, I Enmarker (2013) Inner strength in relation to perceived physical and mental health among the oldest old people with chronic illness Aging Mental Health 17(2):189-96.

M P Aranda (2008) Relationship between religious involvement and psychological well-being: a social justice perspective Health and Social Work 33 (1): 9 - 21

M Tarrant, K Warmoth, C Code, S Dean, V A Goodwin, K Stein, T Sugavanam (2016) Creating psyhcological connections between intervention recipients: development and focus group evaluation of a group singing session for people with aphasia BMJ Open 2016; 6(2)
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Can you eliminate the risk of a “preemie” baby?
The focus of all pregnant women is a happy, health, baby and that includes carrying the baby full term obviously if there is no risk to the mother's health. Women in the US and the rest of the developed world are typically low in DHA (omega-3), with levels well below those reported in countries like Japan where more fish is eaten. Women with low levels of the nutrient are much more likely to give birth prematurely. Until recently there was no effective method to prevent spontaneous early preterm birth. Analyses of two clinical trials -- one in the U.S. and the other in the Australia -- suggest that thousands of early preterm births -- those at or before 34 weeks' gestation -- could be prevented if pregnant women took daily omega-3 supplements. Taking the supplement can reduce the risk to just 1.5%. Researchers estimated that more than 106,000 high-risk early preterm births could be avoided in the U.S. and about 1,100 could be prevented in Australia each year if pregnant women took daily supplements of omega-3. Reference https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161013130104.htm
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