by admin | May 12, 2015 | Uncategorized
Soccer Concussions and Head Gear Bumps and bruises are a part of growing up and a part of playing sports. The risk of injury should not deter participation in sports because the BENEFITS that sports participation brings generally outweigh the risks. However, some injuries are more serious than others, such as concussions and brain trauma, and should be safeguarded against if possible. Advances in soccer headgear, headbands and more information about head injuries in soccer are fueling the debate on soccer equipment and safety. Soccer Concussions and Brain Injury Metzl (1) reported in the journal Pediatrics that children heal slower from brain injury than do adults. In addition, according to Metzl adolescents appear to be susceptible to second-impact syndrome, “a rapid and often fatal condition associated with a second head injury while the person is still symptomatic from a first.” It is extremely important if a concussion is suspected that a player not return to play in that game and that he be subsequently medically evaluated and withheld from participation until medically cleared (2). It has been reported that once a person has had one concussion, he is four times more likely to suffer another one. In addition, subsequent concussions are easier to get and take longer to heal (3). Unfortunately, concussions are a regular part of playing soccer. In a three-year study of 10 high school varsity sports, soccer ranked third for boys and first for girls as the sport that produced the most number of injuries that were classified as mild-traumatic brain injury (MTBI). While MTBI accounted for only 4% of the total number of injuries in...
by admin | May 15, 2014 | Uncategorized
Are Supplements and Ergogenic Aids Worth the Risk? What are Supplements? Supplements are a form of ergogenic aid taken because they are believed to improve or increase performance. What’s the Big Deal About Supplements? There is a drive for athletes to have every competitive advantage possible. In 2001 the estimated global market of supplements was $46 billion.1 The US market alone was estimated at $16.7 billion in 2000.1 Supplements may make whatever claims they like as long as the label contains a list of active ingredients4 Some Performance Supplements in Use Today Supplements to improve strength and power: amino acids, anabolic steroids, boron, chromium, chrysin, colostrum, creatine, hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB), omithine alphaketoglutarate, prohormones, protein, tribulus terrestris, vanadium and zinc Supplements promoting energy supply: bicarbonate, caffeine, carnitine, creatine, guarana, hornet juice, iron, magnesium, pyruvate and ribose Supplements used to burn fat caffeine, carnitine, ephedra A look at some well known supplements There are not many pros for many of the supplements, so I have broken this article down into the Facts and the Risks of using each of the following supplements: Anabolic steroids Prohormones Human Growth Hormone Creatine Amino acids Protein Caffeine Antioxidants Anabolic Steroids The Facts About Anabolic Steroids: Defined by the 1990 Anabolic Steroid Control Act as “any drug or hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone . . . that promotes muscle growth.”2 Developed to promote tissue growth in bed rest patients3 Increased testosterone “shown to increase protein synthesis, muscle strength, and lean body mass.” 2 Requires a prescription to possess The Risks With Anabolic Steroid: In males may cause3: Decrease in testicular function Breast development Liver dysfunction...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Youth sports thrive on parent-coaches. One estimate finds that parents of players make up 90% of all youth sport coaches (1). Parents have a unique relationship with their own children, and when it comes to coaching your child’s team, it is not easy to separate being the parent from being the coach. The parent-coach/child-athlete relationship in youth sports is one that has not been widely studied, but given the large percentage of parent-coaches and anecdotal reports of negative circumstances associated with parent-coaches, it is important that this issue be examined more closely. Two studies to date deal with this issue. They will both be presented, revealing positive and negative aspects of the parent-coach/child-athlete relationship. Recommendations for making this relationship as harmonious as possible follow. Research has shown that parental involvement and support is a necessary and important part of a child’s participation in sports. However, there is such a thing as too much involvement, and it is possible that in the unique environment of youth sports, having dad, or mom, as coach can push parental involvement toward the over involved end of the continuum. If this is the case, it could create a negative experience for the child-athlete of the parent-coach. Barber, Sukhi and White (2) conducted a study comparing parent-coached and nonparent-coached youth recreational athletes. They hoped to discover if there was any difference between the two groups in motivations for participation or in anxiety level associated with competition. Although their study had methodological weaknesses, it revealed that the parent-coached athletes did not experience significantly higher anxiety related to competition than their nonparent-coached peers. The study also showed...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Parents, when it comes to the impact you have on your child’s sporting experience, do not underestimate your influence. Children learn from watching others and copying the behavior they see demonstrated. It is most often the parent who is the first person to introduce a child to sports, and parental involvement can affect whether a child enjoys the experience or not (1, 2, 3). Role of Parents in Youth Sports Parental involvement in sports can be looked at as a continuum from not involved at all to over-involved (3). It can range from low to high and from positive to negative. Positive involvement includes supporting your child through ways such as verbal encouragement, your presence at a game, allowing your child to make his/her own decisions about what sport to participate in, and providing financial and other resources that enable his/her participation. Negative involvement refers to directive behavior, and pressure to win or perform up to a parent’s expectations. Recent research has shed light onto the relationship between parental involvement and the type of youth sports experience a child has. Supportive Parental Involvement in Sports It is not surprising that the research overwhelmingly points to a connection between positive, supportive parental involvement and a child’s level of enjoyment and success in the sport he or she is playing. (1, 2, 3, 4). It has also been suggested that a moderate level of involvement would be the optimum level of parental involvement (1). Hellstedt (1) theorized that over-involved parents may create high levels of pressure, while under-involved parents do not provide enough support to facilitate a child’s desire to participate....
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Sean Cumming and Martha Ewing of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports warned against parents becoming over-involved emotionally. This could mean being “excitable” or “fanatical.” They even go as far as to say that the fanatical parent can pose a serious risk to the development of the child (1). Take a moment to reflect on your own behavior during your child’s sporting events. How do you compare? Characteristics of Excitable and Fanatical Sports Parents The Excitable Parent (1) The Fanatical Parent (1) Supportive You put great amounts of pressure on your child to succeed You find yourself getting caught up in the heat of the moment Your children frequently argue with the coach or ref At games you yell out instructions to anyone and everyone on the field Your children do not put much effort into or show enjoyment of practice You rush out onto the field at the slightest hint of injury to your child You are controlling and confrontational You are overly concerned with the outcome of the game The reason you have your kids in sports is to win trophies Your child will definitely make the pros In contrast to the emotionally over-involved parent is the authoritative parent. Research into different parenting styles has revealed that the authoritative parenting style seems to be the most successful (2). Here are some characteristics of an authoritative sports parent. Characteristics of An Authoritative Sports Parent The Authoritative Sports Parent (2) Encourage participation Get involved in your child’s participation by attending games and providing positive encouragement Support values of fair play and sportsmanship Set Developmentally appropriate goals for your child’s performance, as opposed to...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
As parents, your job is to love your kids and try to provide the best for them. When it comes to youth sports, however, too many parents seem to lose all notion of what is best for their kids. It is a telling sign that virtually every youth sports league in the country has enacted some measure to curb violence and negative behavior by parents. Some leagues have even gone so far as to not let parents utter a single word during the game, calling it Silent Saturdays. As enticing as it may seem to some league administrators, taking the parents out of youth sports is not the best solution to the problem. Parents have an important role to play, and the role that the parent does play can impact a child’s interest and enthusiasm for sport for years to come. Studies have shown a positive relationship between parents who are involved with their child’s sporting activities and the child’s enjoyment of the activity, participation in physical activities and continued participation in youth sports (1). That is to say the right type of parental involvement can help a child to have a positive youth sports experience that motivates him or her to want to continue playing sports. Sean Cumming and Martha Ewing of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports say the role of the parents in youth sports is to provide support for your child, both emotionally and financially, without becoming over-involved to the point of being fanatical (1). Providing the proper emotional support can be difficult in an adult society that emphasizes winning, or the product...
