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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2005)
Sports medicine Staff Top row: Karen Dyste (ATC), Mary Hass, Justin Carvalho (FT Aid), Tim McDonald (PT/ATC) Middle Row: Marilyn Mangus (ATC), Carrie Jackson (PT),Jan Lewis, Mindy Lunger (FT) Bottom row: Kay Gidley (LMT/ATC), Mary Colee (not pictured Julie Staub) Sports Medicine on Campus by Tienna Perez-Close How many times have you finished a workout, and been really sore? How sore? Sore enough to skip workouts for a day or two? Sore enough to hurt while sitting on the couch? Sore enough to consider overuse injury? This is how sore I was when I realized that my workout regime went beyond training soreness, and into a pain that compromised my everyday life. That is also when 1 started my glorious relationship with the people in Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Department, or PT/SM, at the University Health Center. There I met Karen Dyste ATC/R, who has been helping me with rehabilitation on and off for the past six months. Karen claims I’m like a lot of students who ignore pain or manage it with ice and painkillers, rather than consider the long term conditioning of my body. page 2-Well Now Winter 2005 opinion from a medical professional. Most injuries Karen sees are acute, like a sprained ankle that occurs from a fall. But others, like mine, are from overuse. Some injured students have to get well to simply continue with their class work: the dancers, musicians, or architecture students who spend hours standing in studio. Ail the staff of the PT/ SM Department recognize how demanding students’ schedules and commitments are. Consequently they offer plenty of options for rehabilitation, including appointments at the Health Center or at the Student Rec. Center. They offer everything from massage, rehab exercise prescription, and advice on training, to hydrotherapy, gait assessment and orthotics. So if you confuse and pain, take it to your i see the The Downside of a Caffeine High by Stephanie Jackson It’s 2am and you are just now sitting down to start that 10-page essay that’s due in....6 hours. Sound familiar? When faced with this situation, many students turn to old faithful: Caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and in pill form. It affects the Central Nervous System by binding to receptors keeping the brain from slowing. The person thus feels more awake and energized. For most people, caffeine provides a quick and easy energy pickup, which seems to help with studying, or just getting going in the morning. A 7 oz cup of brewed coffee contains about 80-135mg of caffeine. Unfortunately, caffeine has some downsides. When caffeine intake exceeds 250 mg, it is possible to experience nervousness, excitement, insomnia and gastrointestinal disturbances. In extreme excess, caffeine consumption can increase the risk of high blood pressure, tooth decay and osteoporosis. In many cases, the daily caffeine can become an addiction, leading to withdrawal symptoms of severe headaches, irritability, fatigue and drowsiness when caffeine is withdrawn. You might be asking, “Who cares? I only drink caffeine to stay awake and help me study.” This would be a good idea except caffeine doesn’t really help you study. According to Dr. Charles Barone, Pediatrics chair for Henry Ford Health System, caffeine messes with a young adult’s already irregular sleeping habits, which affects short-term memory and learning ability. It may keep you alert for a short period of time, but once the effects wear off, you are left more drained than before. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which means it makes you urinate more often, leaving you dehydrated. This can also lead to fatigue and drowsiness. Instead of turning to coffee or Cola, think of these healthy alternatives: Get a good night sleep. This is the best way to feel energized in the morning. Eat regular; small meals several times a day. Beans, fish, carrots and bananas are all foods that can give you a real energy boost. Eating big meals can make you drowsy. Exercise! It increases hormones in the body that create happiness, relieves stress and makes you feel better all around. So next time you are faced with a long night of studying, just remember that caffeine is only a quick fix while a healthy lifestyle will last you a lifetime. Creatine Considered by Sun Saeteurn To supplement or not to supplement, that is the question for many students. And creatine is a particularly common sports supplement that continues to grow in popularity; especially among teenagers and college students. Creatine has stirred up a storm of controversy over its safety and effectiveness. What it is Creatine monohydrate (more commonly called creatine) is naturally synthesized in our bodies and is sold as a dietary supplement used primarily to build muscle mass and strength. This performance enhancement is theoretically possible because creatine facilitates the production of adenosine triphosphate (or ATP), the fundamental energetic molecule used in muscular work. Critics and Worshipers For critics, the fact that the safety of creatine supplements has not been established is a red flag. Long term studies on the health effects of creatine supplementation on humans have not been published. Brief studies, however, have shown that possible short term effects can include gastrointestinal distress, cramps, nausea, diarrhea and dehydration, which can be dangerous under certain athletic conditions (http:// www.sportsci.org). The advocates of creatine argue that it is safe because it is formed naturally in our bodies and in those of other animals. We consume creatine when we eat meats such as beef and sea food. Compared to steroids, ephedra, and a host of harmful performance enhancing supplements, the dangers of creatine are not well established. The FDA on Dietary Supplements Currently, creatine is sold as a dietary supplement over the counter and is perfectly legal. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is charged with regulating the safety of our food and drugs, passed DSHEA (The Dietary Supplement Health Education Act) in 1994. In essence DSHEA states that dietary supplements are not subjected to the premarket safety evaluations required of other new food ingredients. This means that supplements can make what ever performance claims they want, as long as they include the disclaimer that the claim hasn’t been evaluated by the FDA. My Personal View So back to the question is creatine a harmless supplement that offers strength gains, or should it be avoided because of uncertain long term health effects? Personally, I feel that it should not be prohibited, but simultaneously, I feel that people should be critical of the supplement. Creatine studies are limited so the long term effects are unknown. We all know that there is no real substitute for hard work. If one wants to achieve their strength goals, eating properly and systematic training are the sensible routes to take. For more information on dietary supplements, visit the Peer Education Lending Library on the first floor of the Health Center.
