Sports Medicine Facts

Dr. Mirkin's E-Zine
May 4, 2003

Massage and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

    An article from Cornell shows that a massage twenty
minutes after vigorous exercise can help reduce muscle
soreness two days later (British Journal of Sports Medicine,
Volume 37, Issue 1, 2003).  Nobody knows how a massage
helps muscles recover faster.   However, if further studies
confirm this one, massage will be used to help athletes recover
faster so they can do more work. 
    Athletes use muscle soreness to guide them in their
training programs.  Most athletes train by taking a hard workout
that damages muscles enough to make them feel sore on the
next day.  Then the athlete takes easier workouts until the
soreness goes away.  When the soreness is gone, the athlete
takes a harder workout again.   The massage does not make
muscles stronger, but the athlete who can take more frequent
workouts can build stronger muscles.
   
***************************************************

Dear Dr. Mirkin: Does eating breakfast make me smarter, as my
mother tells me?

    Several previous studies have reported that children who
eat breakfast do better academically and behave better in school. 
A new study reinforces this. About 100 elementary school
students in Boston were studied for six months.  Children who
consumed less than half of the energy recommended for
breakfast had significantly poorer attendance, punctuality, and
grades at school.  They also had more behavioral problems. 
After getting breakfast at school for six months, their attendance,
math grades and behavior improved (Annals of Nutrition and
Metabolism, November 2002).  Not eating breakfast means your
blood sugar stays too low for your best concentration.  This
finding in children is probably applicable to people of any age.

***************************************************

Home