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On this week’s podcast we continue to discuss recovery. We bring the research about different treatments such as lazer, dry-needling, ultrasound, and E-Stim.
INTRO
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- FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE
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- Rivertown races half marathon, 10k, and 5k get a huge discount on our services!
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MAIN TOPIC:RECOVERY SERIES: LASER, DRY-NEEDLING, & MORE
Main Topic: Recovery Treatments
Laser
- What is Laser therapy?
- Laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to treat soft tissues.
- A more advanced laser treatment system has been approved by the FDA, MLS M8 Robotic Laser Therapy is FDA-cleared for the relief of pain, inflammation, and edema.
- OrthoLazer just opened in Michigan. It’s the only facility using this equipment.
- What does it do for runners?
- Laser therapy can speed up healing and gradual improvement in their pain and inflammation.
- What does the research say?
- While there is limited research, all studies reveal significant improvement in pain, range of motion, and motor function. A systematic review of low laser yielded consistent effective results and improvement of symptoms.
- Studies included findings of significant improvement for achilles tendonitis injuries.
Dry-needling
- What is dry-needling?
- Mayo Clinic explains dry needling as, “During a dry needling treatment, one or more thin, monofilament needles are inserted into a muscle trigger point. A trigger point is a local band of tight, irritable and dysfunctional muscle tissue. This often emerges because of injury, overuse or poor movement patterns.”
- What does it do for runners?
- Dry needling can decrease muscle tightness, increase blood flow and reduce pain.
- What does the research say?
- While there is very little research on dry-needling, Mayo Clinic says that most patients report immediate relief from the treatment.
- A systematic review and meta-anaylsis of dry-needling concluded that evidence pointed to decreasing pain, but functionally worked best when paired with physical therapy
- This meta-analysis suggests that it significantly helps with pain both short term and long term.
Ultrasound
- What is ultrasound?
- Therapeutic ultrasound machines use vibration and thermal effects to reduce skeletal muscle injury, lessen skeletal muscle soreness, improve blood flow, and promote muscle relaxation
- According to Harvard Health, Hip and knee pain can be relieved more quickly with therapeutic ultrasound thanks to its straightforward process that uses sound waves to promote blood flow, calm muscular spasms, and speed up healing. The therapist massages an ultrasonic probe over your skin while applying gel to the area that hurts. Medication (typically hydrocortisone) is mixed with the gel during the particular ultrasound procedure known as phonophoresis. More than half of orthopedic physical therapists who responded to a survey stated they would treat soft-tissue inflammation with ultrasound and phonophoresis (in tendinitis or bursitis, for example). These methods are also used to treat wounds, repair tissue, and facilitate muscular stretching.
- The National Library of Medicine published an overview of applications for ultrasounds, if you are interested you can learn more here.
- What does it do for runners?
- Repairs tissues, reduces healing times, and helps with greater mobility.
- What does the research say?
- Study on bone injury “During fresh fracture repair, ultrasound reduced healing times by between 30 and 38%. When applied to non-united fractures, it stimulated union in 86% of cases.”
- An Oxford Review of Therapeutic Ultrasound: Effectiveness Studies, “There is still little evidence of the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound as currently used by physical therapists to treat people with pain and musculoskeletal injuries and to promote soft tissue healing.”
- Out thoughts- again, may be best used in conjunction with other therapies for better results.
E-STIM
- What is E-STIM?
- Electrical stimulation therapy is applied to the body in the form of electrodes which stimulate local muscular contraction.
- What does it do for runners?
- By contracting the muscles, there is a stimulation of blood flow. The dominant advantage based on findings is the stimulation of motor neurons.
- What does the research say?
- Implications for motor relearning and strengthening was the main measurable outcome in one study.
- A study on athletes to see if there was measurable muscle growth revealed there was not. ( Sixpad Abs Fit device was not effective)
- There was a 12 week study with athletes where the group using E-stim had measurable improvements over the control group in strength and and power.
WORLD OF RUNNING
World of Running
Laura half marathon
Craig marathon
#1. NYC Half
(Source)
- Jacob Kiplimo put the hammer down, running faster with each 5k – 15:14, 14:58, 14:24, 13:52.
- Kiplimo won the race with a time of 1:01:31
- Joshua Cheptegei was second in 1:02:09. This was only his second half marathon and he was pleased with his finish.
- Zouhair Talbi was third in 1:02:18.
- Ben True was the top American in 4th place with a time of 1:02:57. He won back in 2018.
- First- time appearances for both of the winners, Jacob Kiplimo and…..
- Helen Obiri won with a new course record despite below freezing temps and a head wind.
- Obiri’s time was 1:07:21.
- After 5k it was a two-woman race Senbere Teferi was the only one able to hold onto Obiri’s quick command of the race.
- Fun fact: Obiri is the only woman in history to win world titles in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country.
- OAC coach Dathan Ritzenhein said that she is very afraid of winter.
- Teferi, who was the previous course record holder, matched her time for 2nd in 1:07:35.
- Prize purse $20,000
- Des Linden was first American with a 5th place finish and time of 1:12:21.
- Previous guests Dakotah Lindwurm and Erika Kemp were 6th and 10th places.
#2. Barkley Marathons
(Source: Outside Mag)
- 3 men finished–first time anyone has finished since 2017
- Aurelian Sanchez won
- John Kelly (2nd time, only the 3rd person to finish more than 1; also most recent finisher–back in 2017),
- Karl Sabbe
- (Damian Hall started the final loop but did not finish)
- Jasmin Paris was second woman ever to start the 4th loop and set a new women’s record
- 21 runners have completed the event since it began in 1986 (that’s a touch under 2% of all participants)
- Background on the race (from Runners World):
- Mountains in Tennessee, probably originated because that’s the area that the MLK assassin escaped from jail–made it about 8 miles
- Race founder Gary Cantrell apparently claimed he could make it 100 miles in there, so he started a crazy race to prove the point
- To enter, you have a to mail an application to founder and organizer Cantrell
- You don’t pay an entry fee but do have to send Cantrell a clothing item he requests (socks, a shirt, etc.)
- First-timers have to also bring a license plate from their home state/country
- Exact date of the race is not published (usually early April or late March)
- Race does not have a start time (just begins 1 hour after Cantrell blows a conch shell–he will light a cigarette when it’s time)
- Given a bib at the start of a loop; out on the course is a book; you rip out the page number that corresponds with your bib and bring it back–proof you completed the loop
- There is a single map at the start for each loop that shows where the books will be; no GPS or phones–just copy the map on paper
- It took 9 years before the first person finished the event
#3. Relationship between aging and fitness decline
(source: Outside Mag)
- Some interesting studies, encourage further follow up if you are looking to know the details
- Brief summary:
- After the age of 25, there’s something like a 10% VO2Max decline per decade for the average adult (so about 1%/year)
- This is NOT the standard decline for an active runner who trains regularly–that’s likely more around as good as 5%
- Other factors influence this beyond just VO2Max (musculoskeletal strength, for instance, among others)
- Studies find that most of the significant declines are in fact not a result of aging but of changes in activity
- Substantial volumes of low-intensity cardio work are the most likely to reduce that fitness loss
- Coupled with sustained consistency that bolsters VO2Max, there’s hope!
- Interestingly, within practical limits, it appears to be true that a consistent increase in training volume of about 1 hour/week per year might in fact offset that fairly reliably
- What about issues like time off and such? We lose about 20% of VO2Max in 12 weeks (most of it in the first 2-4 weeks), but it is also true that most of that returns quite quickly when reintroducing training
- Are there any practical takeaways?
- Aside from fun with the legend of Milo of Croton (lift a calf over your head every day)\
- Consistent volumes low intensity is the key, with a nod to the other things helping round out the edge
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