Comparative study of lactate removal in short term massage of extremities, active recovery and a passive recovery period after supramaximal exercise sessions.

This investigation highlights the comparison of blood lactate removal during the period of recovery in which the subjects were required to sit down as a passive rest period, followed by active recovery at 30% VO(2)max and short term body massage, as the three modes of recovery used. Ten male athletes participated in the study. Exercise was performed on a bicycle ergometer with loads at 150% VO(2)max, each session lasting 1 min, interspaced with 15 sec rest periods, until exhaustion. Blood lactate concentration was recorded at recovery periods of 0,3, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 min, while VO(2), VCO(2) and heart rate were recorded every 30 sec for 30 min. The highest mean lactate value was found after 3 min of recovery irrespective of the type of modality applied. Significantly lower half life of lactate was observed during active recovery (15.7 +/- 2.5 min) period, while short term massage as a means of recovery required 21.8 +/- 3.5 min and did not show any significant difference from a passive type of sitting recovery period of 21.5 +/- 2.8 min. Analysis of lactate values indicated no remarkable difference between massage and a passive type of sitting recovery period. It was observed that in short term massage recovery, more oxygen was consumed as compared to a passive type of sitting recovery. It is concluded from the study that the short term body massage is ineffective in enhancing the lactate removal and that an active type of recovery is the best modality for enhancing lactate removal after exercise.

Heart rate & blood lactate response in field hockey players.

The heart rate and blood lactate were studied in field hockey players (25 juniors and 29 seniors) as well as the blood lactate response in training to assess the anaerobic demand of the game and the adaptability of the players to anaerobic metabolism, respectively. The mean VO2 max of the junior and senior players were 3.32 l/min (54.4 ml/kg/min) and 3.28 l/min (53.8 ml/kg/min), respectively. Blood lactate levels after warm up, training and the game were 2.1, 7.4 and 4.2 mM/l, respectively for the juniors and 2.6, 7.7 and 5.6 mM/l, for the seniors. The aerobic capacity (VO2 max) of the juniors did not differ from their senior counterparts, indicating a similar adaptability to aerobic metabolism. However, the Indian players revealed a lower VO2 max than their International counterparts. Similar lactate levels in juniors and seniors after training indicated a similar adaptability to the anaerobic metabolism also. The higher blood lactate level in seniors after the game reflected that they played with greater intensity than the juniors, due to more experience, better motivation and skill.

Menstrual dysfunction in Nigerian athletes.

Menstrual function was assessed in 475 Nigerian athletes in different sports and 606 non-athletes. In general, irregular menstrual cycles and oligomenorrhoea or secondary amenorrhoea (O/A) were more common in the athletes (26% and 21%, respectively) than in the non-athletes (18% and 8%, respectively). Menstruation was more regular and normal in the non-athletes (50%) than in the athletes (22%). It was noted that menstrual dysfunction in the athletes was associated with significantly low body fat, body weight, relative weight for height, and the stress of sports activity. In the groups of athletes the ball game players (35%) and distance runners (51%) most commonly experienced O/A, whereas the incidence of dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia was most prevalent in the swimmers (37%), and sprinters (42%). Menstrual disturbances were relatively more common in athletes who began training before the menarche (43%).

Somatotypes of Nigerian athletes of several sports.

Somatotype ratings and percentage body fat of 131 elite Nigerian male athletes, average 24.2 years of age, and belonging to badminton (n = 18), basketball (n = 30), field hockey (n = 24), handball (n = 16), judo (n = 18), and soccer (n = 25) teams were determined. Basketball, handball and soccer players were taller and heavier, and had low percent fat values as compared with the other athletic groups. Judokas and hockey players were endomesomorphs. Other sports groups were predominantly ectomesomorphs.

Somatotype characteristics of male sprinters, basketball, soccer, and field hockey players.

In an effort to describe the physique associated with regular involvement in sports activity, the somatotypes of a group of 51 elite male athletes comprising sprinters (n = 10), basketball (n = 12), soccer (n = 15), and field hockey (n = 14) players, and 11 male nonathletes were studied. The subjects' physiques were assessed using the Health-Carter anthropometric somatotype method. Analysis of variance and Newman-Keuls post hoc method were used to test for significant differences among the mean somatotype ratings of the groups. The findings indicated that the nonathletes (3.5) were significantly more endomorphic (P less than 0.05) than the soccer players (2.5) and sprinters (2.4). The sprinters (3.6) and basketball players (3.7) had markedly higher ectomorphic ratings (P less than 0.05) as compared with the hockey players (2.0). The mesomorphic component did not differentiate the groups. The differences observed among the groups which could be attributed to genetic and environmental influences reflect the variability in the morphological characteristics of athletes and nonathletes.

Age at menarche in Nigerian athletes.

The subjects of the study were 418 highly successful female athletes and 512 female non-athletes drawn from all over Nigeria. Recall procedures were used to ascertain the age at menarche. The study gave the following results: In general, over-all mean menarcheal age of athletes (14.13 years) was significantly higher (p less than .05) than that of non-athletes (13.57 years). Menarche was significantly (p less than .05) delayed (14.41 years) in those athletes (n = 272) who started physical activities before the onset of menstruation. The mean menarcheal age of non-athletes i.e. general population was significantly lower (p less than .05) than that established thirty years ago in Nigerian women.

A study of changes in the spine in weight lifters and other athletes.

The present study was undertaken in sportsmen of those groups of sports activities where weight training exercises constitute a major part of the training. Two groups consisting of 25 weight-lifters and 25 track and field athletes were studied to find out the effect of sports activities and lifting weights on the spine. 84% weight-lifters and 72% track and field athletes suffered from varying abnormalities. Incidence of backache in 25 weight-lifters was 40% and in 25 track and field athletes 48%. Radiological changes were more common in weight-lifters (84%) than in athletes (72%). Reduction in lumbar lordosis was found in three cases (12%) in both the groups. Obtuse angle deformity of vertebral margins was found in 11 cases (44%) amongst weight-lifters and six cases (24%) amongst athletes. Osteophytic formation was found in six cases (24%) in weight-lifters and four cases (16%) in athletes. Schmorl's node were noticed in five cases (20%) amongst weight-lifters and seven cases (28%) amongst athletes. The incidences of spondylosis and Schmorl's node were found only in those cases who had been doing weight training exercises for more than four years.