Half-marathon Race Research Articles

HIP INJURY - RUNNING

HISTORY A 29 year-old male marathon runner presents with a 5 week history of right posteriolateral hip pain. He reports the onset of this pain at the end of a half marathon race 5 weeks earlier. The patient states that while running down a long hill he mistakenly lengthened his stride resulting in right quadriceps fatigue and pain. This caused the patient to change his gait to that of a more circumducted pattern. At the end of this race the patient noted the onset of a dull ache in the posterior lateral aspect of the right hip. The patient was unable to continue the run for the next ten days and experienced pain with ambulation. Five days prior to evaluation he ran an 18 mile practice run. He developed pain at mile 7 but was able to continue the run after he lowered the neoprene thigh sleeve he was wearing. He described the pain as a deep ache posterior to the greater trochanter. He dened any paresthesias or radiation of pain. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION Examination revealed normal sensation, reflexes, and pulses, negative straight leg raise, Patrick and Faber tests. Strength testing revealed was 5/5 in the LE muscles bilaterally with the exception of the right hip abductors and extensors which were a 4/5 on the right and 4+/5 on the left respectively. Mild pain was elicited with right hip abduction and extension. Ely's test was positive bilaterally, Obers's test was negative bilaterally. The popliteal angles was 15 degrees on the right and 10 degrees on the left. A tender point was present along the posteriolateral aspect of the right hip. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS: Gluteus Medius strain Tensor Fascia Lata strain Sartorius strain Hip Capsule sprain Piriformis strain TEST AND RESULTS: MRI Right Hip: Small left hip effusion Bone island femoral head FINAL/WORKING DIAGNOSIS: Right gluteus medius strain TREATMENT: Physical Therapy for strengthening and stretching of the lower extremities, especially the hip abductors, hip extensors. Continue running with some training using an adductor wrap Work with running coach to improve technique NSAID's for 3 weeks

Effect of meditation on immune cells

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of long term meditation on runners' immune status at rest, after exercise and after 2 h recovery. Ten males, who had practised meditation for a long time and were participating in a half-marathon race, were studied in a case–control design. The control group was drawn from the pool of applicants to the race who did not practise meditation. Blood samples were taken before, immediately after and 2 h after the race. Immune and blood analysis were conducted. Runners practising meditation had lower lymphocyte counts at rest before the race (p<0.02). Just after the race, both groups more than doubled their white blood cell (wbc) counts (p<0.01); however, no significant effects were observed on the immune cells, neither was any difference between groups seen in the post-exercise period. Long term practice of meditation may influence absolute lymphocyte counts at rest. No effect was observed in the immune response to exercise stress. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Isokinetic strength of elbow extensor muscles correlates with race time in wheelchair half marathon racers.

It has been reported that grasping power and isometric muscle strength of elbow extensors in fine wheelchair racers were greater than the poor racers in the wheelchair full marathon. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between muscle strength of elbow extensors and flexors and the race time in wheelchair half marathon race. Four wheelchair half marathon racers who completed the half marathon division of the 16th Oita International Wheelchair Marathon (OIWM) in 1996 participated in the present study. The day before the race, all subjects reported to the training room and the isokinetic muscle strength of elbow extensor and flexor muscle groups was measured at angular speeds of 60 degrees, 120 degrees and 240 degrees/sec using the isokinetic dynamometer. There was a significant correlation between race time and isokinetic muscle strength of the elbow extensors at 60 degrees, 120 degrees and 240 degrees/sec, but not flexor muscles. Our findings suggest that increased muscle strength of elbow extensors may improve the race time in wheelchair half marathon race.

Effects of long-term exercise of moderate intensity on anthropometric values and serum lipids and lipoproteins.

The influence of endurance training on serum lipids and lipoproteins was investigated in 20 sedentary males and 14 sedentary females. The total group was trained 3 to 4 times a week for 9 months. After 24 weeks all subjects ran a 15 km-race and after 36 weeks a half-marathon (21 km) race. Anthropometric values were determined before and after the training programme. Blood samples were drawn before the start of the training programme and, in order to avoid the measurement of acute effects, 5 days before both races. In the male group, median body weight and body mass were significantly decreased (p < 0.01) after nine months of training, while in the female group body weight and body mass index remained essentially unchanged. Percentage body fat, measured by skinfold thickness was significantly decreased in both groups at the end of the training programme. During the training period, median serum total cholesterol, low density lipid cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations decreased significantly (p < 0.01) in the male group, while in the female population the median serum lipid- and lipoprotein concentrations did not differ from pre-training values. The changes in serum lipids or lipoproteins did not correlate significantly with changes in body weight, body mass index or percentage body fat. Stepwise multiple regression showed that these changes were mostly dependent on initial concentrations in serum. Finally, no significant increase in median high density lipid cholesterol was observed in either the male or female group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of long-term endurance exercise on fibrinolytic markers

To study the long-term overall effect of habitual physical exercise on fibrinolysis, 20 sedentary males and 15 sedentary females were trained 3–4 times a week with increasing intensity during 9 months. After 24 and 36 weeks all subjects ran a 15 km and half marathon (21 km) race, respectively. Blood samples were drawn before the training programme, 5 days before both races and 5 days after the half marathon run. After the training period plasma tissue-plasminogen activator antigen concentration was slightly decreased in both the male and female population. Plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor activity decreased significantly (p<0.01) in both groups during the course of the training programme. No effect of increased fibrinolytic activity was observed, since plasma D-dimer concentrations were not changed after the test period. In summary, the results of this study demonstrate that long-term physical conditioning leads to a marked decrease in plasminogen activator inhibitor activity, without an actual increase of fibrinolytic end-products.

Prolonged endurance exercise and blood coagulation: a 9 month prospective study

To study the long-term overall effect of physical exercise on blood coagulation, 20 sedentary males and 15 sedentary females were trained three to four times a week with increasing intensity for 9 months. After 24 and 36 weeks all subjects ran a 15 km and a half-marathon (21 km) race, respectively. Blood samples were drawn before the training programme, 5 days before both races and 5 days after the half-marathon run. Plasma factor VIII coagulant activity and von Willebrand factor antigen concentration did not increase during the training programme. In both males and females plasma fibrinogen concentration was not enhanced after 24 weeks of training but increased in preparation for the 21 km race and was still raised significantly (P < 0.01) 5 days later. No significant changes in plasma thrombin-antithrombin III concentrations were observed in either group during the training programme. The results of this study demonstrate that an exercise programme of increasing intensity induces physical stress which has significant effects on plasma fibrinogen concentrations, even at rest. However, in contrast to acute post-exercise effects, a regular physical fitness programme does not induce a long-term activation of the haemostatic system.

Carbohydrate loading in practice: high muscle glycogen concentration is not certain.

It is believed that muscle glycogen resynthesis can be stimulated by depleting the glycogen stores by heavy physical exercise and then eating a diet rich in carbohydrates. In this study, we compared muscle glycogen concentrations after two different depletion and loading procedures in six male runners. The depletion runs for the procedures were a half-marathon race and an easier fartlek. The mean muscle glycogen concentrations (+/- s.e.m.), analysed after the procedures, did not differ significantly between the race and the fartlek being 285 (+/- 25) mmol/kg d.w. (dry weight) versus 315 (+/- 32) mmol/kg d.w. (P greater than 0.05). Moreover, the subjects' glycogen concentrations were not clearly increased above the predepletion values following either procedure. The results show that higher glycogen levels do not necessarily occur after classical carbohydrate-loading procedures.

Some physiological demands of a half-marathon race on recreational runners.

The purpose of this study was to assess the physiological demands of a half-marathon race on a group of ten recreational runners (8 men and 2 women). The average running speed was 223.1 +/- 22.7 m.min-1 (mean +/- SD) for the group and this represented 79 +/- 5% VO2 max for these runners. There was a good correlation between VO2 max and performance time for the race (4 = -0.81; p less than 0.01) and an even better correlation between running speed equivalent to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol.l-1 and performance times (r = -0.877; p less than 0.01). The blood lactate concentration os 4 of the runners at the end of the race was 5.65 +/- 1.42 mmol.l-1 (mean +/- SD) and the estimated energy expenditure for the group was 6.22 M.J. While there was only a poor correlation between total energy expenditure and performance time for the race, the correlation coefficient was improved when the energy expenditure of each individual was expressed in KJ.kg-1 min-1 (r = 0.938; p less than 0.01).