Brandon Macias, Ph.DCompartment syndrome is a serious condition that involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment. It can lead to muscle and nerve damage and problems with blood flow, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Medline. Compartment syndrome results from an abnormal elevation of intramuscular pressure (IMP) and can be mild, chronic, or acute.  Most compartment syndrome cases occur in leg muscles.  Mild chronic compartment syndrome can be treated w...

Kyle Levers, M.S., CSCSThe repetitive and high performance demands surrounding athletes of all levels forces many to find the most effective, yet practical recovery methods.  Various types of massage therapies have been investigated and employed by many athletes due to the historical background in rehabilitation and relaxation.             A specialized type of massage used during post-exercise recovery is myofascial release. ...

Ramon Boudreaux, M.S.It is often joked that if exercise could be given as a pill it would be the most prescribed drug in the world.  While some benefits of exercise are well known (e.g., the prevention of heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity), some remain esoteric. Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones lose density by an increase in porosity, is one such example.  Low density bones are at a much higher risk of fracture.  If one were to compare the architecture of a b...

Yang Lee, M.S.Heart cells (myocytes) have distinctive shapes, structural integrity, and functions that are maintained by proteins that are part of the “cytoskeleton”. The cytoskeleton is scaffolding or framework around the cells serves to stabilize cells and tissues and regulate internal function of the cells. The dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) is a structure comprised of proteins on the outer side of the cell membrane that links the cell and its cytoskeleton to the connective...

Kyle Levers, M.S., CSCS While sports performance and training have become increasingly competitive and demanding, recovery techniques continues to rely on existing therapies.  Many athletes find water therapies helpful to hasten the recovery process in order to return to bouts of exercise sooner, while minimizing fatigue and injury.Two of the most common water immersion therapy techniques used in the recovery from fatiguing exercise are cold water immersion (cryotherapy) and contrast w...

Andrew Jagim, Ph.D, CSCSTo unlock better performance, consider the humble beverage water. It is often one of the most overlooked and underappreciated ergogenic aids in today’s world of sports. The body is made up of ~70% water, which makes hydration a vital component for success-- not only during but before and after exercise as well. Dehydration can limit performance without the proper precautions, especially in hot and humid environments. Sweat is the primary means by which body water is...

Andrew Jagim, Ph.D, CSCS  Juice, roids, gym candy, pumpers and stackers are all common nicknames for substances more technically referred to as anabolic-androgenic steroids.  Anabolic steroids are defined as any type of exogenous drug that mimics the effects of testosterone in the body.  Most people take them with the goal of increasing muscle mass, improving performance or enhancing physical appearance.  It is estimated that as many as 3 million Americans have used non-medic...

Andrew Jagim Ph.D, CSCSRunners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes are constantly looking for ways to improve their performance.  A commonly used strategy is the use of nutritional supplements to “boost” energy and enable them to perform longer and or harder before fatigue sets in.  The majority of energy used during endurance events is derived from carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates can be stored in the liver and skeletal muscle as glycogen.  When exercise lasts l...

Brad S. Lambert, Ph.D, CSCCA-SCCCHas there ever been a time when you decided to begin an exercise program or turn your current exercise program up a notch with an increase in workout time or intensity? Also, have you ever experienced prolonged muscle soreness days after doing so? If so, you have probably experienced delayed onset muscle soreness. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a phenomenon that often arises at the beginning of a new exercise training regimen or if the int...

Majid Koozehchian, M.S. In our bodies, oxygen constantly produces toxic substances called reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as oxidants. Antioxidants, biomolecules that combat oxidant damage, are produced by the body and can also be taken in supplement form. Disruption of normal cellular function by ROS is termed oxidative stress, and can be considered an imbalance between ROS production and the body’s production of antioxidants, weighted on the oxidant side (Fig.1). Low level...