Sports Med
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In general, children and youth sports are safe. The great majority of injuries which are sustained are minor and self-limiting. Fortunately, catastrophic acute injuries such as paraplegia, quadriplegia and major limb insults are rare. ⋯ Preventative efforts must be made to provide these children with the appropriate equipment and coaching to limit the number of overuse injuries. Management of acute sports problems and rehabilitation of significant injuries are as important in childhood and youth sports as in those of their older sibs in order to prevent lifelong sequelae of musculoskeletal injury. The appropriate goal of children and youth sports must remain one of enjoyment with acquisition of sport-specific skills.
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Blockade of beta-adrenoceptors interferes with haemodynamic and metabolic adaptations and ion balance during dynamic exercise. After administration of a beta-blocker exercise heart rate is reduced. Exercise cardiac output and blood pressure are reduced also, but to a lesser extent than heart rate. ⋯ In patients with coronary artery disease the training effects are also similar in patients treated with beta-blockers and those without. The negative effects of beta-blockers on maximal and especially submaximal exercise capacity should be considered when prescribing beta-blockers to physically active hypertensive patients. The negative influence is shared by all types of beta-blockers, although the impairment of submaximal exercise capacity is more pronounced with non-selective than with beta 1-selective beta-blockers. beta-Blockers with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity have similar effects during exercise to those without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity.
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A variety of beverages formulated to provide fluid, carbohydrates, and electrolytes during and following exercise are commercially available. Such 'sport drinks' commonly contain 4 to 8% carbohydrate (as glucose, fructose, sucrose or maltodextrins) and small amounts of electrolytes (most often sodium, potassium, and chloride). The efficacy of consuming such beverages has been questioned primarily because of concern that beverage carbohydrate content may inhibit gastric emptying rate and fluid absorption during exercise, thereby jeopardizing physiological homeostasis and impairing exercise performance. ⋯ Fluid absorption in the small intestine is stimulated by glucose and sodium (and to a lesser extent by fructose and other electrolytes). Glucose and sodium are absorbed via a common membrane carrier in the mucosal epithelium of the proximal small intestine. The potentiation of sodium uptake by glucose establishes an osmotic gradient for fluid absorption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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beta-Adrenoceptor blockers (beta-blockers) are common first-choice drugs in the treatment of various cardiovascular disorders. Physical exercise performed during single-dose administration of beta-blockers, however, is associated with an increased rate of perceived exertion; an effect which appears to be partly reduced with long term treatment. Although clinical doses of beta-blockade may reduce heart rate by 30 to 35%, during maximal exercise cardiac output is not equally reduced. ⋯ Individuals receiving beta-blockade medication therefore show greater adaptive response to physical conditioning during treatment with beta 1-selective than non-selective blockade probably because of greater training intensity with the former therapy. Neither psychomotor performance nor muscular strength and power is negatively affected by beta-blockade. Nevertheless, the ability to perform athletic events requiring high levels of motor control under emotional stress but not high levels of aerobic or anaerobic energy release, is probably increased during beta-blockade.