Reaching Optimal Performance Drug Free
FEATURE
Doug Obetz
DC
Track and field athletes are always looking for ways to shave off precious seconds on their times. Some turn to performance-enhancing drugs to improve their body’s performance. Research published in the New York Times states that 29% of track and field athletes who participated in the 2011 World Championships admitted in an anonymous survey to having used banned performance-enhancing drugs within the previous 12 months. To prevent cheating, some have recommended harsher penalties. However, if we want to clean up track and field, it starts with teaching young athletes how to take care of their bodies.
Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I grew up as an athlete. I wrestled in high school and went on to be a three-time letter winner at Rutgers University. However, my regiment for losing weight and wrestling through injuries destroyed my body. During my freshman year at Rutgers, I was able to wrestle seven minutes and be ready for the next match. By the time my senior year came around, I could barely wrestle for 30 seconds.
While attending Rutgers University, I spent many hours in the physical therapy field and was introduced to chiropractic care. My eyes were opened to how wrong my approach to health and recovery had been. I learned how important it is to take care of the body and that it starts with the right nutrition, the proper alignment and support, and flexibility. With these as the foundation for any training program, the body can do amazing things.
Nutrition
Eating the right food is vital for any athlete to achieve optimal performance and recover from injuries. Data shows that empty calories from added sugars and solid fats contribute to 40% of total daily calories for children 18 years old and younger.1 Half of these empty calories come from soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk.1 Studies show that poor nutrition has roughly three times the impact on health as low to no fitness.2 Without the proper nutrients, muscles become weak, increasing the risk of injury. With the right nutrients, the body can strengthen and rebuild muscles to respond and perform.
Staying hydrated is crucial to performance as well. The human body is made up of 60% water.3 Fluids help regulate body temperature, blood volume, and help in the movement and transport of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. This allows the body to remove metabolic waste, support healthy muscle contractions, and prevent decreases in physical and mental performance due to dehydration. A 2011 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that even mild dehydration in men reduced vigilance and memory and increased tension, anxiety, and fatigue.
Alignment and Support
Alignment of the musculoskeletal structure is critical for proper nerve, joint, and soft tissue function. The nervous system controls every cell, tissue, and organ in the body.4 Chiropractic adjustments align the body for proper biomechanics and joint motion. This helps with nerve flow and allows the body to work efficiently, minimizing stress and irritation.
When the body is not fully aligned, it can lead to poor posture including uneven shoulder heights, one leg being shorter than the other, and tilting of the hips. This creates stress on the body and forces the muscles and joints to work harder to propel the body forward.
To help my adjustments hold longer and keep my athlete’s bodies aligned, I prescribe custom orthotics. (Foot Levelers has been innovative with their custom orthotics and have worked great with my track and field athletes.) The prescription custom inserts help correct imbalances in the feet giving my athlete’s bodies the support they need in helping their bodies stay aligned for optimal performance.
Flexibility
Good flexibility increases an athlete’s range of motion, enhances performance, and reduces the risk of injury. Tight muscles prevent the joints from reaching their full range of motion, which can lead to pain and injury.4 If an athlete’s calf muscles are tight, their ankle range of motion will be limited. This results in the athlete not being able to flex their foot enough to get all the power on push off that is critical for a quick start. Flexibility allows better movement and helps joints heal and regenerate, restores posture, and improves control. It also increases the body’s endurance because muscles can work with greater ease and efficiency.5
Results
Since high school, I knew I wanted to be in the healthcare field. At Rutgers, I realized I could help athletes by helping them take care of their bodies. After graduating from Rutgers University, I trained as a Physical Therapy Assistant at VA medical centers and went on to graduate from New York College of Chiropractic. Eventually, I opened my own practice in Northern Virginia and started working with local high school athletes on the importance of what they were eating, their aligmuent and support, and their flexibility. The results speak for themselves.
Six years ago, I was introduced to Noah and Josephus Lyles, two brothers who are track and field athletes. I have been responsible for their nutrition, chiropractic care, stretching, and acute care since their freshman year in high schook Due to their great success, Noah and Josephus both signed multiyear contracts to run professionally with Adidas.
Now in their second year as professional track and field athletes, Noah and Josephus are making a name for themselves on the world stage. Josephus, the younger brother, is beginning to make his impact. Noah, now in his second year, has already broken a world record and is the fastest 300m indoor sprinter. He had the fastest time in the outdoor world 200m in 2018, and twice bested Usain Bolt's gold medal-winning mark in the 200m race from the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. All with the proper nutrition, alignment and support, and flexibility as their foundation.
Track and field athletes will always look for the advantage to be faster. The train harder, push through, and win at all cost mentality is destructive. By teaching young athletes the importance of nutrition, alignment and support, and flexibility, we can help them reach optimal performance by taking care of their bodies, not destroying them. As Noah and Josephus’ stories unfold on the world stage, the world will get to see the amazing things the body can do with the proper care and support drug free.
References
1. Reedy J, Krebs-Smith SM. Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among children and adolescents in the United States. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 110, Issue 10, Pages 1477-1484, October 2010. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20869486.
2. Murray, C. J., Lopez, A., & Mokdad, A. (2017, January 27). Dietary risks are leading cause of disease burden in the US and contributed to more health loss in 2010 than smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Retrieved November 7, 2018, from http://www.healthdata.org/news-release/dietaryrisks-are-leading-cause-disease-burden-us-and-contributedmore-health-loss-2010
3. Perlman, Howard. 'The Water in You." Adhesion and Cohesion Water Properties, USGS Water Science Schook USGS Water Science School, 23 July 2018, water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou. html.
4. “Nervous System.*’ Science Clarified, www.scienceclarified. com/Mu-Oi/Nervous-System.html.Haley, Jimmy. 'The Importance of Flexibility and Mobility.” SiOWfal5 Science in Our World Certainty and Controversy, Penn State Kinesiology, 31 Oct. 2016, sites.psu.edu/kinescfw/health-education/exercisearticles/the-importance-of-flexibility-and-mobility/.
5. “Flexibility.” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, web.mit. edu/tkd/stretch/stretching_3. html.
Doug Obetz, DC, sports-focusedpractice works with many elite adolescent athletes in helping them achieve their optimal performance. For more information on Dr. Obetz and his practice visit www. DrObetz.com
