TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING: EVEN MARATHONERS FACE HEALTH RISKS WARN BOSTON UNIVERSITY EXPERTS

Tuesday, April 1, 2003

Boston– Marathon runners who train too hard or arrive at the race ill-prepared can put themselves at risk for injuries or dehydration, say health experts at Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

“Marathon runners and elite athletes are sometimes people who think they need to feel pain or discomfort to have a really tough and rewarding workout,” says James Onate, an assistant professor of athletic training at Sargent College. “The mentality that more is better can be dangerous.”

Marathon runners may risk long and short-term health problems from training sessions that are too long or too frequent. Stress fractures and strained muscles are commonly reported injuries. Athletes may also report hip or knee pain that develops because the constant pounding of their feet on the pavement creates forces that run up through the body.

“Oftentimes, these minor injuries are left untreated until something more serious occurs, such as a stress fracture. The minor injuries may also contribute to articular cartilage degeneration and possibly early onset of osteoarthritis,” explains Onate.

Athletes who are conscientious during training still need to prepare properly for race day.

“Proper hydration is beneficial for athletes who want to maximize their performance,” says Robbie Durschlag, assistant professor of nutrition at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. “But drinking enough water is also essential for preventing heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and more serious medical complications.”

“The thing about dehydration is that it can happen to even the most well-trained and conditioned athlete,” explains Onate. “Runners need to stay hydrated during the days and hours leading up to the race, through the race, and afterward.”

Onate warns that athletes must also acclimate to the warmer temperatures of some race locations. For example, a runner who trains in the northeast but races in warmer climates, like Arizona or Florida, must compensate by increasing water and electrolyte intake and arriving days, and possibly weeks, before the race to properly acclimate to the environmental surroundings.

Durschlag and Onate agree that athletes competing in a marathon should drink a sports drink through the duration of the event. The carbohydrate in the drink improves performance by delaying the onset of fatigue. The sodium improves the taste of the drink.

Ideally, the drink should contain 10 to 20 grams of carbohydrate and 120 to 170 milligams of sodium per 8 ounces. Athletes should consume approximately 2 to 5 cups of the drink every hour. Thirst, headache, weakness, muscle cramps and decreased performance are signs that dehydration is already at work.

Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is an institution of higher education and research whose premier academic programs prepare dynamic health professionals and whose research and leadership is the health and rehabilitation sciences is actively shaping health care. For more information about Sargent College and to learn about their degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, communication disorders, health sciences, athletic training, nutrition, and rehabilitation counseling, visit http://www.bu.edu/sargent.