Investigation Into Drug Use in Sport and Muscle Recovery Strategies - Research Proposal Example

23 April Introduction Anti-inflammatory drug use in sport NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are commonly taken by sportspersons due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain reduction) advantages. As per Plantar Facilities Rehabilitation (2008), athletes who sustained foot injuries may use anti-inflammatory medicines to help in minimising the swelling in the injured foot. Further, use of anti-inflammatory medicines may help them to forbid spreading of injuries to the other foot. For swellings in the body, athletes may take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as these chemicals will reduce the swelling on the foot (McDANIEL, L. et al 2009). Previous research studies indicate that about 50 million Americans regularly or sparingly take NSAIDs, thereby making this category of drug as one of the most widely used drug over all age groups. Some past empirical studies have demonstrated that continuous use of NSAIDs result in acute renal failures during sporting event or exercise. As per Macsearraigh et al (1979) , seven out of nine runners who suffered with renal failure during a nine-year period when they were taking some guise of analgesic. As per Seedat et al (1990), during Comrades Marathon in South Africa held in 1986, all the four runners who suffered renal failures were found to take NSAIDs. As per Vitting et al (1986) , a forty-one year old marathon runner suffered acute renal failure after engaging in a race due to use of naproxen. (Farquhar & Kenney 1997). As per Paoloni et al, (2009), NSAIDs are most commonly employed in sports medicine. NSAID have well-known analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic and antipyretic impacts and its continuous usage may result in side effects like gastrointestinal, asthma exacerbation and renal side-impacts, cardiovascular and hypertension diseases. For the treatment of muscle injuries, the use of NSAIDs are always considered to be controversial (Paoloni et al 863). The most common side effects in using NSAIDs are nausea, gastro-intestinal pain, and diarrhoea, while continuous usage may result in perforation of intestine or stomach, gastro-intestinal pain and rarely results in bronchospasm, rashes, vertigo, dizziness and photo-sensitivity .The former England Soccer Captain Gary Linker, who suffered a chronic injury informed that he had been more worried about the prolonged usage of NSAIDs. The use of phenylbutazone or famously known as “bute” , for the treatment of sports related injuries and for arthritis and this has been regarded as a mighty anti-inflammatory drug which has a toxic side-effects and some of which had fatal results. The gravest side effect in taking Bute is the retention of fluid which may precipitate cardiac failure and an interference with normal blood cell formation most commonly ending in agranulocytosis and aplastic anaemia which can arise within short interval after the commencement of treatment. In UK, Bute is now prescribed only for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis in hospital situations. Thus , many drugs which are not yet in the banned lists but are having potentially dangerous side-effects but are still used widely in the sporting contour even today.(Waddington & Smith 33). Muscle recovery strategies in exercise and sport Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) happens after a vigorous sport activity, a tough race or during a harsher training session. DOMS is experienced by upcoming and elite athletes and the indications may range from acute pain to mild tenderness, loss of power and stiffness. DOMS is categorised as type 1 muscle strain injury which is a mild strain. The lower parts of muscles will experience tenderness where they meet their tendons and gradually becomes worse in one or two days after the sporting event or exercise. This tenderness is likely to last for four to eight days. Many medical interventions are there for the speedy recovery like cold water bath, massages and compression tights. (Irishprocycling 2012). As per Barnett (2006), cryotherapy is commonly used by way of ice baths which is a famous post-exercise recovery modality employed by clinicians and athletes mainly to bring down inflammation and to speed up recovery. As per Bleakley and Davidson (2010), cryotherapy can be explained a muscle recovery strategy thereby immersing in the water below 15oC. As per Giraldo et al (2009), exercise prompts an inflammatory response which is directly proportional to the intensity, duration, and mass of muscle employed together with the damage resulting from the exercise. To investigate the muscle inflation and impairment in a laboratory background, bizarre exercise is normally employed as a means of prompting muscle injury. As per Buford et al (2009), running, especially downhill running, has a huge bizarre element and creates poignant myocyte damage inflammatory response. As per Best and Hunter (2000), myocyte damage is demonstrated by DOMS, power and strength determinants together with an increase in plasma absorptions of proteins which is normally found in the muscle cell known as creatine kinase. (Van Loon 1). As per O’Grady et al (2000) ,immediately after muscle injury , treatment for inflammation and pain is given with NSAIDs or glucocorticoids and some research studies have found that there has been beneficial impact on early healing with the prescription of NSAIDs and some studies have found that either no impact or even with a negative impact on late curative outcome. According to Beiner et al (1999), the use of glucocorticoids has been demonstrated to delay elimination of necrotic and haematoma tissue and to continue the muscle regeneration and to minimise the tensile vigour of the tissue. As per Mackey (2007), among active sport athletes, it is the usual practice to take the benefit of the analgesic properties of NSAIDs so as to prolong sports training, when witnessed with injury and to assuage DOMS. Nonetheless, there is ever increasing corroboration is available for negative impacts of NSAIDs on skeletal muscle metabolism and growth. Even though, it is proven truth that NSAIDs are an invaluable mechanism in the treatment of sports and exercise related injuries, but some research studies as to whether NSAIDs can alleviate DOMS have shown that they have no or little impact. There are very few studies available on the impact of NSAIDs in humans, but available outcomes demonstrate that negative impact on muscle protein synthesis and particularly on satellite cells. As per Trappe et al (2002), 24 hours after a chain of 100 bizarre contractions of the quadriceps, the fractional synthesis rate of mixed muscle protein was about halved by the intake of NSAIDs. As per Mackey et al (2007), as regards to satellite cells, intake of NSAIDs ended in no change in satellite number after a thirty-six km run, in opposite with a growth and regeneration, any delay or block in these processes could have outcomes for the extent of muscle regeneration and the present knowledge positively offers caution against the casual intake of NSAIDs, particularly in the treatment of DOMS. (Houston & Speed 43). Legal performance elixirs in sport’s current concepts In an appeal against WADAs ruling, the British Olympic Association during April 2012 lost its appeal as regards to lifetime Olympic ban for the athletes who were found guilty of doping crimes. Thus, this ruling has opened the gates for the athletes serving BOA bye-law forbids to compete at the London Olympics, subject to catering pertinent qualification standards. CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found that the BOA was not authorised to carry on its own policy. Since BOC is the signatory to the Code and hence , as a matter of contract law , it has consented to restrict its autonomy especially the Article 23.2.2 of the Code which demands its signatories not to add any extra provisions which could transform the substantive impact of the Code which is to complement throughout the globe , a common doping code. John Terry case which was held in September 2012 was pertaining to an incident involving Anton Ferdinand and John Terry that took place in October 2011. The incident related to abusive , insulting behaviour or words which included a reference to race or colour which was in contrary to the FA Rule E3[2]. The incident resulted in criminal trial in July 2012 where Terry was found to be not guilty and also an FA disciplinary hearing in September 2012 which ended in the suspension for four games and an award of £220,000 fine for the erstwhile England’s captain for employing insulting or abusive behaviour or words. Rio Ferdinand was also awarded fine of £ 40,000 as a result of comments published on twitter citing Coe as a “choc ice.” London 2012 Olympic also resulted in a number of interesting legal issues and one among them was selection disputes. For instance, Aaron Cook was unsuccessful in her appeal in May 2012 who had tried to confront BOAs approach to the selection process. It is alleged that there was a lack of consistency between how appeals against selection were dealt with and there was also a lack of consistency in the selection process. Even though Aaron Cook’s appeal against British Taekwondo was failed, it raised many unanswered questions like why an athlete who was world number one was not selected. Further, there is criticism against selection process as it is differed from sport to sport and for instance, in Judo, an appeal against non-selection had to be initiated before an internal appeal body whereas in fencing, appeal has to be initiated with Sports Resolution, an independent arbitral body with long standing experience in dealing with exactly this kind of subject. (Nixon2013). Aim and Objectives NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are commonly taken by sportspersons due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain reduction) advantages. The most common side effects in using NSAIDs are nausea, gastro-intestinal pain, and diarrhoea, while continuous usage may result in perforation of intestine or stomach, gastro-intestinal pain and rarely results in bronchospasm, rashes, vertigo, dizziness and photo-sensitivity. Some past empirical studies have demonstrated that continuous use of NSAIDs result in acute renal failures during sporting event or exercise. Thus, one of the main aims of this research essay is to demonstrate whether inflammatory drug use in sport will result in health disorders to athletes and sports persons? Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) happens after a vigorous sport activity, a tough race or during a harsher training session. DOMS is experienced by upcoming and elite athletes and the indications may range from acute pain to mild tenderness, loss of power and stiffness. Thus, the second research aim of the essay is to demonstrate whether muscle recovery strategies in exercise and sport is possible through the use of NSAIDs drugs? In an appeal against WADAs ruling, the British Olympic Association during April 2012 lost its appeal as regards to lifetime Olympic ban for the athletes who were found guilty of doping crimes. London 2012. London Olympic also resulted in a number of interesting legal issues and one among them was selection disputes. John Terry case related to abusive , insulting behaviour or words which included a reference to race or colour which was in contrary to the FA Rule E3[2]. The third aim of this research essay is to demonstrate whether there exists any legal performance elixirs in sport’s current concepts? Hypothesis Whether inflammatory drug use in sport will result in health disorders to athletes and sports persons? Whether muscle recovery strategies in exercise and sports is possible through the use of NSAIDs drugs? Whether there exists any legal performance elixir in sport’s current concepts? Materials and Methods The interviewees in this research study will comprise of 20 sports persons who are in the age group of 25 to 35 from UK and USA. These participants will be selected after contacting them through email or mobiles and after getting their nodes for the active participation in this research. The participants will be supplied with an information document which consists of details like the aims of the study, criteria for participation, the benefits and demerits of taking part in the research project and also assurances will be given to participants about the confidentiality. Once the respondents are selected and after they have given their consent forms, they will be regularly contacted and their queries will be answered for removing any doubts in filling up the questionnaire supplied to them. Before the initiation of the questionnaire process and after selection of respondents, ethic approval will be required from the School Research Ethics Committee. Besides the questionnaire, this research essay will be using secondary sources like past empirical studies, books written by the eminent authors on the subject, peer viewed journals to prove its aims and research questions. Works Cited Farquhar, B & Kenney, W L. “Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Kidney Function and Exercise”. SSE#67, Volume 11 (4) (1997). Huston, M & Speed, C. Sports Injuries. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2011 Irish Procycling .com. Post-exercise Muscle Soreness and Recovery Strategies. http://www.irishprocycling.com/news/tech-and-training/post-exercise-muscle-soreness-recovery-strategies McDANIEL, L. et al. (2009) Rehabilitation of Common Runners Foot Injuries [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article049.htm [Accessed 23/4/2014] Nixon, A. The Sports Lawyer’s top 5 Sports Law Cases of 2012. http://www.lawinsport.com/sports/olympic/item/the-sport-lawyers-top-5-sports-law-cases-of-2012 (5 January 2013). Paoloni, Justin Alan, et al. "Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in sports medicine: guidelines for practical but sensible use." British journal of sports medicine 43.11 (2009): 863-865. Van Loon, Luc JC. "Protein Ingestion Prior To Sleep: Potential for Optimizing Post-Exercise Recovery." Sports Science 26.117 (2013): 1-5. Waddington I & Smith A. An Introduction to Drugs in Sport. Addicted to Winning? Routledge, London, 2009. Read More