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This blog post was written by guest contributor Angie Asche MS, RD, CSSD of Eleat Sports Nutrition.

The consumption of plant foods (i.e. vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds) has significant health benefits. Vegetarians and vegans, whose diets are primarily made up of plants, are shown to be at reduced risk of certain health conditions such as ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity. There is evidence that high consumption of plant foods decreases the risk of several health concerns. Yet, the consumption of plant foods in the United States is far below federal guidelines. According to the CDC, only 9% of U.S. adults meet the recommended daily vegetable intake (2–3 cups), and just 12% meet the recommended fruit intake (1.5–2 cups).

Plant based diets for athletes have grown in popularity, as several elite athletes have adopted a plant based lifestyle in recent years. Some studies have proposed this way of eating could offer potential performance benefits for athletes. The antioxidant (polyphenols), micronutrient, and carbohydrate rich foods typical of plant based diets may assist an athlete’s training and enhance recovery. Plant based diets also contain high-carbohydrate food sources such as whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables, which are the primary sources of energy used during aerobic physical activity.

While there is no strict definition of a ‘plant based’ diet, it is typically described as making nutrient-rich plant foods the foundation of your diet while limiting your intake of highly processed foods and animal products. Athletes who maintain a plant based diet may identify as vegan, meaning they do not consume any animal products. Veganism is a lifestyle, as many people who follow a vegan diet do not use products containing parts of an animal (i.e., leather, wool) and do not use products tested on animals. But not all plant based diets for athletes are vegan, as some athletes still consume small amounts of meat, fish, dairy, or eggs on occasion. For individuals considering a plant based diet, a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the largest barrier to success was a lack of information. This is where you, as a health professional, play a vital role when working with athletes. You will need to provide clear guidance and education on how to properly execute this way of eating while ensuring optimal health and performance. Here are five tips for creating a plant based diet for athletes:

1. Don’t Push an All-Or-Nothing Regimen

Often misinterpreted as strict elimination of all animal products, athletes may feel they have to be entirely vegan to consume a more plant based diet. Eliminating meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy at once can feel overwhelming and unrealistic, prompting some athletes to turn away from plant based diets. However, it’s important to inform athletes the focus should not necessarily be to demonize all meat and fish, but rather to put an even larger emphasis on consuming more plants (i.e. vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds). Athletes may eat a primarily plant based diet, while also incorporating fish, eggs, and poultry on occasion. Research suggests many of the potential benefits that come from consuming a vegetarian or vegan diet may be achieved by eating more high quality plant foods with less of an emphasis on meat. According to the literature, it is the increased quantity of plant products that bring you health benefits, not the complete elimination of meat. Encourage athletes that transitioning to a plant based diet doesn’t mean they can never eat eggs or meat again. Help the athlete work towards increasing their consumption of vegetables, nuts, or legumes by educating them on simple substitutions they can make. A plant based diet is not an all-or-nothing regimen regime, but rather a way of eating that is tailored to each individual.

2. Suggest Small, Realistic Changes

The first step in simplifying an athlete’s transition to a plant based diet is by making small modifications to the meals they already enjoy. Athletes will have a higher chance to succeed long-term, rather than being tasked with making vegan queso from scratch on day one. By first learning more about what they’re already eating, you can find simple ways for them to boost their intake of plant foods. It’s also a great opportunity to explain that just because something is vegan doesn’t mean it’s a nutritious plant based option – for example, soda or potato chips. While technically not containing any animal products, there are better options for optimal health and performance.

A few examples:

• Suggest they add avocado to their sandwiches in place of American cheese
• Encourage them to snack on fresh fruit and mixed nuts between meals, instead of cheese crackers or potato chips
• Tally how many total servings of vegetables they eat per day, and increase it by 1–2 to start
• If they lack variety in their diet, have them try one new plant food each week that they either have never tried before or aren’t very familiar with (ex: lentils, tofu, eggplant) and walk them through the basics on how to prepare it.

3. Advise Adequate Protein from Plants

Athletes require more protein than non-athletic populations, with a recommended range of 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day. Animal proteins contain a greater biological value than plant sources, containing all the essential amino acids. However, protein from a variety of plant foods consumed throughout the day provides enough of all essential amino acids when calorie needs are met. To ensure a plant based athlete is meeting protein needs, recommend high protein plant foods such as soy products (tempeh, tofu, edamame), beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and quinoa. Supplemental protein powder in the form of peas and rice may also be a way to consume more protein quickly and efficiently post-workout.

4. Educate on Micronutrients in Whole Food Sources

As stated by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, appropriately planned plant based diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate. They may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. When proper nutrition education and guidance are provided, vegan or vegetarian diets can absolutely still meet the dietary needs of athletes. Educating the athlete on vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) that they should be aware of in whole food sources will help to ensure they meet their needs; of most concern include vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D. Begin by first analyzing their current nutrition and dietary restrictions to see where they may be able to make improvements, or where they may be falling short. This analysis will help determine which nutrients need the most attention. For example, if the athlete does not consume any dairy, eggs, or fish, recommend they take a daily vitamin B12 supplement and possibly a vitamin D supplement as well. If they are not consuming adequate iron daily, suggest they increase their intake of plant sources such as legumes, grains, nuts, seeds, fortified foods, and green vegetables. Non-haem iron is the primary source of iron in the vegan diet, which is less bioavailable than haem iron found in animal products. However, the bioavailability of non-haem iron can be enhanced by consuming ascorbic acid (vitamin C) during a meal containing iron. Some examples containing vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries or kiwifruit. If the athlete does not consume dairy products, plant sources containing calcium include tofu, fortified plant milks and juice, broccoli, and leafy greens such as kale. Plant sources containing zinc include beans, nuts, seeds, oats, and wheat germ.

Along with the mentioned vitamins and minerals, another nutrition consideration when creating a plant based diet for athletes is omega-3 fatty acids. Intakes of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are lower in vegetarians and not at all present in vegans. If the athlete chooses not to eat any animal sources of omega-3s, such as fatty fish, be sure to educate them on plant sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that will be converted in the body to EPA and DHA. Plant sources of ALA include flax, chia, hemp, walnuts, and their oils.

5. Ensure Energy Needs Are Met

A negative energy balance occurs when an athlete’s caloric intake is lower than their energy expenditure. This may result in weight loss in the form of both fat and lean muscle mass, or in case of low energy availability, may increase the athlete’s risk of serious long-term consequences such as low bone mineral density and an increased risk of injury and illness. These concerns are especially common in endurance athletes and athletes in aesthetic sports (ex: dance, figure skating, gymnastics). Athletes with high volumes of training may find it challenging to consume the calories they need to ensure energy balance, and data indicates vegans, in particular, consume fewer calories than omnivores, especially from protein and fat. Another concern is that vegan and vegetarian diets are typically high in fiber. While fiber provides many health benefits, it also promotes early satiety, which can make it difficult for athletes to maintain a high-calorie diet or gain weight. A few solutions to lessen these concerns are to analyze the athlete’s daily energy intake and compare to their overall energy needs based on their personal goals and training load. If they are in a negative energy balance, work together to find ways to ensure energy needs are met. This may be accomplished by increasing the number of times they eat per day, increasing the consumption of calorie-dense foods such as nuts, seeds, and oils or by increasing portion sizes at each meal.

Encourage the athletes you work with to make small positive changes with their nutrition. Work together with them on creating simple solutions that will help increase their intake of plant foods each day. As mentioned, research shows the most significant barrier to individuals trying to adhere to a plant based diet was a lack of information. That’s where you, as a professional in the health industry, play a huge role. Always be sure to recognize when athletes need more individualized and specific advice from a trained registered dietitian (RD) or board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD).

Take your knowledge of health and wellness to the next level by earning an online exercise science master’s degree from Concordia University, St. Paul. Utilizing a combination of theoretical inquiry and practical application, you’ll gain insight into exercise testing and prescription within diverse populations. And because of its convenient online format, you can earn your degree on a schedule that fits into your busy life.  Take a look at CSP’s new sports nutrition playbook for trainers for more about improving athletic performance.

Angie Asche is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) and a certified exercise physiologist (ACSM-CEP). You can follow her on her blog and Instagram @eleatnutrition

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Patrick Devenny was a NCAA Division I football player about to enter Pro Day, where he would undergo an in-depth body screening by NFL scouts. At a time when he should have been pleased with his career as a student-athlete and excited about the prospect of potentially playing in the NFL, he was overcome with anxiety.

In an interview in Born Fitness, he described what he would be facing. “You walk into a room full of scouts, and you’re shirtless, and they’re grabbing every inch of your body, measuring body fat, measuring your hands, doing all this stuff.” Wanting to get his body in shape for the scouts, he unknowingly and dangerously developed an eating disorder. His mental and physical health suffered, and he began losing strength and experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Devenny’s story is tragically becoming more and more common. Eating disorders in athletes have become more prevalent, and it’s time to address the problem.

Breaking Down the Issue of Eating Disorders in Athletes

Before attention can be given to the ways that athletes are affected by and suffer from eating disorders, it’s helpful to unpack the different kinds of eating disorders that commonly affect people more generally.

The National Institute of Mental Health described eating disorders as “serious and often fatal illnesses that are associated with severe disturbances in people’s eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions.” In its evaluation and treatment options, it focused on anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

• Anorexia Nervosa: Often conflated with body dysmorphia, people who suffer from anorexia view their bodies “as overweight, even when they are dangerously underweight.” With the highest mortality rate of all eating disorders, those suffer from this illness deprive their bodies of necessary nutrition as means of losing weight.
• Bulimia Nervosa: People with bulimia nervosa typically follow a binge-purge cycle, where “binge-eating is followed by behavior that compensates for the overeating, such as forced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, excessive exercise, or a combination of these behaviors.” In addition to the intestinal and digestive, those with bulimia usually have complications in other parts of the body as the stomach acid burns away enamel in teeth and inflames the throat.
• Binge-Eating Disorder: Sometimes referred to as stress-eating, people who are affected by binge-eating disorder lose control over their food consumption and eat too much. As a result, people with the illness are commonly overweight or obese.

Athletes suffer from each of these disorders at a disproportionately higher rate than people outside of competitive activity. This growing trend has begun to receive attention in scholarly, governmental, medical, and news circles. The NCAA unpacked some of the conditions that lead an athlete to develop an eating disorder. They attribute the growing rate to four major issues:

1. Pervasiveness of the problem: Eating disorders have become increasingly more commonplace because of the growing use of unrealistic body types in the media. The NCAA said this problem extends to and is even amplified in the world of sports. It is especially concerning in “sports for which a thin/lean body or low weight is believed to provide a biomechanical advantage in performance or in the judging of performance.”
2. Genetic predisposition: An unexpected risk factor for athletes with eating disorders could be their genetic makeup. Like with substance abuse or other mental illnesses, an athlete’s genetic predisposition could make them much more likely to be affected by an eating disorder.
3. Social and cultural comparisons: Outside of sports, athletes may feel external pressures from social and cultural norms. The NCAA clarified that genetic traits could provide a foundation for the development of eating disorders in athletes, “but sociocultural pressures can precipitate it.”
4. Sport-specific pressures: Eating disorders have become increasingly common in athletes in part because of the intense demands that competition brings. The NCAA stated that the nature of competition often calls on athletes to trim weight or to reach a weight threshold, depending on the sport. As a result, athletes feel significantly more pressure to address their weight through unhealthy, potentially dangerous ways.

As in the world outside of sports, female athletes are more likely to be affected by an eating disorder than their male counterparts. The National Eating Disorders Association gave context to the ways that female athletes suffer from eating disorders disproportionately more than males. The organization states that female athletes are more vulnerable to three primary risk factors: external social pressures to maintain thinness, competition stress, participating in and negatively reflecting on athletic performance.

These factors that lead to eating disorders in athletes have started to receive scholarly attention, too. A 2019 article in the Journal of Sports Medicine explores how, in the case of NCAA Division I distance and track athletes, competitors were much more likely to develop an eating disorder. Researchers administered the Eating Disorder Screen for Primary Care 638 student-athletes of both sexes and found “that, among distance runners, both males and females are at risk of eating disorders, with females being at higher risk.” While the research in this study focused on one sport, it’s still helpful in understanding how athletes in other competitions can suffer from eating disorders.

Giving Support to Athletes with Eating Disorders

As the problem of eating disorders in athletes continues to grow, it’s necessary for coaches and medical staff to construct and implement both screening and treatment practices. A 2016 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine provided a call to action to help navigate the problems of eating disorders in athletes by “using evidence-based guidelines for clearance and return to play.” In doing so, after an athlete has been positively screened for having an eating disorder, the athlete, coach, and team physician can work together to adopt the best treatment course. Building this culture of transparency and openness within a team or among athletes can play a critical role in making athletes with eating disorders feel more comfortable about asking for help. This is an increasingly important measure for sports organizations to adopt, since it can act as an effective prescriptive measure in building a safe environment for athletes.

Similarly, Ruben Castaneda of U.S. News reported on effective treatment practices for competitors suffering from eating disorders. He found that after the coaching staff and the athlete with the eating disorder are made aware of the fatal severity of the problem, they need to seek out professional medical and psychological help. Specifically, Castaneda writes that “athletes with eating disorders should try to find health care providers who understand that being an athlete is an important part of your life.” Therapists who have experience working specifically with athletes will know the nuances of the demands of competition, and as a result, their treatment plans will prove much more effective.

To best navigate the growing problem of eating disorders in athletes, prospective coaching and training staff should consider learning more from professionals with direct experience in the field. As future trainers and coaches begin to understand the needs of athletes with eating disorders, they’ll be able to create treatment plans specific to their sport and to their organization. One of the best options in this capacity is to pursue an online B.A. in Exercise Science.

At Concordia St. Paul University, students are given the unique option to concentrate on kinesiology concepts in human movement, exercise and management. The flexible, 100% online also helps students balance their work and life commitments while they pursue a career in training, coaching, fitness, health and wellness, and rehabilitation sciences. Look into the program today, and plan how you’ll most effectively support your athletes.

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Sports performance isn’t limited to athletic skill and fitness. As a trainer, you need to be aware of factors that influence your clients’ performance and overall health.

One commonly forgotten piece of the puzzle is sleep. Multiple studies have demonstrated that athletes don’t obtain the recommended amount of sleep and have issues with sleep quality, according to Current Sports Medicine Reports. Yet, sleep is an “integral part of the recovery and adaptive process between bouts of exercise, [and] accumulating evidence suggests that increased sleep duration and improved sleep quality in athletes are associated with improved performance and competitive success.”

Sports nutrition also plays an important role in athletic performance at any level of competition. Researchers in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism had non-elite runners complete a time trial and then separated them into two groups, with one group of runners with a self-chosen nutritional strategy and another group of runners with a scientific nutritional strategy. Seven weeks later, the latter groups of runners completed a marathon nearly 5% faster than the former group. A similar study in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism used endurance-trained cyclists and found that the self-chosen nutrition strategy offered an approximate 6% edge over a self-chosen nutrition strategy.

The link between nutrition and performance is embraced at the highest levels of sports. When six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin was with the LA Clippers, he was interviewed about how the their nutritionist, Meg Mangano, impacted the team. He was quick to credit taking nutrition seriously as vital for getting every advantage possible. “When guys might be gassed at the end of games and not have enough fuel left in the tank, I feel like the planning and the preparing [Mangano has done] . . . definitely gives guys the advantage going into that fourth quarter or going into overtime — whatever it is — when everybody’s starting to run out [of energy],” Griffin added.

The athletes you help train can obtain that competitive advantage. When they take nutrition, hydration, recovery, and topics like supplements more seriously, their fitness and athletic performance should improve. They’ll also reduce their risk of injury and illness.

Basic Nutrition for Athletes: A Look at Foods

You’ll need a strong foundation in sports nutrition to provide even basic advice to clients. Whether they’re having trouble achieving a fitness goal or asking direct questions about sports nutrition, knowledge about energy and nutrition is essential to helping athletes perform their best in the gym and in competitions.

Energy Requirements

Athletes need to get the proper energy and fuel to cover their individual needs. One of the first things to do when examining someone’s eating habits is to ensure they’re getting enough energy.

Some athletes frequently restrict their energy intake. It’s most common in endurance sports, aesthetic sports (like gymnastics, diving, and ballet), and weight-category sports, according to Gillian Horgan in her chapter on sports nutrition in Sports Dentistry: Principles and Practice. The literature shows that those athletes — particularly female athletes — reduce their energy intake by up to 30% of what’s recommended for them. If that happens, their total energy intake minus the energy used may result in insufficient energy needed for health, growth, and development. Reproductive and immune systems can be harmed, and eating disorders can develop as well. Note that eating disorders impact athletes at a higher rate than non-athletes and risk is highest in aesthetic and weight-category sports.

Energy requirements can vary for each athlete. Or, in even more nuanced language, energy requirements can vary for athletes in different sports, for athletes in the same sport, and in different times of an athlete’s systematic training program, according to Louise Burke in Present Knowledge in Nutrition, 10th Edition. In her chapter on sports nutrition, she illustrated what the extremes in energy intake look like for various athletes.

• Low End of the Energy Spectrum: Sports focusing on brief moments of skill or technique instead of prolonged movement (e.g., archery or shooting), those that require maintaining low body mass or fat levels (i.e., weight-division sports or physique-conscious sports), and those involving both of the previous characteristics (e.g., gymnastics or horse racing).
• High End of the Energy Spectrum: Athletes in sports that involve prolonged sessions of high-intensity exercise (e.g., cyclists in a stage rage), those needing growth, large muscle mass, or intentional muscle-gain programs (e.g., football and adolescent basketball players), and those involving both of the previous characteristics (e.g., heavyweight rowers).

Determining the amount of energy for different athletes should be calculated by a skilled, experienced sports nutritionist. The energy reference values from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition can be used in that process. Higher-level athletes can benefit from prediction equations for basal metabolic rate (BMR) and physical activity level (PAL), and then energy intake can be calculated from body size, age, and gender.

For athletes not competing at high levels, accurate measurements of values previously mentioned may not be necessary. For reference, basic examples of daily carbohydrate requirements are provided in the section on carbohydrates. But overall, for lower-level athletes, sufficient energy intake can be indicated by a stable body weight. If the weight is in the right range and the athletes is consuming a wide range of healthy foods, the energy intake is likely appropriate. A change in weight higher or lower can indicate a difference between energy consumed and expended.

Specific Nutrients

Nutritious foods containing macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) provide energy, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) optimize health. When they’re brought together with the proper fluids in a healthy diet, it results in optimal training and performance for athletes.

Your primary goal here is to understand nutrients’ role in the body and being able to recommend foods and strategies to support nutritional requirements for those nutrients. The following sections will serve as a primer to the common macronutrients and micronutrients.

Carbohydrates

The most important foods for fueling the body during exercise are carbohydrates. They’re the only way to support moderate- to high-intensity exercise, and carbohydrates (glucose) also fuel the brain.

Carbohydrates are stored in the liver and muscles. The body has a limited supply of carbohydrates, and the body quickly uses that supply during exercise. As a result, it’s important for athletes to concentrate on carbohydrates before, during, and after training and competitions. Extra fuel consumption is typically necessary for prolonged exercise — endurance events lasting more than 90 minutes and team or multi-sprint sports lasting more than 60 minutes.

Prior to training and competitions, athletes should begin with an appropriate amount of carbohydrates. For events lasting more than an hour, athletes should try to begin competition with the right amount of carbohydrates, according to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) statement from the third Consensus Conference on Sports Nutrition. During exercise, consuming carbohydrates made up of different types of sugars (given maximum oxidation rates for glucose and fructose, at 60 grams and 30 grams per hour, respectively) can help provide extra energy and boost physical and cognitive performance.

Athletes and people who exercise regularly need to achieve daily carbohydrate amounts. Instead of using a percentage of total energy intake, recommendations follow grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of the individual’s body weight. General guidelines are available from the IOC, which should be used alongside total energy needs, training needs, and feedback from training.

• Low-intensity or Skill-based Activities: Three to five grams/kilogram of body weight per day.
• Moderate Exercise Program (around one hour per day): Five to seven grams per kilogram of body weight per day.
• Endurance Program (one to three hours per day of moderate-high intensity): Six to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.
• Extreme Commitment (four to five hours per day of moderate-high intensity): Eight to 12 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

Several foods are rich in carbohydrates, including pasta, potatoes, rice, cereals, along with other grains like quinoa, barley, and wheat. Those foods are high in B vitamins that help with B vitamins used for energy production. Additionally, a lot of fruits and some vegetables are high in concentrates as well as vitamin C (for the immune system). “Carbohydrates are not all created equal,” warned Jeffrey Bytomski in Sports Health. “Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes are highly nutritious foods that are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, while processed sugars abundant in the Western diet can be quite detrimental to health.”

Protein

Protein supports metabolic adaptation, repair, and remodeling. It also can be used for energy after carbohydrates stores are used up. Protein is a major focus for athletes wanting to increase muscle mass and strength, as it along with resistance training stimulates muscle protein synthesis.

Athletes need more protein than the general public. Sedentary individuals need about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Athletes need 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram per body weight, but higher values are not uncommon for strength training, recovering from injury, and other circumstances. Approximately 15% to 30% of athletes’ calories should come from protein sources, Bytomski added.

Good protein sources include lean meats and fish, eggs, dairy products (cottage cheese, Greek yogurt), cereals, and some vegetables. Vegan athletes can consider lentils, chickpeas, tempeh, black beans, quinoa, and almonds.

Fats

Fats serve a wide range of functions. They give the body energy, support cell growth, protect organs, factor into brain health, and produce hormones, among other reasons.

Fat requirements for athletes are similar to that of the rest of the population. Generally, athletes should aim for healthy fats to comprise 20% to 35% of total daily calories. Trans fats should be avoided, and saturated fats should be less than 10% of total consumption.

The focus should be on omega-3 fats and other unsaturated fats. Those foods include seeds, nuts, and oily fish like salmon, fresh tuna, sardines, and mackerel, in addition to spreads and oils that use predominantly unsaturated fat sources.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are involved in energy production, bone health, the immune system, synthesis of hemoglobin, and defending against oxidative damage. Most athletes don’t need higher levels of micronutrients than the general population, so they should be able to obtain enough micronutrients as part of their eating plan.

Athletes should be evaluated if a deficiency is suspected. Some athletes can benefit from a micronutrient supplement, and some athletes may look at supplements of a certain vitamin to correct a clinical deficiency — typically iron, calcium, and vitamin D. Those micronutrients join antioxidants as the most important micronutrients for sports nutrition.

• Iron: Iron is needed for forming hemoglobin and myoglobin, two important proteins responsible for oxygen transport. Iron depletion is the most common nutrient deficiency in female athletes, especially is they are vegetarian or vegan. Feeling unusually tired is a symptom of iron deficiency.
• Calcium: Calcium is involved in bone health, muscle contraction, and blood clotting. Most people get enough calcium, but female athletes are prone to low bone mineral density, especially if they avoid dairy foods that contain calcium. Calcium and vitamin D help prevent low bone mineral density and potential stress fractures.
• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and bone health. Children and adults should have 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day, but there aren’t many foods containing vitamin D — oily fish, some breakfast cereals, and fortified margarines and milks. Vitamin D synthesis occurs when sunlight hits the skin, which makes a vitamin D supplement something to consider for athletes in northern regions or those who often train indoors (especially gymnasts, swimmers, and ice skaters).
• Antioxidants: When oxygen is consumed in muscles during exercise, free radicals (unstable atoms that can damage cells) can overwhelm antioxidants, which are compounds that prevent related cell damage. Common antioxidants include glutathione, vitamins C and E, β‐carotene, and selenium, which are found in a number of fruits and vegetables. Athletes may be at risk of poor antioxidant intake if they limit their consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, follow a low-fat diet, or restrict their overall energy intake. There’s limited evidence that antioxidant supplements enhance athletic performance, but they may be beneficial for athletes who are recovering from an injury.

Proper Hydration for Athletes

Obtaining enough fluids and electrolytes is a major concern during exercise and athletic competition. Proper hydration for athletes optimizes performance and helps for physiological functions like transporting nutrients around the body and thermoregulation. If athletes don’t receive proper hydration, performance suffers and risk of heat illness increases.

Losing more than 2% of body weight through sweating impairs performance and cognitive function. Care should be taken in cold climates where heavier breathing and insulated warm clothing can increase sweat loss. Additionally, cold drinks are consumed less, and athletes may avoid urination due to the need to take off layers of clothing. Higher fluid loss is also more common when training at altitude.

Practical measures can help ensure adequate hydration for athletes. The simplest may be monitoring acute changes in body weight. As long as athletes are getting enough to eat and drink, weight changes can indicate possible degree of hydration. Another practical way to monitor proper hydration for athletes is through a urine index, such as a color chart. Some variation of the chart below is used in many elite sports bathrooms across collegiate and professional facilities. If athletes’ pee is in the range of No. 1 through No.3, hydration is adequate.

According to Bytomski, athletes should aim for 12 to 20 ounces of water or a sports drink before exercising and eight ounces just prior to events. During exercise, six to 12 ounces of water or a sports drink should be consumed every 15 to 30 minutes. After exercise, 16 to 24 ounces of fluid should be consumed for every pound lost during the event.

Recovery Nutrition for Athletes

Recovery is a broad subject that, like everyday nutritional needs, can vary based on specific athletes. Higher-level athletes should have recovery plans that are developed by experienced sports nutritionists. But even recreational athletes who undergo training once or twice a day to train for an endurance event like a marathon will need to approach recovery strategically.

Generally speaking, the most important consideration for athletes is carbohydrate and protein supply. Timing dictates whether athletes need to replace those nutrients immediately. It’s not necessary if the next workout or event is within eight hours away. But if time between exercises is shorter, recovery food and drinks are recommended. Athletes should aim for 1 and 1.2 carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight and around 20 grams of protein for recovery.

Athletes should consider milk-based protein after resistance exercise for building muscle strength and achieving desirable changes in body composition. Nutrition Bulletin pointed out that based on growing research, milk-based proteins like casein and whey are most effective for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, and they offer an anabolic advantage over soy protein due to a higher proportion of essential amino acids. Several studies have demonstrated the value of milk over soy protein, carbohydrate drinks, sports drinks, or water for objectives like gains in lean muscle mass, recovery from muscle-damaging exercise, and performance in peak torque and total force. Milk also has high electrolyte content to aid fluid retention and other benefits after exercise.

“Overall, the evidence increasingly shows milk to be an effective natural sports drink and as such there is great potential for the development of the role of dairy products in nutritional strategies for athletes and sportspeople,” Nutrition Bulletin added. “Furthermore, milk also provides positive nutrition and health benefits for active children and teenagers in terms of calcium intake and bone health, and could replace the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages around exercise such as energy and sports drinks.”

Supplements for Athletes

It’s true that some supplements — caffeine, sports drinks/gels, and creatine — can be effective for athletes in conjunction with a healthy eating plan. However, the use of supplements for athletes should be monitored carefully by an experienced sports nutritionist or dietician.

In many cases, supplements aren’t needed, and the IOC has said their use for youth athletes should be discouraged. Many athletes can receive the nutritional value they need from a well-chosen eating plan. Athletes at various levels should also be aware of the reality of the supplements’ effectiveness and the dangers involved.

“Of the many different dietary ergogenic aids available to athletes, a very small number may enhance performance for some athletes when used in accordance with current evidence under the guidance of a well-informed professional,” according to the IOC. “Athletes contemplating the use of supplements and sports foods should consider their efficacy, their cost, the risk to health and performance, and the potential for a positive doping test.”

The NCAA added that 15% to 25% of over-the-counter supplements contained a banned ingredient not on the product label. There’s an even greater risk for products marketed toward sports performance that can undermine athletic eligibility in collegiate sports and athletes’ health.

Approaching Sports Nutrition as a Trainer

Helping the athletes you work with goes behind working out. You’re in a great position to provide insight into sports nutrition basics that can help athletes — even children, adolescents, and casual athletes — get that extra boost to their performance and overall health.

Focus on the basics. Encourage athletes to get enough energy for their needs and to concentrate on healthy eating habits. From proper hydration and recovery to avoiding supplements in most situations, you can be there to provide guidance in an area that is easily overlooked. Always be sure to recognize when athletes need specific advice from a trained, experienced nutritionist or dietician.

You can enhance your effectiveness as a current or prospective trainer by learning more about sports nutrition. Start by earning your exercise science degree online from Concordia University, St. Paul. The fully online program will prepare you for positions in coaching, fitness and wellness centers, health and wellness education, personal training, and rehabilitation sciences.

As a flexible, 100% online program, you’ll have the opportunity to continue your work and life commitments while you pursue your degree. At Concordia Saint Paul, you’ll have the ability to explore exciting topics in exercise science, like biomechanics, sports psychology, and human growth, to name only a few.

After graduation, you’ll be set up for success in a variety of potential career paths. Of our graduates, 95% receive employment offers in the year after graduation, and those graduates statistically end up earning 44% more than the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

You have the power to join a dynamic and actively evolving field. Get started with CSP.

Download A Sports Nutrition Playbook for Trainers as a PDF.

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Intermittent fasting has exploded as a weight-loss trend. It’s become widely adopted by both celebrities and everyday dieters, and now it’s starting to garner attention in the academic world. Because of this attention, it’s important to unpack what intermittent fasting for athletes might entail. Their bodies require different – and often significantly more – nutritional intake, so it’s important to unpack how intermittent fasting might affect performance.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Before adequate attention can be given to how intermittent fasting influences the performance of athletes, it’s helpful to understand the diet plan’s origins and functions.

The dietary sensation began in 2012 when the BBC’s Michael Mosely explored popular research being conducted about the health benefits of fasting. As he created his documentary, which required him to try the diet, he discovered that his overall cholesterol levels improved and that his “risk of contracting age-related diseases like cancer and diabetes” decreased dramatically. As a result, Britain and eventually the world would pick up the trend.

The specifics about intermittent fasting require a little more attention, though. A. Pawlowski of Today has unpacked the essentials for how intermittent fasting typically goes outside of the athletic world. She said the three most common intermittent fasting plans are the 16:8 diet, the alternate day fasting, and the 5:2 plan.

• The 16:8 Diet: This form of intermittent fasting requires 16 solid hours of fasting every day. In the other eight hours, those looking to lose weight can eat practically whatever they want. Because they will finish their meals early in their waking hours, there will be more time for sugars and fats to metabolize throughout the day.
• Alternate Day Fasting: Here, people fast every other day of the week. As they limit their calorie intake to 500 calories on their fasting day, they will be able to eat anything on the days they don’t fast.
• The 5:2 Diet: In this model, dieters need to limit their consumption to 500 calories per day for two days in a row. In the other five days of the week, all other food is fair game.

While intermittent fasting requires stringent limitations on caloric intake, athletes can still exercise during their diets. According to K. Aleisha, M.S., CSCS, people can still exercise while fasting, but they need to be smart about it. Specifically, dieters need to follow four basic guidelines when exercising while fasting:

• Commit to low-intensity cardio exercises during fasting times
• Perform higher-intensity workouts after meals (or snacks during fasting days)
• Consume protein-rich foods
• Eat snacks to stabilize blood sugar

While this is a good starting point for understanding the relationship between intermittent fasting and exercise, most of this research has been completed on everyday dieters. As athletes are required to train for multiple hours practically each day, it’s important to zoom in on how the diet plan both benefits and potentially serves as a detriment for competitors.

Strategies for Athletes Considering Intermittent Fasting

Before the benefits of intermittent fasting for athletes can be given proper attention, it’s necessary to understand why they might choose this diet plan.

Before intermittent fasting reached its peak popularity, some athletes were already having to navigate the balance between fasting and training/competing. In the article “Optimizing training and competition during the month of Ramadan,” researchers looked into the challenges that Muslim athletes have to negotiate as they compete during the month-long fasting period. The researchers recommended ways that trainers and managers can help athletes prepare and perform during the period, maintaining that they apply a “holistic approach, rather than focusing on the single alterations/perturbations.”

To this end, the writers of the study cited the need for “variability among athletes and their specific needs (biological, psychological, cognitive-behavioral), and their social and living environment.” Trainers should work with athletes’ different body compositions in a one-on-one capacity.

Athletes who don’t observe Ramadan are beginning to consider fasting techniques for a variety of reasons. A 2017 scholarly article from the academic publication called The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition focused on potential motivations and benefits of intermittent fasting for athletes. The researchers found that intermittent fasting would be immensely helpful for competitors aiming to lose fat, especially endurance athletes competing in sports like track and field, swimming, or cycling. Low-carbohydrate and intermittent fasting diets “can be similarly effective for improving body composition.” In order to achieve this goal while maintaining peak performance, though, athletes should consume more protein in their diets.

Additional research out of the journal Sports has highlighted the weight-loss and fat-burning qualities of intermittent fasting but warned that other behavioral changes should be considered. The researchers recommended that athletes looking to lose weight using an intermittent fasting diet should be careful about when and how they exercise, train, and compete, and they noted more research into their conclusion was needed.

What are the Side Effects of Intermittent Fasting?

Even though there’s still work still to be done on the research side, it’s helpful to consider the perspectives of athletes currently training. Craig Pickering is a former Olympic sprinter and bobsledder who now writes about nutrition in athletics. He wrote that, while there are marked benefits of intermittent fasting for athletes, competitors should be careful as they pursue the diet.

Specifically, he wrote that “not eating before a high-intensity exercise, such as sprints and resistance training, also will likely reduce training performance and, in turn, hamper competition performance.” Pickering also noted that an intermittent fasting plan for athletes may hinder or limit their overall protein intake. In the events that athletes compete while nutrient-deficient, there performances will suffer. As a result, he has recommended that athletes carefully plan when they eat to maximize performance.

Pickering’s sentiment is backed up by some recent research. An article in the academic journal Nutrition highlighted the importance of carbohydrate consumption for athletes training for competition. In most intermittent fasting plans, dieters cut out carb-rich foods to lower their calorie consumption on fast days. Carbs are important in an athlete’s diet, though, since they break down as energy to burn during training and competitive performances.

The study examined how a lot of existing research warns against athletes adopting a carb-restricted diet because they need enough energy to compete at the highest level. However, the study also made note of how little research is available at this time. In other words, intermittent fasting may still be appropriate for endurance athletes looking to drop weight, but more conclusive evidence is required.

As some researchers have gestured toward its benefits and others have rightly recommended caution, there’s still a considerable amount of work to be done to fully understand if the diet plan is suitable for athletic training. Professionals in the athletic and health industries will want to learn more about its nuances before recommending to clients. The ideal way to do so is through an online B.A. in Exercise Science. Concordia University, St. Paul’s flexible and fully online program prepares students looking to become athletic trainers, fitness trainers, and coaches to confront diet plans like intermittent fasting directly and soundly. At the same time, CSP prepares students to enter the research side of exercise science by equipping them with the tools to go on to conduct graduate-level study.

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This blog post was written by guest contributor Krista Happ of Happy Healthy Casa.

We all want to be healthy, and we know that what we put into our bodies has a direct impact on our health. But why, then, is making healthy choices day-to-day so hard for so many of us? In a day and age where there are convenience foods and sugary snacks lurking in every corner, it can be hard to make healthy choices. Couple that with sneaky marketing tactics and even sneakier ingredients, and well, it becomes easy to see why so many of us “fall off the wagon.”

But take it from a girl who indulged in all the things for so long with little consideration for the impact they were having on her body: You can make a change and you can stick with it — no matter where you are starting from. Today, I am sharing three practical ways to help make healthy eating habits stick for good!

What Doesn’t Work

Before we chat about how to make your desired habits stick, let’s take a moment to highlight what doesn’t work (at least for most):

• Dieting
• Depriving yourself.
• Trying to change too much at once.
• Going at it alone.
• Making uninformed choices based on what others deem to be “healthy.”
• Lacking an understanding of your body’s unique needs.

Making healthy eating habits stick is about fostering a lifestyle conducive to doing so. Depriving yourself, overwhelming yourself, taking it on by yourself, or lacking an understanding of yourself can all contribute to this lifestyle feeling unattainable. These things can often perpetuate that food rollercoaster too many of us find ourselves on. That said, a healthy relationship with food is not only possible, but also sustainable. It just comes down to setting yourself up for success.

How to Make Healthy Eating Habits Stick

Take incremental steps and build upon them.

Many people don’t succeed at making their healthy habits stick because they try to change too much at once. While this may work (and may even be necessary) for some, the majority of us work better when we ease into new habits. Thus, instead of tossing out every item in your pantry, start thinking about how you could begin buying healthier replacements once items have been used. Or instead of vowing to eat salad for every meal here on out, think about how you could start adding a few greens to those meals you already make.

It doesn’t have to be a sprint.

Remember, it’s a lifestyle. And it’s okay to put in the time for it to stand the test of time. If you have a goal you are hoping to achieve through your healthier habits, setting “micro goals” can be beneficial in making the journey more manageable. Micro goals are incremental milestones that lead to your larger goal. Not only do they help you make a plan for success, but they also give you opportunities to celebrate small wins along the way. If your goal is to cut out all refined sugars from your diet, then maybe you start with a micro goal of cutting out soda for a week. Once you have accomplished that, celebrate and then plot your next step as you continue to work toward your end goal.

Involve the whole family.

If you eat one way and the rest of the family eats another, it’s often a recipe for failure. You may feel left out when everyone else’s plate looks different from yours. You may feel overwhelmed if you are the one making all of the meals. And you may feel tempted if you are keeping food in your home that doesn’t align with your goals. Bottom line, healthy eating should be a family affair. And if it is something you feel that strongly about for yourself, you should want your family to be a part of it as well.

Find an accountability partner.

Establishing and maintaining healthy eating habits is a lifestyle that not only benefits your family now, but also sets up each member for making informed choices on their own in the future. Live on your own or with a friend? Find yourself an accountability partner. Whether it is your roommate or someone you can simply check in with on the daily, having that support system makes a difference. Feel free to even use social media to your advantage. Start a Facebook group or an Instagram page as a space to share your journey with a community.

Listen to your body.

When it comes to wisdom, it is important to know the facts. But it is important to know your body as well. Each one of our bodies is so incredibly unique. And what “works” or what “feels good” for one person, may be different from the next. As you work to make healthier habits a lifestyle, listen to your body. How do you feel after eating a certain food? After consuming a certain amount? Make note of this. Track these cues your body is giving you over time. You will be amazed by how much your body wants to teach you. And after learning to listen to it, you won’t be able to ignore it any longer.

Seek to continue growing and learning.

Knowledge is power. Learning about nutrition will inspire you not only to eat better now, but also empower you to stick with it. While there is so much information out there about what is considered healthy, it is important to seek out wisdom from reliable sources. Speak with or read blogs by professionals on the topic or, better yet, dive in head first and take a course like Applied Nutrition offered as part of Concordia University, St. Paul’s online bachelor’s in exercise science degree. A course such as this can help you build an understanding of basic nutritional concepts and needs and help you feel more confident in the decisions you are making for yourself and your family.

Are you ready to finally make healthy eating habits stick for good? Take incremental steps, build a support system, and seek to learn about and listen to your body. And I promise that desire to “get there” will turn into a desire to “stay.”

Krista is an early childhood educator and nutrition blogger living in Minnesota. You can follower her on her blog or on Instagram @happyhealthycasa.  

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The health and fitness industry is booming, thanks to the nation’s growing attention to disease prevention and health promotion. Professionals are needed to stand on the other side of the treadmill and lead people toward a healthier lifestyle.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that employment of fitness professionals is expected to increase 10 percent through 2026 – faster than average career growth. Careers in the field of exercise science are broad. From personal trainers to cardiac rehab specialists, there is a health and fitness job to fit your career goals.

To pursue a rewarding career in health and fitness, however, the right degree is critical. Concordia University, St. Paul’s exercise science programs deliver a comprehensive study of the fundamental concepts of kinesiology and health such as biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise prescription, health promotion, disease prevention and disease remediation, so that you are prepared for whatever career you choose in this exciting field.

An exercise science degree from Concordia will prepare students for careers in the following fields:

• Athletic training
• Exercise physiology
• Cardiac rehab

Exercise Science Careers

The health and fitness industry is a dynamic business sector with tremendous career opportunities for professionals with an exercise science degree. The growing focus on health care and overall wellness is increasing demand for many health and fitness jobs concerning health promotion and disease prevention. The following career guide has been compiled using the most recent available information from the BLS. Use this guide to learn about potential job opportunities in the health and fitness sector as well as education requirements and salary expectations for some of the top jobs in exercise science.

Coaching

Stay in the game with a career as a coach. Depending on your level of experience, professionals can coach high school, college, amateur and professional-level sports. Coaches teach athletes the skills needed to excel in sports and provide athletes with guidance on and off the field. Another side of the coaching profession is wellness coaching. Unlike sports coaches, wellness coaches develop strategies for clients to live healthfully and prevent disease. They provide motivation and tools required to meet physical and emotional health goals. This may include weight management, healthy eating, stress reduction and other aspects of a client’s life.

Education and Training

Required: Bachelor’s degree Education and training requirements vary in this field. Most coaches have a bachelor’s degree in exercise science or a related field, and completed an internship or other form of hands-on experience. When it comes to athletic coaching, extensive experience in sports is required by most employers.

This occupation is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016.

Personal trainer

Personal trainers can lead the way in people achieving their fitness goals. This can include people who need extra encouragement and guidance through a new workout regimen as well as seasoned pros looking to ramp up a routine. Personal trainers work with clients to develop effective fitness plans and provide guidance and motivation. Many personal trainers are self-employed while others find employment at fitness centers and other health care facilities.

Education and Training

Required: High school diploma Recommended: Bachelor’s degree Understanding body mechanics and function is essential for personal trainers. A degree in exercise science or related field is necessary to gain a broader grasp of health and fitness outcomes and to better serve clients. Most fitness centers require a bachelor’s degree for employment as a personal trainer in addition to specialized certificates.

This occupation is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016.

Exercise Physiologist

Exercise can assist in the rehabilitation of individuals with an array of health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and obstacles related to body compensation, muscular strength, flexibility and more. An exercise physiologist works with patients to address the root of a problem through an effective exercise routine. Exercise physiologists can find employment within an athletic training department of a college or university, fitness centers, rehabilitation clinics and hospitals.

Education and Training

Required: Bachelor’s degree Recommended: Master’s degree A bachelor’s degree in a health science is required for entry into this medical field. Many employers are looking for candidates who have specific certifications for greater career mobility.

$47,340 This is the median annual salary as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist

When a patient is diagnosed with heart or lung disease, the first step in conservative treatment entails lifestyle changes to reduce health risks and improve overall quality of life. A cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialist can educate patients about heart and lung disease prevention and help manage symptoms.

Education and Training

Required: Bachelor’s degree Recommended: Master’s degree A bachelor’s degree in programs like exercise science, kinesiology or physiology is required for work as a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialist. Beyond entry-level positions, a master’s degree in similar fields is ideal.

$43,504 This is the median annual salary as reported by PayScale for a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialist.

Further Study

Many individuals also choose to complete graduate work in the exercise science field. Students who earn master’s degrees in exercise science and related disciplines are qualified for leadership and management roles in fitness, health and sports performance settings. According to the BLS, there are about 60 programs in exercise physiology, exercise science, and kinesiology accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) as of 2017.

CSP Online Exercise Science Programs

The Bachelor’s in Exercise Science degree online consists of 49 credit hours and is offered fully online. It is designed for busy adults who are interested in earning a degree and require the flexibility of attending class on their schedule. The undergraduate program focuses on kinesiology concepts in human movement, exercise and management.

The Master’s in Exercise Science online is designed to advance the skills and knowledge of current and future exercise science professionals. It consists of 33 to 36 credit hours. By utilizing a combination of theoretical inquiry and practical application, students will gain greater insight regarding exercise testing and prescription as they relate to working with diverse populations.

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This guest post was written by Lacey Doboszenski, who is an athlete, coach, and teacher in Minnesota. Follow Lacey on her blog or Instagram.  

My life has been spent mostly dedicated to movement. I competed gymnastics throughout grade school, high school, and college. I have also coached for 18 years at various levels, including six years as the head coach at North Saint Paul High School. I also am a dedicated runner and have completed 11 half marathons, three full marathons, and one ultra marathon. Throughout all these athletics I have learned a lot about nutrition and the human body. One thing is certain, I wish I knew more about yoga and the science and theory behind it earlier in life. I dabbled in yoga as a young high school gymnast, and I took a couple of classes in college, but I never took it seriously. It wasn’t until later in life when I took an in depth 230 hour yoga teacher training that I realized all the ways yoga could have benefited me as an athlete. Now, yoga has been a game-changer for me as a runner – and for my life in general! I love sharing my knowledge of yoga with others, and I currently do so at the Brainerd Family YMCA where I teach both children’s and adults yoga to all levels of students. It is so important to not only participate in sports, but to really study them.  I encourage all coaches and athletes to familiarize themselves with the benefits of yoga because even adding a little bit to your practice could yield big results.

Below are my top seven ways that yoga can benefit the student athlete.

1. Strength

Let’s start with an obvious benefit. Yoga builds strength through poses that use your body as the weight or resistance. It focuses on engaging targeted muscles, so even simple poses can provide great results. Mountain pose is a perfect example of a simple pose providing results. Mountain pose looks like you’re just standing there. If done correctly, though, with your muscles engaged and posture in alignment, you’ll really feel the burn.  When yoga is incorporated as cross-training for a sport, your muscles will be challenged in new ways, like increasing your muscular endurance.

2. Flexibility

When most people think of the benefits of yoga, the first thing they think is flexibility. But this isn’t something you need to have before yoga. Anyone can do yoga! Newbies may not be able to get into every pose, but increased flexibility will come with regular practice. Flexibility is beneficial to everyone but especially to athletes. Working it consistently will improve and maintain the range of motion in your muscles, reduce stiffness in your joints, and reduce soreness.

3. You Learn About your Anatomy

The physical part of yoga teaches you a tremendous amount about your anatomy. You learn how to stretch and target specific muscle groups, safe alignment for your joints, and how different muscles work together to achieve certain poses. Real yoga junkies can even learn how different poses help improve your organ function and how to cleanse your body with stretching.

4. Yoga for Injury Prevention

Regularly stretching your muscles before and after practice is important in reducing the risk of injury and knowing proper and effective ways to stretch them is certainly beneficial. It also teaches you to listen to your body and know when to stop, so that you don’t hurt yourself. In yoga, you learn to find that comfortable edge, where you are working hard, but you are also being safe and taking care of yourself. It’s not just muscles that are strengthened during yoga; joints, especially in your wrists and ankles, become stronger during yoga, too.

5. Using Yoga for Recovery

Since yoga is done with little to no resistance, it can be practiced as vigorously or as gently as you wish – including doing it while sitting in a chair or lying in a bed. Yoga will help you get your body moving in a safe and effective way. Personally, I always use yoga as recovery after long runs when I have very sore shoulders and legs. Even a short 10-minute practice will leave me feeling much better.

6. Benefits of Meditation & Breathwork

As every athlete or coach knows, a huge part of the game is mental, and yoga can help with your mental strength, too. Meditation helps you focus, reduces stress, and stabilizes emotions. It’s also known to help as a form of pain management, which can be very beneficial in sports. With most forms of meditation comes breathwork. Working with your breath can greatly benefit athletic performance. Whether you’re calming yourself down before a big game or searching for the strength to finish a long run, your breath is one of your most important tools as an athlete. Don’t forget to train it.

7. Positive Thinking and Self Care

Yoga is so much more than a physical practice; it’s a practice of learning to love yourself and have gratitude for life. Yoga teaches you to take care of your body and live in a positive way. Self-care is not always a priority for many young athletes, but it’s something that coaches should stress early on. A healthy body is a happy body, and we want to do everything in our power to teach athletes to play from a place of positivity.

I hope reading this made you more curious about how yoga can benefit you as a student athlete or the student athletes in your life. If you want to learn how to utilize physical activity to get the most out of yourself or your student athletes, you should pursue an online exercise science program. They cover topics in health and wellness education, personal training, and rehabilitation sciences. Concordia, St. Paul’s online programs have proven results. Experience why 95 percent of CSP students receive job offers within one year of graduation and why, among Minnesota private school graduates (bachelor’s), CSP students have the highest average salary ($57,736). Get started with CSP today.

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A great deal of research on sports- and recreation-related injuries is concentrated on specific populations, activities and types of injuries, according to a 2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) report. However, there are some figures available that give a picture of how common sports injuries are.

There were about 8.6 million average sports- and recreation-related injury episodes per year for people 5 and older, based on NHIS data from 2011 to 2014. The age-adjusted rate of injury episodes was 34.1 per 1,000 people. Leading activities for injury were general exercise (16.3 percent), basketball (9.9), football (8.3), pedal cycling (7.2), soccer (6.3), recreational sports such as tennis, golf and bowling (6.0), and gymnastics/cheerleading (5.5).

The average annual number of injuries for college athletes across 25 championship sports was 6.0 per 1,000 athlete-exposures, according to NCAA Injury Surveillance Program data from five academic years. Researchers examined data from more than 478,000 student-athletes, examining how many injuries occurred for each exposure in a competition or practice. The top sports for each gender for injuries were men’s wrestling (13.1 injuries per 1,000 athlete-exposures) and women’s gymnastics (10.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete-exposures).

What are the common sports injuries suffered by recreational, collegiate and professional athletes? The following sections explore four of the most common sports injuries — and the information follows a supplementary infographic.

4 Common Sports Injuries

1. Ankle Sprain

Ligaments that support the ankle can stretch beyond their limits, resulting in an ankle sprain. It may be a small tear in the fiber that comprises the ligament, or the tear may be completely through the ligament.

An ankle sprain is a common sports injury in basketball, tennis, football, soccer and trail running, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), due to footwork that these activities require. A quick cut, or the rolling or twisting of the foot, can result in a tear. Or someone else may step on the foot while an athlete is running — especially common in basketball — which causes the foot to twist or roll to the side.

In many cases, surgery is not required. Treatment can involve crutches, walking boots or casts. Mild sprains may only need over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and the RICE protocol — rest, ice, compression and elevate. Recovery typically ranges from two to 12 weeks.

2. Concussion

A sports concussion has no clear definition, and it is uncertain whether any damage to the brain occurs from a concussion, the AAOS notes. Imaging tests in concussion tests often do not detect brain damage such as bruising or bleeding.

Concussions temporarily impair how the brain functions and processes information. For instance, a concussion can cause a patient to struggle with speech, memory and balance. Other symptoms include headache, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and vomiting, depression and changes in sleep patterns. Most people recover from concussions within seven to 10 days. However, once athletes have sustained a concussion, the risk for additional concussions rises, and repeat concussions have long-term consequences.

Concussions can occur in any sport or recreational activity, although sports such as football, ice hockey and soccer have higher rates of concussion. Football is especially noteworthy, as the risks of repeated concussions in the NFL have sparked a great deal of controversy. Research is ongoing as to the safety of football at all levels of competition, due to the frequency of concussions in the sport.

3. ACL Tear

Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are particularly common knee injuries. The ACL runs diagonally in the middle of the knee, preventing the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur. It also provides rotational stability to the knee.

An ACL tear may be a partial or complete tear of the ligament. In a grade 2 sprain, the ligament stretches to the point where it becomes loose; this is a partial tear of the ligament. In a grade 3 sprain, a complete tear occurs. The ligament has been split into two pieces and the knee joint is unstable.

The AAOS lists several ways that can lead to an ACL injury: changing direction rapidly, stopping suddenly, slowing down while running, landing from a jump incorrectly and direct contact or collision, such as a football tackle. ACL tears are more common in sports like football, soccer and basketball.

Most ACL tears require surgery. The ligament must be reconstructed, which occurs through a tissue graft that acts as scaffolding for a new ligament to grow on. Followed by rigorous physical therapy to regain movement and strength, recovery can take a total of six to 12 months.

4. UCL Tear

The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is the most commonly injured ligament for throwing athletes. Baseball pitchers are often treated for injuries to the PCL; other athletes experiencing the same injury include javelin throwers as well as ice hockey, football, racquet sports and water polo players, according to Houston Methodist.

Through repetitive throwing motions, the UCL can become stretched, frayed or torn. Months and years of throwing hard can initiate a process of microtears, degeneration and finally, rupture of the ligament. The weakened tendon can rupture completely, causing a “pop” sound and immediate pain. While the athlete may report that the injury occurred during a single throw, it is often that the ligament finally became weak enough to rupture.

Depending on the severity of the tear, surgery may be needed. Surgeons may be able to debride tissue fragments or damaged tissue, which refers to cleaning the area by removing dead or damaged tissue, along with bone spurs and calcium build-up. Otherwise, the tissue must be repaired (injured due to a fall on outstretched arm) or reconstructed (injured due to constant overuse). Reconstruction requires the UCL to be replaced with a tendon graft harvested from somewhere else in the body.

Pursuing a Career in Exercise Science

Learn how to help people live healthier lives through exercise, rehabilitation and nutrition. Concordia University, St. Paul’s online Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science prepares you for positions in settings such as fitness/wellness centers, personal training, coaching, rehabilitation sciences, health and wellness education. You’ll also be ready for post-baccalaureate study in areas such as physical therapy, chiropractic, human growth, aging, athletic training, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports management, sport psychology and more.

Enjoy small class sizes with a personal learning environment geared toward your success, and learn from knowledgeable faculty who have industry experience. Get started with CSP today.