2 PART Assignment

Part 1

Answer these two questions

1. Advise a coach who wants football players to breathe from an oxygen tank during time-outs or rest breaks to speed recovery. (Use outside resources, answer should be how would advise the coach). (100-200 words)

2. In what ways are the terms lactate threshold and onset of blood lactate accumulation biochemically more precise than anaerobic threshold? (100-200 words)

Part 2

Respond to the 3 post listed below

(100-200 words for each response)

1. When an athlete is dealing with physiological mechanisms of post-exercise balance impairment, it could be because of the way that postural sway response is reacting to the exercise type, intensity, duration or the intensity of proprioceptive stimulation. Fatigue is also usually associated with post-exercise balance impairment. There can be significant differences in balance impairment after exercise with different intensity of muscle contractions which elicit a different level of proprioceptive stimulation. Examples would include running versus cycling or a standing exercise versus jumping. In addition to the fatigue and hyperventilation, impairment of somatosensory input likely plays a roll in the increased post-exercise postural sway. “Based on this literature review, possible physiological mechanisms of post-exercise balance impairment identified so far may be fatigue, hyperventilation, deterioration of functions of mechanoreceptors, proprioceptors, vestibular apparatus and visual cues, muscle damage, dehydration, hyperthermia and dizziness (Zemková, E., & Hamar, D. 2014).”

2. For an athlete experiencing dizziness and spots in their vision after completing a maximum-lift during a back squat, my first inclination is to determine if the athlete used the Valsalva Maneuver during the lift.  McArdle, Katch and Katch (2015) explain that the Valsalva Maneuver occurs when there is “forced exhalation against a closed glottis.”  McArdle, Katch and Katch further claim that this maneuver is commonly used by weightlifters as it will help stabilize the abdominal and thoracic cavities.  Despite the benefits associated with the maneuver, there are also some known consequences that are associated as well. McArdle, Katch and Katch explain that dizziness, spots in vision, and fainting are not uncommon when the Valsalva Maneuver is utilized.  These negative aspects associated with the maneuver occur due to a decrease in the blood supply for the brain.

An interesting article I came across while reading about the Valsalva Maneuver by Wostyn, Audenaert, and De Deyn (2009) presented a hypothesis that using this maneuver for prolonged periods of time can actually be a link to Alzheimer’s Disease.  While the article did not produce any significant findings, it did present an interesting theory in my opinion.  Since the use of the Valsalva Maneuver temporarily deprives the brain of its blood supply, leading to the symptoms described by the weight-lifting athlete, it does seem possibly a repetitive use of this maneuver for prolonged periods of time could lead to more serious health related problems in the future. 

3. A big reason why an athlete may experience this is improper breathing when performing the exercise. We tend to take breathing for granted because it is a part of our autonomic nervous system, but we need to focus on it when we are performing certain isometric exercises such as squats due to our untended habit of holding our breath. “If your [breathing] isn't synchronized with what you're doing, you might not be letting enough oxygen in and carbon dioxide out," which can cause dizziness (Dweck, 2017). According to Horschig (2017), a proper squat is all about maintaining proper spinal stability. When we combine the coordinated bracing ability of our core muscles and harness the power of our breath we allow our body to move properly and lift tremendous weights safely. Improper breathing while lifting heavy weight  “can dramatically increase blood pressure and cause black-outs and other cardiovascular injury for those at risk” (Horschig, 2017).

APA FORMAT

DUE Saturday June 8, 2019