January 2004
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Tips help runners with post-marathon recovery
(Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series on running marathons.)
You
have successfully finished your marathon, and you are high on accomplishment.
As you come down, however, it becomes apparent that such a massive expenditure
of energy can have consequence. For many runners, recovery is as important
as preparation.
Whether you are simply attempting to get over the extreme energy expenditure or have to deal with a sports-related injury, physicians at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston have some advice.
After the run
Jane Corboy, MD, a BCM assistant professor of family and community medicine, has these suggestions for the initial post-marathon hours:
- Within 30 minutes to an hour after you finish, replace the carbohydrates you’ve burned in the long event
- Drink plenty of fluids, even if you don't feel thirsty
- Stretch to keep muscles as loose as possible
- Take a warm bath and, if possible, get a massage
- Take a nap
In the week following the race, Corboy recommends:
- Gradually adjusting your caloric intake to match pre-marathon training levels
- Steadily resuming normal activities without overexertion
- Stretching daily
Carbo-loading or eating a high-carbohydrate meal after the marathon is particularly important, said Rebecca Reeves, PhD, a BCM assistant professor of medicine and managing director of the BCM Behavioral Medicine Research Center.
"This tip is geared toward trained athletes who are doing an intense activity for long periods of times," she said. "When people dip into their glycogen stores, they will need to eat to replenish the supply."
Glycogen is the major form of energy stored in cells. The body stores about 600 grams of carbohydrates, mostly in the liver and muscle tissue, as glycogen. Depletion of this supply during exercise can result in complete exhaustion. This is what happens when marathon runners "hit the wall."
To quickly replenish glycogen stores after an intense workout, Reeves suggests eating foods with a high glycemic index. This measurement indicates how quickly the body metabolizes carbohydrates into glucose in the blood. High glycemic index foods include most breads, potatoes and high-glucose sports drinks.
Acupuncture speeds relief
Acupuncture, a remedy rooted in Chinese traditional medicine from thousands of years ago, is one of the newest treatment options in the field of sports medicine.
"Acupuncture can also be helpful for athletes, like cyclists and runners, who experience overuse injuries," said John Cianca, MD, a BCM associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation.
"We have had excellent success with acupuncture in treating sprains and strains and other sports-related injuries," Cianca said. "Within a treatment or two, many patients have noticed a 50- to 75-percent reduction in pain and swelling."
This allows patients to begin other components of their rehabilitation much sooner, limiting the amount of time spent on the sidelines.
Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific nerve points
on the body.
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