Best athletes of 2009
2009 was full of great accomplishments from athletes, who have demonstrated excellent skills and have achieved incomparable performances. Although it’s not easy to single out the top athletes of the year, there are athletes, who really stood out for their courage, strength, stamina and passion for what they’re doing.
Kim Clijsters
Tennis is by far one of the hardest and most challenging sports on the planet, but when Kim Clijsters takes over it seems like the simplest thing in the world. In 2009, Clijsters returned to tennis after two years and won the U.S. Open after achieving excellent performances.
In 2007, Clijsters had announced her decision to abandon competitive tennis to start a family. She got married to American basketball player Brian Lynch and in 2008 she gave birth to their wonderful daughter Jada Ellie. In 2009 she announced her decision to return to professional tennis spreading happiness in the hearts of the fans around the globe and anxiety in the hearts of her competitors in the tennis courts.
And they were right to be worried. Clijsters hasn’t forgotten anything of her unparalleled technique that had made her number one in the world in 2003. Apparently, she has returned to stay and she has all the potential to become number one again and be on the top for a long time. U.S. Open was only the beginning. And time will prove what an excellent player and character she is combining her mental strength with athletic posture towards great achievements.
Usain Bolt
When Bolt run 100 meters in 9.69 seconds at Beijing Summer Olympics of 2008 everybody knew he could do better. And he did. The “Lightning Bolt” smashed the 100-meter record running 100 meters in 9.58 seconds at Berlin World Championship in August 2009. And he didn’t stop there. He smashed his own record in 200 meters running 200 meters in 19.19 seconds. What makes Bolt’s record even more impressive and sports fans more demanding is that 19.19 is 0.11 seconds faster than 19.30 that he did at Beijing Summer Olympics of 2008, but Bolt run into a headwind (-0.3m/s) in Berlin. So, this makes us all wonder: what is he capable of doing if he runs at (0.0 m/s) or with a favorable wind?
No matter if Bolt is here to stay or if he is a “Lightning Bolt” that will soon fade out, he has managed to differentiate himself from any other track runner in the history of track and field with his unique, hard running style, excellent speed and tough demeanor.
Kobe Bryant
The shooting guard of Los Angeles Lakers was named Finals MVP after Lakers won the 2009 NBA Championship over the Orlando Magic in 5 games. This was the 4th NBA title for Kobe Bryant and his first Finals MVP Award and he definitely deserved both.
Being dedicated to defense, Kobe sustained intensity and teamwork, while his own game became quicker to an extent that he was almost unstoppable. His statistics throughout the regular season are quite impressive: he scored 61 points in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, he gave nearly 400 assists in the regular seasons and he averaged 33 points per game in the Finals. With such a leader, it was no surprise that the Lakers won the NBA Championship.
Kobe Bryant is ready for much more. Being already recognized for his leadership skills and his instrumental role in the Lakers, he is ready to win more championships with the Los Angeles team. It’s not only his motivation to defend the NBA throne with his teammates; it’s also his personal bet to prove that this personal overachievement was not accidental.
Tiger Woods
Coming off a major knee surgery that kept him off track for the second half of 2008 and the first six weeks of 2009, nobody knew what to expect, and in that respect, Woods’ comeback has been a blatant success.
Tiger Woods is, admittedly, one of the best athletes of 2009. Because golf is not as physical as the majority of other sports, many people consider it easy, or even uninteresting. However, people who play golf know how easy it is to make a mistake. Woods returned after a major knee injury and achieved an eight-stroke triumph in Chicago. Although during the year he hasn’t won as many majors as in any other previous year, he managed to be consistent and achieve high finishes. This demonstrates a strong mindset, a talented player and a confident individual, who was ready to compete against approximately 150 players from around the globe. And he did it.
Related Athletics Articles
Babies May Also Need Athletic Shoes
It is not very easy for the parents to decide on the best pair with so many lovable styles of shoes available for the children nowadays. There are a few designs which are particularly used for the school’s athletic programs and typically sell out before the starting of school every year. It may not be easy to find athletic shoes for your kid as there are some school uniforms which specify a particular brand to be worn and trying to locate them during the beginning of school year can be a tough task.
There are some places when athletic shoes for children have to be worn daily. You will also find that some kids prefer Velcro shoes and try to convince their parents to purchase athletic shoes with such a design whenever they need it during the school year.
There are some athletic programs which require children to run thrice in a week and parents want to get them athletic shoes which are comfortable and have been designed with this purpose in mind. You can find many athletic shoes crafted in styles with black and white colors, but there are very few of them which are especially made for being comfortable when the child runs. Typically parents do plenty of looking around as well as value shopping to get athletic shoes for their children in the best styles and price.
There are parents who feel that purchasing different kinds of black and white athletic shoes is a very good idea as it works well for children all through the school year. They can wear a pair of athletic shoes when they play baseball which are fitted with rubber cleats and have a different feel. Sometimes you may also have to buy non-marking athletic shoes as children visit the gym for shooting baskets or play basketball in their school athletic program. You have to remember that keeping up with fashion trends is vital for the child as it helps them blend with the peer group and fell one with them.
Athletic shoes for children are fashion footwear which have a purpose and when they are worn by all the kids at school they can also become a factor of determining social success. There are times when this fashion footwear is not worn for any kind of athletic activity. We as parents do the best we can walk hand in hand with the new fashion and also try to keep up with the changing requirements and taste in athletic footwear for the children.
Related Athletics Articles
Five big reasons for athletes to understand the importance of magnesium
Running the Comrades Marathon qualifies me to understand the importance of magnesium for athletes
The importance of cannot be downplayed. As a previous long distance runner who has completed the Comrades Marathon on six occasions, I understand the importance of minerals and vitamins for peak performance. Strangely, many people are not aware of the importance of magnesium and they will quickly tell you about minerals such as chromium, zinc, iron and calcium. While these are important, magnesium should not be left out of the equation.
Sadly many coaches fail to understand the importance of magnesium for athletes
Even though magnesium is critical to energy processes in the body, coaches seem to ignore this very important mineral for their athletes. In western cultures, magnesium intake has reduced by 50% over the last 3+ generations. This trend is continuing even as we speak. There has been confusion as to how much magnesium is required for peak sports performance. Current research has revealed that even slight magnesium shortfalls can adversely affect a sports person’s performance on the sports field.
Magnesium is second in abundance in humans only to potassium. While it is a metal it is in ionic form in the body. Around 25% of the magnesium is located in the muscle tissue. and about 60% is located in the bones.
Source magnesium correctly if you understand the importance of magnesium in athletes
Many foods contain this very important mineral. Lentils, beans, peas, seeds, nuts, green leafy veggies and wholemeal breads are great sources of magnesium. Refined foods and dairy products are not good sources of magnesium. The only challenge is that farmers do not add magnesium to the soil that veggies are planted in.
The body uses magnesium for more than 325 enzymatic reactions to take place. Some of these include synthesising fat and protein. Muscles relax and contract courtesy of magnesium. The heart depends on magnesium in a big way as well. From an athletes perspective, magnesium plays a big role in the production of aerobic and anaerobic energy. Long distance and short distance runners will benefit from this immensely as will swimmers and other sports that involves constant movement. Magnesium metabolizes adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the body and this is commonly known as the energy currency in the body. When a person is exercising, the ATP turns over at a rapid rate and the body can only store 30z of ATP at any one time.
Adults who are deficient in magnesium can experience loss of cardiac function and these can be detected on an EKG. It affects the metabolism of both carbohydrates and insulin. Athletes are very dependent on insulin and carbohydrate metabolism. Other diseases that are related to magnesium deficiency include hypertension, asthma, renal conditions, pms and pre-eclampsia. It can even lead to obesity.
]]>
There is discrepancy as to how much magnesium should be ingested by adults each day. The Americans have changed their stance on the subject and feel that 400mg per day for men is the correct amount. Women should take about 300 mg. In Britain the feeling is that 300mg and 270 mg for men and women respectively is sufficient. Other quarters reckon that 500mg per day is required.
Whatever the dosage should be, it is certain that people are consuming far less than these amounts. On average men take about 225 mg per day and women take around 228 mg each day. In Britain, research has revealed that the average for both sexes is about 227mg each day. Back in the 80′s, it was revealed that athletes were only taking 70% of the required amount. Female runners were even worse off in that they only obtained less than 60% of the RDA.
A survey was done in the USA recently on a group of female athletes who were magnesium deficient. In the first 30 days, the subjects were given a diet that contained only 112mgs of magnesium each day. The subjects were also given 200mgs of magnesium via supplementation. Month two, the supplement was taken away and then reintroduced in month three.
At the end of each 30 days, the subjects were told to exercise at 80% of the max heart rate. At this time, tests such as respiratory gas analysis, blood tests and EKGs were done. The conclusion in layman’s terms was the heart and lungs had to work much harder during the periods where the subjects were magnesium deficient. The subjects needed more oxygen to perform and this placed more strain on the heart and lungs. Again in plain terms, the athletes had to use more energy during times of magnesium deficient.
The importance of magnesium for athletes is clear thanks to this research
Athletes need to check their magnesium levels to see if they are magnesium deficient. It is probable that their diets are light on magnesium rich foods. Sugar, alcohol and fatty foods rob the body of magnesium. Many athletes have calorie controlled diets and this alone reduces the magnesium content in the body.
Athletes who display symptoms of cramping muscles, undue fatigue, depression and mood swings, bloating before menses and restless leg syndrome are probably magnesium deficient. Supplementation is inexpensive and has no side effects so it is wise to supplement as insurance against magnesium depletion. Take small quantities of magnesium for athletes more regularly and take the ionic form as the body absorbs it far better than the tablet form.
Listen Up Athletes- Attain Optimal Performance By Following The Paleo Diet
An everyday regimen for an endurance athlete is much different that of a regular person. They partake in sports that call for pushing their bodies to extraordinary limits, sometimes daily. Due to these demanding activities, they require a meal plan that makes it possible for them to operate at optimal level while also helping them to recuperate and mend their bodies at a high speed rate. With this in mind, it is no wonder that the caveman diet for athletes is now a more famous and recommended choice to meet those needs.
The paleo diet, which takes its name from Palaeolithic, is shaped in the form of the diet plan of hunter gatherers centuries ago. It principally consist of foods such as lean meats and seafood hunted from animals, fruits, vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds gathered by our ancestors. Cheese and other dairy products as well as crops are not a part of the diet because they were created by man following the introduction of agriculture, not by nature. Individuals who follow the caveman diet appreciate lively health and abundance of energy. By conducting a few modifications to the diet, paleo athletes are rewarded with far less recovery times while also enjoying a vast enhancement in performance.
How would the paleo diet be the best solution for athletes? Well, from history we know that hunter gatherers moved around a lot. They shifted from domain to domain eating the foods which were available to them up until all resources in that particular area finished. Their lifestyle necessitated a lot of energy to engage in daily duties essential to their survival. Whether it was hunting, fishing, traveling, or running away from predators, they required energy to succeed and they received it from their food. This is the identical case for athletes. Essential supplements such as carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats are fundamentals of the paleo diet. Along with supplying the requirement for glycogen restoration for athletes after exercise, these glycaemic based carbohydrates are to be eaten instantaneously after sport activities.
A paleo athlete’s routine is usually to eat foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats or seafood before, during and after practice. Foods to stay away from is bread and pasta along with other non paleo foods. Following this plan will end in greater muscle gain and a great quantity of energy that can enhance body functioning. Plus, your body will reach its optimal perfomance height. For example, runners notice that they run longer and with more speed without the unwanted effects of feeling tired, as opposed to a grain-based diet which would norally leave them feeling exhausted and starving.
A drawback is that the diet is a lot better for endurance athletes than strength athletes, since a typical athlete diet entails a minimum of 60% of calories, and the rest from protein and healthy fats. Given that the paleo diet is naturally low on carbs, some athletes won’t find it suitable for their day-to-day routine. A change that may could be made would be to cheat a little and add some starchy vegetables like potatoes and beans, along with some grains as a way to receive the appropriate energy and nutrients your body needs to perform.
More Athletics Articles
Posted in Athletics | 
Athletes, Attain, diet, Following, Listen, Optimal, Paleo, Performance | 
Leave a commentMemoirs: My Life as an Athlete – Female Volleyball Player
At the age of 10, I got this dream come true. I became a main member of the volleyball team at school. Since that time, my most enjoyable thing to do during each summer vacation is to play volleyball with my teammates under the cheerful lovely sunshine. I love playing volleyball because I enjoy staying in a team. I love to cooperate with my teammates, support and encourage each other as to achieve the final success. Honestly, as an athlete, I don’t like face failure, because that makes me sad. During 10 years of my semi-professional volleyball career, a lot of professional volleyball trainers have come home to visit my parents and asked for their consents to send me to professional athlete school to get professional volleyball training. Honestly, at that time, playing volleyball was my favourite thing to do each day and I was willing to devote all my life into this sport. Fortunately, my wise parents made a right decision for me at that time. They believed playing volleyball is a great exercise to build a stronger body, a great experience to learn how to cooperate with others and to understand the real meaning of Team Spirit. However, giving up my science study at regular school is definitely a choice.
Since my age of 10 until the age of 19, each day has been fulfilled with some joyful volleyball experiences. Of course, the heavy training loads sometimes bring me some injuries. In my memory, I have gotten severely injured twice during my 10-year volleyball career. One time it happened during the summer of 1994. A professional volleyball athlete school invited me to participate in their summer intense training course. Since I was the ace spiker of my team, my major task was to spike 3 blankets of volleyballs each 20 minutes without any stop. Each blanket could hold around 35 volleyballs. Due to the repeated wind-up movements got the muscle on my right shoulder severely injured. Fortunately, it doesn’t take too long time for a teenage athlete to get recovered. Several months after I stopped the intensive training, my muscle on the shoulder got recovered. That injury makes me understand why my parents didn’t want me to become a professional athlete. Championship always means glory, but who knows how much effort you have to devote into achieving your final success. Each 4 years, only few of athletes can win the medals and enjoy the glory.
Another severe injury happened in my first year of university. During the hot summer of that year, most of my schoolmates have gone back home to enjoy their summer vacation. Me and my teammates, we stayed at school to get some intensive training as to prepare for the provincial sports meeting of the coming year. At that time, the university set a high goal for our team and we were expected to win the championship of volleyball in that sports competition. Therefore, during that summer, each morning, we started our regular training at 9 o’clock. We could take a two-hour break during lunch time and restarted and continued the training until 6 o’clock in the afternoon. The training during that summer is one of the toughest ones during my whole 10-year volleyball career. The university hired an ex-national professional trainer to design an intensive training program for us. The strict ex-national trainer used all her classic training programs which she used on her national volleyball team before. For practicing our defence skill, we had to repeatedly roll on the ground as to avoid the balls running at a high speed hitting the ground. However, my body is not as tough as the ground. Therefore, the skin on both sides of my body looked blue and purple during the whole summer. For practising our quick movement on the field, we had to bend the knee while moving forward, backward and sideward. My both knees got hurt a lot due to this practice. Unfortunately, I got an even worse injury right two weeks before the formal start of the provincial sports meeting. The tendon on the interior side of my right thigh had been injured. The effect was I could only depend on my single left leg to make a jump for completing a spike. When I finished each spike, my right leg felt too hurt to support my body or stay standing. My situation made our trainer quite desperate at that moment. Fortunately, my right thigh got recovery 2 days right before the beginning of the competition.
Finally, we did win the provincial university championship. The day we achieved our final success, we lifted our trainer in the air and cheered up together to celebrate.
Until now, I still have lot of passion towards playing volleyball, since I really enjoy the feeling of being a team member, being supportive to each other, being encouraged by each other. That feeling is unbelievably amazing!
How do You Explain an Athlete’s Taking Drugs to Your Kids
One of the most difficult feats is to explain to a child why adults fail to do what they preach is the right thing to do. And when it comes to sports and famous athletes who fail to achieve their records without substances and drug enhancements, it seems like, momentarily, parenthood is being put at stake when the innocent question “was Rodriguez really doped?” comes along with a challenging innocent look.
“I was under the assumption that I wouldn’t get caught. You know, some people take those chances, and some people don’t, and I was willing to take that chance.” – Dwain Chambers, former European 100 meters champion.
“I feel good today about coming forward and being honest and turning the page for the next chapter of my life” – Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees third baseman.
“I never used performance-enhancing drugs. My bulk and 762 home runs are the result of nutrition and weight training.” – Barry Bonds, Baseball outfielder.
“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment” – Michael Phelps, Olympic Medallist Swimmer.
Leading by example; Sports is maybe the only example after parenthood that may instill in children good values. Famous athletes, professional players, coaches and anyone involved in professional sports are role models and therefore responsible for what our children believe in and aspire. Sports should encourage teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play. Especially the latter, can be a great way to teach our children fine values. But what happens, when Dwain Chambers and Alex Rodriguez admit they have used drugs, or Barry Bonds is caught in anti-doping control or Michael Phelps is photographed smoking marijuana?
As a parent, your task is difficult when it comes to explain to your children why Chambers or Bonds needed to cheat. Kids hang posters of famous athletes on the walls, wear their jerseys and behave like them because they aspire to be like them one day. So, when such vulgar scenes as an athlete been taken to the court show up on TV, you have to know how to deal with it.
First of all, you have to explain to your kid that professional teams are out there to win. They are professionals, meaning they invest money, time and effort to recruit the best athletes, coaches and managers and achieve the best results. The lure of big-money contracts and endorsements strikes again. Athletes typically use drugs to enhance their performance and overachieve. In fact, overachievement means, apart from fame and glory, a bigger check in their pocket from advertisements and sponsorship. Adidas or Nike would not endorse their money to an average athlete because it doesn’t make sense. In today’s society, sports are business and business needs to be profitable. This is why Kellogg’s abandoned Phelps and broke the endorsement contract.
Also, you should try to explain to your children that athletes are human, not the God. Although this does not justify their behavior, still it is a fact that humans take bad decisions and make mistakes especially if they are put under the pressure of getting more money and being more famous. Overachieving is a good thing when you can do it on your own, without the help of substances. Winning may be everything provided you can achieve it fairly and decently. Therefore, explain to your kid that it is NOT OK AT ALL to use drugs to get what you want.
Do not hide the truth for your children. It is better to see Phelps embarrassed on TV and all the media against him for his ridiculous marijuana picture than to continue praising someone who is an overachiever, but does not follow the rules. All these athletes earn millions of dollars at the expense of American people. So, the least they should do is to learn to behave according to what sports are: a fair game.
Involve your children in the discussion. Ask them why they like an athlete and what do they think after this athlete has been caught using drugs. Your children may like an athlete only because he or she is spectacular, but it’s important to give emphasis to an athlete’s skills. No athlete is allowed to taunt other athletes, even if he or she has super athletic skills.
Emphasize on what the media say about this athlete. Media never encourage doped athletes, although, to a certain extent, they also contribute to their glory. Teach your children that bad athletes go to the bench and get eliminated for quite sometime like Argentinean tennis player, Mariano Puerta, who got suspended for a doping offense for 8 years.
Do your homework. Research some professional athletes who are positive role models for kids. Find athletes, who speak outright against illegal drug use. Typically, good deeds are not so publicized as the negative acts of athletes, but you can emphasize on athletes, who encourage teamwork and fair play, both in their professional and personal lives.
Leading by example; Show all good traits in your own behavior and teach your children as well. It doesn’t matter if you are not Rodriguez, or Phelps or Bonds. You are still their parent and what they need from you is to understand that losing and winning are both parts of the same game. It makes no difference if you lose or win, provided you play fairly. Winning is NOT everything; a fair attitude IS.
2/2 www.youtube.com 110913 Super Junior MBLAQ Sistar T-ara MissA Hwanhee The Grace Dana Sunday INFINITE Boyfriend Nine Muses NS Yoonji Xcross Brave Girls SHINee ZE:A Jewelry Davichi Rainbow APINK G.NA G.NA SunnyHill Dal★shabet Fivedolls B1A4 TeenTop Rania HANGROO 8eight Mighty Mouth
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Find More Athletics Articles
How to Get Rid of Athlete’s Foot
Things You’ll Need:
soap
water
towel
Lotrimin solution
Lotrimin foot powder
Step1
Wash your feet really good with hot soapy water. Dry them really good with a clean towel. Do not use the towel for anything else, one time use.
Use a clean towel every time you dry your feet. This will stop the spread of infection or infection of someone else.
Step2
Take the Lotrimin solution apply a thin layer and gently massage over affected area twice daily, morning and night. Pay attention to spaces between toes, wear ventilated shoes and change shoes and socks at least once a day.
Step3
For extra protection use Lotrimin powder in socks and in shoes. It is very important that you keep feet and shoes as dry as you can. Keep powder on feet as much as you can. This will help with the burning sensation on your feet.
Athletes Foot Cure ? Stop the Burning and Itching Now
I know you are probably embarrassed and frustrated with having Athlete’s foot. The good news is that there is a natural . There are several actually, so in this article I will review some of the more popular treatments for you.
Athlete’s foot is a bacteria or fungus that thrives in enclosed, warm and moist environments. One such place would be inside your athletic shoes hence the name athlete’s foot. Of course it is not only athletes who can get athlete’s foot but anyone who allows a dark, moist environment to exist in their shoes.
Athlete’s foot can be very painful as your feet crack, blister and peel and become red and inflamed. At times the itching can drive you insane also. You need immediate relief when you discover that you have athlete’s foot so here are some remedies that you may or may not have in your home currently.
]]>
1 – This seems to be probably the most popular natural athlete’s foot cure. Tea tree oil has natural antiseptic and antifungal properties and provides relief from the awful itching.
2. – Vinegar has many magical qualities and can help get rid of the fungus of athlete’s foot
3. – Most disease thrives in an acidic environment and athlete’s foot is no different. The use of baking soda as a paste or by simply sprinkling some into your shoes combats the acidity in your shoes and acts as a preventative against athlete’s foot.
As always it would be much better to never get athlete’s foot at all so in order to avoid this problem make sure you start with dry feet when putting on shoes and keep them dry as well.
For further information on this and other natural remedies keep doing your research and always look for natural remedies as they are most often the most effective without any negative side effects.
Symptoms of Sports Hernia & Athletic Pubalgia
A sports hernia also known as athletic pubalgia, Gilmore’s groin, and slap shot gut, is an uncommon, but often missed cause of groin pain in high level athletes. It is poorly understood and poorly defined in the medical community. It is also very difficult to identify based on history and physical exam of an athlete with groin pain. The name sports hernia is a misnomer as well because there is no discernable hernia (or protrusion of abdominal cavity contents) present in this condition.
Sports hernia is a diagnosis almost exclusively of very high level male athletes. It is a common diagnosis in athletes with chronic longstanding groin pain that does not respond to a very long (often years) course of non-operative treatment. Typically athletes involved in repetitive twisting sports such as ice hockey, soccer, Australian rules football, and tennis. Recent well known athletes such as Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles, Tomas Holmström of the Detroit Red Wings and Jeremy Shockey of the New Orlean’s Saints have all had surgery to repair a sports hernia.
Hockey player’s syndrome otherwise known as “slap shot gut” is a variant of a sports hernia unique to high level ice hockey athletes. It is due to repetitive twisting motions of the torso common in hockey such as with taking a slap shot. The result is a tearing over time of the covering (fascia) lining the lower abdominal oblique muscles. It is most often seen on the side opposite the player’s forehand slap shot. There may also be an associated inguinal nerve irritation. This may explain why the pain seen in hockey player’s syndrome often travels to the scrotal region. The treatment involves a repair similar to that in many sports hernias.
This is in contradistinction to a typical hernia where there is a protrusion of abdominal contents such as fatty tissue or bowel through a well-defined defect in the inguinal canal of the groin. Despite this, the name sports hernia has persisted because many of the surgical treatments are similar to that of a typical hernia.
]]>
Repetitive twisting and shear forces encountered during high level athletics can lead to injury of the lower abdominal wall. This may be exacerbated by the typical strong thigh adductors (muscles that bring the thighs closer together) compared with often weaker lower abdominal muscles.
Athletes typically complain of a longstanding history of pain in the inguinal (groin) region. They often complain simply that their performance has deteriorated below a satisfactory level. Often the pain is not present during periods of inactivity, rest or periods away from athletic involvement. However, symptoms classically reappear with return to the athletic activities responsible for the injury in the first place. The pain may travel, or radiate, from the groin into other areas like the testes, lower abdominal musculature and the inner thigh region. The pain is often exacerbated by coughing or sneezing as well as by athletic movements like sit-ups and kicking motions.
On physical examination, there may be groin pain to palpation in the region of various structures along the wall of the lower abdomen. These may include anatomic regions like the inguinal ring and canal as well as the pubic symphysis (central fusion point of the 2 halves of the pelvis in the front/center of the pelvic region). There is however no classic inguinal hernia detectable on exam as there is no defect in the inguinal wall and no intra-abdominal contents that herniated through. Patients will have pain with a resisted abdominal contraction such as with a sit-up. This may be worsened by doing so with the thighs squeezed together (adduction).
There are many possible causes of groin pain in athletes. Sports hernia is a rarely confirmed diagnosis, and therefore it is extremely important to be sure that other conditions are not the source of an athlete’s symptoms. Some conditions that can mimic a sports hernia include:
● Pulled Groin Muscle (Hip Flexor/Adductor Strain)
● Hip impingement
● Inguinal hernia
● Osteitis pubis (inflammation of the pubic symphysis: joint connecting the 2 halves of the pelvis)
● Stress fracture
● Snapping hip
● Labral tears
● Osteoarthritis
● Nerve entrapment
● Avulsion fractures in teenagers and children
● Non-orthopaedic causes of pain such as those involving the genitourinary system
Special emphasis should be given to core stabilization exercises as well as countering any imbalance between the various hip, pelvis and thigh musculature. An evaluation by a highly specialized physical therapist is necessary to help the athlete along with their rehab program and identify and treat these imbalances. A good example to improve this imbalance is Hip Abductor Stength
For more information on treatment including several other instructional core strength exercises as well as hip strengthening videos, please click the following link. Surgical information is also provided in this link
Sports Hernia & Athletic Pubalgia
About 90% of athletes who have surgery for a sports hernia are able to return to competition at the same level or higher to where they were prior to their injury. The timing of return to competition for laparoscopic surgery is typically within 6 weeks while for open surgery it is usually a few months to as long as 6 months.
Find More Athletics Articles
Awards For Athletes
With the athletics season almost at a close, the athletes of the world could be forgiven for taking a rest. However it’s not just on the track and field that athletes find themselves competing against each other all year round. Every year a select few athletes are awarded gongs for their achievements in their sport. The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) hold their prestigious World Athletics Gala annually, which rewards outstanding global athletic achievements, through a number of awards.
The highlight of this event is the announcement of the Male and Female World Athletes of the Year. This year the IAAF has given the public the unique chance of helping to select the three finalists for both the Female & Male Athlete of the Year 2010. Great Britain only has one contender and that is World heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis. The 24 year old won the world indoor pentathlon and heptathlon gold at the European Championships this year.
]]>
Jessica Ennis was also shortlisted for the Female European Athlete of the Year. These awards have already been announced, with Jessica coming second behind Blanka Vlasic, a high jumper from Croatia (who she also happens to be up against for the World Athlete award). French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre was named European Male Athlete of the Year.
Other Award ceremonies taking place are the Aviva Athletics Awards. These will be held at Loughborough University, which itself is a nationally and internationally recognised for its high level of teaching and research in the sport and exercise sciences.
Young emerging talent also gets a nod. The European Athletics Rising Star Awards recognises the future male and female stars in the world of European athletics. It has proved to be a good indicator as Jessica Ennis won the title back in 2007. This year saw French triple jumper Teddy Tamgho and Croatian discus thrower Sandra Perkovic take the honours, so they will be two to watch out for in the coming seasons.
On the whole, it’s been a fairly good year for British athletics. Great Britain & N.I’s medal haul included 41 medals at the Commonwealth Games, 19 medals at the European Championships and 4 medals at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. So with less than 2 years to go until the curtain goes up on the 2012 Olympics, things look to be on track for our Britain & N.I athletes….let’s just hope the construction of all the venues are too!