Research

International Olympic Committee Nutrition Project

Inadequate diets can negatively impact sport training adaptation and performance, and increase the risk of injury and illness.

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Inadequate diets can negatively impact sport training adaptation and performance, and increase the risk of injury and illness. Limited data are available on the diets of winter sport athletes, and no study has examined dietary differences between non-specific (conditioning) and specific (on-ice/on-snow) training periods.

The objective of this study was to examine energy and nutrient intakes, supplementation, and iron status in male and female athletes of selected winter sports (n=60, including disabled athletes not part of the IOC grant).

Energy, nutrient, and fluid intake during non-specific and specific training periods were compared. In females, we examined the prevalence of the female athlete triad (disordered eating/amenorrhea/osteoporosis). In addition, we compared bone mineral density at the lumbar spine, proximal femur, and whole body in all participants (males and females) among different winter sports athletes (n = 40) grouped into 2 categories based on general loading characteristics and controls (n = 40).

Effects of Hyperoxic/Hypoxic Training

Altitude related research projects have been conducted in collaboration with:

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1.  Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA & US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA. 
    a. Acute Mountain Sickness and Work Performance at 4,300 m Altitude: Effect of Energy Deficit, Antioxidants, and Carbohydrate Supplementation
2.  United States Olympic Committee, Colorado Springs, CO. 
    a. Effect of FIO2 on Physiological Responses and Performance in Trained Cyclists at Moderate Altitude
3.  University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. 
    a. The Effects of Dietary Macronutrients on Exercise Performance and Oxidative Stress with Acute Hypoxic Exposure 
    b. The Effects of Oxygenated Water on Physical Performance at Simulated Altitude Exercise-Induced Rise in the Severity of Acute Altitude Illness – Andy Subudhi Collaborative research effort with The University of Colorado Health Science Center

Cerebral Oxygenation During Maximal Exercise

Factors that limit human exercise performance are a subject of debate in the scientific community.

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Collaborative Research Effort with The University of Colorado Health Science Center

Factors that limit human exercise performance are a subject of debate in the scientific community. Many investigations have focused on peripheral factors, such as muscle oxygenation, thought to be associated with fatigue during intense exercise, yet these studies have fallen short of providing an adequate explanation of the phenomenon. Thus, theories identifying the central nervous system as the ultimate governor of maximal exercise performance have attracted recent attention. This study explored the role of cerebral oxygenation as a limiting factor to maximal exercise.

Effect of Ankle Bracing on Knee Mechanics

Many coaches prophylactically ankle brace their female athletes in the hope that the practice will reduce injuries.

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Many coaches prophylactically ankle brace their female athletes in the hope that the practice will reduce injuries. Reducing motion at the ankle may increase motion (and focus) up the kinetic chain, most certainly at the knee, in those athletes. This study examined that possibility and attempted to provide appropriate guidelines.

Relationship between Oxidative Stress, Muscle Atrophy and Impaired Function following ACL Reconstruction Surgery

The objective of this study was is to examine the role of oxidative stress and antioxidant supplement in muscle atrophy and function following repair of one of the most commonly injured ligaments in the knee.

Mechanisms of Injury

One of the major goals of sport science and medicine is to better understand the mechanisms of injuries so intervention programs can be developed to help athletes avoid injuries.

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One of the major goals of sport science and medicine is to better understand the mechanisms of injuries so intervention programs can be developed to help athletes avoid injuries. Avoiding injuries is key for an athlete to maximize their training and achieve their performance goals. In addition, the long-term health costs associated with major sports injuries are very significant.

TOSH Sport Science's scientists work with TOSH's sports medicine professionals to gain better understanding of these injury mechanisms. One of the keys to this process is monitoring injuries in different athlete populations and correlating these injuries with the results of specific sport-science testing.

For example, certain athletes may be at greater risk for injury if they exhibit below average core strength, poor conditioning, or for females, during a certain stage of their menstrual cycle. TOSH's Athletic Trainer Program helps to collect this injury information on different athlete populations while TOSH Sport Science is collecting performance test information on these athletes. The results are compiled and compared to similar studies.