Abstract
integrated as a discipline in the Athletics field, trail running requires specialised training from its practicants. In comparison with traditional endurance tests, through their specific, in these tests sportsmen are predisposed to major injury risks. The aim of this article is to illustrate the level of knowledge and appliance of preventing kinetic procedures as well as recovering the capacity of effort used by those involved in preparing and executing trail running, coaches and performance sportsmen. The results of my research highlight that, interventions and autointerventions, even the sporadic ones from the specialist/ sportsman determine positive influences in the dynamics and stability of fitness level. This fact leads to the idea that some kinetoprofilactic methodologies, that are accordingly adapted, could constitute complementary plans of prevention and control that are continuous programmed throughout the year of training with the aim of diminishing injury risks. 1. Introduction Trail running is an athletic branch that requires a specific endurance effort, based on variable intensities, due to some motric execution secvencies performed (in ascending and descending), according to the route profile and that, determines at the body level, the production of some major functional changes. However, in trail running there are present a variety of unknown factors, particularly from an environmental point of view. Trail running involves high energy consumption, due to the stimulus complexity at which the sportsman body, that practices this kind of tests, is submitted. Practicants are strong people, phisically, emotionally and psychically. They have to be capable to react not only to some internal perturbatori factors (state of health, effort capacity, recovery capacity, emotional equilibrium, actual level of manifestiation of qualities and motric skills etc.), but also external (climate, natural
complexity at which the sportsman body, that practices this kind of tests, is submitted. Practicants are strong people, phisically, emotionally and psychically. They have to be capable to react not only to some internal perturbatori factors (state of health, effort capacity, recovery capacity, emotional equilibrium, actual level of manifestiation of qualities and motric skills etc.), but also external (climate, natural environment, social environment, interdisciplinary team etc.), that sets up a mark on sport executions, during training sessions and competitions. (http://www.wmra.ch). * E-mail: mocanu.petra@yahoo.com
Mocanu Petronela, Balint Lorand / Gymnasium In order for the instruction process to have the atributes of an efficient teaching approach, due to intense and varied demands of which the sportsman body that practices trail running is subjected to and also taking into consideration the injury risk frequency to which he is exposed, it is imposed that programming the activities of training sessions and competitions, to be permanently accompanied by specific kinetoprofilactic and recovery capacity of efforts. 2. Material and methods Sportsman kinetoprofilaxy becomes an intervention process with a more and more complex methodology, due to requirements generated by the competitional practice and implicitly, of many studies realised in this sense, for the branch diversity and sportsman tests. Thus, it starts the foundation of principles, procedures and techniques specific to profilaxy, sustaining recovery and rehabilitation as efficient as possible of sportsmen, according to the predominant type of effort, of the required muscles, of the importance of applying these at the right time. Contemporan qualitative and quantitative characteristics of performance sportsman activities (contests frequency, the vast number of hours per training/ day, intensities and volume of training etc.), require the implementation of some recovery and profilactic programs diversified, specialized and individualized as much as possible, resulted through means, methods and techniques created in order to reestablish/ maintain controlled the homeostatic level of practicants. Just through the conception of such programs - continuously applied - the actual state of fact will be overtaken, from current practice, present in the process of sportsman training in Romania, regardless of the approached branch/ test of the sport. We consider that, in this working manner, significant progresses will be achieved in the decrease of the number/ severity of injuries, increase of sportsman longevity, as well as through assuring the state of wellness of the practicants. The methods used in the research, were: scientific bibliografic documentation, realised in order to set the bounds between the main kinetoprofilactic measures used in current and relative sportsman training specific to those who practice athletics; tehnical particularities and somato- functional and motric components requested in trail running; investigation method, realised through
through assuring the state of wellness of the practicants. The methods used in the research, were: scientific bibliografic documentation, realised in order to set the bounds between the main kinetoprofilactic measures used in current and relative sportsman training specific to those who practice athletics; tehnical particularities and somato- functional and motric components requested in trail running; investigation method, realised through interviews held with specialists from the athletic field, those who approach sport training in trail running, besides the classics within athletics; invetigation as questionnaire, which was applied not only to the coaches, but also to the sportsmen; statistic method, used for the percentual processing of collected data, as well as the graphical method, which facilitates the visualisation of resulted data from the research. In foreign scientific literature, pieces of information on the thematic of kinetic profilaxy, regarding practicing trail running, are not developed. Those concerned to the recovery measures of effort capacity are better outlined. Thus, as an example, Ferguson and Shevels (2011, p. 197) are talking about the importance of recovery after competition, stating that, in case of trail running,
No. 1, Vol. XVI /2015 three phases of recovery can be distinguished: - Immediate recovery, which can be realised in the first post- effort competitional hour and has as priority nutrition, through hidroelectric reechilibration and accumulation of calories; authors bring into discussion the importance of hidration in the first 15 minutes from the end of the race, when the body has an increased capacity of absorption. In the same phase, in order to decrease muscle tone, is realised through easy walking and stretching exercises. - The second phase is represented by the recovery on short therm, which is realised in the first two days after competition and consists from the insurance of catalyst nutrients, administration of Ibuprofen for reducing muscular cramping, reducing of muscular fatigue through bath with ice and hot bath, in order to improve blood circulation and muscular relaxation and last but not least the sleep, as way of passive recovery. - In the third phase, it is recommended long therm recovery, which is realised through the return of sportsman to training sessions, consistent with easy running in the first week, 10 % of the precompetitional running volume, one day of alternate running with one day break; in weeks 2 - 5, it is increased the running volume as follows: 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% from the precompetitional running volume, maintaining the running pace; in the fourth week is introduced also a secvency of faster running, of medium intensity; in the fifth week, from the point of view of effort intensity, running speed is maintained at a relative decreased level, then this follows to increase gradually, starting with the sixth week. On the whole period of training sessions, authors warn about the importance of sistematic observing of body reactions to effort stimulus, in order to take the properly breaks. The variety of methods, means and tehniques specific to the field generically called Kinetotherapy and special motricity, represents premises of making more efficient the differentiated benefic influences, applied at the level of equipment and/ or organs where it is desired to intervene in the practice of sports training session. In
to effort stimulus, in order to take the properly breaks. The variety of methods, means and tehniques specific to the field generically called Kinetotherapy and special motricity, represents premises of making more efficient the differentiated benefic influences, applied at the level of equipment and/ or organs where it is desired to intervene in the practice of sports training session. In this context, Cioroiu (2012, p. 165) sustains that 'stretching is recommended by sportsmen, coaches, kinetotherapysts, not only for traumas prevention, but also for performances increase'. The same author mentions that, many studies set up the basis of some models capable to proove the relationship between flexibility, stretching, performance and trauma. Namikoshi (2008, p. 14) sustains that, the correct application of stretching methods, controlling breath, using specific techniques through easy progressive stretching of muscles, with maintaining the respective position a period of time, is a modality that favorizes the increase of stretching limits of muscles and articulations, developing at this level, force and resistance, maintaining in the same time the required flexibility for specific segmentary taken actions. The importance of muscular flexibility exercises is highlighted by Ferguson and Shevels (2011, p. 150). They sustain that, these exercises have the role of maintaining flexibility, preventing injuries, improving mobility and increasing performance capacity. Localising the actions taken through
Mocanu Petronela, Balint Lorand / Gymnasium stretching exercises, for sportsmen involved in trail running, it is realised especially at the level of the calf, thigh and hip muscles, but also on superior body segments. As a procedure, authors recommend the easy stretching of the targeted segment and the maintenance of some positions for 30 seconds, without feeling any pain or disconfort. This type of exercise is placed after warm up exercises or after taking a hot bath. According to Adler (http://www.scribd.com/doc/6253935/Proprioceptive - Neuromuscular-Facilitation-PNF), using combined kinetic methods of stretching and massage, contribute to regaining an optimal amplitude of movement. This aspect presents many advantages: increase of muscular supleness, increase of learning ability or improvement of some motric actions, favors physical and psychical relaxation, develops the awareness capacity on the same body, decreases the muscular pains and muscular tension, diminishes trauma risk at the locomotor system; determines a general positive state and contributes to the warm up of the tissue. Between these combined tehniques, there are also used as important means in the profilactic activity and sport recovery, hidrotherapeutic interventions, thermoterapeutic, physiotherapeutic that all, for obtaining of an increased level of efficiency, request individualisation, rationalisation and to a certain extent standardisation. Another field of study, the one that treats sportsman traumas, highlights between integrity risk factors of corporal/ functional integrity, disequilibrium of muscular mass or/ and corporal, the decreased level of fitness, age, lack of sportsmen experience etc. For example, disequilibrium between antagonists and agonists is considered, in the coaches opinion, major risk factor in mountain running, this fact owing to the level of use, in a higher percentage, of flexor muscles group. Likewise, in case of trail running, the rough ground predisposes the athlet to many injuries, localised especially at the level of inferior limbs. Usually, those involved in the provision of trail running, bring in the foreground minor injuries, but very frequent, as an example: blisters, corns and deteriorated nails, these having a major impact in diminishing the running confort and manifestation of sportsman performance. Simultaneously, due to the influences on the environment, hiperthermic problems occur, exhaustion or crampes
the level of inferior limbs. Usually, those involved in the provision of trail running, bring in the foreground minor injuries, but very frequent, as an example: blisters, corns and deteriorated nails, these having a major impact in diminishing the running confort and manifestation of sportsman performance. Simultaneously, due to the influences on the environment, hiperthermic problems occur, exhaustion or crampes caused by rains, cold and heat, humidity, inadequate clothing, fatigue, decreased physical condition, decreased nutritive intake (Ferguson & Shevels, 2011, pp. 204- 209). The current level of this study results from the demand of permanent concerns for prevention of injuries risk, reported - as much as possible - to dinamics of fitness level, as well as to the need for maintain/ improvement of the athlets state of health. The data of the investigation which I realised, try to illustrate the factual reality of usage level for kinetoprofilactic measures and recovery/ rehabilitation in the process of training, in trail running in Romania. Moreover, we try to highlight the relationship between the activities volume - expressed through the number of hours/ week - which sportsmen spend for the recovery measures and kinetoprofilactic and dinamics of fitness level, expressed through the number of
No. 1, Vol. XVI /2015 participations to competitions and the level of realised performances. The research directions that we proposed, tried to answer to the following questions: - From the perspective of sportsmen training means, actual strategies of instruction, associates kinetoprofilactic and recovery action programs, with the instruction process or this process is focused only on traditional factors of sportsman training? - What is the frequency of events in case of instruction sessions that approach a theme in the kinetoprofilaxy and recovery/ rehabilitation field? Are they signaled by respondents as being part of the integral strategy, own of instruction? - What accidents have been produced - if these took place - and what is the level of severity, during the execution by the questioned subjects, of trail running? - What repercussions had the injuries towards stability dinamics of fitness level? This article is part of an extensive study, of which theoretical- methodic importance consists in completing the methodological fond accumulated after research and empirical studies, realised by specialists in the internationally field, as well as by romanian coaches that approach in professional practice, trail running. Through the present approach, we wish to offer a radiography of the state of fact, related to the weight of profilactic measures and recovery/ rehabilitation of effort capacity, after injuries/ sustained effort, applied to romanian athlets who participate in trail running contests. We consider that, through competitional activity, the increase in the level of specialisation of instruction of those who take part in running trails, has to be associated in a significant way, with implementation/ presence of some kinetoprofilactic and recovery/ rehabilitation methodologies, as essential conditions in the prevention of injuries and also, as ways of stabilisation or reconstruction of specific fitness level. Starting from the premises of the need to simultanously apply of traditional means of sportsman training, that belong to kinetoprofilaxy and recovery of biologic capacities, in the perspective of diminishing injury risks and implicitly, in the favor of fitness level stability, the investigation that I realised, started from the following hypothesis: The lack of permanent taking actions in the instruction process, on
the premises of the need to simultanously apply of traditional means of sportsman training, that belong to kinetoprofilaxy and recovery of biologic capacities, in the perspective of diminishing injury risks and implicitly, in the favor of fitness level stability, the investigation that I realised, started from the following hypothesis: The lack of permanent taking actions in the instruction process, on the direction of prevention or/ and recovery/ rehabilitation of motric potential of sportsmen that practice trail running, exposes them to risk situations, which can generate significant oscillations of sportsman performance or in injuries situations, with repercussions towards coming back to the initially achieved fitness level. 3. Results and discussions After the analysis of individual documents for planning that were provided, as well as from discussions with coaches, it is remarked the high training volume, not only as duration, but also from the perspective of runned kilometers; a significant part from this volumes, is allocated to running with
Mocanu Petronela, Balint Lorand / Gymnasium different tempos, with diverse operational objectives, realised - in general - through running on varied terrain. Also, it is higlighted the focus on methodic variants applied for the development of muscular force of the lower body and of force in resistance mode, components considered as being important in specific training of sportsmen in trail running. Also, from the annual training plans provided, I identified mixt modules of training, which contain combined themes (specific, nespecific) in a smaller measure, training containing means of recovery of the body after effort, destinated exclusively to this purpose. Operational objectives at this planning secvencies, are formulated on different directions, as follows: restoring cardio-pulmonary changes after effort; metabolic restoration or/ and enzymatic after the requests from training and competitions, in order to recovery homeostasis; recovery and overcompensation. After finishing competitional periods, in annual plans there are refind, periods of cantonment destinated through others to effort capacity recovery. Some differences were reported to the specific indicators level of quantitative and qualitative elements for training, depending on the instruction level (advanced, performance). We mention that, in trail running, young age represents a vulnerable aspect concerning intense psyhosomato-functional requests, which negatively favors the state of health (Caine, Purcell , & Maffulli, 2014 http://www.biomedcentral.com/2052- 1847/6/22). In order to complete the data for the proposed field of investigation, I realised a questionnaire for both coaches (6coaches from: C.S.Ș. Caransebeș, C.S.M. Dorna, C.S.Ș. Mediaș, C.S.Ş. Blaj, C.S.A. Steaua București, L.P.S. Brașov) and sportsmen (10 performance sportsmen, juniors and seniors category), in order to identify profilactic and recovery measures that they schedule and follow, as well as the frequency forusing them, taking as time segment the competitional year between 2012- 2013. Moreover, the desire was to illustrate the number of injuries and trauma categories that occured in the specific time segment, as well as of the taken measures on the direction of reestablishing specific and general motric capacities, if it was the case, in the perioad after injury. The survey has 8 questions, and the answers are the following: Figure 1. The declared frequency of using kinetoprofilactic
the number of injuries and trauma categories that occured in the specific time segment, as well as of the taken measures on the direction of reestablishing specific and general motric capacities, if it was the case, in the perioad after injury. The survey has 8 questions, and the answers are the following: Figure 1. The declared frequency of using kinetoprofilactic and recovery measures - trail running At question nb. 1, which is reffering to the frequency of using profilactic
Description
The study focuses on injury prevention and recovery in trail running training.