MRSA - Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections in Athletes and Active People

What is a Staph infection?

Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria commonly found on the skin or in the nose of most people. The Staph bacteria can be common causes of minor skin infections such as boils and pimples. In other cases, the Staph bacteria can cause a more serious infection.

What is MRSA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria that does not respond to certain antibiotics such as penicillin or amoxicillin. Although MRSA was once only seen in very ill and hospitalized patients, it has become much more common in the general population and community.

How common is MRSA?

MRSA has been found in a majority of children with skin infections seen in Oakland emergency rooms in recent years. MRSA can occur in athletes - In 2003, five members of the St. Louis Rams NFL football team as well as former San Diego Charger Junior Seau were treated for MRSA infections.

How do I know if I have MRSA and what does a MRSA infection look like?

Initially, you may have a small, coin-sized area of redness, warmth and swelling like a boil or pimple. Occasionally, there may be pus or draining fluid from the area. MRSA infections commonly occur on the thigh, groin and armpits (axilla), but can be found on any part of the body. Sometimes there may be swelling and pain of a joint. In more advanced cases, there may be complaints of moderate to severe pain at the site of the infection, or fever and chills.

What should I do if I think I have MRSA?

Let your athletic trainer know immediately and see your physician or health care provider. MRSA and other skin infections are treatable with antibiotics if seen quickly enough.

How can I get MRSA?

The most common way to get MRSA is through an open or uncovered scrape or skin abrasion. It's important to keep any scrapes clean and covered with a clean bandage.

How can I prevent spreading MRSA if I have it?

1. Good hygiene - Keep your hands clean and prevent spreading MRSA germs by frequently washing your hands for 15 to 30 seconds with warm soapy water. Use a soap dispenser instead of bar soap. If water or soap isn't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer solution.

2. Keep cuts covered with clean bandages - If the cut or wound can't be completely covered, the athlete shouldn't be in contact sports

3. Don't share personal items - MRSA may be transmitted by sharing towels, athletic equipment or other personal items such as razor blades.

4. Keep athletic and training equipment clean - Most current disinfectants will kill MRSA and other bacteria. Use a clean towel on training equipment and to wipe down and dry off equipment when done. Clean larger area equipment such as wrestling mats on a regular basis with a disinfectant and check yourself for any early signs of infection such as a skin area that is red, warm or swollen.

Coastal Sports & Wellness Medical Center is providing this information as a public service.

Our physicians are also available for school and athletic department speaking engagements. Contact us at (858) 678-0300 for scheduling.

2 & Some Change - 7/25/11 (Should College Athletes Get Paid?) Sports

2 & Some Change - 7/25/11 (Should College Athletes Get Paid?) Sports Tube. Duration : 5.65 Mins.

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Sports Massage Will Benefit Athletes Before, During, and After Competition

Athletes can't take their bodies for granted if they want them to perform at peak levels. That's why it's not uncommon to see athletic trainers, physical therapists, and massage therapists lining the sidelines at sporting events, ready to step in and help coax each athlete's body to do its job. Before and after games, matches, or races, athletes often spend time with those same wellness professionals in a locker room or physical therapy area.

But what do wellness pros actually do to benefit first-class athletes? One common application used for injury prevention and treatment, as well as general health maintenance, is sports massage. Sports massage is a therapeutic technique-no soft music, dim lighting, or aromatherapy candles required. Instead, the goal is to guide the muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and other body parts to perform better, recover from injury faster, and last longer.

Sports hobbyists and topflight athletes alike can benefit from sports massage, because the massage therapist approaches each body differently. Whether you're a twice-a-week runner with a stiff knee or a professional figure skater with a pulled hamstring, targeted massage can result in significant improvements. Massage therapists who work with athletes must understand the specific physiological needs of various sports, including muscles that are called upon often and those that tend to be weak or injured. They must also be able to assess specific bodies to find weaknesses and tight areas that should be addressed through sports massage.

Sports massage is commonly administered:

Pre-event: Athletes must warm up properly before competing, and sports massage can be part of that warm up. Massage can loosen tight muscles and enhance blood circulation, decreasing the time it takes an athlete to get "in the zone" once the competition begins. Depending on the sport, the massage therapist can aim to relax or stimulate relevant muscles.

Mid-event: Muscles can cramp or spasm through intense activity. Having a massage therapist on hand to quickly work out the kinks or stop the spasm can mean an athlete can finish competing, maybe even coming out stronger than before. For instance, a football quarterback might get a quick massage for his throwing shoulder between quarters or while his team is on defense.

Post-event: Just as athletes need to warm up, they also need to cool down after an event. Stopping abruptly at the end of a rigorous exercise period can result in muscle spasm and lactic acid buildup, meaning more soreness the next day. Post-event massage therapy can relieve soreness and increase blood flow to tight, fatigued muscles. During this post-game massage, the athlete can also conduct a physical check-in: Does anything hurt more than it should? How did the body perform today? What areas could benefit from further training, physical therapy, a more in-depth massage, or even first-aid treatment before the next game or event?

Beyond the time immediately surrounding an intensive competition or practice, sports massage is valuable as a maintenance regimen. Athletes can get a full-length massage once a week or every two weeks, for instance, with the goal of improving range of motion and muscle flexibility, or of combating muscle imbalances that could lead to injury. In terms of injury recovery and rehabilitation, gentle, skilled massage can speed healing and reduce discomfort by increasing circulation to the affected area and relieving swelling and tension. However, once an injury is in the picture, it's always a good idea to speak with a doctor before beginning a massage treatment regimen.

Preventing Bariatric Athletes From Having Dumping Syndrome on the Course

One of the main concerns that bring athletes to me is the nutritional management to prevents GI distress. Spending more time in the port-a-potties then on the course is something every athlete wants to avoid. Excess sugar intake in a given time is often the culprit. Yet, sports nutrition products are all primarily carbohydrates, and for good reason: carbohydrates are our bodies' preferred fuel source while exercising. Not only are bariathletes at risk for GI distress because of the typical 'hazards' of the sport, but many suffer from dumping syndrome, the surgical side effects of consuming too many carbohydrates. And eating high protein and high fat foods on the course will not provide any benefit. So, as a bariathlete what do you do?

One of the key training and nutritional strategies that can help eliminate GI distress encourages our bodies to burn more of its own nutrient stores (fat) for energy rather than relying on the foods we eat. It's about matching the fuel source and dose with the specific training regimen. Periodizing workouts and matching your foods to meet the specific demands of the workouts is key.

Some things to consider when you are training:

What's your season look like? This is an important question because your training is helping you meet your goals. Do you have one big race at the end of the year and smaller ones along the way? Or is each race throughout the year significant? How you train makes a big difference and it ensures that you are not getting burnt out or injured along the way. Not planning it out and periodizing your work outs can have you peaking too early or not even at all.

Have you periodized your workouts and do you know the goal of each phase? Training isn't just getting out there and doing it, nor is it simply the mileage that you put in. We have so many different systems that play a role in our fitness, we need to train each system. Periodization requires you to work on your aerobic and anaerobic systems as well as muscular strength and power. All of which plays a key role in you performance.

Do you know which system is being worked in each phase and what nutrients to give it and when? To really maximize your training, being able to feed your body the specific nutrients it needs at the specific time is key for optimal performance. When I say optimal performance, I am not just speaking to racing with a good time. In the area of working with bariathletes, this is crucial for overcoming the GI distress and dumping syndrome as well as bonking and fatigue. Optimal performance means you cross that finish line enlivened and energized without any of the cramping, the gas, or the port-a-pottie stops.