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More on PRP Therapy

A recent study examining the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy on plantar fasciitis patients showed positive results. T&C Managing Editor Abigail Funk explains the science behind PRP and its sports medicine applications in this Web exclusive.

Lose Yourself in Athletic Training

This submission from students at the University of Michigan won top prize in the National Athletic Training Student Committee 2011 Video Contest. We can't wait to see what's on tap for 2012.

Army to Study Supplements

The United States Army is investigating whether dietary supplements containing an ingredient known as dimethylamylamine or DMAA may have contributed to the deaths of two soldiers last year. The soldiers had heart attacks during fitness exercises, according to an Army official.

The supplements have names like Jack3d and OxyElite Pro, and the DMAA ingredient is touted to increase energy, concentration and metabolism. DMAA is listed as a banned supplement by the World Anti-Doping Authority and several professional sports leagues. The supplements are widely available at retail shops and until recently, were available at stores on military bases in the United States.

Last summer, the United States Anti-Doping Agency issued a warning notice about DMAA.

According to the New York Times:

As a precaution, the Defense Department has removed all products containing DMAA from stores on military bases, including more than 100 GNC shops, pending the completion of an Army safety review, said Peter J. Graves, an Army spokesman.

Mr. Graves, the Army spokesman, said that DMAA had been identified in the toxicology reports of the two soldiers' deaths. He added that the Army had also received some reports of liver and kidney failure, seizures, loss of consciousness and rapid heartbeat in other military personnel who have used products containing DMAA. Mr. Graves said the Army was evaluating whether there were links between the use of the DMAA products and the reported health problems.

In a statement, USPlabs, the company that markets OxyElite Pro and Jack3d, claimed there was no medical evidence to suggest the products are dangerous when used as directed. The company said it stood by the safety of its products and was fully cooperating with the inquiry by the Defense Department.

A Giant in the Field

For over 30 years, Athletic Trainer Ronnie Barnes has worked the sidelines for the New York Giants. This Sunday, he will make his fifth appearance on sport's biggest stage--the Superbowl. There's no doubt that Barnes has had a storied career in sports medicine, afterall, he was the NFL's first African-American athletic trainer, a pioneer in the development of on-site training facilities, and helped build a network of team physicians that is now a league standard. But his impact extends well beyond the New York locker room.

For example, during his time with the Giants, Barnes developed a a lifelong friendship with team owner Wellington Mara, endearing him to Mara's family and the team's players along the way.

"I can't even put into words what he's meant to the franchise and to the family. My mother still refers to him as her 12th child," John Mara told the Boston Herald. "He has taken very good care of our players and our family, including my father for many, many years. I would venture to say he's the most valuable player in this franchise.

"He was at my father's bedside for most of the final six weeks or so that he was in the hospital (in 2005). He took such care of him. They had a special bond. I get emotional even thinking about it, how he cared for him during that final period."

Barnes says he often reflects on his relationship with Wellington Mara (who died of cancer in 2005) and Mara's leadership style set the bar for how he and the team treats players' health.

"Part of my success as an athletic trainer is gaining the respect of players and making for sure they understand you're here for their benefit; you're their advocate rather than advocate for the coach or team specifically," Barnes said. "That's an important mission for the athletic trainer and Mr. Mara made that very easy. He was always setting the tone for that, always making sure I put the players' health first."

That approach is not lost on the Giants players.

"Ronnie always has the players' best interests at heart. I would hope you could say that about every place you play, but he truly is like that," All-Pro guard Chris Snee said. "Absolutely, Ronnie will have your back. If you're really hurt and you can't practice, he will defend you."

ASTM Calls For Papers

Papers are invited for a symposium on the Mechanism of Concussion in Sports, to be held Nov. 13, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, Ga. The symposium is being sponsored by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities and its Subcommittee on Medical Aspects and Biomechanics, in cooperation with the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC) and USA Hockey.

Group Provides Advocacy, Funding

Here's a look at Advocates for Injured Athletes, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote sports safety and to provide essential support, education, and resources to the
injured athlete. The group is working to meet that goal by providing grants that enable high school and club sports programs to hire certified athletic trainers.

Advocates for Injured Athletes states that its goal is "to eventually have a certified athletic trainer on every high school campus in America." An application can be found on the group's Web site.

The group is backed by a Medical Advisory Board that includes Douglas Casa, PhD, a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Director of Athletic Training Education, and Chief Operating Officer of the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education and Kevin M. Guskiewicz, PhD, ATC, the Kenan Distinguished Professor and Director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

For more information, go to: injuredathletes.org.

Strength Coach Gets Second Chance

Sal Alosi, the former New York Jets strength and conditioning coach who resigned last year after making headlines for tripping an opposing player on the sideline, has been hired by UCLA to be its Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. Alosi was hired by new Bruins Head Football Coach Jim Mora, Jr., whom he worked under with the Atlanta Falcons in 2006.

Improved Eating Leads to Title

This season, Burke County (Ga.) High School turned to a nutritionist in a story that ended in a state championship. The story began with Head Coach Eric Parker seeing basic symptoms of dehydration and malnutrition in his players.

"We had kids who literally by Tuesday had to be removed from practice because of the intensity and the amount of energy they were having to expend," Parker told CBS News. "We're probably like most small towns in America right now - you know, we're struggling. So, bringing food home and putting it on the table for a lot of our people, you know, that's a big deal."

Burke County is one of the poorest counties in the country, with 48 percent of its children living below the poverty line. Knowing this and seeing problems with his players stamina and energy levels, Parker met with Donna Martin, the school nutritionist. Parker told Martin,

"Our kids need more calories - they're falling out by the end of the fourth quarter and we need more calories - what can we do? Wouldn't it be great if we could feed them supper?"

After doing some research, Martin applied for federal funding through the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. One year later, at the cost of $3 per meal, they now provide dinner to 500 lower-income students in the Burke County school district.

In winning the 2011 state championship, Parker says improved nutrition was the key.

"We were finishing games strong," Parker added. "We really had situations where in big games we got stronger as the game went along."

Nutrition for High Intensity Training

By Deb Iovoli, MS, RD, CSSD, CDN

If you have athlete's who are competitive runners you probably try to help them get the most out of their runs. They run frequently, do speed work, tempo and long runs, and may even do some weight training for strength. These are all the things that make someone a faster, stronger runner ... so they say.

Fancy Footwork

By Vern Gambetta

The feet don't work independent of the rest of the body! 'What a brilliant statement,' you say. 'I already knew that.' If we already know that, why do so many people talk about "quick feet" and "foot speed" as if the feet were independent of the rest of the body?