St. Francis Sports Medicine 
St. Francis Sports Medicine Newsletter | April 2014 
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April 2014

 

 Greenville Sports League

 

Monday

Basketball

 

Tuesday

Sand Volleyball

 

Wednesday

Soccer and Kickball

 

Thursday

Flag Football

 

Sunday

Flag Football 

 

 

 

 

April 5-6

CESA Spring Soccer Tournament

 

April 5

Lax Lacrosse Clinic

 

April 12-13

Goodwill Mud Run presented by St. Francis Sports Medicine 

 

April 12

Lax Lacrosse Clinic

 

April 12

Greenville Derby Dames Roller Derby Bout 

 

April 19

Lax Lacrosse Clinic

 

April 26

Wheels for Meals Ride 

 

April 26

Lax Lacrosse Clinic

 

April 26

Greer Earth Day 1/2 Marathon

 

April 26-27

SC State Soccer Tournament


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dive in to the
Goodwill
Mud Run
 
April 12 & 13
 
Featured Article
  


 

Spring in Greenville is beautiful, but the layer of yellow pollen can cause issues - and not just for your car. Studies have shown that athletes - particularly endurance athletes - have a worse time with exercise induced asthma in the spring, when the pollen count is high. Please continue reading to learn more:

Exercise-Induced Asthma: Worse in Spring?

 

 

A shortness of breath, a wheezing sound in your throat, or a tightness in your chest after you run - these are the classic signs of exercise-induced asthma, an inflammation of your airways which limits your ability to breathe and can put a serious damper on your athletic performance.

 

Statistics for asthma in runners

A medical center in Finland investigated the presence of asthma in a range of athletes and found that asthma was present in 23% of the athletes but only 4% of the control subjects, based on a medical evaluation and history. Among the athletes, asthma was present significantly more often in the swimmers and the runners when compared to the power and speed athletes, perhaps because of their prolonged high rates of breathing.

 

A larger follow-up study examined 103 elite runners, finding that a total of 52% of these runners had some evidence of asthma problems. While 16% of these runners had been previously diagnosed with asthma, another 14% had chronic symptoms consistent with exercise induced asthma without knowing they had the disease.

 

Studies by this group also found a strong correlation between allergies (as measured by a skin-prick test) and asthma. Some 58% of runners with allergies were found to have symptoms of exercise-induced asthma, compared to only 37% of those who did not have allergies.

 

If you already know you have asthma or allergies:

  • Be aware that your condition can be made worse by pollen during the spring, so planning long and strenuous workouts on days with a lower pollen count in the spring might be helpful.
  • Indoor air quality also can have an effect on your workout if you do treadmill or indoor track workouts.

But the biggest take-away from these studies is that a large number of runners probably have exercise-induced asthma without even knowing it!

 

If you have been experiencing the following symptoms:

  • occasional chest tightness
  • shortness of breath
  • wheezing following exercise, especially indoors, in the winter, or in the spring,

You should see a doctor and get tested for exercise-induced asthma. Keep in mind that your risk is almost doubled if you know you've got allergies to pollen or dust, and if you are a high-level athlete doing high volume and high intensity training, your risk is probably greater as well. St. Francis Sports Medicine physician Dr. Steve Keiser is a Primary Care physician with specialization in sports medicine, and can do testing for exercise induced asthma. He can be reached at 864-365-0115.

 

References: RunnersConnect.net  

 

 

   
Get in Faster
with 675-HURT
 

When injuries strike, you just need to remember one number - 675-HURT, St. Francis Sports Medicine's 24/7 injury hotline. 675-HURT provides concierge service to Piedmont Orthopaedic Associates and Carolina Orthopaedic Center physicians, getting you an appointment with an orthopedic expert faster. If you're not sure if you need to see a physician right away, the professionals at 675-HURT can give you advice for at-home treatment.

 

In fact - grab your phone and enter 864-675-4878 into your contact list now. Then you won't have to remember any numbers! 

Photos of the Month

 

Moonlight 5K

 

Wren JV Softball takes the Championship!

 

CESA Meet the Athletic Trainers Event 

  
 

The "Tough Man" Challenge at Youth Night for Road Warriors Hockey

  

   

 
  
      

 

 
  
 
Need Urgent Care?

 

Remember - St. Francis has emergency rooms at both ST. FRANCIS downtown (near Academy Street) and ST. FRANCIS eastside (near Patewood Drive). Urgent Care is offered in downtown Greenville on McBee Street near the corner of Main Street (beside the CVS) and After Hours Care is offered at ST. FRANCIS millennium (near Laurens Road/Mauldin) and Travelers Rest. And of course, you can always call 864-675-HURT to get priority appointment times with our orthopedists or call-ahead ER service if needed.