Muscle Aches, and Pains – Part of the Game by Dr. Mauro DiPasquale

The human body is a magnificent piece of machinery with pulleys, rubber bands, hinges and joints throughout. And while most of the time it functions magnificently, it can be stressed and even broken in places. In fact, muscle and connective tissues are major sources of physical discomfort and disability, especially in athletes. This is not surprising, considering that muscle and connective tissues are the most abundant and widely distributed tissues in the body.

We can all understand the importance of muscle tissue in athletes; however the role of connective tissue is often under appreciated. It shouldn’t be since it forms our bones, surrounds our organs, holds our teeth in place, forms cushions and lubricates our joints, and connects the muscles to our skeleton. In fact, collagen is the most abundant protein, comprising of ~30% of total protein, in the body.

Soreness from exercising is a familiar experience, often an accepted incidental result of training. Most soreness results from muscle tissue trauma, but stress is also induced upon the tissues connected to the muscles: bones, tendons and ligaments. These tissues are also subject to aging.

Most connective tissue injuries involve damage to the structural components of the tissue. In sports activities, injuries are classified into two types: acute and overuse injuries. Acute trauma occurs from lacerations and partial or complete rupture of the tissue. Overuse injuries, the most common category, result from chronic overloading or repetitive motion. The capacity of the tissue for repair greatly exceeds degradation and cellular metabolism is altered such that damage occurs at the cellular and structural levels.

Inflammation is the most prominent symptom of both types of injuries. While inflammation is a natural part of the healing process in any injury, chronic inflammation may lead to increased tissue degradation and impair the repair process. Indeed, chronic inflammation is a major factor in several connective tissue diseases, especially within articular joints.

Pharmaceuticals are often used to manage or alleviate symptoms occurring with connective tissue inflammation. However, many of these substances may alter the healing and repair process, and offer only temporary relief. In fact, many of the medications used cause side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset and may even accelerate joint degradation in the long run.¹

Many natural ingredients and remedies have been used over the centuries that have not only alleviated symptoms of tissue stress, but also shown to help rebuild tissue and restore function in joints. Many of these natural substances aid in recuperation, help heal sore muscles and joints, increase recovery from injuries such as strains and sprains, and help strengthen musculoskeletal support tissues.

The use of these substances, as well as various vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and others, if used in a proper and timely fashion, have a positive effect on the immune system, overtraining and both preventing and treating injuries. They can also be useful in treating musculoskeletal pain, inflammation and degenerative/arthritic conditions.

The best example of a comprehensive, multifaceted, synergistic supplement that can be useful for all of these conditions is Joint Support, now in version III.

Joint Support is formulated to support muscle, cartilage and joint function in many ways. First of all by maintaining tissue integrity it helps prevent musculoskeletal problems. Secondly it provides the mechanisms and stimulus for repair of injured or damaged musculoskeletal tissue, whatever the cause. It also offers relief for aches and pains.

By providing several dozen ingredients that work along synergistic pathways to decrease inflammation and promote the body’s natural synthesis and maintenance of joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons, it protects, prevents and helps in the repair of musculoskeletal injuries and inflammation, regardless of the cause.

Joint Support is used by thousands of bodybuilders and other athletes, both amateur and professional, to help them get the most out of their training. It’s also used by countless health professionals as an aid to both prevent and treat injuries.

References:

¹Ding C. Do NSAIDs affect the progression of osteoarthritis? Inflammation. 2002 Jun;26(3):139-42. Review.

:: Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale :: is one of the most influential voices on diet, performance and athletic training in the world. His innovative work in finding safe nutritional alternatives to anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs has won him praise from athletes, trainers and fitness experts around the globe. Dr. Di Pasquale was a world-class athlete for over 15 years, winning the World Championships in powerlifting in 1976 and world games in 1981.