The effect of stress on recovery, healing and performance

-

Everyone gets a little stressed from time to time but do you know what impact this has on your body?


You may have heard about Cortisol in relation to stress. Well Cortisol is actually a Glucocorticoid and stress triggers the release of Glucocorticoid and Catecholamine. These hormones have been found to delay wound and injury healing (Gouina and Kiecolt-Glasera 2011).

These hormones have also been shown to reduce local Cytokine production, which is extremely important in the inflammatory process and therefore healing (Broadbent et al 2003).

It has also been found that stress reduces important healing related compounds such as Matrix metalloproteinase, which is important for early healing.

On the other side of the coin, Oxytocin and Vasopressin have been found to increase healing rate by surpressing Cortisol and there may be a direct impact to healing itself. These Hypothalamic peptides are linked to social bonding (Gouin et al 2010). So this could mean that having support from friends and family could actually speed up your healing time.

Stress can also create behaviour changes that can have a detrimental effect on healing. Examples of these are alcohol or smoking.

Other commonly reported behavioural changes are sleep disturbances, poorer diet, less activity levels and less exercise participation:

Heavy alcohol use delays in cell migration and collagen deposition at the wound site (Benvenistem and Thut 1981).

Smoking reduces blood flow and therefore slows healing (Silverstein 1992).



Sleep disruption diminishes growth hormone production, which drives healing processes (Veldhuis and Iranmanesh 1996).

Exercise releases hormones such as endophines, which counteract stress and therefore enhance healing rate (Keylock et al 2008).

We are what we eat! A deficient intake of nutrients and vitamins can impede the healing process (Russell 2001).

Performance and recovery:

Stults-Kolehmainen et al (2014) found that when the participants were stressed they couldn't produce the same isometric muscle forces for over 96 hours!

Another study by the same author in 2012 found that recovery rates were slower after exercise for the high stress group.

So stress can have a major impact on how well and how quickly we heal from injury. It also affects our recovery and performance. So make sure that you remember this next time that you are injured!


If you need any further information or would like to book an appointment then call Hawkes Physiotherapy on 01782 771861 or 07866195914



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Patella Tendinopathy

-
Image
I hear different terminology used all the time, so what is tendinitis, tendinosis or tendinopathy? Tendinopathy: This is a broad term encompassing painful conditions occurring in and around tendons, which includes tendinitis and tendinosis. Tendinitis: This basically means inflammation of a tendon. Tendinosis:  This means degeneration of tendon (Meaning cumulative damage). So what does this mean to me? For a long time tendinitis was the term used and it was considered that injured tendons were simply inflamed. Then the thinking shifted to the thought that there was little or no inflammation present in these conditions (Andres & Murrell 2008). However as is with research, the thinking is changing again: There may be an inflammatory response associated with chronic tendinopathy, even though recent opinions had decided it to be non-inflammatory (Rees 2013). So both types can occur! This is important as the way that you treat each one has to be
Read more

The case of the clicky hip (AKA: Snapping hip syndrome)

-
Image
Ever wondered what the click in your hip is? Firstly you need to know a little about the anatomy of the area. Bones: Ilium, Ischium, Pubis, Femur: Ilium: Acetabulum (lunate surface, margin of acetabulum) Anterior inferior iliac spine Anterior superior iliac spine Ala (wing of ilium) (gluteal surface and iliac fossa)) Iliac crest (outer lip, tuberculum, intermediate zone, inner lip) Gluteal lines (anterior, inferior and posterior) Posterior superior iliac spine Posterior inferior iliac spine Greater sciatic notch Body of Ilium Illiopubic eminence Arcuate line Auricular surface for the sacrum Iliac tuberosity Ischium: Ischial spine Lesser sciatic notch Body of Ischium Ischial tuberosity Ramus of ischium Obturator foramen Acetabulum Acetabular notch Pubis: Superior pubic ramus Pubic tubercle Obturator crest Inferior pubic ramus Acetabulum Pecten pubis (pectineal line) Symphyseal surface Obt
Read more

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

-
Image
Heard of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? Probably not but you may have heard of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Well they are similar but Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is in the wrist and hand whereas Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is in the Elbow. What is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome? Basically it is a compression neuropathy, which means that a nerve is "trapped”. The nerve at fault in this case is the ulna nerve and where it gets “trapped” is in the cubital tunnel of the elbow: See the below picture: How common is it? It is the second most common compression neuropathy in the upper limb (Palmer & Hughes 2009). What causes it? A common cause is frequent bending of the elbow or constant repetitive pressure on the elbow itself. This then irritates the nerve and it is irritated too much then it becomes a “neuropathy”. What are the symptoms? The patient will complain of pain and numbness in the ring and little finger and weakness is common. If left untreated then this
Read more