Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / FDA Warning on Semaglutide, B/Yamagata Flu Strain Disappearance, and Athlete Mental Health

Transcript

FDA Warning on Semaglutide, B/Yamagata Flu Strain Disappearance, and Athlete Mental Health · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

0:00
Good morning and welcome to Morning Medical with Dr.
0:03
Chow, your daily update on the latest medical and health news from around the world.
0:09
I'm Dr.
0:10
Chi-Ming Chow, and today we have some important news from the Food and Drug Administration
0:16
regarding compounded semaglutide.
0:22
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about overdoses related to compounded
0:27
semaglutide, a medication commonly used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes management.
0:34
The agency detailed that these overdoses, some severe enough to require hospitalization, are
0:40
happening due to both patient and physician confusion around the compounded versions of the
0:45
drug.
0:47
Adverse events reported to the Food and Drug Administration have included gastrointestinal
0:51
issues such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, which are the most common side effects of
0:57
GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide.
1:01
However, more serious effects have also been noted, such as fainting, headaches, migraines,
1:06
dehydration, acute pancreatitis, and gallstones.
1:11
While the Food and Drug Administration-approved injectable semaglutide—marketed under brand
1:16
names like Ozempic and Wegovy—comes in prefilled pens dosed in milligrams, compounded
1:22
semaglutide can vary in concentration and is often supplied in multi-dose vials.
1:28
This variation has led to incorrect self-administration by patients and dose
1:32
miscalculations by healthcare providers.
1:36
Many patients who received vials of compounded semaglutide lacked experience with
1:41
self-injections.
1:43
According to the adverse event reports, unfamiliarity with withdrawing medication from
1:48
a vial into a syringe, coupled with confusion over different units of measurement such as
1:54
milliliters, milligrams, and 'units', has contributed to dosing errors.
2:00
In some alarming cases, patients have administered five- to twenty-times more than
2:05
the intended dose.
2:06
For instance, some patients were instructed to use a U-100 insulin syringe to draw up small
2:12
doses like a five-unit dose, but mistakenly administered fifty units instead.
2:18
In one reported case, a patient had difficulty obtaining clarity on dosing instructions from a
2:23
telemedicine provider and resorted to an online search for medical advice, resulting in taking
2:29
five times the intended dose.
2:31
Healthcare providers have also been at fault in some cases, incorrectly calculating doses when
2:37
converting from milligrams to units or milliliters.
2:41
For example, one provider intended to dose 0.25 milligrams but accidentally prescribed 25
2:48
units, leading to severe vomiting for the patient.
2:52
Another provider prescribed 20 units instead of 2 units to three patients, all of whom
2:57
experienced nausea and vomiting.
3:00
The Food and Drug Administration advises healthcare providers to be vigilant when
3:05
prescribing compounded semaglutide.
3:08
They should contact the compounder for help with dose calculations if there is any
3:13
uncertainty.
3:14
Additionally, providers and compounders should ensure patients have the correct syringe size
3:19
for their dose and teach them how to measure the intended dose accurately.
3:24
Compounded semaglutide has grown in popularity due to a spike in demand for GLP-1 receptor
3:30
agonists, which led to supply and access issues.
3:35
However, the Food and Drug Administration stresses that compounded drugs should only be
3:40
used for patients whose medical needs cannot be met by an available Food and Drug
3:44
Administration-approved drug.
3:47
Compared to Novo Nordisk's branded semaglutide, compounded versions can pose higher risks
3:53
because they do not undergo the same premarket review for safety, quality, or effectiveness.
4:00
Novo Nordisk has taken legal action against compounded semaglutide, and one review found
4:05
high levels of known and unknown impurities in some compounded products.
4:10
One product tested was found to contain more than 24 percent impurities.
4:15
To recap, once-weekly injectable semaglutide was first approved for type 2 diabetes under
4:21
the brand name Ozempic in 2017.
4:25
In 2021, it was approved in a higher dose for chronic weight management under the brand name
4:30
Wegovy for adults with obesity or who are overweight with at least one weight-related
4:36
condition.
4:37
Most recently, it gained approval to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and
4:44
stroke in adults with cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight.
4:50
The Food and Drug Administration acknowledges the substantial interest in compounded
4:56
semaglutide for weight loss but urges caution.
5:00
The agency encourages compounders, healthcare providers, and patients to report any adverse
5:06
events or errors to its MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.
5:12
A new study suggests that there is a link between semaglutide use and lower rates of
5:16
treatment for tobacco use disorder among people with type 2 diabetes.
5:20
David J.
5:21
Phillip from the Associated Press reports that a growing set of evidence suggests that using
5:26
semaglutide could lead to decreased substance use, and a large new study shows a promising
5:31
link between the medication and tobacco use.
5:34
However, experts emphasize that much more research is needed before using the medications
5:39
off-label for smoking cessation.
5:42
The study, published Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, tracked the
5:47
medical records of more than 200,000 people who started medications to treat type 2 diabetes,
5:53
including nearly 6,000 people using semaglutide medications such as Ozempic.
5:59
Over the course of a year, people who started using semaglutide were significantly less
6:04
likely to have medical encounters for tobacco use disorders, prescriptions for medications
6:09
for smoking cessation, or counseling for smoking cessation than those who started other
6:14
diabetes medications such as insulin and metformin.
6:18
The study authors note that the reasons individuals might be less likely to seek
6:24
medical treatment for tobacco use disorder vary widely.
6:28
It could suggest that their tobacco use decreased, or that they have become less
6:34
willing to seek help to quit smoking, for example.
6:37
There might be a mix of medication-driven and patient-driven change, said Doctor Disha
6:43
Narang, an endocrinologist and director of obesity medicine at Endeavor Health in Chicago,
6:49
who was not involved in the new research.
6:54
"If I have a patient with type 2 diabetes who is on one of these agents and they do have a
6:58
history of smoking, oftentimes, our visits involve a conversation about tobacco
7:03
cessation," she said.
7:06
"These folks might start paying special attention to their long-term health and
7:10
changing some habits because they are being treated for diabetes."
7:14
Also, the new study did not measure the severity of tobacco use, such as the number of
7:19
cigarettes consumed per day, cravings, or withdrawal.
7:23
Understanding how semaglutide affects these factors is "crucial" to determining whether the
7:28
medications could be used for smoking cessation, said Doctor Nora Volkow, director of
7:34
the National Institute on Drug Abuse and a co-author of the new report.
7:38
Also, more work would be needed to understand appropriate dosage and adverse effects before
7:44
using the blockbuster drugs in a new way, she said.
7:48
But other early research suggests that semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications could
7:53
interact with the brain’s reward system in a way that helps modulate cravings, whether for
7:58
food, nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs.
8:03
"The main driver of why many of us overeat relates to those reinforcing positive responses
8:08
that we get from eating certain foods.
8:11
And it is the same circuit for foods as for drugs," Volkow said.
8:16
Although key questions remain, Volkow said she is struck by how consistent the findings have
8:21
been when it comes to the relationship between semaglutide use and decreased substance
8:26
use—across different substances and among different patient groups.
8:31
The new study found similar links among those with and without obesity.
8:36
"A signal like this one cannot be ignored, particularly because of how consequential it
8:42
could be if, in fact, we can have now a new medication for treating smoking cessation," she
8:48
said.
8:49
"That could have a tremendous impact on health."
8:54
Smoking rates in the United States have decreased over time, but cigarette smoking
8:58
remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death, according to the United
9:02
States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
9:06
A recent study from the American Cancer Society found that smoking contributes to nearly one in
9:12
five new cancer cases and nearly a third of cancer deaths each year.
9:18
But fewer than one in ten adult cigarette smokers succeed in quitting each year,
9:22
according to the new study, and options for smoking cessation treatment have not changed
9:28
much in decades.
9:30
A strain of seasonal influenza has completely vanished globally since March 2020, and due to
9:36
its disappearance, health officials in Canada are changing up the annual flu vaccine.
9:41
The B/Yamagata influenza strain, once a dominant force among influenza B viruses, may
9:48
have vanished entirely due to the stringent measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic,
9:54
according to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).
10:00
No cases have been confirmed across the globe since March 2020.
10:06
Due to the strain’s disappearance, NACI announced on July 26 that expert groups have
10:12
endorsed removing the B/Yamagata component from influenza vaccine formulations.
10:17
As a result, Canada’s flu vaccine will shift from a quadrivalent to a trivalent formula.
10:24
"As of March 2020, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and implementation of
10:30
measures to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, there have been no confirmed
10:34
detections of naturally circulating B/Yamagata lineage viruses worldwide, including in
10:40
Canada," NACI said in the statement.
10:44
"Based on current epidemiological data, there is global expert consensus that B/Yamagata
10:50
virus strains should be removed from influenza vaccine formulations and that manufacturing
10:55
should transition to trivalent vaccines exclusively," it added.
11:00
Before the strains disappeared, there were four strains of seasonal influenza circulating: two
11:05
from influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and two from influenza B (B/Victoria and B/Yamagata).
11:15
Since the 2014 to 2015 flu season, Canada has used quadrivalent influenza vaccines containing
11:22
strains from both influenza B lineages (B/Victoria and B/Yamagata) to offer protection
11:28
against circulating influenza B viruses.
11:32
Although influenza A is usually the dominant strain, both influenza A and B contribute to
11:38
seasonal epidemics.
11:40
Despite its lower overall prevalence, influenza B can still pose a significant burden in
11:45
Canada, accounting for up to 44 percent of reported laboratory detections in some seasons,
11:50
according to NACI.
11:53
"In November, December and into January, we mostly see influenza A.
11:57
And then in the latter part of the season, January, February and tailing off through
12:02
March, we’ll see a little bit more influenza B," explained infectious diseases specialist
12:08
Doctor Isaac Bogoch.
12:11
"If you look at the absolute number of cases, we usually have way more influenza A compared
12:15
to influenza B, but B starts to show up a little bit later on in the season."
12:20
He said that while the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of influenza A and B are the
12:26
same, what differs is their epidemiology.
12:30
This difference in epidemiology might explain why B/Yamagata disappeared while other strains
12:36
persisted.
12:38
The B/Yamagata strain was first discovered in Japan in the late 1980s.
12:42
It began spreading globally and became a predominant influenza strain in North America
12:48
by the early 2000s.
12:50
By the 2014 to 2015 flu season, Canada had added the B/Yamagata strain to its seasonal flu
12:57
vaccine, making it a quadrivalent formula to protect against more influenza types.
13:03
In Canada and globally, between 2012 and 2017, B/Yamagata viruses caused a larger proportion
13:10
of influenza B infections than B/Victoria, NACI said.
13:14
However, two years before the COVID-19 pandemic, the B/Yamagata lineage started
13:19
becoming dominant.
13:21
Then, in March 2020, it seemingly vanished.
13:25
"During the darkest days of COVID, we stopped detecting one of the two influenza B strains
13:31
and that was B/Yamagata," Bogoch said.
13:34
"Was it hiding out somewhere or was it just circulating in lower levels?
13:37
Was it going to somehow emerge later on?
13:40
Those are questions that were asked at that time.
13:44
But, it didn’t seem to come back."
13:47
Although it has disappeared, Bogoch emphasized that this does not mean the strain is
13:51
eradicated, as eliminating any virus is extremely challenging.
13:56
But there are theories about what happened to it.
13:59
The first theory relates to the public health measures implemented at the start of the
14:03
pandemic.
14:04
A 2022 study published in Nature argued that since April 2020, many countries have seen
14:12
historically low seasonal influenza virus circulation, attributable to quarantines,
14:17
social distancing, school and workplace closures, mask-wearing, surface disinfection,
14:23
and enhanced hand hygiene.
14:26
Bogoch suggested that another factor contributing to the B/Yamagata strain’s
14:30
disappearance could be the “massive drop in human mobility” during the pandemic.
14:36
"If you look at international travel, passenger volumes and human mobility patterns during that
14:41
time, they were a tiny fraction of what they are normally," he explained.
14:45
"And when you look at how seasonal influenza is transmitted, it goes from the southern
14:50
hemisphere and then it works its way into the northern hemisphere during our winter months,
14:57
and then back to the southern hemisphere during their winter months and ping-pongs back and
15:02
forth."
15:04
He believes that the near standstill in travel during the pandemic, along with tighter border
15:09
restrictions, may have contributed to the decline of the strain.
15:13
Another reason could be "viral interference," he said, meaning the COVID-19 strain may have
15:19
helped suppress a weaker strain of influenza.
15:22
However, he stressed that these are all theories, and a combination of these factors
15:28
may have contributed to the disappearance of the B/Yamagata strain.
15:33
These are just the early stages of transitioning from a quadrivalent to a
15:37
trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine, so the new formula will not be available for the 2024
15:44
to 2025 flu season, according to NACI.
15:48
"For the 2024-2025 influenza season in Canada, vaccine availability is anticipated to remain
15:55
unchanged.
15:57
Quadrivalent formulations will continue to be supplied for public programs.
16:01
No trivalent formulations will be available for standard dose or high dose inactivated
16:06
influenza vaccines," it stated.
16:09
NACI anticipates a gradual transition to trivalent influenza vaccines, acknowledging
16:16
significant logistical challenges and potential regulatory complexities.
16:21
More details about trivalent influenza vaccines will be included in the 2025 to 2026 Influenza
16:29
Seasonal Statement.
16:31
Both quadrivalent and trivalent influenza vaccine formulations are clinically safe and
16:36
effective, according to NACI.
16:39
While the updated vaccine may not be available in Canada this upcoming flu season, the United
16:44
States has already adopted the trivalent formulation for the 2024 to 2025 season.
16:51
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that flu vaccines will be
16:57
trivalent in the United States for the 2024-2025 season.
17:03
"Because influenza B/Yamagata lineage viruses have not been detected after March 2020, the
17:09
World Health Organization and Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related
17:13
Biological Products Advisory Committee recommended that the influenza B/Yamagata
17:17
lineage vaccine virus component be excluded from flu vaccines as soon as possible," the CDC
17:23
website states.
17:25
Since there is no evidence that B/Yamagata is completely eradicated, NACI said it will
17:30
continue to monitor each flu season.
17:33
"Continued epidemiological and virological monitoring of influenza virus, investigation of
17:38
any reports of B/Yamagata detection, and continued assessment of programmatic factors
17:44
remains important, as does clear and transparent communication of updated
17:49
recommendations," it said.
17:52
More than 10,000 elite athletes from around the globe are competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics,
17:58
where they face incredible pressures to perform in front of an audience of billions.
18:02
For these Olympians, years of grueling preparation and training precede an event that
18:08
leaves no room for error – mere seconds can mean the difference between a medal on the
18:12
winner’s podium or being dropped from competition, retired Olympic speed skater Apolo
18:18
Ohno told the PBS News Hour’s Amna Nawaz.
18:21
And even for those who win gold over and over again, there’s always a day when it’s time to
18:27
say goodbye to their sport at the highest level – a challenge that can be as hard as any race,
18:33
match, or routine.
18:35
When Ohno was competing nearly 15 years ago, the conversation about mental health among
18:40
athletes was very different from the one today.
18:45
“To be completely frank, we didn’t know what that even meant,” he said.
18:49
“The words ‘mental health’ really was mental performance.
18:53
That’s where we focused a lot of our time.”
18:56
Athletes are increasingly weighing their own mental health against the demands of sport and
19:00
pressure to perform, said Jessica Bartley, senior director for psychological services for
19:05
the U.S.
19:06
Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
19:08
Postponing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for a year during the COVID-19 pandemic was “one of the
19:14
most notable times” in terms of athletes needing mental health services, Bartley said.
19:20
That delay unleashed anxiety in many athletes, particularly more experienced competitors,
19:25
because it allowed a new cohort of younger athletes to become eligible to compete against
19:30
them, she noted.
19:32
When the Tokyo Games returned in 2021, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles helped jumpstart a global
19:39
conversation about the importance of mental health awareness as she withdrew from team
19:43
competition.
19:45
“We have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the
19:49
world wants us to do,” Biles told reporters then.
19:53
When she participates at the Games this summer she does so on her terms and with a new honor –
19:58
as the most decorated gymnast ever.
20:01
Olympians face daunting expectations, Bartley said.
20:05
To reach the Games, many athletes started training for their sport almost as soon as they
20:10
learned how to walk, and have dedicated much of their lives to just one thing.
20:15
Often, Bartley said, athletes have trained with the mentality that “you can’t take your eye off
20:21
the ball or you won’t perform your best.” That can include not paying attention to your own
20:27
mental health nor balancing the demands of your sport with the rest of your life.
20:32
A 2019 meta-analysis of British Journal of Sports Medicine studies found at least a fifth
20:38
of current elite athletes struggled with alcohol and as many as a quarter of former
20:43
athletes grappled with anxiety and depression.
20:46
In response to Biles’ call for the need to prioritize the mental health of athletes, the
20:51
International Olympic Committee in 2023 issued an action plan that highlighted how elite
20:57
athletes are “at increased risk of mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety
21:03
and eating disorders.”
21:06
“That’s one thing I wish I knew.
21:07
While the sport is a big deal, it is not everything.”
21:11
“While the global mental health burden is significant, we must recognize that mental
21:16
health symptoms are treatable, and in many instances, preventable,” said professor Uğur
21:21
Erdener, chair of the committee’s medical and scientific commission, in a statement when the
21:27
plan was released.
21:28
“By inspiring, encouraging and assisting stakeholders across the Olympic movement, we
21:34
can help build a healthier world in and through sport.”
21:39
The committee’s plan to address mental health challenges and boost well-being focuses on
21:44
improving culture and leadership as well as using data and research, among other measures.
21:50
When Bartley’s staff checks in with athletes from Team USA each year, she said they
21:55
routinely ask about mental health as well as physical health, including questions about
22:00
sleep, vaccination status and nutrition, as well as disordered eating, trauma, substance
22:06
use, and anxiety and depression.
22:11
“We’ve really shifted to normalize us asking questions about mental health, checking in.
22:17
We check before Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we’ll check in after,” Bartley said.
22:22
“We’ll do a touchpoint with each of those athletes.”
22:27
Ohno has been speaking out in recent years to raise awareness about mental health needs and
22:31
resources, including with his book, “Hard Pivot,” and in the 2020 HBO documentary “The
22:38
Weight of Gold.” The former speed skater stood up on the Olympic podium eight times, more than
22:43
any other American winter athlete in history.
22:46
But when he reflects upon the career he left behind at age 27, those moments of victory are
22:52
fleeting.
22:54
Instead, his most powerful memories happened without any spectators, “when it was me against
22:59
myself, digging, striving, trying to find that extra 1 percent.”
23:04
“While we might not always be able to control these outcomes, in that process is where the
23:09
true prize can actually be,” he said.
23:13
When late-career athletes reach out to Bartley and her staff for support, they usually mull
23:18
the same questions.
23:19
They wonder if they can commit to four more years until the next Olympic Games convene.
23:25
Many have postponed attending college or graduate school.
23:28
Some have waited to have a family so they could more fully commit to training for their next
23:33
chance to compete, or they are watching their own parents age and contemplating how to step
23:39
up for their caregivers.
23:41
“‘Am I ready to give it up?’” Bartley said athletes often ask her.
23:46
Change is inevitable.
23:49
For Olympians, pivoting after sport comes relatively early in life, clinical and
23:55
cognitive behavioral psychologist Jeff Brown of Harvard Medical School said.
23:59
It may be out of their control, like when an accident completely alters their trajectory in
24:04
a split-second.
24:06
Or it can be a deliberate decision to quit sports and begin anew, which can also be
24:10
traumatic.
24:12
“Identity gets so wrapped up into performance,” Brown said.
24:16
Growing up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Taylor Fletcher learned to glide down mountains
24:21
on skis by age four.
24:24
To this day, that’s one way he relieves stress.
24:28
Fletcher’s parents, especially his mother, made sacrifices so he and his brother could join a
24:34
local ski team coached by former Olympians who had developed a pipeline to the Winter Games.
24:41
His journey to the Olympics was not a foregone conclusion, he said, but he worked his way up,
24:46
pushed by his desire to join the national team.
24:49
For years, Fletcher said, he focused on just one thing – “everything else took a step back.”
24:55
Looking back, having an athlete’s laser-like focus could mean “you can pigeonhole yourself
25:00
into being stuck,” said the four-time former member of the U.S.
25:04
Nordic Combined team.
25:06
When athletes are contemplating retirement, Bartley and her staff encourage them to reach
25:11
out to their support networks, including family, friends and peers in their sport, she
25:17
said, but also to reflect on what they want.
25:21
Over the years, Team USA developed its Pivot Program, designed to help athletes cope as they
25:28
transition into the next phase of their life.
25:31
Experts talk to current and former athletes about job training skills and financial
25:35
literacy, preparation for higher education as well as mental health and well-being.
25:41
“That’s one thing I wish I knew,” Fletcher said.
25:44
“While the sport is a big deal, it is not everything.”
25:48
In life after the Olympics, Ohno said he has failed countless times.
25:53
What has helped him recover has been his desire to encourage people to “be open and receptive
25:58
and vulnerable to listening with empathetic ears” and “to help others recognize and guide
26:04
them to their own inner truths.”
26:07
“They can get back up, they can continue again,” he said.
26:10
“It’s not too late, and starting today is better than starting tomorrow.”
26:15
Finally, we have some tips from professional athletes to help you get back into summer
26:20
sports injury-free.
26:23
Whether you're a former athlete looking to get back in the game or just someone wanting to
26:27
participate in a family kickball match, these insights will help you stay active and perform
26:32
better.
26:34
Jason Glass, a top performance coach who trains elite athletes on the PGA Tour, emphasizes the
26:40
importance of daily habits.
26:42
'Whether you're a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, you can't prepare for game day
26:47
on game day,' he said.
26:49
'Proper preparation comes from your daily habits.'
26:53
Glass recommends creating a daily lifestyle checklist he calls his 'Foundational Five':
26:59
1.
27:00
Sleep like it's your job: Quality sleep is essential for recovery and performance.
27:05
Aim for consistent, restful sleep.
27:08
2.
27:08
Stay hydrated: Drink half your body weight in fluid ounces per day.
27:13
For a 200-pound athlete, that's 100 ounces daily.
27:18
3.
27:19
Eat clean: Know what's in your food and how it affects your body.
27:23
This awareness helps you make better choices on game day.
27:27
4.
27:28
Move beautifully: Engage in an activity every day that makes you feel great, whether it's
27:35
yoga or weight lifting.
27:38
Listen to your body.
27:40
5.
27:41
Live with intention: Train with specific outcomes in mind.
27:45
Even napping can be beneficial if done with the intention of resting up before a big game.
27:51
Glass advises that you score yourself on each of these five foundations at the end of each
27:57
day, using a scale of zero to five.
28:01
Aim for twenty or more total points at the end of each day.
28:06
'Master these five foundations before adding any other performance-enhancing modalities,' he
28:11
suggested.
28:13
Next, we have advice from Bill Burgos, the former head of strength and conditioning for
28:18
three NBA teams.
28:20
He offers three tips for those returning to sports after a hiatus:
28:25
1.
28:26
Prepare your body for movement: Use foam rolling and dynamic stretching exercises such
28:32
as walking lunges with elbow-to-instep and walking knee hugs to enhance flexibility and
28:37
mobility.
28:39
2.
28:40
Gradually elevate your heart rate: Begin with low-intensity activities such as a slow jog and
28:45
progressively increase to a moderate intensity that mimics your sport.
28:51
3.
28:51
Listen to your body: Pay attention to how your body feels and adjust the intensity of your
28:56
workout accordingly.
28:58
Paul Fournier, a strength and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers who has
29:02
worked in Major League Baseball for over thirty years, highlights the importance of strength
29:07
and speed for longevity and injury prevention.
29:11
'Maintaining strength and speed of movement is key to preventing chronic pain and injuries,'
29:15
he asserted.
29:17
Fournier recommends incorporating calisthenics, weight training, sprint work, and plyometrics
29:22
into your routine.
29:24
He suggests starting with twice-weekly sessions that include:
29:28
1.
29:28
Low-level plyometrics: Jump rope, step-ups, and light medicine ball work will build
29:33
neurological and muscular endurance.
29:36
2.
29:37
Core strengthening: Perform exercises such as planks, dead bugs, and rollouts to enhance
29:44
torso stability and protect your back.
29:48
3.
29:48
Strength training: Focus on compound movements for the lower body with exercises such as
29:53
lunges and squats while incorporating more isolating upper-body exercises like chest
29:58
presses, rows, and curls.
30:02
Matt Nichol, a coach with three decades of experience training professional and Olympic
30:06
athletes, emphasizes the critical role of a proper warm-up.
30:12
'The warm-up is as important as the workout,' he said.
30:16
Nichol offers these practical warm-up tips:
30:20
1.
30:20
Arrive early: Just like professional athletes who arrive at least three hours early on game
30:25
days, give yourself extra time before your recreational activity or competition to warm
30:30
up.
30:32
2.
30:33
Walk more: Park farther away to incorporate some light movement as you walk to your
30:37
activity.
30:39
3.
30:40
Get warm: Avoid stretching cold muscles.
30:42
Instead, perform sport-specific movements at a lower intensity and gradually increase speed
30:47
until you're at game speed.
30:50
4.
30:50
Listen to your body's cues: Pay attention to any aches and pains during your warm-up.
30:56
These can be early warnings of injury potential.
30:59
It's better to dial back your intensity for one game than to push too hard and miss the entire
31:05
season.
31:07
Lastly, Dana Santas, known as the 'Mobility Maker,' has been a mobility coach in
31:12
professional sports for over twenty years.
31:16
She encourages athletes to focus on sport-specific mobility with these three
31:21
strategies:
31:23
1.
31:24
Have clear goals and a plan to achieve them: Your objectives should align with the needs of
31:28
your sport and provide direction for your mobility program.
31:32
2.
31:33
Build strong, powerful movements: Enhanced movement that improves sports performance
31:38
requires strength and power behind the movement.
31:42
Core strengthening is essential for stabilizing the low back and preventing injury.
31:48
3.
31:49
Train for controlled movement: Avoid solely relying on stretching to create passive ranges
31:54
of motion that could lead to injury.
31:57
Instead, focus on targeted strength and mobility exercises that promote control in end
32:03
ranges of motion.
32:05
Before you jump into the next neighborhood pickup basketball game or sign up for the town
32:10
softball league, take these practical insights to heart to enhance your performance and reduce
32:15
your risk of injury.
32:17
That wraps up today’s episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
32:21
Chow.
32:22
I hope you found this information helpful and that it inspires you to stay active and healthy
32:27
this summer.
32:28
Join us again tomorrow for more updates on the latest medical and health news from around the
32:32
world.
32:33
Have a great day!