On June 9, Carlos Alcaraz won his first Roland Garros, to which we must add two other Grand Slam tournaments: the US Open (2022) and Wimbledon (2023). His early success (he is 21 years old) is explained by several factors, such as his physical preparation, the training of his technical skills and mental strength and the scrupulous care of his nutrition, in addition to strong professional and family support. .
However, an annoying obstacle stood in his way last Sunday: cramps, which had already affected him during his match against Novak Djokovic in the previous edition of the Parisian championship. Rafa Nadal and Alberto Berasategui, among others, have also suffered them, who experienced them daily.
Cramps: the hidden enemy
Muscle cramps are painful, involuntary contractions of a skeletal muscle that occur during or shortly after exercise. These episodes are usually brief but intensely painful, and can affect performance and the ability to continue physical activity. They often affect muscles that cross multiple joints and are used intensely, such as the gastrocnemius (on the back of the leg), hamstrings, and quadriceps.
Currently there are three theories to explain its possible causes:
Theory of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The oldest hypothesis postulates that cramps occur when sweating causes a contraction of the interstitial space, increasing the concentration of excitatory neurochemical compounds and mechanical pressure on motor nerve terminals. In fact, excessive sweating can lead to sodium and chloride loss, which could predispose you to cramps.
Theory of altered neuromuscular control. He suggests that they are triggered by an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory stimuli in the alpha motor neuron. The origin of this imbalance would be, in most cases, fatigue.
Multifactor theory. A combination of factors (dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, fatigue, exercise intensity, environmental conditions, history of cramps…) accumulate to alter neuromuscular control and cause involuntary contractions.
Alcaraz’s secret weapon
Whatever the cause, Carlos Alcaraz is clear about how to avoid cramps: he has declared that his trick was to drink pickle juice in vinegar in the fifth and decisive set of the final.
The first academic reference to the use of this brine was found in the year 2000. Michael F. Bergeron, from the College of Medicine of Georgia (USA), then explained that some athletics and football coaches used it to prevent and treat cramps in your athletes. It was not a remedy that was explained at the university, but rather one that circulated among the coaches.
Read more: When exercising, stretching is not essential
But does it have any scientific explanation? The research group of Julia Georgieva, from Curtin University (Australia), suggests that pickle juice relieves cramps not by replenishing electrolytes, but as a consequence of a neurophysiological reflex response caused by the acidic and sour taste by activating certain receptors in the mouth and throat. This phenomenon could influence the inhibition of the nerves responsible for cramps.
Specifically for tennis, Bergeron has stressed the importance of adequate hydration and sodium replacement in order to prevent heat cramps, recognizing that pickle juice can contribute to such recovery quickly. However, he also indicated that its intake should be combined with a comprehensive strategy that considers replacement of both fluids and electrolytes.
A vinegary remedy
In fact, there is a documented case of an athlete who consumed between 30 and 60 ml of pickle juice at the beginning of a cramp, disappearing after 35 seconds and during the rest of the training. To find out which ingredient was responsible, the researchers tried isolating the vinegar. Thus, they observed that much less of this liquid is needed to treat a cramp than pickle juice. They also showed that if the same amount of both is used, the first takes less time to relieve the painful episode.
Home remedies to prevent and treat muscle cramps are nothing new. Above all, compounds that have a strong or bitter taste have been used, such as mustard, quinine, vinegar, and various spices and herbs. Calcium, bananas, dextrose, baking soda and saline solutions have also had a predicament. The latter were already studied in 1933 by John H. Talbott’s group at the Fatigue Study Laboratory at Harvard University.
Expanding on a popular saying, we can conclude that Alcaraz may not have been so wrong:
“With green, pepper and cucumber you will have a fine type,
“But pickle juice successfully removes cramps.”
2024-06-12 15:29:52
#Carlos #Alcaraz #cramps #pickle #juice #revealing #mystery
