The effect of ten days of ginger consumption on delayed muscle contusion in high school girls

Educational Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences

Academic Thesis for Master's Degree

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of ten days of ginger consumption on delayed muscle contusion in Langrod high school girls. For this purpose, 30 female high school students (average age 15 to 18 years, height 1.55±0.05 m, weight 53.9±5.83 kg, and body mass index 22.2±1.21 kg/m2) were selected as volunteers and randomly divided into two experimental and placebo groups. Statistical analysis of variance with repeated measures was used for intra-group changes and independent t was used for differences between groups. As a result of using ginger and causing contusion (4 x 20 repetitions with 1RM70% and three minutes rest between sets), its effect on four variables of isotonic leg press force, perceived pain, knee range of motion and thigh circumference size were measured at different time intervals (immediately, 24, 48 and 72 hours). The research results showed that 10-day consumption of Bernier ginger was effective on isotonic leg press, knee range of motion, and thigh circumference at 24, 48, and 72 hour intervals (P<0.05). However, there was no significant change between any of the variables in the time interval before and immediately after bruising (p < 0.05). Perceptual pain changes were significant in all time intervals (P>0.05).

-1. Introduction

One of the important goals of physical education is to know the right exercises and the correct execution of sports movements and how, how long, and with what intensity the exercises should be done in order to achieve the best results and cause the least harm to the person (3). One of the injuries that sometimes keep beginners and even professional athletes away from the sports environment is muscle contusion. Delayed-onset muscle soreness[1] (DOMS) usually occurs after moderate, intense, and long-term muscle activities, as well as exercises that mostly include forward contractions. Pain and muscle cramps usually peak twenty-four to forty-eight hours after the activity and disappear at most 5 to 7 days after that (53). Among the symptoms of delayed muscle contusion, we can mention muscle stiffness, swelling and inflammation, decreased range of motion of joints, decreased muscle strength, microscopic muscle damage, increased concentration of creatine kinase [2] (CPK) and lactate dehydrogenase [3] (LDH) enzymes in serum and plasma, as well as increased inflammatory reactions (61).

The discussion of prescribing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [4] (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, aspirin, diclofenac or steroid drugs 2 such as dexamethasone are also very important to reduce and eliminate muscle contusions (51). This plant has been used as a medicine since ancient times and this is recorded in Chinese, ancient Greek, Roman and Arab medical texts (19). In this chapter, after stating the problem and the necessity and importance of research on the use of ginger for the prevention or treatment of muscle contusions, the goals and hypotheses of this research are considered. After that, the variables and limitations of the present study are reviewed. In the rest of the chapter, after a brief description of the method of conducting the research, the main terms will be defined.

1-2.  Statement of the problem

Along with the progress of other sciences, physical education specialists are also obliged to try to understand the dimensions of this important phenomenon better and more correctly.  Today, success in the sports competition scene depends on the application of scientific principles. Using appropriate exercises can be considered a big step towards improving sports activities and create more motivation to continue sports activities. During training or sports competition, there are factors and phenomena that reduce the performance of athletes and even in some cases can prevent these people from continuing their activities. Therefore, finding the root of the factors that cause these phenomena and the ways through which these phenomena can be solved has helped the athletes and can be a factor in their success. One of these phenomena is delayed muscle contusion, which can be the result of inflammation [6] and muscle damage [7] (6). Muscle contusion is an unpleasant experience, especially for people who have recently started exercising, as it may prevent them from continuing their physical activities. On the other hand, in the case of professional athletes, we must accept that the phenomenon of muscle contusion is not only considered as an inhibiting factor in the display of sports skills, but it can also prevent them from participating in training programs (17,55). The feeling of contusion is often associated with inflammation and edema. If inflammatory responses are the main cause of DOMS, it seems that anti-inflammatory mediators play a role in improving DOMS, despite this, anti-inflammatory drugs have different results. in the treatment of DOMS, on the other hand, the use of these drugs is associated with many side effects (57). The most common side effect of prostaglandin inhibitor drugs is mild gastrointestinal discomfort in the form of nausea, indigestion and vomiting. Other complications include kidney disorders, stomach ulcers, dizziness, insomnia, depression, allergic reactions, blood and liver complications (44).

The use of herbal and traditional treatment methods has become widespread among healthy and sick people, and unfortunately there is little information about these methods in terms of efficiency and safety in clinical plans. Ginger has a long history in traditional medicine and has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent in musculoskeletal disorders such as rheumatism in Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine for more than 2500 years (31). So far, no side effects of ginger consumption have been reported in humans (19,62).  Considering that medicinal plants are better adapted to the body due to their natural nature and usually do not have side effects, and even if they are not useful, there will be no harm or complications, it seems that the effect of ginger consumption as an anti-inflammatory agent on delayed muscle contusion can be investigated (2).

1-3. Necessity and Importance of Research

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) often occurs as a result of outdoor exercise such as running downhill, stair climbing, weight training, and others.  These exercises lead to cell membrane damage. Since the feeling of pain and discomfort can harm the performance of exercises, the prevention and treatment of DOMS is one of the concerns of trainers, practitioners and therapists.

Researchers investigated the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of muscle contusion, the results of this study did not report an effect of ibuprofen on muscle contusion and muscle histology (52).

Researchers showed that eating 400 or 1200 mg Ibuprofen, 4 or 24 hours after extrinsic contractions, significantly increased muscle strength recovery, and 48 hours after training, it reduced muscle stiffness in the quadriceps muscle (47).   Research by researchers showed that ginger extract reduced leg edema and pain behaviors in rodents in 30 minutes, and in humans ginger consumption reduced pain in osteoarthritis patients (31). It implies a delay (26). In a research, the effects of garlic allicin [9] on delayed muscle stiffness and some plasma enzymes in athletes were tested. In this research, 20 male subjects took supplements for 14 days. The findings of this research indicate the significant effect of garlic allicin on delayed muscle contusion (4). A researcher tested the short-term effect of ginger on muscle contusion. The results of this research show that the consumption of a single dose of 2 grams of ginger does not seem to have an effect on the rate of delayed muscle contusion, few studies have investigated the role of ginger in the treatment of pain and inflammation caused by exercise and did not achieve a significant effect (37). According to the research conducted and the existence of contradictions regarding the effect of various types of supplements on delayed muscle contusion and that so far researchers have paid less attention to herbal supplements in relation to muscle contusion and the research that They used herbal supplements and they still did not provide convincing answers about the effects of these substances, so in this research, ginger supplementation was done for ten days, seven days of which were before the application of koftagi and continued for three days after that, such a research was not done on the period of ginger consumption and koftagi. For this purpose, the present research seeks to answer the question of the effect of ten days of ginger consumption on delayed muscle contusion in high school girls of Langrod city.

1-4. Research objectives

1-4-1.