News Archive

Tuesdays are Chat-Days for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Community. In the last #BMcommunity Meet-Up on Facebook and Twitter on 1st September, Dr. Lars Brechtel from SMS Medical Institute joined to answer questions about sports medicine.

How can I follow my regular training schedule with an inflammation or a minor injury?

Depending on the injury’s severity, massages and a physiotherapeutic treatment may be combined with water jogging, stretching and strengthening exercises. A tennis ball is a useful training gadget for the latter. An electrolyte test (magnesium, potassium) may help to treat minor muscular troubles. But if pain is permanent, you should always consult a medical specialist asap and pause training.

What can I do to prevent muscle cramps in the calf?

Muscle cramps are usually a sign for local overload. The only possibility is to check the electrolyte status (magnesium and potassium blood levels). Keep in mind that electrolytes should not be taken without knowing your blood levels: overdosing causes tiredness, disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract and heart rhythm disturbances. Therefore, we advise you to only take electrolytes if your blood level is below the normal range.

Is it a good idea to take painkillers before/ during a race?

Absolutely not. Painkillers can have severe side effects. In the worst case, you are risking a myocardial infarction and renal insufficiency. Please listen to your body signals and stop running when in pain.

I do not want to consume gels. What can I do to prevent a low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia)?

Up your carbohydrates. We advise to consume enough carbs before and during your run. Give your body time to get used to it and try alternative carb sources such as bananas in your next training sessions. 

Bottom Line

We’d like to see every participant of BMW BERLIN-MARATHON start and finish in a healthy condition. To be well prepared and to prevent infections and injuries before raceday, it is important to not overtrain. A medical health check is helpful to evaluate the individual health status in relation to run a marathon. As a result, health issues and potential risks can be defined. Please trust your doctor’s advice.

-DISCLAIMER-

According to the professional code of conduct of the Berlin Chamber of Physicians it’s not allowed to advise or treat patients individual exclusively via print or communication media (§ 7 (4) of the code of conduct of the Berlin Chamber of Physicians). Therefore this chat will only present general information in relation to the questions.