Hydration and injuries????? Please read

Long story short, I’m looking for a research topic for my hons degree in exercise and health thesis. I can’t find anything that really interests me in the main strain "exercise and health" bullshit.

Two statements I heard lately got me thinking that maybe there is an opportunity to actually do something that interests me and maybe help some of the people who make the sport I love what it is THE DRIVERS.

The two areas I am leaning towards are repititive injuries from drifting, i.e. sore backs, necks, joints or any injury from drifting not from actually crashing.

The other area is that of hydration, research exists for countless sports and motorsports as to the importance of hydration but not specifically for Drifting.
Which might be especially relevant considering the social side of Drifting :cool:

Some symptoms of dehydration can be:
Sapping of energy
Decreased performance
Poor concentration levels
Poor mental alertness
Fatigue
Irregular mood swings
Headaches and irritability

(Pretty much a hangover)

Basically I’m looking for drivers of all levels who actually compete, to give me some info in relation to the above points.

If you believe injury or dehydration could be an issue for you, if you'd be willing to do something about it to improve your performance or if you think it’s a load of cock and you should party hard and worry about the rest at the track.

All info, comments and opinions welcome

I don't know if dehydration would be experienced as much in drifting as much it would in other motorsports ...
Look at F1 , 90 minutes plus non stop in a baking hot 3 or 4 layer nomex suit , sometimes in climates with temps as high as 40deg .....
Drifting is usually a few ten minute runs in a rainy mondello park with temps in mid teens , in a cotton sparco suit after which you gorge yourself on free monster drink ..
The only Dehydration a driver suffers from is one too many fizzy ones the night before.

As for injuries , im sure your back does suffer from being thrown about the place , but thats why you need a snug bucket seat , im sure its pretty hard on your ears as well , listening to an unrestricted SR20 hopping off the limiter for an afternoon

as injuries go iam still fucked from that accident last year, when car flip on the track, was a passio, and even with buckets seat harness and a cage, i still get back pains, only 4 weeks ago i got my pelvous pushed back into place again after i slaped the bails at the m1 knocking it back out, gotta away with 4 days after that i couldnt move or lift anyting

Very true about other motorsports. The extent of it wouldnt be all that important to be honest, only the possibility that drivers are dehydrated. Maybe even get some drivers from hotter regions on board, to show the differences, if any.

I know we dont have heat to deal with in this country, although I having measured my own hydration levels extensively, was suprosed how dehydrated many of us are on a continual basis.

I figured that, most drivers are on site at 8 or so in the morning and maybe still there until 6 in the evening. There is the possibility of very long days. As for Monster, while it can highten awareness and tastes YUMMY, it almost certainly contributes to dehydration.

The injury one is interesting because I have heard a few drivers mention sore backs, but as we are men, its hard to quantify "sore backs". A few years of sore backs could lead to a lifetime of very sore backs.

Cheers for comment Ed.

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Originally Posted by S14a johno

as injuries go iam still fucked from that accident last year, when car flip on the track, was a passio, and even with buckets seat harness and a cage, i still get back pains, only 4 weeks ago i got my pelvous pushed back into place again after i slaped the bails at the m1 knocking it back out, gotta away with 4 days after that i couldnt move or lift anyting

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My original idea was to go with something to do with crashes, but I was asked to stay away, as its not ultimately something, I as an exercise proffesional could help with.

Although there is some research to support the theory that the fitter and more muscle mass you carry the safer you are in an accident. But i'm a lazy bastard and have had 3 crashes and not a scratch :cool:

I know what you mean about the dehydration thing , its something i keep an eye on closely myself...
Because if i get anybit dehydrated im fucked , i get headaches , and lose concentration ... but when the few times ive gone drifting , i tend to neglect it , as its always busy busy busy ....
And plus when im travelling in the morning im always mad to get to the event on time , so i neglect to stop at a shop and pick up a few large bottles of water ....
Then by the end of the day im physically drained from the efforts of the day , and will 9 times out of ten go for a few cans of monster to get me through the 2 hour drive home .
Due to the caffeine levels in monster and its diuretic effect , i then piss what little liquid i have left out of me pretty fast ... To top it all off, i usually have a few beers then afterwards to relax

The day after a drifting event im usually shrivelled up like a raisin

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Originally Posted by hoopsbhoy

My original idea was to go with something to do with crashes, but I was asked to stay away, as its not ultimately something, I as an exercise proffesional could help with.

Although there is some research to support the theory that the fitter and more muscle mass you carry the safer you are in an accident. But i'm a lazy bastard and have had 3 crashes and not a scratch :cool:

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totall agree there,more muscle and fitter ya are less chance ya have, beer belly doesnt work lol, didnt for me lol

but as monster drink/red bull, i can shed light on this, the stuff it dangrous stuff when ya drink a far amount of it, did it last year for modball 18 hour drive to our first hotel, tink had around 15 - 20 cans of the stuff, only ting that keep me going, but there a huge down fall, ya so hiped up on surger, your contentration goes down big time ............

http://www.driftworks.com/forum/othe...rning-you.html

interesting read over on driftworks about energy drinks and their effect.


Had a medical myself in april, and my cholesterol was all over the place: high-density lipoprotein was abnormally low, triglycerides were so high that the machine maxed out trying to get a reading, and total cholesterol was high enough to be in the "at risk" category, yet everything else checked out, not obese, fit enough etc etc, and the doc hadnt a clue what was happening.. When we started to go through my diet, it emerged that the amount of energy drinks i was taking per day was at fault - at the time i was drinking minimum of 4 bottles of lucozade sport a day, with the odd red bull or monster here and there.. So i decided to give it up, and the first couple of days were absolute hell. Feel an awful lot better since and stuff seems to be starting to return to normal cholesterol wise..

all ino when my dad was rallying... he had to drink water to keep his Concentration!! and it does seriously help.. for drifting i dno. i think it does help for 3 times ive ever drifted. i also think fitness helps alot in drifting too

for other stuff. if i dont drink water i get a pain in my head.. drink a few bottles of water and im fine again.... and my isnt all over the place!

I tend to get headaches when attending drift days, lots of concentration and the genral buzz and exitement, happens all the time could also be the noise coming of a stripped out car and all the exhaust noise,smoke and heat.

Ya energy drinks seem to be a bit of a problem alright.

I often drink one if im out an an event all day and to be honest they just make me feel a bit ill.

@prodrifter do you think fitness plays a big part in it? I know it does in other motorsports but some people seemed to suggest it might not be in Drifting

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoopsbhoy

Ya energy drinks seem to be a bit of a problem alright.

I often drink one if im out an an event all day and to be honest they just make me feel a bit ill.

@prodrifter do you think fitness plays a big part in it? I know it does in other motorsports but some people seemed to suggest it might not be in Drifting

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off topic but where you doing your course?

Waterford IT

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoopsbhoy

Ya energy drinks seem to be a bit of a problem alright.

I often drink one if im out an an event all day and to be honest they just make me feel a bit ill.

@prodrifter do you think fitness plays a big part in it? I know it does in other motorsports but some people seemed to suggest it might not be in Drifting

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yes i also sometimes fell like shit after drinking monster etc! only sometimes


In my own Unprofessional Opinion i do! Ino for a fact in the likes of rallying it does work

for drifting i think it does! for EG. the heat inside a drift car.. its not just driving a car. its nearly a full workout! your arms and feet and going all the time.. and most Importantly your Brain!!! your doing so many things at high speed!!..... drinking water etc. keeps your concentration! but even though for EG competing in PD it may be only 2 runs! but what happens if your not fit! and you have to do a "Run it again" maybe twice more?? your wearing fire resitant clothes in a hot car...with a helmet on of course it has to affect you... your body will try to keep you cool!!

personally Myself. ino if im messing about in car! or even a Kart or whatever even on horses.. if i drink water before hand. or during it. i feel great and my head isnt at me so to speak! i can keep concentrated alot easier

all of this is in my own Opinion

Just study me ha ha! :eek: Alls I can say is you drive better when you're hungover cos you're too sick to care about your car or anything else for that matter except driving. Simples :D

Ha ha Mike. You might have a point there. Maybe ill do my thesis on the psychology of mad Mike :-)