Physiological Issues in Cross-Country Sprint Skiing - Case Study Example

Exercise Exercise Sprint skiing During the exercise, there are a lot of psychological and physiological processes that take place in the body. It is important that the body recover from the abnormal functioning. However, the process of recovery entails a lot of factors and changes. The complications that involve as a result of the body trying to recovery depend on the level of extremity of the exercise. At the same time the exercise is very essential to the body functioning. Therefore it should not be evaded. Changes in the muscles promote greater oxygen diffusion and, therefore, higher oxygen uptake One of the changes that promote greater oxygen diffusion is the contraction of the muscles takes a lot of oxygen because the oxygen is needed to replace Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) that has undergone the process of hydrolysis at the time relaxation of muscles. Therefore, relaxation of muscles is essential because it leads to increase the supply of blood for metabolisms. Another change is the vascular resistance of the skeletal muscles. The resistance of skeletal muscles leads to build up of pressure in the arteries. There is buildup of pressure is due to the narrowing down of the diameter of the arteries, thus leading to increased heartbeat. There are several capillaries around the cardiac muscles; therefore when there is resistance to the flow of the blood, the diffusion distance is also reduced. The reduced distance for the diffusion in turn affects the exchange of gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide. Buffering agents reverse the hydrogen ion that reduces the PH and maintain it between 7.38 and 7.42 which is a neutral Potential Hydrogen. There are extracellular buffer agent and the intracellular buffer agents. The extra cellular buffers are like bicarbonates and ammonia while the intracellular buffers are like proteins and phosphates. Moreover, the kidney can also work by eliminating the toxic substances that accumulate in the body tissues but in the case of thorough exercise it may not be efficient. In addition, renal physiology is active in maintaining the level of PH in the body. In a way of responding to the low PH or the acidity, the tube-like cells reabsorb bicarbonate from the fluids that flows in the body tube. The tubular cells are in the linings of tubes like the collecting duct. Again the collecting duct has cells those secrets a lot of hydrogen ions thus manufacturing a lot of bicarbonates, a process known as ammonia genesis. The process leads to the formation of ammonia buffer. The air temperature during the race is 8 C, which means that mean skin temperature is likely to fall to ~ 22 C whilst core temperature increases slightly. What impact is this likely to have on force production and muscular power during the race The rise in temperature leads to contraction of the body muscles. The contraction of the body muscles in turn leads to opening of the pores of the skin thus removal of the sweat. The elimination of the sweat cools the body. However, an increase in temperature leads to expansion of the blood vessels and the capillaries that come near to the skin. When the blood vessels come near to the skin, they help in eliminating more sweat. On the other hand, when the temperature reduces, the blood vessels contract therefore they go under the skin leading to the cooling of the body. At the same time, the muscles relax leading to the closure of the sweat pores. Further that the hair on the body stand, further helping to cool the body temperature. Another mechanism that the body uses to regulate the temperature relative to that of the external environment is through shivering. Shivering is common when the temperature of the surrounding is lower than that of the body. Shivering is as a result of rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the body muscles. Mechanisms that regulate acid-base balance during the race The respiratory system or the buffering agent is responsible for controlling the level of acid that accumulate in the body muscles during the exercise. The increase in a heartbeat is one of the ways to solve accumulation of the acid. It follows that there is lack of enough oxygen in the muscles. Therefore, when the rate of heart beat increases, it follows that there is increased the amount of oxygen in the blood vessels. Their supply of oxygen leads to the transportation of oxygen that breaks down the lactic acid. Muscular fatigue at the end of each heat is severe, particularly in the matrices surae and m.vastus laterals. Explanation of cause of fatigue during a single sprint Whether the exercise is a short one or one that takes a longer duration, fatigue occurs. Both the power and energy that the muscle that contract and relax continuously during the exercise generates depletes the energy stores of the body. Thereafter, sensation and appearance of fatigue occurs. There are various causes of fatigue during an exercise. Reduction of glycogen is one source of fatigue in the process of an activity. Carbohydrates are always in the form of glycogen before an exercise. When you commence the exercise performance, the body breaks down such glycogen in store and converts it into consumable energy. Exhaustion of muscle glycogen is commonly the primary cause of fatigue. In as much as the muscles can exercise for one hour or more at an unceasingly high-intensity rate before fatigue arises. Sporadic or lower-intensity exercise consumes glycogen that is in store much more slowly, adjourning fatigue. It is advisable that you drink fluids that contain sugar before an exercise in order to evade fatigue. Another, important cause of fatigue is the hormonal changes within the body during the exercise. A neurotransmitter called serotonin found within the body is in association with having less sleep and lethargy. When athletes use for a longer duration of time, they experience a perceptible fall in energy levels. Such drop decrease is made possible by their body’s working muscles discharging tryptophan, which is an amino acid that motivates the production of serotonin. Alternative hormonal variation is the cortisol production that is a pro-inflammatory hormone. In healthy people, the absorption of cortisol reduces during the first stages of any exercise, but before it starts to increase during activities that take longer duration. The over secretion of cortisol may be a cause of fatigue as the body varies the production of the hormone. In addition to those, temperature and dehydration are important causes of fatigue during the exercise. The two causes upset the system commonly known as cardiovascular system, depressing the force and strength of muscles and triggering fatigue. Most athletes are advisable to take cold fluids in the process of exercise to maintain their core temperature within usual limits thus enhancing re-hydrating and avoid muscle fatigue. Further to that fatigue come as a result of the small supply of oxygen to the body tissue that leads to accumulation of toxic substances in those tissues. The toxic substances are like lactic acid. The solution to fatigue is like an increase in the rate of the heartbeat that results to the supply of oxygen to these tissues. The oxygen transports the toxic substances to the kidney and other places where they are eliminated. The energy system that is likely to dominate during event of thorough exercise and giving approximate contributions to performance from both the anaerobic and aerobic systems The energy system that is likely to dominate the cross country race is the aerobic energy system. It does require oxygen. It operates the same way as the anaerobic since, the lactic anaerobic energy structure, the system of aerobic energy production must recruit straight the cellular respiration that is active and aids in ATP energy production provision. The muscles cells convert the energy from the food into ATP. Precisely, reactions that are involved aids in this process. The variance, relative the energy system we call the lactic anaerobic, nevertheless, is that as oxygen is now accessible to the muscles almost production of lactic acid as a byproduct will be zero. The production of ATP energy through the aerobic energy system will continue as much as oxygen is obtainable to the muscles and food energy supplies don’t get depleted. The other important source of energy is the anaerobic energy system. It produces the most immediate energy. It does not needy the oxygen gas. That is why its name is anaerobic. It never leads to the production of lactic acid. The accumulation of lactic acid in the body tissues leads to fatigue. Such is due to insufficient oxygen in the body tissue thus leading to accumulation of toxic substances in the body. References Avioli, L. V., & Krane, S. M. (1998). Metabolic bone disease and clinically related disorders. San Diego: Academic Press. Crowley, L. V., & Crowley, L. V. (2014). Essentials of human disease. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Fahy, G. M. (2010). The future of aging: Pathways to human life extension. Dordrecht: Springer Hemmings, H. C., & Egan, T. D. (2013). Pharmacology and physiology for anesthesia: Foundations and clinical application. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier/Saunders. International Hypoxia Symposium, Roach, R. C., Wagner, P. D., & Hackett, P. H. (2007). Hypoxia and the circulation. New York, N.Y: Springer. McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V. L. (2006). Essentials of exercise physiology. Baltimore, Mar: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Mighten, J. (2013). 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