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CREATINE DOES NOT INCREASE INCIDENCE OF CRAMPING OR INJURY DURING PRE-SEASON COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRAINING I
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1999
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NutritionMuscle FunctionSport InjuryKinesiologyMuscle InjuryClinical InjuryExerciseApplied PhysiologySport PhysiologyPre-camp TrainingHealth SciencesPhysical FitnessCreatine SupplementationPhysical TherapyExercise ScienceExercise PhysiologyPhysiologyFormer Creatine UsersAthletic TrainingSport-related InjuriesAnesthesiology
1794 Anecdotal reports suggest that creatine supplementation during intense training increases the incidence of cramping and/or injury. This study examined the effects creatine supplementation on cramping/injury rates during two phases of preseason college football training. Division IA football players participated in this open label safety study. 34 of 77 athletes (44%) ingested a supplement containing 15.75 g/d of creatine for 5-d followed by 5.25 g/d of creatine for 20-d during pre-camp training. During the 17-d camp, 34 of 100 subjects (34%) ingested a carbohydrate/protein supplement containing 8.3 g/d of creatine. Remaining players were either former creatine users (> 1 month cessation) or non-users and were provided a carbohydrate/protein supplement containing no creatine. Pre-camp training consisted of 4-5 d/wk (70±7 min per workout) of resistance-training indoors (28±1°C, 79±2% RH) and sprint/agility conditioning outdoors (32±0.9°C, 84±3% RH). Subjects practiced 2 to 3 times per day (207±17 min/d, 6 d/wk) in environmental conditions ranging from 29 to 37°C, 58 to 91% RH (33.7 ± 0.6°C, 79±2.4% RH). Injuries treated by the athletic training staff and missed practices due to injury were recorded. Data are presented as total number of treated injuries/complaints for creatine users/total occurrences and percentage occurrence rate for training phases I and II, respectively. Results revealed that the incidence of cramping (0/1, 0%; 17/49, 35%), heat/dehydration (0/0, 0%; 3/8, 38%), muscle tightness (1/3, 33%; 5/12, 42%), muscle pulls/strains (0/3, 0%; 1/7, 14%), non-contact joint injuries (0/1, 0%; 7/22, 32%), contact injuries (0/0, 0%; 4/11, 36%), illness (0/0, 0%, 1/10, 10%), number of missed practices due to injury (0/0, 0%, 26/70, 38%), and total injuries/missed practices (1/8, 13%; 64/188, 34%) were generally proportional or lower than the creatine use rate among players during pre-camp conditioning (44%) and fall camp (34%). Results indicate that creatine supplementation during pre-season college football training in hot/humid environmental conditions does not increase the incidence of muscle cramping or injury. Supported by Experimental & Applied Sciences. Golden CO & University of Memphis.