Sports Injuries

Genacol® assists the body to repair damaged tissue. This leads to reduced time to recovery of injuries, as well as strengthening the support structure of the body reducing the occurrence of injuries. Genacol® has been so successful in this regard that it is currently used by a number of top athletes including the Blue Bulls rugby team.

How it works

As we age, the decreased stability and strength of the collagen fibers within connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons etc., contributes to the higher susceptibility to injury. By strengthening the supporting structures through the taking of Genacol®, you can reduce the injury of connective tissues which means they are able to take more force during activity. This improved ability means that muscle tissue are not required to take as much force and hence are able to work more efficiently and are less likely to sustain injury.

The goal of preventing injuries focuses on strengthening the supporting structures of the body as injury and age-related decline is generally associated with connective tissue structures such as the ligaments, tendons, and other joint structures. Muscle tissue itself is not affected as often as is thought. People involved in heavy lifting or continuous use of the same muscles, are prone to related injuries of connective tissues (ligaments, tendons, etc.) during the course of their pursuits.

Connective tissue protects and reinforces the muscle fibers from stress and trauma. The protective sheaths receive all the transference of force that occurs during muscle use, and therefore the bulk of the stress associated with athletic activity may result in injuries.

Injuries of Tendons

By supplementing with Genacol® the body has sufficient collagen available within the body to repair damage done to the collagen fibres in the tendon improving strength and reducing the risk of injury.

The primary function of a tendon is to transmit the contraction force of its associated muscle to the bone. Consequently, the tendon needs to have sufficient tensile strength. Tendons are constructed with parallel collagen fibers running the length of the tendon. The longitudinal arrangement of the collagen fibers gives the tendon its tensile strength.

Tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendons, has frequently been considered the cause of tendon pain and the associated loss of strength and movement. More recently, researchers have discovered that most people diagnosed with this disease have no sign of tendon inflammation. Consequently, medical science has come to see tendonitis more properly classified as tendinosis.

Tendinosis/Tendonitis is caused by a breakdown of the collagen-composed tendon. Collagen contributes to the rove-like structure of a tendon and to its strength. When collagen breaks down, small tears appear in the tendon, weakening it and causing pain. It is especially wearing on those who perform repetitious task in their jobs, sports or daily activities.

Tendonitis/tendinosis can be successfully treated by resting the painful areas, applying ice and taking a collagen supplement like Genacol®. This gives the body time to repair and reproduce the damaged collagen, leading to reduced recovery time.

With more severe injuries such as tendon tears, Genacol® enhances the bodies natural healing process by making available increased collagen for the repair of the effected tendon. This enables the body to reduce the recovery time of the injury and leads to better healing.

Injuries of Ligaments

A normal ligament consists of:

90% Type 1 collagen
9% Type 3 collagen
1% fibroblast cells (the cells that produce collagen)

Functionally ligaments link bones to other bones and provide support for the joints. In order to fulfill this function ligaments must possess immense mechanical tensile strength. The organisation of collagen fibres gives the ligament its tensile strength.

Type 1 collagen is mature collagen tissue and has the greatest tensile strength. Type 3 collagen is immature collagen tissue and does not provide a great deal of tensile strength to the ligament. After being laid down by fibroblast cells it takes approximately three months for Type 3 collagen to mature into Type 1 collagen. As with other cells in the body, this process of renewal occurs continually.

By supplementing with Genacol® you provide the body with increased collagen in order to repair damaged cells and improve the efficiency of the renewal process thereby increasing the tensile strength and reducing the chance of injury.

Injuries to ligaments vary in severity and the damage done to the collagen fibres within the ligament.

GRADE 1 SPRAIN	There is damage to a few collagen fibres, producing a local inflammatory response. This is characterised by pain over the affected ligament.
GRADE 2 SPRAIN	There is damage to a more extensive number of collagen fibres. This produces a more marked inflammatory response characterised by intense pain and joint effusion (swelling).
GRADE 3 SPRAIN	The damage to collagen fibres is such that there is a complete rupture of the ligament. This produces intense pain, joint effusion and marked joint instability. Surgery may be necessary to restore joint stability.

When a ligament injury does occur, Genacol® supplementation provides the body with additional collagen to repair the damaged fibres leading to a reduction in recovery time.

Testimonials

My current profession is one of a sports trainer, so I am very active. In December I cut my achilles tendon in half and doctors said I wouldn't walk until April without crutches. I took my own cast off on the 31 December and retrained my muscles. By the second week of January I was walking without the crutches. Genacol® helped very much to speed up the healing process. I recommend it now to quite a few people.

Tim Murray - Cape Town, South Africa

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