Sprinters, Swimmers, and Bellybuttons

Which sport should you pick up this summer, running or swimming? For your decision, keep in mind that the centre of mass is key to success in speed sports.

How many gold medals would Michael Phelps have won if he had decided to be a runner instead of a swimmer? If Usain Bolt took a dip in the pool rather than a lap around the running track, would he still be a record-breaking sportsman? According to science, they probably would not be as successful had they chosen a different sport.

By HansenHimself via pixabay

 
Professional athletes train in their respective sports for the better parts of their lives. They maintain exercise and dieting plans for years that would break many of us down in days. As a result, they develop a physical prowess that allows them to achieve incredible feats. For many people, however, choosing the wrong sport may mean that they never live up to their true athletic potential.
Genetics, which are at least partly responsible for body mass and height, play a crucial role in determining which sports athletes excel at. In fact, the reason why people of certain ethnicities do better at some sports than others may be explained by simple physics [1]. When running, locomotion is achieved as the centre of mass of the body falls forwards from a height corresponding to the distance from the centre of mass (approximately at the bellybutton in humans) to the ground. While swimming, forward locomotion is dependent on the distance from the bellybutton to the top of the head producing a lever-like mechanism oscillating about the centre of mass and generating water waves.

ATHLETES, TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR BELLYBUTTON!

The location of a person’s centre of gravity affects their aptitude for speed sports. Due to their long torsos, white athletes tend to have lower centres of mass and are often successful at swimming. Black athletes on the other hand usually have high centres of mass (with long, slim limbs) and fare better at running [2].
For all you budding athletes deciding which sport to pursue, it’s always worth taking a look at your bellybutton.
[1] Charles and Bejan, J Exp Biol, 2009
[2] Bejan et al, Int Journal of Design and Nature, 2010

by Ahmed Khalil, PhD Student AG Fiebach

this article originally appeared 2014 in  CNS Volume 7, Issue 3, Nature vs Nurture

Runner’s High

When the sun finally comes out in spring it seems like everyone is going for a run.
It is well known that physical activity has positive effects on body and mind. And then there is the concept of "runner's high". What exactly is it? Bettina Schmerl uncovers the science behind it.

by skeeze via pixabay

When accomplishing enduring and physically demanding tasks our body has a built-in reward system. This phenomenon is known as runner’s high, and is described as a sudden euphoria, anxiolysis, relief of pain and an enormous sense of well-being arising after 1-2 hours of exercise [1]. For many years, it has been known that moderate physical activity has positive effects on health of body and mind [2]. This has influenced the clinical sphere as well: Patients with depression can receive huge benefits from physical activity [3].
However, for a long time researchers and physicians doubted the existence of a physical/chemical "runner’s high". How can mere exercise alter our neurochemistry in ways that prescription drugs often can't? This question was partially unravelled when a nuclear medicine diagnostic group from Munich found a candidate agent in runners' brains: endocannabinoids binding to opioid receptors in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system [4]. Their discovery also solved the longstanding mystery of neuroendocrine regulation.

Feeling Good From The Outside... In?
Endorphins (like epinephrine/adrenaline) are released into the peripheral vacular system with exercise, but how do these "feel-good" chemicals cross the blood brain barrier and cause euphoria? The secret is in the chemical nature of endocannabinoids: These lipophilic molecules have no trouble migrating through the barrier, on their way to reward centers in the prefrontal cortex and other areas [2].
Further investigation of the role of endocannabinoid system in animal models of depression and analgesia have identified the underlying molecular mechanisms, and provided a more definitive link between physical activity, and this type of signalling [1,2]. Could exercise, therefore, be the key to treating all kinds of physical and psychological ailments? Or can we mine its chemistry to get all of the benefits... minus the exertion? For now, we still have to keep moving! But stay tuned for new exciting benefits in this field in years to come!

[1] Fuss et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2015
[2] Tantimonaco et al., Cell Mol Life Sci, 2014
[3] Dinas et al., Ir J Med Sci, 2011
[4] Boecker et al., Cereb Cortex, 2008

by Bettina Schmerl, PhD Student AG Shoichet
This article originally appeared June 2016 — Volume 09, Issue 02 in "The Sporty Brain"