07: Stanford Researcher Explains the Signs of Overuse in Athletes

Short Summary

Dr. Luka Ojemaye, a Stanford postdoctoral researcher and physical therapist, discusses overuse injuries, nutrition, and dietary strategies for dancers and athletes. He explains that overuse injuries stem from repetitive stress without proper rest, highlights the importance of recovery practices, and emphasizes balanced nutrition over restrictive diets like veganism for high-performance athletes. His approach integrates biomechanics, strength training, and lifestyle adjustments to promote longevity in sports and dance.

Topics Discussed

• Definition and overview of overuse injury

• How to prevent overuse: 10% rule

• What should you eat after late-night practice?

• Is vegan food worth it for athletes?

• What is kinesiology?

Key Learnings

1. Understanding Overuse Injuries

   • Caused by repetitive loading without rest, leading to microtraumas in muscles, tendons, bones, or ligaments.

   • Common injuries include tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, and stress fractures.

   • Risk factors: muscle imbalances, poor flexibility, past injuries, sudden training spikes, hard surfaces, or worn-out shoes.

2. Treatment & Prevention

   • Rest and activity modification are the first steps.

   • Use modalities like ice and soft tissue therapy to reduce pain.

   • Strengthen muscles (especially eccentric training) to support recovery.

   • Prevention: follow the 10% rule (don’t increase training load >10% per week), include rest days, improve flexibility/mobility, and track early warning signs.

3. Role of Recovery

   • Rest days (1–2 per week minimum) and recovery strategies (stretching, taping, icing) are crucial for career longevity.

   • Sleep and nutrition are as important as training volume.

4. Nutrition Timing & Strategy

   • Eat 2–4 hours before training; carbs for energy, protein post-workout for muscle repair.

   • Late-night practices: opt for light recovery foods (e.g., protein shakes, veggies) instead of heavy meals.

   • Balanced diet (protein, carbs, fats, and vegetables) is critical.

5. On Vegan/Vegetarian Diets

   • Dr. Ojemaye cautions against vegan/vegetarian diets for high-volume athletes, arguing they often lack complete proteins and adequate nutrients.

   • Incomplete proteins (from beans/veggies) may not fully meet recovery demands of dancers burning thousands of calories daily.

   • Recommends complete proteins (chicken, fish, eggs) and supplementation if needed.

6. Holistic Perspective

   • Prevention is always better than treatment.

   • Athletes must view their body as a machine requiring proper fueling, recovery, and mental awareness.

   • Interdisciplinary knowledge (biology, biochemistry, biomechanics) informs sustainable training and injury prevention.

Complete vs. Incomplete Proteins

Complete Protein:

• Contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce.

• Sources: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, soy, quinoa.

• Benefits for dancers: Supports muscle repair, recovery, and growth, critical for high-intensity training and injury prevention.

• Cons: Animal sources can be high in saturated fat; plant-based complete proteins may be less calorically dense.

Incomplete Protein:

• Lacks one or more essential amino acids.

• Sources: grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables.

• Benefits for dancers: Can be combined (e.g., rice + beans) to meet protein needs; often lower in fat and easier to digest.

• Cons: May require careful planning to ensure all essential amino acids are consumed, especially for vegan dancers.

Key Difference: Complete proteins provide all essential amino acids in one source, whereas incomplete proteins need combination to achieve the same benefit.

About the Speaker

 Dr. Luka Ojemaye is a postdoc researcher at Stanford University, specializing in overuse injury prevention, recovery science, and lifestyle strategies. He’s also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and physical therapist who works with athletes and dancers from youth to professionals.