Talking With Dr. Yang on Playing More "Safely and Healthily," Part 1
It is necessary to do some related content on playing more healthily, doing good protection, avoiding sports injuries. So, in Q&A form, I connect with Dr. Yang (a surgeon at a provincial hospital, also a veteran table tennis gear nerd) to share related knowledge.
The young national badminton player who died on court was usually quite healthy, with no illness. What do you think most likely caused this tragedy — too high exercise intensity?
Dr. Yang: That young badminton player, from the presentation, this should be a cardiogenic sudden death. First, point one, cardiogenic sudden death most likely happens to athletes in intense exercise. Higher-exertion sports like football, basketball, badminton are fairly intense. Then there is short-term burst and firing, plus long-term endurance contests; this situation has risk, and such things can occur.
What hidden, potential causes might lead to this?
Dr. Yang: Causes of cardiogenic sudden death include some congenital heart disease, or cerebrogenic sudden death, originating from congenital malformation of some important brain blood vessels. It also relates to the person’s state at this stage. As I said, for example, whether you rested well before the match, whether sleep was insufficient; whether your diet this period is regular. Whether this period there are some basic problems, like diarrhea from dietary maladjustment, some small viral infections — all may cause it. Also, during taking some medications. Some drugs affect the heart — for example, a most common one called moxifloxacin; if you exercise intensely while taking it, it may cause cardiogenic sudden death. Some psychiatric drugs may also cause such reactions. So if you have taken medicine recently, mind it, avoiding overly intense exercise. In daily exercise, first mind the exercise volume — that is point one. Point two: mind that during medication, during a cold, or with some bad basic conditions — say recent high blood pressure, big heart load, or COVID infection — do not do intense exercise; it is very dangerous. I personally have had it: running laps while fatigued, after ten laps I had a ventricular premature beat — the ventricle beating early, a fairly dangerous signal that may induce cardiogenic sudden death. For example, German football is fairly developed; the Bundesliga has a rule: if the team doctor thinks you recently have a cold, he can refuse to let you play. Because Germany realized this issue back in the 1990s — football players are not allowed on court during a cold, to avoid viral myocarditis inducing cardiogenic sudden death.
If I just feel too tired tonight, sleepy and fatigued, do you advise playing table tennis?
Dr. Yang: First, distinguish well whether it is body muscle fatigue or fatigue from lack of energy. If muscle fatigue, appropriate aerobic exercise can actually relax the muscles, so table tennis can be played, but not fairly intense matches. You can do some serve-receive pattern practice with players, mainly to relax. If exercise is too intense, it may cause some muscle injury and other harm. And due to insufficient muscle strength, big-motion strokes may deform, lowering the competitive experience. If it is lack of energy, in this case I personally strongly advise against exercise — first, focus is hard, the experience poor; second, it may induce high blood pressure, premature beats and such.