Lactic Acid Burn

Before we get into recovery from lactic acid burn it is important to understand lactic acid and where it comes from. This will help us better understand lactic acid recovery.

Lactic Acid

The carbohydrates you consume consist of several different sugar molecules: sucrose, fructose and glucose to name a few. The liver converts these sugars into glucose that can be taken up by all cells.

Muscles use glucose immediately or store it as "glycogen". Sometimes you hear the term "muscle glycogen" and this is what it is referring to.

During exercise, glycogen is broken down into smaller glucose molecules which are further broken down into two molecules known as pyruvate or pyruvic acid.

The breakdown of glycogen into glucose and glucose into two pyruvate molecules is known as "anaerobic glycolysis" - the breakdown of glycogen with out oxygen. This provides muscles with energy to function. Each glucose molecule goes through this process to give us energy for muscle contraction.

The next step is important to understand for recovery from lactic acid burn. As you recall, glucose is broken into two pyruvate or pyruvic acid molecules.

At this point the pyruvic acid will either be used for energy production or converted into lactate and one hydrogen ion. If it is used for energy production the pyruvate will move into the "furnace" of the cell which is the "mitochondria".

The more intense the exercise the higher the production of pyruvate. The more "furnaces" (mitochondria) in the muscle there is better use of pyruvate for energy.

The body is producing lactate and the hydrogen but also consuming them. When the rate of lactate and hydrogen ion production exceeds the rate of uptake, hydrogen ions accumulate in the blood volume. This leads to the ONSET of BLOOD LACTATE ACCUMULATION (OBLA).

This is the traditional "Lactate Threshold" (LT). This is when you feel the incredible "lactic acid burn". But here's the truth. It is not the lactic acid that causes the "lactic acid burn", fatigue and pain. It is the hydrogen ion!

As hydrogen ion concentration increases, blood and muscle become "acidic". It is this type of environment that slows down several processes including the breakdown of glucose for energy.

It also aggravates nerve endings causing pain and irritation of the central nervous system. This explains why some athletes feel nauseous and disoriented.

 

Recovery From Lactic Acid Burn
Practical Application To Soccer

This is important for lactic acid recovery. So what is the practical application for soccer players? At the younger ages (as previously mentioned) participating in relays or obstacles courses with or with out the soccer ball challenges the player’s fitness at a basic level. They are having fun and gaining significant benefits of fitness for soccer.

Both younger male and female younger soccer players do not yet have fully developed hormonal, muscular, nervous and physiological systems to handle intense "anaerobic" work outs. That is why it is important to focus on fun activities in training for them.

Young players benefit immensely from playing 3 v 3 soccer. This type of training allows them to train at pace appropriate for their fitness level. This naturally brings out the competitive nature in these kids. It allows these kids to have fun!

Older male and female players may use some form of interval training. This type of training varies from the type of run to length of time for intervals. It is important to complete multi-directional shuttles as this mimics the action of the games.
Here are a couple of examples:

20 Yard Shuttles

30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest, work up to 10 repetitions

20 Yard Box Shuttle

5 yard forward run
followed by 5 yard side shuttle to the right
followed by 5 yard backward shuttle
followed by 5 yard shuttle to the left.
Then repeat and go the opposite way you came.
5 yard shuttle to the right,
5 yard forward shuttle,
5 yard side shuttle to the left,
5 yard backward run
30 seconds work 30 seconds rest.

This type of conditioning does a few things:

1. Trains the appropriate energy system in soccer. Trains the body to better handle the excess hydrogen ion.
2. Trains the appropriate muscular system in soccer
3. Reduces the potential chance of injury because you are training both the muscle and energy systems simultaneously.

Gradually increasing the repetitions of 30 second intervals causes the body to adapt to this type of training. You are building a solid base for more highly intense intervals.

Now that we have a bit of an understanding of the burn associated with lactic let's move forward to strategies for recovering from lactic acid burn

Strategies for Recovery
from Lactic Acid Burn

There are several things you can do for recovery from lactic acid burn. The goal of this page is to give you some strategies to incorporate after a game or training as well as at home. These tips will help you take care or prevent sore legs.

Please keep in mind that lactic acid is generally out of the system within one to two hours after exercise. Say good-bye to sore legs!

Cool Down

A proper cool down after training or game helps with the removal of "toxins" (lactic acid) from the body. We must remember that during high intense exercise there is a significant increase in lactic acid production.

Complete some of the movements in the dynamic warm up as part of your cool down. This allows lactic acid to be utilized for energy production instead of creating the wandering hydrogen ion.

Hydration

Drink water immediately after you train. This helps to neutralize that wandering hydrogen ion. Furthermore make sure you are drinking plenty of water on a consistent basis.

Massage

As a massage therapist myself I have done my own research on massage for recovery from lactic acid burn. The "scientific" studies indicate that there is no physiological effect of massage removing lactic acid from the body . Most of these studies indicated that there was a positive psychological effect from the massage.

This goes to show that a properly performed massage of the body leaves you feeling good. You must remember that massage is passive in nature. In order for lactic acid to be flushed out of the system there needs to be active movement. Hence the cool down. Soccer players I massage see me two hours after they train or play.