Medically, an athlete’s joints tend to be viewed simply as mechanical structures, to be replaced when they’re worn out! But thankfully Dr Ruth Wilde thinks and works differently – she sees joints as living, breathing tissues, just like the rest of our physiology, which must be nourished by what we consume.
What’s more, an athlete’s joints are affected by the training pattens and life load of the individual, plus the inflammation and oxidative stress expressed systemically by gastrointestinal and hormonal imbalances. Host Ian Craig asks Ruth, from a functional medicine perspective, how she assesses the condition of an athlete’s joints, and the types of lifestyle, nutrition and medical interventions she uses to sustain the health of an athlete’s joints for longer.
Self-empowerment is critical to any health intervention, and as Ruth makes clear in this podcast interview, when an athlete brings attention to aspects of their lives under their control, including training patterns, nutritional quality, and overall self care, their joints can enjoy a longer active career. Tune in to learn more.
About Ruth
Dr Ruth Wilde MBBCh MRCEM AFMCP is an integrative medicine doctor, who specialises in the sports and rehabilitation field, as well as in health optimisation. She spent 17 years in the British military, training in both emergency medicine and general practice, and supported severely injured military personnel through their recovery. Ruth has tremendous personal insight into the determination and commitment it takes to work through physical and emotional challenges and to re-establish an equilibrium that brings fulfilment. She is an experienced instructor for the UK Resuscitation Council, a member of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and the Institute of Functional Medicine, and has qualifications in Wellbeing Coaching and Personal Training.
Website: www.drruthwilde.com
Relevant research links and resources for this podcast
Below are a list of research articles and areas of academic enquiry within the field of immunity, mentioned by Ruth and Ian during their interview:
The importance of nutrition for bone health in athletes
Nutrition and athlete bone health – Sale and Elliott-Sale, 2019
The effect of oestrogen on musculoskeletal health, including bones
Effect of estrogen on musculoskeletal performance and injury risk – Chidi-Ogbolu and Baar, 2019
The relevance of systemic inflammation and joint health
Chronic inflammation and your joints – Harvard Health
The connection between glycemic index of foods and inflammation
Lower dietary inflammatory index scores are associated with lower glycemic index scores among college students – Kim et al., 2018
Influence of lack of sleep on stress and inflammation
Interactions between sleep, stress, and metabolism: From physiological to pathological conditions – Hirotsu et al., 2015
Ruth’s pick for a good sleep book
Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams – Matthew Walker
The relevance of toxicity for inflammation
Toxins and Toxicants as Drivers of Disease – Institute for Functional Medicine podcast
How training too much can upset the hormonal balance
Hormonal aspects of overtraining syndrome: a systematic review – Cadegiani and Kate, 2017
The effect of cortisol on insulin resistance
The Effects of Cortisol on Blood Sugar and Insulin Resistance – Veri
Opioid drugs and testosterone suppression
Testosterone suppression in opioid users: a systematic review and meta-analysis – Bawor et al., 2015
A book linking medication use in athletes with nutrient depletions
Medicated Malnourishment – Mike Wakeman
The effects of EMFs on oxidative stress
Effects of electromagnetic fields exposure on the antioxidant defense system – Kıvrak et al., 2017
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and microbiome disruption
NSAID–Gut Microbiota Interactions – Maseda and Ricciotti, 2020
Negative effect of steroids on bone health
An Overview of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis – Ilias et al., 2022
Benefits of dietary fibre for our microbiome
The gut microbiome: linking dietary fiber to inflammatory diseases – Zhang et al., 2022
How stress can inhibit stomach acid production
Inhibition of gastric acid secretion by stress: A protective reflex mediated by cerebral nitric oxide – Esplugues et al., 1996
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and inflammation
SIBO and chronic inflammation – Fixbiome
Leaky gut and inflammation
Possible relationship between the gut leaky syndrome and musculoskeletal injuries: the important role of gut microbiota as indirect modulator – Álvarez-Herms et al., 2023
A CISN webinar on elimination diets
Elimination diets and athletic performance – Kylene Bogden
Importance of strength training for women’s health
Why Women Need More Strength and Less Cardio Training – Dr Stacy Sims
