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While Sports Global has tried to prevent COVID-19 infections and their spread, some have expressed fears about the potential long-term consequences for already infected athletes.
The virus has affected several star athletes: only in Japan, Shintaro Fujinami of the Hanshin Tigers, Hayato Sakamoto of the Yomiuri Giants and Gotoku Sakai of Vissel Kobe of J. League are among those who tested positive.
Australian Mitch Langerak, a nagoya grampus goalkeeper, has become one of the J. League’s first positive instances in early June. Fortunately, he was asymptomatic and then returned to the area when the league’s elite resumed their season on July 4.
“For me, it was a bit of a shock . . . it was a primary shock,” Langerak told the Japan Times last month. “But I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t feel any different. But I guess I’m one of the exceptions, not the rule. I’m very lucky.
“As soon as I was desumed – I said negative twice, so I was able to leave the hospital – I went straight to education and in two days I felt strong and felt again.
But in reality, Langerak’s delight is not unusual among Japanese athletes who tested positive for COVID-19, leaving some local medical officials positive about a decrease in the threat of long-term effects. significant for those whose careers have the ability to physically compete at the level.
Kentaro Iwata, professor of infectious diseases at the University of Kobe, says athletes need not wonder if the virus can seriously affect their athletic functionality after recovery.
“It’s obvious if you look at the data: athletes have become inflamed all over the world, however, the virus has had virtually no effect on (its functionality after recovery),” Iwata said. “In most cases, regardless of in sport, symptoms are mild and athletes recover naturally and return to their competitions. From a medical point of view, there’s not much to worry about when it comes to athletes’ infections. “
Iwata even described the virus as “very innocent for healthy young people,” which can also be used to describe high-scoring athletes.
Because the disease develops symptoms when the virus reaches a person’s airways, it poses a threat to an athlete’s functionality if their lungs are damaged.
Iwata did not stand out for this possibility, but described it as unlikely and said most people would revel in few or no symptoms during her recovery.
“Vissel Kobe’s Gotoku Sakai has been infected,” said Iwata, who is a fan of the Kansai-based football team. “But after receiving a medical remedy and recovering, he ran at his highest possible point, betting about twice a week.
“There is virtually no challenge for cardiopulmonary purposes, this is how this is perceived in general. However, I will not deny that a (challenge) can simply happen. “
Haruo Nakayama, a neurosurgeon and infectious disease specialist at Toho University, did not brag that the virus can only breathe long-term systems, although the evidence that has been obtained lately is not yet conclusive.
“The effect of the virus on respiratory systems after patients no longer want to be hospitalized has not been scientifically examined,” Nakayama said. “But when we look at other people’s injections inflamed and the symptoms they claim after being discharged from the hospital, some of them have claimed to be physically exhausted for a while, or find it harder to work harder than usual.
“It’s not just the elderly, yet there are other people between the ages of 20 and 30 who claim the same thing. “
Nakayama explained that coronavirus can only cause fibrosis in the lungs, resulting in a loss of organ flexibility.
“If the lungs lose their flexibility, it’s possible that only cardiopulmonary will serve as athletes and I’d say the threat of this going down isn’t zero,” he said.
Underlying medical situations such as type 1 diabetes, center failure, and respiratory disease can exacerbate symptoms of the virus. In reference to Hanshin Minoru Iwata and Sergi Samper of Vissel, both diabetics, Kentaro Iwata stated that high-risk patients, in addition to those on dialysis or immunosuppressants or cystastatic drugs, may be at risk of more severe symptoms.
Last October, Iwata criticized swimmer Rikako Ikee, who is recovering from leukemia, on a july occasion marking a year before the Olympic Games were postponed at the national stadium.
“She suffered from leukemia and (mobile haetopietic stem transplantation) and had to receive so many immunosuppressive medications, which weakened her compared to infectious diseases, not just coronavirus,” Iwata said. “I’m very angry with the other people who led her to say something like, ‘I hope we have some (successful) Olympics next year. ‘I think it’s cruel. “
While Iwata gets a positive picture of the functionality of athletes after infection, the team’s medical staff working directly with athletes, as well as medical officials who have treated more serious cases, are more involved with the possible long-term implications.
Nobuhisa Yoshida, director of science and functionality of Shibuya Sunrockers’ sport B. League said athletes with more severe symptoms, if they are hospitalized for two to 3 weeks and quarantined after discharge, may want more time to return to their optimal condition after experiencing decreased degrees of activity and cardiopulmonary functions.
“And if (his time out of training) lengthens, it can result in a drop in muscle and muscle strength, as well as slower reflexes,” said Yoshida, who in the past worked as an athletic assistant for san Antonio of the NBA. Spurs. .
The point of coronavirus effects may also vary depending on the athletes’ scenario: physical situations can vary significantly depending on whether they are in season or off-season.
“If an athlete is inflamed during the season, their fatigue point is higher,” Yoshida said. “Therefore, you (as a member of the medical staff) review to expand the athlete’s physical condition. If you can check the degree of physical deterioration of the athlete” in the database, you can check their preparation and make sure that, regardless, you are playing where you can, however, play, and then give it the go-ahead. “
An external buildup of residual damage to the center and lungs of coronavirus patients has stimulated studies on the possible long-term consequences of the virus.
John Swartzberg, an emeritus clinical professor of infectious diseases and vaccines at the University of California, Berkeley, told the school website in July that the virus “appears to increase a lot of scars on the lungs. “
Swartzberg also stated that COVID-19 can directly attack central muscle cells and that cytokine typhoon, an excessive release of molecules that cause an inflammatory reaction of the framework, caused by coronavirus can damage the center and lungs. said there is evidence for and against long-term damage.
“We don’t know what the long-term effects of this might be,” Swartzberg said. “But we may have a population of other people who continue with COVID-19 and have chronic problems at the center. “
Swartzberg has described the formula of the central nervous system and kidneys as other organs that would possibly break through the virus.
Myocarditis, inflammation of the central muscle, has been linked to coronavirus in reports in the United States and Europe.
Some athletes in the United States and Europe have reported residual symptoms, such as cough, tachycardia and fatigue, several weeks to several months after initial coronavirus infections.
These possible post-COVID-19 effects do not appear to have been widely discussed in Japan, where it has focused on the number of infections and the number of deaths. In the United States and Europe, officials discussed the need for tactics for athletes to return to extensive practices and competitions, adding heart and lung tests.
Nakayama admitted that the lack of such discussion within the Japanese sports network is partly due to a lack of sufficient evidence.
But Nakayama, who is the executive advisor to the B’s anti-coronavirus team. League said the organization had internally discussed the possible injuries faced by athletes, which could not be specified in the league’s guidelines.
He stated that if two-thirds of an inflamed athlete’s lungs rupture in hospitalization, it is simple to infer that its functionality after recovery will be inflamed.
“What if the athlete’s functionality became general again after running in rehab and all that, six or nine months later?That’s something we’ll find out later,” Nakayama said. “We don’t know yet. “
Dan Orlowitz contributed to this story.
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