The Sports Pharmacist

Anybody who exercises on a regular basis will be familiar with the feeling of tight, stiff muscles. After a long, hard training session, and even venturing into the following day or two, sore muscles come with the territory....and if you're anything like me, muscle soreness is pretty much a never ending experience. Stretching, massage, hot… Continue reading Cough medicine as a muscle relaxant? →

For the past 30 years, asthma treatments in Australia have remained relatively consistent. Mild asthma, where attacks are infrequent, has always been treated with "as needed" doses of salbutamol (Ventolin), which is a short acting beta agonist (a type of stimulant). Inhaled corticosteroids (an anti-inflammatory), often combined with a long acting beta agonist, are usually… Continue reading New Asthma Guidelines – What They Mean For Athletes →

Just in case you haven't heard, there is a little thing currently having an impact on the entire globe....the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, it's here, it's real, and it's causing major health and economic problems world wide. Governments are taking measures to try and control the outbreak, ranging from social distancing recommendations to country wide lockdowns… Continue reading Exercise and COVID-19 →

Quite a few years ago now, I was competing in a Cyclo-Sportif with a few members of my cycling club. At the end of the event, one of the other riders (lets call them SB) approached myself and a friend. SB was keen on entering a graded scratch race, and was keen to find out… Continue reading Drugs in sport – an opinion →

With winter well and truly set in and quite a few cold weeks still to come, training and exercising in the icy temperatures is unavoidable. One of the problems which can arise from outdoor exercise at this time of the year is an area many of us don't really consider.....our skin. When we are cold,… Continue reading What to do with Chilblains →

Here in Australia, winter has officially arrived and settled in. This means cold days, colder nights, and rather chilly mornings......and for those who train outdoors, particularly cyclists and runners, it means one more thing. Your nose seems to run a hell of a lot more! Whenever we exercise outdoors, our nose produces mucus. The bushman's… Continue reading Why does my nose run more in winter? →

Cheating in sports has always been a problem, something to which cycling is not immune. From catching trains in early editions of the Tour de France to motors in cyclo-cross bikes, there is always one individual willing to do whatever it takes to gain an advantage to end up on top of the podium. Unfortunately,… Continue reading Should doping in sport be a criminal offence? →

With the warm sunny weather still around its hard to believe it, but autumn has arrived here in Australia. The days are gradually getting shorter, and the temperatures are slowly going to get cooler as winter approaches....and with winter comes flu season. While 2018 was a comparatively mild season, 2017 saw one of the worst… Continue reading Why you should get a flu vaccine →

The vast majority of the time sport and exercise is fun and enjoyable, where you can walk away at the end of the day with nothing but a smile on your face. But sometimes, accidents happen. We all fall over every now and then; and regular exercise can occasionally result in a bit of damage… Continue reading How to treat cuts and grazes →

The use of illicit drugs here in Australia, and indeed around the world, is an ongoing problem. Drugs like ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine (commonly known as "Ice") and heroin are all used recreationally by many; which can often turn into addiction. The negative long term effects of these drugs is well documented; but it still, many… Continue reading The AFL’s illicit drugs use policy….have they got it right? →