Abstract des Autors

The effect of BEN GAY sports balm was studied in 169 elite athletes from 19 sports disciplines using questionnaire. 50 females and 119 men participated in the study. The investigation included not only the acute effect of sports balm but the chronic effect too. The pain-killing effect of preparation was studied also. Data were processed by computer. From the results it appeared that 27.5% of athletes use regularly, 43.8% rarely, and 28.7% never use any kind of warm up preparations, but 60% of them administer regularly some ointment against pain. The smell and the penetration into the skin was found to be good or excellent by the athletes, 40.4% and 78.1% respectively. 54.9% of athletes reported a significant cooling effect of the balm. As for the duration of the effect of preparation felt by 12% of athletes for some minutes, 63.9% for one hour and 24.1% for several hours. In case of muscle stiffness, pain-killing effect was experienced by 90.3% of athletes. Unfavourable side effect which was "burning sense" in every case was found in 8.3% only, independently from the extent of application area. 7.1% of athletes administered the sports balm on whole body, 11.9% on waist, 15.1% on waist and the limbs and finally 65.9% on the limbs only. The athletes who are used to any kind of warming up preparation found the effect of BEN GAY to be better than the other products. 75.4% of athletes found an improvement in performance capacity after using sports balm. The effect of preparation in complexity was evaluated good or excellent by 79.6% of athletes. On the basis of these results we can conclude that BEN GAY sports balm is a well tolerable, effective preparation in respect of both warming up and reducing muscle spasm and pain. Verf.-Referat