Frontiers in Sports and Active Living最新文献

Background: Autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) is an effective technique for treating complex osteochondral injuries of the talus. However, there is still controversy regarding the imaging assessment of its postoperative efficacy. MRI, as a non-invasive examination, is the primary method for evaluating surgical outcomes, while invasive secondary arthroscopic surgery provides a more direct and accurate evaluation of intra-articular results. The correlation between these two assessment methods and clinical outcomes remains unclear.

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between MRI findings assessed using the MOCART scoring system and functional outcomes, as well as arthroscopic second look, in patients undergoing (AOT) for osteochondral lesions of the talus.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 47 patients. All patients were followed for a minimum of two years postoperatively. Functional evaluations were performed at one and two years after surgery using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Imaging assessments utilized the Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) MRI scoring system. All patients underwent secondary arthroscopy for internal fixation removal at the two-year mark, during which the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores were recorded.

Results: There was a low correlation between the MOCART scores and both functional scores and arthroscopic scores postoperatively. At one year post-surgery, the MOCART score showed a low correlation with the AOFAS score (r = 0.27, p = 0.07, 95% CI: -0.01-0.36). By two years post-surgery, the MOCART score demonstrated a low correlation with the AOFAS score (r = 0.34, p = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.05-0.49), VAS score (r = -0.46, p < 0.05, 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.02), and ICRS score (r = 0.36, p < 0.05, 95% CI: 0.40-3.11). ICRS and AOFAS scores (r = 0.56, p < 0.05, 95% CI: 1.19-3.07), indicating a moderate correlation.

Conclusion: In autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) for the talus, the MOCART scores showed a low correlation with clinical function or secondary arthroscopic scores. The MRI assessment of talar cartilage repair requires more detailed evaluation.

Level of evidence: 4.

Many veterans experience a decline in their physical activity following their separation from service. Contributory factors include changes in lifestyle, routines and occupational activities, or physical injury, disability, or mental ill health; whether service-related or otherwise. Low physical activity increases risk of serious health consequences, including cardiometabolic disease, which veterans experience at more than two-fold-higher rates than their general population counterparts. Psychological and social factors such as social identities, group norms and social support are important for physical activity uptake and maintenance, but are understudied in veteran populations and their families, especially alongside the incorporation of co-design principles and methods. This protocol paper presents a three-study research program aimed at improved management of cardiometabolic risk for veterans-with a focus on understanding barriers and enablers of physical activity, and culminating in the co-design of a physical activity toolkit. First, a cross-sectional survey will identify risk and protective factors associated with physical activity for veterans and their close family members, including psychosocial factors, such as norms about physical activity within veterans' families. Second, semi-structured interviews with at-risk veterans and family members will further examine perspectives and lived experience of barriers and enablers of physical activity uptake and maintenance. Third, focus group workshops will be undertaken to co-design a toolkit on physical activity that is evidence-based and acceptable for veterans with cardiometabolic risk and their families. Together, the research is expected to generate a new understanding of how best to support veterans and their families with uptake and maintenance of physical activity, particularly those with cardiometabolic risk indicators.

Background: Cognitive-motor speed (CMS) in soccer integrates perceptual-cognitive processing with motor execution, yet many tools lack this integration and have limited ecological validity. NeuroSwift was engineered as a computer vision-based automated analysis platform to standardize tactical stimuli and produce reproducible measurements.

Methods: A 3 × 3 interaction surface, front-facing visual stimuli, and HD video were orchestrated by a web application. Twenty-nine players (15 professionals, 14 university athletes) completed 16 scenarios (8 offensive, 8 defensive). Visuomotor reaction speed (VMRS), displacement speed (DS), and response capacity (RC) were obtained, and cognitive-motor speed (CMS = VMRS + DS, in seconds) was computed. Normality and homogeneity were verified using Shapiro-Wilk and Levene's tests. VMRS and DS were compared using independent-samples t-tests (Bonferroni α = 0.0167). RC and CMS were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Effect sizes were estimated. All tests were two-tailed, and confidence intervals were estimated where applicable.

Results: Professionals showed faster VMRS (0.77 ± 0.12 vs. 0.96 ± 0.12 s; p < 0.001; d = 0.79), whereas university players showed faster DS (0.64 ± 0.06 vs. 0.76 ± 0.11 s; p < 0.001; d = -0.71). RC favored professionals (median 100.00% vs. 93.75%; Z = 3.13; p < 0.001; r = 0.58). CMS tended to favor professionals (median 1.53 s vs. 1.61 s) without significance (Z = -0.544; p > 0.05; r = 0.10).

Conclusion: NeuroSwift enabled standardized stimuli, automated footstep detection, and reproducible in situ laboratory metrics. Expertise was discriminated in perceptual-cognitive and decision components, supporting athlete monitoring, training prescription, and applied research.

Introduction: Sufficient sleep is integral to overall health whereas suboptimal sleep puts athletes at greater risk for injury, lengthens their recovery time, and decreases their performance. Our purpose was to compare sleep across training days (i.e., competition, practice, and rest) in adolescent athletes, specifically identifying differences between nights before and after training.

Methods: Participants [n = 33 (14 male, 19 female), aged 15.6 ± 1.0 years] wore an activPAL accelerometer continuously for 14 consecutive days and completed a sleep log noting training day status (i.e., competition, practice, rest).

Results: Athletes slept less on the day after competition compared to after practice and rest days [Sleep Duration (mean ± SD) after competition: 7.9 ± 1.6 h, after practice: 8.6 ± 0.8 h, after rest: 9.2 ± 1.4 h, interaction effect p < 0.001]. The time athletes went to bed tended to be later before and after rest days compared with competition and practice days [Time in Bed Start (hr:min, mean ± SD) before competition: 22:02 ± 0:58, after competition: 22:19 ± 1:03, before practice: 22:20 ± 0:49, after practice: 22:06 ± 0:40, before rest: 22:55 ± 1:09, after rest: 23:13 ± 0:58, p = 0.080]. Athletes woke up the latest on and after rest days (before competition: 6:52 ± 1:16, after competition: 6:11 ± 1:21, before practice: 6:59 ± 0:43, after practice: 6:43 ± 0:42, before rest: 7:35 ± 1:09, after rest: 8:26 ± 1:22, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: In conclusion, athletes slept less the day after a competition compared with the day after a practice or rest day. While sleep start times did not differ by training day, athletes woke up later before and after rest days. Understanding factors influencing athletes' sleep may enable health care providers and coaches to help athletes stay healthy and optimize their performance.

Introduction: Because Fiji is a relatively poor and remote Global South developing country, it is plagued by poor infrastructure, financial problems, and a lack of trained experts who also can relate to athletes in a culturally appropriate manner. In this article, we compare Global North coaching practices with traditional practices in Fiji, which are based mostly on benevolent paternalism and cultural hegemony. A specific focus is the transition of athletes into retirement.

Methods: Case studies of Nadi Soccer Association and Ba Football Association are utilized based on ethnographic data obtained from seven interviews with ex-players, one interview with an ex-administrator, and one interview with an ex-team doctor as well as extended participant-observation.

Results: The Fiji Football Association (FFA) is seen as working hard now to consider the mental and physical welfare of ex-players after a slow start although the primary initiatives have come from ex-player self-help organizations such as Nadi Legends Club.

Discussion: Although better sport coaching and sport psychology can contribute, they need to be conducted in a culturally appropriate way where Indigenous Fijian and Fiji Indian cultures are worked with, and benevolently paternal administrators and coaches are not cast aside or marginalized.

Introduction: The efficiency with which science and technology (S&T) investment is translated into competitive sports performance is a critical yet underexplored issue in China, despite the rapid growth of related funding in recent years.

Methods: This study evaluates the efficiency of provincial S&T investment in competitive sports across 31 Chinese provinces from 2018 to 2022. Using a two-stage analytical framework grounded in the Resource-Based View, we integrate Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the Malmquist productivity index, and Tobit regression to assess static efficiency, dynamic productivity changes, and their key influencing factors.

Results: The results indicate that the overall efficiency of S&T investment in China's competitive sports system remains relatively low, with pronounced regional disparities. Dynamic analysis reveals that total factor productivity declined on average, primarily due to limited technological progress rather than changes in technical efficiency. Tobit regression results show that research staff input and the emphasis on technological R&D are negatively associated with efficiency, while regional economic development improves pure technical efficiency but undermines scale efficiency.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that the main constraint on the effectiveness of S&T investment lies not in the quantity of resources but in their strategic configuration and conversion into athletic outcomes. Policy efforts should therefore shift from expanding investment scale toward optimizing resource orchestration and strengthening the linkage between scientific research and training practice to enhance the overall efficiency and sustainability of competitive sports development in China.

Most studies on digital tools for assessing psychological states in sports have focused on screening athletes who show pathological tendencies, while few have examined their potential use for team management or coaching strategies. Moreover, little evidence exists regarding long-term, voluntary use among youth athletes. This study introduced an online psychological assessment system into a youth sports team to examine the effectiveness of digital tools for monitoring athletes' psychological states, based on usage patterns and assessment results. Participants were 81 male soccer academy athletes aged 12-17 years. Analyses were conducted on annual participation frequency, overall score trends, intraindividual variability, and the relationships between motivation to continue participation and satisfaction measures. The athletes completed the assessments an average of 4.16 times over the year, but participation rates declined in the latter half of the period. The variance in relationship with coach and satisfaction with growth increased during the competitive season. Satisfaction with life and satisfaction with time in daily life showed large intraindividual fluctuations. Satisfaction with growth, relationship with coach, satisfaction with life, and satisfaction with time in daily life significantly influenced motivation to continue participation. These results indicate that psychological assessment tools may be useful for tracking seasonal changes in athletes' psychological states, enabling early detection of dissatisfaction or concerns beyond team activities, and guiding the prioritization of support to promote sustained sport participation. Digital tools enabling regular psychological monitoring can reduce respondent burden, complement coaches' expertise, and serve as effective resources for team management and mental health support.

Introduction: This study examines how sports celebrities' personality traits-likability, expertise, credibility, and physical attractiveness-affect millennials' purchasing decisions across Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Addressing a gap in prior endorsement research that often treats social media platforms as interchangeable, the study adopts a cross-platform perspective to investigate whether the effectiveness of celebrity traits varies by platform.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data were collected through a survey of 228 millennials using stratified random sampling, while qualitative insights were obtained from semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. The interviews explored motivations, engagement patterns, and factors contributing to endorsement effectiveness. The study was guided by Source Credibility Theory, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the Cognitive Response Model, and the Attitude-Toward-the-Ad Model.

Results: The findings indicate that perceived product quality partially mediates the relationship between sports celebrities' personality traits and purchase intention. Moreover, the influence of each trait varies significantly across Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, suggesting that celebrity endorsement effectiveness is contingent on the social media platform.

Discussion: By explicitly comparing multiple social media platforms and integrating quantitative and qualitative evidence, this study advances endorsement research by demonstrating that celebrity trait effectiveness is platform-specific rather than uniform. While all examined traits shape consumer responses, their relative importance differs across platforms, highlighting the need for platform-sensitive endorsement strategies and careful selection of celebrity endorsers. This cross-platform, mixed-method perspective provides nuanced insights into how digital celebrities influence consumer behavior and offers practical recommendations for marketers seeking to optimize influencer strategies across diverse social media channels.

Humans adapt their gait patterns in response to both internal (e.g., fatigue) and external (e.g., terrain) constraints. Although bipedal locomotion is generally efficient, its stability is reduced on steep or uneven surfaces. Under such conditions, adult hikers often use trekking poles to enhance stability and reduce physical load. In this study, we analysed pole-foot coordination in novice hikers ascending a 4.2 km uphill trail using a gait-classification framework derived from quadrupedal locomotion research. Coordination patterns were characterised by duty factor and diagonality, and gait transition was defined as a shift in the dominant diagonality range across stair-height conditions. When participants ascended moderately high stairs (20 cm), diagonal couplets (diagonality ranges of 40%-50% and 50%-60%) were most frequently observed. These patterns accounted for 36.7% of all steps recorded at 20 cm stairs in the early section of the trail and were similarly frequent (43.4%) in the later section. In contrast, when the stair height increased to approximately 40 cm, lateral couplets (diagonality ranges of 0%-10% and 90%-100%) became dominant, accounting for 33.9% of all steps recorded under this condition. These results indicate that hikers preferentially select pole-foot coordination patterns depending on stair height and show that a diagonal-lateral classification scheme provides a useful basis for describing qualitative coordination transitions in human pole-assisted gait.

Objective: This study investigated how the sequencing of strength and endurance training affects athletic performance, and delved into the underlying mechanisms from the perspectives of neuromuscular and molecular adaptations. Furthermore, factors influencing the effectiveness of concurrent training with different sequences were also analyzed.

Design and methods: A semi-systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant literature was retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and CNKI databases using the search terms: "concurrent training", "simultaneous training", "combined training", "concurrent strength and endurance training", "simultaneous strength and endurance training", "combined strength and endurance training", "sequence", "order". The retrieval timeframe was from January 1980 to December 2024.

Results: Analysis of the 42 included studies revealed that, in human trials, while training sequence generally shows no consistent association with the ultimate gains in endurance, muscle hypertrophy, or maximal strength, adopting a "strength-first" modality optimizes neuromuscular adaptations, thereby enhancing relative strength and explosive power. Although acute molecular responses (e.g., mTOR/AMPK phosphorylation) exhibit sequence-dependent variations, their translation into long-term adaptations is complex and non-linear. Notably, animal experiments demonstrate a far more pronounced regulatory effect of training sequence on hypertrophy-related pathways than human studies, suggesting that species differences and training methodologies may be key contributing factors.

Recommendations: The training sequence should be arranged reasonably based on the training objectives and the individual differences among the subjects (e.g., age, training status, sport modality). If the endurance-strength training mode is chosen, it is recommended that the interval between the two types of training be more than 3 h to prevent acute molecular interference. For athletes targeting explosive power or relative strength, the strength-endurance sequence is preferred.