Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness最新文献

Introduction: Core stability is essential for maintaining postural alignment and preventing injuries during athletic activities. A growing body of literature suggests that structured core stability programs can reduce the risk of both upper and lower limb injuries across various sports. However, the evidence remains scattered and inconsistent, particularly regarding specific populations and sports contexts.

Evidence acquisition: This scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was carried out across MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Library, PEDro, Scopus, and grey literature databases. Studies were included if they investigated the impact of core stability training on injury prevention in athletic populations, using the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) framework. Data extraction focused on participant characteristics, interventions, outcomes, and conclusions.

Evidence synthesis: Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria. The studies involved athletes aged 8 to 58 years across six sports disciplines (soccer, Gaelic football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, and swimming). All included interventions demonstrated positive outcomes in reducing injury incidence, improving neuromuscular control, and enhancing dynamic stability. However, variability in training protocols and methodological quality limited cross-study comparability. Most interventions were low-cost, equipment-free, and feasible in both team and individual settings.

Conclusions: Core stability training shows strong potential as a preventive strategy in sports injury management. Despite the variability among existing studies, the consistent positive effects suggest the need for broader integration into routine athletic training. Future research should aim to standardize protocols and explore long-term efficacy across diverse athletic populations.

Background: This non-randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the preventive effects of the FIFA 11+ on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury incidence rates in collegiate female football players in terms of intervention duration (one-season and over three consecutive seasons).

Methods: A total of 763 collegiate female football players from seven teams belonging to Kanto University Women's Football Association Division 1 during 2013-2015 were included in the study. At the study's start (2013), 235 players from seven teams were assigned to the FIFA 11+ intervention (four teams, n = 115) and control groups (three teams, n = 120). The intervention period was from 2013 to 2015, and the allocated players were followed over three seasons. The one-season effect of the FIFA 11+ was investigated after each season, and the effect of continuous intervention was assessed in players who participated in all three seasons (N.=66 and 62 from the intervention and control groups).

Results: The one-season intervention showed no significant differences between the two groups in any season. In contrast, the intervention over three consecutive seasons showed a significantly lower incidence rate of ACL injuries in the intervention group compared to the control group (noncontact injuries: hazard ratio, 0.192 [95% CI, 0.041-0.896]; P=0.036).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the FIFA 11+ is an effective program for ACL injury prevention in collegiate female football players, and the beneficial effect can be expected when the program is implemented for at least three consecutive seasons.

Background: Adult athletic performance in most sports relies on adequate muscle tone, strength, flexibility, and movement coordination. Neuromuscular training to improve athletic performance has been embraced in athletic programs aimed at aiding college athletes seeking a future professional sports career or high achievement in national/international athletic competitions. Since strength, power, and endurance are essential attributes for athletes playing sports, the aim of this study was to assess whether the use of haptic patch technology could improve muscular strength, power, and endurance.

Methods: Healthy college athletes aged 18-30 (N.=70; 30 males and 40 females) were randomized and enrolled as research participants in this blinded treatment versus placebo study. While 34 subjects initially received the active patch (VICTORY patch), 36 initially received a non-active patch that appeared identical to the active patch. After each group completed their study ARM, they crossed over to the other group, and received either an active or non-active placebo patch. Standard neuromuscular performance evaluative methods were used to acquire the data. This included obtaining measurements for neuromuscular changes in specified muscle groups through strength testing, and measurements pertaining to complex neuromuscular pattern performance. Neuromuscular data and comparative results for such aspects as peak power, concentric peak force, jump height, and knee extension/flexion was collected at a baseline; then retested after 1-24 hrs of patch use; then at 7-10 days a new baseline without a patch testing was completed with a repeat after 1-24 hrs of patch use. Descriptive statistical methods included the Shapiro-Wilk test, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Mann-Whitney U Tests, and Spearman's rank correlation were used for data analysis. Data analysis was also performed to compare results between the active patch group and placebo patch group.

Results: Results showed that participants receiving the active patch demonstrated greatest improvement at 70-80 min of patch use, and the active patch group showed statistically significant improvements in the evaluated neuromuscular attributes in knee extension and knee flexion than the placebo patch group.

Conclusions: Incorporating haptic patch use in college athlete and other young adult athlete training programs aimed at improved neuromuscular functioning may be beneficial to improved athletic performance. Haptic patch use within an athletic training program may be an especially useful strategy in athletes who sustained minor injuries preventing participation in their usual daily training regimen to recover lost strength, power, or endurance, as well as college athletes who are attempting to achieve improved performance toward a goal of future professional or nationally-competitive sport play.

Background: Monitoring body composition is crucial for optimizing performance and preventing injuries in young athletes during a competitive season. This study evaluated changes in body composition and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) in 15 male U17 Italian national handball players (age: 16.44±0.60 years).

Methods: Bioelectrical parameters were analyzed across four time points: end of the season (T0), pre-season (T1), season onset (T2), and winter break (T3), using repeated measures mixed models, while Mahalanobis' tests track vector shifts and ellipse distances (D). Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.

Results: The vector significantly lengthened from T0 to T1 (D=1.95), then shortened from T1 to T2 (D=1.63) and T2 to T3 (D=0.88). Stature-adjusted resistance significantly decreased at T2 (262.9 Ω/m±26.1) compared to T1 (275.6 Ω/m±27.8) and at T3 (249.7 Ω/m±21.4) compared to T0 (269.7 Ω/m±27.9), T1, and T2. Stature-adjusted reactance significantly increased at T1 (39.00 Ω/m±3.7) compared to T0 (35.3 Ω/m±3.6) then decreased at T2 (36.2 Ω/m±3.2) and T3 (35.7 Ω/m±3.4) compared to T1. From T0 to T3, phase angle, total body water, and fat-free mass increased significantly from 7.4°±0.5 to 8.1±0.6°, 59.9±3.6% to 61.1±3.7%, and 82.0±4.5% to 84.0±5.1%, respectively.

Conclusions: Bioelectrical analysis effectively tracks hydration indices and training adaptations in young athletes, representing a valuable tool for managing performance and recovery.

Introduction: Ninja warrior activities have gained considerable popularity worldwide in recent years. Despite the increasing number of participants, there is limited research on the epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in these activities. This study aims to investigate the frequency, types, and severity of injuries sustained during ninja warrior activities, identify common treatment approaches and assess potential risk factors for delayed return to sports.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study based on self-reported data collected via an online questionnaire developed by orthopedic surgeons following a thorough review of the literature. The survey, disseminated online, was available from May 2023 to October 2024, and 103 Ninja Warrior athletes participated. The questionnaire assessed demographics, sports participation, injury characteristics, management, and post-injury outcomes, including return-to-sport metrics. T-test was used to compare normally distributed continuous data among two groups, and regression analysis was employed to identify and quantify factors influencing time to return to sport. The significance level was set at P<0.05.

Results: The most commonly injured body parts were the shoulder (19.1%), ankle (12.6%), and wrist (11.5%). The rings/laches obstacle accounted for 30.43% of all reported injuries. Overuse was identified as the leading mechanism of injury, responsible for 30.8% of cases. Tendon ruptures and/or ligament tears (25.8%), sprains (16.9%), and fractures (15.7%) were the most frequently reported injury types. Surgical intervention was required in 10.7% of injuries, including three arthroscopic labrum repairs for shoulder injuries and three anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions, among other procedures. RTS was found to be delayed in association with higher BMI (P=0.004), VAS score (P=0.001), and 5 or more training sessions per week (P=0.044).

Conclusions: Ninja warrior training holds significant risk for musculoskeletal injuries, most commonly overuse and upper extremity injury. The rings/laches are particularly prone to injury, suggesting that adequate technical skill assessment prior to execution may be warranted. Additionally, increased BMI, higher VAS at time of injury, and 5 or more training sessions per week were found to be associated with delayed return to sport.

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are common among lymphoma patients undergoing treatment. Exercise may be safe and feasible for individuals with hematological malignancies, with potential benefits in mitigating treatment-related toxicity and enhancing treatment tolerance. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of exercise interventions on health-related outcomes such as HRQOL, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), fatigue, and body composition in this population.

Evidence acquisition: Electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, SCOPUS, and Web of Science) were searched following PRISMA guidelines. This systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024497531).

Evidence synthesis: Five studies (N.=118, 68.6±9.04 years) were included. HRQOL components such as physical functioning (95% CI: 2.97, 26.41), body pain (95% CI: 6.26, 17.35), general health (95% CI: 3.20, 29.72), vitality (95% CI: 4.54, 27.09), emotional role functioning (95% CI: 1.43, 69.50), and mental health (95% CI: 14.73, 21.50) and lower limb strength measured by the 30-Second Chair Stand Test (95% CI: 1.11, 3.48) significantly (P<0.05) improved. No significant effects were found for fatigue, handgrip strength, knee extension strength, or cardiorespiratory fitness. The skeletal muscle index significantly decreased (95% CI: -0.5, -0.13; P<0.05), indicating ongoing muscle loss despite exercise interventions.

Conclusions: These findings support the safety and feasibility of exercise for patients with hematological cancers, showing moderate improvements in physical function and HRQOL. However, heterogeneity in study designs and small sample sizes limit the generalizability of the results.

Introduction: This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of traditional exercise (using low-load resistance training (LLRT) with and without blood flow restriction (BFR)) on functional outcomes, pain levels, muscle strength, and range of motion (ROM) in patients with upper extremity disorders. The primary distinction between the experimental and control interventions lies in the application of blood flow restriction during the exercise protocol.

Evidence acquisition: Searches have been performed in the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane databases, together with the reference lists of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to March 2025. The participants in the RCTs were individuals with orthopedic abnormalities of the upper extremity arising from surgical intervention, trauma, or degenerative disorders, and the intervention was LLRT-BFR, as opposed to LLRT alone. The major focus was on assessing upper limb function and pain, with secondary considerations including muscle strength and ROM. The quality and reporting standards of the studies were evaluated via the TESTEX scale. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was conducted to verify the quality of evidence. The means and standard deviations (SDs) of the pre- and post-intervention data were extracted from each study. The means and SDs of the change scores were calculated, and these values were imported into Review Manager software (The Nordic Cochrane Collaboration) to compute the standardized mean difference (SMD) as the effect size.

Evidence synthesis: A systematic search across the aforementioned four databases initially identified 466 potentially relevant articles. Through a rigorous screening process, five articles that met the predefined inclusion criteria were ultimately selected for further analysis. These studies included 85 patients who underwent LLRT-BFR and 85 patients who received only LLRT. In patients with upper extremity dysfunction, the meta-analysis revealed significantly superior outcomes with LLRT-BFR compared with LLRT without BFR across multiple measures: pain reduction (SMD, 1.19; P=0.0002 [95% CI, 0.56-1.81]), functional improvement (SMD, 1.32; P=0.005 [95% CI, 0.39-2.24]), grip strength enhancement (SMD, 0.64; P=0.004 [95% CI, 0.20-1.07]), and radial flexion improvement (SMD, 0.81; P=0.003 [95% CI, 0.28--1.34]).

Conclusions: BFR combined with LLRT produced better outcomes than LLRT alone in terms of function, discomfort, grip strength, and wrist range of motion (ulnar deviation). For people with upper limb deficits, BFR combined with LLRT may have some potential as a complementary intervention, and further research is needed to establish its efficacy and safety, particularly in different patient populations.

Background: Monitoring tendon morphology and function can improve our understanding of how tendons adapt to chronic training, potentially supporting the maintenance of strength and endurance. Despite that explosive sports share similarities, they also differ in key factors like movement speed and reactivity, loading duration and direction, range of motion, and muscle contraction type. This study aimed to compare the patellar tendon morphology and mechanical characteristics among sprinters, long and high jumpers, gymnasts, and karate athletes.

Methods: Forty-one elite male athletes with national and international competition experience participated. Patellar tendon properties, knee extensor strength, power, and rate of force development during countermovement jumps were measured during the pre-competition training phase.

Results: Results indicated that patellar tendon length, cross-sectional area, stiffness, and Young's modulus were similar across these athletes (P>0.05), despite differences in body weight, height, body composition, force production, and power output during dynamic movements. However, significant differences in patellar tendon stress were observed, correlating strongly with maximal knee extension peak torque and peak power during the countermovement jump (r>0.646, P<0.01).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that patellar tendon morphology and mechanical properties were largely consistent across different power athletes, but high tendon stress resulting from increased force production highlights the need for a balanced relationship between force development and tendon adaptation.

Background: Despite a substantial body of literature on identifying talent in outfield players, information on goalkeepers (GKs) is scarce due to the specialist demands associated with the position. The purpose of this study was to explore which qualities GK coaches perceive as important for talented youth soccer GKs.

Methods: This qualitative study used a pragmatic research paradigm. The sample consisted of eight GK coaches (mean age 50.12±9.33 years; mean experience 17.25±9.97 years) who were purposively recruited to participate in the study. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data, and a two-stage thematic analysis was employed to identify themes.

Results: Four themes and 10 sub-themes were constructed: technical (i.e. handling), physical (i.e. upper body strength and height), tactical (defensive organization, build-up play and decision-making) and psychosocial (i.e. bravery, coachability, communication and composure) attributes.

Conclusions: These findings may provide coaches with valuable information regarding the traits that potentially talented GKs should possess, which could guide training for talent development programs to increase their chances of being chosen for future opportunities.

Background: The Body Oxygen Level Test (BOLT), also known as the control pause in the Buteyko method, is a breath-hold test proposed to reflect CO2 tolerance and breathing efficiency. Although popularized as a fitness indicator, its relationship to aerobic capacity and physical activity in healthy adults remains unclear. This study examined associations between BOLT score, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), treadmill time to exhaustion (TTE), and weekly physical activity in active university students.

Methods: Twenty-eight healthy, physically active university students (15 men, 13 women; age 22.1±2.5 years) completed a graded treadmill test (Bruce protocol) with gas analysis to determine VO2max and TTE. BOLT was measured as comfortable breath-hold time after normal exhalation. Weekly physical activity was assessed using the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ). Spearman correlations examined associations between BOLT, VO2max, TTE, and GLTEQ. A multiple linear regression tested whether VO2max, TTE, age, height, weight, and GLTEQ predicted BOLT.

Results: BOLT times did not significantly differ between sexes. BOLT scores showed no strong correlation with VO2max (ρ=0.31, P=0.10), TTE (ρ=0.27, P=0.16), or GLTEQ (ρ=0.05, P=0.59). Regression analysis (R²=0.22, P=0.46) identified no significant predictors of BOLT.

Conclusions: In active young adults, the BOLT breath-hold test was not significantly associated with VO2max, endurance time, or self-reported exercise levels. These findings suggest that BOLT - a measure of breathing function and CO2 tolerance - does not serve as a surrogate indicator of aerobic capacity or habitual physical activity in this population. BOLT should be interpreted with caution if used for fitness assessment, as it appears to reflect a distinct aspect of physiological function not captured by standard aerobic performance tests.