[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001751.].
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001751.].
Para athletes present a broad range of sports-related injuries and illnesses, frequently encountering barriers when accessing healthcare services. The periodic health evaluation (PHE) is a valuable tool for continuously monitoring athletes' health, screening for health conditions, assisting in the surveillance of health problems by establishing baseline information and identifying barriers to athlete's performance. This position statement aims to guide sports healthcare providers in the PHE for Para athletes across key impairment categories: intellectual, musculoskeletal, neurological and vision. A panel of 15 international experts, including epidemiologists, physiotherapists, optometrists and physicians with expertise in Para athlete health, convened via videoconferences to discuss the position statement's purpose, methods and themes. They formed working groups to address clinical, cardiorespiratory, neuromusculoskeletal, nutritional status, mental and sleep health, concussion and female Para athlete health assessment considerations. The PHE's effectiveness lies in its comprehensive approach. Health history review can provide insights into factors impacting Para athlete health, inform physical assessments and help healthcare providers understand each athlete's needs. During the PHE, considerations should encompass the specific requirements of the sport modality and the impairment itself. These evaluations can help mitigate the common tendency of Para athletes to under-report health issues. They also enable early interventions tailored to the athlete's health history. Moreover, the PHE serves as an opportunity to educate Para athletes on preventive strategies that can be integrated into their training routines, enhancing their performance and overall health. This position statement can potentially enhance clinical translation into practice and improve the healthcare quality for Para athletes.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-001993.].
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the most common chronic musculoskeletal disorders worldwide. Guidelines recommend exercise therapy (ET) in CLBP management, but more research is needed to investigate specific ET modalities and their underlying mechanisms. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of a time-contingent individualised high-intensity training (HIT) protocol on disability compared with a time-contingent moderate-intensity training (MIT) as used in usual care, in persons with severely disabling CLBP. Additionally, the effectiveness on central effects, the added value of prolonged training at home and technology support, and the cost-effectiveness are evaluated. In this randomised controlled trial, CLBP patients will be randomly divided into three groups of 56 participants. Group 1, 'TechnoHIT', receives HIT with technology-support in the home-phase. Group 2, 'HIT', receives HIT without technology support. Group 3, 'MIT', receives MIT, reflecting training intensity as used in usual care. The primary outcome is patient-reported disability, measured by the Modified Oswestry Disability Index. Secondary outcomes include quantitative sensory testing, psychosocial factors, broad physical fitness, quality of life, cost-effectiveness, adherence and usability of technology. Trial registration number NCT06491121.
Low energy availability (LEA) is a core feature of the female athlete triad and relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs). LEA underpins multiple adverse health and performance outcomes in various athletic populations, including weight category, endurance and aesthetic sports. Recent reports suggest LEA is highly prevalent in female football, volleyball and netball, with little known on male team-sport athletes. Therefore, the study aims to identify the prevalence of LEA among male academy football players (16-23 years), using surrogate markers that align with the International Olympic Committee REDs Clinical Assessment Tool-Version 2. A cross-sectional study design will be used with physiological and perceptual markers of LEA measured. The study will seek to recruit 355 players to complete several online questionnaires believed to be associated with LEA, measured using a 24-hour food and activity diary. Of the 355 players, a subsample (n=110) will complete an additional 3-day food and activity diary, provide a venous blood sample to measure levels of total testosterone and free triiodothyronine, and have resting metabolic rate (RMR) measured to determine RMRratio. The prevalence of LEA will be determined using the low (<30 kcal·kgFFM-1·day-1) domain of energy availability and divided by the total number of participants. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise the whole group and difference status of energy availability (eg, low, reduced, optimal, high). A univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis will be modelled to assess the association of various surrogate markers with the presence of LEA.
Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of novel, time-efficient, low-volume combined aerobic and resistance high-intensity interval training (C-HIIT), and current exercise guidelines (210 min/week of combined moderate-intensity continuous training (C-MICT)), with waitlist control (CON) on glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).
Methods: Sixty-nine low-active people with T2D were randomised to 8 weeks of supervised C-HIIT (78 min/week), supervised C-MICT (210 min/week), or waitlist CON. Those in waitlist CON were re-randomised to supervised C-HIIT/C-MICT at week 8. Following 8 weeks of supervised training, participants completed 10 months of self-directed exercise. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, week 8 and month 12. Participants in waitlist CON were only included in the exercise groups for the month 12 analysis. Analyses were completed using intention-to-treat analysis of covariance (n=69; week 8) and linear mixed modelling (n=63; month 12).
Results: Compared with CON, at week 8, HbA1c decreased in C-HIIT (adjusted mean difference: -0.7% (95% CI -1.3, -0.2%)) and C-MICT (-1.2% (-1.9, -0.6%)). There were also improvements in C-HIIT and C-MICT versus CON at week 8 for fat mass (-1.9 (-3.1, -0.6) and -1.5 (-2.6, -0.4) kg, respectively), lean mass (1.5 (0.8, 2.3) and 0.9 (0.1, 1.7) kg), and exercise capacity (124 (77, 171) and 49 (5, 93) s). At month 12, adherence was low, and most measures returned to baseline.
Conclusions: Low-volume C-HIIT (78 min/week) and C-MICT (210 min/week) improved glycaemic control, body composition and exercise capacity similarly over 8 weeks in people with T2D. However, at month 12, improvements were not maintained following self-directed exercise. Regardless, these data suggest that supervised low-volume C-HIIT is a time-efficient and effective strategy for improving outcomes in T2D.
Background: Current injury prevention programmes in football are limited by a one-size-fits-all approach, which predominantly focuses on preventive exercise programmes while ignoring differences in risk profiles between individuals and teams.
Objective: To address this gap, we developed a new data-driven, customisable approach based on the principles of risk management. We collaborated with key stakeholders to identify focus areas for injury and illness prevention and determine their priorities.
Setting: The team medical and coaching staff included members from 17 professional football clubs, the national team and a youth football academy in Qatar.
Methods: In 2015, we launched a series of annual workshops under the Aspetar Sports Injury and Illness Prevention Programme. The workshops included club medical personnel and fitness coaches in a process to develop team-specific programmes for injury and illness prevention based on the principle of risk management. Over 2 years, workshops refined focus areas through discussions, surveys and small-group presentations, culminating in the creation a novel programme for football injury prevention.
Results: Out of 44 focus areas first identified, 23 were selected as priorities for inclusion in multimodal injury and illness prevention programmes. The identified focus areas represent a variety of aspects, including social/behavioural/lifestyle, exercise programmes/training, load management, recovery and equipment. The top priorities included communication, the Nordic hamstring exercise, training load, recovery strategies, nutrition, sleep, warm-up, the Copenhagen adduction exercise and core and dynamic stability.
Conclusion: We have developed a comprehensive framework for preventing injuries and illnesses in football grounded in the general principles of risk management. This framework has proven feasible and led to the creation of a new multicomponent programme, The Aspetar IP2 (Injury and Illness Prevention for Performance) NetWork, focusing on a range of areas beyond preventive exercise programmes only.
Objective: To examine the likelihood of head acceleration events (HAEs) as a function of previously identified risk factors: match time, player status (starter or substitute) and pitch location in elite-level men's and women's rugby union matches.
Methods: Instrumented mouthguard data were collected from 179 and 107 players in the men's and women's games and synchronised to video-coded match footage. Head peak resultant linear acceleration (PLA) and peak resultant angular acceleration were extracted from each HAE. Field location was determined for HAEs linked to a tackle, carry or ruck. HAE incidence was calculated per player hour across PLA recording thresholds with 95% CIs estimated. Propensity was calculated as the percentage of contact events that caused HAEs across PLA recording thresholds, with a 95% CI estimated. Significance was assessed by non-overlapping 95% CIs.
Results: 29 099 and 6277 HAEs were collected from 1214 and 577 player-matches in the men's and women's games. No significant differences in match quarter HAE incidence or propensity were found. Substitutes had higher HAE incidence than starters at lower PLA recording thresholds for men but similar HAE propensity. HAEs were more likely to occur in field locations with high contact event occurrence.
Conclusion: Strategies to reduce HAE incidence need not consider match time or status as a substitute or starter as HAE rates are similar throughout matches, without differences in propensity between starters and substitutes. HAE incidence is proportional to contact frequency, and strategies that reduce either frequency or propensity for contact to cause head contact may be explored.