Sports最新文献

Background: Anxiety and depression are prevalent after spinal cord injury, impairing social participation and quality of life.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of traditional resistance training (TRT), flywheel resistance training (FWRT), and high-velocity resistance training (HVRT) on the mental health and quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury.

Methods: Thirty-two participants were divided into TRT (n = 12), FWRT (n = 8), and HVRT (n = 12) groups, undergoing 8 weeks of upper-limb training twice weekly under super-vision. Training intensity and volume were progressively increased. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and SF-36 Questionnaire were used to assess outcomes.

Results: Both the TRT and FWRT groups showed a reduction in HADS-D scores post-intervention (p < 0.001). The TRT group also presented a significant reduction in HADS-A scores post-intervention (p = 0.003). Concerning quality of life, after training, TRT showed improvements in social functioning (p = 0.013), FWRT improved scores in physical functioning (p = 0.002), bodily pain (p = 0.002), vitality (p = 0.046), and role emotional (p < 0.001), while HVRT enhanced role physical (p < 0.001), social functioning (p = 0.013), and role emotional (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Overall, TRT was the most effective in reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing quality of life, while FWRT showed notable gains in physical and functional capacity. HVRT demonstrated improvements primarily in role physical but was less effective in other domains.

Background: Basketball matches involve numerous conditioning factors which, when put together, make for a complex prediction event. However, unraveling all these elements in different studies allows the control of certain conditioning factors of the game, giving rise to more stable and controlled games. Objectives: Due to the absence of studies that analyze professional matches in women's basketball, the aim of the present research is to analyze the influence of the result, partial result and specific positions on the load in official competition between two women's teams that play a match simultaneously. Methods: Using an ex post facto design, 19 professional players were measured in an official match of the Spanish second division of women's basketball, monitoring both opponents simultaneously, obtaining at all times the contrast of loads between both teams. Inertial devices were used to measure the external and internal load of each player. Parametric and non-parametric statistical difference analyses were performed, as well as two linear mixed models. Results: The results reveal significant differences in external loading when loads are analyzed as a function of match outcome. Differences between external and internal load are found when taking into account specific positions, and when including several comparisons in the analysis. The team that obtained the highest kinematic and neuromuscular load demands was the one that won the match. The specific position of guard obtained a greater physical load at the end of the match than the centers. Conclusions: Coaches should prioritize high-intensity training that replicates match demands, considering positional differences in workload to optimize player conditioning and recovery strategies for sustained performance.

This study investigates the relationship between total running experience, defined as cumulative years of running multiplied by weekly mileage, and variability in lower leg joint kinematics during treadmill running. Twenty-seven male athletes participated, running while kinematic and kinetic data were collected. Linear regression revealed significant negative correlations between total running experience and variability in both knee and ankle joint range of motion (ROM). Specifically, ankle ROM variability (p = 0.001, R² = 0.35) and knee ROM variability (p = 0.002, R² = 0.32) were reduced in runners with more experience. A stepwise regression model further identified ankle ROM variability as a significant predictor (p = 0.033), explaining 44.25% of the variance in total running experience. A significant positive correlation between running experience and instantaneous vertical loading rate (IVLR) (p = 0.025, R² = 0.15) suggests that more experienced runners generate higher load rates. These findings indicate that more experienced runners exhibit more consistent and stable movement patterns, reflecting refined motor control. The results support the hypothesis that greater running experience is associated with reduced variability in movement patterns within a controlled environment, providing insights into the mechanisms that could contribute to enhanced performance and injury prevention.

Background: One of the most significant challenges for exercise professionals in designing strength training programs is determining the intensity or effort level of each set performed. One of the most studied methodologies has been the use of Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scales. This study aims to analyze the application of the OMNI-RES scale for monitoring training intensity across different relative loads and fatigue levels in various training protocols.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, participants completed nine exercise sessions, with one week separating each session. The first session involved a one-repetition maximum (1RM) test in the bench press (BP) to identify the load-velocity relationship. Subsequently, each participant randomly performed two maximum repetition (MNR) protocols at 60% and 90% of 1RM, and two protocols with a 30% velocity loss (VL) at 60% of 1RM and a 10% VL at 90% of 1RM. These sessions were repeated one week later.

Results: significant differences were found between the four bench press protocols regarding the number of repetitions and the percentage of velocity loss per set (p < 0.001). However, the RPE of the MNR protocol at 60% of 1RM was significantly higher than the other protocols. Moreover, the RPE for the protocol at 60% of 1RM with a 30% VL was similar to that at 90% of 1RM with a 10% VL (p = 1.000). Post-exercise blood lactate concentrations, percentage VL at 1 m·s^-1, and the effort index were significantly higher in the MNR protocol at 60% of 1RM compared to all other protocols (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The most important finding of this study is that the OMNI-RES scale may not be a reliable indicator of exercise intensity. This is because the highest values on the scale were observed at the lowest relative intensity (60% 1RM) during the maximum number of repetitions (MNR) protocol, corresponding to the maximum volume.

The aims of this study were to analyze (1) the external match demands during a congested period (CP) (i.e., three games in eight days) and (2) the differences among games with two- or three-day intervals in professional futsal players. Eleven elite male futsal players were monitored during 15 official matches. Wearable accelerometers were used to record player load (PL), accelerations (ACC), decelerations (DEC), and changes of direction (COD) at different intensities (e.g., high, medium, and low) using two approaches (e.g., absolute and relative per minute). A linear mixed model and effect sizes (ESs) were used to analyze differences between matches and days of interval. Considering the external match load during CP, non-significant differences were found for all the variables (p = 0.108-0.995; ES: 0.01-0.40). Comparing the interval days between games, players had significantly higher DEC_HI (p = 0.030; ES: 0.48), COD_TOTAL (p = 0.028; ES: 0.33), COD_MED (p = 0.024; ES: 0.40), and COD_LOW (p = 0.038; ES: 0.31) following 3 days of interval between the games when compared with 2 days. However, when analyzed relative to effective time, non-significant differences were found. In summary, CPs seem to not affect the match external load, but players performed better in terms of DEC and COD following 3 days of interval when compared to 2 days when analyzed with absolute values.

Background: Variability in running mechanics, termed running variability, reflects the adaptability of the locomotor system to dynamic environments. Due to inconsistent findings in the literature, there is a research gap in understanding its role in injury.

Objectives: This scoping review explores running variability's influence on injury susceptibility, examining studies across various injury types, skill levels, methods, and analysis adhering to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist (PRISMA-ScR). Eligibility criteria and sources of evidence: Twenty-one studies illustrating the complexity of running variability in relation to running-related injuries were selected from Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases during December 2022 to June 2024.

Results: There are significant differences in running variability between injured and healthy runners, with variability influenced by injury type, stage, and individual differences with varying levels of evidence. Out of 21 studies, 8 (38%) found no group differences, 11 (52%) noted higher running variability in injured participants, and 5 (24%) reported lower variability in injured than healthy subjects. The review was constrained by the diverse subjects, methods, tasks, and outcome variables across the studies.

Conclusions: Currently, there is no standard normal range for running variability and abnormal variability is defined relative to control groups, though healthy controls can also show abnormal variability without injury in some study designs. Despite the absence of standardized running variability norms, wearable sensors offer insights into real-world running mechanics, presenting running variability as a potential predictor of running-related injuries. The review highlights the need for standardized protocols and further research to clarify running variability's role in injury prediction and prevention, emphasizing the necessity of individualized approaches in training and rehabilitation. Future studies should aim to establish a causal relationship between running variability and injury susceptibility, focusing on identifying variability patterns that precede or follow an injury. This review sets the stage for developing evidence-based strategies to optimize running performance and minimize injury risks.

In order to optimize body composition and its components, it is of interest to analyze inter-limb asymmetries in athletes of popular combat sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). This study aimed to assess the magnitude and direction of body composition asymmetry in competitive male BJJ athletes. Seventeen experienced and competitive male BJJ athletes (age 34.59 ± 8.00 years, 172.94 ± 5.46 cm, BJJ experience 7.88 ± 5.57 years, and 3.71 ± 1.05 days of weekly volume training), including Guard Fighters (n = 7) and Pass Fighters (n = 10), participated in this study. In a single session, whole-body and segmental upper limb and lower limb body composition (BC) was assessed utilizing dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The assessment included total mass (TM), fat mass (FM), fat mass percentage (%FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and bone mineral content (BMC). Absolute differences between limbs were analyzed using a paired t-test. A comparison of BC asymmetries according to combat styles was conducted using an independent t-test. The effect size (ES) was interpreted as Cohen's d. The main results revealed significant asymmetries in the upper limbs (ULs) of the total group; greater values were found on the left side for TM (p = 0.009, ES = 0.725), FM (p = 0.016, ES = 0.650), FFM (p = 0.026, ES = 0.594), and BMC (p < 0.001, ES = 0.993). In Pass Fighters, differences favored the right side in TM (p = 0.003, ES = 1.277), FM (p = 0.009, ES = 1.039), FFM (p = 0.011, ES = 1.000), and BMC (p < 0.001, ES = 1.916). In contrast, Guard Fighters showed no discrepancies in these parameters. No notable disparities were observed in the lower limbs. This pilot study reveals that BJJ athletes present significant asymmetries in BC, particularly in the ULs, with a marked predominance on the right side, especially in Pass Fighters.

Lower extremity misalignments increase the risk of chronic overload and acute injuries during sports and daily activities. Medial positioning of the knee and foot in the frontal plane is one of the key biomechanical risk factors associated with lower extremity injuries and pain. Different exercise interventions have been implemented to counteract misalignments. However, most studies have been conducted on clinical populations. Therefore, in this review, we aimed to assess the preventive effects of exercise interventions on frontal plane knee and foot posture in healthy individuals. Electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PEDro) were systematically searched for original articles published between 2008 and 2024. This review included clinical trials on healthy adults (18-45 years) with or without lower extremity biomechanical misalignments, examining the effects of exercise interventions alone on knee and foot frontal plane biomechanics. Eligible studies reported at least one relevant frontal plane foot and knee biomechanical measure, such as knee valgus/abduction, medial knee displacement, foot pronation/eversion, or navicular drop. Studies involving non-exercise interventions, single-session protocols, and participants with neurological or spinal disorders, pain, or injury were excluded. A total of 35 articles with 1095 participants were included in this review. A total of 20 studies included individuals without a biomechanical misalignment, and 15 studies focused on individuals with a biomechanical misalignment. Mean values, standard deviations, and p-values were extracted from the included studies. Effect sizes and confidence intervals were then calculated to provide a quantitative presentation of the data. In conclusion, in healthy individuals without biomechanical misalignment, technique training and core muscles strengthening were most effective for improving knee valgus. Hip, core, and foot muscle strengthening reduced foot pronation in those with pronated feet, while short foot exercises improved foot positioning in individuals with flat feet. Combining lower extremity strengthening with knee position control training may reduce knee valgus in individuals with increased knee valgus.

Relative Age Effects (RAEs) are a phenomenon in athletics related to an over-representation of individuals born closer to an arbitrary cutoff date. Such effects have been shown in many different countries, levels of play, and contexts, although they are yet to be studied in volleyball within the United States, which is the second most popular high school girls' sport and the fastest growing high school and college sport for males. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine RAEs in college volleyball. Publicly available data were collected from the websites of women's Division I program (n = 1253) and men's Division I/II (n = 164). Chi-squared goodness of fit tests were used to compare birth rate distributions. Data accounted for gender, school and club cutoff dates, athletic timing, and redshirt status. Results showed RAEs were strongest in women on-time school group. Interestingly, reverse effects were observed (i.e., an overrepresentation of relatively younger athletes) for delayed school volleyball players, but this expected trend was not observed in the redshirt group. On-time women's club group showed academic timing was a significant contributor towards RAEs, whilst these effects were strongest for the on-time school group in men.

Body composition and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) are vital for optimizing sports performance, but the correlations between them are still underexplored. Our study aimed to investigate the relationships between body composition and specific CPET variables describing physical fitness in young athletes, also adjusting for age and height, in a less-studied, female population. Seventy players participated in our study (age: 16.10 ± 1.63 y). After determining body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, we conducted treadmill-based maximal-intensity CPET. Data were analyzed in R using multivariate linear regression, accounting for age and height as confounders. Lean body mass (LBM), body fat mass (BFM), and bone mineral content (BMC) showed no effect on resting, maximum, or recovery heart rates and no correlation with resting or maximal lactate values. LBM positively correlated with maximum ventilation (VE-max) (Est: 1.3 × 10^-3; SE: 6.1 × 10^-4; p < 0.05) and maximum absolute oxygen consumption (VO2_abs-max) (Est: 7.710^-5; SE: 6.9 × 10^-6; p < 0.001)-with age as an influencing factor for VE-max and height as an influencing factor for VO2_abs-max. Conversely, BFM showed a negative correlation with maximum relative oxygen consumption (VO2_rel-max) (Est: -4.8 × 10^-4; SE: 1.2 × 10^-4; p < 0.001). Moreover, BFM and BMC were also negatively correlated with maximal exercise duration (Est: -2.2 × 10^-4; SE: 8.0 × 10^-5; p < 0.01; Est: -3.2 × 10^-3; SE: 1.4 × 10^-3; p < 0.05) with height as an influencing factor. Our findings indicate complex correlations between body composition and CPET parameters, providing important information for the analysis of individual ergospirometric data. Our results draw attention to the fact that body composition is more precise than weight and height in the evaluation of athletes' physical fitness.