European journal of sport science最新文献

Insufficient physical activity is a widespread health concern, necessitating the broad implementation of evidence-based behavior change interventions. Such evidence commonly derives from randomized controlled trials, but questions arise about who is willing to enroll and actively engage in such trials. This study investigated factors predicting engagement and retention in an online physical activity intervention for inactive parent-child dyads. Participants were recruited from the general Finnish population and assigned to either an intervention or wait-list control group. The intervention consisted of online materials, SMS prompts, and four online sessions. Partial least squares regression models were used to analyze autonomous motivation, parent and child gender, parental education, employment status, and recruitment source as predictors of intervention retention and engagement. Results showed that intervention retention was predicted by higher autonomous motivation, being a mother, social media recruitment, and university education. Session attendance was higher for autonomously motivated parents, fathers, parents of daughters, and university-educated parents. These findings highlight the importance of autonomous motivation and demographic factors in intervention engagement. However, the higher engagement of already motivated participants demonstrates challenges for reaching and intervening on those who might benefit most from such programs. Future research should explore strategies to engage and retain less motivated individuals and investigate reasons behind non-compliance to improve the effectiveness of physical activity interventions for inactive families.

The aim of this study was to determine slow (> 250 ms) and fast (< 250 ms) stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) function in youth female soccer players at different stages of maturity and observe the effect of supplementing 8-week soccer training with a low-frequency (once-per-week) plyometric training (PT) programme on SSC function in this population. The main findings were that soccer plus PT resulted in significant improvements in slow (countermovement jump height) and fast (reactive strength index, leg stiffness and linear sprinting) SSC function in youth female soccer players, regardless of maturity (p ≤ 0.001), with two exceptions in the pre-PHV group (p ≥ 0.281). In comparison, only two markers of fast SSC function improved following 8-week soccer training without PT: one in the mid-PHV group (p ≤ 0.05) and one marker in the post-PHV group (p ≤ 0.05). This study is the first to demonstrate that soccer training supplemented with low-frequency PT is more effective at improving slow and fast SSC function in youth female soccer players, regardless of maturity status, than soccer training alone. This information is useful for strength and conditioning practitioners working with youth female soccer players to inform future warm-up and/or training programmes with this population that might improve playing performance and mitigate the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in a population more susceptible to such injuries than boys.

This study explored whether adult rowers' autonomy needs are differently met according to their age and how coaching status impacts on any differences. The numbers of older athletes motivated to engage in sport substantially lag behind their younger counterparts. Self-determination theory suggests that motivation is underpinned by three universal, basic psychological needs: competence, relatedness and autonomy. Utilising a cross-sectional design, 839 rowers aged 18–88 years old, predominantly from the United States of America, United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, were surveyed using the Psychological Need States in Sport Scale to assess how their autonomy needs were met. Two-way ANOVA established that autonomy satisfaction (AS) increases, and autonomy frustration (AF) decreases as adult rowers age. Coaching was found to reduce AS and increase AF, but there was no significant interaction between age and coaching. This is the first study to establish that coaching both reduces AS and that older athletes have their autonomy needs better fulfiled than their younger adult counterparts. Conclusions draw on psychosocial theory to interpret why older athletes' autonomy needs may be less affected by exposure to autonomy-frustrating environments. Current calls to make older athletes a special case by disproportionately providing more adult-oriented coaching are challenged. Instead, it is posited that social factors, particularly higher tolerance of autonomy-frustrating coaching styles for younger adult rowers, may mask ageism conventions that favour older athletes. Findings prompt recommendations for further research into how coaching interactions are constructed for athletes of different ages and their impact on AS and AF.

Despite well-established guidelines for carbohydrate (CHO) intake to support endurance performance, many athletes fail to meet these targets, and in-race intake is often estimated based on planned consumption rather than measured intake. We aimed to quantify actual CHO intake during endurance races and explore behavioral and psychological predictors. Sixty Tier 2 endurance athletes (38 marathoners and 22 cyclists) participated in two official races. Athletes' planned, perceived, and actual CHO intake 24 h before and during the race were assessed using food diary analysis, and pre- and post-race weighing of sports products containing CHO. Sleep behavior (ASBQ), pre-race anxiety (CSAI-2R), and gastrointestinal symptoms were also evaluated using validated questionnaires. Across the cohort, actual CHO intake (31.7 ± 23.5 g/hr) was lower than planned (38.0 ± 27.3 g/hr; p < 0.001). The absolute planned-actual gap was larger in cyclists (58.9 → 49.1 g/hr; Δ = 10.3 g/hr) than in marathoners (25.9 → 21.7 g/hr; Δ = 4.2 g/hr); proportionally, the shortfall was similar (∼16%–17%) in both groups. Cyclists planned substantially higher CHO intakes and achieved higher actual intakes than marathoners. Regression analysis showed that race type, better sleep behavior, and lower cognitive anxiety predicted higher actual intake (R² = 0.41, p < 0.05). Despite similar intentions, marathoners consumed less CHO than cyclists and overestimated their CHO intake, highlighting behavioral gaps. Sleep and psychological readiness played key roles in fueling success. Findings support the importance of measuring actual intake and considering individual behavioral factors to optimize endurance nutrition strategies.

Body composition is an important health parameter during childhood and adolescence. In this study, we investigate the associations between body composition and age, physical activity, side jump, standing long jump, physical working capacity at 170 beats per minute pulse, screen time, and socioeconomic status in a nationwide German sample. A total of 2.869 children and adolescents (1.456 girls) aged 6–17 years from the Motorik-Modul study (2014–2017) were stratified by sex and three age groups (6–10, 11–13, 14–17 years). Physical activity was quantified by accelerometers, while physical fitness parameters were measured as part of the Motorik-Modul field-based fitness test battery. Body composition analysis (BIA 2000-S; Data Input, Frankfurt, Germany) included phase angle as well as height-adjusted indices for fat mass and fat-free mass. Potential correlates of body composition were examined by testing 18 preregistered hypotheses via multiple regression analyses. We found a general increase in fat mass index, fat-free mass index, and phase angle during childhood with sex-dependent changes in these trajectories occurring between the ages of 10 and 14 and persisting up to age 17. Besides age, the most important correlates were standing long jump and physical working capacity. Higher screen time and lower socioeconomic status accompany higher fat mass index but do not predict a lower fat-free mass index. Physical activity correlates negatively with fat mass index only among 6 to 13-year-olds. These findings emphasize the complex interplay between body composition, physical fitness parameters, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic background in childhood and adolescence.

Gaze behaviour is associated with decision-making in team sports. For instance, the final fixation of basketball players typically reflects the decision they make. However, it is not clear how athletes adapt in invasive team sports where they also control the ball using an implement (e.g., field hockey or lacrosse). In these sports, decision-making might be related to information fixated earlier on rather than the final fixation. This study investigated the relationship between gaze behaviour and decision-making in the dynamic sport of field hockey. We recorded the in situ gaze and decision-making accuracy of 15 skilled youth field hockey players in specific 3 versus 3 small-sided scenarios. Gaze behaviours were compared between players who made correct and incorrect decisions. Results indicated all players looked towards the ball in their final fixation before executing their decision, reflecting a critical difference from other invasive team sports such as basketball, where the ball carrier is in direct contact with the ball. Strikingly, it was the first fixation, rather than the last or second-to-last, in each scenario which was most associated with correct decisions. In particular, players who directed their first fixation towards the open space appeared most likely to make correct decisions in the scenarios we presented. The results emphasise the sport-specific nature of gaze behaviour and raise doubts about the transferability of gaze behaviour between closely related sports. These findings contribute to our knowledge of gaze behaviour and the decision-making processes of athletes in dynamic team sports.

We prospectively examined whether psychological factors influence (a) respiratory tract infection (RTI) risk and (b) the mucosal immune response to exercise. In Study 1, n = 406 adults (67% male) recorded RTI symptoms for two weeks before and after a marathon. In Study 2, under controlled laboratory conditions, n = 45 adults (51% male) completed 60 min of running at 65% V̇O_2peak (EX) and seated rest (CON) in randomised order. Anxiety, total mood disturbance (TMD) and perceived psychological stress were measured before exercise. Saliva collected pre- and post-exercise was analysed for secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA). Fifty runners suffered an RTI post-marathon. Runners prospectively reporting high trait anxiety or TMD were more likely to suffer an RTI post-marathon (OR [95% CI] = 1.06 [1.02–1.11] and 1.04 [1.01–1.07], respectively). Higher trait anxiety and TMD were associated with a greater reduction in saliva SIgA (p < 0.05). There was no association between mucosal immunity and RTI risk (OR [95% CI] = 1.00 [0.97–1.01]). In Study 2, despite no significant difference between EX and CON (p > 0.05), psychological factors were associated with the SIgA secretion rate response to exercise in men (trait anxiety, state anxiety, TMD, psychological stress: r = −0.55, −0.65, −0.61 and −0.66, respectively; p < 0.01). In conclusion, anxiety and mood disturbance were prospectively associated with infection risk after a marathon and the mucosal immune response to exercise. Athletes should optimise psychological well-being to support immune health. Researchers should take account of psychological factors when examining the mucosal immune response to exercise.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of three practice orders in the contextual interference and differential learning frameworks on motivation and motor learning of novice basketball players. For this purpose, 84 female students were divided into seven groups (progressive practice–contextual interference framework, random practice–contextual interference framework, blocked practice–contextual interference framework, progressive variations-differential learning, stochastic variation-differential learning, predictable variation-differential learning, and control). After a pretest (18 trials), participants practiced the basketball jump shot for three consecutive days according to their grouping (3 blocks of 18 attempts each day). The contextual interference groups varied in shooting distances: random (different distance each trial), blocked (same distance all day), or progressive order (blocked first day, serial second day, random third day). The differential groups varied in body positions: random (unpredictable changes), blocked (predictable daily changes from head to foot), or progressive order (blocked first day, serial second day, random third day). After the last block of the third day of practice, participants completed the motivation questionnaire, as motivation can affect motor learning. Three days after the acquisition, participants performed two retention tests with fixed and variable targets. Additionally, a transfer test including 18 trials from a different distance was performed. Results indicated that the blocked practice–contextual interference group performed more accurately than other groups during acquisition. However, a higher transfer was observed for differential learning groups. Additionally, differential groups and random practice–contextual interference group showed higher motivation. These findings were discussed according to the role of noise in the exploration of the solution space of the task.

Advanced footwear technologies (AFT) improve road running performance. AFT have been incorporated into trail running footwear despite little evidence of their benefits in this context. In this study, we compared the effect of traditional (TRADI-f) and AFT foam (AFT-f) on running economy and perceptual measures across different gradients. Fourteen well-trained athletes completed assessments on a treadmill at gradients of FLAT (0% gradient, 14 km.h⁻¹), UP (+10%, 8 km.h⁻¹) and DOWN (−10%, 14 km.h⁻¹). Two shoes were randomly allocated in a counterbalanced order. The shoes were matched in construction but differed in midsole foam performance, where the AFT-f shoe included a more compliant and resilient foam than the TRADI-f shoe. Oxygen consumption and heart rate were collected for 6 min, twice with each shoe at each gradient, alongside perceived effort and affective measures. Across the three gradients, oxygen consumption was 1.2% lower (p = 0.008) when participants were wearing the AFT foam compared to the TRADI foam. The effect of the AFT-f shoes on oxygen consumption appeared to be more pronounced in the FLAT (+2.1%) and UP (+1.0%) conditions compared to DOWN (+0.2%). This interaction effect was, however, not statistically significant (p = 0.050). RPE was lower (p = 0.008) and affective valence more positive (p = 0.027) in AFT-f compared to TRADI-f. No differences in arousal were reported between TRADI-f and AFT-f (p = 0.728). The findings of this study suggest that an AFT foam in trail running shoes can improve running economy, reduce perceived effort and increase pleasure while running in a trained athlete population.

In sports, injury prevention is a key factor for success. Although injuries are challenging to predict, new technologies and the application of data science can provide valuable insights. This study aimed to predict injury risk among professional rugby union players using machine learning (ML) models. We analyzed data from 63 professional rugby union players during three seasons, categorized them into forwards and backs, and further classified them into five specific positions (tight five, back row, scrum-half, inside backs, outside backs). The dataset included GPS data and derived metrics such as total workload in the 1, 2, and 3 weeks prior to injury, acute-to-chronic workload ratio over different time windows, monotony, and strain. Injury prediction was assessed separately for different player positions using five ML classification models: logistic regression, naïve Bayes (NB), support vector machine, random forest (RF), and eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). RF performed best for forwards overall, with XGBoost excelling in the tight five and SVM in the back row, whereas among backs, RF led for inside backs and NB for outside backs. Additionally, feature importance plots were used to examine the impact of various factors on injury occurrence. In conclusion, our ML-based approach can effectively predict injuries, with average F1 scores up to 0.66 (± 0.14), particularly when applying a combination of GPS-derived metrics. Additionally, key characteristics indicative of injury for players in various positions have been successfully identified. These findings underscored the potential of ML to enhance injury prediction and inform tailored training strategies for athletes.