European journal of sport science最新文献

Physiological markers of endurance performance include the maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O_2peak), its fractional utilisation at lactate threshold (FU_LT), and running economy (RE), which are closely tied to the speed eliciting the lactate threshold (sLT). These parameters deteriorate during prolonged exercise, and the ability to resist such declines (i.e., durability) is now also considered a marker of marathon performance. This study investigated the durability of markers of endurance performance (V̇O_2peak, FU_LT and RE), and whether the durability of these markers was associated with marathon performance. Eighteen participants of the 2024 London Marathon (11 males, age: 41 ± 12 years, marathon finish time: 3:17 ± 0:32 h:min) completed two separate visits to determine V̇O_2peak, FU_LT, RE and sLT in a ‘fresh’ state (PRE) and following a 90-min run at sLT (POST). Reductions in V̇O_2peak (PRE: 56.7 ± 7.2 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ vs. POST: 53.4 ± 6.3 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, p < 0.001) and sLT (PRE: 12.8 ± 2.0 km·h⁻¹ vs. POST: 12.1 ± 2.2 km·h⁻¹, p < 0.001) were evident, but RE and FU_LT were unchanged (both p > 0.05). The percentage change in sLT between POST and PRE (r = 0.680, p < 0.01) was significantly associated with marathon performance, whereby small deteriorations of sLT were associated with faster marathon times. Prolonged running impairs key physiological markers of endurance performance, and the degree of this deterioration, that is, durability, is associated with marathon performance. Marathon runners and practitioners should consider quantifying durability to complement existing physiological markers.

Parents have arguably a significant impact on athletes' experiences favoring mental health of elite adolescent athletes. However, parents can have negative effects in adopting regular pressure and directive behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between directive and pressure behaviors from mothers and fathers with athletes' burnout, positive and negative emotions, and motivation. Additionally, this study aimed to compare athletes' psychological variables exposed to higher versus lower frequencies of these parental behaviors. One hundred-five girls and 114 boys semi and competitive elite athletes completed self-reported questionnaires to measure mothers' and fathers' behaviors and athletes' motivation, emotions, and burnout indicators. Correlations and three separate multivariate analyses of covariance were conducted. Athletes' perceptions of parental pressure and directive behaviors were significantly (a) positively related to their anger (r = 0.14 to 0.15), anxiety (r = 0.14), controlled motivation (r = 0.29 to 0.49), amotivation (r = 0.20 to 0.44), and burnout (r = 0.14 to 0.35) and (b) negatively related to their autonomous motivation (r = −0.24 to −0.49). Moreover, significant differences in self-perception were found between athletes exposed to lower versus higher frequencies of parental behaviors. Athletes who perceived a higher frequency of parental behaviors reported significantly greater level of burnout (η² = 0.02 to 0.04), controlled motivation (η² = 0.11), and amotivation (η² = 0.07). This study highlights the inappropriateness of directive and pressure behaviors and the value of measuring the frequency of use by both parents for the athletes' mental health.

This investigation aimed to evaluate sleep of young rugby union players during a 10-day training camp accounting for the potential influence of prior daily training load and the morning appointment time. Twenty-six elite male under-20 rugby union players were monitored each day during a 10-day training camp including two exhibitions matches. Sleep-wake patterns and sleep architecture were assessed using actigraphy and a reduced-montage dry-electroencephalographic headband device, respectively. Training load and perceived wellness were, respectively, evaluated using GPS trackers and 10-score visual analogue scales. The prevalence of nights with sleep duration < 7 h, wake after sleep onset > 40 min and sleep efficiency < 85% was 30.3%, 77.8% and 43.4%, respectively. Every 100-m increase in high-speed running distance increased sleep duration (β = +4.9 min, p < 0.05) and reduced the number of sleep stage shifts (β = −1.1, p < 0.05). The shortest sleep duration (06:52 ± 00:34 h) occurred on the day of Match 1, when the morning appointment was the earliest, that is, 7:30. Sleep duration (−19.3 min, p = 0.01) and efficiency (−2.2%, p < 0.01) were impaired when the morning appointment was scheduled at 8:30 compared to 8:00. This study supports that the training camp is a vulnerable period for sleep, but a controlled, non-excessive training load promotes sleep quantity and continuity of sleep architecture. The organisational aspects of the camp strongly influence the sleep-wake patterns. Coaches should be aware of the putative impact of earlier and/or unusual morning appointment times on sleep, especially in proximity to a match.

Visual exploration, or scanning, is a key perceptual skill in football, enabling players to collect environmental information. It was shown that elite players scan more frequently than less experienced players and make better decisions in subsequent actions. However, to date, it is not clear how to improve and develop scanning behavior. This study examines the immediate effects of verbal instructions on scanning behavior and performance in 4v4 small-sided games among 25 elite youth female football players (mean ± SD age: 17.6 ± 0.7 years). Participants completed two training sessions: one with and one without verbal instructions. Verbal cues were specifically designed to encourage players to scan for teammates, opponents, and free spaces before receiving the ball. Scanning behavior and performance were analyzed using video footage, and data were statistically evaluated through multilevel generalized linear models. Verbal instructions increased the number of scans before ball reception by 27% (rate ratio: 1.27 and 95% CI [1.12, 1.44]), demonstrating their effectiveness in enhancing scanning behavior. Players who performed at least one scan were significantly more likely to achieve successful subsequent actions compared to those who did not scan (e.g., 1 scan: odds ratio = 3.40 and 95% CI [2.59, 4.62]). Notably, the additional scans did not negatively impact the relationship between scanning and the success of subsequent actions. The findings suggest that verbal instructions are a promising coaching tool for increasing the number of scans. Integrating scanning-focused instructions with broader tactical and decision-making training could further optimize perceptual skill development in elite youth football players.

Exercise addiction is studied along with behavioral addictions but has no diagnostic criteria mainly because dysfunctional cases have incomparable etiologies, and research is based on a presumed risk assessment that may never turn into dysfunction. The scalar measurements of the risk of exercise addiction (REA) share substantial variance with passion, perfectionism, and sports commitment. However, the extent to which their subdomains jointly determine the REA is unknown. Consequently, this study aimed to fill this gap and then evaluated possible group differences (gender, competition status, and individual vs. team sports), intending to emphasize the need to control these covariates of REA to avoid false interpretations based on simple group comparisons. An international sample (mean age 31.65 (± SD = 14.48) of 1003 regular exercisers (46.86% males)) completed validated instruments to assess the REA, its predictors, and exercise characteristics. Although all measures showed medium to strong correlations with the REA, a bootstrapped hierarchical regression yielded six predictors (exercise volume and intensity, harmonious and obsessive passion, rigid perfectionism, and constrained commitment), sharing 42.7% of the variance with the REA. Three bootstrapped univariate tests yielded gender, competition status, and sports-form differences in REA when the predictors were not included in the model as covariates. However, all group differences vanished when the predictors were controlled. Our results suggest a conceptual unclarity between what is currently conceptualized as REA and its covariates. More of the latter could entirely obscure the impact of REA. Hence, research should develop more specific tools to assess exercise addiction as a potential dysfunction.

This study aimed to clarify the biomechanical adaptations recreational runners experience during a half marathon. Thirty-seven healthy runners completed a half marathon as fast as possible on a laboratory-instrumented treadmill. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected every 5 km from 0 to 20 km. As mileage accumulated, peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF) decreased from 5 km onward (p < 0.005) and impulse declined from 10 km (p < 0.05). Ground contact time increased from 10 km (p < 0.05). Joint-level adaptations included an increased hip extension moment (p < 0.005) and hip adduction angle from 10 km (p < 0.05), decreased knee abduction moment from 5 km (p < 0.005), and greater knee flexion angle at 10 km (p < 0.001) and 15 km (p = 0.031). Additionally, the symmetry angle of peak vertical GRF decreased at 20 km, suggesting improved interlimb symmetry under fatigue. These findings provide insight into fatigue-related biomechanical adaptations during long-distance running. Further research is needed to clarify how these changes relate to injury development.

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.