Articles

Physical Activity Behavior from a Transdisciplinary Biopsychosocial Perspective: a Scoping Review

Physical activity behavior is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. For its analysis, transdisciplinary biopsychosocial approaches yield great potential. In health research, the biopsychosocial model has ...

Authors: Jannika M. John, Vanessa Haug and Ansgar Thiel

Relative Age Effects in Male Japanese Professional Athletes: a 25-Year Historical Analysis

The mechanisms underlying the relative age effect (RAE), a biased distribution of birth dates, in sport events have been investigated for more than two decades. The present study comprised an historical analys...

Authors: Nao Sasano, Yoichi Katsumata and Hiroki Nakata

Can Physical Activity While Sedentary Produce Health Benefits? A Single-Arm Randomized Trial

Sedentary time poses a risk to health. Substituting physical activity for inactivity is obvious but this requires a behavior change. Interventions advocated to decrease uninterrupted physical inactivity (defin...

Authors: Marvin A. Sackner, Jose R. Lopez, Veronica Banderas and Jose A. Adams

Reducing Injuries in Soccer (Football): an Umbrella Review of Best Evidence Across the Epidemiological Framework for Prevention

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Expectedly, the incidence of soccer-related injuries is high and these injuries exert a significant burden on individuals and families, including health and finan...

Authors: Oluwatoyosi B. A. Owoeye, Mitchell J. VanderWey and Ian Pike

The relationship between physical fitness attributes and sports injury in female, team ball sport players: a systematic review

Understanding the relationships between physical fitness characteristics and sports injury may assist with the development of injury minimisation programs. The purpose of this systematic review was to investig...

Authors: Jessica B. Farley, Lily M. Barrett, Justin W. L. Keogh, Carl T. Woods and Nikki Milne

Reasons for and Consequences of Low Energy Availability in Female and Male Athletes: Social Environment, Adaptations, and Prevention

Low energy availability (LEA) represents a state in which the body does not have enough energy left to support all physiological functions needed to maintain optimal health. When compared to the normal populat...

Authors: Paulina Wasserfurth, Jana Palmowski, Andreas Hahn and Karsten Krüger

An Investigation into the Relationship Between Heart Rate Recovery in Small-Sided Games and Endurance Performance in Male, Semi-professional Soccer Players

The ability to recover in the shortest possible time plays an important role especially in intermittent sports such as soccer. Evidence suggests that a well-developed endurance performance has positive effects...

Authors: Lars Reinhardt, Stephan Schulze, Eduard Kurz and René Schwesig

Solar Ultraviolet Exposure in Individuals Who Perform Outdoor Sport Activities

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the USA. Therefore, it is important to review the contribution of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure to skin cancer in individuals with the highest risk. Documenting ...

Authors: Alan Snyder, Manuel Valdebran, David Terrero, Kyle T. Amber and Kristen M. Kelly

United States Under-19 Rugby-7s: Incidence and Nature of Match Injuries During a 5-year Epidemiological Study

There is a lack of injury data for the new Olympic sport of Rugby-7s, particularly for involved youth.

Authors: Victor Lopez Jr, Richard Ma, Meryle G. Weinstein, Patria A. Hume, Robert C. Cantu, Christian Victoria, Sophie C. Queler, Khalil J. A. Webb and Answorth A. Allen

Muscle-strengthening Exercise Epidemiology: a New Frontier in Chronic Disease Prevention

This current opinion provides an overview of the emerging discipline of muscle-strengthening exercise epidemiology. First, we define muscle-strengthening exercise, and discuss its recent addition into the glob...

Authors: Jason A. Bennie, Jane Shakespear-Druery and Katrien De Cocker

The Influence of Exercise-Induced Fatigue on Inter-Limb Asymmetries: a Systematic Review

Non-contact injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament ruptures often occur during physical load toward the end of a match. This is ascribed to emerging processes due to exercise-induced fatigue. Moreover, no...

Authors: Jessica Heil, Florian Loffing and Dirk Büsch

Assessment of exercise-induced stress by automated measurement of salivary cortisol concentrations within the circadian rhythm in Japanese female long-distance runners

Overtraining syndrome, caused by prolonged excessive stress, results in reduced performance and cortisol responsiveness in athletes. It is necessary to collect saliva samples sequentially within circadian rhyt...

Authors: Kazumi Ushiki, Katsuhiko Tsunekawa, Yoshifumi Shoho, Larasati Martha, Hirotaka Ishigaki, Ryutaro Matsumoto, Yoshimaro Yanagawa, Asuka Nakazawa, Akihiro Yoshida, Kiyomi Nakajima, Osamu Araki, Takao Kimura and Masami Murakami

The effect of exercise on baseline SCAT5 performance in male professional Rugby players

Rugby Union requires annual baseline testing using the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT5) as part of its head injury assessment protocols. Scores achieved during baseline testing are used to guide retur...

Authors: Ross Tucker, James Brown, Eanna Falvey, Gordon Fuller and Martin Raftery

Theory to Practice: Performance Preparation Models in Contemporary High-Level Sport Guided by an Ecological Dynamics Framework

A fundamental challenge for practitioners in high-level sporting environments concerns how to support athletes in adapting behaviours to solve emergent problems during competitive performance. Guided by an eco...

Authors: Carl T. Woods, Ian McKeown, Mark O’Sullivan, Sam Robertson and Keith Davids

Collateral Health Issues Derived from the Covid-19 Pandemic

Authors: Borja Muniz-Pardos, Jonathan Shurlock, Andre Debruyne, Juergen M. Steinacker, Mats Börjesson, Bernd Wolfarth, James L. J. Bilzon, Herbert Löllgen, Anca Ionescu, Petra Zupet, Michiko Dohi, Jeroen Swart, Victoriya Badtieva, Irina Zelenkova, Maurizio Casasco, Michael Geistlinger…

Redox Homeostasis and Inflammation Responses to Training in Adolescent Athletes: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Several studies have highlighted the substantial role of the athlete’s redox and inflammation status during the training process. However, many factors such as differences in testing protocols, assays, sample ...

Authors: Evdokia Varamenti, David Tod and Samuel A. Pullinger

Reliability of a Robotic Knee Testing Tool to Assess Rotational Stability of the Knee Joint in Healthy Female and Male Volunteers

Several clinical tests exist to assess knee laxity. Although these assessments are the predominant tools of diagnosis, they are subjective and rely on the experience of the clinician. The robotic knee testing ...

Authors: Samantha Beckley, Shaun Stinton, Maia Lesosky, Alison September, Malcolm Collins, Thomas Branch and Mike Posthumus

The Influence, Barriers to and Facilitators of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation Adherence and Participation: a Scoping Review

Outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are considered poor. There are many factors which may influence patient outcomes. As such, the purpose of this review was to report on the inf...

Authors: Adam Walker, Wayne Hing and Anna Lorimer

Test–Retest Reliability of the One-Repetition Maximum (1RM) Strength Assessment: a Systematic Review

The test–retest reliability of the one-repetition maximum (1RM) test varies across different studies. Given the inconsistent findings, it is unclear what the true reliability of the 1RM test is, and to what ex...

Authors: Jozo Grgic, Bruno Lazinica, Brad J. Schoenfeld and Zeljko Pedisic

The Impact of Health Consciousness on the Association Between Walking Durations and Mental Health Conditions After a Disaster: a Cross-Sectional Study

In communities affected by a disaster, walking can be a feasible form of physical exercise to improve physical and mental health conditions. However, there is limited evidence to support relationships between ...

Authors: Yusuke Utsumi, Harumi Nemoto, Naoki Nakaya, Tomohiro Nakamura, Naho Tsuchiya, Akira Narita, Mana Kogure, Tomomi Suzuki, Moe Seto, Mitsuaki Katayanagi, Junko Okuyama, Atsushi Sakuma, Nami Honda, Yumi Sugawara, Halley Kaye-Kauderer, Yuta Takahashi…

Should Heartbeats/Training Session Be Considered When Comparing the Cardiovascular Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Aerobic and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training? A Critical Appraisal

The prescription of physical training as a therapeutic measure in the treatment and control of chronic degenerative diseases, mainly cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease, is an increasingly used clinic...

Authors: Jhennyfer Aline Lima Rodrigues, Stella Vieira Philbois, Tábata de Paula Facioli, Ada Clarice Gastaldi and Hugo Celso Dutra de Souza

Training or Synergizing? Complex Systems Principles Change the Understanding of Sport Processes

There is a need to update scientific assumptions in sport to promote the critical thinking of scientists, coaches, and practitioners and improve their methodological decisions. On the basis of complex systems ...

Authors: Rafel Pol, Natàlia Balagué, Angel Ric, Carlota Torrents, John Kiely and Robert Hristovski

Cannabidiol and Sports Performance: a Narrative Review of Relevant Evidence and Recommendations for Future Research

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid derived from Cannabis sativa. CBD initially drew scientific interest due to its anticonvulsant properties but increasing evidence of other therapeutic effects h...

Authors: Danielle McCartney, Melissa J. Benson, Ben Desbrow, Christopher Irwin, Anastasia Suraev and Iain S. McGregor

Stress and recovery perception, creatine kinase levels, and performance parameters of male volleyball athletes in a preseason for a championship

Training load and adequate recovery have been identified as essential elements to improve well-being and performance in team sports and avoid non-functional overreaching and overtraining.

Authors: Guilherme Pereira Berriel, Rochelle Rocha Costa, Edson Soares da Silva, Pedro Schons, Guilherme Droescher de Vargas, Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartaruga and Luiz Fernando Martins Kruel

School-related physical activity interventions and mental health among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Low levels of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and mental health problems are issues that have received considerable attention in the last decade. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was ...

Authors: Susanne Andermo, Mats Hallgren, Thi-Thuy-Dung Nguyen, Sofie Jonsson, Solveig Petersen, Marita Friberg, Anja Romqvist, Brendon Stubbs and Liselotte Schäfer Elinder

Linking Tensegrity to Sports Team Collective Behaviors: Towards the Group-Tensegrity Hypothesis

Collective behaviors in sports teams emerge from the coordination between players formed from their perception of shared affordances. Recent studies based on the theoretical framework of ecological dynamics re...

Authors: Paulo Caldeira, Sérgio Teixeira Fonseca, Ana Paulo, Jorge Infante and Duarte Araújo

Determinants of Cycling Performance: a Review of the Dimensions and Features Regulating Performance in Elite Cycling Competitions

A key tenet of sports performance research is to provide coaches and athletes with information to inform better practice, yet the determinants of athletic performance in actual competition remain an under-exam...

Authors: Kathryn E. Phillips and William G. Hopkins

The Value of Preseason Screening for Injury Prediction: The Development and Internal Validation of a Multivariable Prognostic Model to Predict Indirect Muscle Injury Risk in Elite Football (Soccer) Players

In elite football (soccer), periodic health examination (PHE) could provide prognostic factors to predict injury risk.

Authors: Tom Hughes, Richard D. Riley, Michael J. Callaghan and Jamie C. Sergeant

A Pragmatic Approach to Resolving Technological Unfairness: the Case of Nike’s Vaporfly and Alphafly Running Footwear

Technology is often introduced into sport to facilitate it or to improve human performance within it. On occasion, some forms of novel technology require regulation or prevention entirely to ensure that a spor...

Authors: Bryce Dyer

Effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Sport Performance Indices in Healthy People: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications that are frequently used by athletes. There may also be some abuse of these substances, although it is unclear whether NSAIDs in fact enhance perf...

Authors: Catherine Cornu, Clémence Grange, Amanda Regalin, Justine Munier, Sonia Ounissi, Natane Reynaud, Behrouz Kassai-Koupai, Pierre Sallet and Patrice Nony

The Effect of Training Experience and Leg Dominance on the Prevalence of Asymptomatic Intraarticular Changes of the Knee Joints in Adult Professional Male Soccer Players

Currently, no data is available regarding the association between professional experience or limb dominance and the prevalence of asymptomatic knee joint lesions in adult professional male soccer players.

Authors: Eduard Nikolayevich Bezuglov, Vladimir Yurevich Khaitin, Anastasiya Vladimirovna Lyubushkina, Artemii Mikhailovich Lazarev, Artem Valerievich Gorinov, Elena Yurevna Sivakova, Elizaveta Ilinichna Rumiantseva and Alexey Vladimirovich Lychagin

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness Qualities and Sport-Specific Technical Skills in Female, Team-Based Ball Players: A Systematic Review

Understanding the relationships between physical fitness attributes and sport-specific technical skills may assist with the establishment of beneficial training interventions. The aim of this systematic review...

Authors: Jessica B. Farley, Joshua Stein, Justin W. L. Keogh, Carl T. Woods and Nikki Milne

A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Investigating the Optimal Timing of a Caffeine-Containing Supplement for Exercise Performance

Pre-exercise supplements containing low doses of caffeine improve endurance exercise performance, but the most efficacious time for consumption before intense endurance exercise remains unclear, as does the co...

Authors: Andrew D. Davenport, Tom S. O. Jameson, Sean P. Kilroe, Alistair J. Monteyne, George F. Pavis, Benjamin T. Wall, Marlou L. Dirks, Nima Alamdari, Catherine R. Mikus and Francis B. Stephens

The Association of Aquaporin-1 Gene with Marathon Running Performance Level: a Confirmatory Study Conducted in Male Hispanic Marathon Runners

Replication studies are essential for identifying credible associations between alleles and phenotypes. Validation of genotype-phenotype associations in the sports and exercise field is rare. An initial geneti...

Authors: Miguel A. Rivera, Thomas D. Fahey, Juan R. López-Taylor and Juan L. Martínez

Meeting report: the 24th Annual Congress of the European College of Sports Science (ECSS) – 3-6 July 2019, Prague, Czech Republic

Authors: Steve McMillan

Applied Sport Science for Male Age-Grade Rugby Union in England

Rugby union (RU) is a skill-collision team sport played at junior and senior levels worldwide. Within England, age-grade rugby governs the participation and talent development of youth players. The RU player d...

Authors: Kevin Till, Jonathon Weakley, Dale B. Read, Padraic Phibbs, Josh Darrall-Jones, Greg Roe, Sarah Chantler, Stephen Mellalieu, Michael Hislop, Keith Stokes, Andrew Rock and Ben Jones

The Adverse Effects of Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Prostate Cancer and the Benefits and Potential Anti-oncogenic Mechanisms of Progressive Resistance Training

Prostate cancer has the second highest incidence of all cancers amongst men worldwide. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains a common form of treatment. However, in reducing serum testosterone to castrate...

Authors: Teresa Lam, Vita Birzniece, Mark McLean, Howard Gurney, Amy Hayden and Birinder S. Cheema

Iliac Crest Bone Grafting for the Management of Anterior Shoulder Instability in Patients with Glenoid Bone Loss: a Systematic Review of Contemporary Literature

A number of clinical trials have been published assessing the role of iliac crest bone grafting for the management of recurrent anterior instability with glenoid bone loss in contemporary practice. We therefor...

Authors: Michael-Alexander Malahias, Dimitrios Chytas, Vasileios Raoulis, Efstathios Chronopoulos, Emmanouil Brilakis and Emmanouil Antonogiannakis

Metabolite Concentration Changes in Humans After a Bout of Exercise: a Systematic Review of Exercise Metabolomics Studies

Exercise changes the concentrations of many metabolites, which are small molecules (< 1.5 kDa) metabolized by the reactions of human metabolism. In recent years, especially mass spectrometry-based metabolomics...

Authors: Daniela Schranner, Gabi Kastenmüller, Martin Schönfelder, Werner Römisch-Margl and Henning Wackerhage

Development of a Human Activity Recognition System for Ballet Tasks

Accurate and detailed measurement of a dancer’s training volume is a key requirement to understanding the relationship between a dancer’s pain and training volume. Currently, no system capable of quantifying a...

Authors: Danica Hendry, Kevin Chai, Amity Campbell, Luke Hopper, Peter O’Sullivan and Leon Straker

The Effects of Increased Midsole Bending Stiffness of Sport Shoes on Muscle-Tendon Unit Shortening and Shortening Velocity: a Randomised Crossover Trial in Recreational Male Runners

Individual compliances of the foot-shoe interface have been suggested to store and release elastic strain energy via ligamentous and tendinous structures or by increased midsole bending stiffness (MBS), compre...

Authors: Sasa Cigoja, Michael J. Asmussen, Colin R. Firminger, Jared R. Fletcher, W. Brent Edwards and Benno M. Nigg

Correction to: The biomechanics and applications of strongman exercises: a systematic review

The original article [1] contained an error whereby the symbol ‘☼’ originally included in and below Tables 2–5 did not display properly.

Authors: Benjamin R. Hindle, Anna Lorimer, Paul Winwood and Justin W. L. Keogh

Physical Activity Following Hip Arthroscopy in Young and Middle-Aged Adults: A Systematic Review

Hip arthroscopy is a common surgical intervention for young and middle-aged adults with hip-related pain and dysfunction, who have high expectations for returning to physical activity following surgery. The pu...

Authors: Denise M. Jones, Kay M. Crossley, Ilana N. Ackerman, Harvi F. Hart, Karen L. Dundules, Michael J. O’Brien, Benjamin F. Mentiplay, Joshua J. Heerey and Joanne L. Kemp

Quantifying the Collision Dose in Rugby League: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Critical Analysis

Collisions (i.e. tackles, ball carries, and collisions) in the rugby league have the potential to increase injury risk, delay recovery, and influence individual and team performance. Understanding the collisio...

Authors: Mitchell Naughton, Ben Jones, Sharief Hendricks, Doug King, Aron Murphy and Cloe Cummins

The effects of short-term combined exercise training on telomere length in obese women: a prospective, interventional study

Telomere length is inversely associated with the senescence and aging process. Parallelly, obesity can promote telomere shortening. Evidence suggests that physical activity may promote telomere elongation.

Authors: Camila Fernanda Cunha Brandao, Carla Barbosa Nonino, Flavia Giolo de Carvalho, Carolina Ferreira Nicoletti, Natalia Yumi Noronha, Rocio San Martin, Ellen Cristini de Freitas, Marcia Varella Morandi Junqueira-Franco and Julio Sergio Marchini

Performance Analysis in Rugby Union: a Critical Systematic Review

Performance analysis in rugby union has become an integral part of the coaching process. Although performance analysis research in rugby and data collection has progressed, the utility of the insights is not w...

Authors: Carmen M. E. Colomer, David B. Pyne, Mitch Mooney, Andrew McKune and Benjamin G. Serpell

Nordic walking training in elderly, a randomized clinical trial. Part II: Biomechanical and metabolic adaptations

Nordic walking is an attractive method of endurance training. Nevertheless, the biomechanic response due to the additional contribution of using poles in relation to free walking training has been less explore...

Authors: Natalia Andrea Gomeñuka, Henrique Bianchi Oliveira, Edson Soares da Silva, Elren Passos-Monteiro, Rodrigo Gomes da Rosa, Alberito Rodrigo Carvalho, Rochelle Rocha Costa, Martín Cruz Rodríguez Paz, Barbara Pellegrini and Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartaruga

The performance of the World Rugby Head Injury Assessment Screening Tool: a diagnostic accuracy study

Off-field screening tools, such as the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT), have been recommended to identify possible concussion following a head impact where the consequences are unclear. However, real-...

Authors: G. W. Fuller, R. Tucker, L. Starling, E. Falvey, M. Douglas and M. Raftery

A Systematic Review and Qualitative Synthesis Resulting in a Typology of Elementary Classroom Movement Integration Interventions

Movement integration (MI) involves infusing physical activity into normal classroom time. A wide range of MI interventions have succeeded in increasing children’s participation in physical activity. However, n...

Authors: Spyridoula Vazou, Collin A. Webster, Gregory Stewart, Priscila Candal, Cate A. Egan, Adam Pennell and Laura B. Russ

Assessment of Physical Activity Indicators for Children and Youth in Ethiopia: Evidence from the Global Matrix 3.0 Study (2017–2018)

Regular physical activity is vital for children’s health, well-being, and development. However, evidence is scant about physical activity indicators for children and youth in Ethiopia. This study aimed to asse...

Authors: Chalchisa Abdeta, Zelalem Teklemariam, Alem Deksisa, Endashew Abera, Reginald Ocansey and Anthony D. Okely