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Medicine â€ș Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Sports injuries and prevention

Works Count: 68343

Description

This cluster of papers focuses on the epidemiology, risk factors, prevention, and management of musculoskeletal injuries in sports, with a particular emphasis on football (soccer) and youth athletes. It covers a wide range of topics including hamstring strains, injury patterns, injury incidence, and the effectiveness of various prevention programs.

Keywords

Sports Injury; Epidemiology; Muscle Injuries; Prevention; Risk Factors; Football (Soccer); Athletic Training; Youth Athletes; Hamstring Strain; Injury Prevention

Muscle Flexibility as a Risk Factor for Developing Muscle Injuries in Male Professional Soccer Players

2003-01-01
Erik Witvrouw , Lieven Danneels , P. Asselman +2 more
Background Muscular tightness is frequently postulated as an intrinsic risk factor for the development of a muscle injury. However, very little prospective data exist to prove this. Hypothesis Increased muscle 
 Background Muscular tightness is frequently postulated as an intrinsic risk factor for the development of a muscle injury. However, very little prospective data exist to prove this. Hypothesis Increased muscle tightness identifies a soccer player at risk for a subsequent musculoskeletal lesion. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Methods We examined 146 male professional soccer players before the 1999–2000 Belgian soccer competition. None of the players had a history of muscle injury in the lower extremities in the previous 2 years. The flexibility of the hamstring, quadriceps, adductor, and calf muscles of these players was measured goniometrically before the start of the season. All of the examined players were monitored throughout the season to register subsequent injuries. Results Players with a hamstring (N = 31) or quadriceps (N = 13) muscle injury were found to have significantly lower flexibility in these muscles before their injury compared with the uninjured group. No significant differences in muscle flexibility were found between players who sustained an adductor muscle injury (N = 13) or a calf muscle injury (N = 10) and the uninjured group. Conclusions These results indicate that soccer players with an increased tightness of the hamstring or quadriceps muscles have a statistically higher risk for a subsequent musculoskeletal lesion. Clinical Significance Preseason hamstring and quadriceps muscle flexibility testing can identify male soccer players at risk of developing hamstring and quadriceps muscle injuries.

International Olympic Committee consensus statement on youth athletic development

2015-06-17
Michael F. Bergeron , Margo Mountjoy , Neil Armstrong +7 more
The health, fitness and other advantages of youth sports participation are well recognised. However, there are considerable challenges for all stakeholders involved—especially youth athletes—in trying to maintain inclusive, sustainable and 
 The health, fitness and other advantages of youth sports participation are well recognised. However, there are considerable challenges for all stakeholders involved—especially youth athletes—in trying to maintain inclusive, sustainable and enjoyable participation and success for all levels of individual athletic achievement. In an effort to advance a more unified, evidence-informed approach to youth athlete development, the IOC critically evaluated the current state of science and practice of youth athlete development and presented recommendations for developing healthy, resilient and capable youth athletes, while providing opportunities for all levels of sport participation and success. The IOC further challenges all youth and other sport governing bodies to embrace and implement these recommended guiding principles.
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Structural Changes in Muscle During Contraction: Interference Microscopy of Living Muscle Fibres

1954-05-01
A. F. Huxley , R. Niedergerke

Epidemiology of Muscle Injuries in Professional Football (Soccer)

2011-02-18
Jan Ekstrand , Martin HÀgglund , Markus Waldén
Background: Muscle injuries constitute a large percentage of all injuries in football. Purpose: To investigate the incidence and nature of muscle injuries in male professional footballers. Study Design: Cohort study; 
 Background: Muscle injuries constitute a large percentage of all injuries in football. Purpose: To investigate the incidence and nature of muscle injuries in male professional footballers. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Fifty-one football teams, comprising 2299 players, were followed prospectively during the years 2001 to 2009. Team medical staff recorded individual player exposure and time-loss injuries. The first-team squads of 24 clubs selected by the Union of European Football Associations as belonging to the best European teams, 15 teams of the Swedish First League, and another 15 European teams playing their home matches on artificial turf pitches were included. A muscle injury was defined as “a traumatic distraction or overuse injury to the muscle leading to a player being unable to fully participate in training or match play.” Results: In total, 2908 muscle injuries were registered. On average, a player sustained 0.6 muscle injuries per season. A squad of 25 players can thus expect about 15 muscle injuries per season. Muscle injuries constituted 31% of all injuries and caused 27% of the total injury absence. Ninety-two percent of all muscle injuries affected the 4 major muscle groups of the lower limbs: hamstrings (37%), adductors (23%), quadriceps (19%), and calf muscles (13%). Sixteen percent of the muscle injuries were reinjuries. These reinjuries caused significantly longer absences than did index injuries. The incidence of muscle injury increased with age. When separated into different muscle groups, however, an increased incidence with age was found only for calf muscle injuries and not for hamstring, quadriceps, or hip/groin strains. Conclusion: Muscle injuries are a substantial problem for players and their clubs. They constitute almost one third of all time-loss injuries in men’s professional football, and 92% of all injuries affect the 4 big muscle groups in the lower limbs.
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Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in soccer

1996-03-01
A. Caraffa , G. Cerulli , M. Projetti +2 more

Lower extremity stiffness: implications for performance and injury

2003-05-12
Robert J. Butler , Harrison P. Crowell , Irene Davis

Risk Factors for Injuries in Football

2004-02-02
Árni Árnason , Stefån B. Sigurðsson , Árni Guðmundsson +3 more
The injury risk in football is high, but little is known about causes of injury.To identify risk factors for football injuries using a multivariate model.Prospective cohort study.Participants were 306 male 
 The injury risk in football is high, but little is known about causes of injury.To identify risk factors for football injuries using a multivariate model.Prospective cohort study.Participants were 306 male football players from the two highest divisions in Iceland. Before the 1999 football season started, the following factors were examined: height, weight, body composition, flexibility, leg extension power, jump height, peak O(2) uptake, joint stability, and history of previous injury. Injuries and player exposure were recorded throughout the competitive season.Older players were at higher risk of injury in general (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1 per year, P = 0.05). For hamstring strains, the significant risk factors were age (OR = 1.4 [1 year], P < 0.001) and previous hamstring strains (OR = 11.6, P <0.001). For groin strains, the predictor risk factors were previous groin strains (OR = 7.3, P = 0.001) and decreased range of motion in hip abduction (OR = 0.9 [1 degrees ], P = 0.05). Previous injury was also identified as a risk factor for knee (OR = 4.6) and ankle sprains (OR = 5.3).Age and previous injury were identified as the main risk factors for injury among elite football players from Iceland.

A new framework for research leading to sports injury prevention

2006-04-18
Caroline F. Finch

Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: cluster randomised controlled trial

2005-02-07
Odd-Egil Olsen , Grethe Myklebust , Lars Engebretsen +2 more
Objective To investigate the effect of a structured warm-up programme designed to reduce the incidence of knee and ankle injuries in young people participating in sports. Design Cluster randomised controlled 
 Objective To investigate the effect of a structured warm-up programme designed to reduce the incidence of knee and ankle injuries in young people participating in sports. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial with clubs as the unit of randomisation. Setting 120 team handball clubs from central and eastern Norway (61 clubs in the intervention group, 59 in the control group) followed for one league season (eight months). Participants 1837 players aged 15-17 years; 958 players (808 female and 150 male) in the intervention group; 879 players (778 female and 101 male) in the control group. Intervention A structured warm-up programme to improve running, cutting, and landing technique as well as neuromuscular control, balance, and strength. Main outcome measure The rate of acute injuries to the knee or ankle. Results During the season, 129 acute knee or ankle injuries occurred, 81 injuries in the control group (0.9 (SE 0.09) injuries per 1000 player hours; 0.3 (SE 0.17) in training v 5.3 (SE 0.06) during matches) and 48 injuries in the intervention group (0.5 (SE 0.11) injuries per 1000 player hours; 0.2 (SE 0.18) in training v 2.5 (SE 0.06) during matches). Fewer injured players were in the intervention group than in the control group (46 (4.8%) v (76 (8.6%); relative risk intervention group v control group 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.35 to 0.81). Conclusion A structured programme of warm-up exercises can prevent knee and ankle injuries in young people playing sports. Preventive training should therefore be introduced as an integral part of youth sports programmes.
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Muscle Injuries

2005-04-25
Tero A.H. JÀrvinen , Teppo L. N. JÀrvinen , Minna KÀÀriÀinen +2 more
Muscle injuries are one of the most common traumas occurring in sports. Despite their clinical importance, few clinical studies exist on the treatment of these traumas. Thus, the current treatment 
 Muscle injuries are one of the most common traumas occurring in sports. Despite their clinical importance, few clinical studies exist on the treatment of these traumas. Thus, the current treatment principles of muscle injuries have either been derived from experimental studies or been tested only empirically. Although nonoperative treatment results in good functional outcomes in the majority of athletes with muscle injuries, the consequences of failed treatment can be very dramatic, possibly postponing an athlete's return to sports for weeks or even months. Moreover, the recognition of some basic principles of skeletal muscle regeneration and healing processes can considerably help in both avoiding the imminent dangers and accelerating the return to competition. Accordingly, in this review, the authors have summarized the prevailing understanding on the biology of muscle regeneration. Furthermore, they have reviewed the existing data on the different treatment modalities (such as medication, therapeutic ultrasound, physical therapy) thought to influence the healing of injured skeletal muscle. In the end, they extend these findings to clinical practice in an attempt to propose an evidence-based approach for the diagnosis and optimal treatment of skeletal muscle injuries.

The Incidence and Prevalence of Ankle Sprain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Epidemiological Studies

2013-10-08
Cailbhe Doherty , Eamonn Delahunt , Brian Caulfield +3 more
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Viscoelastic properties of muscle-tendon units

1990-05-01
Dean C. Taylor , James Dalton , Anthony V. Seaber +1 more
Most muscle stretching studies have focused on defining the biomechanical properties of isolated elements of the muscle-tendon unit or on comparing different stretching techniques. We developed an experimental model that 
 Most muscle stretching studies have focused on defining the biomechanical properties of isolated elements of the muscle-tendon unit or on comparing different stretching techniques. We developed an experimental model that was designed to evaluate clinically relevant biomechanical stretching properties in an entire muscle-tendon unit. Our objectives were to characterize the viscoelastic behavior of the muscle-tendon unit and to consider the clinical applications of these viscoelastic properties. Rabbit extensor digitorum longus and tibialis anterior muscle-tendon units were evaluated using methods designed to simulate widely used stretching techniques. Additionally, the effects of varying stretch rates and of reflex influences were evaluated. We found that muscle-tendon units respond viscoelastically to tensile loads. Reflex activity did not influence the biomechanical characteristics of the muscle-tendon unit in this model. Experimental techniques simulating cyclic stretching and static stretching resulted in sustained muscle-tendon unit elongations, suggesting that greater flexibility can result if these techniques are used in the clinical setting. With repetitive stretching, we found that after four stretches there was little alteration of the muscle-tendon unit, implying that a minimum number of stretches will lead to most of the elongation in repetitive stretching. Also, greater peak tensions and greater energy absorptions occurred at faster stretch rates, suggesting that the risk of injury in a stretching regimen may be related to the stretch rate, and not to the actual technique. All of these clinically important considerations can be related to the viscoelastic characteristics of the muscle-tendon unit.

Incidence, Severity, Aetiology and Prevention of Sports Injuries

1992-08-01
Willem van Mechelen , Hynek Hlobil , H.C.G. Kemper

A Systematic Review on Ankle Injury and Ankle Sprain in Sports

2007-01-01
Daniel Tik-Pui Fong , Youlian Hong , Lap Ki Chan +2 more
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Star Excursion Balance Test as a Predictor of Lower Extremity Injury in High School Basketball Players

2006-11-28
Phillip J. Plisky , Mitchell J. Rauh , Thomas W. Kaminski +1 more
Prospective cohort.To determine if Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) reach distance was associated with risk of lower extremity injury among high school basketball players.Although balance has been proposed as a 
 Prospective cohort.To determine if Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) reach distance was associated with risk of lower extremity injury among high school basketball players.Although balance has been proposed as a risk factor for sports-related injury, few researchers have used a dynamic balance test to examine this relationship.Prior to the 2004 basketball season, the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral SEBT reach distances and limb lengths of 235 high school basketball players were measured bilaterally. The Athletic Health Care System Daily Injury Report was used to document time loss injuries. After normalizing for lower limb length, each reach distance, right/left reach distance difference, and composite reach distance were examined using odds ratio and logistic regression analyses.The reliability of the SEBT components ranged from 0.82 to 0.87 (ICC3,1) and was 0.99 for the measurement of limb length. Logistic regression models indicated that players with an anterior right/left reach distance difference greater than 4 cm were 2.5 times more likely to sustain a lower extremity injury (P<.05). Girls with a composite reach distance less than 94.0% of their limb length were 6.5 times more likely to have a lower extremity injury (P<.05).We found components of the SEBT to be reliable and predictive measures of lower extremity injury in high school basketball players. Our results suggest that the SEBT can be incorporated into preparticipation physical examinations to identify basketball players who are at increased risk for injury.

Overuse injuries and burnout in youth sports: a position statement from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

2014-01-24
John P. DiFiori , Holly J. Benjamin , Joel S. Brenner +4 more
### Background Youth sport participation offers many benefits including the development of self-esteem, peer socialisation and general fitness. However, an emphasis on competitive success, often driven by goals of elite-level 
 ### Background Youth sport participation offers many benefits including the development of self-esteem, peer socialisation and general fitness. However, an emphasis on competitive success, often driven by goals of elite-level travel team selection, collegiate scholarships, Olympic and National team membership and even professional contracts, has seemingly become widespread. This has resulted in an increased pressure to begin high-intensity training at young ages. Such an excessive focus on early intensive training and competition at young ages rather than skill development can lead to overuse injury and burnout. ### Purpose To provide a systematic, evidenced-based review that will (1) assist clinicians in recognising young athletes at risk for overuse injuries and burnout; (2)delineate the risk factors and injuries that are unique to the skeletally immature young athlete; (3) describe specific high-risk overuse injuries that present management challenges and/or can lead to long-term health consequences; (4) summarise the risk factors and symptoms associated with burnout in young athletes; (5)provide recommendations on overuse injury prevention. ### Methodology Medical Subject Headings (MeSHs) and text words were searched on 26 March 2012 from MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO. The search yielded 953 unique articles. Additional articles were found using cross-referencing. The process was repeated on 10 July 2013 to review any new articles since the original search. Screening by the authors yielded a total of 208 relevant sources that were used for this article. Recommendations were classified using the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) grading system. ### Definition of overuse injury Overuse injuries occur due to repetitive submaximal loading of the musculoskeletal system when rest is not adequate to allow for structural adaptation to take place. Injury can involve the muscle-tendon unit, bone, bursa, neurovascular structures and the physis. Overuse injuries unique to young athletes include apophyseal injuries and physeal stress injuries. ### Epidemiology It is estimated that 27 million US youth between 6 and 18 years of age participate in 

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The Role of Core Stability in Athletic Function

2006-01-01
W. Ben Kibler , Joel M. Press , Aaron Sciascia

Measurement Tools Used in the Study of Eccentric Contraction???Induced Injury

1999-01-01
Gordon L. Warren , Dawn A. Lowe , R. B. Armstrong

ACSM Position Stand: The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Healthy Adults

1998-06-01
Michael L. Pollock , Glenn A. Gaesser , Janus D. Butcher +4 more
ACSM Position Stand on The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 30, No. 
 ACSM Position Stand on The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Adults. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 30, No. 6, pp. 975-991, 1998. The combination of frequency, intensity, and duration of chronic exercise has been found to be effective for producing a training effect. The interaction of these factors provide the overload stimulus. In general, the lower the stimulus the lower the training effect, and the greater the stimulus the greater the effect. As a result of specificity of training and the need for maintaining muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility of the major muscle groups, a well-rounded training program including aerobic and resistance training, and flexibility exercises is recommended. Although age in itself is not a limiting factor to exercise training, a more gradual approach in applying the prescription at older ages seems prudent. It has also been shown that aerobic endurance training of fewer than 2 d·wk−1, at less than 40-50% of V˙O2R, and for less than 10 min−1 is generally not a sufficient stimulus for developing and maintaining fitness in healthy adults. Even so, many health benefits from physical activity can be achieved at lower intensities of exercise if frequency and duration of training are increased appropriately. In this regard, physical activity can be accumulated through the day in shorter bouts of 10-min durations. In the interpretation of this position stand, it must be recognized that the recommendations should be used in the context of participant's needs, goals, and initial abilities. In this regard, a sliding scale as to the amount of time allotted and intensity of effort should be carefully gauged for the cardiorespiratory, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility components of the program. An appropriate warm-up and cool-down period, which would include flexibility exercises, is also recommended. The important factor is to design a program for the individual to provide the proper amount of physical activity to attain maximal benefit at the lowest risk. Emphasis should be placed on factors that result in permanent lifestyle change and encourage a lifetime of physical activity.

Changes in the Cross-Striations of Muscle during Contraction and Stretch and their Structural Interpretation

1954-05-01
H. E. Huxley , Jean Hanson

The Football Association Medical Research Programme: an audit of injuries in professional football—analysis of hamstring injuries

2004-01-29
Carol L. Woods , Richard Hawkins , S Maltby +3 more
To conduct a detailed analysis of hamstring injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons.Club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs annotated player injuries over two seasons. 
 To conduct a detailed analysis of hamstring injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons.Club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs annotated player injuries over two seasons. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly form that documented each clubs' current injury status.Completed injury records for the two competitive seasons were obtained from 87% and 76% of the participating clubs respectively. Hamstring strains accounted for 12% of the total injuries over the two seasons with nearly half (53%) involving the biceps femoris. An average of five hamstring strains per club per season was observed. A total of 13 116 days and 2029 matches were missed because of hamstring strains, giving an average of 90 days and 15 matches missed per club per season. In 57% of cases, the injury occurred during running. Hamstring strains were most often observed during matches (62%) with an increase at the end of each half (p<0.01). Groups of players sustaining higher than expected rates of hamstring injury were Premiership (p<0.01) and outfield players (p<0.01), players of black ethnic origin (p<0.05), and players in the older age groups (p<0.01). Only 5% of hamstring strains underwent some form of diagnostic investigation. The reinjury rate for hamstring injury was 12%.Hamstring strains are common in football. In trying to reduce the number of initial and recurrent hamstring strains in football, prevention of initial injury is paramount. If injury does occur, the importance of differential diagnosis followed by the management of all causes of posterior thigh pain is emphasised. Clinical reasoning with treatment based on best available evidence is recommended.
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Epidemiology of injuries in English professional rugby union: part 1 match injuries

2005-09-23
John H M Brooks , Colin W Fuller , Simon Kemp +1 more
Objectives: To undertake a detailed, large scale epidemiological study of match injuries sustained by professional rugby union players in order to define their incidence, nature, severity, and causes. Methods: A 
 Objectives: To undertake a detailed, large scale epidemiological study of match injuries sustained by professional rugby union players in order to define their incidence, nature, severity, and causes. Methods: A two season prospective design was used to study match injuries associated with 546 rugby union players at 12 English Premiership clubs. Team clinicians reported all match injuries on a weekly basis and provided details of the location, diagnosis, severity, and mechanism of each injury. Match exposures for individual players were recorded on a weekly basis. Loss of time from training and match play was used as the definition of an injury. Results: The overall incidence of injury was 91 injuries/1000 player-hours, and each injury resulted on average in 18 days lost time. Recurrences, which accounted for 18% of injuries, were significantly more severe (27 days) than new injuries (16 days). Thigh haematomas were the most common injury for forwards and backs, but anterior cruciate ligament injuries for forwards and hamstring injuries for backs caused the greatest number of days absence. Contact mechanisms accounted for 72% of injuries, but foul play was only implicated in 6% of injuries. The ruck and maul elements of the game caused most injuries to forwards, and being tackled caused most injuries to backs. The hooker and outside centre were the playing positions at greatest risk of injury. Conclusions: On average, a club will have 18% of their players unavailable for selection as a consequence of match injuries.
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Risk factors for sports injuries — a methodological approach

2003-09-26
Roald Bahr , I Holme
The methodology for studies designed to investigate potential risk factors for sports injury is reviewed, using the case of hamstring strains as an example. Injuries result from a complex interaction 
 The methodology for studies designed to investigate potential risk factors for sports injury is reviewed, using the case of hamstring strains as an example. Injuries result from a complex interaction of multiple risk factors and events. Therefore, a multivariate statistical approach should be used. In addition, the sample size of the study needs to be considered carefully. Sample size mainly depends on the expected effect of the risk factor on injury risk, and to detect moderate to strong associations 20–50 injury cases are needed, whereas small to moderate associations would need about 200 injured subjects. Studies published to date on the risk factors for hamstring strains have methodological limitations, and are too small to detect small to moderate associations.
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Injury incidence and injury patterns in professional football: the UEFA injury study

2009-06-23
Jan Ekstrand , Martin HÀgglund , Markus Waldén
Objective To study the injury characteristics in professional football and to follow the variation of injury incidence during a match, during a season and over consecutive seasons. Design Prospective cohort 
 Objective To study the injury characteristics in professional football and to follow the variation of injury incidence during a match, during a season and over consecutive seasons. Design Prospective cohort study where teams were followed for seven consecutive seasons. Team medical staff recorded individual player exposure and time-loss injuries from 2001 to 2008. Setting European professional men's football. Participants The first team squads of 23 teams selected by the Union of European Football Associations as belonging to the 50 best European teams. Main outcome measurement Injury incidence. Results 4483 injuries occurred during 566 000 h of exposure, giving an injury incidence of 8.0 injuries/1000 h. The injury incidence during matches was higher than in training (27.5 vs 4.1, p&lt;0.0001). A player sustained on average 2.0 injuries per season, and a team with typically 25 players can thus expect about 50 injuries each season. The single most common injury subtype was thigh strain, representing 17% of all injuries. Re-injuries constituted 12% of all injuries, and they caused longer absences than non re-injuries (24 vs 18 days, p&lt;0.0001). The incidence of match injuries showed an increasing injury tendency over time in both the first and second halves (p&lt;0.0001). Traumatic injuries and hamstring strains were more frequent during the competitive season, while overuse injuries were common during the preseason. Training and match injury incidences were stable over the period with no significant differences between seasons. Conclusions The training and match injury incidences were stable over seven seasons. The risk of injury increased with time in each half of matches.
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The association football medical research programme: an audit of injuries in professional football

2001-02-01
Richard Hawkins , M A Hulse , Celia Wilkinson +2 more
Objectives —To undertake a prospective epidemiological study of the injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons. Methods —Player injuries were annotated by club medical staff at 91 
 Objectives —To undertake a prospective epidemiological study of the injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons. Methods —Player injuries were annotated by club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly form that documented each club's current injury status. Results —A total of 6030 injuries were reported over the two seasons with an average of 1.3 injuries per player per season. The mean (SD) number of days absent for each injury was 24.2 (40.2), with 78% of the injuries leading to a minimum of one competitive match being missed. The injury incidence varied throughout the season, with training injuries peaking during July (p&lt;0.05) and match injuries peaking during August (p&lt;0.05). Competition injuries represented 63% of those reported, significantly (p&lt;0.01) more of these injuries occurring towards the end of both halves. Strains (37%) and sprains (19%) were the major injury types, the lower extremity being the site of 87% of the injuries reported. Most injury mechanisms were classified as being non-contact (58%). Re-injuries accounted for 7% of all injuries, 66% of these being classified as either a strain or a sprain. The severity of re-injuries was greater than the initial injury (p&lt;0.01). Conclusions —Professional football players are exposed to a high risk of injury and there is a need to investigate ways of reducing this risk. Areas that warrant attention include the training programmes implemented by clubs during various stages of the season, the factors contributing to the pattern of injuries during matches with respect to time, and the rehabilitation protocols employed by clubs.
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Preseason strength and flexibility imbalances associated with athletic injuries in female collegiate athletes

1991-01-01
Joseph J. Knapik , Connie L. Bauman , Bruce H. Jones +2 more
One hundred thirty-eight female collegiate athletes, participating in eight weightbearing varsity sports, were administered preseason strength and flexibility tests and followed for injuries during their sports seasons. Strength was measured 
 One hundred thirty-eight female collegiate athletes, participating in eight weightbearing varsity sports, were administered preseason strength and flexibility tests and followed for injuries during their sports seasons. Strength was measured as the maximal isokinetic torque of the right and left knee flexors and knee extensors at 30 and 180 deg/sec. Flexibility was measured as the active range of motion of several lower body joints. An athletic trainer evaluated and recorded injuries occurring to the athletes in practice or competition. Forty percent of the women suffered one or more injuries. Athletes experienced more lower extremity injuries if they had: 1) a right knee flexor 15% stronger than the left knee flexor at 180 deg/sec; 2) a right hip extensor 15% more flexible than the left hip extensor; 3) a knee flexor/knee extensor ratio of less than 0.75 at 180 deg/sec. There was a trend for higher injury rates to be associated with knee flexor or hip extensor imbalances of 15% or more on either side of the body. These data demonstrate that specific strength and flexibility imbalances are associated with lower extremity injuries in female collegiate athletes.

Injuries affect team performance negatively in professional football: an 11-year follow-up of the UEFA Champions League injury study

2013-05-03
Martin HÀgglund , Markus Waldén , Henrik Magnusson +3 more
The influence of injuries on team performance in football has only been scarcely investigated.To study the association between injury rates and team performance in the domestic league play, and in 
 The influence of injuries on team performance in football has only been scarcely investigated.To study the association between injury rates and team performance in the domestic league play, and in European cups, in male professional football.24 football teams from nine European countries were followed prospectively for 11 seasons (2001-2012), including 155 team-seasons. Individual training and match exposure and time-loss injuries were registered. To analyse the effect of injury rates on performance, a Generalised Estimating Equation was used to fit a linear regression on team-level data. Each team's season injury rate and performance were evaluated using its own preceding season data for comparison in the analyses.7792 injuries were reported during 1 026 104 exposure hours. The total injury incidence was 7.7 injuries/1000 h, injury burden 130 injury days lost/1000 h and player match availability 86%. Lower injury burden (p=0.011) and higher match availability (p=0.031) were associated with higher final league ranking. Similarly, lower injury incidence (p=0.035), lower injury burden (p<0.001) and higher match availability (p<0.001) were associated with increased points per league match. Finally, lower injury burden (p=0.043) and higher match availability (p=0.048) were associated with an increase in the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) Season Club Coefficient, reflecting success in the UEFA Champions League or Europa League.Injuries had a significant influence on performance in the league play and in European cups in male professional football. The findings stress the importance of injury prevention to increase a team's chances of success.
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"The Journal of Sports Sciences"

1983-12-01
H. E. Robson
One's confidence in this booklet is shaken on One's confidence in this booklet is shaken on
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The Epidemiology of Ankle Sprains in the United States

2010-10-06
Brian R. Waterman , Brett D. Owens , Shaunette Davey +2 more
Ankle sprain has been studied in athletic cohorts, but little is known of its epidemiology in the general population. A longitudinal, prospective epidemiological database was used to determine the incidence 
 Ankle sprain has been studied in athletic cohorts, but little is known of its epidemiology in the general population. A longitudinal, prospective epidemiological database was used to determine the incidence and demographic risk factors for ankle sprains presenting to emergency departments in the United States. It was our hypothesis that ankle sprain is influenced by sex, race, age, and involvement in athletics.The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for all ankle sprain injuries presenting to emergency departments between 2002 and 2006. Incidence rate ratios were then calculated with respect to age, sex, and race.During the study period, an estimated 3,140,132 ankle sprains occurred among an at-risk population of 1,461,379,599 person-years for an incidence rate of 2.15 per 1000 person-years in the United States. The peak incidence of ankle sprain occurred between fifteen and nineteen years of age (7.2 per 1000 person-years). Males, compared with females, did not demonstrate an overall increased incidence rate ratio for ankle sprain (incidence rate ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.09). However, males between fifteen and twenty-four years old had a substantially higher incidence of ankle sprain than their female counterparts (incidence rate ratio, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.41 to 1.66), whereas females over thirty years old had a higher incidence compared with their male counterparts (incidence rate ratio, 2.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.65 to 2.65). Compared with the Hispanic race, the black and white races were associated with substantially higher rates of ankle sprain (incidence rate ratio, 3.55 [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 6.09] and 2.49 [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 3.97], respectively). Nearly half of all ankle sprains (49.3%) occurred during athletic activity, with basketball (41.1%), football (9.3%), and soccer (7.9%) being associated with the highest percentage of ankle sprains during athletics.An age of ten to nineteen years old is associated with higher rates of ankle sprain. Males between fifteen and twenty-four years old have higher rates of ankle sprain than their female counterparts, whereas females over thirty years old have higher rates than their male counterparts. Half of all ankle sprains occur during athletic activity.

Development and validation of a new method for the registration of overuse injuries in sports injury epidemiology: the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre (OSTRC) Overuse Injury Questionnaire

2012-10-04
Benjamin Clarsen , Grethe Myklebust , Roald Bahr
Background Current methods for injury registration in sports injury epidemiology studies may substantially underestimate the true burden of overuse injuries due to a reliance on time-loss injury definitions. Objective To 
 Background Current methods for injury registration in sports injury epidemiology studies may substantially underestimate the true burden of overuse injuries due to a reliance on time-loss injury definitions. Objective To develop and validate a new method for the registration of overuse injuries in sports. Methods A new method, including a new overuse injury questionnaire, was developed and validated in a 13-week prospective study of injuries among 313 athletes from five different sports, cross-country skiing, floorball, handball, road cycling and volleyball. All athletes completed a questionnaire by email each week to register problems in the knee, lower back and shoulder. Standard injury registration methods were also used to record all time-loss injuries that occurred during the study period. Results The new method recorded 419 overuse problems in the knee, lower back and shoulder during the 3-month-study period. Of these, 142 were classified as substantial overuse problems, defined as those leading to moderate or severe reductions in sports performance or participation, or time loss. Each week, an average of 39% of athletes reported having overuse problems and 13% reported having substantial problems. In contrast, standard methods of injury registration registered only 40 overuse injuries located in the same anatomical areas, the majority of which were of minimal or mild severity. Conclusion Standard injury surveillance methods only capture a small percentage of the overuse problems affecting the athletes, largely because few problems led to time loss from training or competition. The new method captured a more complete and nuanced picture of the burden of overuse injuries in this cohort.
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Strength Imbalances and Prevention of Hamstring Injury in Professional Soccer Players

2008-04-30
Jean‐Louis Croisier , S. Ganteaume , Johnny Binet +2 more
The relationship between muscle injury and strength disorders remains a matter of controversy.Professional soccer players performed a preseason isokinetic testing aimed at determining whether (1) strength variables could be predictors 
 The relationship between muscle injury and strength disorders remains a matter of controversy.Professional soccer players performed a preseason isokinetic testing aimed at determining whether (1) strength variables could be predictors of subsequent hamstring strain and (2) normalization of strength imbalances could reduce the incidence of hamstring injury.Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 1.A standardized concentric and eccentric isokinetic assessment was used to identify soccer players with strength imbalances. Subjects were classified among 4 subsets according to the imbalance management content. Recording subsequent hamstring injuries allowed us to define injury frequencies and relative risks between groups.Of 687 players isokinetically tested in preseason, a complete follow-up was obtained in 462 players, for whom 35 hamstring injuries were recorded. The rate of muscle injury was significantly increased in subjects with untreated strength imbalances in comparison with players showing no imbalance in preseason (relative risk = 4.66; 95% confidence interval: 2.01-10.8). The risk of injury remained significantly higher in players with strength imbalances who had subsequent compensating training but no final isokinetic control test than in players without imbalances (relative risk = 2.89; 95% confidence interval: 1.00-8.32). Conversely, normalizing the isokinetic parameters reduced the risk factor for injury to that observed in players without imbalances (relative risk = 1.43; 95% confidence interval: 0.44-4.71).The outcomes showed that isokinetic intervention gives rise to the preseason detection of strength imbalances, a factor that increases the risk of hamstring injury. Restoring a normal strength profile decreases the muscle injury incidence.

A prospective epidemiological study of injuries in four English professional football clubs.

1999-06-01
Richard Hawkins , Colin W Fuller
To define the causes of injuries to players in English professional football during competition and training.Lost time injuries to professional and youth players were prospectively recorded by physiotherapists at four 
 To define the causes of injuries to players in English professional football during competition and training.Lost time injuries to professional and youth players were prospectively recorded by physiotherapists at four English League clubs over the period 1994 to 1997. Data recorded included information related to the injury, date and place of occurrence, type of activity, and extrinsic Playing factors.In all, 67% of all injuries occurred during competition. The overall injury frequency rate (IFR) was 8.5 injuries/1000 hours, with the IFR during competitions (27.7) being significantly (p < 0.01) higher than that during training (3.5). The IFRs for youth players were found to increase over the second half of the season, whereas they decreased for professional players. There were no significant differences in IFRs for professional and youth players during training. There were significantly (p < 0.01) injuries in competition in the 15 minute periods at the end of each half. Strains (41%), sprains (20%), and contusions (20%) represented the major types of injury. The thigh (23%), the ankle (17%), knee (14%), and lower leg (13%) represented the major locations of injury, with significantly (p < 0.01) more injuries to the dominant body side. Reinjury counted for 22% of all injuries. Only 12% of all injuries were caused by a breach of the rules of football, although player to player contact was involved in 41% of all injuries.The overall level of injury to professional footballers has been showed to be around 1000 times higher times higher than for industrial occupations generally regarded as high risk. The high level of muscle strains, in particular, indicates possible weakness in fitness training programmes and use of warming up and cooling down procedures by clubs and the need for benchmarking players' levels of fitness and performance. Increasing levels of injury to youth players as a season progresses emphasizes the importance of controlling the exposure of young players to high levels of competition.
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Comprehensive warm-up programme to prevent injuries in young female footballers: cluster randomised controlled trial

2008-12-09
TorbjĂžrn Soligard , Grethe Myklebust , Kathrin Steffen +7 more
Objective To examine the effect of a comprehensive warm-up programme designed to reduce the risk of injuries in female youth football. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial with clubs as the 
 Objective To examine the effect of a comprehensive warm-up programme designed to reduce the risk of injuries in female youth football. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial with clubs as the unit of randomisation. Setting 125 football clubs from the south, east, and middle of Norway (65 clusters in the intervention group; 60 in the control group) followed for one league season (eight months). Participants 1892 female players aged 13-17 (1055 players in the intervention group; 837 players in the control group). Intervention A comprehensive warm-up programme to improve strength, awareness, and neuromuscular control during static and dynamic movements. Main outcome measure Injuries to the lower extremity (foot, ankle, lower leg, knee, thigh, groin, and hip). Results During one season, 264 players had relevant injuries: 121 players in the intervention group and 143 in the control group (rate ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.49 to 1.03). In the intervention group there was a significantly lower risk of injuries overall (0.68, 0.48 to 0.98), overuse injuries (0.47, 0.26 to 0.85), and severe injuries (0.55, 0.36 to 0.83). Conclusion Though the primary outcome of reduction in lower extremity injury did not reach significance, the risk of severe injuries, overuse injuries, and injuries overall was reduced. This indicates that a structured warm-up programme can prevent injuries in young female football players. Trial registration [ISRCTN10306290][1]. [1]: /external-ref?link_type=ISRCTN&access_num=ISRCTN10306290
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Consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection procedures in studies of football (soccer) injuries

2006-02-27
Colin W Fuller , Jimmy Ekstrand , Astrid Junge +6 more
Variations in definitions and methodologies have created differences in the results and conclusions obtained from studies of football (soccer) injuries, making interstudy comparisons difficult. Therefore an Injury Consensus Group was 
 Variations in definitions and methodologies have created differences in the results and conclusions obtained from studies of football (soccer) injuries, making interstudy comparisons difficult. Therefore an Injury Consensus Group was established under the auspices of FĂ©dĂ©ration Internationale de Football Association Medical Assessment and Research Centre. A nominal group consensus model approach was used. A working document on definitions, methodology, and implementation was discussed by the group. Iterative draft statements were prepared and circulated to members of the group for comment before the final consensus statement was produced. Definitions of injury, recurrent injury, severity, and training and match exposures in football together with criteria for classifying injuries in terms of location, type, diagnosis, and causation are proposed. Proforma for recording players’ baseline information, injuries, and training and match exposures are presented. Recommendations are made on how the incidence of match and training injuries should be reported and a checklist of issues and information that should be included in published reports of studies of football injuries is presented.
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Epidemiology of collegiate injuries for 15 sports: summary and recommendations for injury prevention initiatives.

2007-08-22
Jennifer M. Hootman , Randall W. Dick , Julie Agel
To summarize 16 years of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) injury surveillance data for 15 sports and to identify potential modifiable risk factors to target for injury prevention initiatives.In 1982, 
 To summarize 16 years of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) injury surveillance data for 15 sports and to identify potential modifiable risk factors to target for injury prevention initiatives.In 1982, the NCAA began collecting standardized injury and exposure data for collegiate sports through its Injury Surveillance System (ISS). This special issue reviews 182 000 injuries and slightly more than 1 million exposure records captured over a 16-year time period (1988-1989 through 2003-2004). Game and practice injuries that required medical attention and resulted in at least 1 day of time loss were included. An exposure was defined as 1 athlete participating in 1 practice or game and is expressed as an athlete-exposure (A-E).Combining data for all sports, injury rates were statistically significantly higher in games (13.8 injuries per 1000 A-Es) than in practices (4.0 injuries per 1000 A-Es), and preseason practice injury rates (6.6 injuries per 1000 A-Es) were significantly higher than both in-season (2.3 injuries per 1000 A-Es) and postseason (1.4 injuries per 1000 A-Es) practice rates. No significant change in game or practice injury rates was noted over the 16 years. More than 50% of all injuries were to the lower extremity. Ankle ligament sprains were the most common injury over all sports, accounting for 15% of all reported injuries. Rates of concussions and anterior cruciate ligament injuries increased significantly (average annual increases of 7.0% and 1.3%, respectively) over the sample period. These trends may reflect improvements in identification of these injuries, especially for concussion, over time. Football had the highest injury rates for both practices (9.6 injuries per 1000 A-Es) and games (35.9 injuries per 1000 A-Es), whereas men's baseball had the lowest rate in practice (1.9 injuries per 1000 A-Es) and women's softball had the lowest rate in games (4.3 injuries per 1000 A-Es).In general, participation in college athletics is safe, but these data indicate modifiable factors that, if addressed through injury prevention initiatives, may contribute to lower injury rates in collegiate sports.

Core Stability Measures as Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Injury in Athletes

2004-06-01
Darin Leetun , Mary Lloyd Ireland , John D. Willson +2 more
Decreased lumbo-pelvic (or core) stability has been suggested to contribute to the etiology of lower extremity injuries, particularly in females. This prospective study compares core stability measures between genders and 
 Decreased lumbo-pelvic (or core) stability has been suggested to contribute to the etiology of lower extremity injuries, particularly in females. This prospective study compares core stability measures between genders and between athletes who reported an injury during their season versus those who did not. Finally, we looked for one or a combination of these strength measures that could be used to identify athletes at risk for lower extremity injury.Before their season, 80 female (mean age = 19.1 +/- 1.37 yr, mean weight 65.1 +/- 10.0 kg) and 60 male (mean age = 19.0 +/- 0.90 yr, mean weight 78.8 +/- 13.3 kg) intercollegiate basketball and track athletes were studied. Hip abduction and external rotation strength, abdominal muscle function, and back extensor and quadratus lumborum endurance was tested for each athlete.Males produced greater hip abduction (males = 32.6 +/- 7.3%BW, females = 29.2 +/- 6.1%BW), hip external rotation (males = 21.6 +/- 4.3%BW, females = 18.4 +/- 4.1%BW), and quadratus lumborum measures (males = 84.3 +/- 32.5 s, females = 58.9 +/- 26.0 s). Athletes who did not sustain an injury were significantly stronger in hip abduction (males = 31.6 +/- 7.1%BW, females = 28.6 +/- 5.5%BW) and external rotation (males = 20.6 +/- 4.2%BW, females = 17.9 +/- 4.4%BW). Logistic regression analysis revealed that hip external rotation strength was the only useful predictor of injury status (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.77, 0.097).Core stability has an important role in injury prevention. Future study may reveal that differences in postural stability partially explain the gender bias among female athletes.

Hamstring injury occurrence in elite soccer players after preseason strength training with eccentric overload

2003-07-14
Carl Askling , J. Karlsson , Alf Thorstensson
The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a preseason strength training programme for the hamstring muscle group – emphasising eccentric overloading – could affect the occurrence and 
 The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a preseason strength training programme for the hamstring muscle group – emphasising eccentric overloading – could affect the occurrence and severity of hamstring injuries during the subsequent competition season in elite male soccer players. Thirty players from two of the best premier‐league division teams in Sweden were divided into two groups; one group received additional specific hamstring training, whereas the other did not. The extra training was performed 1–2 times a week for 10 weeks by using a special device aiming at specific eccentric overloading of the hamstrings. Isokinetic hamstring strength and maximal running speed were measured in both groups before and after the training period and all hamstring injuries were registered during the total observational period of 10 months. The results showed that the occurrence of hamstring strain injuries was clearly lower in the training group (3/15) than in the control group (10/15). In addition, there were significant increases in strength and speed in the training group. However, there were no obvious coupling between performance parameters and injury occurrence. These results indicate that addition of specific preseason strength training for the hamstrings – including eccentric overloading – would be beneficial for elite soccer players, both from an injury prevention and from performance enhancement point of view .

Sports injuries and illnesses during the London Summer Olympic Games 2012

2013-03-20
Lars Engebretsen , TorbjĂžrn Soligard , Kathrin Steffen +7 more
The Olympic Movement Medical Code encourages all stakeholders to ensure that sport is practised without danger to the health of the athletes. Systematic surveillance of injuries and illnesses is the 
 The Olympic Movement Medical Code encourages all stakeholders to ensure that sport is practised without danger to the health of the athletes. Systematic surveillance of injuries and illnesses is the foundation for developing preventive measures in sport.To analyse the injuries and illnesses that occurred during the Games of the XXX Olympiad, held in London in 2012.We recorded the daily occurrence (or non-occurrence) of injuries and illnesses (1) through the reporting of all National Olympic Committee (NOC) medical teams and (2) in the polyclinic and medical venues by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games' (LOCOG) medical staff.In total, 10 568 athletes (4676 women and 5892 men) from 204 NOCs participated in the study. NOC and LOCOG medical staff reported 1361 injuries and 758 illnesses, equalling incidences of 128.8 injuries and 71.7 illnesses per 1000 athletes. Altogether, 11% and 7% of the athletes incurred at least one injury or illness, respectively. The risk of an athlete being injured was the highest in taekwondo, football, BMX, handball, mountain bike, athletics, weightlifting, hockey and badminton, and the lowest in archery, canoe slalom and sprint, track cycling, rowing, shooting and equestrian. 35% of the injuries were expected to prevent the athlete from participating during competition or training. Women suffered 60% more illnesses than men (86.0 vs 53.3 illnesses per 1000 athletes). The rate of illness was the highest in athletics, beach volleyball, football, sailing, synchronised swimming and taekwondo. A total of 310 illnesses (41%) affected the respiratory system and the most common cause of illness was infection (n=347, 46%).At least 11% of the athletes incurred an injury during the games and 7% of the athletes' an illness. The incidence of injuries and illnesses varied substantially among sports. Future initiatives should include the development of preventive measures tailored for each specific sport and the continued focus among sport bodies to institute and further develop scientific injury and illness surveillance systems.
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Age and gender comparisons of muscle strength in 654 women and men aged 20–93 yr

1997-11-01
R. S. Lindle , E. Jeffrey Metter , N. A. Lynch +5 more
Lindle, R. S., E. J. Metter, N. A. Lynch, J. L. Fleg, J. L. Fozard, J. Tobin, T. A. Roy, and B. F. Hurley. Age and gender comparisons of muscle 
 Lindle, R. S., E. J. Metter, N. A. Lynch, J. L. Fleg, J. L. Fozard, J. Tobin, T. A. Roy, and B. F. Hurley. Age and gender comparisons of muscle strength in 654 women and men aged 20–93 yr. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(5): 1581–1587, 1997.—To assess age and gender differences in muscle strength, isometric, concentric (Con), and eccentric (Ecc) peak torque was measured in the knee extensors at a slow (0.52 rad/s) and fast (3.14 rad/s) velocity in 654 subjects (346 men and 308 women, aged 20–93 yr) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Regression analysis revealed significant ( P &lt; 0.001) age-related reductions in Con and Ecc peak torque for men and women at both velocities, but no differences were observed between the gender groups or velocities. Age explained losses in Con better than Ecc peak torque, accounting for 30% (Con) vs. 19% (Ecc) of the variance in men and 28% (Con) vs. 11% (Ecc) in women. To assess age and gender differences in the ability to store and utilize elastic energy, the stretch-shortening cycle was determined in a subset of subjects ( n = 47). The older women (mean age = 70 yr) showed a significantly greater enhancement in the stretch-shortening cycle, compared with men of similar age ( P &lt; 0.01) and compared with younger men and women (each P &lt; 0.05). Both men and women showed significant declines in muscle quality for Con peak torque ( P &lt; 0.01), but no gender differences were observed. Only the men showed a significant decline in muscle quality ( P &lt; 0.001) for Ecc peak torque. Thus both men and women experience age-related losses in isometric, Con, and Ecc knee extensor peak torque; however, age accounted for less of the variance in Ecc peak torque in women, and women tend to better preserve muscle quality with age for Ecc peak torque. In addition, older women have an enhanced capacity to store and utilize elastic energy compared with similarly aged men as well as with younger women and men.

Ankle injuries in basketball: injury rate and risk factors

2001-04-01
G D McKay
<i>Objectives</i>—To determine the rate of ankle injury and examine risk factors of ankle injuries in mainly recreational basketball players. <i>Methods</i>—Injury observers sat courtside to determine the occurrence of ankle injuries 
 <i>Objectives</i>—To determine the rate of ankle injury and examine risk factors of ankle injuries in mainly recreational basketball players. <i>Methods</i>—Injury observers sat courtside to determine the occurrence of ankle injuries in basketball. Ankle injured players and a group of non-injured basketball players completed a questionnaire. <i>Results</i>—A total of 10 393 basketball participations were observed and 40 ankle injuries documented. A group of non-injured players formed the control group (n = 360). The rate of ankle injury was 3.85 per 1000 participations, with almost half (45.9%) missing one week or more of competition and the most common mechanism being landing (45%). Over half (56.8%) of the ankle injured basketball players did not seek professional treatment. Three risk factors for ankle injury were identified: (1) players with a history of ankle injury were almost five times more likely to sustain an ankle injury (odds ratio (OR) 4.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.95 to 12.48); (2) players wearing shoes with air cells in the heel were 4.3 times more likely to injure an ankle than those wearing shoes without air cells (OR 4.34, 95% CI 1.51 to 12.40); (3) players who did not stretch before the game were 2.6 times more likely to injure an ankle than players who did (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.01 to 6.34). There was also a trend toward ankle tape decreasing the risk of ankle injury in players with a history of ankle injury (p = 0.06). <i>Conclusions</i>—Ankle injuries occurred at a rate of 3.85 per 1000 participations. The three identified risk factors, and landing, should all be considered when preventive strategies for ankle injuries in basketball are being formulated.
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The training—injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training smarter<i>and</i>harder?

2016-01-12
Tim J. Gabbett
Background There is dogma that higher training load causes higher injury rates. However, there is also evidence that training has a protective effect against injury. For example, team sport athletes 
 Background There is dogma that higher training load causes higher injury rates. However, there is also evidence that training has a protective effect against injury. For example, team sport athletes who performed more than 18 weeks of training before sustaining their initial injuries were at reduced risk of sustaining a subsequent injury, while high chronic workloads have been shown to decrease the risk of injury. Second, across a wide range of sports, well-developed physical qualities are associated with a reduced risk of injury. Clearly, for athletes to develop the physical capacities required to provide a protective effect against injury, they must be prepared to train hard. Finally, there is also evidence that under-training may increase injury risk. Collectively, these results emphasise that reductions in workloads may not always be the best approach to protect against injury. Main thesis This paper describes the ‘Training-Injury Prevention Paradox’ model; a phenomenon whereby athletes accustomed to high training loads have fewer injuries than athletes training at lower workloads. The Model is based on evidence that non-contact injuries are not caused by training per se , but more likely by an inappropriate training programme. Excessive and rapid increases in training loads are likely responsible for a large proportion of non-contact, soft-tissue injuries. If training load is an important determinant of injury, it must be accurately measured up to twice daily and over periods of weeks and months (a season). This paper outlines ways of monitoring training load (‘internal’ and ‘external’ loads) and suggests capturing both recent (‘acute’) training loads and more medium-term (‘chronic’) training loads to best capture the player's training burden. I describe the critical variable—acute:chronic workload ratio—as a best practice predictor of training-related injuries. This provides the foundation for interventions to reduce players risk, and thus, time-loss injuries. Summary The appropriately graded prescription of high training loads should improve players’ fitness, which in turn may protect against injury, ultimately leading to (1) greater physical outputs and resilience in competition, and (2) a greater proportion of the squad available for selection each week.
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2016 Consensus statement on return to sport from the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy, Bern

2016-05-25
Clare L. Ardern , Philip Glasgow , Anthony G. Schneiders +7 more
Deciding when to return to sport after injury is complex and multifactorial-an exercise in risk management. Return to sport decisions are made every day by clinicians, athletes and coaches, ideally 
 Deciding when to return to sport after injury is complex and multifactorial-an exercise in risk management. Return to sport decisions are made every day by clinicians, athletes and coaches, ideally in a collaborative way. The purpose of this consensus statement was to present and synthesise current evidence to make recommendations for return to sport decision-making, clinical practice and future research directions related to returning athletes to sport. A half day meeting was held in Bern, Switzerland, after the First World Congress in Sports Physical Therapy. 17 expert clinicians participated. 4 main sections were initially agreed upon, then participants elected to join 1 of the 4 groups-each group focused on 1 section of the consensus statement. Participants in each group discussed and summarised the key issues for their section before the 17-member group met again for discussion to reach consensus on the content of the 4 sections. Return to sport is not a decision taken in isolation at the end of the recovery and rehabilitation process. Instead, return to sport should be viewed as a continuum, paralleled with recovery and rehabilitation. Biopsychosocial models may help the clinician make sense of individual factors that may influence the athlete's return to sport, and the Strategic Assessment of Risk and Risk Tolerance framework may help decision-makers synthesise information to make an optimal return to sport decision. Research evidence to support return to sport decisions in clinical practice is scarce. Future research should focus on a standardised approach to defining, measuring and reporting return to sport outcomes, and identifying valuable prognostic factors for returning to sport.
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Complex systems approach for sports injuries: moving from risk factor identification to injury pattern recognition—narrative review and new concept

2016-07-21
Natålia Franco Netto Bittencourt , Willem Meeuwisse , Luciana De Michelis Mendonça +3 more
Injury prediction is one of the most challenging issues in sports and a key component for injury prevention. Sports injuries aetiology investigations have assumed a reductionist view in which a 
 Injury prediction is one of the most challenging issues in sports and a key component for injury prevention. Sports injuries aetiology investigations have assumed a reductionist view in which a phenomenon has been simplified into units and analysed as the sum of its basic parts and causality has been seen in a linear and unidirectional way. This reductionist approach relies on correlation and regression analyses and, despite the vast effort to predict sports injuries, it has been limited in its ability to successfully identify predictive factors. The majority of human health conditions are complex. In this sense, the multifactorial complex nature of sports injuries arises not from the linear interaction between isolated and predictive factors, but from the complex interaction among a web of determinants. Thus, the aim of this conceptual paper was to propose a complex system model for sports injuries and to demonstrate how the implementation of complex system thinking may allow us to better address the complex nature of the sports injuries aetiology. According to this model, we should identify features that are hallmarks of complex systems, such as the pattern of relationships (interactions) among determinants, the regularities (profiles) that simultaneously characterise and constrain the phenomenon and the emerging pattern that arises from the complex web of determinants. In sports practice, this emerging pattern may be related to injury occurrence or adaptation. This novel view of preventive intervention relies on the identification of regularities or risk profile, moving from risk factors to risk pattern recognition.
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How much is too much? (Part 2) International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of illness

2016-08-17
Martin Schwellnus , TorbjĂžrn Soligard , Juan Manuel Alonso +7 more
The modern-day athlete participating in elite sports is exposed to high training loads and increasingly saturated competition calendar. Emerging evidence indicates that inappropriate load management is a significant risk factor 
 The modern-day athlete participating in elite sports is exposed to high training loads and increasingly saturated competition calendar. Emerging evidence indicates that inappropriate load management is a significant risk factor for acute illness and the overtraining syndrome. The IOC convened an expert group to review the scientific evidence for the relationship of load—including rapid changes in training and competition load, competition calendar congestion, psychological load and travel—and health outcomes in sport. This paper summarises the results linking load to risk of illness and overtraining in athletes, and provides athletes, coaches and support staff with practical guidelines for appropriate load management to reduce the risk of illness and overtraining in sport. These include guidelines for prescription of training and competition load, as well as for monitoring of training, competition and psychological load, athlete well-being and illness. In the process, urgent research priorities were identified.
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International Olympic Committee consensus statement: methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport 2020 (including STROBE Extension for Sport Injury and Illness Surveillance (STROBE-SIIS))

2020-02-18
Roald Bahr , Benjamin Clarsen , Wayne Derman +7 more
Injury and illness surveillance, and epidemiological studies, are fundamental elements of concerted efforts to protect the health of the athlete. To encourage consistency in the definitions and methodology used, and 
 Injury and illness surveillance, and epidemiological studies, are fundamental elements of concerted efforts to protect the health of the athlete. To encourage consistency in the definitions and methodology used, and to enable data across studies to be compared, research groups have published 11 sport-specific or setting-specific consensus statements on sports injury (and, eventually, illness) epidemiology to date. Our objective was to further strengthen consistency in data collection, injury definitions and research reporting through an updated set of recommendations for sports injury and illness studies, including a new Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist extension. The IOC invited a working group of international experts to review relevant literature and provide recommendations. The procedure included an open online survey, several stages of text drafting and consultation by working groups and a 3-day consensus meeting in October 2019. This statement includes recommendations for data collection and research reporting covering key components: defining and classifying health problems; severity of health problems; capturing and reporting athlete exposure; expressing risk; burden of health problems; study population characteristics and data collection methods. Based on these, we also developed a new reporting guideline as a STROBE Extension-the STROBE Sports Injury and Illness Surveillance (STROBE-SIIS). The IOC encourages ongoing in- and out-of-competition surveillance programmes and studies to describe injury and illness trends and patterns, understand their causes and develop measures to protect the health of the athlete. Implementation of the methods outlined in this statement will advance consistency in data collection and research reporting.
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How much is too much? (Part 1) International Olympic Committee consensus statement on load in sport and risk of injury

2016-08-17
TorbjĂžrn Soligard , Martin Schwellnus , Juan Manuel Alonso +7 more
Athletes participating in elite sports are exposed to high training loads and increasingly saturated competition calendars. Emerging evidence indicates that poor load management is a major risk factor for injury. 
 Athletes participating in elite sports are exposed to high training loads and increasingly saturated competition calendars. Emerging evidence indicates that poor load management is a major risk factor for injury. The International Olympic Committee convened an expert group to review the scientific evidence for the relationship of load (defined broadly to include rapid changes in training and competition load, competition calendar congestion, psychological load and travel) and health outcomes in sport. We summarise the results linking load to risk of injury in athletes, and provide athletes, coaches and support staff with practical guidelines to manage load in sport. This consensus statement includes guidelines for (1) prescription of training and competition load, as well as for (2) monitoring of training, competition and psychological load, athlete well-being and injury. In the process, we identified research priorities.
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British Journal Of Sports Medicine

2015-02-21
Justine Macneil
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Descriptive Epidemiology of Collegiate Men's Lacrosse Injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988–1989 Through 2003–2004

2007-01-01
Randall W. Dick , Andrew E. Lincoln , Julie Agel +3 more
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Voluntary isometric contractions at maximal shortening as a new warm-up exercise

2025-06-25
Julio-Artemi HernĂĄndez-Trujillo , MarĂ­a Dolores GonzĂĄlez Rivera , Jorge M. GonzĂĄlez-HernĂĄndez | Human Movement
Purpose Research on isometric training states that strength levels depend on the length of the muscle at the moment of contraction. So far, its effects have been studied at different 
 Purpose Research on isometric training states that strength levels depend on the length of the muscle at the moment of contraction. So far, its effects have been studied at different joint ranges, except at maximal muscle shortening. Ballistic stretching (BS) is also used in sports to achieve maximal ranges of joint mobility. The present study examined the acute effects of voluntary isometric contractions at maximal shortening (VICAMS) on shoulder range of motion, strength, and throwing and compared them with BS. Methods Sixty physically active participants volunteered to participate and were randomly assigned to one of three interventions: BS, VICAMS, and a control group (CG). Active range of motion (AROM), maximal voluntary isometric strength (MVIF), and one-handed [unilateral seated shot-put throw (USSPT)] and two-handed [seated shot-put throw (SSPT)] throws were measured before and after the intervention. Results After setting the significance level at &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05, main effects were found for time and time*group interactions for all variables (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001). Between-group differences were observed in the VICAMS group after the intervention, with significantly higher AROM and MVIF values compared to the other groups. Intra-group differences were observed in the VICAMS and BS groups, as the values of all three variables increased from baseline. Conclusions Applying VICAMS on the shoulder induced superior acute improvements than BS in flexibility, strength, and throwing ability, indicating that a new warm-up could be developed. Coaches should consider these findings as they offer a practical and effective solution for immediate performance improvement.

Deconstructing Soccer Footwear: An Anatomical Review with Implications for Female Athlete-Specific Design

2025-06-25
Maxwell Prempeh , Colin G. Pennington | Universal Journal of Sport Sciences

A Study to Compare the Effectiveness of Static Stretching Versus Muscle Energy Technique on Hamstring Flexibility among Amateur Foot Ball Players

2025-06-25
Hema Saravanan P , Kishore Kumar P | International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

The impact of foam rolling recovery tool on oxidative stress biomarkers and performance in-water polo players: a randomized controlled trial

2025-06-25
Josu Barrenetxea-GarcĂ­a , Natalia Busto , Julio Calleja-GonzĂĄlez +5 more | Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation
This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effects of foam rolling (FR) recovery tool on oxidative stress biomarkers and sport-spe-cific performance in male and female water polo (WP) players 
 This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effects of foam rolling (FR) recovery tool on oxidative stress biomarkers and sport-spe-cific performance in male and female water polo (WP) players during a 7-week competitive period. The study also explored sex-based differ-ences to guide tailored recovery strategies. Thirty-four WP players were recruited, with 27 completing the protocol (13 males and 14 fe-males), and randomly assigned to a foam roller group or a control group (CG). Testing was conducted pre- and postintervention, measuring in-water boost, throwing speed, 20-m sprint swim, and oxidative stress biomarkers: Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), glutathione, oxida-tive damage in proteins (ODPs), total thiols. Dietary intake was evaluat-ed via a validated food frequency questionnaire in week 6. The FR posi-tively influenced throwing speed (p=0.021) and antioxidant capacity in male players (FRAP, p=0.006). However, no significant improvements in sprint or boost performance were observed in females, with ODP in-creasing in both sexes, particularly in CG females (p&lt;0.001). Regres-sion analyses showed that FRAP improvements significantly predicted 20-m sprint performance (p=0.027 for females, p=0.043 for males). Di-etary analysis revealed adequate protein and antioxidant intake but suboptimal carbohydrate consumption. These findings suggest that FR may enhance specific performance outcomes and antioxidant capacity, particularly in male WP players, though its effect on oxidative damage appears limited. Managing oxidative stress through recovery tools like FR and nutritional strategies remains essential for optimizing perfor-mance in high-intensity team sports.

Validation of a Self-Discipline Questionnaire for Athletes

2025-06-24
Trisnar Adi Prabowo , Mar’atul Afifah , Asyidika Vito Indarto +2 more | Journal of Anthropology of Sport and Physical Education
This study aims to modify and validate a self-discipline questionnaire for application among athletes in Indonesia. The questionnaire was adapted from the self-discipline scale originally developed by Sal (2022) for 
 This study aims to modify and validate a self-discipline questionnaire for application among athletes in Indonesia. The questionnaire was adapted from the self-discipline scale originally developed by Sal (2022) for university students. This study employed a quantitative research design using a factor analysis approach. The population consisted of coaches and athletes from Central Java Province, representing three types of sports: individual, team, and combat sports. The sample included 30 coaches for the validity test and 265 athletes selected through purposive sampling, based on the criteria of being active athletes and having achieved at least a regional championship. These athletes were then subjected to Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The findings identified two self-discipline dimensions for athletes in Indonesia: Training in a Plan (TIP) and Attention (ATTN). The results of the validity test using Aiken’s V indicated that each item scored above 0.8. The EFA results showed a KMO-MSA value of 0.691 (&gt;0.50) and a significant Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity (p &lt; 0.001). Additionally, the anti-image correlation, communalities, and rotated component matrix revealed factor loadings above 0.50 for all 18 indicator items. Therefore, the modified self-discipline questionnaire for Indonesian athletes demonstrates validity and high factor loadings for each indicator. Future studies are encouraged to expand the sample and include athletes from various provinces across Indonesia, as well as to incorporate more complex analytical methods, which could enhance the questionnaire’s reliability and credibility.

Injury, illness, and mental health problems during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

2025-06-24
Donna Lu , Benjamin Clarsen , Matthew Whalan +7 more | Science and Medicine in Football
Our study aimed to describe the patterns and characteristics of injuries and illnesses incurred during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 (FWWC2023). Team medical personnel recorded all injuries, illnesses, and 
 Our study aimed to describe the patterns and characteristics of injuries and illnesses incurred during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 (FWWC2023). Team medical personnel recorded all injuries, illnesses, and mental health problems requiring medical attention, plus match, and training exposure into a centralised FIFA database using recent consensus-based methodology. Of the 32 teams at FWWC2023, 26 teams participated in the study, including 536 of 742 players. A total of 161 medical-attention injuries (incidence rate (IR): 14.2 per 1000 h [95% CI: 12.1 to 16.6]) and 59 time-loss injuries (IR: 5.2 per 1000 h [CI: 4.0 to 6.7]) were reported. Time-loss match injury IR was 14.0 per 1000 h [CI: 8.9 to 21.1] and training IR 2.2 per 1000 h [CI: 1.3 to 3.3]. The knee and thigh were the most frequently injured locations, while the lower leg created the highest overall time-loss burden. Time-loss injuries were mostly reported from contact mechanisms (59%), particularly with an opponent. There were 41 medical-attention illnesses (IR: 4.2 per 1000 player-days [CI: 3 to 5.6]) and 8 time-loss illnesses (IR: 0.8 per 1000 player-days [CI: 0.3 to 1.6]) reported. Respiratory illnesses (16 medical-attention and 7 time-loss) were the most frequent, with a burden of 1.2 days lost per 1000 player days [CI: 0.4 to 2.2]. The IR of mental health problems was low (0.2 per 1000 player-days [CI: 0.02 to 0.7]). Compared to previous international tournaments of both sexes, injury incidence and burden at the FWWC2023 was low.

Interplay between sex, age, BMI, health-related quality of life, and coping strategies in amateur and professional athletes

2025-06-24
Walter Sapuppo , Davide Giacconi , Antonietta Monda +7 more | Frontiers in Physiology
Background/Objectives The psychological well-being of athletes has garnered increasing interest due to its strong association with physical performance. While somatic indicators such as Body Mass Index (BMI) are routinely monitored 
 Background/Objectives The psychological well-being of athletes has garnered increasing interest due to its strong association with physical performance. While somatic indicators such as Body Mass Index (BMI) are routinely monitored in sports, the role of psychological resources—especially coping strategies—in shaping Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the influence of psychological and physical factors on HRQoL among amateur and professional athletes, controlling for sex, age, and BMI. Methods A cross-sectional design was adopted, involving 537 athletes (326 males, 211 females; mean age = 32.44, SD = 13.64), aged 18–76 years. Participants were recruited via online platforms and sports organizations and completed a battery of self-report questionnaires, including the SF-36 to assess HRQoL and the COPE-NVI-25 to evaluate coping strategies. BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the relative contributions of demographic, anthropometric, and psychological variables to HRQoL. Results Demographic variables and BMI explained a limited proportion of the variance in HRQoL. In contrast, coping strategies significantly contributed to HRQoL outcomes, accounting for up to 22.5% of the variance in the global SF-36 score. Positive attitude and social support were associated with better physical and mental health, while avoidance strategies showed consistent negative associations across all HRQoL dimensions. Conclusion Adaptive coping strategies, particularly positive attitude and social support, play a pivotal role in enhancing athletes’ HRQoL, surpassing the influence of BMI, sex, and age. These findings support the development of tailored psychological interventions to foster athlete wellbeing across competitive levels.

Prevalence of knee injury among football players in Dharan, a sub-metropolitan city in eastern Nepal

2025-06-23
Bishnu Pokharel , Arpan Acharya , D Thakur +2 more | Journal of Gandaki Medical College-Nepal
Introduction: Most injuries in football occur to the lower extremities. The knee possesses the highest risk. Knee injuries in football are of great concern because they result in substantial physical 
 Introduction: Most injuries in football occur to the lower extremities. The knee possesses the highest risk. Knee injuries in football are of great concern because they result in substantial physical disability, financial cost, lost playing hours, and may even end a career. Most football clubs in Nepal do not have their own football ground. Players have to practice on the field or public grounds, which are poorly maintained. Nepali football players are thus at higher risk for injuries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of knee injury among professional football players of the Dharan sub-metropolitan city, Nepal. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in five wards of Dharan, randomly selected from 20 wards. All the players in the wards were enrolled in the study. It was a face-to-face interview based on a questionnaire followed by a knee examination performed by an Orthopaedic surgeon between March 2021 to May 2021. The Tegner-Lysholm Score was used to assess the current status of the participant's knee. Results: A total of 93 players participated in the study. The most common age group was 16 to 25 years. The mean BMI of the players was 22.4±3.4 kg/mÂČ, 8.6% of players were underweight, 16.1% were overweight, and 4.3% were obese. Twenty-nine (39%) participants had a knee injury. The mean Tegner-Lysolm Score of the participants with injured knees was 89±12. Only 13.7% had consulted health professionals after the injury and received some treatment. Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of knee injury among football players.

Advances in Badminton Footwear Design: A Systematic Review of Biomechanical and Performance Implications

2025-06-23
Maohua Pan , Zihao Chen , Dongxu Huang +5 more | Applied Sciences
This systematic review, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025101243), aimed to evaluate how specific badminton shoe design features influence lower-limb biomechanics, injury risk, and sport-specific performance. A comprehensive search in six databases 
 This systematic review, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025101243), aimed to evaluate how specific badminton shoe design features influence lower-limb biomechanics, injury risk, and sport-specific performance. A comprehensive search in six databases yielded 445 studies, from which 10 met inclusion criteria after duplicate removal and eligibility screening. The reviewed studies focused on modifications involving forefoot bending stiffness, torsional stiffness, lateral-wedge hardness, insole and midsole hardness, sole structure, and heel curvature. The most consistent biomechanical benefits were associated with moderate levels of forefoot and torsional stiffness (e.g., 60D) and rounded heel designs. Increased forefoot bending stiffness was associated with reduced foot torsion and knee loading during forward lunges. Torsional stiffness around 60D provided favorable ankle support and reduced knee abduction, suggesting potential protection against ligament strain. Rounded heels reduced vertical impact forces and promoted smoother knee–ankle coordination, especially in experienced athletes. Lateral-wedge designs improved movement efficiency by reducing contact time and enhancing joint stiffness. Harder midsoles, however, resulted in increased impact forces upon landing. Excessive stiffness in any component may restrict joint mobility and responsiveness. Studies included 127 male-dominated (aged 18–28) competitive athletes, assessing kinematics, impact forces, and coordination during sport-specific tasks. The reviewed studies predominantly involved male participants, with little attention to sex-specific biomechanical differences such as joint alignment and foot structure. Differences in testing methods and movement tasks further limited direct comparisons. Future research should explore real-game biomechanics, include diverse athlete populations, and investigate long-term adaptations. These efforts will contribute to the development of performance-enhancing, injury-reducing badminton shoes tailored to the unique demands of the sport.

Effects of Therapeutic Ultrasound with and without Trigger Point Release of Hamstring on Knee Pain, Range of Motion and Quality of Life in Patients with Hamstring Tightness – RCT

2025-06-23
Saman Arshad , Akasha Ahmad , Taliah Bashir Sindhu +1 more | Journal of Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences

Effectiveness of Modified Holmich Protocol on strength, functional performance and injury prevention of groin injuries among U‑19 female footballers

2025-06-23
Riya Gupta , Aditi Singh , Anu Bansal | Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy
Abstract Background Adductor-related groin pain syndrome is the most common problem for athletes in many sports which often significantly reduces athletic performance and activity. Objective This study aimed to investigate 
 Abstract Background Adductor-related groin pain syndrome is the most common problem for athletes in many sports which often significantly reduces athletic performance and activity. Objective This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Modified Holmich protocol on hip adductor strength, functional performance, and injury prevention in U-19 female footballers with groin discomfort. Methods An experimental study was conducted with a total of 34 U-19 female footballers from Olympus Sports Club in Noida. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group ( n = 17) or the conventional group ( n = 17). The experimental group followed the Modified Holmich protocol, while the conventional group followed a general strengthening protocol. Baseline measurements of hip adductor strength, functional performance (measured using the Edgreen Side Hop Test), and groin-related issues (assessed using the HAGOS questionnaire) were obtained. Results The Modified Holmich Protocol group showed significant strength gains (Left: 18.3 ± 2.3 to 20.4 ± 2.2; Right: 19.6 ± 2.4 to 21.1 ± 2.4; p &lt; 0.001) and functional improvement (ESST: 10.7 ± 1.9 to 12.1 ± 1.6, p &lt; 0.001), outperforming conventional training (ESST post: 12.1 ± 1.6 vs 10.6 ± 1.5, p = 0.01). HAGOS subscales demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements (Pain: 63.4 ± 4.2 to 69.7 ± 4.1; Symptoms: 63.8 ± 4.7 to 68.9 ± 4.0; ADL: 62.7 ± 5.6 to 70.0 ± 4.0; Sports: 67.8 ± 4.5 to 72.6 ± 3.1; all p &lt; 0.001), confirming the protocol's effectiveness for enhancing both physical capacity and patient-reported outcomes in female footballers. Conclusion The findings suggest that the Modified Holmich protocol is effective in improving hip adductor strength, functional performance, and reducing groin-related issues in U-19 female footballers with groin discomfort. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registry-India (ICMR-NIMS) registry no. CTRI/2023/02/049371.

Characteristics of Japanese Elite Athletes Who Utilized Mental Health Services at the Japan High Performance Sports Center During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the COVID-19 Pandemic

2025-06-23
Ritsuko Hashimoto , Tatsuya Yamaguchi , Kanami Suzuki +7 more | Cureus

Practical Guidelines for Athlete’s Injury and Illness Surveillance: A Narrative Review

2025-06-23
Federico Genovesi , Tindaro Bongiovanni , Elena Pasquali +5 more | International Journal of Sports Medicine
Sports participation entails a considerable risk of injury and prevention of health problems is an important goal for clinicians and researchers. A carefully designed injury and illness surveillance program, accurate 
 Sports participation entails a considerable risk of injury and prevention of health problems is an important goal for clinicians and researchers. A carefully designed injury and illness surveillance program, accurate data capture and careful analysis of data are building blocks for the implementation of prevention programs. We included in our narrative review papers addressing definitional issues and how to report data on injury and illness surveillance, papers addressing how to explore impact and effectiveness of surveillance procedures for sports injuries and illnesses and papers comparing different surveillance approaches. Different methods and approaches alongside key definitions and concepts on health problem surveillance have been proposed during the last 30 years trying to address the main features clinicians and researchers should adopt to conduct appropriate injury and illness surveillance. The literature suggests that the collection of a core set of variables including location, tissue and pathology type, relation to sports activity, mode of onset, mechanism, and severity is needed to conduct appropriate injury and illness surveillance. Definitions and modalities should be clarified at the beginning of the surveillance and data collection should be safe and on time.

Cushioning Performance of Specialized Running Socks for Enhanced Shock Absorption and Reduced Plantar Pressure

2025-06-21
Xia Zhou , Pui-Ling Li , Kit‐Lun Yick +1 more | Materials
Running socks play an important role in alleviating foot impact and preventing foot injuries. Despite the variety of commercial options, their cushioning effectiveness is not well understood. This study examines 
 Running socks play an important role in alleviating foot impact and preventing foot injuries. Despite the variety of commercial options, their cushioning effectiveness is not well understood. This study examines three different types of running socks made of bio-based and synthetic textiles. Material testing includes compression, tensile, and shock absorption, while wear tests assess plantar loading in 10 adult recreational runners on a treadmill. Results show that specialized running socks offer superior shock absorption compared to regular running socks, largely due to fabric thickness and weight. Socks made of high-performance bio-composite fibers significantly reduced maximum peak pressure and impulse in the great toe (p &lt; 0.05) and first metatarsal head (p &lt; 0.05) during running. Additionally, ground contact time in the forefoot (p &lt; 0.05) area was significantly lower with specialized running socks. Compared to regular running socks, five-toed running socks can reduce the pressure load on the forefoot area. These findings can guide the design of specialized sockwear for better foot protection and improved sports performance.

Synergistic Impact of Combined Massage and Stretching During Halftime on Accelerated Recovery in Football: A Quasi-Experimental Study on Lactic Acid Clearance, Pain Reduction, and Flexibility Improvement

2025-06-20
Fatkur Rohman Kafrawi , Afif Rusdiawan , Ali Satia Graha +4 more | Physical Education Theory and Methodology
Background. Soccer players frequently encounter performance declines early in the second half due to diminished muscle temperature and the accumulation of fatigue indicators, such as lactic acid. The purpose of 
 Background. Soccer players frequently encounter performance declines early in the second half due to diminished muscle temperature and the accumulation of fatigue indicators, such as lactic acid. The purpose of this study. This study looked at how well massage, stretching, and their combination help with physical recovery during a halftime break in a match. It focused on how quickly lactic acid leaves the body, how much it reduces discomfort from exercise, and how it improves flexibility. Materials and Methods. This study employed a quasi-experimental design involving 36 male soccer players from UNESA FC. These players were divided into four groups: sports massage (SM), muscle stretching (MS), combination (CMS), and control (CON). Participants engaged in maximum treadmill running (90–95% HRmax) followed by designated recovery procedures: SM, MS, CMS, and CON. Before, during, and after the intervention, lactic acid levels (measured with a lactate meter), range of motion (measured with a goniometer), and pain levels (measured with a visual analogue scale) were all checked. Then, these measures underwent statistical analysis comprising paired t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, MANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results. This study revealed that the CMS group had the most significant decrease in lactic acid (12.68±2.37 to 5.16±1.04 mmol/L, p = 0.000), outperforming the SM, MS, and CON groups (p &lt; 0.005). After that, pain reduction scores were also found significant in the CMS (3.44±2.35 to 1.67±1.58) and MS (4.67±1.11 to 1.33±1.00) groups (p &lt; 0.05). Similarly, flexibility improvement was superior in CMS (right ROM: p = 0.007; left ROM: p = 0.003), while CON showed no significant changes. The MANOVA test revealed significant intergroup differences in post-intervention outcomes (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions. The combination of stretching and massage during halftime of a football match helps maximise healing by lowering lactic acid, relieving discomfort, and improving flexibility or range of motion. This approach lowers second-half performance drops and injury risks.

Influence of footwear torsion on female basketball players

2025-06-20
John W. Wannop , Jake Ruschkowski , Reyna Crawford +3 more | Footwear Science

Utilised traction and foot biomechanics of male and female rugby athletes during a cutting movement

2025-06-20
David K. McNish , Zixiang Gao , Robin Trama +3 more | Footwear Science

Traction patterns in male and female soccer players: a comparison of dominant and non-dominant limbs during cutting movements

2025-06-20
Michael Esposito , John W. Wannop , Darren J. Stefanyshyn | Footwear Science

Biomechanical impact of soccer shoe outsole design on knee joint during cutting movements

2025-06-20
Dongxu Wang , Dong Sun , Yaodong Gu | Footwear Science

Single leg landing biomechanics in cleated footwear on two synthetic turf systems

2025-06-20
Garrett E. Hess , Brett S. Pexa , Richard A. Brindle +2 more | Footwear Science

Biomechanical validation of data-driven traction design for the female soccer athlete

2025-06-20
Emily Karolidis , Alex N. Denton , Rory Tatterton +3 more | Footwear Science

Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players

2025-06-20
Karol Skotniczny , Artur Terbalyan , MichaƂ Krzysztofik +4 more | Applied Sciences
Background: This study aimed to investigate the acute changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties in response to a progressive treadmill VO2max test among professional male soccer players. Methods: Bilateral 
 Background: This study aimed to investigate the acute changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties in response to a progressive treadmill VO2max test among professional male soccer players. Methods: Bilateral assessments at five sites—the Achilles tendon (AT), biceps femoris, semitendinosus, rectus femoris (RF), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM)—measured tone (oscillation frequency), dynamic stiffness, logarithmic decrement (elasticity), stress relaxation time, and creep. Each site was probed five times and values averaged. Repeated-measures ANOVA (Time × Side) with Bonferroni correction tested pre- to post-exercise changes; Pearson’s r examined associations with VO2max. Results: Significant Time effects (all p &lt; 0.05) were observed for RF frequency (ηp2 = 0.226), RF creep (ηp2 = 0.144), AT stiffness (ηp2 ≈ 0.035), AT frequency (ηp2 = 0.035), and SCM frequency (ηp2 = 0.037). Post-exercise, right AT stiffness fell by 65 ± 14 N/m (p = 0.015), while left AT stiffness rose by 22 ± 9 N/m (p = 0.015). RF stiffness decreased by 28 ± 6 N/m (p &lt; 0.001) and tone by 1.2 ± 0.3 Hz (p &lt; 0.001), with creep (+0.08 ± 0.02; p &lt; 0.001) and relaxation time (+1.5 ± 0.7 ms; p &lt; 0.001) increasing. SCM tone declined by 0.8 ± 0.4 Hz (p = 0.010). Baseline RF properties—frequency (r = −0.597), stiffness (r = −0.59), relaxation time (r = 0.53), and creep (r = 0.48)—correlated moderately with VO2max (all p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that viscoelastic adaptations to exhaustive aerobic exercise are tissue- and side-specific, and that rectus femoris viscoelastic properties may serve as potential indicators of endurance readiness.

Youth Basketball Awareness: Recommendations For Promoting the Development of Their Basketball Skills

2025-06-20
Yang Yu , Anatalia N. Endozo | International journal of education and social development.
As a global sport, basketball occupies an important position both among young people and in professional-level competitions. In the world's top-level basketball games, when the athletes' personal physical fitness and 
 As a global sport, basketball occupies an important position both among young people and in professional-level competitions. In the world's top-level basketball games, when the athletes' personal physical fitness and technical and tactical levels reach a certain height, the key factors that determine the outcome of the game are often the athletes' basketball awareness and basketball wisdom. Therefore, it is very important to understand the laws of modern basketball development (Sun, 2007). Therefore, while strengthening the training of young athletes in all aspects, we should pay attention to the cultivation of young people's basketball awareness and lay a solid foundation for improving the basketball level of young people in various countries. This paper mainly uses the descriptive mixed method proposed by Taherdost in 2022 to analyze, describe and understand the phenomenon of youth basketball awareness, and analyze and summarize the promotion of youth basketball awareness to the development of their basketball skills.

Impact of Eyring-Powell Fluid Flow with MHD and Gyrotactic Microorganisms on a Permeable Stretching Sheet

2025-06-20
| passer

Movement competency in rowing: the key to an effective stroke

2025-06-19
Natalie Legge , Katie M. Slattery , Mark L. Watsford +2 more | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
Movement competency combines fundamental patterns and movement quality that enables the confident and competent execution of activities, sports and everyday tasks. This perspectives article addresses the lack of a clear 
 Movement competency combines fundamental patterns and movement quality that enables the confident and competent execution of activities, sports and everyday tasks. This perspectives article addresses the lack of a clear definition and guidelines relating to the sport-specific movement competency required for safe and effective rowing, particularly in the context of enhancing performance. In our opinion, movement competency should be emphasised together with the physiological and biomechanical attributes of rowing performance. Based on the literature, we have proposed the following definition, ‘ sport-specific movement competency for rowers incorporates the physical attributes of mobility and stability through the shoulders, trunk, hips, knees and ankles along with the associated muscular strength and endurance’ to coordinate and execute a technically effective stroke’ . Our definition highlights that rowers need to coordinate different regions of the body through appropriate joint positioning and movement patterns to safely optimise force development capacity during the stroke cycle. Examples of the mobility and stability requirements during the four main stroke phases are provided. The concept of sport-specific movement competency for rowing could provide benefits for rowing participation, technical rowing efficiency, injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Pain reduction following massage after induced fatigue is not mediated by changes in muscle stiffness or intramuscular fluid content: a randomized controlled trial with mediation analysis

2025-06-19
Guilherme S. Nunes , Brenda D. Guterres , Ane Priscila Diel +4 more | Journal of Athletic Training
ABSTRACT Context: Massage therapy is a common intervention for athletic recovery. However, its effects on fatigue, muscle stiffness, and intramuscular fluid content, or the mechanism for pain reduction remain uncertain. 
 ABSTRACT Context: Massage therapy is a common intervention for athletic recovery. However, its effects on fatigue, muscle stiffness, and intramuscular fluid content, or the mechanism for pain reduction remain uncertain. Objective: To evaluate the immediate and subacute effects (24-72 hours) of massage on pain, fatigue, muscle stiffness, and intramuscular fluid content in university athletes following an induced fatigue protocol. Additionally, we investigated whether changes in muscle stiffness and intramuscular fluid content mediate the effects of massage on pain and fatigue. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Settings: Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Eighty-six university athletes, who completed a quadriceps fatigue protocol involving isokinetic concentric contractions. Interventions: Participants receive either a 10-minute massage therapy targeting the quadriceps, or a sham control intervention. They were applied immediately after the fatigue protocol and repeated 48 hours later. Main Outcome Measures: Pain and fatigue were assessed using numeric rating scales. Muscle stiffness and intramuscular fluid content were evaluated using ultrasound elastography and echo intensity, respectively. Results: Massage therapy reduced pain immediately after the intervention compared to sham group by -1.4 points (95% CI -2.8 to -0.1). No differences were observed for pain at subsequent time points or for fatigue, muscle stiffness, or intramuscular fluid content at any time. Mediation analysis did not reveal indirect effects of changes in muscle stiffness or intramuscular fluid content on changes in pain or fatigue. Conclusions: Massage therapy provides immediate pain relief following induced fatigue but does not produce lasting effects on pain, fatigue, muscle stiffness, or intramuscular fluid content. The observed pain reduction was not mediated by changes in muscle stiffness or intramuscular fluid content.

Efficacy of platelet-rich plasma in grade 2 hamstring muscle injuries: results from a randomized controlled trial

2025-06-19
Clevio Desouza , Vijay Shetty | European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology

Breast‐Related Issues in Community‐Based Women's Rugby Union

2025-06-19
Ruby Dang , Sharon Stay , Deirdre E. McGhee | European Journal of Sport Science
ABSTRACT Breast injuries and breast pain have not been specifically investigated in women's community‐based rugby union despite their high prevalence in football codes. This study investigated the prevalence and severity 
 ABSTRACT Breast injuries and breast pain have not been specifically investigated in women's community‐based rugby union despite their high prevalence in football codes. This study investigated the prevalence and severity of breast injuries and pain and the use and perception of breast protective equipment and sports bras in community‐based women's rugby union. Cross‐sectional, retrospective data of 51 community‐based players (age: 18–31 years; experience: 1–10 seasons) were collected using an anonymous online survey. Mann–Whitney U tests and binomial regressions were used to compare respondent characteristics with and without previous breast injuries and pain ( p &lt; 0.05). The prevalence of breast injury was 40%, moderate mode pain intensity and pain duration of 1–7 days for 45% of respondents, and 65% had bruising and swelling that lasted 1–7 days. Life‐long prevalence of breast injuries was associated with increased age and greater exposure (higher number of seasons played). Breast protective equipment was worn by 11%. The prevalence of breast pain was ∌85%; pain intensity was moderate for 49% and severe for 21% of respondents. Approximately, 50% of respondents reported to not know how to identify the design features of high‐support sports bras or determine if their sports bras were correctly fitted. Breast injuries and pain were perceived to negatively affect athletic performance by 90% and 56% of respondents, respectively. Community‐based rugby union players have a high prevalence of breast injuries and breast pain and insufficient knowledge of breast protection and breast support. Improved management is required to maximise breast health and performance.

High school football player experiences with multiple injuries: a qualitative biopsychosocial model application

2025-06-19
Natalie Golub , Jesse A. Steinfeldt | Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
Introduction High school athletes in the United States sustain approximately 1.3 million sport-related injuries annually, with nearly half occurring in football. These injuries can significantly impact athletes' psychological and behavioral 
 Introduction High school athletes in the United States sustain approximately 1.3 million sport-related injuries annually, with nearly half occurring in football. These injuries can significantly impact athletes' psychological and behavioral well-being, influenced by factors such as athletic identity, self-efficacy, prosocial behavior, and prior injury history. While the Biopsychosocial Model of Sport Injury Rehabilitation offers a comprehensive framework for understanding injury recovery, limited research has examined how athletes respond to multiple injuries over time. Methods This qualitative study applied the Biopsychosocial Model to explore the lived experiences of eight male high school football players who sustained multiple injuries during a single season. Each participant missed at least one week of play and/or one game per injury. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate emotional responses, perceived social support, and stress management. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, following an inductive approach that allowed themes to emerge organically from participants' narratives. Results Participants shared detailed accounts of their injuries, recovery processes, and the broader impacts on their lives. Thematic analysis revealed four overarching themes: (a) emotional response, (b) sources of support, (c) stress effects, and (d) coping strategies. Athletes described a wide range of emotional and behavioral responses, including frustration, anxiety, and determination. Support systems—such as family, coaches, and teammates—played a critical role in their recovery. Stress related to performance, identity, and future prospects was common, and athletes employed various coping mechanisms, including mental reframing, goal setting, and seeking social support. These responses were shaped by individual injury histories and personal resilience. Discussion The findings highlight the complex and varied ways high school football players experience and manage multiple injuries. Emotional reactions, support networks, and coping strategies all play a role in shaping recovery outcomes. Understanding these lived experiences can inform more holistic and personalized approaches to injury rehabilitation. Interventions that address emotional well-being, enhance social support, and promote effective coping strategies may improve recovery and reduce the risk of future injuries.

Effects of Foam Roller, and Massage Ball with and Without Vibration on Squat Load-Velocity Profile of Resistance Trained Adults

2025-06-19
JosĂ© Carlos AragĂŁo-Santos , Marzo Edir Da Silva‐Grigoletto , David G. Behm | Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Self-massage tools such as foam rollers and massage balls are widely used in warm-ups and recovery, but their effects on dynamic strength tasks like squatting remain unclear. To compare the 
 Self-massage tools such as foam rollers and massage balls are widely used in warm-ups and recovery, but their effects on dynamic strength tasks like squatting remain unclear. To compare the effects of a foam roller (FR), massage ball (MB), and vibrating massage ball (MBV) versus a control condition on squat load velocity profiles and associated electromyographic (EMG) activity in resistance-trained individuals. In this crossover study, fourteen experienced resistance-trained participants performed four experimental conditions: FR, MB, MBV, and control. After an initial session for incremental load testing and protocol familiarization, each participant performed eight back squats before and after each experimental session, while movement velocity, hip vertical displacement (range of motion), and EMG of the vastus lateralis and semimembranosus were recorded. MBV produced a significant increase in quadriceps EMG during the fastest repetition (ÎČ = 0.107; p = 0.003). In contrast, all interventions elicited a reduction in the second fastest repetition versus control (FR: ÎČ = -0.033, p = 0.005; MB: ÎČ = -0.025, p = 0.029; MBV: ÎČ = -0.036, p = 0.002). Moreover, both FR and MBV similarly decreased third fastest repetition and mean velocities relative to control (FR: third fastest repetition ÎČ = -0.025, p = 0.027; mean ÎČ = -0.046, p = 0.046; MBV: third fastest repetition ÎČ = -0.032, p = 0.005; mean velocity ÎČ = -0.031, p = 0.004). There were no significant changes in the hip vertical displacement. All self-massage conditions modestly impaired squat velocity, with the MB showing the least detrimental effect on performance.

Effects of wearable resistance training on linear sprinting and jumping abilities in healthy populations: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis

2025-06-18
Wei Chen , Zihan Zhou , Fuhai Wang +1 more | Frontiers in Physiology
Objective This study aimed to systematically evaluate and analyze the effects of weighted resistance training (WRT) on linear sprinting and jump abilities in healthy populations through a three-level meta-analysis. Methods 
 Objective This study aimed to systematically evaluate and analyze the effects of weighted resistance training (WRT) on linear sprinting and jump abilities in healthy populations through a three-level meta-analysis. Methods We systematically searched five databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus, and Embase, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of WRT on linear sprinting and jumping abilities, with the search conducted from database inception until 1 May 2025. The quality of the literature was assessed using the Cochrane ROB2 tool and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, whereas the quality of evidence was evaluated using GRADE. A three-level random effects model was implemented in R for the meta-analysis, along with an assessment of publication bias. Hedges’ g and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for evaluation. Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and multilevel Egger’s regression tests. Results Ten studies, comprising 256 participants, were included. The meta-analysis results indicated that WRT significantly improved linear sprinting ability (95% CI: −0.558 to −0.027, p &amp;lt; 0.05), while no significant effect was observed on jumping ability (95% CI: −0.067 to −0.545, p = 0.118). Subgroup analyses revealed that WRT positively effected 10-m linear sprinting performance (g = −0.393, 95% CI -0.784 to −0.002, p = 0.049). Specifically, trunk WRT (g = −0.554, 95% CI -1.013 to −0.096, p = 0.020) and weights ≀10% of body mass (BM) (g = −0.495, 95% CI -0.884 to −0.107, p = 0.014) significantly improved sprinting performance. The GRADE assessment indicated that the quality of evidence regarding the effects of WRT on linear sprinting and jumping abilities was low. Conclusion These findings suggest that WRT with trunk load and weights ≀10% of BM can enhance start acceleration (0–10 m) during linear sprinting. However, WRT did not significantly improve jumping ability.

Acute Effects of Static Stretching Duration on a Single-Leg Balance Task

2025-06-18
Takamasa Mizuno | Sports
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of static stretching (SS) duration on balance. Twenty-two participants performed passive dorsiflexion measurements and balance tests before and after SS. 
 The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of static stretching (SS) duration on balance. Twenty-two participants performed passive dorsiflexion measurements and balance tests before and after SS. Passive dorsiflexion measurements determined the maximal dorsiflexion angle, passive torque, displacement of the muscle-tendon junction, and electromyography amplitude during passive dorsiflexion. In the balance test, the participant stood on a single leg with their eyes open while the postural sway evaluated in the center of pressure (COP), standing duration, and electromyography amplitude were measured. The ankle and metatarsophalangeal joints underwent SS for 30 s × one set, two sets, and four sets. There were significant increases in COP displacement and COP velocity after two sets of SS but not after one and four sets. Standing duration and electromyography during balance tests were not changed after SS. No gender differences were found in changes in balance. Maximal dorsiflexion angle and passive torque were increased after SS, but the displacement of the muscle-tendon junction and electromyography during passive dorsiflexion were not changed. There was no significant correlation between changes in maximal dorsiflexion angle or passive torque and changes in COP variables after two sets of SS. These results therefore revealed that SS duration affects COP displacement and COP velocity.

Using Force Plates to Monitor the Recovery of Vertical Jump Performance After Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2025-06-18
Carey A. Williams , Katherine Sullivan , Changki Kim +2 more | Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology
Background: Force plates are commonly used as a non-fatiguing measure of recovery. However, the recovery time course captured via the force plate assessment of vertical jumps has yet to be 
 Background: Force plates are commonly used as a non-fatiguing measure of recovery. However, the recovery time course captured via the force plate assessment of vertical jumps has yet to be established. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the change in vertical jump performance and the time course of recovery following an acute bout of strenuous exercise using force plates. Methods: Peer-reviewed articles (n = 22) published prior to 8 November 2023, were identified by searching three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science). Studies included in this review met the following criteria: (1) available in English; (2) involved adult participants >18 years of age; (3) measured the change in vertical jump performance over consecutive days using a force plate system. Individual effect sizes (ESs) were calculated by dividing the change in vertical jump at each timepoint (24 h, 48 h, etc.) by the pooled standard deviation (SD), and they were aggregated using a three-level random-effects model. Results: Vertical jump performance decreased following an acute strenuous exercise bout (ES = -0.2639; p < 0.0001) and returned to baseline after 3 days of recovery, with larger decreases observed when assessed using Peak Height rather than Peak Power (ES = -0.4687 vs. ES = -0.1399; p = 0.0393). Older participants showed a larger decrease in vertical jump (ÎČ = -0.0489; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Force plates can be used to evaluate recovery post-exercise, with a decline in performance on Days 1 and 2, and full recovery by Day 3. The findings from this study support the use of force plates for the evaluation of recovery.

Considerations for Disability Football

2025-06-18
David Sims | Routledge eBooks

Survey and analysis of the causes of sports injuries among college volleyball players

2025-06-18
Jessica Davis , Dae-hyun Rhee | Cambridge sport science.
This study employed questionnaire surveys, mathematical statistics, literature review, and interviews to investigate sports injuries and analyze their causes among 129 volleyball players from six sports colleges participating in the 
 This study employed questionnaire surveys, mathematical statistics, literature review, and interviews to investigate sports injuries and analyze their causes among 129 volleyball players from six sports colleges participating in the 13th Provincial College Games. The results indicated that the primary sites of injury were the finger and wrist joints, shoulder joints, lumbar and back muscles, knee joints, and ankles. Additionally, there were certain differences in injury locations among players in different positions. The main causes of injury were identified as a lack of scientific approach in training and organization, insufficient warm-up activities before training and matches, poor physical condition, and adverse psychological states. It is recommended that prevention and treatment of sports injuries should be integrated into training and competition, team organization and management, and daily psychological and ideological education to minimize the incidence of injuries among players.

The stretch–shortening cycle effect is not associated with cortical or spinal excitability modulations

2025-06-18
Lea‐Fedia Rissmann , Brent J. Raiteri , Wolfgang Seiberl +2 more | The Journal of Physiology
Abstract It is unclear whether cortical and spinal excitability modulations contribute to enhanced stretch–shortening cycle (SSC) performance. Therefore, this study investigated cortical and spinal excitability modulations during and following shortening 
 Abstract It is unclear whether cortical and spinal excitability modulations contribute to enhanced stretch–shortening cycle (SSC) performance. Therefore, this study investigated cortical and spinal excitability modulations during and following shortening of SSC contractions compared with pure shortening (SHO) contractions. Participants ( n = 18) performed submaximal voluntary plantar flexion contractions while prone on the dynamometer bench. The right foot was strapped onto the dynamometer's footplate attachment, and the resultant ankle joint torque and crank arm angle were recorded. Cortical and spinal excitability modulations of the soleus muscle were analysed by eliciting compound muscle actional potentials via electrical nerve stimulation, cervicomedullary motor‐evoked potentials (CMEPs) via electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, and motor‐evoked potentials (MEPs) via magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex. Mean torque following stretch was significantly increased by 7 ± 3% ( P = 0.029) compared with the fixed‐end reference (REF) contraction, and mean torque during shortening of SSC compared with SHO was significantly increased by 12 ± 24% ( P = 0.046). Mean steady‐state torque was significantly lower by 13 ± 3% ( P = 0.006) and 9 ± 12% ( P = 0.011) following SSC compared with REF and SHO, respectively. Mean steady‐state torque was not significantly different following SHO compared with REF (7 ± 8%, P = 0.456). CMEPs and MEPs were also not significantly different during shortening of SSC compared with SHO ( P ≄ 0.885) or during the steady state of SSC, SHO and REF ( P ≄ 0.727). Therefore, our results indicate that SSC performance was not associated with cortical or spinal excitability modulations during or after shortening, but rather driven by mechanical mechanisms triggered during active stretch. image Key points A stretch–shortening cycle (SSC) effect of 12% was observed during EMG‐matched submaximal voluntary contractions of the human plantar flexors. The SSC effect was neither associated with cortical or spinal excitability modulations nor with stretch‐reflex activity. The SSC effect was likely driven by mechanical mechanisms related to active muscle stretch, which have long‐lasting effects during shortening. Residual force depression following SSC was not attenuated by the long‐lasting mechanical mechanisms triggered during active muscle stretch. Steady‐state torques were lower following shortening of SSCs versus pure shortening and fixed‐end contractions at the same final ankle joint angle, but the torque differences were not correlated with cortical or spinal excitability modulations.

The impact of pilates mat training on flexibility and core strength in young female volleyball players

2025-06-18
Alessandro Cattolico , Carmine Sellitto , Ciro Ivan De Girolamo +7 more | Journal of Human Sport and Exercise
The Pilates method consists of a series of exercises designed to stretch and strengthen muscles, thereby improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. This study aims to evaluate the influence of 
 The Pilates method consists of a series of exercises designed to stretch and strengthen muscles, thereby improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. This study aims to evaluate the influence of Pilates on the spine, lower limbs, and abdominal strength using specific tests. Forty young female volleyball players from University Sports Center of Campobasso were equally randomized into two groups: the Pilates group and the control group. The Pilates group underwent a 32-week biweekly training program (from October 2022 to May 2023) in addition to their regular athletic training. All athletes participated in the following tests: Modified Schober Test (MST) for flexion and trunk rotation, Modified Fingertip-To-Floor Test (MFTFT), Straight Leg Raise (SLR), Popliteal Angle (PA), and Half Sit-Up (HSU). In the Pilates group, the results from the MST for flexion and trunk rotation, SLR, PA, and HSU showed statistically significant improvements 32 weeks after the start of the training protocol (p &lt; .05). However, no significant changes were observed in the control group. Additionally, both groups demonstrated significant improvements in MFTFT. These findings suggest that Pilates training can be an effective method to enhance flexibility and performance in young female volleyball players. Coaches should consider incorporating Pilates into their programs.

Injury epidemiology of the Russian Premier League leading soccer team during the competitive seasons 2021–2022 and 2023–2024

2025-06-18
Eduard Bezuglov , Georgiy Malyakin , Omid A. Etemad +3 more | Sports medicine research and practice
Purpose of the study: to investigate the incidence, location and mechanism of various lower limb injuries in soccer players of a leading Russian Premier League team. Methods: the study participants 
 Purpose of the study: to investigate the incidence, location and mechanism of various lower limb injuries in soccer players of a leading Russian Premier League team. Methods: the study participants were players of the main team of a leading soccer team of the Russian Premier League ( n = 43, age 23.8 ± 4.7 years, height — 182.5 ± 6.96 cm and body mass — 78.23 ± 7.8 kg), in which all time-loss injuries were recorded during three consecutive competitive seasons 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. Injury data was recorded according to the International Olympic Committee consensus. Results: 153 time-loss injuries were recorded, resulting in 2060 days of absence. During the study period, 90.7 % of the players were injured and on average, there were 3.6 ± 2.8 injuries per player during the analysed period. The most frequent injury subtypes were muscle injury (53.6 %) as well as synovitis and joint effusion (17 %). Severe and moderate injuries represented 9.8% and 29.4 % accordingly. The most frequent injuries were localised in the thigh (33.3 %) and lower leg (17.6 %). The most frequent injuries sustained by soccer players during three consecutive competitive seasons were acute non-contact muscle injury (72 cases, 47.1 %). These injuries required 9.5 ± 10.7 days for treatment, and their recurrence was recorded in three cases (4.2 %). Conclusion: the most frequent injuries among adult professional Russian soccer players are acute non-contact muscle damage of the lower extremities. Furthermore, the number of recurrent injuries in the treatment of these injuries is significantly lower compared to their number in previously conducted studies involving adult professional soccer players.

ANÁLISE DA EFICÁCIA DA LIBERAÇÃO MIOFASCIAL NA FISIOTERAPIA DE CORREDORES AMADORES COM ALGIAS NA REGIÃO PÉLVICA

2025-06-18
Claudia Monica Agostinho Souza , Miriani Garcia Bonfim , Salete Martins Alves +3 more | Revista fisio&terapia.
Introdução: A corrida de rua tem se tornado cada vez mais popular entre os praticantes amadores, sendo uma atividade benĂ©fica Ă  saĂșde, mas que, sem o devido preparo fĂ­sico e 
 Introdução: A corrida de rua tem se tornado cada vez mais popular entre os praticantes amadores, sendo uma atividade benĂ©fica Ă  saĂșde, mas que, sem o devido preparo fĂ­sico e acompanhamento profissional, pode resultar em lesĂ”es, especialmente na regiĂŁo pĂ©lvica. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficĂĄcia da tĂ©cnica de liberação miofascial no tratamento de corredores amadores com algias na regiĂŁo pĂ©lvica, com foco na redução da dor, melhora da mobilidade e funcionalidade. MĂ©todo: Trata-se de uma revisĂŁo sistemĂĄtica da literatura, com abordagem qualitativa, realizada entre fevereiro e abril de 2025, com artigos publicados nos Ășltimos 15 anos. A busca foi realizada nas bases PubMed, SciELO, BVS e PEDro, utilizando critĂ©rios de inclusĂŁo e exclusĂŁo bem definidos. Dos 15 artigos inicialmente encontrados, 5 foram selecionados para anĂĄlise final. Resultados e DiscussĂŁo: Os estudos revisados demonstraram que a liberação miofascial promoveu redução significativa da dor, melhora da mobilidade pĂ©lvica e prevenção de lesĂ”es em corredores amadores. TambĂ©m contribuiu para a melhora da performance e qualidade de vida dos praticantes. ConsideraçÔes Finais: A liberação miofascial mostrou-se eficaz como tĂ©cnica terapĂȘutica complementar na reabilitação de corredores amadores com algias pĂ©lvicas, sendo uma intervenção acessĂ­vel, segura e com grande aplicabilidade clĂ­nica na fisioterapia esportiva.

Depression in youth sports

2025-06-17
JoĂŁo Martins , Izabela Huzarska , Krzysztof PrzednĂłwek +2 more | Routledge eBooks

The influence of 4-week eccentric Nordic hamstring exercise training on postural balance and muscle strength: A randomized controlled trial

2025-06-17
Magdalena Podczarska-GƂowacka , Ewelina Perzanowska , Katarzyna Krasowska +3 more | PLoS ONE
This study aimed to determine the impact of a 4-week Nordic Hamstrings Exercise (NHE) eccentric training program on postural balance in static and dynamic conditions, focusing on the dominant leg. 
 This study aimed to determine the impact of a 4-week Nordic Hamstrings Exercise (NHE) eccentric training program on postural balance in static and dynamic conditions, focusing on the dominant leg. This study involved thirty-two recreationally active individuals, randomly divided into two groups: Nordic Exercise training (NHE Group; n = 16) and the matched-control group (CON Group; n = 16). The NHE Group performed Nordic hamstring exercise training for 4 weeks, during which the volunteer exercised 3 times a week for 3 sets, each set consisting of 3 repetitions of NHE. Postural balance was assessed using three tests: static balance on a stable platform with eyes closed, dynamic balance on an unstable platform for both legs and dynamic balance on an unstable platform for the dominant leg. Three indices were measured using the Biodex Stability System: Anterior-Posterior Stability Index (APSI), Medio-Lateral Stability Index (MLSI), and Overall Stability Index 1 (OSI). The NHE group significantly improved balance on a stable platform with eyes closed compared to baseline (p ≀ 0.001) and on unstable platforms compared to both baseline and the control group (p ≀ 0.001). Both groups improved knee strength, but the NHE group showed significantly greater improvements (p ≀ 0.001 for NHE, p ≀ 0.04 for control). Strong positive correlations (r = 0.5 to 0.7) were found between stability measures, suggesting shared underlying mechanisms influencing balance (p &lt; 0.01). A 4-week NHE training protocol effectively improves postural balance and performance in athletes. Measuring postural control is valuable for assessing neuromuscular function and injury prevention in athletic populations. This study suggests that eccentric NHE exercises may improve athlete balance, reduce hamstring injury risk, and decrease the need for rehabilitation by activating posterior thigh muscles.

Reliability and validity of lower extremity and trunk kinematics measured with markerless motion capture during sports-related and functional tasks: A systematic review

2025-06-17
Matias Yoma , Luis Llurda-Almuzara , Lee Herrington +1 more | Journal of Sports Sciences
This study reviewed the literature regarding reliability and validity of markerless motion capture (MMC) for measuring lower extremities and trunk kinematics during sports-related and functional tasks. Articles published until 28 
 This study reviewed the literature regarding reliability and validity of markerless motion capture (MMC) for measuring lower extremities and trunk kinematics during sports-related and functional tasks. Articles published until 28 February 2024 were assessed. Studies were included if they assessed walking, squatting, jumping/landing, running, or cutting. After screening, 53 studies were included in the review. Variability across task characteristics, MMC systems, and statistical analyses was observed. The relative reliability of MMC, measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), ranged from low to excellent, with most variables showing standard error of measurement (SEM) values below 5°. Squats and landing tasks reported the highest reliability, with good to excellent ICC and most joints reporting SEM values < 5°, except for hip flexion (4.0°to 11.1°). Validity studies (compared to marker-based motion capture) showed differences between technologies ranging from 0.2° to 28.6° and correlations negligible (including negative values) to very strong, depending on the task, plane of motion, and joints analysed. Hip angle in frontal plane reported the lowest differences between technologies across tasks. MMC systems provide reliable measurements for most kinematic variables but are not largely comparable to marker-based systems. MMC reliability creates opportunities to develop more ecological valid research outside traditional biomechanical laboratory settings.

The Evolution of Energy Deficiency Disorders in Female Athletes: Female Athlete Triad and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Multidisciplinary Management - a literature review

2025-06-17
Katarzyna Bartnik , Alicja Winkowska , Jakub Pokrzepa +7 more | Quality in Sport
Introduction: The growing participation of female athlethes in competitive and recreational sports has brought attention to sport-specific health concerns related to energy imbalance. The Female Athlete Triad (FAT), characterized by 
 Introduction: The growing participation of female athlethes in competitive and recreational sports has brought attention to sport-specific health concerns related to energy imbalance. The Female Athlete Triad (FAT), characterized by low energy availability (LEA), menstrual dysfunction and low bone mineral density (BMD), and the broader concept of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) are critical syndromes affecting both health and performance.Purpose:The objective of this review is to examine the current literature on the etiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, management and prevention of FAT and RED-S in female athletes, with an emphasis on early recognition and interdisciplinary care. Materials and methods: This review is based on a comprehensive literature search conducted on articles sourced from PubMed and Cochrane. The listed keywords were used and analysed for topic relevance and knowledge currency. Conclusion: FAT and RED-S remain underdiagnosed despite significant health risks such as infertility, osteoporosis and reduced performance. Effective prevention and management depend on restoring energy balance that should be supported by a multidisciplinary care team. Continuation of research, education and monitoring are essential to minimize long-term consequences and promote a sport culture that prioritizes both performance and athlete well-being.

Age-related Bilateral and Unilateral Lower Extremity Strength Imbalances in Elite Soccer

2025-06-17
Halil İbrahim ÇAKIR , Recep Fatih Kayhan , Esranur Terzi | International Journal of Sports Medicine
Abstract This study investigates bilateral and unilateral strength imbalances in elite young football players across different age categories. A total of 73 licensed male football players in the U15, U16, 
 Abstract This study investigates bilateral and unilateral strength imbalances in elite young football players across different age categories. A total of 73 licensed male football players in the U15, U16, U17, and U19 age categories participated in the study. Imbalances between the legs were assessed by both jump tests and differences between hamstring and quadriceps strengths. Differences between age groups were statistically evaluated by one-way analysis of variance and linear regression analysis. The results showed that the hop test asymmetry index (AI), Q/Q, and H/H strength ratios decreased from U15 to U17 and increased again at U19 (p=0.037, p=0.025, p=0.002). Regression analysis revealed that age significantly influenced the hop test AI (5%), Q/Q strength ratio (5%), H/H strength ratio (12%), and dominant leg H/Q strength ratio (7%) (p&lt;0.05). Overall, this study shows that muscle strength imbalances in young soccer players differ both bilaterally and unilaterally with age. While bilateral strength differences were relatively balanced in the U15–U17 age groups, a significant asymmetry was observed in the U19 group. In terms of unilateral strength, a certain development was observed in the dominant leg with age, while this development was limited in the nondominant leg.