Sport Athletes Research Articles

Prevalence of Different Types of Eating Disorder in Different Endurance Sports and its Impact on Performance: A Narrative Review

Endurance sports have shown prominent effects in aerobic capacity, cardio-protection, prevention or treatment of diabetic mellitus, athletic body composition and bone density. Despite of these positive effects, these sports may leads to risk factor of eating disorder. It has been found in several studies that athletes are more prone to eating disorder (ED) than the non athletic population. Thus the aim and objective of this review is to critically analyze the literature to evaluate different types of eating disorder among athletes and its impact on their performance among endurance athletes. The significance of this review is to provide information about further exploration in eating disorder athletes so that it may hopefully help clinicians and physiotherapist in planning individualized exercise programs that would be beneficial at improving outcomes in these sports person. Result suggested that antigravitational sports are at higher risk of ED when compared with endurance sports whereas endurance sports athletes are at more risk when compared with ball sports or triathletes. It has be also found out that initially ED may result in performance but later it will leads to low performance because athletes with EDs will physiological and psychological disorders. KEYWORDS: Eating Disorder OR Anorexia OR Bulimia OR Endurance Sports OR Athlete OR Performance

Emotional regulation and self-perceived quality of life in high-performance mountain sports athletes.

Emotional regulation is an indispensable capacity for human beings, so that alterations in it can lead to the appearance of psychological, social and/or cognitive disorders. Therefore, possessing adequate emotional strategies is intimately related to the quality of life that a person presents. In this sense, high-level athletes suffer constant setbacks and frustrations due to the performance of their sporting activity, in addition to continuous modifications of their daily life activities. Thus, the objective of this research is to explore the emotional regulation and self-perceived quality of life of high-level athletes in mountain sports, analyzing the possible influences of gender, demographic location, body mass index and age. Fifty-four athletes belonging to the High Performance Technification Center of Cáceres (Extremadura, Spain) completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, as well as the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the WHOQOL-BREF. The Shapiro-Wilkins test was used to analyze the normality of the variables collected and nonparametric statistics were used since the assumption was not met. Both gender and demographic location showed significant differences in the dimensions of the two questionnaires. Likewise, age was associated with the dimensions of both scales, but not body mass index, which was only associated with self-perceived quality of life. In addition, the stepwise linear regression model predicted self-perceived quality of life with a value of 60% across self-culpability, gender body mass index and planning. Therefore, it appears that gender, demographic location, age and body mass index could exert modifications on the levels of emotional regulation and self-perceived quality of life of high-level mountain athletes.

Mediation effects of basic psychological needs and motivation among coach leadership style on the subjective well-being of adapted sports athletes' members of the special olympics.

Subjective well-being has numerous indicators of global well-being, however, the most important are life satisfaction and attachments, which can be both positive and negative. The leadership of the coach is an integral part of the process that cares for the relationship of the athlete and coach, where the coach has a fundamental role on the athlete, and consequently on his subjective well-being. The study has the purpose to analyse if and in what way the Basic Psychological Needs-relationship, autonomy and social relationship (mediator 1, M1) and the autonomous motivation (mediator 2, M2) mediate the relationship of the variables of democratic style (independent variable, X) with subjective well-being-life satisfaction and positive attachment (dependent variable, Y). In this cross-sectional study, participated 94 athletes with Intellectual and Developmental Difficulty (IDD), aged between 11 and 63 years (ẋ = 32.6 ± SD = 13.8 years) of both genders. Statistical analysis was performed using multiple serial mediation models, using the macro PROCESS for SPSS, version 3 (model 6), using the bootstrap method with 10000 samples. There is a mediation effect between those of basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation, exercised between the democratic leadership profile of the coach and the subjective welfare of the athlete. On the other hand, autocratic style has a significant direct effect on the increase in basic psychological needs and controlled motivation. However, the democratic style is more consistent in this type of analysis. Our results reinforce the importance of promoting a democratic leadership style on the part of the coach in their athletes, enhancing a direct effect on life satisfaction and positive attachment in athletes adapted with IDD members of the Special Olympics.

Assessing Social Relationship and Network Strength among Sports Organizations and Athletes: A Study on Rajshahi City Corporation

In countries like Bangladesh, people often do not consider sports as a viable career option, which is why they tend to avoid it. However, nowadays people are becoming more advanced in both body and mind. In this scenario, the level of social interaction should increase between sports organizations and athletes. The aim of this study is to examine the level of relationship between sports organizations and athletes through empirical research that uses both qualitative and quantitative data. The researchers have collected primary data through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions from a sample of 102 individuals, including 91 athletes and 11 club authorities. The main outcome of this research is that many social development initiatives were undertaken by sports organizations, which brought all the athletes together and formed an incredible social relationship among them.

A systematic review and network meta-analysis on the effectiveness of exercise-based interventions for reducing the injury incidence in youth team-sport players. Part 2: an analysis by movement patterns

The objectives of this network meta-analysis were: (a) to estimate and compare the pooled effects of some injury prevention programs (IPPs) whose exercise-based components were categorized using a movement pattern-specific taxonomy on reducing overall and some specific body regions (lower extremity, thigh, knee, and ankle) injury incidences in youth team sport athletes and (b) to explore the individual effects of these components on the injury incidence rates (IIRs) previously mentioned. Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Library. Eligible criteria were: exercise-based interventions comprised of exercises involving athletic motor skill competencies and evaluated against a control group, overall IIRs were reported, and youth (≤19 years old) team sport players. For the current analysis, a taxonomy based on movement patterns was employed for exercise component identification (upper body pushing and pulling; lower body concentric and eccentric; core; mechanics; acceleration; and lower body stability). Pooled effects were calculated by frequentist random effects pairwise and network meta-analyses. Nineteen studies were included. Most of the IPPs exhibit risk reduction when compared to their control groups on overall, lower extremity, and ankle injuries. Interventions comprised of lower body concentric and eccentric, core, mechanics, and lower body stability exercises were the most effective measures for reducing these injuries. None of the IPPs demonstrated to be effective for reducing thigh injuries, and contradictory results were found for knee injuries. Individual analysis at component level revealed that the lower body (bilateral and unilateral, concentric, and eccentric) component was the only one associated with a significant reduction on overall injuries. Indirect evidence suggests that interventions incorporating lower body concentric and eccentric, core, mechanics, and lower body stability exercises might be the most effective for reducing overall, lower extremity, and ankle injuries in youth team sports.

Impact de la nouvelle réglementation du CACI sur les comportements de souscription des licences : étude au sein d’une fédération multisport

Purpose: The aims of this study are to assess the impacts of recent regulatory changes regarding the issuance of the Medical Certificate of No Contraindication (CACI) for sports practice on the registration for sports licenses. For disciplines with no particular constraints, the regulation now shifts medical responsibility towards sports federations and athletes. In light of these regulatory changes, two main hypotheses are posited: the first assumes a significant decrease in the number of CACI issued following the transfer of medical responsibility to federations and athletes; the second presumes that the streamlined procedures lead to an earlier registration for licenses.Methodology: The analysis relied on data collected within the French Federation of University Sports (FFSU) for the two seasons prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and the 2022-2023 season. For each season, the number of registered licenses, the number of CACI issued, and the dynamics of adherence were analyzed.Results: The results affirm the first hypothesis, displaying a 94% decrease in the CACI provided for disciplines with no constraints during the 2022-2023 season compared to previous seasons within the FFSU. Pertaining to the second hypothesis, a trend towards an earlier registration of licenses was identified due to the removal of the CACI requirement for disciplines with no constraints and its substitution with a health questionnaire.Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that regulatory changes have influenced license registration behaviors, facilitating quicker adherence by athletes while significantly reducing the number of CACI issued.

Outcomes of Flexibility Sport Athletes With Borderline Hip Dysplasia After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome: A Propensity-Matched Analysis at Minimum 2-Year Follow-up

Background: Hip arthroscopy has proved successful in treating femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) in patients with and without borderline hip dysplasia (BHD). Despite a high prevalence of BHD in patients who participate in sports with high flexibility requirements, a paucity of literature evaluates the efficacy of hip arthroscopy in treating FAIS in flexibility sport athletes with BHD. Purpose: To compare minimum 2-year patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and achievement of clinically significant outcomes in flexibility sport athletes with BHD undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS with capsular plication with results in flexibility sport athletes without dysplasia. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Data were prospectively collected for patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for FAIS with BHD, defined as a lateral center-edge angle of 18° to 25°, who reported participation in a sport with a high flexibility requirement, including dance, gymnastics, figure skating, yoga, cheerleading, and martial arts, according to previous literature. These patients were matched 1:2 to flexibility sport athletes without dysplasia, controlling for age, sex, and body mass index. Preoperative and minimum 2-year postoperative PROs were collected and compared between groups. Cohort-specific minimal clinically important difference and patient acceptable symptom state achievement was compared between groups. Results: In total, 52 flexibility sport athletes with BHD were matched to 104 flexibility sport athletes without BHD. Both groups showed similar sport participation (P = .874) and a similar level of competition (P = .877). Preoperative lateral center-edge angle (22.2°± 1.6° vs 31.5°± 3.9°; P < .001) and Tönnis angle (10.9°± 3.7° vs 5.8°± 4.4°; P < .001) differed between groups. Capsular plication was performed in all cases. Both groups achieved significant improvement in all PROs (P < .001) with no differences in postoperative PROs between groups (P≥ .147). High minimal clinically important difference (BHD group: 95.7%; control group: 94.8%) and patient acceptable symptom state (BHD group: 71.7%; control group: 72.2%) achievement for any PRO was observed with no differences between groups (P≥ .835). Conclusion: Flexibility sport athletes with BHD achieved similar outcomes as those of flexibility sport athletes without BHD after hip arthroscopy for FAIS with capsular plication.

Functional connectivity changes in neurodegenerative biomarker-positive athletes with repeated concussions.

Multimodal biomarkers may identify former contact sports athletes with repeated concussions and at risk for dementia. Our study aims to investigate whether biomarker evidence of neurodegeneration in former professional athletes with repetitive concussions (ExPro) is associated with worse cognition and mood/behavior, brain atrophy, and altered functional connectivity. Forty-one contact sports athletes with repeated concussions were divided into neurodegenerative biomarker-positive (n = 16) and biomarker-negative (n = 25) groups based on positivity of serum neurofilament light-chain. Six healthy controls (negative for biomarkers) with no history of concussions were also analyzed. We calculated cognitive and mood/behavior composite scores from neuropsychological assessments. Gray matter volume maps and functional connectivity of the default mode, salience, and frontoparietal networks were compared between groups using ANCOVAs, controlling for age, and total intracranial volume. The association between the connectivity networks and sports characteristics was analyzed by multiple regression analysis in all ExPro. Participants presented normal-range mean performance in executive function, memory, and mood/behavior tests. The ExPro groups did not differ in professional years played, age at first participation in contact sports, and number of concussions. There were no differences in gray matter volume between groups. The neurodegenerative biomarker-positive group had lower connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) compared to the healthy controls and the neurodegenerative biomarker-negative group. DMN disconnection was associated with increased number of concussions in all ExPro. Biomarkers of neurodegeneration may be useful to detect athletes that are still cognitively normal, but with functional connectivity alterations after concussions and at risk of dementia.

Screening for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Female Athlete Triad: A Survey of Pediatric Sports Medicine Professionals

BACKGROUND: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S, is a multi-scale physiological response to a mismatch between energy intake and exercise energy expenditure that affects up to 50% of adolescent athletes. RED-S symptomology was first described as the Female Athlete Triad (the Triad) and includes specifically low energy availability with or without disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. Despite the wide impact of RED-S/the Triad, there is a lack of standardization of screening in adolescent athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess if there are differences in practitioner demographics when screening for RED-S/the Triad in adolescent athletes. In addition, we sought to assess if providers’ screening habits differ based on specific patient characteristics. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional online questionnaire of members of the Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) Society. PRiSM is an interdisciplinary group of professionals who are dedicated to advancing the research and medical care of young athletes. The questionnaire assessed screening tools that members used to assess for RED-S/the Triad, practices implemented when providers were concerned for RED-S/the Triad, demographic data, and type of training. RESULTS: Of 389 PRiSM members, 60 completed the survey and were included in subsequent analyses (15% response rate). Most participants were primary care sports medicine physicians (37%), orthopaedic surgeons (27%), or physical therapists (23%), and about half of respondents identified as a cis gender woman (55%). There was a trend toward more women screening for RED-S routinely than men (55% vs. 33%: p=0.10), and orthopaedic surgeons were less likely to screen than other specialties (25% vs. 52%, p = 0.06). Eating disorders (88%), menstrual dysfunction (76%), and bone stress injury (74%) were reported as specific red flags that make providers screen for RED-S/the Triad. Participants reported that lack of time (57%) and lack of resources (37%) were barriers to screen for RED-S/the Triad. The most commonly utilized tools to screen for RED-S/the Triad were the Female Athlete Screening Tool (FAST), Female Athlete Triad Risk Scale, Female Athlete Triad Consensus Panel Screening questions, and RED-S Specific Screening Tool (RST). CONCLUSION: Orthopaedic surgeons were less likely than other health care professionals to screen for RED-S/the Triad. Barriers that prevent healthcare providers from screening for RED-S/the Triad included limited time and resources. By describing current practices, we have identified gaps and areas of need to enhance screening for RED-S/the Triad across multiple sports medicine disciplines.

Wheelchair Basketball Athletes' Participation in Sports: An Examination within the Scope of the Social Model

This study was conducted with the aim of examining the factors that hinder, facilitate, and benefit the participation of wheelchair basketball athletes in sports within the framework of the social model. Employing a phenomenological research design, fitting for the nature of the inquiry, the study utilized qualitative research methods. The sample comprised thirteen (13) wheelchair basketball players competing in the top league in Türkiye. Data collection employed a semi-structured interview format, with face-to-face interviews conducted with the athletes. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, revealing three (3) main themes and twelve (12) sub-themes. Findings suggest that structural barriers pose the most significant hindrance to wheelchair basketball players, while individual facilitators enhance participation, and psychological benefits are predominantly derived from sports engagement. In conclusion, despite encountering numerous inhibiting factors, wheelchair basketball athletes persist in sports participation and attain personal development, facilitated by environmental, structural, and individual factors.

3D Convolutional Neural Networks based Movement Evaluation System for Gymnasts in Computer Vision Applications

This study introduces an innovative Movement Evaluation System, which utilizes state of art 3D CNNs in grassland of computer vision. This system presents a significant advancement in analyzing and assessing complex gymnastic movements, providing a comprehensive understanding of both spatial and temporal dynamics. By incorporating pose estimation algorithms, it accurately identifies body joints and positions to extract detailed spatial features. The 3D CNN further captures the temporal evolution of these features, enabling a precise analysis of the fluidity, rhythm, and synchronization of gymnastic movements over time. The effectiveness of this system is evaluated through performance metrics such as precision, recall, and accuracy. Aimed at enhancing sports science and athlete training, this research offers coaches, judges, and gymnasts a sophisticated tool for objective and standardized movement assessments. It has the potential to streamline the evaluation process in gymnastics and provide constructive feedback efficiently. The integration of 3D CNNs in this system marks a paradigm shift in utilizing advanced computer vision techniques to improve the understanding and refinement of gymnastic performances.

Football-related concussions and head impacts are associated with changes in retinal structure and signaling

Subconcussive head hits (SHH) are common in contact sport athletes and are predictive of the later development of cognitive and brain changes, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy. In this pilot study we determined whether a history of concussion, and SHH acquired during a single season of college football, were associated with changes on retinal biomarkers of central nervous system (CNS) structure and function. College football players with a history of concussion (FB+C; n=9) or without a concussion history (FB-C; n=11), and non-contact sport collegiate athletes (Track/Swim; n=12) underwent visual and cognitive testing, retinal imaging (optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA)), and electroretinography (ERG) at three time points: pre-season, post-season and 4-month follow-up. The FB+C group demonstrated thicker maculae and exaggerated ERG waveforms (from all retinal neural cell types) compared to the other groups. These changes were generally observed at all timepoints, suggesting long-term changes associated with concussions, rather than effects of recent football activity. However, we also observed significant relationships between the number of head impacts during the season and stronger ERG responses, degree of macula thickening, enlargement of optic disc parameters, and increases in the density of retinal microvasculature relative to controls. These data suggest that retinal biomarkers are sensitive to both long- and short-term CNS changes related to participation in football, even in young athletes.

Shining a light on the unseen athletes: stories of exclusion and resistance among gay athletes in professional team sports

PurposeThis study uncovers the challenges and coping mechanisms related to stigma and discrimination experienced by gay professional team sport athletes.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing interpretive phenomenological analysis, this study recruited six gay athletes in professional team sports. Data were collected through virtual one-on-one semi-structured interviews, along with field notes and reflexive journaling, and were thematically analyzed.FindingsThe first theme highlights the discrimination and marginalization experienced by gay athletes in professional team sports, as well as the perceived differences between these athletes and their heterosexual counterparts. The second theme includes anecdotes illustrating their experiences of exclusion, along with counter-stories that resist marginalization. The last theme comprises stories that underscore the lack of acceptance and advocacy, emphasizing the awareness education aimed at making the sporting realm more inclusive.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the extensive recruiting efforts for this study, numerous sports and countries remain unexplored. Follow-up studies are required to fill this gap. As this study was initiated, additional research is needed to provide information on athletes who are still in the closet. Cross-comparisons between gay athletes and their heterosexual teammates can help bridge the gap in perspectives.Practical implicationsParticipants emphasized collective efforts in creating inclusive and welcoming environments for gay athletes, including anti-discrimination policies related to language use, showers and relocation adjustments.Social implicationsParticipants have put forth concrete recommendations for enhancing inclusivity within team sport environments and society at large, including proposals for early educational initiatives within the school systems.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study that focuses on the experiences of gay professional team sport athletes.

Essential elements of physical fitness analysis in male adolescent athletes using machine learning.

Physical fitness (PF) includes various factors that significantly impacts athletic performance. Analyzing PF is critical in developing customized training methods for athletes based on the sports in which they compete. Previous approaches to analyzing PF have relied on statistical or machine learning algorithms that focus on predicting athlete injury or performance. In this study, six machine learning algorithms were used to analyze the PF of 1,489 male adolescent athletes across five sports, including track & field, football, baseball, swimming, and badminton. Furthermore, the machine learning models were utilized to analyze the essential elements of PF using feature importance of XGBoost, and SHAP values. As a result, XGBoost represents the highest performance, with an average accuracy of 90.14, an area under the curve of 0.86, and F1-score of 0.87, demonstrating the similarity between the sports. Feature importance of XGBoost, and SHAP value provided a quantitative assessment of the relative importance of PF in sports by comparing two sports within each of the five sports. This analysis is expected to be useful in analyzing the essential PF elements of athletes in various sports and recommending personalized exercise methods accordingly.

Rehabilitation support of the training process of athletes

Relevance. According to scientists, the main influence on the development of sports pathologies is exerted by: irrational organization and direction of the training process, a number of factors related and not related to the training process and the high motivation of athletes to achieve high results at any cost (without paying attention to existing pathological conditions). The purpose of the study of this article was the need to update the need to develop complexes of rehabilitation and recovery measures for the relief of sports pathological syndromes or unformed dysfunctions of organs and systems, taking into account the type of sport, age and gender of athletes. Methods and organization of research. To achieve this goal, scientific and methodological literature on the research topic was analyzed. Conclusions. The means for identifying pathological syndromes (sports and health monitoring), generally accepted methods for their relief (restorative and rehabilitation measures), as well as the stages of developing complexes of rehabilitation and restorative measures are disclosed. The development of complexes of rehabilitation and restorative measures for the relief of sports pathological syndromes or unformed disorders of the functioning of organs and systems, taking into account the type of sport, age and gender of athletes, will help increase sports longevity, prevent sports disability and possibly improve sports performance.

Team Cohesion in Records/Martial Arts Sport Athletes: Transformational Leadership and the Role of Narcissism

This study aimed to determine the relationship between narcissism and team cohesion of transformational leadership and individual sports athletes interactions. In particular, individual sports can present a model to verify the level of perception of team cohesion according to the type of record sports and martial arts sports. Transformational leadership, narcissism, and team cohesion were measured among 225 college athletes. SPSS 24.0, Amos 24.0, PROCESS Macro programs (Model No. 5) were used for data analysis. The analysis includes frequency analysis, Cronbach’s alpha values, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), Pearson’s correlation, and moderating effect. Transformational leadership significantly positively affected team cohesion and narcissism. Non-narcissism also significantly positively affected team cohesion. The interaction between transformational leadership and individual athletes was significantly higher for martial arts sports. Team cohesion was also important for athletes in individual sports, thus expanding the boundaries of transformational leadership theory. To cultivate a sports team (organization), strategic sports management will be necessary to enhance team cohesion.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Sports Nutrition Knowledge and Diet Diversity Among South Indian Athletes

Purpose. Athletes can benefit greatly from having knowledge about sports nutrition. However, there are limited studies on athletes' nutritional knowledge and dietary habits in South India. This study aims to assess the athletes' sports nutrition knowledge, analyse their dietary practices and attitudes, and the dietary diversity score. Material &amp; Methods. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in selected areas of Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu. Eighty-five athletes aged 10-18 training in different sports academies were interviewed individually using a validated questionnaire to analyse their sports nutrition knowledge, attitude and dietary practices. Results. The results showed that only 4.7% of the athletes had adequate nutritional knowledge of over 60%. The mean overall knowledge score was 40.2%, with athletes being most knowledgeable about protein and its sources (mean score of 67.9%), but less aware of carbohydrate and fat sources and recommendations (mean score of 15.08% and 14.01%, respectively). The mean score for attitude and dietary practices were 64.4 and 59.5 respectively. A strong and positive correlation was found between the level of nutritional knowledge and attitude (p=0.0001). Additionally, we found that the occupation of parents and the monthly income of the family were significantly associated with the athletes' nutritional knowledge. Majority of athletes (74.1%) of the athletes had an adequate dietary diversity score (DDS) of ≥ 5, and 25.9% of the athletes had a DDS of ≤ 4. Conclusions. Nutritional educational interventions at the grass root level can potentially improve athletes' knowledge, dietary practices and sports performance in the future. It is crucial to identify and address knowledge gaps, and use technology to monitor and motivate athletes towards consistency in implementing their knowledge.

Augmented Reality Training on Combat Sport: Improving the Quality of Physical Fitness and Technical Performance of Young Athletes

This study aims to analyze the effects of augmented reality (AR) training in improving physical fitness and technical performance. An 11-week randomized controlled design was adopted in this study. This research involved sixty female athletes in Pencak Silat and Karate from Sriwijaya University (Indonesia). Participants were allocated into the experimental group, namely AR (Pencak silat: n=15, Karate: n=15) and control group (Pencak silat: n=15, Karate: n=15). Handgrip dynamometer, leg dynamometer test, medicine ball, standing long jump test, hexagon agility test, sit and reach test and multi stage test are used to measure physical fitness levels while the target punching test and target kick test are used to measure technical performance. The results of Student's t showed that there was a change in the mean value of AR (all, p &lt; 0.05) and control only in MBT (p &lt; 0.05) from baseline to final-test, ANOVA analysis we observed that there was an effect of Time on physical fitness (all, p &lt; .001), there was a Group effect related to HDT (p &lt; .001), MBT (p = 0.043), SART (p &lt; .001), and MST (p &lt; .001) and there was a Time * Group interaction related to HDT (p &lt; .001), LDT ( p = 0.029), SLJT (p &lt; .001), HAT ( p &lt; .001), SART (p &lt; .001), and MST (p &lt; .001), there was an effect of Time on technical performance (all, p &lt; .001), Group effect related to TPT (p = 0.004), and Time * Group interaction related to TPT (p = 0.001) and TKT (p &lt; .001). Thus, we conclude that using AR for 11 weeks is an effective training method for improving the quality of physical fitness and technical performance of young athletes in combat sports. Keywords: Combat sport, Athlete performance, Technology training.

The Relationship Between Maximum Lower Limb Strength &amp; Power, and GPS Acceleration Speed in Elite U20 Gaelic Football Athletes

Previous research indicates positive relationships between high levels of lower limb strength and power, and acceleration sprint velocity in team sport athletes. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between lower limb absolute and relative strength, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, and Global Positioning System (GPS) recorded 20m acceleration sprint velocity in elite male U-20 Gaelic football athletes. Nineteen athletes (19.0 ± 0.5 years; 81.1 ± 5.5 kg; 182 ± 6.2 cm) from the same elite U-20 squad participated in this study during an in-season period. Subjects performed a &gt;95% 1RM box squat, a 20m sprint test, and a CMJ test. Relative maximum lower limb strength (r = 0.54, 95% CI [0.11 to 0.8]; p &lt; 0.05) and CMJ height (r = 0.66, 95% CI [0.29 to 0.86]; p &lt; 0.001) showed strong correlations with 20m sprint velocity. A multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that lower limb maximum relative strength and CMJ height significantly predicted 20m sprint velocity (Adjusted R2 = 0.51, F (2, 16) = 6.29, p &lt; 0.05). These findings provide evidence for the importance of elite under-age Gaelic football athletes acquiring high levels of lower limb strength and power characteristics to enhance acceleration sprint performance.

An analysis of indices and ratios in anthropometric body measurements among team sports athletes

Background: Physical indices and proportions based on anthropometry are crucial for determining the performance of players in team sports. The study aims to analyze the anthropometric status, body mass and shape indices, including waist-to-hip and height ratios, among athletes from different team sports.&#x0D; Methods: Study involved 135 male team-sport athletes specializing in basketball, handball, and volleyball, with 45 players in each sport. Researchers collected anthropometric data, including chronological age (CA), height (Ht), weight (Wt), body mass index (BMI), waist circumferences (WC) and hip circumferences (HC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR), and a body shape index (ABSI). To compare variables across groups, descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA with LSD post-hoc tests used. Relationships within each group were examined using correlation analysis.&#x0D; Results: The ANOVA findings indicated f values (2, 132) for CA at 0.57, p=0.57, BMI at 0.59, p=0.56, WC at 2.10, p=0.13, WHR at 1.37, p=0.27, and ABSI at 1.41, p=0.25, respectively, revealing no significant disparities among the groups. Conversely, Ht at 13.36, p=0.00, Wt at 5.74, p=0.00, HC at 6.33, p=0.00, and WHtR at 3.60, p=0.03, respectively, highlighted significant variations between the groups. Furthermore, the correlation of BMI, WC, HC, WHR, WHtR, and ABSI in each group showed a strong positive correlation (p&lt;0.01).&#x0D; Conclusions: Athletes in team sports were found to have similar body mass and shape indices, including ratios for WHR, while the WHtR ratio showed significant variations among the groups. Despite these differences, measures of athletes’ health metrics across these sports remain within safe, normal ranges.