Duration Of Sports Activity Research Articles

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty: current status and future perspectives

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA) is a concept of hip replacement that allows treating young active patients with a femoral bone preserving procedure. The proposed advantages of resuming an active lifestyle with increased frequency and duration of sports activities have been shown to be realistic. The 30-year cost-effectiveness in young male patients has been shown to be higher in resurfacing compared to conventional total hip replacement (THA). However, prognosticators of an inferior outcome have also been identified. The most important patient related factors are secondary osteoarthritis as the indication for surgery such as post-childhood hip disorders or AVN, female gender, smaller component sizes and older age (>65 years for males and >55 years for females). In addition, surgical technique (approach and cementing technique) and component design are also important determinant factors for the risk of failure. Moreover, concerns have surfaced with respect to high metal ion concentrations and metal ion hypersensitivities. In addition, the presumed ease of revising HRA has not reflected in improved or equal survivorship in comparison to a primary THA. This highlights the importance of identifying patient-, surgery-, and implant-related prognosticators for success or failure of HRA. Rather than vilifying the concept of hip resurfacing, detailed in depth analysis should be used to specify indications and improve implant design and surgical techniques.

Modelling the participation decision and duration of sporting activity in Scotland

Motivating individuals to actively engage in physical activity due to its beneficial health effects has been an integral part of Scotland's health policy agenda. The current Scottish guidelines recommend individuals participate in physical activity of moderate vigour for 30min at least five times per week. For an individual contemplating the recommendation, decisions have to be made in regard of participation, intensity, duration and multiplicity. For the policy maker, understanding the determinants of each decision will assist in designing an intervention to effect the recommended policy. With secondary data sourced from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) we statistically model the combined decisions process, employing a copula approach to model specification. In taking this approach the model flexibly accounts for any statistical associations that may exist between the component decisions. Thus, we model the endogenous relationship between the decision of individuals to participate in sporting activities and, amongst those who participate, the duration of time spent undertaking their chosen activities. The main focus is to establish whether dependence exists between the two random variables assuming the vigour with which sporting activity is performed to be independent of the participation and duration decision. We allow for a variety of controls including demographic factors such as age and gender, economic factors such as income and educational attainment, lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, healthy eating and medical history. We use the model to compare the effect of interventions designed to increase the vigour with which individuals undertake their sport, relating it to obesity as a health outcome.

Pratique sportive intensive et addictions : une enquête en région PACA

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of cigarette, alcohol and cannabis consumption among top-ranked French student athletes aged between 16-24 years old, and to identify correlating factors. Overall, 837 athletes participated in the study (82% response rate). Among females, the amount and duration of sporting activity in which they were engaged on a weekly basis had a negative correlation to cigarette smoking and the occasional use of cannabis. Among males, however, a positive correlation of these factors was observed for cigarette smoking. Other determinants of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use were the level of athletic competition and whether the athlete practiced a team sport (as opposed to an individual one), with some gender variations. Two major risk factors for young adult athletes were the existence of high psychological distress (for both sexes) and a lack of family support (particularly in the case of males). Further research is needed to investigate the specific motives to use so-called "recreational" drugs among young athletes engaging in high-level competition.

運動部活動の継続及び中途退部にみる参加動機とバーンアウトスケールの変動

A study was conducted to clarify the variation in the motivation in high school athletes and the related burnout scale. Three different public high schools in the city of Utsunomiya, Japan, were investigated, and a total of 316 students (male, n=255, female, n=61) who entered high school in April 1997 and who belonged to a school sports club in November 1997, were enrolled. Participants completed a questionnaire about the frequency and duration of sports activities, the competitive level of his/her club, the motivation of participating in sports, and burnout scale. Students who continued to participate in a school sports club completed the same questionnaire every six months (November 1997, May 1998, November 1998, May 1999). Statistical analysis suggested that it was possible to estimate which students would continue to participate in school sports clubs and which would quit. The findings also suggested that when students continue to participate in sports club activities, the desire to improve themselves decreases, their emotional exhaustion increases and the relationship between teammates worsens as they continue to participate.

Snowboarding injuries: Comparison of injuries in snowboarders and skiers

To clarify the characteristics of injuries occurring in snowboarding accidents, we compared injuries in 138 snowboarders and 128 skiers (aged 15–35years), injured at the “H” Ski Resort. In the snowboarder group, injuries to the upper extremities, particularly the wrist joint, were more frequent, whereas injuries to the lower extremities, particularly the knee joint, were less frequent. As for the type of injury, fractures were more frequent in snowboarders, while sprains and ligament injuries were less frequent. Fractures, sprains of the wrist joint, and contusions of the shoulder were more frequent in snowboarders, with sprains of the knee joint and the thumb were being less frequent. The duration of sporting activity was significantly longer in snowboarders. Injuries to snowboarders occurred more often while they were traveling at “reckless speed” on moderate slopes. There were no significant differences in skill levels between the two groups. Differences between the snow boarders' and skiers' boots and differences in sliding on boards and on skis are believed to have contributed to the differences in their injuries. Our analysis indicates that it is necessary to create slopes that are safe and enjoyable for board riders as well as skiers. Lessons are also recommended so that snowboarders learn the proper technique, and understand the general principles of slope safety; the potential for injury would thus be reduced.

Influence of spontaneous calcium intake and physical exercise on the vertebral and femoral bone mineral density of children and adolescents

Peak bone mass is determined mainly by genetic-ethnic factors, but environmental factors such as calcium intake and physical activity during childhood and adolescence could play a role. We have measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of 151 healthy children and adolescents, ages 7-15.3 years. Density was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at two sites (lumbar verterbrae L1-L4 and the upper femur), and the data were analyzed in terms of the height, weight, sexual maturation, spontaneous calcium intake, and physical activity. Of the children, 57-71% had calcium intakes below 1000 mg/day. BMD increased with pubertal maturation from 0.68 +/- 0.08 to 0.92 +/- 0.09 g/cm2 (vertebral bone density, VBD) and from 0.87 +/- 0.10 to 1.03 +/- 0.09 g/cm2 (femoral bone density, FBD) between Tanner stage 1 and 5. Multiple regression analysis showed that body weight and Tanner stage were main determinants of bone density when expressed as g/cm2. The weekly duration of sports activity also influenced both the vertebral (p < 0.001) and femoral (p = 0.01) sites, especially in girls and during puberty. Dietary calcium appeared to be another independent determinant of BMD, especially before puberty, at the vertebral (p = 0.02) site. Most important, dietary calcium was found to be the main determinant of vertebral mineral density, when expressed as z score, in both sexes. Moreover, 93% of the 28 children with low vertebral z score values (below -1) and 84% of the 31 children with low femoral z score values (below -1) had dietary calcium intakes below 1000 mg/day.