Female Collegiate Athletes Research Articles

The Natural History of Sport-Related Concussion in Collegiate Athletes: Findings from the NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium.

Sport-related concussion is recognized as a significant injury with variable recovery rates. This study defined the acute natural history of sport concussion in male and female collegiate athletes participating in a broad array of sports. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal investigation among collegiate student athletes (n = 34,709) from 30 academic institutions. Primary outcomes included the time (days) from injury until initiation of a return to participation (RTP) protocol and time from injury until medical clearance for unrestricted RTP. Concussed athletes (n = 1751, 19.2years, 63.2% male) participating in 22 different sports began the RTP protocol in a median 6.4 (IQR 3.7-11.8) days. Time to initiate the RTP protocol was lengthened by less frequent post-injury assessments, greater initial post-injury symptom severity, limited contact sports participation, practice/training injuries, and three or more prior concussions. The median total RTP duration was 12.8 (IQR 8.7-20.1) days. Total RTP duration was shorter with ADHD medication usage, males, and greater assessment frequency; while greater initial post-injury symptom severity, practice-/training-related injuries, and three or more prior concussions had longer recoveries. Although median recovery times are consistent with previous guidelines, it was not until 1month post-injury that a preponderance of collegiate athletes were cleared to begin the RTP protocol (92%) or cleared for unrestricted sport participation (85%). Intrinsic and extrinsic factors had a small effect, altering recovery trajectories by up to 2days, suggesting a largely unified approach to post-injury monitoring and management across all athletes. These data represent a shift from previous classification parameters of normal clinical recovery.

Transitioning from sport: Life satisfaction, depressive symptomatology, and body satisfaction among retired female collegiate athletes

Retirement from sport has been associated with elevated levels of depression, anxiety and/or body dissatisfaction among athletes. Psychosocial dimensions, such as having reached sport goals and planned for life after sport, may affect how retired athletes’ respond psychologically. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to examine the association between psychosocial aspects of sports transition with body satisfaction, depressive symptoms and, life satisfaction among 217 female former NCAA athletes. Through hierarchical regression analyses, and after controlling for BMI and years since retirement, we determined that athletes who believed they had achieved their sport goals, developed a new life focus after their sport career, had focused on life areas other than just sport while competing, and remained involved in their sport in different ways after retirement reported being more highly satisfied with their lives and their bodies and experiencing fewer depressive symptoms; variance accounted for ranged from 24% to 28% across these outcomes. Athletes’ perceptions of what has occurred in their lives while transitioning from sport may have longstanding effects on their psychological well-being in retirement. Longitudinal methodologies are needed to determine the temporal influence of these psychosocial dimensions.

Changes in landing mechanics using augmented feedback: 4-Week training and retention study

ContextNon-contact ACL injuries are common in female athletes during landing tasks. Post-trial performance-based feedback may be an effective method to reduce landing forces and knee valgus during landing. Information regarding the retention of these changes based on such training is generally lacking for weekly and monthly retention. ObjectiveTo determine the effectiveness of post-trial feedback training to promote and retain changes in vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and knee to ankle (K:A) ratio during a dual task drop landing in female collegiate athletes. DesignRepeated measures; SettingUniversity campus. Participants22 female collegiate athletes. Materials and methodsDual task drop landings were performed over 4 successive weeks with immediate post trial feedback on peak vGRF, symmetry, and K:A ratio. K:A ratio was a surrogate measure for knee valgus in drop landing. ResultsSignificant decreases in vGRF and increases in K:A ratio were found within training sessions (p = .000). Both variables were retained each week over the 4 weeks. ConclusionUsing a custom portable clinical feedback system may be an effective tool in reducing peak vGRFs and knee abduction angles during a drop landing over a 4-week period in female collegiate athletes.

Overuse Injury, Substance Use, and Resilience in Collegiate Female Athlete.

BackgroundOveruse injury is a common stressor experienced by female collegiate athletes and is often underreported. In response, athletes may develop negative coping skills such as substance use. Alternatively, resilience is a modifiable trait that may positively influence response to musculoskeletal injuries and substance use.PurposeTo provide an updated epidemiological profile of overuse injury and substance use and examine the relationship between resilience, overuse injury, and substance use among collegiate female athletes.DesignCross-sectional studyMethodsTwo-hundred and thirty female collegiate athletes were classified into overuse injury and resilience groups. Overuse injury, pain, and substance use incidence proportions (IP) were calculated. Kruskal-Wallis analyses were performed to investigate differences in substance use among resilience groups. Analyses of covariance were performed to evaluate differences in overuse injuries, substantial overuse injuries, and time loss injuries, among resilience groups.ResultsIP for pain was 45.0% (95% CI: 38.2-51.9); Overuse injury 52.0% (45.1-58.9); Alcohol use 35.1% (28.6-41.6); Electronic cigarette use 19.5% (14.6-24.9); Cigarette use 2.8% (6-5.1); and Drug use 3.3% (0.9-5.8). No significant differences were found between resilience groups for the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire (OSTRC) variables (Pain: p=0.102; Overuse injury: p=0.331; Substantial overuse injury: p=0.084; Not playing: p=0.058), alcohol (p=0.723), or combined substance use (p=0.069).ConclusionsPain and overuse injury prevalence is high among female collegiate athletes. Alcohol followed by electronic cigarette use were the most commonly utilized substances. No significant differences were identified in substance use or overuse injury presentation between resilience groups, though further investigation is warranted.Level of Evidence3

Anthropometric Changes In Female Collegiate Athletes Apparent Within Four Weeks Of A Yoga Intervention

Many college students experience weight gain prior to graduation. Causes, consequences, and interventions have been widely published, but there are fewer examinations of athletic populations. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of a structured yoga intervention on anthropometric characteristics of female collegiate athletes. METHODS: We enrolled 14 female athletes (age 18-22) who compete in track, field, and cross country at a D1 university into a yoga intervention. We randomly assigned 7 subjects to the exercise group, involving 60 minutes of in-person guided yoga twice weekly; the other 7 served as controls. All subjects underwent baseline testing and completed follow-up testing 4 weeks later. Using the Fit3D body scanning system (Fit3D Inc., USA), we recorded body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. Paired-samples t-tests evaluated group changes from baseline to follow-up; independent-samples t-tests compared values between the intervention and control groups. RESULTS: Across the total sample, at baseline, body fat percentage was 25.3 ± 4.4%, waist circumference was 31.6 ± 2.5 inches, hip circumference was 38.8 ± 2.7 inches, and waist-to-hip ratio was 0.80 ± 0.04. There were no differences between the intervention and control groups in body fat percentage (p = 0.905), waist circumference (p = 0.133), hip circumference (p = 0.239), or waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.653). At follow-up, trending differences were observed between groups in body fat percentage (p = 0.073), waist circumference (p = 0.080), and hip circumference (p = 0.057). In the yoga intervention, paired-samples t-tests found significant reductions in waist circumference (p = 0.021) and waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.020). In the control subjects, significant increases were detected over time in body fat percentage (p = 0.017), waist circumference (p = 0.036), and hip circumference (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: After only 8 sessions of twice-weekly guided yoga, female collegiate athletes experienced improvement in waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. What may be more important is the apparent protective effect of the program against a tendency to increase body fat percentage, waist circumference, and hip circumference, as was observed in the control subjects.

Comparison of the ‘Seattle’ and ‘International’ Criteria Electrocardiogram Interpretation in Division ii Female College Athletes

PURPOSE: A 12-lead exercise stress test is a screening tool used to detect abnormalities that may predispose collegiate athletes to sudden cardiac death. Experts in the field have developed new standardized criteria to bweetter interpret electrocardiogram (ECG) in athletes but most of the research has been focused on males. Therefore, it is important to continue to include females in future research to better define the unique ECG characteristics in this population. The purpose of this study was to compare the Seattle criteria to the most recently created International criteria in regards to ECG abnormalities in Division II female collegiate athletes METHODS: Thirty six females (age 20.2 ± 1.4 yrs; height 1.70 ± 0.7 m; weight 69.5 ± 8.9 kg) completed cardiovascular screening with a resting 12-lead ECG analysis which was read and interpreted, according to each criteria, by an expert in the field of exercise science. ECGs were classified as ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ according to the parameters of each criteria and any abnormal condition was noted. Chi-square analysis was used to assess differences between the two criteria. RESULTS: The total number of ECGs identified as abnormal decreased from 12 (33.3%) using the Seattle Criteria to 2 (5.6%) using the International Criteria (p < 0.05). The most common ECG abnormality identified using the International Criteria was T wave inversion 7 (19.4%). The newer definition of pathological Q waves reduced the number of ECGs identified as abnormal from 4 (Seattle) to 1 (International), a 75% reduction (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that following the International Criteria for ECG interpretation significantly reduced the total abnormal and false-positive ECG rates in female collegiate athletes compared to the Seattle Criteria without compromising sensitivity. It is important to continue to conduct ECG research on female athletes in order to further define valid and reliable criteria for this under represented population.

Salivary Cortisol Analysis In Collegiate Female Lacrosse Athletes

Cortisol is a hormone that corresponds to physiological and emotional stress. The purpose of this study was to 1) evaluate the changes in cortisol in female Division I collegiate lacrosse players (n = 15) throughout the competitive season, and 2) evaluate the correlation between cortisol and athlete wellness and workload. Salivary cortisol samples were collected weekly in the morning throughout the entirety of the 2021 competitive season (12 weeks). Subjective athlete total wellness scores and sub-scores (muscle soreness, sleep quality, fatigue, and stress) were taken on the same days. Objective total weekly Athlete Load (AL, an amalgam workload metric) were tabulated from the previous training week. A significant effect of time was found on wellness (p < 0.001) and AL (p < 0.001) over the twelve weeks with weekly differences, such as weeks with more than one game, weeks with no games, weeks with students in quarantine (not competing), or weeks with academic stressors such as final exams. There were no weekly differences in cortisol (p = 0.058). Cortisol had negligible correlations with wellness (r = -0.010, p = 0.889) and AL (r = 0.083, p = 0.272) during the competitive season. These findings suggest that cortisol changed little for athletes throughout the season although training volume and wellness did. Thus, assessing acute responses of cortisol may prove to be more beneficial to evaluating athletes' stress.

Calcium-magnesium Ratio In Female And Male Collegiate And Masters Athletes Of Various Sport Types

Calcium-magnesium Ratio In Female And Male Collegiate And Masters Athletes Of Various Sport Types

Monitoring Competition Jump Load In Division I Female Collegiate Volleyball Athletes

Monitoring Competition Jump Load In Division I Female Collegiate Volleyball Athletes

Collegiate Athletes’ Challenge, Stress, and Motivation on Dual Role

In the United States higher education, collegiate athletes mostly have a four-year eligibility within a five-year time frame to compete for and represent their institutions. During this period, collegiate athletes are expected to perform successfully in both academic and athletic roles so that they can maintain benefits, such as scholarships and eligibility. In other words, being a collegiate athlete brings about a multitude of pressures and stressors from handling this dual role, which include but are not limited to, scheduling classes, fatigue, financial pressure, and inflexibility of coaches (Cosh &amp; Tully, 2015). According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2020), collegiate athletes are only allowed to participate in athletic-related activities for 20 hours per week, four hours a day in season, and eight hours per week during off season (NCAA, 2020). However, previous empirical research has indicated that Division I level collegiate athletes spend about 40 hours per week participating in sport-related activities (Smith &amp; Hardin, 2018). Even though collegiate athletes invest tremendous time and effort in athletics, less than two percent of collegiate athletes become professional athletes after college (NCAA, 2018). For collegiate athletes, both athletic and academic performances require tremendous amounts of efforts due to their intense schedule. That is, it is convoluted for collegiate athletes to have identical motivation or reasons for attending college and participating in their sport. While collegiate athletes strive to balance in both academic and athletic responsibilities, they exhibit various types of motivation factors. According to Doupona Topic (2005), female collegiate athletes seem to be more academically motivated and less athletically motivated compared to male collegiate athletes. Also, Beamon and Bell (2006) found that African American collegiate athletes place less emphasis on academics than athletics, and they place less emphasis on education than Caucasian collegiate athletes. For African American collegiate athletes’ academic underperformance and negative psychosocial experiences can happen due to unwelcoming campus climate, inadequate academic support, and an overemphasis on their athletic roles (Beamon, 2008). As mentioned above, only a few collegiate athletes have a chance to move on to professional sport after their collegiate career. That is, majority of collegiate athletes go through a transitioning process moving out from sport. Numerous studies within the literature support that collegiate athletes often have a difficult time transitioning out of sport (Lally, 2007; Smith &amp; Hardin, 2018). Motivation may be one of the solutions to overcome this abstruse moment. To foster effective and successful higher education environments in collegiate athletics, it is essential to understand what motivates collegiate athletes in their dual roles and how collegiate athletes set up create and implement their goals.

Influence of Warm-Up Music Preference on Anaerobic Exercise Performance in Division I NCAA Female Athletes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of listening to preferred versus non-preferred warm-up music on anaerobic sprint performance in Division I NCAA female athletes. Female collegiate athletes (n = 14) were recruited for this study. In a counterbalanced, crossover study design, participants completed two separate visits, each with a different warm-up music condition: preferred (Pref) or non-preferred (Non-pref). During each visit, participants completed a 3 min standardized cycling warm-up at 50 Watts while listening to Pref or Non-pref music. Following this, participants completed 3 × 15 s Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnTs) with a 2 min active recovery period in between tests. Motivation to exercise was measured immediately following the warm-up (WU), WAnT1, WAnT2, and WAnT3. The rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was also measured after each WAnT. Each visit was separated by a minimal recovery period of 48 h. Mean power, total work, RPE, and motivation were analyzed. Mean power (p = 0.044; d = 0.91) and total work (p = 0.045; d = 0.78) were significantly higher during the Pref music condition versus Non-pref. RPE remained unchanged regardless of condition (p = 0.536; d = 0.01). Motivation was significantly higher with Pref warm-up music compared to Non-pref (p < 0.001; d = 1.55). These results show that listening to Pref warm-up music has an ergogenic benefit during repeated sprints in comparison to Non-pref music and improves motivation to exercise. Listening to warm-up music prior to high-intensity repeated exercise may aid in optimizing performance and training in collegiate athletes.

The Effects of Caffeine on Jumping Performance and Maximal Strength in Female Collegiate Athletes.

Caffeine is often used in a variety of forms to enhance athletic performance; however, research regarding caffeine’s effects on strength and power in female athletes is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the acute effects of caffeine anhydrous (6 mg/kg of body mass) on jumping performance and maximal strength in female collegiate athletes. Eleven athletes (19.7 ± 0.9 yrs; 166.4 ± 10.2 cm, 67.7 ± 9.4 kg) performed two testing sessions separated by one week, and randomly received caffeine or placebo using a double-blind approach. Heart rate, blood pressure, and tympanic temperature were recorded before athletes received each condition, following 60 min of quiet sitting, and directly after performance testing. Athletes were assessed on unweighted and weighted squat jump height (SJH0, SJH20) and countermovement jump height (CMJH0, CMJH20), isometric mid-thigh pull peak force (IPF), and rate of force development from 0–200 ms (RFD200). Resting systolic blood pressure was significantly greater following caffeine administration compared to a placebo (p = 0.017). There were small, significant differences in SJH0 (p = 0.035, g = 0.35), SJH20 (p = 0.002, g = 0.49), CMJH0 (p = 0.015, g = 0.19), and CMJH20 (p < 0.001, g = 0.37) in favor of caffeine over placebo. However, there was no significant difference in IPF (p = 0.369, g = 0.12) and RFD200 (p = 0.235, g = 0.32) between conditions. Therefore, caffeine appears to enhance jumping performance, but not maximal strength in female collegiate athletes.

Funding and college-provided nutritional resources on diet quality among female athletes

ObjectiveTo examine funding and college-provided nutritional resources and to assess whether these are associated with diet quality and subsequent dietitian referral among female collegiate athletes of different sports levels. Participants: Female athletes (N = 120) from NCAA, NJCAA, and Club sports. Methods: Differences in questionnaire-based demographics, diet quality, and dietitian referrals were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square tests, with p < 0.05. Factors associated with diet quality and dietitian referral were examined using regression. Results: NCAA reported more funding than Club and NJCAA (p < 0.05). NJCAA expressed insufficient funds for purchasing food and reported fewer college-provided nutritional resources (p < 0.05) while showing lower diet quality scores and higher subsequent dietitian referrals than NCAA and Club. No significant associations for dietary quality and dietitian referrals were found. Conclusions: Athletes across all sports levels reported insufficient funds for purchasing food and low diet quality, with NJCAA, showing the least funding and fewest nutritional resources.

Presenting features of female collegiate sports-related concussion in South Africa: a descriptive analysis.

Sports-related concussion (SRC) is an injury with important implications, especially in collision and contact sports, and has a high symptom burden. Student athletes face particular psychosocial challenges, especially female students with pre-existing anxiety/depression are at increased risk for SRC, and have a higher symptom burden before and after injury. Describing female SRC presenting features at a collegiate campus-based sports medicine service; examining the association of prior concussion history (PCONC) and pre-existing anxiety/depression (PMHDx) with SRC. A retrospective cohort and statistical analysis (including corrected effect sizes) of Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (versions 3/5) data (Step 1: PCONC and PMHDx history; Step 2: symptom evaluation) of collegiate female athletes with SRC between 2012 and 2018. Forty females with SRC were identified (age 23 ± 3). The five most frequent symptoms were headache (n = 34; 85%), feeling slowed down (n = 33; 83%), pressure in head (n = 33; 83%), don't feel right (n = 32; 80%) and fatigue/low-energy (n = 32; 80%). These five symptoms also had the highest self-rated severity (median (IQR): headache (3 (2-4)), feeling slowed down (3 (1-4)), fatigue/low-energy (3 (1-5)), don't feel right (3 (1-4)) and pressure in head (3 (2-4)). PMHDx (n = 8; 62.9 vs 38.6; p = 0.0192; Hedges' gs = 0.95; large ES), and not PCONC (n = 13; 51.0 vs 39.8; p = 0.2183; Hedges' gs = 0.48; small ES) was associated with increased mean total symptom severity. Headache, feeling slowed down, pressure in head, don't feel right and fatigue/low-energy had the highest symptom burden. Total symptom severity was no different in those with and without PCONC, but significantly higher in those with PMHDx.

Injuries in Irish male and female collegiate athletes

ObjectiveTo understand the incidence and burden of injury of student-athletes in four of the most popular collegiate sports. DesignProspective cohort study. SettingCollegiate sport. ParticipantsGaelic football, hurling/Camogie, soccer and Rugby (n = 672; male = 416, female = 256) student-athletes. Main outcome measureInjury incidence, burden of injury and total, match and training injury rates, and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The frequencies and proportions were also calculated. An injury was defined as any physical condition that prevents a student-athlete from full participation for a period greater than 24 h. ResultsOver a quarter (0.266) of student-athletes sustained an injury in the academic season. Male student-athletes had a higher injury rate than females (21.6 vs 11.3 injuries/1000 h). Rugby (20.8 injuries/1000 h) had the highest injury rates with hurling/Camogie (6.3 injuries/1000 h) the lowest. Lower extremity injuries were predominant (68.8%) with ankle sprains demonstrating a large burden for all sports (20.6-280.2 days absent/1000 h). Hamstring strains (13.7-118.4 days absent/1000 h) had a large burden for all sports except male Rugby. Knee sprains had a large burden on the female Gaelic footballer (84.8 days absent/1000 h). Sprinting (27.4%) and the tackle (20.1%) were the most common mechanism of injury. Injuries were predominantly moderate (8–28 days) or severe (>28 days) (84.7%). ConclusionInjury reduction needs to be prioritised in the student-athlete, particularly in males. Specific focus is required on the lower extremity, especially in the hamstring muscles and ankle joint owing to the large burden of injury.

Prophylactic ankle supports effects on time to stabilization, perceived stability and ground reaction force during lateral landing in female collegiate athletes with chronic ankle instability

BackgroundThis study was designed to investigate effects of Kinesiotape (KT) with closed basket weave method and lace-up braces (LB) on the vertical time to stabilization, peak vertical ground reaction force (PvGRF), and time to PvGRF as well as perceived stability during lateral landing of participants with chronic ankle instability before and after fatigue.MethodsThirty female college athletes with chronic ankle instability of three conditions (control, KT, and LB) performed lateral landing from a 30 cm high step on the plantar pressure platform pre and post fatigue.ResultsThe pre-test findings on the rearfoot, of LB indicated negatively increased the PvGRF force (F2,58=3.63, P = 0.04) and decreased the time to PvGRF (F2,58=4.67, P = 0.01). The Bonferroni post-hoc testing revealed LB condition increased the PvGRF than the control (P = 0.002) and KT (P = 0.038). Also, the post-hoc testing showed LB condition decreased the time to PvGRF force than the control (P = 0.05) and KT (P = 0.01). The LB negatively prolonged vertical time to stabilization in the forefoot (F2,58=6.74, P = 0.002) and rearfoot (F2,58=6.13, P = 0.004) after fatigue. The post-hoc testing revealed LB condition generated a slower vertical time to stabilization than the control and KT conditions (P ≤ 0.05). The use of KT had no positive effects as elevated the PvGRF in the forefoot post fatigue (F2,58=7.11, P = 0.002). The post-hoc test uncovered that KT augmented the PvGRF than control (P = 0.01) and LB (P < 0.001). On the other hand, using KT had psychological effects at pre-fatigue which resulting significantly greater in perceived stability compared to other conditions (F2,58=9.65, P < 0.001). The post-hoc test showed that using KT increased perceived stability than LB (P = 0.004) and control (P < 0.001). Moreover, perceived stability improved significantly in KT and LB compared to the control condition at the post-fatigue (P ≤ 0.001).ConclusionsDespite the positive psychological impact of the prophylactic ankle supports, there were no positive effect on the vertical time to stabilization, PvGRF, and time to PvGRF. Further studies are needed to distinguish the psychological and actual effects of prophylactic ankle supports on athletes with chronic ankle instability.

A - 30 Executive Function in Division-I Collegiate Athletes and Recreationally Active College Students

Abstract Objective High-level cognitive performance is important for navigating the complex environment of sport. The executive function domain may be of particular importance because it focuses on flexible thinking and self-control. It is unclear if high-level athletes exhibit similar executive function compared to recreational athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare executive function between male and female Division-I collegiate athletes and recreationally active peers. Methods Thirty-seven Division-I athletes (16 females, 21 males) and 30 recreationally active college students (19 females, 11 males) participated. Participants completed the Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test (FICA) and Dimensional Change Card Sort Test (DCCS) from the National Institute of Health Toolbox Cognitive Battery on a tablet to assess cognitive flexibility and attention and inhibitory control, respectively. Demographically-corrected T-scores were used for analysis. Two-way ANOVAs compared cognitive performance based on group and sex (p ≤ 0.05). Results There was a significant group-by-sex interaction for the FICA (p = 0.005). Female recreational athletes (50.68 ± 10.18) demonstrated higher FICA scores compared to female Division-I athletes (40.88 ± 7.35; p = 0.003, ES = 1.06). Male Division-I athletes (48.67 ± 10.39) also exhibited greater scores compared to female Division-I athletes (p = 0.015, ES = 0.83). There was no significant group-by-sex interaction (p = 0.84), group effect (p = 0.35), or sex effect (p = 0.43) for the DCCS. Conclusions Female Division-I athletes demonstrated poorer performance on the FICA compared to male Division-I athletes and recreational female athletes which may indicate a decreased ability to suppress motor responses caused by internal or external distractions. The significance of these findings for mitigating injury risk and improving athletic performance should be explored.

Male and Female Collegiate Ice Hockey Athletes' Body Composition Over Competitive Seasons.

Eighty-three male and female (49/34) athletes underwent determination of total fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM), bone mineral density (BMD) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) by dual X-ray absorptiometry during the pre-season, in-season and off-season. Athletes were classified by position of Goalie (G; M/F=7/6), Forward (F; M/F=26/18), or Defenseman (D; M/F=16/10). In males, all positions were similar in weight, FM, LM, BMD and VAT. In females, F weighed less than D and G. FM and VAT was lower in F than D and G, but D was not different from G. LM was lower in F compared to D, but not G, with no differences between D and G. There were no differences in BMD between positions. There were no seasonal changes in males for body composition variables. In females, FM, LM and VAT decreased from pre-season to in-season, while BMD increased. From in-season to off-season, LM increased and BMD decreased. From off-season to pre-season, FM and VAT increased. In conclusion, there were no differences across position or seasonal changes in body composition in males. However, there were positional and seasonal changes in body composition in females, indicating possible differences in training regimens during the off-season compared to males.

Psychometric properties of the contextual body image questionnaire for athletes: a replication and extension study in female collegiate athletes

BackgroundAlthough the link between body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) pathology is well-established in general female samples, less is known about contextual body image (CBI) among female athletes. CBI refers to female athletes’ body image concerns in two contexts: sport and daily life. The Contextual Body Image Questionnaire for Athletes (CBIQA) measures four dimensions of body image (Appearance, Thin-Fat Self-Evaluation, Thin-Fat Others’ Evaluation, and Muscularity) in both contexts. In a sample of female collegiate athletes, this study sought to A) investigate the psychometric properties of the CBIQA, B) examine the cross-sectional relation of CBI with ED pathology and negative affect, and C) assess the degree to which CBI prospectively predicts ED pathology and negative affect.MethodUsing self-report data collected from a multi-site parent trial, we examined the psychometric properties of the CBIQA by confirmatory factor analysis. We assessed construct and criterion validity via cross-sectional bivariate correlation analyses with thin-ideal internalization, negative affect, and ED pathology. Using data from Time 1 and 6 months later (Time 2), we investigated the degree to which CBI prospectively predicted ED pathology and negative affect.ResultsResults from the CFA largely confirmed de Bruin et al.’s (2011) original factor analysis. Two CBIQA dimensions (Thin-Fat Self and Appearance) in both contexts correlated with ED pathology and negative affect. Thin-Fat Others also correlated with ED pathology in both contexts and negative affect in the sport context. The Muscularity dimension was predominantly orthogonal with other measures. CBIQA dimensions were uncorrelated with thin-ideal internalization. When controlling for BMI and Time 1 scores, daily life and sport appearance concerns predicted ED pathology, whereas perceived evaluation of thin-fat by others in the sport context predicted negative affect 6 months later.ConclusionsResults support the psychometric validity of the CBIQA and suggest that it captures variance discrete from thin-ideal internalization. The Muscularity dimension largely was not related to other outcomes. Further, specific elements of perceived self- and other-evaluation in both contexts is relevant to risk for ED pathology and negative affect. Future research could examine the impact of dual body image between sports seasons and after transitioning out of sport.Clinical trials registrationNCT01735994.

Habitual Dietary Status and Stress Fracture Risk Among Japanese Female Collegiate Athletes

Objectives The aim of the present study was to identify the habitual dietary intake and stress fractures history among sport types and to determine the factors related to the risk of stress fractures among Japanese female collegiate athletes. Methods This study involved 589 Japanese female collegiate athletes. We investigated habitual dietary intake (food frequency questionnaire), eating attitude (EAT-26), demographics, training status, participation in sports events, history of injury in their career, and menstrual status using a self-reported questionnaire. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors associated with stress fractures. Results Thirty percent of the total participants had a history of stress fractures, although most participants had no risk of eating disorders. Most Japanese female collegiate athletes consumed less than the dietary reference intake levels for the general Japanese female population aged 18–29 years and the athletes’ dietary guideline for key bone-health nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed body mass index (BMI; OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.82–0.99) and energy intake (EI; OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99–0.99) as significant and independent factors in the history of stress fractures among Japanese female collegiate athletes (p = 0.047 and p = 0.039, respectively). Conclusions Japanese female collegiate athletes failed to meet energy and nutrient recommendations; BMI and EI were significantly associated with stress fractures, a diet that includes an appropriate amount of energy is essential.