Implications For Sport Research Articles

Exclusion, belonging and mental wellness: the sporting and physically active leisure experiences of women in rural Australia

ABSTRACT This study examined how access to, and experiences in, physically active leisure and/or sport impact on women’s physical, social, and emotional health and mental wellness in rural or remote communities across Australia. The online, open-ended survey participants were 92 females, aged 18–76 years (M = 44 years), including 64 women who were university educated, 20 aged 60 years and over, 10 from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGI) and seven First Nations Australians. Through a framework of intersectionality and an integrative theory for belonging, three key themes describing the women's experiences were uncovered: welcoming and inclusive spaces, mental wellness, and unwelcoming spaces and exclusion. Nuances across age, ethnocultural background and sexuality were identified in the data, as well as how intersections of gender and place/rurality affected women’s perceived overall health and mental wellness. These findings have implications for sport and leisure programming and policies in rural contexts.

Motivations to be active in club-based sport compared to fitness centres

ABSTRACT Purpose Understanding motivations for participation in different types of physical activity and settings has important implications for growing, servicing and retaining participants. The aim of this study was to identify the motivations to engage in organised club-based sport and activity through fitness centres. Methodology Two surveys were conducted, of Australian adults, those playing sport or who were active through fitness centres. Findings 4,509 adult survey respondents reported their motivations for participating in sport clubs (n = 3824) or fitness centres (n = 685). There were many significant differences in the motivations between the two groups. Overall, sport club participants were significantly more likely to report fun and enjoyment, and social reasons for a motivation to play compared to fitness centre users (p < 0.001). The fitness centre users were significantly more likely than the sport club participants to report physical health or fitness, to lose weight/keep weight off/tone and for psychological/mental health/therapy (p < 0.001). Practical implications These findings have implications for sport and fitness centre managers in terms of program design decisions. For example, motivations may inform the creation of options that lean more to social or health outcomes for new users. Research contribution This study uniquely investigates motivations for participation across organised sport clubs and fitness centres.

Considering the need for movement variability in motor imagery training: implications for sport and rehabilitation.

OPINION article Front. Psychol., 12 May 2023Sec. Movement Science and Sport Psychology Volume 14 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1178632

Limited External Rotation and Hip Extension Due to Posterior Extra-articular Ischiofemoral Hip Impingement in Female Patients With Increased Femoral Anteversion: Implications for Sports, Sexual, and Daily Activities

Background: Posterior femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is poorly understood. Patients with increased femoral anteversion (FV) exhibit posterior hip pain. Purpose: To correlate hip impingement area with FV and with combined version and to investigate frequency of limited external rotation (ER) and hip extension (<40°, <20°, and <0°) due to posterior extra-articular ischiofemoral impingement. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Osseous patient-specific three-dimensional (3D) models based on 3D computed tomography scans were generated of 37 female patients (50 hips) with positive posterior impingement test (100%) and increased FV >35° (Murphy method). Surgery was performed in 50% of patients (mean age, 30 years; 100% female). FV and acetabular version (AV) were added to calculate combined version. Subgroups of patients (24 hips) with increased combined version >70° and patients (9 valgus hips) with increased combined version >50° were analyzed. The control group (20 hips) had normal FV, normal AV, and no valgus. Bone segmentation was performed to generate 3D models of every patient. Validated 3D collision detection software was used for simulation of impingement-free hip motion (equidistant method). Impingement area was evaluated in combined 20° of ER and 20° of extension. Results: Posterior extra-articular ischiofemoral impingement occurred between the ischium and the lesser trochanter in 92% of patients with FV >35° in combined 20° of ER and 20° of extension. Impingement area in combined 20° of ER and 20° of extension was larger with increasing FV and with higher combined version; correlation was significant (P < .001, r = 0.57, and r = 0.65). Impingement area was significantly (P = .001) larger (681 vs 296 mm2) for patients with combined version >70° (vs <70°, respectively) in combined 20° of ER and 20° of extension. All symptomatic patients with increased FV >35° (100%) had limited ER <40°, and most (88%) had limited extension <40°. The frequency of posterior intra- and extra-articular hip impingement of symptomatic patients (100% and 88%, respectively) was significantly (P < .001) higher compared with the control group (10% and 10%, respectively). The frequency of patients with increased FV >35° with limited extension <20° (70%) and patients with limited ER <20° (54%) was significantly (P < .001) higher compared with the control group (0% and 0%, respectively). The frequency of completely limited extension <0° (no extension) and ER <0° (no ER in extension) was significantly (P < .001) higher for valgus hips (44%) with combined version >50° compared with patients with FV >35° (0%). Conclusion: All patients with increased FV >35° had limited ER <40°, and most of them had limited extension <20° due to posterior intra- or extra-articular hip impingement. This is important for patient counselling, for physical therapy, and for planning of hip-preservation surgery (eg, hip arthroscopy). This finding has implications and could limit daily activities (long-stride walking), sexual activity, ballet dancing, and sports (eg, yoga or skiing), although not studied directly. Good correlation between impingement area and combined version supports evaluation of combined version in female patients with positive posterior impingement test or posterior hip pain.

The role of individual physical body measurements and activity on spine kinematics during flexion, lateral bending and twist tasks in healthy young adults – Comparing marker(less) data

Understanding the relationship between physical characteristics and activity to kinematic properties of the spine has implications for sports, occupational tasks, clinical diagnosis and prognosis. This study aimed to categorize spine kinematics from flexion, lateral-bend, and twist exercises by examining the correlations to body-mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and physical activity levels in healthy young adults. The data was collected from a marker-based optoelectronic motion capture setup and a marker-less motion capture with the RGB camera of a standard mobile phone. Comparing the accuracies of the two techniques on the same data set is important to develop inexpensive (RGB camera) diagnostics. Sixty-two participants (40 Male, 22 female) participated in the study. The angular displacement of the spine for each exercise was extracted by vector analysis using a single reference node/marker. The analysis showed no significant correlations of angular displacements values for the three movements with BMI or WHR. The physical activity level of male participants is significantly correlated with angular displacements for the flexion (p < 0.001) and lateral-bend (p-value ranges from 0.001 to 0.04) and weakly correlated (but not significant) for twist exercises. The physical activity level shows a significant correlation for only flexion (p < 0.001) in female participants. The findings emphasize the critical role of physical activity on musculoskeletal flexibility in young, healthy adults. The angles estimated using both techniques were comparable and significantly correlated across participants and exercises.

“Stick to Sports”: Evidence from Sports Media on the Origins and Consequences of Newly Politicized Attitudes

ABSTRACT Politics now intrudes into many aspects of social life. How does this occur and what are its consequences? We study the sources of politicized attitudes toward ESPN, a sports media outlet involved in controversies where politics and sports intersect, and consider their implications for sports news use. We assess two potential contributors to politicized attitudes toward ESPN: exposure to political media criticizing the network and encounters with its sports coverage. In survey-linked web browsing data and a survey experiment, exposure to political media led the public to evaluate ESPN in political terms, showing messages from political elites can affect opinions of entertainment media. In contrast, exposure to ESPN’s typical sports coverage failed to alter views of the network. We also find these newly politicized attitudes do not reduce use of ESPN, demonstrating the intrusion of politics into a seemingly apolitical setting may not displace other considerations underlying behavior.

The Geographies and Psychologies of Global Transitions: Implications for Sport, Tourism, Climate, Health, Wellbeing and the Economy

The Geographies and Psychologies of Global Transitions: Implications for Sport, Tourism, Climate, Health, Wellbeing and the Economy

Public Health Approaches to Sport History

Abstract This article explores public health approaches to sport history as an important direction for the field. Several histories have examined the professionalization of sports medicine, athletic training, and other related fields, providing insight into the relationship between medical specialties and sports. Yet broader historical examinations of the relationship between population health and sport remain relatively limited. In many ways, sports have been historically celebrated as fostering health, with athletic participation regarded as a source of physical, mental, social, and educational benefits connected with key cultural values. On the other hand, sports have also been decried for their harmful health effects, from acute and chronic injuries to hazing and abuse. The COVID-19 pandemic, and its profound implications for sports at all levels, only heightens the need for more research that places the intersection of sports and public health in historical context.

4차 산업혁명 시대 스포츠의 사회･철학적 함의

이 연구에서는 인공지능에 기반한 동작감지 시스템 훈련, 인공지능과 스포츠의 융합, 경기력 향상을 위한 빅데이 터에, ICT기술과 증강현상(VR, AR) 융합스포츠, 인공지능과 스포츠와의 대결 사례 등 4차 산업혁명 시대의 스포츠의 사회ㆍ철학적 함의를 탐색하였다. 이 연구의 시사점은 다음과 같다. 첫째. 스포츠 경기는 승패가 동등한 확률로 발생하는 상황도 많고, 사람이 하는 것이고, 선수의 컨디션 등 정량화할 수 없는 변수들이 많다. 이점이 인공지능이 기계학습이라는 데이터를 학습시켜서 예측을 하는 분야의 가장 큰 단점이고 따라서 너무 맹신하면 안 되는 것이다. 둘째, 인공지능의 혜택 을 보지 못하는 선수나 가난한 나라의 선수와의 경쟁은 공정한 경쟁이 아닐 것이다. 셋째, 로봇 심판의 출현으로 오심에 대한 논쟁과 심판판정에 대한 불복 사례는 줄어들고는 있지만, 한편에서는 로봇에게 일자리를 내주어서 실직자 수 가 많이 생길 것이라는 위기감도 생기고 있다. 넷째, 인간과 로봇의 대결에서 승패를 기준으로 한다면, 스포츠가 주는 감동은 사라지고 쾌감만 남게 될 것이다. 다섯째, 인공지능이 국민들에게 스포츠를 좀 더 편하고, 즐겁고, 친숙하게 받아들여서 건강에 도움이 될 수 있는 방향으로 가야 할 것이다. 여섯째, 인공지능은 인간의 예술적, 철학적 감동을 연출 할 수 없다는 것이 일반적인 학계의 주장이다. 스포츠에는 인간의 철학이 담겨 있다. 마음이 없는 인공지능은 그냥 스포츠의 부수적인 요소로 스포츠의 진정한 정신을 담지 못할 것이다.

Role of an extensive diagnostic work-up in the detection of concealed cardiomyopathies in athletes with premature ventricular complexes and implications for sports' eligibility assessment

Abstract Background Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are a common clinical problem and a critical issue with regard to sports eligibility in sportsmen. Although PVCs can be considered a benign feature of the athlete's heart adaptive phenotype, they may also be the only clinical manifestation of a concealed cardiomyopathy, potentially heralding sudden cardiac death (SCD) during sports activity. The optimal diagnostic evaluation of athletes with PVCs is currently uncertain. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic contribution and the implications for sports eligibility assessment of a thorough non-invasive and invasive work-up including electroanatomical mapping (EAM) and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) in athletes with PVCs. Methods We conducted a prospective, single-arm, open-label double center study. All consecutive athletes presenting for evaluation at our institution after being disqualified from participating in sports due to PVCs were included in our study. These athletes underwent a baseline non-invasive diagnostic protocol with transthoracic echocardiogram and gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). Subsequently, an invasive diagnostic work-up was performed, including EPS with programmed electrical stimulation, EAM and EAM-guided EMB if deemed necessary. When clinically indicated, catheter ablation was performed. Sports eligibility status was re-assessed at six months' follow-up according to Italian sports medicine guidelines. Results After diagnostic evaluation, 20 subjects out of 107 (19%) had a diagnosis of heart disease, most commonly myocarditis (n=8), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC, n=7) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, n=2). On multivariate logistic-regression analysis, QRS complex/T wave abnormalities on ECG (OR 23), non left bundle branch block and inferior axis PVC morphology (OR 13), echocardiogram abnormalities (OR 24) and low-voltage areas on EAM (OR 33) were significantly associated with diagnosis of a concealed cardiac disease. Nondiagnostic abnormalities on cMRI were common in this population of athletes, prevalently involving the right ventricle. EAM-guided EMB was performed in 12 subjects (11%) and catheter ablation in 56 (52.3%). After six months, 63 athletes (59%) were judged eligible to participate in competitive sports and 23 subjects (21%) were deemed eligible to participate in non-competitive sports. Conclusions Almost one fifth of sportsmen presenting with PVCs have a concealed heart disease, most commonly myocarditis or ARVC. Non-outflow tract PVCs' morphology and abnormalities on ECG, echocardiogram and EAM are predictive of structural heart disease's detection, whereas nondiagnostic findings on cMRI can be misleading in athletes. Invasive diagnostic tests, including EAM and EAM-guided EMB, play a critical role in case of diagnostic uncertainty. More than ¾ of subjects were judged eligible to participate in sports at 6 months' follow-up. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Athletic naturalisation, nationality and nationalism – Naturalised players in Hong Kong’s representative (national) football team

The increasing transnational mobility of athletes is accompanied by the growing presence of naturalised athletes in national teams, raising questions about the implications for nationalism and national identity in sports. Hong Kong offers a unique context to examine these issues as a Special Administrative Region of China which has its own representative (‘national’) team despite its non-sovereign status. Using in-depth interviews with 24 informants (fans, players, coaches, etc.), this paper examines how naturalised players from overseas and Mainland China are perceived by stakeholders of Hong Kong football. We found that informants articulated an ‘instrumental-plus’ discourse about these players, and a ‘civic-plus’ conception of nationality. Implications for sport and nationalism in the Hong Kong–China context and beyond are discussed.

More than a marginal phenomenon: Relevance and content-related aspects of mediated sport scandals

Summary The salience of mediated scandals today is deeply linked with the formation of norms and values in our society. This is a particular challenge for the field of sport as the compliance with norms and values is of particular relevance in this social area. The paper shows the extent of scandalization in sport reporting and discusses possible implications for sport. Therefore, it offers a definition and typology for sport scandals. It indicates why sport scandals might have a fundamental share of overall scandal reporting today in comparison to other fields of society. The paper further emphasizes content-related aspects such as celebrity status, sport discipline and type of sport scandal. In the empirical portion, a quantitative content analysis of all reported scandals in three German newspapers over a period of one year is provided. Implications of the findings for athletes, organizations, and society are discussed.

Effect of Exercise-Related Factors on the Perception of Time.

The concept of time whether considered through the lenses of physics or physiology is a relative measure. Alterations in time perception can have serious implications in sport, fitness and work. Accurate perception of time is an important skill with many time constrained sports (i.e., basketball, North American football, tennis, gymnastics, figure skating, ice hockey, and others), and work environments (i.e., workers who need to synchronize their actions such as police and military). In addition, time distortions may play a role in exercise adherence. Individuals may be disinclined to continue with healthy, exercise activities that seem protracted (time dilation). Two predominant theories (scalar expectancy theory and striatal beat frequency model) emphasize the perception of the number of events in a period and the role of neurotransmitters in activating and coordinating cortical structures, respectively. A number of factors including age, sex, body temperature, state of health and fitness, mental concentration and exercise intensity level have been examined for their effect on time perception. However, with the importance of time perception for work, sport and exercise, there is limited research on this area. Since work, sports, and exercise can involve an integration of many of these aforementioned factors, they are interventions that need further investigations. The multiplicity of variables involved with work, sport, and exercise offer an underdeveloped but fruitful field for future research. Thus, the objective of this review was to examine physiological and psychological factors affecting human perception of time and the mechanisms underlying time perception and distortion with activity.

P1110Role of an extensive diagnostic work-up in the detection of concealed cardiomyopathies in athletes with complex ventricular arrhythmias and implications for sports" eligibility assessment

Abstract Background ventricular Arrhythmias (VAs) are a common clinical problem and a critical issue with regards to sports" eligibility in athletes. Although VAs can be considered a benign feature of the athlete’s heart adaptive phenotype, they may also be the only clinical manifestation of a concealed cardiomyopathy, potentially heralding sudden cardiac death (SCD) during sports activity. Purpose to evaluate the diagnostic contribution and the implications for sports eligibility assessment of a thorough non-invasive and invasive work-up including electrophysiology study (EPS), electroanatomical mapping (EAM) and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) in athletes with complex VAs and to derive a multiparametric risk score in order to easily predict structural heart diseases’ diagnosis. Methods we conducted a prospective, single-arm, open-label single center, observational study. All consecutive athletes presenting for evaluation at our institution after being disqualified from participating in sports due to complex VAs were enrolled. The athletes underwent a baseline non-invasive diagnostic protocol with transthoracic echocardiogram and gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI). Subsequently EPS, EAM and EAM-guided EMB were performed if deemed necessary. Sports eligibility status was re-assessed at 6 months’ follow-up. A multivariable logistic regression model was built, considering cMRI as the gold standard exam. Results after diagnostic evaluation, 55 subjects (26.4%) had a diagnosis of heart disease, most commonly myocarditis (n = 27) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC, n = 16). After 6 months, 100 athletes (48.1%) were judged eligible to participate in competitive sports and 46 subjects (22.1%) were deemed eligible to participate in non-competitive sports. On multivariable logistic-regression analysis, abnormalities on ECG (OR 5.3) or on echocardiogram (OR 3.7), sustained VA inducibility on EPS (OR 17.7) and low-voltage areas on EAM (OR 7.7) proved all predictive of concealed structural heart diseases’ diagnosis. We derived two simple risk scores: a 40-points risk score and an 8-points risk score (obtained by weighing each variable according to the regression model’s ORs). Both these risk scores’ performance proved very good (AUC = 0.856 for the 40-points score and AUC = 0.852 for the 8-points score, figure 1). Conclusions approximately 1/4 of athletes presenting with complex VAs have a concealed heart disease, most commonly myocarditis or ARVC. ECG, echocardiogram and EAM abnormalities and sustained VAs inducibility on EPS are predictive of structural heart diseases’ detection. Therefore, these diagnostic tests should be routinely included in the evaluation of athletes with complex VAs. A risk score including the results of these tests can greatly help in the prediction of concealed structural heart diseases’ diagnosis. More than 2/3 of subjects were judged eligible to participate in sports at 6 months’ follow-up. Abstract Figure 1. ROC curves for diagnosis

On the potential impacts of climate change on baseball and cross-country skiing

ABSTRACTRationale: The sport sector depends on the natural environment for critical resources such as energy, water, and in some cases, the field of play. As such, climate change will have implications for sport. Yet, the actual and potential deleterious effects of climate change on sport are under-researched; this review addresses that gap.Approach: Using projections of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report and known vulnerabilities of baseball and cross-country skiing, this review explores potential climate hazards facing both sports by 2065 and 2100.Findings: Potential hazards for baseball include hotter summer temperatures, increased frequency and severity of wildfires and tropical cyclones, increased risk of coastal flooding. Cross-country skiing is likely to experience shorter, warmer winters, flooding, land cover changes due to forest fires, and rock slope failures.Practical implications: Based on the findings, baseball and cross-country skiing managers must begin assessing and responding to the impending hazards and associated risks to their sport.Research contribution: While this review method is exploratory, it introduces to the sport literature an important set of free climate-related resources and their potential utility for climate vulnerability assessments in the sport sector. This paper extends the literature on risk management and climate vulnerability in sport.

Effects of occlusal splints on shoulder strength and activation

Introduction: The use of oral appliances to enhance sports performance has been advocated by some authors, however, studies addressing the effectiveness of these strategies are inconclusive. Methods: Here we investigate the effects of dental occlusions on shoulder strength. Fourteen healthy male subjects (age = 21.67 ± 0.86 years) without temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder participated in this study. Isokinetic strength was evaluated in shoulder abduction/adduction and arm external/internal rotation tests. Three randomised conditions were assessed: (1) occlusal splint (OS), which repositioned the TMJ in centric relation; (2) placebo splint (PS); and (3) no-splint (N). The strength tests were performed at a speed of 60°/sec in concentric mode. Muscle activity was measured by surface electromyography (EMG) in the main muscles engaged in the movements. Results: Significant differences in peak torque between OS and both of the other experimental conditions were found in some of the analyzed variables. Moreover, there was significantly higher muscular EMG activation in the OS condition when compared to the other conditions for some of the tested muscles. These data suggest that splints may have a positive ergogenic effect on shoulder muscular strength in healthy male subjects. Conclusion: OS may provide an advantage for healthy subjects engaged in sports whereby shoulder and arm strength are important for performance. Key messages Occlusal splints in centric relation position have an ergogenic effect, by increasing strength and muscle activation on shoulder in healthy subjects. These results could have implications for sports or other physical activities were arm and shoulder strength are important.

Inclusive Spaces and Locker Rooms for Transgender Athletes

The purpose of this article is to articulate the need for a strong commitment to transgender inclusion in sport and physical activity, including in locker rooms and team spaces. The authors begin by defining key constructs and offering a theoretical overview of stigma toward transgender individuals. The focus then shifts to the changing opportunities for transgender athletes at all participation levels, case law and rulings germane to the topic, and the psychological, physical, and social outcomes associated with inclusion and exclusion. Next, the authors present frequently voiced concerns about transgender inclusion, with an emphasis on safety and privacy. Given the review, the authors present the case for inclusive locker rooms, which permit access by transgender athletes to facilities that correspond to their gender identity. The authors conclude with the official AKA position statement—“The American Kinesiology Association endorses inclusive locker rooms, by which we mean sex-segregated facilities that are open to transgender athletes on the basis of their gender identity”—and implications for sport and physical activity.

Setting the Conditions for Success: A Case Study Involving the Selection Process for the Canadian Forces Snowbird Demonstration Team

This case study investigated the selection process of a high-performance military team and explored potential implications for sport through an organizational psychology perspective. An instrumental case study was undertaken, comprising an observational visit and semistructured interviews with candidate (n = 3) and veteran (n = 2) pilots. Thematic analysis uncovered a range of strategies utilized for the selection of ideal candidates (e.g., flight briefings, systematic flight progressions, mentorship, traditional events), and these are described in relation to candidate and veteran perceptions and are contextualized with regards to candidate motivation for membership and the broader team environment. A number of identified concepts have relevance to sport and are discussed in relation to both theory and practice.

Small-Sided Games and Technical Skills in Soccer Training: Systematic Review and Implications for Sport and Physical Education Practitioners

Small-Sided Games and Technical Skills in Soccer Training: Systematic Review and Implications for Sport and Physical Education Practitioners

Developing a winning sport team culture: organizational culture in theory and practice

This case study reviews strategies for identifying, establishing and influencing sport team culture and leadership, based on Edgar Schein’s three-level theoretical model of organizational culture integrating artefacts, values and beliefs and core assumptions. Specifically, we examine the success of a professional rugby team in New Zealand, the 2014 ITM Cup champions, the Manawatu Turbos. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with past and present coaches (N = 3) and captains (N = 3). Key findings include the need to formally recognize culture, including establishing and reinforcing values, as a tangible element of sport team management practice. A flat organization structure has helped facilitate a suitable environment for collective leadership to flourish. Implications for sport and business teams are the need to acknowledge culture as a core component, and conduct a culture audit to establish the current and desired culture through an aligned combination of informal and formal transformational leadership.