Improve Sports Performance Research Articles

The benefits of nutritional counselling for improving sport performance.

It is well known that the synergy between physical activity and healthy eating habits is an important combination for the achievement of different objectives. However, recent studies in the literature focused mainly on the effect of this synergy on weight loss or different non communicable diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of healthy eating, based on the Mediterranean diet, on physical performance of kickboxers and runners. Forty athletes were recruited from the University Sports Center of Bergamo. Twenty participants practiced kickboxing, an High Energy Expenditure Rate sport, whereas twenty subjects practiced half marathon, a typical High Energy Expenditure Volume sport. Kickboxers and runners were randomly divided into two sub-groups of ten subjects each: one was the control group (CG) and one the nutritional counselling group (NCG), in which subjects were instructed to follow a nutritional counselling. At the baseline, runners started with greater VO2max and lower resting metabolic rate compared to kickboxers. After three months of controlled diet and training, kickboxers in NCG improved their results in Counter Movement Jump (CMJ) Test (P=0.015) and squat (P=0.012). Moreover, athletes had a decrease in body fat percentage (P=0.008). Runners in NCG, had a significant VO2max (P=0.007) increase and a reduction in body fat percentage (P=0.002). They also showed an increase of squat (P=0.012) and CMJ test (P=0.024). Significant benefits were achieved in all groups of athletes, but results were maximized by training plus nutritional counselling.

Assessing the Differences Between a Governed and Non-Controllable Focal Point on Male Broad Jump Performance

Prior studies have investigated the manipulation of a visual target (i.e. sport specific focal point, non-controllable, or governed focal point) on vertical jump performance, yet few studies have examined factors that directly impact broad jump performance. The broad jump (BJ) test is often utilized to determine how far a person can jump and is a measurement of an individual’s horizontal power ability. A previous focal point broad jump study utilizing female subjects suggested that BJ performance may slightly increase when using a governed focal point. However, this has not been evaluated using a male population. PURPOSE: To examine the impact of a governed (i.e. set focal point) vs. non-governed (i.e. no set focal point) focal point on broad jump performance in active males. METHODS: Thirty-three no less than averagely fit collegiate males had their descriptive data (Ht. = 174.97 + 6.82 cm, Wt. = 81.85 + 10.52 kg, BF% = 15.22 + 5.76%, age = 22.00 + 1.70 yrs) collected. Subjects completed an 8 min dynamic warmup and then received a four minute passive recovery (PR) period. Subjects then completed four familiarization broad jumps (ie. a jump series). After another four minute PR period, subjects completed two series of jumps (ie. four trials apiece with 60 seconds of PR between each jump) in a counterbalanced order with either a governed focal point (FP) or non-governed focal point (NFP) being utilized for each jump. The FP and NFP jump series were separated by 4 min of PR. The farthest jump for FP vs. NFP was compared using Paired-Samples t-Tests with significant differences occurring at p< 0.05. RESULTS: Significant differences (p = 0.015) occurred between FP (235.46 + 21.59 cm) and NFP (233.33 + 22.49 cm). Also, nineteen subjects highly benefited from utilizing a governed focal point with a mean jump increase of 5.26%. CONCLUSION: It appears that using a focal point (FP) may elicit a farther jump in no less than averagely fit males as compared to utilizing a non-controlled focal point (NFP). Further research may be required to evaluate the impact of a sport specific focal point vs. a generic set focal point on broad jump performance with males and females who participate in sports where horizontal power is highly associated with improved sport performance.

FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREEN™ in YOUTH SPORT PARTICIPANTS: EVALUATING the PROFICIENCY BARRIER for INJURY.

The number of youth participating in sport increases yearly; however, the evaluation of youths' movement ability and preparedness for sport remains inadequate or neglected. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) is an assessment of an individual's movement quality that has been utilized to evaluate risk of injury in collegiate and professional sport; however, there is minimal support regarding the predictive value of the screen in youth sport. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mean and distribution of FMS™ performance in sport participants age 11-18, and to evaluate the existence of a composite FMS™ score proficiency barrier to predict injury risk. Prospective cohort study. One hundred, thirty-six participants (63 male, 73 female) age 11 to 18 years (16.01 + 1.35) were recruited from local schools and sport organizations. The FMS™ was administered prior to each participant's competitive season and scored by researchers who demonstrated reliability in assessments derived from the screen (κw = 0.70 to 1). Injury data were collected by the participants' Athletic Trainer over one season. An injury was defined as any physical insult or harm resulting from sports participation that required an evaluation from a health professional with time modified or time lost from sport participation. Females scored significantly higher than males for mean FMS™ composite score (t = 14.40; m = 12.62; p < 0.001), and on individual measures including: the hurdle step (t = 1.91; m = 1.65; p < 0.001), shoulder mobility (t = 2.68; m = 2.02; p < 0.001), active straight leg raise (t = 2.32; m = 1.87; p < 0.001), and the rotary stability components (t = 1.91; m = 1.65; p < 0.05). Two FMS™ composite scores (score < 14 and <15) significantly increased the odds of injury (OR = 2.955). When adjusting for sport, there was no score relating to increased odds of injury. Dysfunctional movement as identified by the FMS™ may be related to increased odds of injury during the competitive season in youth athletes. Consideration of an individual's movement within the context of their sport is necessary, as each sport and individual have unique characteristics. Addressing movement dysfunction may aid in injury reduction and potentially improve sport performance. 1b.

Resonant Frequency Skin Stretch for Wearable Haptics.

Resonant frequency skin stretch uses cyclic lateral skin stretches matching the skin's resonant frequency to create highly noticeable stimuli, signifying a new approach for wearable haptic stimulation. Four experiments were performed to explore biomechanical and perceptual aspects of resonant frequency skin stretch. In the first experiment, effective skin resonant frequencies were quantified at the forearm, shank, and foot. In the second experiment, perceived haptic stimuli were characterized for skin stretch actuations across a spectrum of frequencies. In the third experiment, perceived haptic stimuli were characterized by different actuator masses. In the fourth experiment, haptic classification ability was determined as subjects differentiated haptic stimulation cues while sitting, walking, and jogging. Results showed that subjects perceived stimulations at, above, and below the skin's resonant frequency differently: stimulations lower than the skin resonant frequency felt like distinct impacts, stimulations at the skin resonant frequency felt like cyclic skin stretches, and stimulations higher than the skin resonant frequency felt like standard vibrations. Subjects successfully classified stimulations while sitting, walking, and jogging, perceived haptic stimuli was affected by actuator mass, and classification accuracy decreased with increasing speed, especially for stimulations at the shank. This paper could facilitate more widespread use of wearable skin stretch. Potential applications include gaming, medical simulation, and surgical augmentation, and for training to reduce injury risk or improve sports performance.

Patients' Expectations of Hip Preservation Surgery: A Survey Study

To administer the Hip Preservation Surgery Expectations Survey to a large sample of patients to ascertain the prevalence of their preoperative expectations and to assess expectations in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. Consecutive patients were enrolled if they were ≥18years old/spoke English and excluded if they had prior hip surgery/degenerative changes Tönnis ≥2. Patients completed the 21-item survey addressing the amount of improvement expected for each item (number of items and an overall score were determined) and the International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT; hip score determined). Analyses included multivariable regression with survey score and number of expectations as dependent variables. Subanalyses considered collegiate/professional, competitive, and recreational sports level. Three hundred two patients participated, with a mean age of 32; 270 (89%) had cam impingement, 72 (24%) had symptoms <6months, and mean iHOT score was 41. One hundred twenty patients (40%) selected all 21 survey items, 112 (37%) selected 18 to 20, and 70 (23%) selected ≤17 items. In multivariable analysis, younger age (odds ratio [OR]= 1.3; P= .02), symptoms <6months (OR= 1.3; P= .03), and worse iHOT score (OR= 2.5; P= .0001) were associated with selecting more items. The mean survey score was 80 (range, 31-100). In multivariable analysis, younger age (P= .05), symptoms <6months (P= .01), and worse iHOT score (P= .03) were associated with greater survey scores. Collegiate/professional athletes selected more items (P= .01) and were more likely to select improvement in sports performance (OR= 7.5; P= .001), achievement of athletic potential (OR= 3.7; P= .002), and maintaining options for more demanding future activities (OR= 2.7; P= .01). Patients had multiple expectations for marked improvement in current and future physical function and psychological well-being. Younger patients, shorter symptom duration, and worse hip-specific functional status were associated with greater expectations. Understanding patients' expectations can guide preoperative education regarding realistic expectations for recovery and long-term outcome. Patients' preoperative expectations vary according to demographic and clinical characteristics as measured in a survey study.

The Relationship of Age and BMI with Physical Fitness in Futsal Players

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of age and body mass status with field and laboratory measures of physical fitness in futsal players. Futsal players (n = 65, age 12.9 ± 2.8 years), who were classified into U11 (n = 28, 9–11 years), U13 (n = 21, 11–13 years), and adults (n = 16, >18 years), performed a physical fitness battery consisting of both laboratory and field tests. A similar prevalence of overweight (25%) was observed in all age groups (χ2 = 1.94, p = 0.380, φ = 0.17). Age groups differed for all parameters, except body fat percentage, with adult players showing higher values than the younger groups (p < 0.05). U13 was heavier, taller, and had larger fat-free mass than U11 (p < 0.05). Adult players had superior values than their younger counterparts for all physical fitness parameters (p < 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) correlated inversely with aerobic capacity (U13), jumping ability, relative isometric muscle strength, and relative mean power in the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) (U11) (p < 0.05). Also, it correlated directly with absolute isometric muscle strength (U11) and peak power, mean power (all groups), and fatigue index (U11, U13) in WAnT (p < 0.05). Considering the results of this study, it was concluded that the prevalence of overweight in futsal players should be an important concern for practitioners working in this team sport. Optimizing BMI should be considered as a training and nutrition goal in order to improve sport performance.

Evaluation of Portuguese athletes knowledge regarding nutrition and hydration in sports

Introduction: A balanced diet and a correct hydration are important factors to prevent injuries, improve sports performance and fatigue recovery [1–3]. However, it is recognized that athletes have poor hydration habits and dietary intakes often motivated by their limited knowledge [4,5]. Portuguese athlete’s knowledge about nutrition and hydration is far to be known and an accurate picture of their state of knowledge seems to be an important issue among professionals working directly with athletes. The aim of this study was to evaluate Portuguese athletes knowledge regarding nutrition and hydration in sports. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was performed in several Portuguese sports institutions. A total of 348 non-professional athletes (70% response rate) were evaluated about nutrition and hydration in sports. Self-administrated and pretested questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, nutrition and hydration knowledge. The Ethics Committee of the School of Health Care - Polytechnic Institute of Setubal, approved the study procedure. Written consent to participate in the study was given by the participants or parents (when applicable). Descriptive statistics were carried out to express athlete’s sociodemographic information and mean nutrition and hydration scores. Chi squares tests were used to assess the association between study variables nutrition and hydration knowledge questions. Inferential statistics (Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests, p < 0.05) were used to examine differences between study variables. Results: Only 8% of the athletes demonstrated good global knowledge on nutrition and hydration. The overall mean knowledge was 49.8 ± 14.9 were the highest mean knowledge area was observed on nutrition (53.1 ± 15.6) when compared with hydration (43.5 ± 21). Higher global knowledge on nutrition and hydration was only associated with oldest athletes with university educational level. Discussion and conclusions: The study identified inadequate global knowledge among the participants were our findings revealed highest scores in nutrition section (12%) followed by hydration (6%). No data at the national level had been reported so far and this study can provide useful information on gaps and trends in athletes’ behaviour on nutrition and hydration. The results of this study clearly suggest an urgent need to developed and implement educational programs to address the knowledge amongst Portuguese sports population. In authors perspective such programs should not only focus athletes but should also involve coaches, health professionals and athletes family members.

Proprioception in the Improvement of Sports Performance in Long Jumpers.

Proprioception in the Improvement of Sports Performance in Long Jumpers.

A combination of oral l-citrulline and l-arginine improved 10-min full-power cycling test performance in male collegiate soccer players: a randomized crossover trial

PurposeOral l-citrulline (Cit) increases plasma l-arginine (Arg) concentration and the production of nitric oxide (NO). NO dilates blood vessels and potentially improves sports performance. The combination of oral Arg and Cit (Arg + Cit) immediately and synergistically increases plasma Arg and nitrite/nitrate (NOx) concentrations more than either Cit or Arg alone. This prompted us to assess the effects of oral Arg + Cit on 10-min cycling performance in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial.MethodsTwenty-four male soccer players ingested either Cit + Arg or placebo (both 1.2 g/day each) for 6 days. On day 7, they ingested Cit + Arg 1 h before performing a 10-min full-power pedaling test on a bicycle ergometer. Plasma NOx and amino acid levels were measured before and after the test, as well as the participants’ subjective perception of physical exertion.ResultsPower output was significantly greater with Cit + Arg than in the placebo group (242 ± 24 vs. 231 ± 21 W; p < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of post-exercise NOx (p < 0.05), Cit (p < 0.01) and Arg (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in the Cit + Arg than in the placebo group, whereas exercise upregulated plasma NOx concentrations in both groups (p < 0.05). Cit + Arg also gave improved post-exercise subjective perception of “leg muscle soreness” and “ease of pedaling” (both p < 0.05).ConclusionSeven days of oral Citrulline (1.2 g/d) and Arginine (1.2 g/d) ingestion improved 10-min cycling performance and the perception of physical exertion in male collegiate soccer players.

The Multimodal Nature of High-Intensity Functional Training: Potential Applications to Improve Sport Performance

Training for sports performance requires the development of multiple fitness components within the same program. In this context, training strategies that have the potential to concomitantly enhance metabolic and musculoskeletal fitness are of great value for athletes and coaches. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the current studies on high-intensity functional training (HIFT) and to assess how HIFT could be utilized in order to improve sport-specific performance. Studies on untrained and recreationally-active participants have led to positive results on aerobic power and anaerobic capacity, and muscular endurance, while results on muscular strength and power are less clear. Still, HIFT sessions can elicit high levels of metabolic stress and resistance training exercises are prescribed with parameters that can lead to improvements in muscular endurance, hypertrophy, strength, and power. As similar training interventions have been shown to be effective in the athletic population, it is possible that HIFT could be a time-efficient training intervention that can positively impact athletes’ performances. While the potential for improvements in fitness and performance with HIFT is promising, there is a clear need for controlled studies that employ this training strategy in athletes in order to assess its effectiveness in this population.

Efitec, software for the evaluation effectiveness model of the technical

Nowadays sports levels are increased to a high degree thanks to the use of tools and instruments that combine the use of technology with the sciences applied to sports. Football is not the exception; thanks to these technological and scientific advances it has been possible to improve not only the sports performance but also the way in which each one of the factors that determine the sport form is controlled. In Colombia today, you can optimize football through specialized software that allows you to measure, quantify, plan and organize the tasks and means of this sport. For this reason, this study aims to design an application that allows measuring the level of technical effectiveness of the shot on goal in football. This will help to improve sports performance and thus increase technical levels, allowing a better planning of the daily structures of sports training and thus contribute to the improvement of this sport by optimizing the times and the easy handling of technology, computer science and more important the results in the competition.

Evaluation of a Mouthguard Customized Using the Occlusal Position during Maximal Grip Strength to Improve Sports Performance. A Case Report

Two customized mouthguards were developed for a 35-year-old male kickboxer. These were identical in thickness (the vertical dimension between the upper and lower jaws), the material, and similar in form (visible outline); however, one mouthguard was designed such that the horizontal jaw position was determined by the maximal grip strength obtained by the subject during the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test. Both mouthguards were satisfactory in terms of how they felt during wearing and breathing; however, the subject achieved higher kicking force, punching force, and back muscle strength while using the mouthguard with an optimized horizontal jaw position. These findings suggest that to enhance sports performance, it may be important to determine the optimal biting position. The grip strength obtained during the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test is a useful parameter for this assessment.

The role of an internal nasal dilator in athletes.

The nasal valve area has the minimal cross-sectional area of the upper airways. Nasal dilators have been found able to improve sport performance in athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use an internal nasal dilator may be able to affect respiratory pattern in a group of athletes. The use of internal nasal dilator induced a significant reduction of fatigue perception (p=0.000) and was optimally accepted. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that Nas-air® is an internal nasal dilator able to reduce the fatigue perception and is preferred to external nasal dilator. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Review of exercise-induced physiological control models to explain the development of fatigue to improve sports performance and future trend

Summary News Sports performance is the pursuit of excellence where a sportsman measures his or her performance quantitatively or qualitatively to move towards his or her desired goal. Several physical aspects can influence sport performance. One of these aspects is the neuromuscular factor Tsolakis and Tsolakis (2008) that arises from the relationship between the nervous system, and the musculoskeletal system. Moreover, in many sports (for example, running and cycling), the establishment of an effective rhythm will keep an athlete organised, and physically efficient for an excellent performance. Subsequently, this rhythm will impose a cadence on musculoskeletal activity, mental control as well as psychological factors. These psychological factors can be self-motivation, level of alertness and mental acuity that are the product of a number of integrated factors like physical fatigue or other unrelated sport stresses such as environmental conditions that are not within the athlete's personal control. The athlete is required to have the ability to adapt in these unexpected environmental factors. Another aspect is coaching and external support/assistance for the athlete (in terms of nutrition, sport technique, tactics and training) to the aspiring competitor for success to occur. Amidst all these factors which influence sports performance, there is one crucial factor which cannot be overlooked and it is the exercise-induced fatigue which causes a reduction in physical and mental performance. Conclusion Therefore, in this review, we describe and discuss the various physiological theoretical models of exercise-induced fatigue, and the way forward to assess these theories using mathematical models and analysis of biosignals.

The Potential Effects of Vitamin E in Sport Performance

In recent years, the consumption of antioxidants in athletes has markedly increased. Exercise and endurance activities require a large energy as well as cause a high turnover of antioxidant capacity through sweat losses, musculoskeletal repair process and metabolism in the body. Antioxidant system in the body becomes depleted during exercise which causes cells and tissues are more susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Antioxidants includes vitamin E have received attention predominantly as a nutritional strategy to maximize sport performance and preventing detrimental effects of ROS, which continuously generated during strenuous exercise. Vitamin E is a non-enzymatic and potent lipid-soluble antioxidants that able to scavenge and neutralize the ROS. Vitamin E has the ability to protect against oxidative stress in human and animal, as well as enhances physical endurance. Therefore, the aim of this review is to evaluate the potential effects of vitamin E in modulating oxidative stress in order to enhance physical performance in athletes. To date there is still poor evidence that dietary supplementation with vitamin E will improve sport performance. However it can be suggested that antioxidants supplementation rich in vitamin E may act as alternative strategy to improve physical performance.

Polymer Optical Fiber Goniometer: A New Portable, Low Cost and Reliable Sensor for Joint Analysis.

The quantitative measurement of an articular motion is an important indicator of its functional state and for clinical and pathology diagnoses. Joint angle evaluation techniques can be applied to improve sports performance and provide feedback information for prostheses control. Polymer optical fiber (POF) sensors are presented as a novel method to evaluate joint angles, because they are compact, lightweight, flexible and immune to electromagnetic interference. This study aimed to characterize and implement a new portable and wearable system to measure angles based on a POF curvature sensor. This study also aimed to present the system performance in bench tests and in the measurement of the elbow joint in ten participants, comparing the results with a consolidated resistive goniometer. Results showed high repeatability of sensors between cycles and high similarity of behavior with the potentiometer, with the advantage of being more ergonomic. The proposed sensor presented errors comparable to the literature and showed some advantages over other goniometers, such as the inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor and over other types of POF sensors. This demonstrates its applicability for joint angle evaluation.

Muscle Activation in the Main Muscle Groups of the Lower Limbs in High-Level Dancesport Athletes.

Dancers are subjected to high-intensity workouts when they practice dancesport, and according to the literature, they are prone to injury, primarily of the lower limbs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences exist in relative activation amplitudes for dancers involved in dancesport due to muscle, gender, and type of dance. Measurements were carried out using surface electromyography equipment during the choreography of a performance in the following leg muscles: rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius medialis. Eight couples of active dancesport athletes (aged 20.50±2.75 yrs) were analyzed. Significant gender differences were found in rumba in the tibialis anterior (p≤0.05) and gastrocnemius medialis (p≤0.05). Based on the different activations, it is possible to establish possible mechanisms of injury, as well as tools for preventing injuries and improving sports performance.

Analysis of Golfer‘S Brainwave Signal During Par Tee Ireland and Driving Range Game

Ways to improve sport performance become exceptional contemporary interest. Nowadays, many studies use human brain as an input signal include eyes blinking, attention and meditation to control the exchange process. Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) requires generating control signals for external device by analysing the internal brain signal. The objective is to identify the signal of brainwave which gives effect to performance of golfer. The analysis involved the meditation (α) and attention (β) state of different golf players. In this project, the brainwave of golfer’s will be analyzed based on the movement before club strike the ball. EEG signal used to find out the features by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). The analysis included three categories of player include beginner, intermediate and professional. Two types of game have been considered which are Par Tee Ireland and Driving Range. The project interfaces MATLAB software with an EEG headset. The data has interpreted in time and frequency domain graph that show different level in an attention (β) state for both games. Brainwave signals indicated players’ performance and lead to better performance. This data benefits increasing the performance of golfer to become the professional golfer by using electroencephalography (EEG) headset in future study.

Quiet Eye: Practical Applications in Sport and Physical Education

Visual behaviors are often overlooked in sport performance training. The literature suggests that training visual behaviors, such as the quiet eye, can result in better performance across a wide variety of motor skills. The purpose of this article is to provide specific recommendations to physical education teachers and coaches for including quiet-eye training in their practices. Studies have shown that longer quiet-eye durations are associated with improved sport performance, but the location of the quiet eye varies from sport to sport. Studies also indicate that experts, novices and children benefited from quiet-eye training, and the effects of the training applied to experimental, competitive and heightened-anxiety situations involving many sports and skills. It is recommended that physical education teachers and coaches include quiet-eye training for the acquisition and improvement of motor skills.

Analysis of sport science perceptions and research needs among South African coaches

Background: There appears to be a gap between coaches’ expectations concerning their needs and the focus of research findings published by sport scientists. Given the important role of sport science in enhancing athletic performance, closing the gap between sport scientists and coaches is expedient.&#x0D; Objectives: To investigate the sport science perceptions and research needs among South African coaches.&#x0D; Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, a total of 202 (28 male and 174 female) purposively recruited South African coaches completed a validated questionnaire.&#x0D; Results: Findings indicated that “Improving the technique/efficiency of athletes” (4.33±0.79), “Reducing the incidence of injury/illness in athletes” (4.33±0.76), “Helping athletes peak for competition” (4.31±0.86), and “Mental preparation of athletes” (4.26±0.97) were reported as the most preferred areas of research by coaches. The coaches also reported that “There is a need/role for sport science researchers to translate scientific literature into easily understandable language” (3.93±1.03) and “Sport science knowledge is important for me to be a good coach” (3.90±0.98).&#x0D; Conclusion: These findings have practical implications for sport federations regarding the need to revise their coach education programmes to include sport science concepts which can be applied by coaches to improve sport performance.