Men's Sports Research Articles

King-Devick Test Time Varies by Testing Modality.

To explore differences in baseline King-Devick Test (KD) completion time between 2 testing modalities: (1) spiral-bound paper cards (cards) and (2) iPad application (iPad). Cross-sectional cohort analysis. National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA) institutions. Student athletes from 13 women's and 11 men's collegiate sports who completed KD baseline testing as part of their first year in the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium from 2014 to 2016 (n = 2003, 52.2% male). King-Devick Test modalities; cards or iPad. Baseline KD completion time (seconds). Mean baseline KD completion time of the iPad modality group [42.8 seconds, 95% confidence interval (CI), 42.1-43.3] was 2.8 seconds (95% CI, 2.1-3.4) greater than the cards group (40.0 seconds, 95% CI, 39.7-40.3) (t(1, 1010.7) = -8.0, P < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.41). Baseline KD performance is slower when tested on an iPad than when tested on spiral-bound paper cards. The 2 KD modalities should not be used interchangeably in concussion assessments because differences in the modalities can lead to time differences similar in magnitude to those used to indicate concussion. From a research perspective, modality may influence interpretation and/or synthesis of findings across studies.

Comparison of Body Composition Variables Across a Large Sample of National Collegiate Athletic Association Women Athletes From 6 Competitive Sports.

Fields, JB, Metoyer, CJ, Casey, JC, Esco, MR, Jagim, AR, and Jones, MT. Comparison of body composition variables across a large sample of National Collegiate Athletic Association women athletes from 6 competitive sports. J Strength Cond Res 32(9): 2452-2457, 2018-Body composition (BC) plays a critical role in sport performance and athlete health. Body size and BC have been widely studied in men's sports, with reported changes observed over time. However, a paucity of current data exists in women athletes. The purpose of this descriptive study was to measure and compare BC data for collegiate women athletes from 6 competitive sports. A total of 524 athletes from 2 National Collegiate Athletic Association institutions participated: basketball (BB; n = 95), gymnastics (GYM; n = 42), lacrosse (LAX; n = 81), rowing (ROW; n = 57), soccer (SOC; n = 188), and volleyball (VB; n = 61). Body height (BH) and body mass (BM) were measured using a stadiometer and calibrated digital scale, respectively. Body fat percentage (BF%), fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM) were assessed using air displacement plethysmography. One-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences across sports. Least squares difference post hoc analyses were performed when a significant finding (p ≤ 0.05) was identified. ROW had the highest BF% (29.9 ± 6.1%) and BB the greatest FFM (57.2 ± 6.1 kg). GYM had the lowest BM (58.9 ± 5.3 kg), FM (11.6 ± 2.6 kg), and BH (158.73 ± 2.13 cm). LAX, SOC, and VB had similar BF%. Body height was greatest for BB and VB (177.92 ± 7.55 cm, 176.79 ± 7.36 cm, respectively). These data may assist in the establishment of descriptive values for use in goal setting and exercise programming. The current data demonstrate a trend toward increased body size and BC from previous research.

Analysis of activities in social media polish men's volleyball clubs of PlusLiga

The article has been written in order to present activities in social media of PlusLiga teams in Polish men's volleyball sport clubs. The aim of this report is to show the diversified social media management (Facebook and Instagram in particular) influence on the recipients statistics. The main research method for the given article is data obtained from club profiles on Instagram and Facebook. The Instagram data has underwent a detailed analysis as this social medium is one of the main tools of sports marketing, building and promoting a good image of sports teams. Thanks to the information provided, it is possible to determine at what stage is the social media sports marketing of the PlusLiga clubs. Eight teams with different positions in the league table from season 2017/18 were selected for the study. The presented results and charts are an original work and can be used to analyze the development of social media activities of men's volleyball teams.

Perception of Stakeholders on the Compliance of Sports Facilities to Relevant Standards in Selected Universities in South West Nigeria

This paper examines the level of compliance of sports facilities, in selected universities in South-Western Nigeria to relevant standards (National and International standards). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire which was administered on sports men and women (4 male, 2 female). Personnel responsible for maintenance of sports facilities in the universities were also sampled (two groundsmen from each University, the Director of Sports and two other members of the sport Council, Director of Works, four maintenance Supervisors, and two maintenance administrative staff, and eighteen maintenance operatives in each of the selected University). The study incorporated all the fifteen sports featured at the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) competitions. Three federal universities were purposively selected because these have facilities for all the fifteen sports and have hosted national and international sporting events. A total of four hundred and fifty four copies of the questionnaires (454) were administered and (342) copies were retrieved and found useful for analysis. Two hundred and sixty one copies (71.7%) copies of questionnaire were retrieved from sports men and women and 81 copies (90%) from maintenance staff in the universities sampled. Data obtained were analysed using frequency distribution, percentages and mean response analysis. The findings revealed that football field; hockey and cricket pitches were rated very low on the availability of sprinklers. The hard courts were rated very low on ‘crack free’ and ‘free of holes. The swimming pool was equally rated very poorly on pool chemical balance and cleanliness of water. The study concluded that sports facilities in South West Nigeria were not complying with the requisite national and international standards. The study therefore recommended immediate response from the management of the sports facilities in order to return the facilities to normal operations halt accelerated deterioration, correct cited safety hazards and life safety code violations.

Inconsistent anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) in rugby players: a source of injuries?

BackgroundWe are developing since 2010 with Thales and the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR) M-Rex, a new kind of rugby scrum simulator. The study questioned whether it could improve safety...

Forming the concept of the sports culture of the person in the conditions of globalization: domestic and foreign experience

The urgency of the research is the concept of sports culture, which is formed in the conditions of globalization with the usage of domestic and foreign experience which is analyzed. The concept of sport is seen as expression of the generic nature of a man that is reduced to a physical and spiritual perfection of man, the harmony of the soul with the inner essence of a man. Formulation of the task - the article focuses on the development of sports culture in the conditions of globalization, which acts as an integral part of global culture and acts as an influential force capable of consolidating society. Sports are an important element of culture and one of the most widespread activities. Sport is claimed as a social, cultural and economic phenomenon of a globalized society. This type of society requires the development of the concept of sports culture and its implementation in the cultural practice of sports management. The analysis of recent research and publications. We rely on authors who investigated sport as a phenomenon that acts as a factor in the formation and development of personality. The problem of self-determination of a sports personality as a philosophical problem is considered in the philosophical works of V. Bilohur, N. Vizitey, R. Robertson, I. Walsall's, E. Giddens, M. Kastesels, U. Beka. Isolation of unexplored parts of the general problem - conceptualization of the concept of sports culture. At the core of the study is the conceptualization of the basic sports circuits in the system of interdisciplinary space as a factor for the formation of a tempered and integral sports personality. Methodology - the use of approaches, in particular anthropologic, ontological and art-therapeutic, which allowed considering sport as an important economic, social and cultural phenomenon, aimed at developing the concept of sports culture. Presenting main material. The place and role of the concept of sports culture as a new scientific direction and discipline of the culture of sports management are analyzed. At the heart of the culture of sports management - the development of a sports man, the use of humanistic and cultural foundations for the formation of a holistic concept of sports culture. The place and role of sports culture in the conditions of globalization in the context of domestic and foreign experience for the affirmation and development of the human organism, which predetermine the formation of a sports person, is explored. It is revealed that the concept of sports culture forms a model for expanding the influence of sport on all spheres of society's life in a globalizing environment, which contributes to the unification of mankind. The essence of sport as the main determinant of influence on the development of the culture of sports personality is revealed. Conclusions - the concept of sport in the context of sports culture in the conditions of globalization, based on which the affirmation of the cultivation of the culture of the soul, body and spirit, is revealed

A 6-minute sub-maximal run test to predict VO2 max

ABSTRACTMaximal oxygen uptake ( max) is a key indicator to assess health as well as sports performance. Currently, maximal exercise testing is the most accurate measure of maximal aerobic power, since submaximal approaches are still imprecise. In this paper, we propose a new method to predict max from a submaximal, low intensity, test in sports men and women. 182 males and 108 females from the High Performance Center of Pontevedra (Spain), aged 10–46 years old, with a max between 30.1 and 81.2 mL·min−1·kg−1, completed a maximal incremental test to volitional exhaustion. The test began at a speed of 6 km·h−1 and increased by 0.25 km·h−1 every 15 seconds. Using the data gathered during the first 6 minutes of the test, two different regression models were adjusted using functional data analysis and a traditional linear regression model with scalar covariates. The functional regression model obtained the best results, adjusted r2 = 0.845 and RMSE = 2.8 mL·min−1·kg−1, but the linear regression model also obtained a good fit, adjusted r2 = 0.798 and RMSE = 3.5 mL·min−1·kg−1. Both methods are more accurate than classical submaximal tests, although oxygen consumption needs to be measured during the test.

The gendered emotional labor of male professional ‘freesurfers’ digital media work

Male professional ‘freesurfers’ are paid to live an aspirational lifestyle and communicate this through their digital media work. In this article I argue that a ‘stoke imperative’ championed by the surf industry necessitates emotional labour. Stoke is surf vernacular for a clustering of feeling thrilled, joyful, pleased, happy, optimistic, excited and satisfied. The surf industry manufactures and commodifies stoke to profit from it. Emotional labour is often assumed to be what women are ‘naturally’ predisposed to and ‘better at’. It is found that male professional freesurfers are competent at employing strategies for doing emotional labour when doing digital media work, such as micro-celebrity. However, this involves negotiating expectations, traits, and values of masculinity. It is also found that digital media technologies direct a professional sport ‘technosoma’ that networks emotional labour for profit. The article extends a small body of literature on how emotional labour is practised by men in sport.

The concept of sport in the race of theoretically-methodological forms of sports management - anthropology, ontology and art-therapy

The urgency of the study is that the concept of sport in the perspective of the basic schemes of anthropology, ontology and art therapy and the conditions of its formation is analyzed. The concept of sports in the perspective of the perspective of the basic schemes of anthropology, ontology and art therapy is the result of the formation of a sports man, tempering the human body and achieving his sporting results. Formulation of the task - sport management is the basis of the formation of a society in which the demand is sport as an economic, social and cultural phenomenon of a globalized society. This type of society requires the development of the concept of a variety and its interweaving in the cultural practice of sports management . Analysis of recent research and publications. We rely on authors who investigated sport as a phenomenon that acts as a factor in the formation and development of personality. The problem of individual self-determination as a philosophical problem is considered in the philosophical writings of S. Kierkegaard, K. Yaspers, M. Heidegger, J. P. Sartre, A. Kamyu and E.Fromma. Selection of unexplored parts of the general problem - conceptualization of the concept of sport as an object and subject of sports management. At the core of the study is the conceptualization of the basic schemes of anthropology, ontology and art therapy in the system of interdisciplinary space as a factor for the formation of a tempered and integral sports personality. Formulation of the problem - the use of approaches, in particular anthropologic, ontological and art therapeutic, which allowed considering sport as an important economic, a social and cultural phenomenon, aimed at the formation of a sports man as a cohabitant. Presenting main material . The place and role of the concept of sport as a new scientific direction and discipline of sport management are analyzed. The basis of sport management is the development of a sports person, the use of anthropological, ontological and art-therapeutic grounds for forming the integral end of a sports person. It was investigated that creativity, game and sport are universal functions of the person, which lead to the implementation of various forms of identity of the affirmation and development of the human body, which determine the formation of a sports person. It is determined that sports management forms a model for expanding the influence of sport on all spheres of society's life. The essence of sport as the main determinant of influence on the development of sports personality is revealed. Conclusion - the concept of sports is outlined in the perspective of the basic schemes of anthropology, ontology and art therapy, which is based on the affirmation of the sports dominant and its cultivation in sport management

Neuroelectric responses of sportsmen and sedentaries under cognitive stress.

Stress and anxiety are states which sportsmen are continuously exposed to. Our study aimed to evaluate neuroelectrical peripheral and central nervous system responses of sportsmen (SPR) and sedentary individuals (SED) during concentration grid test (CGT) employed under time pressure. Forty three SPR and 33 SED participated in the study. Neuroelectrical responses were simultaneously obtained during baseline and CGT. All responses were observed to increase under stress in both SED and SPR. The SPR's stress related peripheral responses were lower than SED's. When central values were evaluated a stress related increase according to baseline was observed in all frequency powers in all of the participants. Statistical comparison of increase rates revealed a significantly greater increase in beta in SED compared to SPR. Beta has been associated to alertness and cortical arousal. As SED exhibit greater beta increase under stress compared to SPR their state of cortical arousal and alertness may be interpreted to be higher than SPR. However the SPR's weak increase in beta and their lower peripheral responses taken together may imply that they are better in stress management. In fact according to their performance scores the SPR's higher level of performance under stress compared to SED shows that they are better at maintaining and focusing their attention under stress than SED.

Sports press coverage of Polish female athletes during the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

During the last Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the Polish female representatives won sig-nificantly more medals compared to men. This fact made the authors examine whether female athletes received proportionate media coverage compared to men. In the course ofresearch, articles from the two largest Polish dailies were analysed (“Gazeta Wyborcza” and “Fakt Gazeta Codzienna”). With the use of content analysis, 197 articles were analysed in order to check whether any quantitative and qualitative differences can be observed in describing women's and men's sport. The results show underrepresentation of press coverage regarding women's sport. The results of qualitative analysis also point to a number of differences when portraying women's and men's sport.

Longitudinal Leisure Activity Profiles and Their Associations with Recovery Experiences and Job Performance

ABSTRACTWe aimed to identify longitudinal leisure activity profiles among working adults and their links to recovery experiences and job performance. Leisure activities, recovery experiences, and job performance were investigated among 831 employees using survey data collected in spring 2013 (T1) and 2014 (T2). Through latent profile analysis (LPA), four stable longitudinal leisure activity profiles were identified. “Social Sports(wo)men” (46%) engaged in physical and social activities but rarely in creative or cultural activities. “Active Artists” (23%) pursued all leisure activities, particularly creative activities. “Socially & Culturally Inactives” (17%) exercised frequently but seldom engaged in social, cultural or creative activities. “Inactive Soloists” (14%) spent little time on physical activities. “Active Artists” reported most beneficial recovery experiences and job performance. Our results corroborate the importance of leisure activities (particularly diverse and creative activities) in facilitating recovery from work stress and job performance.

Three waves of gay male athlete coming out narratives

ABSTRACTRecent announcements by Michael Sam, Jason Collins, Robbie Rogers, and others belong to a longer tradition that I label the gay male athlete coming out narrative. I chart this rhetorical genre in three waves, corresponding to the historical moment in which each narrative was published and the rhetorical tactics that each set of authors use to reconcile their identities as gay athletes and argue for the existence and suitability of gay men in professional sports. Of particular note are contemporary third-wave narratives which introduce the actively out, visible, gay male body becoming aware of his place in history as a rhetorical opportunity for social intervention. Even as I recognize the limits of athletes’ ability to represent the diversity of interests, values, and politics of the broader LGBTQ movement, I argue that these narratives should become part of what Charles E. Morris III calls “the diverse domain of the usable past.” These narratives indicate the importance of understanding genre evolution alongside individual biography, historical context, and shifting values within broader attempts at social transformation.

The Relationship between Sport Participation and Chronic Diseases among Men in the USA: An Examination of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Sport participation has been associated with lower rates of chronic diseases when compared to other forms of physical activity (PA) among women. However, we do not know if this relationship holds true for men. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sport participation and men’s health and chronic diseases in the USA. This study was a secondary data analysis of the 2015 national Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. Participants were questioned extensively about their PA behaviors. Seventy-six different activities were identified and these activities were categorized as sport, conditioning exercise, recreation, or household tasks based upon previously identified categories. Logistic regression was utilized to calculate odds and adjusted odds ratios for chronic diseases based on physical activity category. When compared to men who participated in sport, men in the other PA categories had significantly higher odds for all of the chronic diseases except asthma. After controlling for demographic variables, significant odds remain except for stroke. Higher odds for chronic diseases in the other PA categories indicates that men in these group have a higher risk for chronic diseases than men in the sport category. Because of the potential health improvements related to sports participation, it is important to maintain and increase sport participation for both adolescents and adults.

Sport and Muslim men in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada: an exploratory study

This study is based on semi-structured interviews with nine Muslim men, between 19 and 25 years of age, living in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada, about their sport experiences. Study participants tried to balance their sporting interests with their desire to follow their faith, demonstrating varying degrees and dimensions of social inclusion. Sometimes physical education teachers and coaches facilitated inclusion, especially with regards to prayers and limiting activity levels during Ramadan. In contrast, with respect to factors not directly part of the game or sport, the men had to negotiate and reconcile conflicts between their beliefs and some of the normalized practices within the sport culture they were in. This included gendered norms of coarse and sexualized language, alcohol consumption and the provision of non-halal food. A few participants therefore found it far more comfortable and easier to participate in Muslim-led or Islamic informed sport.

Ball-Contact Injuries in 11 National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports: The Injury Surveillance Program, 2009-2010 Through 2014-2015.

Surveillance data regarding injuries caused by ball contact in collegiate athletes have not been well examined and are mostly limited to discussions of concussions and catastrophic injuries. To describe the epidemiology of ball-contact injuries in 11 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports during the 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 academic years. Descriptive epidemiology study. Convenience sample of NCAA programs in 11 sports (men's football, women's field hockey, women's volleyball, men's baseball, women's softball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, and men's and women's soccer) during the 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 academic years. Collegiate student-athletes participating in 11 sports. Ball-contact-injury rates, proportions, rate ratios, and proportion ratios with 95% confidence intervals were based on data from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program during the 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 academic years. During the 2009-2010 through 2014-2015 academic years, 1123 ball-contact injuries were reported, for an overall rate of 3.54/10 000 AEs. The sports with the highest rates were women's softball (8.82/10 000 AEs), women's field hockey (7.71/10 000 AEs), and men's baseball (7.20/10 000 AEs). Most ball-contact injuries were to the hand/wrist (32.7%) and head/face (27.0%) and were diagnosed as contusions (30.5%), sprains (23.1%), and concussions (16.1%). Among sex-comparable sports (ie, baseball/softball, basketball, and soccer), women had a larger proportion of ball-contact injuries diagnosed as concussions than men (injury proportion ratio = 2.33; 95% confidence interval = 1.63, 3.33). More than half (51.0%) of ball-contact injuries were non-time loss (ie, participation-restriction time <24 hours), and 6.6% were severe (ie, participation-restriction time ≥21 days). The most common severe ball-contact injuries were concussions (n = 18) and finger fractures (n = 10). Ball-contact-injury rates were the highest in women's softball, women's field hockey, and men's baseball. Although more than half were non-time-loss injuries, severe injuries such as concussions and fractures were reported.

Levelling the Playing Field: Discrimination Against Women in Sport in Australia

Historically, female athletes have received minimal recognition and inequitable remuneration in the male-dominated world of sports. Recent developments are promising but a deeper examination of the changes within sports such as the Australian Football League (‘AFL’) and netball demonstrate that these historical issues remain. This article will first outline the relevant legislative and policy background, and the basis of discrimination against women in sport from feminist perspectives. A detailed analysis of two specific and interrelated issues will then be discussed: lower salaries, sponsorship and prize money, and inadequate media coverage. The inaugural AFL Women’s (‘AFLW’) competition marks a significant step forward for women’s sport and will be examined with regards to these particular issues. Finally, recent developments and further recommendations for eliminating discrimination will be outlined, including legislative amendments, targeted policies, and the need for a change in the gendered assumptions that women are somehow inferior to men in sport and in society in general.

Audiovestibular symptoms as predictors of prolonged sports-related concussion among NCAA athletes.

We looked to determine the rates of audiovestibular symptoms following sports-related concussions among collegiate athletes. Further, we assessed the correlation between these symptoms and the time to return to participation in athletic activity. Retrospective analysis of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System (NCAA-ISS). The NCAA-ISS was queried from 2009 through 2014 for seven men's sports and eight women's sports across divisions 1, 2, and 3. Injuries resulting in concussions were analyzed for audiovestibular symptoms, duration of symptoms, and return to participation times. From 2009 to 2014, there were 1,647 recorded sports-related concussions, with athletes reporting dizziness (68.2%), imbalance (35.8%), disorientation (31.4%), noise sensitivity (29.9%), and tinnitus (8.5%). Concussion symptoms resolved within 1 day (17.1%), within 2 to 7 days (50.0%), within 8 to 30 days (25.9%), or persisted over 1 month (7.0%). Return to participation occurred within 1 week (38.3%), within 1 month (53.0%), or over 1 month (8.7%). Using Mann-Whitney U testing, overall symptom duration and return to competition time were significantly increased when any of these symptoms were present (P < 0.05). Duration of concussion symptom correlated with dizziness (P = 0.043) and noise sensitivity (P = 0.000), whereas return to participation times correlated with imbalance (P = 0.011) and noise sensitivity (P = 0.000). Dizziness and imbalance (odds ratio: 4.15, confidence interval: 3.20-5.38, P < 0.001) were the two symptoms with the strongest association. Audiovestibular symptoms are common complaints among collegiate athletes sustaining concussions. Dizziness and noise sensitivity correlated with the duration of concussive symptoms, whereas imbalance and noise sensitivity was correlated with prolonged return to competition time. 4. Laryngoscope, 127:2850-2853, 2017.

Gamed by the System: Exploring Black Male Youths’ Motivation to Participate in Sports

Previous research contributes to our knowledge about young people’s motivation to participate in sports and athletic programs. In particular, scholarship has identified significant others (such as parents and peers) and internal drivers (for example, physical ability and skill, the desire to succeed, love of competition, etc.) as some of the forces that shape the involvement of young men in sports. The role of institutions and structures in influencing the decisions of young males to join sports, however, is neglected to some extent in the current literature. Given the history of race and gender marginalization relative to sports in the US, distinguishing an additional layer that influences motivations are important. Young black males face additional social pressures in society and in schools, in particular. In this article we suggest that schools use sports to control the behaviors and aid the character development of young black men.

Evaluation of Mental Well-Being and General Health Points of Active Sports

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the general health status and mental well-being of the active sports men. Method: Research type is descriptive relational. The study’s universe was included in a sample of all the individuals who participated in the study, including a programmer who included a programmer and who did not go to the sample selection method. 67 athletes who agreed to participate in the survey have formed a sample. Socio-demographic information form, General Health Questionnaire and Mental Well-Being Scale were used to collect data. The data were collected in the classroom environment after the course in which the athletes were collectively trained. Numerical percentages, t test and correlation analysis were used in the evaluation of the data. Findings: When the socio-demographic characteristics of the athletes were examined, the average age was 36.24 ± 3.12, 50.7% were female, 63.3% were married, 47.3% were university graduates and 54.3% and sports for years. Participants’ mean scores from the general health questionnaire were 2.47 ± 0.91 and mean scores from the mental wellbeing scale were 51.31 ± 8.42. When the relationship between participants’ general health questionnaire and mental well-being score averages were examined, it was found that there was a strong correlation in the positive direction (r=- 0.742, p=0.08). Conclusion: In line with the results of this research; men, secondary school graduates, and those who are engaged in sports for 1-4 years have taken place in the risk group in terms of general health and mental well-being. Individuals’ overall health point averages were also found to increase mental well-being.