Number Of Sports Research Articles

Power–Load Curve in Trained Sprinters

The levels of lower-limb strength and power can distinguish between athletes of different levels in a number of sports, specifically in sprinting. In this sense, the purposes of this study were (a) to define the power–load curve in a modified half squat machine in trained sprinters in the competitive cycle and (b) to correlate the peak power (PP) production with 60-m sprint performance. In this sense, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 10 national level sprinters. After the calculation of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) of the participants, a progressive test, which consisted of moving loads of 30, 45, 60, 70, and 80% of the 1RM as quickly as possible in the concentric phase, was performed. It was found that PP occurred at 60% of 1RM. The power output with all loads was not significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) from each other. No significant correlations were found between 60-m performance and PP with the different loads. Therefore, we may conclude that the sprinters of national level analyzed present values of PP output, in the competitive period, near to 60% of 1RM in the half squat exercise; however, this power is not significantly different from the other loads.

Gene expression profiling in human whole blood samples after controlled testosterone application and exercise

Doping with anabolic agents is regulated within a number of sports. Testosterone and its functional analogs are popular compounds for increasing muscle mass, physical performance, recovery, and reducing body fat. While routine tests for anabolic drugs exist (e.g. hair, urine, and blood analysis), the aim of the present study is to determine specific gene expression profiles (induced by testosterone and exercise) which may be used as effective biomarkers to determine the use of anabolic drugs. In this study, whole blood samples of 19 male volunteers were analyzed by semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for gene expression profiles in the context of exercise and transdermal testosterone application (1.5 mg/kg body weight). The hormone application was monitored by urine and saliva analysis for testosterone. Both urinary and saliva levels indicate that transdermal testosterone application leads to an increase of testosterone, especially after exercise. RT-PCR results showed a clear variation in the expression of target genes as well as established housekeeping genes. Only one of the nine common housekeeping genes, cyclophilin b (PPIB), appears to be independent of both exercise and testosterone. Out of 14 candidate genes, five are unregulated; all others were more or less influenced by the mentioned variables. Only interleukin-6 appeared to be exclusively dependent on long-term testosterone application. This study indicates that many genes are not influenced by testosterone alone while exercise modulates gene expression in whole blood samples. As such, exercise must be considered when validating gene expression techniques for doping analysis.

Overview of University Sport in Iran

Overview of University Sport in IranThis article focuses on the structure and management systems of sport at Iranian universities. The method of this research was through an analysis of documents. Sport in the system of Iranian universities is divided into three different categories. The physical education department of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran is responsible for sport at universities in the country, and managing sport affairs. Authority was granted to secretariats in the various regions so that decision making would be decentralized due to the large size of the country and the large number of universities in the various geographical regions. Due to this great geographical diversity, universities should continue their activities under the supervision of sport secretariats in their given regions. The participation of students in sport activities at Iranian universities was calculated in three categories; students with different interests and skills can participate in various numbers of sports, championships, and sport festivals. At this time, with regards to the scientific attitudes towards sport and physical activities and the expanding culture of sport at Iranian universities, the number of participants in sport activities is increasing. In the conclusion it is stated that improving the knowledge and attention of students regarding the importance of sport in different aspects of education and life, as well as the recognition of present barriers and support of campus volunteers, could help to increase the participation of students in sport activities. Moreover, the allocation of more power and authority to each region, as well as holding different local and traditional sport festivals, could help to improve the development of sport at Iranian universities.

Women’s and Girls’ Sports in Turkey

In Turkey, as a secular Muslim country, women have a modern, contemporary lifestyle but are also attached to their traditions and customs. Although sport in Turkey is being encouraged and supported by the state through The Directorate General of Youth and Sports (DGYS), the Turkish Football Federation, and sports clubs, the gap between the facilities and number of sports provided for male and female athletes can easily be seen. Women and girls are not receiving the same opportunities as men, which differ by region and according to the socioeconomic status and education level of the people. The families’ view of sports is also an important factor affecting girls’ sports. In the past two decades there has been an increase in participation among women and girls in elite and recreational sports, however this is not satisfactory.

Sport-decision aids and the “CSI-effect”: Why cricket uses Hawk-Eye well and tennis uses it badly

Technologies of visualisation and measurement are changing the relationship between spectators and match officials at sporting events. Umpires and referees find themselves under increasing scrutiny and sports governing bodies are experimenting with new technologies and additional "off-field" officials in order to preserve the legitimacy of decision-making. In this paper, we examine how technologies are being used in a number of sports, paying particular attention to the way in which uncertainty and indeterminacy are conveyed to viewers and spectators. The contrast between cricket and tennis is particularly instructive in this respect as the same technology is used in two very different ways. The paper concludes with a series of recommendations for implementing sports measurement technologies whilst preserving the traditions of individual sports and enriching technological culture.

The Relationship between Affect and Imagery Use in a Non-Competitive Setting

This study investigated the relationship between positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and subsequent imagery use outside of a sports competitive setting. Participants from a United Kingdom university included 117 individuals (71 male, 46 female), with a mean age of 19.11 (SD = 1.74), from a number of sports (e.g., rugby, football, netball, athletics, cricket), completed the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall et al., 1998) and Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson et al., 1988). Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated significant differences in participants’ imagery use, Wilks’ ? F (4, 113) = 21.715, p = < 0.01, ?² = .44, with pairwise comparisons using a Bonferroni adjustment of p = 0.01 recording significant differences in SIQ subscale ratings. To analyse the extent PA and NA predict functions of imagery use five hierarchical regressions were performed. The results demonstrate PA more so than NA influences the SIQ’s motivational imagery functions. Neither PA nor NA acted as predictors for the SIQ’s cognitive subscales. To account for the specificity of this relationship the authors propose a model to guide future research.

Piggery and Predictability: An Exploration of the Hog in Football’s Limelight

Piggery and Predictability: An Exploration of the Hog in Football’s Limelight

Speed endurance training is a powerful stimulus for physiological adaptations and performance improvements of athletes

The present article reviews the physiological and performance effects of speed endurance training consisting of exercise bouts at near maximal intensities in already trained subjects. Despite a reduction in training volume, speed endurance training of endurance-trained athletes can maintain the oxidative capacity and improve intense short-duration/repeated high-intensity exercise performance lasting 30 s to 4 min, as it occurs in a number of sports. When combined with a basic volume of training including some aerobic high-intensity sessions, speed endurance training is also useful in enhancing performance during longer events, e.g. 40 K cycling and 10 K running. Athletes in team sports involving intense exercise actions and endurance aspects can also benefit from performing speed endurance training. These improvements don't appear to depend on changes in maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), muscle substrate levels, glycolytic and oxidative enzymes activity, and membrane transport proteins involved in pH regulation. Instead they appear to be related to a reduced energy expenditure during submaximal exercise and a higher expression of muscle Na(+) ,K(+) pump α-subunits, which via a higher Na(+) ,K(+) pump activity during exercise may delay fatigue development during intense exercise. In conclusion, athletes from disciplines involving periods of intense exercise can benefit from the inclusion of speed endurance sessions in their training programs.

Wireless tracking system for sports training indoors and outdoors

Radio tracking of athletes for performance monitoring and training, mainly using the global positioning system (GPS), is becoming widespread across a range of outdoor sports. GPS is generally unavailable at indoor venues, and even outdoors its accuracy is often inadequate. In this paper we present a new localisation system called WASP that works indoors, provides greater accuracy than GPS and does not require any cabling to be installed enabling rapid setup. The system is currently being trialled in a number of sports, and results of trials with wheelchair basket ball and netball skills acquisition are reported.

The untold story of Robben Island: sports and the anti-Apartheid movement

Anthony Suze was born in 1942, in a small township northwest of Pretoria. By his own admission, a more avid sportsman than student, he participated in a number of sports and played second-division soccer with Methodist FC. His political awareness emerged in Apartheid-era South Africa 1960 when he was recruited by the Pan Africanist Congress. In 1963, Suze was one of members instructed by party commanders to mobilize and indoctrinate other students. Upon Suze's resulting arrest, he was one of 14 men, most in their early-20s, who were sentenced in May 1963 to a combined 185 years on the infamous Robben island prison. Suze spent the next 15 years on the island. While there he participated in a remarkable movement of sport resistance, as the political prisoners agitated for and won the right to organize their own soccer league. The resulting Makana Football Association was a multi-team, two-division league – featuring formal team administrative structures, referees trained according to FIFA standards, and a league-wide disciplinary committee – that allowed the participants to be physically active while honing their organizational skills as the government-in-waiting.

Hip Adductors' Strength, Flexibility, and Injury Risk

The hip adductor muscle group plays an important role in both movement and stability at the hip joint in many athletic pursuits. Injury to this muscle group has been reported in a number of sports, among them, ice hockey, soccer, Australian football, and swimming. The identification of muscle characteristics that predispose a muscle to injury is an important step in developing conditioning programs to reduce injury risk. Muscle strength and range of motion are 2 parameters that may influence injury risk. The aim of this review was to examine the relationship between hip adductors' strength, flexibility, and injury risk. Strength testing has involved isokinetic or hand-held dynamometry. Flexibility has usually been assessed by goniometry during maximal hip abduction. An association has been reported between adductor strength deficits and injury for ice hockey players. Low adductor flexibility has also been identified as a risk factor for injury in soccer players. An intervention program that strengthened the hip adductors had some success in reducing injury risk for ice hockey players. There is some low- to moderate-level evidence from cohort studies to suggest that flexibility and strength are related to injury risk in particular sports and that an intervention program may be effective in reducing injury risk. Higher level evidence from randomized controlled trials is required to firmly establish the link between hip adductor flexibility, strength, and injury.

“Rebellion in the Kingdom of Swat”: Sportswriters, African American Athletes, and Coverage of Curt Flood's Lawsuit against Major League Baseball

In 1970, baseball star Curt Flood sued Major League Baseball in an effort to change the game's free agency rules. With few exceptions, those who have written about Flood's case agree that sports-writers of the era were overwhelmingly unsupportive of Flood because they believed that his lawsuit would destroy the national pastime. The author researched hundreds of newspapers and magazine articles, and has concluded that the belief that the majority of sports columnists considered Flood's lawsuit “a traitorous undertaking,” as one author put it, is false. In fact, a majority of sports scribes both criticized and praised Flood, as well as the baseball establishment. And while a number of sports columnists unambiguously castigated Flood and his actions, nearly as many enthusiastically backed his lawsuit and rhetoric. This article, then, argues that the sporting press of the early 1970s was more socially aware and sensitive to racial issues, and demonstrated more empathy for an outspoken black man like Flood, than is commonly believed. The author suggests that the opinions of the white sporting press on the divisive issues of the era were as varied and intricate as those of the wider American public.

Impact of a primary school-based nutrition and physical activity intervention on learners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A pilot study

No Abstract.

An analysis of homogeneity and heterogeneity of elite sports systems in six nations

Abstract This study examines the homogeneity and heterogeneity of elite sports development as a consequence of the internationalisation process in six nations (Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK). Nine policy areas or 'pillars' that were identified as important sports policy factors leading to international sporting success are compared. The findings suggest that elite sports policies are becoming increasingly homogeneous, but that there are considerable variations in each of the nine pillars. Keywords elite sports systems elite sports policies elite sports development Executive summary As a consequence of internationalisation, elite sports systems from different nations have been copied all over the world. Accordingly, in their search for the best pathway to success, elite sports systems and policies of different nations are converging to uniform models of elite sports development. But there is room for diversity. This paper explores to what extent elite sports policies in six nations (Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK) have become more homogeneous, and where differences emerge. The study uses a framework of nine policy areas or 'pillars' that are identified as important sports policy factors leading to international sporting success. Data is collected through individual researchers in each nation, using semi-structured written questionnaires. 46 critical success factors are compared in order to detect the main similarities and variations in the sample nations for each pillar. The results endorse the opinions of other authors that homogeneity has increased, but also show that there are considerable variations in each of the nine pillars, and that large differences emerge in the way elite sports policies are implemented in the different nations. It appears that the best-performing nations in the Olympic Summer Games (Italy, the UK and the Netherlands) also spend the highest amount of money on elite sport. Differences are found in the priorities made by nations for elite sport (like Canada, the Netherlands and Italy) compared to sport for all (Norway, Belgium) and the number of sports that are targeted for elite sport. Furthermore, all nations provide financial support for athletes, but the range of support, the criteria and the purpose vary considerably. Financial support for coaches is still slow in developing in the sample nations. All the nations, except Belgium, have structural coach education systems for the highest level of elite coach and several career development services. Only in Canada and Italy is a coach qualification required in sports clubs. In conclusion, it was stated that generally little variation was found in the global organisation of elite sports policies, and there is a trend towards institutionalisation and centralisation of elite sport. However, the internationalisation process has also led to increasing distinctions because nations implement policies differently, fitting within their own cultural background and their priorities in elite sport. Finally, it was stated that some questions remain internationally unsolved in elite sports policies, indicating that still no consensus is found on the theory of sports policy factors leading to international sporting success. Introduction The discussion of internationalisation is a global one, which certainly also affects elite sports development. As borders have become more porous, as more information is available on elite sports systems and policies through the internet, and as nations strive for the same goal of 'winning more medals', it is an evident consequence that nations imitate and copy elite sports systems from each other. This is related to the increasing competition in high-performance sport and the awareness that standing still means going backwards, because elite sporting success is determined by the velocity of sports developments of rival nations (De Bosscher et al, 2008). …

Experience With “Sports Hernia” Spanning Two Decades

Athletic pubalgia (AP) is a leading cause of athlete loss from competitive sports. Commonly misnamed "sports hernia," AP is a set of pelvic injuries involving the abdominal and pelvic musculature outside the ball-and-socket hip joint and on both sides of the pubic symphysis. Prospective studies show that timely intervention and appropriate repair of selected injuries results in greater than 95% success. The senior author reviewed his experience with 8,490 patients and 5,460 operations, looking primarily at the changes in patient characteristics over the last 2 decades and at some of the advances. Female proportion, age, numbers of sports, and soft tissue structures involved have all increased as have the number of syndromes identified and number of operations. MRI has improved greatly for both the diagnosis of hip and nonhip pathology in the pelvis. Increased understanding has led also to new rehabilitation and performance protocols. Better understanding and recognition of the injuries has led to more satisfactory care and returned many athletes to successful careers, which has had a major impact on modern sport.

Temporal trends in adults’ sports participation patterns in England between 1997 and 2006: the Health Survey for England

Objective:To examine temporal trends in participation in sport and exercise activities in England between 1997 and 2006 while taking into account wider societal changes.Design:A series of annual cross-sectional surveys.Setting and...

Trend in Sports Injuries among Young People in Finland

The main purpose of this study was to explore how the number of home, sports, and other leisure time injuries among young people aged 15 - 25 years has developed in Finland in 1988 - 2003. In 1988, 2559 people aged 15 - 25 years were interviewed by Statistics Finland. In 1993, 1997 and 2003 those amounts were 751, 1638 and 1382. The subjects were asked in a telephone interview to report the injuries in which they had been involved during the previous 12 months. The crude injury incidence in 2003 was 364 per 1000 person years in men and 246 in women. The total number of injuries increased 49 % between the years 1988 and 2003. The number of sports injuries increased the most. The increase was greater among men than women, and the injury rate was higher among both men and women aged 15 - 19 years than those aged 20 - 25 years. More research is needed on whether and how exercise and time at home have changed and become riskier among young people. It is also essential to find out which prevention methods are the most effective among young people and implement these measures in a well-planned and targeted manner.

‘Stop the Game, You've Lost Your Ribbons, Miss!’

British newspapers in 1895 were divided along partisan political lines, primarily between Liberal and Conservative or branches within those parties. Sometimes newspapers within parties split over issues of the day, such as Irish Home Rule. Newspapers in the 1890s increased the number of sports they covered and the amount of space devoted to sport within the newspaper. Several sports magazines appeared. Coverage of the BLFC match at Crouch End was generally negative, although the two most positive newspapers were both Liberal. Most newspapers used words such as ‘joke,’‘farce,’ or ‘novelty’ to describe the match, and also focused on detailed descriptions of the players’ clothing and sarcastic descriptions of their appearance. A double-standard appeared in the coverage because when most of the women played poorly that was used to prove the rule that women could not play football, and when a few played well they were considered an aberration.

Laying It on Thin: Analogical Cue Frequency in the Manipulation of Choice

Persuasive analogies consist of linguistic cues that invite audiences to represent a problem in terms of an analog and to make choices compatible with this manipulated representation. The authors explore how the frequency of linguistic cues moderates analogical bias in choice behavior. Participants read versions of a managerial decision scenario differing in the number of sports (e.g., game plan) or family (e.g., parent company) idioms used to describe situational attributes and then chose between analogically consistent and inconsistent response options. Analogies consisting of an intermediate number of cues elicited higher rates of analogically consistent responding than those of higher and lower cue frequency. When explaining their responses, participants referred to the sports or family analogies most often to rationalize rejecting the analogically consistent response option after reading high cue frequency versions. These findings indicate that there are lower and upper boundaries to a persuasive analogy's optimal cue frequency.

Gender Bias in the Effects of Arms and Countermovement on Jumping Performance

The ability to jump high is considered important in a number of sports. It is commonly accepted that the use of the arms and a counter movement increase jump height. In some sport situations (e.g., volley ball block, basketball rebound), athletes may not be able to utilize a counter movement or arm swing. The purpose of this study is to examine gender differences in the contribution of the arm swing and counter movement to vertical jump height. Fifty college students, 25 men (age = 21.4 +/- 1.7 years, height = 182.2 +/- 8 cm, weight = 83.7 +/- 12.4 kg) and 25 women (age = 20.7 +/- 1.6 years, height = 166.7 +/- 6.3 cm, weight = 61.5 +/- 7.0 kg), performed 4 jumping movements: squat jumps with hands on hips (SNA), counter movement jump with hands on hips (CMNA), squat jump with arm swing (SA), and counter movement with arm swing (CMA). Significant differences were found between men's and women's performance, as well as between each type of jump within each gender. A mixed-model analysis of variance detected gender differences with respect to changes in the jumping movement. For both sexes the jumps in order from worst to best were SNA, CMNA, SA, and CMA. Peak power values for men were 4,057, 4,020, 4,644, and 4,747 W, respectively, for the 4 jumps. The female power values were 2,543, 2,445, 2,842, and 2,788 W, respectively, for the 4 jumps. Arms increased jump height more than a counter movement for both genders, with jump heights for men at 29.6, 31, 36, and 38 cm, respectively, and those of women 21, 22, 26, and 27 cm, respectively. Use of the arms was found to increase the jump height of the men significantly more than that of women. Changes in jumping movements affect men and women differently. The greater increase in jump height for the men when using the arm swing could be because of greater upper body strength of men compared with women. This could have applications to training and upper body strength and also to modeling of jumping movements.