Regular Season Research Articles

Optimizing wheelchair basketball lineups: A statistical approach to coaching strategies.

This study was designed to support the tactical decisions of wheelchair basketball (WB) coaches in identifying the best players to form winning lineups. Data related to a complete regular season of a top-level WB Championship were examined. By analyzing game-related statistics from the first round, two clusters were identified that accounted for approximately 35% of the total variance. Cluster 1 was composed of low-performing athletes, while Cluster 2 was composed of high-performing athletes. Based on data related to the second round of the Championship, we conducted a two-fold evaluation of the clusters identified in the first round with the team's net performance as the outcome variable. The results showed that teams where players belonging to Cluster 2 had played more time during the second round of the championship were also those with the better team performance (R-squared = 0.48, p = 0.035), while increasing the playing time for players from Classes III and IV does not necessarily improve team performance (r2 = -0.14, p = 0.59). These results of the present study suggest that a collaborative approach between coaches and data scientists would significantly advance this Paralympic sport.

Analysis of Concussions Reported in American Professional Football Injury Reports in the 2019 Through 2023 Regular Seasons

ObjectiveThe National Football League (NFL) has seen increasing scrutiny regarding its handling of concussions, especially following an on-field incident involving Miami Dolphins’ (™) Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the 2022 Season. The authors hoped to elucidate recent trends in the diagnosis and management of concussions over the course of five NFL seasons across 2019-2023. MethodsThe authors queried NFL injury reports from the 2019 through 2023 database recording players listed with Concussions. Weeks missed were calculated using NFL game logs. Player’s concussions that did not occur in games, complicated by other injuries, or roster status were excluded. ResultsSearches of NFL injury reports resulted in the identification of 664 of 692 (96%) concussions that occurred in regular season games across the 2019-2023 seasons. Over the course of these five seasons 31% of players returned without missing a game, 39% of players missed one game, and 30% of players missed two or games. No significant difference in the number of concussions per game or weeks missed was observed across the seasons observed. Players with concussions on teams that made the playoffs saw less weeks missed than those on non-playoff teams (0.86 v. 1.37, p=0.002). ConclusionsSince the start of the 2021 NFL season, an increasing incidence of concussions has been noted, yet there was no change observed in the number of weeks missed following concussions. Trends in the rates of concussions across seasons remain largely stable, despite increased scrutiny over concussions in the sport.

Global Seasonal Activities of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Systematic Review.

Varied seasonal patterns of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have been reported worldwide. We conducted a systematic review on articles identified in PubMed reporting RSV seasonality based on data collected before 1 January 2020. RSV seasonal patterns were examined by geographic location, calendar month, analytic method, and meteorological factors including temperature and absolute humidity. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between RSV seasonality and study methods and characteristics of study locations. RSV seasons were reported in 209 articles published in 1973-2023 for 317 locations in 77 countries. Regular RSV seasons were similarly reported in countries in temperate regions, with highly variable seasons identified in subtropical and tropical countries. Longer durations of RSV seasons were associated with a higher daily average mean temperature and daily average mean absolute humidity. The global seasonal patterns of RSV provided important information for optimizing interventions against RSV infection.

Insights from a 31-year study demonstrate an inverse correlation between recreational activities and red deer fecundity, with bodyweight as a mediator.

Human activity is omnipresent in our landscapes. Animals can perceive risk from humans similar to predation risk, which could affect their fitness. We assessed the influence of the relative intensity of recreational activities on the bodyweight and pregnancy rates of red deer (Cervus elaphus) between 1985 and 2015. We hypothesized that stress, as a result of recreational activities, affects the pregnancy rates of red deer directly and indirectly via a reduction in bodyweight. Furthermore, we expected non-motorized recreational activities to have a larger negative effect on both bodyweight and fecundity, compared to motorized recreational activities. The intensity of recreational activities was recorded through visual observations. We obtained pregnancy data from female red deer that were shot during the regular hunting season. Additionally, age and bodyweight were determined through a post-mortem examination. We used two Generalized-Linear-Mixed Models (GLMM) to test the effect of different types of recreation on (1) pregnancy rates and (2) bodyweight of red deer. Recreation had a direct negative correlation with the fecundity of red deer, with bodyweight, as a mediator as expected. Besides, we found a negative effect of non-motorized recreation on fecundity and bodyweight and no significant effect of motorized recreation. Our results support the concept of humans as an important stressor affecting wild animal populations at a population level and plead to regulate recreational activities in protected areas that are sensitive. The fear humans induce in large-bodied herbivores and its consequences for fitness may have strong implications for animal populations.

Analysis of Sleep, Nocturnal Physiology, and Physical Demands of NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Across a Championship Season.

Merrigan, JJ, Stone, JD, Kraemer, WJ, Friend, C, Lennon, K, Vatne, EA, and Hagen, JA. Analysis of sleep, nocturnal physiology, and physical demands of NCAA women's ice hockey across a championship season. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 694-703, 2024-The aims of this study were to evaluate the (a) relationships between daily physical demands and nighttime sleep, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV); (b) weekly changes in physical demands and sleep; and (c) differences among positions and between training and competition during a competitive season in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women's ice hockey. Twenty-five NCAA Division I women's ice hockey athletes wore a sensor at night to monitor sleep quantity or quality (e.g., time asleep and sleep efficiency) and physiology (e.g., HR and HRV). During training and competitions (31 regular season and 7 postseason), athletes wore performance monitoring systems to assess workload demands (e.g., training impulse and TRIMP). As internal workload (TRIMP, Time >80% of HRmax, Average HR) during training or competition increased, nocturnal HRV decreased, HR increased, and Sleep Duration, Sleep Score, and Readiness Score decreased that night. Across the season, athletes experienced lower HRV, but exhibited longer sleep durations. Training Distance, Duration, Time >80% HRmax, Average HR, and TRIMP decreased, whereas competition Total Distance, Duration, and TRIMP increased across weeks throughout the season. There were differences across positions and season blocks when evaluating these data at the mesocycle level. Athletes slept longer before competition compared with training, but physiological data did not differ. Competitions had greater physiological demands than training. We speculate that the increased focus on sleep hygiene, as evidenced by the increase in sleep over the season, may have served as a recovery aid to combat physiological stress of accumulated demands of competitions that increased over time into postseason tournaments.

The levels of mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in wild boar’s liver (Sus scrofa) in eleven hunting areas from the Republic of North Macedonia

The monitors have recently been defined as the organisms in which changes in known characteristics can be measured to assess the extent of the environmental contamination. Among the numerous game species, the wild boar as omnivore is characterized as an exceptionally good biomonitor. The concentrations of one heavy metal (Hg) and one metalloid (As) were measured using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the liver tissue of free-living wild boars. From 11 hunting areas locations that cover the whole territory of North Macedonia in a period of 7 years (2016-2022) a total of 608 wild boar liver samples were harvested during the regular hunting season. The mean concentration of Hg from 11 hunting grounds ranged from 12.7 μg/kg to 68.8 μg/kg, and mean concentration for all was 45.67 μg/kg. The average concentration of As ranged from 22 μg/kg to 55.3 μg/kg, and mean concentration for all was 33.1 μg/kg. For mercury, 6.56% or 40 of the total number of samples (608) exceeded the maximum allowed limits, and for arsenic none of the examined samples exceeded the allowed limit. For both elements a statistically significant difference was determined in relation to the years, with irregular oscillations from year to year. The mean values for mercury and arsenic are encouraging and generally indicate the relatively low contamination in the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia. However, the statistical differences due to the year as a factor suggest there is the need for the further research.

Seasonal Variation and the Effect of the Transition Period on Physical Fitness Parameters in Youth Female Soccer Players.

This study examined seasonal variation and the effect of the transition period on physical fitness parameters in female youth soccer players. Twenty-four players (13-17 years old) were assessed through field and laboratory testing. They completed laboratory testing three times: (1) at the beginning of the season (post-preseason), (2) at the end of the regular season (postseason), and (3) following the transition period (preseason). Field testing was conducted post-preseason and postseason. Results indicated that weight and body fat significantly increased from post-preseason to postseason and following the transition period. A paired samples T-test revealed that the players performed significantly better in the vertical jump and 30 m sprint test (all p < 0.01) postseason compared to post-preseason. Also, it was indicated that torque production for the right quadriceps, left quadriceps, and right hamstring (all p < 0.01) was significantly reduced after the transition period by 10%, 11.8%, and 10.5%, respectively. Cardiorespiratory measurements demonstrated that performance on an incremental cardiopulmonary treadmill test, maximal oxygen consumption, velocity at the first ventilatory threshold, velocity at the second ventilatory threshold, and velocity at maximal oxygen consumption (all p < 0.01) were significantly reduced postseason and following the transition period. Based on the results, coaches and trainers should primarily focus on maintaining the aerobic capacity of the players during the season, as it has been indicated to be reduced from the beginning to the end of the competitive period (VO2max reduced by 3.3%). In addition, they should focus on maintaining lower body strength and aerobic capacity during the transition period.

Investigation of the effect of circadian rhythm on the performances of NBA teams

ABSTRACT Professional athletes competing in the NBA are frequently exposed to time-zone-shifting travels. These time zone changes may cause circadian rhythm (CR) phase shifts and these shifts affect sportive performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of CR phase shifts on the performance of NBA teams. 25016 regular season games across 21 consecutive seasons were included in the CR phase shift calculations. To examine the CR phase shift effect on team performance, teams were divided into three groups regarding Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): the same internal UTC as the local UTC (LS); the internal UTC ahead of the local UTC (LA); and the internal UTC behind the local UTC (LB). With a different approach, teams were divided into another three categories: the same internal UTC as its opponent’s internal UTC (OS); the internal UTC ahead of its opponent’s internal UTC (OA); and the internal UTC behind its opponent’s internal UTC (OB). 24985 game data were used to compare these groups in terms of 25 variables. Statistical analyses were conducted separately for home and away teams. For home games, it was found that LA and OA are the most and LB is the least successful group in winning and scoring performances. For away games, it was determined that LS is the most advantageous group with the best winning percentage. These results revealed that teams from more west may have a CR advantage in regular season home games. However, it is thought that the performance of away teams depends more on travel fatigue than CR phase shifts.

The impact of a mid-season FIFA World Cup™ on injury occurrence and patterns in French professional soccer clubs

ABSTRACT This study retrospectively compared the effect of holding the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ (WC) mid-season (season 2022/23) on injury rates and patterns in French Ligue 1 soccer clubs. Epidemiological data in 17 clubs were prospectively recorded by their physicians. Time-loss injuries (injuries leading to a player being unable to fully participate in play over the following 72-hour period) were compared with those reported during a regular season (2021–22). In the WC season, an increase of approximately 23% (training + match-play) was observed for both the total number of injuries and knee, ankle and muscle injuries combined. Incidences for match-play injury overall and for the knee, ankle and muscle regions combined and the hamstrings and calf regions specifically also rose significantly (range: p < 0.05-p < 0.01). These results suggest that injury occurrence and patterns in French L1 soccer clubs were substantially affected during the 2022/23 season when a mid-season WC was held.

Foreign Players in the Greek Football League: Evidence from the 2023-24 Regular Season

After the Bosman ruling of the European Court of Justice in 1995 and the freedom of movement of football players that followed, professional football clubs have become a modern Tower of Babel. The Greek Football League is not only not an exception but leads the relevant list of the highest percentage of expatriates in its first division. This paper uses descriptive statistics to showcase the extent of the use of foreign players in the world of football, with an emphasis on the Greek professional football league. Descriptive evidence from professional football clubs in 31 European countries shows that there is a non-linear association between the percentage of foreign players and the average age of players. There also exists a negative non-linear association between the percentage of foreign players and club-trained players. In the Greek football league, the use of foreign players improves the results as measured by the points gained during the 2023-24 season. It is found that a 10% increase in the number of foreign players results in a 14% increase in the number of points gained. Keywords: sports, football, players, expatriates, migration, Greek League, Olympic Games, sports performance

Corner Kick Characteristics: A Case Study of the 2020/21 Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) Premiership Season

ABSTRACT In the 2020/21 NIFL Premiership regular season, 12% (70) of goals scored came from corner kicks. However, the effectiveness of corner kicks at a club level ranged from 5% to 17.5%. Thus, individual coaches ability to create effective strategies to impact corner kick outcomes justifies investigation. The aim of this study was to describe how corner kicks were taken across the 2020/21 (NIFL) Premiership season, and to assess the effectiveness of offensive and defensive corner kick strategies. From 195 matches, 1988 corner kicks from video recordings were analysed, examining 18 corner kick outcome variables. Results were recorded using a hand notation observation instrument and data analysed through Microsoft Excel v16.59 and IBM SPSS v27. 70 goals were scored (3.5% of corners taken), accounting for 12% of goals scored (581). Defending team quality (p = 0.034), venue (p = 0.005), and path of ball (p = 0.002) significantly affected the likelihood of an attempt at goal. Most goals came from inswinging corners (80%) and were most likely (5.4%) to be scored when the ball was delivered into the central area of the 6-yard box (GA2). To better understand individual corner style and contextual factors, further research should focus at team level.

COVID-19 National Football League (NFL) Injury Analysis: Follow-Up Study.

In 2020, COVID-19 spread across the world and brought normal daily life to a halt, causing the shutdown of nearly everything in order to prevent its spread. The National Football League (NFL) similarly experienced shutdowns and the resulting effects, leaving athletes unable to train in some of the most advanced facilities with many of the best trainers in the world. A previous study, titled COVID-19 Return to Sport: NFL Injury Prevalence Analysis, determined that there was increased injury prevalence during the 2020 season, likely due to decreased physiological adaptations within athletes' bodies as a result of facility shutdowns. Understanding injury epidemiology is vital to the prevention of injuries and the development of return-to-play protocols. The objective of this study is to perform a follow-up study to COVID-19 Return to Sport: NFL Injury Prevalence Analysis in order to examine the longitudinal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on injury epidemiology. This study examines if there was a recovery to baseline levels of injuries or if there are still lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic-induced spike in injuries. To determine if there was change in the number of injuries for each season, injury tallies collected from the 17-week-long 2018, 2019, and 2020 NFL regular seasons were compared with those from the 18-week-long 2021 and 2022 NFL regular seasons. A Kruskall-Wallis test with post hoc Dunn analysis was conducted to compare the rate of injuries per team per week between each of the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 regular seasons. The Kruskall-Wallis test revealed an H statistic of 32.61 (P<.001) for the comparison of the injury rates across the 5 seasons. The post hoc Dunn analysis showed that 2020 had a statistically significant difference when compared with each of the 2018 (P<.001), 2019 (P=.04), 2021 (P=.02), and 2022 (P=.048) seasons. The 2019 season showed no statistical significance when compared with the 2021 (P=.23) and 2022 (P=.13) seasons. The results of this follow-up study, combined with the previous study, show that extended training interruptions stemming from COVID-19 in 2020 induced detraining and led to increased injuries. Additionally, the results of this study show that retraining can occur, resulting in the development of injury protective factors, as injury rates returned to baseline levels after 2020. This is the first large-scale and long-term opportunity to demonstrate the effects of these principles and how they are important to understanding injury epidemiology.

Characteristics of non-exercise activity thermogenesis in male collegiate athletes under real-life conditions.

Athletes experience high total energy expenditure; therefore, it is important to understand the characteristics of the components contributing to this expenditure. To date, few studies have examined particularly the volume and activity intensity of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) in athletes compared to non-athletes under real-life conditions. This study aimed to determine the volume and intensity of NEAT in collegiate athletes. Highly trained Japanese male collegiate athletes (n = 21) and healthy sedentary male students (n = 12) participated in this study. All measurements were obtained during the athletes' regular training season under real-life conditions. NEAT was calculated using metabolic equivalent (MET) data using an accelerometer. The participants were asked to wear a validated triaxial accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Physical activity intensity in NEAT was classified into sedentary (1.0-1.5 METs), light (1.6-2.9 METs), moderate (3.0-5.9 METs), and vigorous (≥6 METs) intensity. NEAT was significantly higher in athletes than in non-athletes (821 ± 185 kcal/day vs. 643 ± 164 kcal/day, p = 0.009). Although there was no significant difference in NEAT values relative to body weight (BW) between the groups (athletes: 10.5 ± 1.7 kcal/kg BW/day, non-athletes: 10.4 ± 2.2 kcal/kg BW/day, p = 0.939), NEAT to BW per hour was significantly higher in athletes than in non-athletes (0.81 ± 0.16 kcal/kg BW/h vs. 0.66 ± 0.12 kcal/kg BW/h, p = 0.013). Athletes spent less time in sedentary and light-intensity activities and more time in vigorous-intensity activities than non-athletes (p < 0.001, p = 0.019, and p = 0.030, respectively). Athletes expended more energy on vigorous- and moderate-intensity activities than non-athletes (p = 0.009 and p = 0.011, respectively). This study suggests that athletes' NEAT relative to BW per day is similar to that of non-athletes, but athletes spend less time on NEAT, which makes them more active in their daily lives when not exercising and sleeping.

From Theory to Practice: A Worldwide Cross-Sectional Survey About Flywheel Training in Basketball.

This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the global implementation of flywheel training (FT) by basketball strength and conditioning (S&C)coaches in various contexts, encompassing daily practice, games, and sessions. Survey data were collected from 117 basketball S&C coaches who participated in a 24-question online survey. The survey was structured into 6 key areas, including country and competition, S&C coach context, training methodology, flywheel and competition, postactivation performance enhancement, and recovery. Notably, all respondents emphasized the necessity of a familiarization period with flywheel technology, with a substantial 96% indicating that FT yielded improved player performance on the court. The predominant mention was the conical pulley system. During the season, the prevalent approach involved integrating FT into training twice a week, allocating <15minutes per session, often in conjunction with traditional strength training. A diverse array of lower-body closed kinetic chain exercises were reported, encompassing squats, decelerations, and backward lunges. Intriguingly, FT implementation on match days was unlikely (77%), with the primary aims cited as injury prevention (34%) and enhancing players' strength levels during various phases of the regular season (27%). Recognizing its inherent limitations, this descriptive study provides valuable contextual insights and practical applications for professional basketball practitioners grappling with the utilization of FT.

Competitive Season-Long Changes in Countermovement Vertical Jump Force-Time Metrics in Female Volleyball Players.

Cabarkapa, DV, Cabarkapa, D, Philipp, NM, and Fry, AC. Competitive season-long changes in countermovement vertical jump force-time metrics in female volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): e72-e77, 2024-Although force plates remain one of the most widely used tools for neuromuscular performance assessment in applied sports-specific settings, there is still a lack of scientific literature focused on studying changes in countermovement vertical jump (CVJ) performance in team sports such as volleyball, especially within the female athlete population. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine season-long neuromuscular performance changes in volleyball players. Eighteen National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division-I collegiate female athletes performed 3 maximal-effort CVJs while standing on a uniaxial force plate system sampling at 1,000 Hz at 5 different testing timepoints throughout a competitive season span (∼11 weeks). The testing sessions were separated 2-3 weeks apart and performed at the approximately same time of the day (12:00 hours). Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed that both concentric and eccentric force-time metrics remain relatively unchanged throughout a regular season span (e.g., concentric peak force and power, eccentric impulse and duration). However, the eccentric metrics such as peak and mean power and peak velocity displayed a slight improvement after a brief tapering period purposely implemented before the post-season competition to optimize the athlete's recovery (∼15, 18, and 14% increase, respectively). In addition, the outcome metrics such as vertical jump height and reactive strength index-modified did not display notable fluctuations across the competitive season span. These findings can help coaches, sports scientists, and strength and conditioning practitioners to obtain a deeper insight into collegiate female athletes' force-time characteristics that may aid with developing adequate training regimens targeted toward optimizing on-court performance.

Publicly available data sources in sport-related concussion research: a caution for missing data

BackgroundResearchers often use publicly available data sources to describe injuries occurring in professional athletes, developing and testing hypotheses regarding athletic-related injury. It is reasonable to question whether publicly available data sources accurately indicate athletic-related injuries resulting from professional sport participation. We compared sport-related concussion (SRC) clinical incidence using data from publicly available sources to a recent publication reporting SRC using electronic health records (EHR) from the National Football League (NFL). We hypothesize publicly available data sources will underrepresent SRC in the NFL. We obtained SRCs reported from two publicly available data sources (NFL.com, pro-football-reference.com) and data reported from the NFL’s published EHR. We computed SRC per 100 unique player signings from 2015–2019 and compared the clinical incidence from publicly available data sources to EHR rates using clinical incidence ratios (CIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).FindingsFrom 2015–2019, SRC counts from published EHR record data ranged from 135–192 during the regular season, whereas SRC counts ranged from 102–194 and 69–202 depending on the publicly available data source. In NFL.com the SRC clinical incidence was significantly and progressively lower in 2017 (CIR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58–0.91), 2018 (CIR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50–0.87), and 2019 (CIR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.35–0.64) relative to the gold-standard EHR. In the pro-football-reference.com data, the documented SRCs in publicly available data sources for other years were ~ 20–30% lower than the gold-standard EHR numbers (CIRs 0.70–0.81).ConclusionsPublicly available data for SRCs per 100 unique player signings did not match published data from the NFL’s EHR and in several years were significantly lower. Researchers should use caution before using publicly available data sources for injury research.

Effect of Repetitive Head Impacts on Saccade Performance in Canadian University Football Players.

Investigate the effect of cumulative head impacts on saccade latency and errors, measured across two successive football seasons. Participants were acquired from a sample of convenience-one Canadian university football team. Head impacts were collected during training camp, practices, eight regular season games, and four playoff games in each season. Saccade measurements were collected at five time points-before and after training camp, at midseason, after regular season, and after playoffs. Two seasons following players from a single USports football team during practices and games. Players who completed a baseline saccade measurement and a minimum of one follow-up measurement were included in the study. A total of 127 players were monitored across two competitive seasons, including 61 players who participated in both seasons. Head impact measurements were collected using helmet-mounted sensors. Saccade latency and number of errors were measured using high-speed video or electro-oculography. On average, each head impact increased prosaccade latency by 5.16 × 10-3 ms (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.26 × 10-4-1.00 × 10-2, P = 0.03) and antisaccade latency by 5.74 × 10-3 ms (95% CI, 7.18 × 10-4-1.06 × 10-2, P = 0.02). These latency increases did not decrease between the two seasons; in fact, prosaccade latencies were 23.20 ms longer (95% CI, 19.40-27.14, P < 0.001) at the second season's baseline measurement than the first. The number of saccade errors was not affected by cumulative head impacts. Repetitive head impacts in Canadian university football result in cumulative declines in brain function as measured by saccade performance. Football organizations should consider implementing policies focused on reducing head impacts to improve player safety.

Dose-Response Relationship for External Workload and Neuromsuclar Performance Over a Female, Collegiate, Basketball Season.

Philipp, NM, Cabarkapa, D, Blackburn, SD, and Fry, AC. Dose-response relationship for external workload and neuromsuclar performance over a female, collegiate, basketball season. J Strength Cond Res 38(5): e253-e263, 2024-The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between external workload exposure and changes in countermovement jump force-time characteristics over the course of an entire basketball season, in a sample of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, female, basketball players. Data for 12 players were retrospectively analyzed, with external workload being quantified by means of an exponentially weighted, acute, and chronic workload, as well as an acute:chronic workload ratio derived from an inertial measurement unit-based system worn by athletes for all practices and games during the regular season. Countermovement jumps were performed on a total of 26 test days over the span of the in-season competitive period. To statistically analyze these relationships, and to account for multiple observations of the same athletes in a data set, linear mixed-effects models with athlete identity (ID) intercept as the random effect were used. Study findings suggested that associations between external workload exposure and respective force-time characteristics after controlling for the random effect of athlete ID were dependent on the specific metric or metric subgroup used, as well as the type of workload exposure (e.g., acute vs. chronic). Force-time signatures from the braking phase (e.g., average braking force) seemed to be particularly associated with higher degrees of acute workload exposure, whereas strategy-based metrics such as countermovement depth showed significant associations with chronic workload exposure. Furthermore, model results suggested the importance of analyzing neuromuscular responses to external workload on an individual basis, rather than across an entire team. Findings might help practitioners in their selection process related to metrics of interest in monitoring neuromuscular fatigue and readiness.

Epidemiology of Stingers in the National Football League, 2015-2019.

Transient traumatic neuropraxia of either the brachial plexus or cervical nerve root(s) is commonly described as a "stinger" or "burner" by the athlete. Stingers in American Football commonly occur acutely as isolated injuries; however, concomitant injuries, including cervical spine pathologies, have also been reported. Among National Football League (NFL) athletes, the incidence rate of stingers is higher during the regular season than during the preseason and among positions with high velocity impacts such as running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and receivers. Retrospective epidemiology study. Level 4. Aggregation of all in-game injuries with a clinical impression of "neck brachial plexus stretch" or "neck brachial plexus compression" entered into the NFL injury surveillance database through the centralized league-wide electronic medical record system over 5 years (2015-2019 seasons). Incidence rates per player-play were calculated and reported. A total of 691 in-game stingers occurred during the study period, with a mean of 138.2 per year. Average single-season injury risk for incident stinger was 3.74% (95% CI, 3.46%-4.05%). The incidence rate was higher during regular season games than during preseason games (12.26 per 100,000 player-plays [11.30-13.31] vs 8.87 [7.31-10.76], P < 0.01, respectively). The highest reported stinger incidence rates were among running backs and linebackers (both >15 per 100,000 player-plays). Among stingers, 76.41% did not miss time. Of those that resulted in time lost from football activities, mean time missed due to injury was 4.79 days (range, 3.17-6.41 days). Concomitant injuries were relatively low (7.09%). In-game stinger incidence was stable across the study period and occurred most frequently in running backs and linebackers. Stingers were more common during the regular season, and most players did not miss time. Concomitant injuries were relatively rare. An improved understanding of the expected time loss due to stinger and concomitant injuries may provide insight for medical personnel in managing these injuries.

"This is fine": the impact of blowouts on subsequent game performance in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Blowouts in sports involve large margins of victory or loss between teams and have long been perceived as influencing subsequent performances by athletes, coaches, fans, and other stakeholders. Under the backdrop of the hot hand ph enomenon, the current study explores the impact of blowouts on subsequent game performance in the National Hockey League (NHL). Specifically, we examine the potential carryover of a "hot (or cold) hand" on the subsequent game following a large win or loss. In our study, we defined blowouts as outlying goal differentials for regular season games (i.e., a difference of approximately 6 goals between teams in a single game based on 3 standard deviations from the mean goal differential during the sampled period). Using this criterion, data from 285 games over the 2005-06 to 2018-19 NHL regular seasons were gathered for analysis. We performed a series of multiple regressions using blowout goal differential as the main predictor, adjusting for location of the subsequent game, number of time zones from the home base city, whether the subsequent game was a back-to-back, and winning percentages of the team and opponent. Our results revealed no significant over or under performance by teams that either won through a blowout or those that lost by a blowout. Our findings are consistent with previous work in other and similar sports contexts. Practical applications and future directions for research are discussed.