Special Athletes Research Articles

The Effect of Sport Specialization on Injury Risk in NCAA Athletes: Results From the SAFE Consortium.

Youth athletes are beginning to specialize in a single sport more often. Previous studies in sports medicine and orthopedics have shown an association between intensity of sport specialization and incidence of injuries. This study is the first of its kind to explore the effects of early sport specialization on injury risk through a multicenter framework with a concentration on NCAA athletics. Retrospective cohort study. SAFE Consortium. A total of 211 collegiate athletes from the NCAA's 3 levels of competition: Division I, II, and III. Data were collected by the SAFE investigators. N/A. Participants completed a questionnaire about their demographics, sport participation, specialization status, physical injuries, recovery period, and treatment method. Specialization status was calculated with a previously published 3-point scale: low, moderate, and high. Injuries were categorized as upper extremity injuries (UEIs) and lower extremity injuries (LEIs). Highly specialized athletes were more likely to report UEIs and LEIs than low specialized athletes (P < 0.0001). Moderate specialization, in contrast to low specialization, was associated with a higher likelihood of LEIs (P = 0.03) but not UEIs (P = 0.052). Highly specialized athletes were more likely to report an injury of any kind. The SAFE investigators found high specialization was associated with a history of UEIs and LEIs. Return to play was longer for highly specialized athletes versus low specialized athletes (112 days and 85 days, respectively). Highly specialized athletes were more likely to be from Division I and to require surgery.

Injury incidence in golf-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is a lack of comprehensive analysis of injuries in golf per exposure time. Thus, the aim was to report the pooled incidence of injuries in golf. We searched PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases in March 2024 for this systematic review and meta-analysis. We included observational studies reporting the number of injuries per exposure time. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled injury incidence per 1000 athlete exposures (18 holes of golf) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Incidences were separately analyzed for men, women, amateurs, professionals, and special athletes. A total of 999 studies were screened, 29 full texts were assessed, and 7 studies with 269,754 athlete exposures were included. Seven studies assessed the overall incidence of injury, and the pooled estimate was 2.5 per 1000 athlete exposures (CI 0.9-7.5). The incidence was higher in special athletes (21.0, CI 7.7-45.1; one study) than among professionals (8.5, CI 7.6-9.4; one study), or in amateurs (1.3, CI 0.5-4.0; five studies). The injury incidence was 2.6 per 1000 athlete exposures (CI 0.7-9.6; four studies) in women and 1.4 per 1000 athlete exposures (CI 0.4-5.2; three studies) in men. A sensitivity analysis without special athletes had an incidence of 1.9 (CI 0.7-4.9; six studies). The injury incidence in golf is 2.5 injuries per 1000 athlete exposures (18 holes of golf). Reporting was limited as only one study reported injuries per exposure time in professionals, and in total, only seven studies were found. More research is needed in all levels and age groups to better estimate the injury incidence and associated risk factors in golf.

Effects of Different Conditioning Activities on the Sprint Performance of Elite Sprinters: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

Postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE), which refers to the phenomena associated with the attainment of enhanced performance in sport-specific tasks after a conditioning activity, is an important objective of warming-up practices in many sports. This is even more relevant for sprinters, as potential increases in sprinting speed will directly influence their competitive results. This systematic review with meta-analysis evaluated the effects of different PAPE protocols (ie,using plyometrics, strength-power exercises, and resisted/assisted sprints) on the sprinting performance (ie,sprint time or sprint speed) of competitive sprinters. Initially, 1205 records published until last December 18 were identified, using the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Clarivate Web of Science. After removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 14 high-quality studies met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Overall, there were no significant changes in sprint performance after implementing various types of conditioning activities (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.16 [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.33]; Z = 1.78; P = .08; I2 = 0%). In addition, when comparing prechanges and postchanges between experimental, control, and other conditions, no significant differences were found in sprint speed or time across all studies (SMD = 0.09 [95% CI, -0.10 to 0.28]; Z = 0.92; P = .36; I = 0%). Results revealed that different types of conditioning activities may not be capable of acutely enhancing the sprint speed of competitive sprinters. This aligns with previous observations indicating that sprinting is a highly stable physical capacity, a phenomenon that is even more consistent among elite sprinters. Coaches and sport scientists should collaborate to develop more efficient PAPE protocols for these highly specialized athletes, with special attention to study design and individualization, while considering their effects on acceleration versus top speed.

Examination of Variables Affecting Team Success in The Special Athletes Football League with the Competition Analysis Program

Examination of Variables Affecting Team Success in The Special Athletes Football League with the Competition Analysis Program

Injury risk factors related to sport specialization in high school basketball: a prospective study.

Research that has examined the association between specialization and injury in basketball has been limited to cross-sectional or retrospective studies. To determine whether specialization is a risk factor for injury among high school basketball athletes. Prospective cohort study. Basketball players from 12 high schools participating in the National Athletic Treatment, Injury, and Outcomes Network Surveillance Program (NATION-SP) were recruited prior to the 2022-2023 interscholastic basketball season. 130 athletes (mean age (SD) = 15.6 (1.3); girls' basketball: n=68 (52.3%)). Participants completed a questionnaire prior to the start of their school basketball season that had questions regarding participation in various specialized sport behaviors. During the basketball season, the school's athletic trainer reported all athletic exposures (AEs) and injuries (regardless of time loss) for participating athletes into NATION-SP. Injury incidence (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals [95%CI] were calculated for the specialized sport behaviors previously described. There was no difference in injury risk between highly specialized and low specialized athletes (IRR [95%CI]: 1.9 [0.9, 3.7]). Players who participated in basketball year-round were twice as likely to sustain an injury compared to those who did not play year-round (IRR [95%CI]: 2.1 [1.1, 3.6]). Similarly, players who reported participating in basketball skills camps were at increased risk of injury compared to athletes who did not participate in basketball skill camps (IRR [95%CI]: 2.5 [1.2, 5.7]). Injury risk related to sport specialization in basketball may be specific to certain behaviors such as year-round play and participation in skills camps. Validated measures of comprehensive sport activity are needed to better measure specialization in youth sports to better determine injury risk related to sport specialization and develop injury prevention programs for basketball athletes.

A National Survey on the Relationship of Youth Sport Specialization Behaviors to Self-Reported Anxiety and Depression in Youth Softball Players.

There are little to no data on whether any associations exist between sport specialization and mental health in youth softball athletes. Highly specialized youth softball athletes will have worse self-reported depression and anxiety symptom scores compared with low and moderate specialized athletes. Cross-sectional survey. Level 4. An online cross-sectional survey was distributed in the fall of 2021 to a national sample of female youth softball athletes between the ages of 12 and 18 years. Sport specialization status was determined using a 3-point specialization scale that classifies either low, moderate, or high. The patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the 7-item general anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7) were used to assess self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety. Comparison also included sports participation and specialization behaviors between specialization groups. A total of 1283 subjects (mean age, 15.1 ± 1.7 years) fully completed the survey. After adjusting for covariates, lower scores were reported on both the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 by highly specialized athletes compared with moderate or low specialization athletes (PHQ-9, high = 8.6 ± 0.4; moderate = 11.2 ± 0.3; low = 10.9 ± 0.5; P < 0.01; GAD-7, high = 6.5 ± 0.4; moderate = 8.6 ± 0.3; low = 8.4 ± 0.4, P < 0.01). Conversely, higher scores were reported on both scales for athletes who received private softball coaching compared with those who did not (PHQ-9, 11.5 ± 0.3 vs 9.0 ± 0.3; P < 0.01; GAD-7, 8.8 ± 0.3 vs 6.9 ± 0.3, P < 0.01). Finally, athletes who reported an arm overuse injury in the previous year reported higher PHQ-9 scores (10.8 ± 0.3 vs 9.8 ± 0.3; P < 0.01). While sport specialization, as measured by the validated 3-point scale, was not associated with increased anxiety and depression symptom scores, other aspects of specialization behavior such as private coaching or overuse injury history were associated with worse scores on these scales, indicating potential concern for anxiety and depression. However, although the differences we observed were statistically significant, they did not exceed the minimal clinically important difference values that have been established for the PHQ-9 (5 points) or GAD-7 (4 points). This project is a first step toward understanding the sport specialization behaviors and their influence on the mental health of youth softball athletes. Focusing on investigating specialization behaviors further may reveal to be a better indicator of risk of developing anxiety and depression symptoms compared with utilizing the 3-point specialization scale.

Injury Patterns in Highly Specialized Youth Athletes: A Comparison of 2 Pathways to Specialization.

Sport specialization, commonly defined as intensive year-round training in a single sport to the exclusion of other sports, has been associated with an increased risk for overuse injury. Two pathways to becoming highly specialized are recognized: (1) having only ever played 1 sport (exclusive highly specialized) and (2) quitting other sports to focus on a single sport (evolved highly specialized). Understanding the differences in injury patterns between these groups of highly specialized athletes will inform the development of injury-prevention strategies. To compare the distribution of injury types (acute, overuse, serious overuse) among evolved highly specialized athletes, exclusive highly specialized athletes, and low-moderately specialized athletes. Cross-sectional study. Tertiary care pediatric sports medicine clinic between January 2015 and April 2019. A total of 1171 patients (age = 12.01-17.83 years, 59.8% female) who played ≥1 organized sports, presented with a sport-related injury, and completed a sports participation survey. Distribution of injury types (acute, overuse, serious overuse). The percentage of injuries due to overuse was similar between the exclusive and evolved highly specialized athletes (59.2% versus 53.9%; P = .28). Compared with low-moderately specialized athletes, exclusive and evolved highly specialized athletes had a higher percentage of overuse injuries (45.3% versus 59.2% and 53.9%, respectively; P = .001). Multivariate analysis of the highly specialized groups revealed sport type to be a significant predictor of a higher percentage of injuries due to overuse, with individual-sport athletes having increased odds of sustaining an overuse injury compared with team-sport athletes (odds ratio = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.17, 3.24). The distribution of injury types was similar between evolved and exclusive highly specialized youth athletes, with both groups having a higher percentage of injuries due to overuse compared with low-moderately specialized athletes. Among highly specialized athletes, playing an individual sport was associated with a higher proportion of overuse injuries compared with playing a team sport.

ANALISIS KONDISI FISIK DOMINAN UNTUK MENINGKATKAN AGILITY DAN KEMAMPUAN LARI SPRINTER ATLET ACEH MENJELANG PON ACEH – SUMUT

This study aims to obtain a number of information, understanding in order to improve the agility and dominant physical condition of Acehnese sprinters, especially ahead of the grand opening of the sports field. This type of research is descriptive evaluative, namely: a study that tries to describe various phenomena, events and events and symptoms that exist in the present. The research method used is the experimental method by performing agility abilities and physical condition abilities of sprinter athletes. The population in this study were 15 special athletes built ahead of PON. The sample was taken using random sampling technique which amounted to 10 people. Data collection techniques are carried out using three test items, namely: agility, leg muscle explosive power, speed, and 100 meter running ability. The results obtained in this study are tests and analyzes the ability of 100 meter runners PON running athletes, with an average score of 96.7 in the high (good) category with the following details: (1) as many as 10 respondents were in the high category with a percentage level of 90.12%, (2) as many as 6 respondents were in the medium category with a percentage level of 60.4%. Conclusion, thus the high ability to run the 100 meter distance of Aceh PON sprinters is at the level of agility and the dominant physical component of 100 meter runners, so overall it is in the very good category, with details: agility, leg muscle explosiveness of 100 meter runners of PON athletics is in the very good category, agility, speed of 100 meter runners, is in the very good category, the ability to run 100 meters of 100 meter runners can be said to be in the very good category and very ready to compete, especially at national scale events. So that it can be categorized as an agility category, the dominant physical condition of 100 meter runners PON athletics athletes is said to be in the very good category.

Highly Active Middle School Athletes Demonstrate Poor Motor Skill Proficiency.

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are critical components to lifelong participation in sports and physical activity. With the rise in early sports specialization, mastery of motor skills may be limited in youth athletes. The purpose of this study was to assess FMS proficiency in highly active middle school athletes and determine whether proficiency differed between specialization levels and sex. (1) Most athletes would fail to achieve proficiency in all domains of the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), (2) highly specialized athletes would demonstrate lower proficiency in all domains of the TGMD-2, and (3) male athletes would demonstrate higher proficiency than female athletes. Cross-sectional. Level 4. A total of 91 athletes were recruited (44 male, 12.6 ± 0.9 years). Activity level was quantified using the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (Pedi-FABS), specialization level was determined using the Jayanthi Specialization Scale, and the TGMD-2 was used to assess FMS proficiency. Descriptive statistics were used to describe gross motor, locomotor, and object control percentile rank. A 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess differences in percentile rank between low, moderate, and high specialization groups and independent samples t tests were used to compare sexes (α < 0.05). Mean Pedi-FABS score was 23.6 ± 4.9. In total, 24.2%, 38.5%, and 37.4% of athletes classified as low, moderate, and highly specialized, respectively. Mean percentile ranks were 56.2%, 64.7%, and 62.6% for locomotor, object control, and gross motor domains, respectively. No athlete achieved a percentile rank >99% in any domain of the TGMD-2, and there was no significant difference between specialization groups or sex. Despite high activity levels, no athlete demonstrated proficiency in any domain of the TGMD-2, and there was no difference in proficiency between specialization levels or by sex. Sport participation, regardless of level, does not ensure adequate mastery of FMS.

Results of a National Survey on Sport Specialization Behavior and Throwing Arm Injury in Youth Softball Players.

There are few data on throwing arm and shoulder injury in youth softball athletes, and no data on the influence of sport specialization on injury in softball. We hypothesized that highly specialized athletes, and pitchers in particular, demonstrating various sport specialization behaviors would be more likely to report an upper extremity overuse injury in the previous 12 months. Cross-sectional survey. Level 4. An online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey was distributed to a national sample of female youth softball players between the ages of 12 and 18 years in fall 2021. Topics included were indicators of sport specialization and self-reported injuries to the throwing arm. A total of 1309 participants (mean age, 15.1 ± 1.7 years) completed the survey; 19.4% (N = 254) scored as highly specialized, 69.7% (N = 912) as moderately specialized, and 10.9% (N = 143) with low specialization. Of all participants, 27.3% (N = 357) pitched in the previous year. A minority of all players (43.7%; N = 572) reported arm injury in the previous 12 months, with 45.9% of pitchers (N = 164) reporting the same. Multivariate regression showed increased adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of injury history for athletes playing >30 games per year (aOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.26-2.40), participating on a club team (aOR, 3.36; 95% CI,1.85-6.07), and in pitchers participating on club teams (aOR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.18-7.45). Decreased aOR of injury was noted in those participating in >8 months of softball per year (aOR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.12-0.51) and in pitchers who were moderately specialized (aOR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17-0.92) and playing >8 months per year (aOR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.11-0.96). This sample provides a large proportion of athletes classified as high or moderately specialized in youth softball (89%). A large proportion (43.7%) of subjects reported arm injury in the past year, and insight into injury risk is provided. The results present conflicting data on the risk versus protective effect of specialization in youth softball athletes. This project is a first step toward understanding sport specialization behavior and its influence on injury in youth softball.

Evaluation of the Physical Properties and Comfort of Functional Athlets Designed for the Elderly

The issue of clothing is one of the problems that come with ageing. Despite the need, there is no athlete for women aged 65 and over in the market. In this study, first, a survey was conducted on the issuesfaced by women over the age of 65 while using athlete. The functional and comfortable special athlete for summer and winter was designed to solve and eliminate the problems by analysing the obtained results. In the study, first, 100% cotton, 100% bamboo, 100% viscose, cotton/bamboo and cotton/viscose blended fabrics were produced in a single jersey knitting structurefor summer athlete. 100% cotton fabric was produced in the interlock knitting structure for winter athlete. Second, these fabrics were pre-treated, and the finishing treatments to provide some functional properties such as softness (cationic, microemulsion and macroemulsion silicones) and antibacterial properties were applied to these fabrics. After the finishing treatments, tests and analyses were carried out, and the fabric weight, elasticity and bursting strength tests were carried out to determine the physical properties of the fabrics. To determine the comfort properties of the fabrics, air permeability, water vapour permeability and thermal comfort properties tests were performed. According to the results, the functional and comfortable summer and winter athlete were determined and produced for older women. At the end of the study, a clothing trial was also made with the produced woman athletes.

Differences in Lower Extremity Coordination Patterns as a Function of Sports Specialization

The practice of early sport specialization, defined as intense year-round training in a single sport at the exclusion of others, is increasing in youth athletics. Despite potential benefits, sport specialization may be detrimental to the health of young athletes, as specialization may increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries—particularly overuse injuries. However, there remains limited knowledge about how sports specialization uniquely alters underlying sports-related motor behavior. The purpose of this study was to compare the variability of movement patterns exhibited by highly sports specialized youth athletes to that of nonspecialized athletes during performance of a sport-specific, virtual reality based cutting task. It was hypothesized that highly specialized athletes would display different patterns of movement coordination compared to nonspecialized athletes during both the run-up phase and cut-and-decelerate phase. In support of the hypothesis, specialized athletes exhibited both intra- and inter-limb coordination that were significantly different than unspecialized athletes. Overall, the results indicate that the highly specialized athletes tended to exhibit greater degrees of coordination but also the ability to break the coordinated patterns of joint angle changes to execute a cutting maneuver, which requires asymmetric demands on the lower extremities while planting on one leg and changing direction.

Research on the Essentials and Skills of Taekwondo Technical Training

Research on the essentials and skills of taekwondo technical training is the focus of this paper. Through the aesthetic stage of Taekwondo's aesthetics, it summarizes the aesthetic intuition, aesthetic comprehension and aesthetic transcendence of the aesthetic subject in the aesthetic activities, and what kind of aesthetic function the subject should have in the aesthetic transcendence link. Taekwondo special athletes have relatively stable skills, basic specifications, and have the certain actual combat ability and competition experience. In the special training, it is necessary to combine the characteristics of the project and the specific conditions of the athletes. This paper gives the novel ideas for the efficient training.

Sport Specialization Classification and Injury Risk in Female Athletes.

Description of possible detrimental effects of sport specialization specific to adolescent female athletes is limited in current literature with no consensus on sport specialization classification. Specialized female athletes will have higher rates of injury, body image issues, and menstrual dysfunction, regardless of the specialization classification utilized. Cross-sectional. Level 3. Retrospective data was obtained from questionnaires from female athletes in local high schools (n = 229; 13-18 years of age). The 3-point specialization scale was used to analyze differences in injury rates, body image issues, and menstrual dysfunction within low, moderate, and highly specialized athletes. When comparing accuracy of specialization scales in identifying high risk athletes, three peer-reviewed specialization classification scales were utilized-a 3-point scale, a 6-point scale, and a binary self-selection scale. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for studied variables (a priori p ≤ 0.05). Of 229 athletes surveyed, 219 (95.6%) completed the 3-point specialization classification questions and were included in the study. 91 athletes (41.6%) were categorized as low specialization (LS), 59 (26.9%) were moderately specialized (ModS), and 69 (31.5%) were highly specialized (HS). ModS athletes were more likely to have a history of stress fractures (SFx) compared to LS athletes (p = 0.02; OR 3.62; 95% CI 1.27-10.26). Compared to LS athletes, HS athletes were more likely to have injury history (p = 0.01; OR 2.93; 95% CI 1.38-6.24) and a history of concussion (p < 0.01; OR 5.00; 95% CI 1.86-13.42). Among female high school athletes, higher levels of specialization are associated with greater risk of injuries overall, and greater risk of concussions and SFx. This study did not demonstrate significant associations between specialization and body image issues or menstrual dysfunction. This study further strengthens the association between injury and sport specialization and suggests that combining specialization scales better improves risk stratification which overall aids in preventing athlete injury.

Early Sport Specialization in College Athletes and the Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life: A Critically Appraised Topic.

Youth athletes may specialize in a sport of their choosing, or based on external pressures, to pursue elite status in that sport. Current evidence shows an association between highly specialized athletes and an increase in injuries as well as a connection between injury and lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In college athletes, do early sport specialization characteristics (ie,age at specialization and degree of specialization) impact current HRQOL? The literature was searched for studies that investigated the age of specialization (early vs late) or degree of specialization (high, moderate, and low) and the impact on HRQOL. (1)The search returned 6 possible studies related to the clinical question. Three of the studies met the inclusion criteria and were used for this appraisal. (2)Two of the 3 included studies reported that highly specialized athletes noted lower HRQOL. (3)One study found there to be no significant difference in HRQOL between athletes who specialized early versus late but did find those who specialized early to have a greater incidence of injuries that required surgery. There is moderate evidence that early sport specialization is associated with lower HRQOL compared with late sport specialization. It is important to educate athletes, parents, and coaches on the potential detriments that are associated with early sport specialization to allow stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding participation. Grade B evidence exists to support the idea that early, intensive sport specialization may be associated with decreased HRQOL in current college athletes.

Leisure Satisfaction and Mental Well-Being: A Study on the Families of Disabled Athletes

İlişkisel araştırma modelinin kullanıldığı bu çalışma kapsamında, özel sporcu ailelerinin boş zaman doyumları ile mental iyi oluş düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırma grubunu, ulusal ve uluslararası şampiyonalara katılan lisanslı özel sporcuların aileleri oluşturmaktadır. Buna göre, %78,8’i anne (n=201), %21,2’si baba (n=54) olmak üzere toplamda 255 aile üyesi gönüllü olarak çalışmaya katılmıştır. Araştırma kapsamında veri toplama aracı olarak, ailelerin demografik özellikleri hakkında bilgi edinmek amacıyla araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”, “Warwick-Edinburgh Mental İyi Oluş Ölçeği” ve “Boş Zaman Doyum Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Demografik özellikler hakkında bilgi edinebilmek için frekans, yüzde, ortalama ve standart sapma gibi betimsel analizlerden ve ölçme araçları arasındaki ilişkinin belirlenebilmesi için Pearson Korelasyon analizinden faydalanılmıştır. Ailelerin boş zaman doyum düzeylerinin mental iyi oluşları üzerindeki yordayıcı etkisini belirlemek için ise basit doğrusal regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre, özel sporcu ailelerinin boş zaman doyumları ile mental iyi oluş düzeyleri arasında pozitif yönlü orta düzeyde bir ilişkinin bulunduğu ve boş zaman doyumunun aile üyelerinin mental iyi oluş düzeylerinin anlamlı bir yordayıcısı olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Sport Specialization and Exposure in a Tertiary Concussion Program

Background:Sport specialization is an important area of focus within pediatric sports medicine with studies relating specialization to the rising incidence of sport-related injuries. The relationship between sport specialization and concussion remains unexplored.Hypothesis/Purpose:The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of sport specialization and its relationship to concussion in athletes seen in a tertiary concussion program.Methods:Athletes completed a sport specialization questionnaire as part of a comprehensive intake questionnaire and were classified into low, moderate, or high specialization groups using a previously published 3-point scale. Categories were derived from their responses to 3 binary questions: 1) Have you quit other sports to focus on 1 sport? 2) Do you train >8 months out of the year in 1 sport? 3) Do you consider your primary sport more important than other sports?Results:Of the 1,098 athletes, ages 8-19 years, who completed the questionnaire, 572 (52%) were female, 718 (65.5%) had a sports-related concussion (SRC) and 439 (40%) had a prior history of concussion. The cohort was categorized into low (n=568, 51.7%), moderate (n=339, 30.9%), or high (n=191, 17.4%) sport specialization groups. Athletes reported their primary sport was more important than other sports (702, 64%) and training >8 months out of the year in 1 sport (594, 54%) more commonly than quitting other sports to focus on 1 sport (270, 25%). Sport specialization differed by primary sport (Figure 1), but did not significantly differ when primary sport was grouped by level of contact (p=0.47). Sport specialization did not significantly differ by sex, race, or ethnicity, but significantly differed by insurance (p=0.014) and age (p=0.0001), with greater specialization among those with private insurance and adolescents, respectively. Moderately or highly specialized athletes were significantly more likely than less specialized athletes to present with a SRC compared to a non-SRC (p<0.0001) and to report prior history of concussion (p=0.005). After controlling for demographic and sport participation factors, only endorsement of training more than 8 months out of the year in one sport was significantly associated with SRC (p=0.001) and prior concussion (p=0.007).Conclusion:Sport specialization is prevalent among youth athletes with concussion. Training >8 months out of the year in a single sport is associated with SRC and prior history of concussion. Further research is warranted to evaluate how exposure among specialized athletes relates to concussion.

Sport Specialization Behaviors Are Associated With History of Reported Injury in Youth Basketball.

There is significant emerging evidence that early sport specialization is a potential risk factor for injury in youth sports. Despite basketball being the most popular youth team sport in the United States, sport specialization research, specifically in youth basketball players, has been limited. The purpose of this paper was to examine the association of sport specialization behaviors with injury history by surveying a nationally representative sample of parents of youth basketball athletes. We hypothesized that athletes who specialized in basketball, participated on multiple teams at the same time, and traveled regularly for basketball competitions would be more likely to report a basketball-related injury in the previous year. A nationally representative sample of 805 parents of 805 youth basketball players (female N=241, 29.9%; age: 12.9±2.5 y old) completed an online questionnaire that had 3 sections: (1) parent/child demographics, (2) child basketball participation information for the previous year, and (3) child basketball injury history in the previous year. Multivariate logistic regression examined the associations between variables of interest and injury history, adjusting for covariates. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for the variables of interest from the logistic regression model. Highly specialized athletes were more likely than low specialization athletes to report history of basketball injury in the previous year [OR (95% CI): 2.47 (1.25-4.88), P=0.009]. The odds of reporting an injury in the previous year were twice as great among athletes who played on a basketball team at the same time as another sport team compared with those who played basketball only [OR (95% CI): 1.98 (1.30-3.01), P=0.001]. The odds of reporting an injury in the previous year were 3 times greater among athletes who received private coaching compared with those who did not receive private coaching [OR (95% CI): 2.91 (1.97-4.31), P<0.001]. Specialization in basketball, along with several other behaviors that have become typical of modern youth sport participation, were associated with reported injury history. Further prospective research is necessary to determine whether sport specialization behaviors increase the risk of injury in youth basketball. Level III-cross-sectional study.

Sport specialization, sleep, fatigue, and psychosocial ratings: do highly specialized athletes differ from their less specialized peers?

ABSTRACT Objectives To determine if sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms, or perceptions of sport participation differ between high-, moderate-, and low-specialized high school athletes with or without prior injuries. Methods During pre-participation physical examinations (PPE), high school athletes completed questionnaires on sport specialization level, history of time-loss orthopedic injury, perceptions of sport participation, as well as sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)), fatigue, anxiety, and depressive symptoms (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®)). Athletes were grouped according to sport specialization level and history of prior time-loss orthopedic injury. Results A total of 186 athletes completed the study: 49% (n = 92; mean age = 15.3 ± 2.0 yrs; 50% female) were low specialized, 34% (n = 64; mean age = 15.3 ± 1.3 yrs; 47% female) were moderately specialized, and 16% (n = 30; mean age = 15.7 ± 1.1 yrs; 57% female) were highly specialized. Groups were similar for demographics, training volume, and injury history. Compared to the moderate-specialization group, highly specialized athletes reported higher levels of fatigue (3.1 ± 3.7 vs. 1.5 ± 2.2; p = 0.02), anxiety (3.6 ± 4.1 vs. 1.8 ± 2.6; p = 0.02), and depressive symptoms (2.4 ± 4.0 vs. 0.8 ± 2.0; p = 0.02). No differences in psychometric ratings, sleep quality, or perceptions of sport participation were observed between the low/moderate- or low/high-specialization groups. We did not observe any significant differences between groups who did and did not report a history of prior time-loss orthopedic injury. Conclusions Highly specialized high school athletes report higher levels of fatigue, more anxiety symptoms, and more depressive symptoms than their moderately specialized peers, despite no differences in training volume or injury history. Low specialized athletes did not differ from moderately specialized or highly specialized athletes in the aforementioned domains, and there were no differences in sleep quality across specialization groups. These findings add to the current body of literature on early sport specialization by illustrating the distinctive psychosocial implications of sport specialization and demonstrating the need for further prospective research.

SPORT SPECIALIZATION, ATHLETIC IDENTITY, AND COPING STRATEGIES IN YOUNG ATHLETES

Background:Child and adolescent sports participation continues to rise, often with specialization in a single sport at an early age. Psychological associations with sport specialization have been reported, although targeted research is lacking.Hypothesis/Purpose:The purpose of this study was to examine associations between sport specialization, levels of athletic identity, and coping skills among adolescent athletes.Methods:A cross-sectional survey study of sports medicine patients, 12-18 years, was performed. Athletes completed a one-time, voluntary, anonymous survey. Surveys included demographics, sport participation information, Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS,10-item, range 7-70), Jayanthi Sport Specialization Scale (range 0-6), and Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI, 7 subscales, range 0-84). Statistical analysis included Fisher’s exact tests, t-tests, Pearson correlations, and linear regression.Results:334 out of 430 eligible patients completed surveys, with a response rate of 78%. Mean age was 15.0±1.8 years and participants were 64.6% female. 97.7% of participants designated participation in a primary sport, where they spent most of their time. Athletes reported starting this primary sport at a mean age of 7.2±3.7 years. Using the Jayanthi scale, 52.1% of respondents were classified as low specialization (score 0-3) and 47.9% as highly specialized (score 4-6). Sport specialization patterns did not significantly differ by age, sex, or sport. AIMS and Jayanthi scores positively correlated (r=0.39, p<0.0001), and athletes with the highest athletic identities (top 25%) were significantly more specialized than those with the weakest (bottom 25%) athletic identities (4.1 vs 2.5, p<0.001). Regression analysis demonstrated that every 1 point increase in the Jayanthi specialization scale was associated with an AIMS score increase of 2.7 points (p<0.001). The AIMS score also increased 0.83 points for every one month increase in playing their primary sport (p<0.001), and decreased 0.42 points with each year delay in starting their primary sport (p=0.02). Highly specialized athletes had significantly higher overall coping skills scores compared to low specialization athletes (51.6 vs 48.4, p<0.02), particularly on ACSI subscales of Coachability, Concentration, Confidence & Achievement Motivation, and Goal Setting & Mental Preparation (Table 1), however highly specialized athletes reported less Freedom From Worry compared to those with less specialization (5.8 vs 6.7, p=0.02).Conclusion:Athletic identity was higher in athletes who were more specialized and started their primary sport earlier in life. Greater sport specialization may confer some advantages in developing coping strategies in young athletes, however these athletes may be at risk for more worry compared to less specialized athletes.