Specific Sports Research Articles

Sport participation levels among New York City’s kids remain low months after the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in decreased sports participation due to social distancing policies and strict return-to-play protocols. This effect has been felt profoundly in New York City, one of the earliest COVID-19 hotspots, even as restrictions have eased. This study aimed to describe sport participation rates in New York City before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-sectional, online retrospective survey, this study assessed sports participation among children aged 6–17 with musculoskeletal complaints. The survey included parents and guardians of 242 children (123 males, 119 females) who had an average age of 12.5 years. Statistical analyses were performed using McNemar’s test to assess changes in sports participation. The results revealed significant decreases in participation in gym class, pick-up games, basketball, and soccer after the pandemic. Notably, female adolescents were more affected, particularly in gym class. This study underscores a substantial decline in specific sports participation among New York City’s kids post-pandemic. The findings highlight the need for targeted public health strategies to encourage physical activity.

Youth and Adolescent Athlete Musculoskeletal Health: Dietary and Nutritional Strategies to Optimise Injury Prevention and Support Recovery

Background: Despite the well-documented benefits of exercise and sports participation, young athletes are particularly vulnerable to musculoskeletal injuries. This is especially true during periods of rapid growth, sports specialisation, and high training loads. While injuries are an inevitable aspect of sports participation, the risk can be minimised by promoting the development of strong, resilient tissues through proper nutrition and injury prevention strategies. Moreover, targeted nutrition strategies can accelerate recovery and rehabilitation, allowing for a quicker return to sports participation. Methods: This narrative review synthesises scientific evidence with practical insights to offer comprehensive dietary recommendations aimed at strengthening tissues and supporting the healing process during recovery and rehabilitation. The selection of all sources cited and synthesised in this narrative review were agreed upon by contributing author consensus, experts in sports nutrition (R.A., H.V., B.D.) and exercise and sports medicine (M.H.). Results: Key topics include factors that contribute to injury susceptibility, general dietary recommendations for growth and development, sports nutrition guidelines, and nutrition considerations during injury and rehabilitation. This review also addresses external factors that may lead to suboptimal nutrition, such as food literacy and eating disorders. Conclusions: By highlighting these factors, this article aims to equip coaches, nutritionists, dietitians, athletic trainers, physical therapists, parents/guardians, sporting organisations, and schools with essential knowledge to implement effective nutritional strategies for injury prevention, recovery, and rehabilitation, ultimately enhancing long-term health and athletic performance.

Current Situation of Heat Stress Studies on Kendo Players: A Scoping Review

Background/Objectives: Global warming and the rise in the average temperature in recent years have increased the risk of heat stroke and also deteriorated performance among athletes. Kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art and also a competitive sport, is reported to have high incidents of heat stroke and related mortality. However, there is no heat management guideline for this specific sport to date and research on its heat management practices and risk factors for heat stroke are limited. The present study conducted a scoping review on studies focused on heat stress and the heat management practices of Kendo players. Methods: A literature search was conducted using five databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Ichu-shi Web, CiNii, and Google Scholar) and also manually from the references of searched articles. Results: Overall, the studies that have investigated the heat stress of Kendo players are scarce and outdated. Of the 15 references that met screening criteria, 11 studies were conducted in a field setting. The vast majority were conducted on male university students and there was a lack of research on females and on different age groups. Common measures of heat management practices used in previous studies were weight changes before and after training (n = 14), body temperature (n = 9), and heart rate (n = 8). Only a few studies used multiple measures to determine heat stress. Conclusions: Considering the continuation of global warming and the increasing risk of heat stroke, further investigation on heat stress, its association with health and performance, and current heat management practices in Kendo players are warranted.

Making a Splash: A Closer Look at Early Specialization in Competitive Diving.

This review article explores the multifaceted aspects of early specialization in diving, focusing on its implications for injury prevalence, performance, and mental health. It highlights the increasing trend of early specialization driven by ambitions for collegiate and Olympic success, despite recommendations advocating for diversification. Divers are at risk for acute and overuse injuries, particularly during high-velocity water entries; however, data on injury patterns, especially among elite divers and early specializers, remains scarce. Recent data suggest a correlation between early specialization and reduced rates of certain injuries among youth divers, but distinguishing between acute and overuse injuries is crucial. Additionally, early specialization may pose mental health risks, with divers facing pressures related to performance, body image, and parental expectations. This article underscores the need for tailored guidelines to mitigate injury risks and promote holistic well-being among youth divers, recognizing the complex interplay between physical and psychological factors in sports specialization.

Temporal Trends in Single- and Multiple-Sports Team Participation Among Adolescents in the United States: Analysis Using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 1999-2019

Background: It is unclear how levels of sport participation have changed among adolescents in the United States (US) in recent years, particularly considering evidence of increasing sport professionalization and attrition. Purpose: To evaluate the differences and trends in single- and multiple-team sport participation among US high school students between 1999 and 2019. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a biannual representative survey of US high school students, data on self-reported sport participation (no participation, single team, multiple teams) within the previous year were evaluated. Differences in sport participation prevalence between 1999 and 2019 were assessed in sex strata by grade, race/ethnicity, and US region. Weighted trends using the National Center for Health Statistics Guidelines for Analysis of Trends and logistic regression models were employed for analyses. Results: The study sample over the 20-year period (N = 149,404) was 49.8% female; the majority were in ninth grade (27.7% female, 28.7% male), were non-Hispanic White (56.1% female, 56.8% male), and resided in the Southern US (57.6% female, 57.4% male). Among girls, 27.2% (95% CI, 25.8-28.6) reported multiple sports team participation in 1999, while 21.3% (95% CI, 20.1-22.6) reported the same in 2019. Among boys, 39.5% (95% CI, 38.4-40.7) reported multiple sports team participation in 1999 versus 29.1% (95% CI, 27.7-30.6) in 2019. Analyses of trends indicated that girls experienced increasing trends in single-sport team participation (β = 0.04, SE = 0.01, P < .001). Among boys, there were increasing trends in no sport participation (β = 0.06, SE = 0.01, P < .001), while multiple-sport team participation decreased over the 20-year period (β = −0.10, SE = 0.01, P < .001). Disparities in trends were observed among female and male groups by race/ethnicity, grade, and region. Conclusion: Sport participation over a 20-year period in the US decreased significantly for boys and increased for single-sports teams among girls. Sport specialization may be contributing some of the observed trends, though limitations in the data require additional research to confirm these hypotheses. Tailored efforts to increase sport participation among both sexes is needed.

Advocating individual-based profiles of elite athletes to capture the multifactorial nature of elite sports performance

Elite athletes are high-performance outliers within their specific sports. Even though science seeks to understand the nature of expertise and elite performance, much knowledge remains compartmentalized within subdisciplines. Despite this multidimensionality being acknowledged, an interdisciplinary approach to understanding elite athletes is still rare. This paper synthesizes insights across scientific domains in order to describe the population and individual characteristics of elite athletes. We analyzed diagnostic data from approximately 300 German squad athletes across eight different sports (e.g., gymnastics, volleyball, ice hockey, 3 × 3 basketball etc., agefemale = 18.95 ± 4.84 years, agemale = 19.32 ± 4.19 years) with expertise values ranging from 2 (low expertise) to 16 (high expertise). Data covered muscular strength, lower-body dynamics, muscle-power genetics, blood micronutrients, basic cognitive function, mental health, social support, and training conditions. Results of logistic regressions identified basic cognitive function (B = 0.89) and well-balanced blood micronutrients (B = 1.22) as critical factors distinguishing elite athletes. Additionally, multiple linear regressions suggested that lower-body dynamics (ß = 0.72) is related to increasing expertise values. We examined interactions between determinants of elite performance, and found that social support is positively associated with mental health and training conditions, whereas muscular strength correlates with lower-body dynamics. Focusing on top elite athletes in contrast to semi-elite athletes, we found higher within-group similarities in basic cognitive function and blood micronutrients. Findings indicate the need for a systemic, individualized, and comprehensive model using individual-based profiles.

The Characteristics of Sports Injuries in Adolescent Athletes according to Sports Specialization: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of sports injuries in adolescent athletes according to sports specialization.METHODS One hundred and seventeen adolescent athletes including soccer, swimming, artery, weightlifting, modern pentathlon, and softball were recruited for this study, and a 12 questionnaire related to sports injuries was surveyed and analyzed.RESULTS The longer the period of sports specialization, the more frequent the number of sports injuries. Most sports injuries occur in the afternoon, but some adolescent athletes with long careers have had injuries in the early morning. Adolescent athletes with less than 3 years of careers had the highest incidence of sports injuries during match(52%), while those with 3 to 5 years (55%) of careers and more than 5 years (73%) of careers had the highest incidence of injuries during training. The main causes of sports injuries for athletes with less than 3 years of careers were poor skill (27%), overuse (25%), and lack of warm-up (23%). For adolescent athletes with 3 to 5 years of careers, the main causes were poor skill (31%), lack of warm-up (19%), and overuse(16%). 5 years or more of careers, the main causes were poor skill (35%), overuse (24%), and lack of warm-up (19%).CONCLUSIONS Adolescent athletes who are exposed to sports specialization early may be exposed to sports injuries due to intensive training, overuse, and poor skill according to the characteristics of the sport. Therefore, managers such as coaches and athletic trainers need to create a training environment to prevent sports injuries due to sports specialization of adolescent athletes.

Mental health matters: Evaluating the preparedness of sport psychologists to incorporate within their role.

Mental health has become increasingly important for the applied sport psychologist, a factor which may include screening, promoting literacy, individual support, and educational programs. However, despite of this importance, few checks have been made on the perceived preparedness of sport psychologists to undertake this work and whether differences may exist between those recently qualified compared to experienced practitioners. Underpinned by the theoretical domains framework, 62 Health and Care Professions Council registered practitioner sport and exercise psychologists (30 females: age: M=46.13years and SD=10.44years and 32 males: age: M=43.25years and SD=10.47years) completed an online survey to assess whether they felt equipped to address the mental health dimension of their work. The survey comprised three sections: Demographic and background information, a series of statements (n=31) adapted from the determinants of implementation behavior questionnaire, and three questions with space for free text comments, inviting participants to explain their level of preparedness to incorporate and deliver mental health interventions. A 6×12 analyses of variance yielded significant differences between domain ratings but not across levels of experience or interactions. Data from free text comments were analyzed thematically and categorized into the following three themes: (a) complementing the performance role, (b) awareness of professional boundaries, and (c) importance of further continued professional development. Combined, although practitioners emphasized importance, preparedness ratings ranged from neutral to somewhat agree, calling for further specific sport psychology-based mental health training.

Интернационализмы французского происхождения в русской терминологии спорта

The aim of the study is to identify current trends in the development of interlingual contact, using sports terms – internationalisms as a case study. The article determines the role and place of French borrowings in Russian-language sports terminology. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms of semantic adaptation of foreign terms. The work is novel in that it is the first one to summarize and systematize French-language units of the Russian sports terminology system. The study has found that the influence of French on Russian sports terminology is due to extralinguistic factors, namely, historical preconditions and established traditions of naming specific sports realities. Words of French origin denote concepts of different sports: fencing, equestrian sports, gymnastics, cycling, wrestling, figure skating. Denotata are sports, actions, positions, participants, events, sports organizations, prizes, material objects. The main vector of reception of the meaning of a foreign word is the narrowing of its semantic structure. From the point of view of formal-structural characteristics, borrowed lexemes are single-word terms, on the basis of which terminological combinations, as well as abbreviations, can be formed.

A Risk Tool for Evaluating Overuse Injury and Return-to-Play Time Periods in Youth and Collegiate Athletes: Preliminary Study.

Overuse injuries in youth athletes are associated with risks, including sports specialization, biological maturation, female sex, and workload measures. As no assessment tool exists to evaluate risk accumulation, we developed a novel risk factor scoring system (Sport Training Assessment of Risk [STAR]) to assess participants' risk of overuse injury and explore association with return-to-play (RTP) time periods. (1) STAR will reach an acceptable predictive threshold in the assessment of overuse injury in youth athletes. (2) Higher STAR scores will be associated with increased RTP time periods after injury. Longitudinal cohort study. Level 3. Youth athletes with an injury sustained during competitive sport completed questionnaires. Association of questionnaire variables with injury risk type was evaluated via logistic regression analyses, and unweighted and weighted versions of a total risk score were developed. RTP was defined by physician clearance per electronic medical record review. Mantel-Haenszel chi-square tests and Kendall's rank correlation coefficients were used to assess the relationship between weighted total risk score and RTP time periods. The weighted STAR model was analyzed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The weighted STAR model trended toward an acceptable level of prediction for overuse (nonserious + serious) injury (area under the ROC curve [AUC], 0.66; 95% CI, 0.61-0.71), but was less predictive for serious overuse injury (AUC, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.55-0.71). Weighted total risk score was weakly associated with return to full play (ρ = 0.11; P < 0.01), and potentially with return to modified play (ρ = -0.08; P = 0.04). STAR may be a feasible tool for assessing overuse injury risk and RTP time periods in youth athletes but requires further development, as it did not reach an acceptable predictive threshold in this preliminary study. Clinicians can use STAR to assess overuse injury risk in youth athletes.

Forward head posture in sports-involved children

Purpose: Forward head posture (FHP) is the most common cervical postural fault in the sagittal plane that can cause various issues and conditions. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of FHP among sports-involved children and to examine the differences in craniovertebral angle (CVA) with regard to gender, age, neck pain, and the sports in which they participate. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 154 sports-involved children (76 males and 78 females), aged 11–14, participating in various sports (basketball, football, volleyball, and athletics). After obtaining signed consent, photography of the sagittal view was performed in a standing position, which was then used to measure the CVA using the Web Plot Digitizer software. A questionnaire was used to gather data about gender, age, sports in which a participant is involved, presence of neck pain, and pain scale. Results: Among the 154 children, 37 (24.03%) exhibited FHP (15 males, 22 females). The mean CVA for the entire sample was 51.30° ± 6.20°. Female participants had a significantly lower CVA (p = .021) compared to male participants. No significant differences were found with regard to age, presence of neck pain, or engagement in a specific sport. Conclusion: FHP is present in sports-involved children, with a higher prevalence among females.

Analysis of specialized sports-related anglicisms

The aim of this study is to provide updated evidence of the use of non-adapted, adapted and false sports-related anglicisms in the European Spanish press. Specifically, this piece of research attempts to unveil technical/semi-technical English borrowings and to explore the pragmatic functions of these English lexical units in the current digital Spanish newswire. The method consisted of examining eight different media by using the constantly updating database of anglicisms ‘Observatorio Lázaro’ throughout a period of 9 months. A sample of 130 English lexical items was collected and subjected to an in-depth qualitative and descriptive analysis. Each borrowing was looked up in DAD ‒the most recent dictionary of sports-related English lexical items in Spanish‒ and was illustrated by a real example of its use in context excerpted from present-day Spanish newspapers. Terminology associated to a broad spectrum of specific sports –such as golf, basketball, rugby, cycling, etc.– was delved into. Results show that, while some terms have no connection to the rest of borrowings, many of them can be grouped according to certain parameters. Considering pragmatic functions, the use of some anglicisms proved not to be random but to respond to news reporters’ and journalists’ purposes. The study concludes that the pervasive influence exerted by English on Spanish concerning technical/semi-technical sports anglicisms remains in full force and effect nowadays, as this impact affects the vocabulary of a wide variety of sports games and exercises.

Early Specialization and Progress of Finalist Swimmers in World Championships and Olympic Games.

Background: The main objectives of this study were to analyze the effect of early specialization in swimming and to observe the general patterns of success of two different sport specialization models [Spanish (SPA) and United States of American (USA) swimmers] participating in World Championships (WCs) and Olympic Games (OGs) between the years 2006 and 2021 of all swimming strokes and distances. Methods: Descriptive analyses and contingency tables were examined for all the variables. Explanatory models of the z scores were estimated from age depending on the events' distances and strokes. Quadratic regression models were developed to capture the behavior of the variable time with parabolic functions, and the significance of the global model and the predictor variables (age) were also evaluated. In addition, the optimal age (peak performance) as well as the curvature of the model were analyzed. These models were compared between SPA and USA swimmers. Results: The results showed that the main differences in the patterns to success between SPA and USA were the earlier participation of USA swimmers in high-level competitions, as well as the greater number of participants for all the strokes, events, genders, and competitions. Age peak performance in short distances was lower for Spanish swimmers, obtaining the opposite situation for long distances. Conclusions: Being a finalist in junior WCs did not influence success in the finals of the senior WCs and OGs. Main differences in general patterns of success between SPA and USA showed younger swimmers participating in short-distance events, backstroke, and butterfly for USA swimmers and older swimmers taking part in butterfly and short-distance events for SPA.

Item Bank Development and Content Validation of a Youth Sport Specialization Assessment

OBJECTIVE: To refine and evaluate the content validity of a bank of items representing the physical, social, and motivation behaviors associated with youth sport specialization. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis METHODS: The conceptual framework for item generation involved an existing consensus-based definition of youth sport specialization. Purposive sampling recruited English literate youth athletes who participated in at least one organized sport in the past 12 months to participate in individual cognitive interviews. Three rounds of interviews used a ‘read aloud; think aloud’ strategy to evaluate the comprehension, relevance, and comprehensiveness of the items and their response structure. One reviewer conducted thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts following rounds 1-2; after round 3, two independent reviewers evaluated the content validity of all items. The full research team reviewed results and established consensus regarding item acceptance, revision or removal. RESULTS: Twenty-two participants (64% male, 13.8±3.0 years) were interviewed. Participants were classified as low (59%), moderate (23%), and high (18%) specialization. Thirty-one items organized into participation volume, physical, motivation, and social domains were tested. Comprehension of 24 items in the physical (n=6), motivation (n=12), and social (n=6) domains was acceptable. No participation volume items achieved content validity. Acceptable items were considered relevant to youth sport specialization, and the item bank was deemed comprehensive. Participants affirmed the response structure was easy to understand and use. CONCLUSION: Content validity was established for a bank of patient-reported items assessing youth sport specialization. An appropriate next step is to conduct psychometric evaluation and develop a youth sport specialization assessment.

Postoperative Rehabilitation and Return-to-Sport Criteria After Distal Triceps Rupture Repair: A Scoping Review.

Distal triceps rupture is a rare injury that is commonly surgically repaired to improve elbow strength and function. Most patients are active and have goals to return to specific activities and sports. There is no gold standard rehabilitation protocol for return to sport (RTS) after distal triceps repair. To identify in the literature any criteria used for RTS after distal triceps repair. Scoping review; Level of evidence, 4. Under PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, level 1 to 4 studies that examined distal triceps repair and had a minimum follow-up duration of 12 months were deemed eligible for study inclusion. Exclusion criteria encompassed studies that employed nonoperative treatment, lacked specific RTS criteria, or involved revision cases. The selected studies underwent assessment regarding RTS outcomes, timelines, rates, and methodological quality. Of the initial 378 unique studies, 6 studies (including 116 patients involved in 16 different sports) met the inclusion criteria. Four of the studies reported RTS rates, with a mean of 89.3%. The duration of time for returning to sport was reported in 2 studies and varied from 4 to 6 months. The parameters most emphasized in the rehabilitation protocols were progressive range of motion exercises, followed by early immobilization and progressive strengthening exercises. Supervised therapy was reported in only 2 (33%) studies. Although all studies included a rehabilitation protocol and 5 studies included a timeline for RTS, only 1 study provided subjective criteria, and no studies utilized specific objective measurement criteria. The overall study quality was fair. This review demonstrated that the overall RTS rate after distal triceps repair was high (89.3%), with no consensus on RTS criteria. Most studies included initial immobilization followed by progressive range of motion and strengthening. Timing after surgery was used as a measure to RTS in the minority of studies and varied between 4 and 6 months. Further research is needed to develop functional and performance-based metrics to better standardize RTS criteria and rehabilitation protocols.

Effects Of Sport Specialization On Participation, Training, And Injury In Young Female Dancers

Effects Of Sport Specialization On Participation, Training, And Injury In Young Female Dancers

Beliefs on the ability to regulate negative emotions mediates the effects of competitive anger on task-focused self-efficacy in taekwondo athletes

Self-efficacy (SE) refers to an individual's belief in their own ability to successfully execute specific tasks and produce desired outcomes. The focused SE on specific sports tasks has been shown to impact athletic performance by interacting with other self-evaluation processes, like self-efficacy beliefs in emotion-related regulation and effective emotion regulation. This study aims at investigating the mediating effect of SE in regulating negative affect in the relationship between anger and taekwondo task-focused SE. Accordingly, the study aims to adapt and validate the Roundhouse Kick Self-Efficacy Scale (RKSES) in Italian, which assesses taekwondo task-focused SE in athletes.In study 1, 180 Italian taekwondo athletes (Mage= 27.6, SD = 12; 89.4% black belts; 69 women) were sampled to validate the Italian version of the RKSES, which presented a good fit of the data (p = .031), internal consistency (α = .916), and concurrent validity (r = .561). Study 2 involved 357 Italian taekwondo athletes (Mage= 28.4, SD = 11.87; 87.4% black belts; 147 women), and collected self-reports on regulating negative emotions SE, competitive anger and aggression, perceived physical ability, and taekwondo task-focused SE. Analysis of covariance revealed multiple differences between age-related categories in terms of competitive anger (p < .001) and aggressiveness (p = .041), and between gender groups in terms of competitive aggressiveness (p = .002), negative emotion regulation SE (p = .024), and perceived physical abilities (p < .001). Mediation analysis indicated that negative emotion regulation SE partially mediated the effects of competitive anger on task-focused SE (p < .001).Findings suggest a mediating role of negative emotion regulation SE in the relationship between competitive anger and task-focused SE, emphasizing the importance of taking an instrumental approach to emotion regulation, and advocates for the use of practical tools to assess task-focused SE.

Exploring the dynamics of sports records evolution through the gembris prediction model and network relevance analysis

Background Sports records hold valuable insights into human physiological limits. However, presently, there is a lack of integration and evolutionary patterns in the recorded information across various sports. Methods We selected sports records from 1992 to 2018, covering 24 events in men’s track, field, and swimming. The Gembris prediction model calculated performance randomness, and Pearson correlation analysis assessed network relevance between projects. Quantitative study of model parameters revealed the impact of various world records’ change range, predicted value, and network correlation on evolutionary patterns. Results 1) The evolution range indicates that swimming events generally have a larger annual world record variation than track and field events; 2) Gembris’s predictions show that sprint, marathon, and swimming records outperform their predicted values annually; 3) Network relevance analysis reveals highly significant correlations between all swimming events and sprints, as well as significant correlations between marathon and all swimming events. Conclusion Sports record evolution is closely linked not only to specific sports technology but also to energy expenditure. Strengthening basic physical training is recommended to enhance sports performance.

Is isometric mid-thigh pull associated with the competitive performance of striking high-level athletes?

Background: The isometric mid-thigh pull test (IMTP) is commonly used in sports performance assessment, but it remains underutilized among combat sports athletes. Aims: to evaluate whether Pan-American medalists (PM) showed differences when compared with other athletes (NM) when performing the IMTP. Methods: a total of 72 Karate [n=35 (♀12)] and Taekwondo [n=37 (♀15)] athletes were measured (22.4±3.7 yrs.; 67.4±11.5 Kg; 1.7±0.1 m; 22.1±2.8 kg/m2). From the total, 32 athletes were PM of their specific combat sport (♀11). All participants performed the IMTP 60-90 days before the competition. The following variables were measured: a) Impulse Net at 50; 100; 150 and 200 ms (N*s); b) absolute (N) and relative peak force (PF; N/Kg) and; c) Rating of force development (RFD) at 50; 100; 150 and 200 ms (N/s). Results: PM showed a better performance on absolute (2,398.5±623.1 vs. 2,096.2±559.3 N; p=0.034) and relative PF (34.6±5.0 vs. 31.2±5.1 N/Kg; p=0.006); RFD at 150 (5,273.4±2,670.8 vs. 3,963.4±1,904.2 N/s; p=0.0018) and 200ms (4,870.3±2,184.6 vs. 4,022.1±1,574.8 N/s; p=0.05). Relative PF (Τ=0.249; p=0.011) and RDF at 150 ms (Τ=0.208; p=0.033) showed a positive and significative correlation with the competition result. Conclusion: PM showed a high PF and RFD at 150 and 200 ms. Furthermore, the competition result was correlated with relative PF and RDF at 150 ms. Based on our findings, we recommend that coaches incorporate the IMTP into their evaluation routine for striking athletes. Keywords: martial arts, athletic performance, elite athlete, task performance and analysis.

The most common dermatoses of athletes

Introduction and purpose The skin and subcutaneous tissue constitute the body's protective barrier. It also fulfills important physiological functions. It protects internal organs against the harmful effects of environmental factors and maintains the balance between the human body and the environment. Athlete's dermatoses are a wide group of skin diseases that may occur as a result of specific conditions to which people who practise sports are exposed. Some skin diseases are characteristic of specific sports, while others may occur regardless of the type of physical activity performed. Mechanical damage to the epidermis, excessive humidity, contact with pathogens and exposure to various environmental factors play a key role in the development of these diseases. Regular dermatological check-ups are crucial for identifying and treating skin lesions and preventing mass infections caused by infectious agents. The study discusses the most common dermatoses in athletes, including fungal, bacterial and viral infections, contact dermatitis and dermatoses caused by mechanical and environmental factors. Materials and methods The literature included in the PubMed, BioMed Central and Polish Medical Platform databases is searched by means of the words such as dermatosis, sport, skin, fungal, bacterial, viral infection, contact dermatitis. Quoted sources in selected works were also used. ConclusionsMany factors can have a harmful effect on the skin, negatively affect its function as an integral barrier of the body and, consequently, cause the development of dermatoses, which are quite common among athletes due to frequent contact with sweat, clothing, sports equipment and the environments in which they train. Prevention is an important element in minimizing the risk of skin problems and this is key to maintaining health and continuing physical activity.