Sports Season Research Articles

The relationship between demographic factors, psychological distress, COVID worries, resilience, and athletic identity: A study of collegiate student-athletes

The COVID-19 pandemic provided athletes with an entirely new unforeseen circumstance, as many collegiate sport events and seasons were halted or canceled, forcing athletes into premature and non-normative retirement from sport. In the current study we analyzed the relationship between demographic factors, psychological distress, COVID worries, resilience, and athletic identity while controlling for student-athletes’ year of eligibility and NCAA division. Three-hundred and twenty-five student-athletes (232 females; 88 males; 5 non-binary) participated in the study by completing a demographic survey, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, the Brief Resilience Scale, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and the COVID-specific worries questionnaire, which were administered electronically through a Qualtrics survey link. A stepwise hierarchical regression analysis revealed that (a) being either a senior (β = -0.15, p = .03) or a junior (β = -0.12, p = .01) was associated with lower levels of athletic identity; and (b) higher psychological distress scores were positively related to athletic identity (β = 0.14, p = .01). A path analysis revealed that resilience predicted psychological distress (β = -0.159, p = .01), which in turn predicted both COVID worries (β = 0.43, p < .01) and athletic identity (β = 0.12, p = .03).

The dynamics of brain frequency bands and response to neuromodulation during cognitive testing in rugby sevens athletes throughout a sports season

The dynamics of brain frequency bands and response to neuromodulation during cognitive testing in rugby sevens athletes throughout a sports season

Pharmacological and physiological effects of cannabidiol: a dose escalation, placebo washout study protocol

BackgroundCannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) exhibit anti-inflammatory properties and have the potential to act as a therapeutic following mild traumatic brain injury. There is limited evidence available on the pharmacological, physiological and psychological effects of escalating CBD dosages in a healthy, male, university athlete population. Furthermore, no dosing regimen for CBD is available with implications of improving physiological function. This study will develop an optimal CBD dose based on the pharmacokinetic data in contact-sport athletes. The physiological and psychological data will be correlated to the pharmacokinetic data to understand the mechanism(s) associated with an escalating CBD dose.Methods/designForty participants will receive escalating doses of CBD ranging from 5 mg CBD/kg/day to 30 mg CBD/kg/day. The CBD dose is escalated every two weeks in increments of 5 mg CBD/kg/day. Participants will provide blood for pharmacological assessments at each of the 10 visits. Participants will complete a physiological assessment at each of the visits, including assessments of cerebral hemodynamics, blood pressure, electrocardiogram, seismocardiogram, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and salivary analysis for genomic sequencing. Finally, participants will complete a psychological assessment consisting of sleep, anxiety, and pain-related questionnaires.DiscussionThis study will develop of an optimal CBD dose based on pharmacological, physiological, and psychological properties for future use during contact sport seasons to understand if CBD can help to reduce the frequency of mild traumatic injuries and enhance recovery.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov: NCT06204003.

Professional football training and recovery: A longitudinal study on the effects of weekly conditioning session and workload variables.

The main purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate football players' recovery status, through hormonal response, in relation to accumulated workload at two comparable time points of the first (T1) and second half (T2) of the competitive season. Moreover, this study investigated athletes' hormonal response to a typical weekly conditioning session (5 days before match: MD-5), at T1 and T2, to detect changes in players' recovery capability over time. Salivary cortisol (sC) and testosterone (sT) of 24 professional players (27.8 ± 4.1 years of age) were collected before, after, and 24 hours following MD-5 in two comparable microcycles of T1 and T2. GPS training data (total and high-intensity distance) of the 7 and 28 days before sampling were used to obtain athletes' acute and chronic workloads. Results showed a pre-training significant decrease of sT and an increase of sC (p<0.05) in T2, compared to T1. Moreover, athletes showed high sC and low sT levels before, after and 24 hours following MD-5 in T2. Workload analysis revealed significant correlations of chronic load with sC (r = 0.45, p = 0.056) and T/C ratio (r = -0.59; p = 0.007). These results suggested that, in professional football, chronic workload has a greater impact on players' recovery time than acute workload over the sport season. Moreover, athletes' hormonal response to the weekly conditioning session at T2 revealed an altered anabolic/catabolic balance, highlighting the key role of continuous internal and external workload monitoring during the season.

Programming the Stage of Direct Preparation and Participation in the Main Competitions of the Sports Season for Highly Qualified Field Hockey Players

Programming the Stage of Direct Preparation and Participation in the Main Competitions of the Sports Season for Highly Qualified Field Hockey Players

Plasma, Urinary, Erythrocyte and Platelet Zinc Concentrations in Soccer Players.

Essential trace minerals are vital for general human health and athletic performance. Zinc (Zn) plays critical roles in several biochemical processes in exercise physiology, especially during intense physical exercise. This research aimed to analyze erythrocyte, platelet, plasma and urine Zn concentrations among men's and female soccer players over a sports season. A total of 22 male soccer players (20.61 ± 2.66 years; 71.50 ± 5.93 kg) and 24 female soccer players (23.37 ± 3.95 years; 59.58 ± 7.17 kg) participated in this longitudinal quasi-experimental study. Three assessments were carried out over the season: 1st evaluation: first week of training (August); 2nd assessment: middle of the season, between the end of the first and second round (January) and 3rd assessment: last week of training (May/June). In all evaluations extracellular (plasma and urine) and intracellular (erythrocytes and platelets) Zn concentrations were determined, as well as physical fitness and several blood parameters. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure Zn concentrations. Plasma and urinary concentrations were higher among male soccer players (p < 0.05) while erythrocyte and platelet Zn concentrations were higher in the female soccer players (p < 0.05). Additionally, variations in urinary and platelet Zn concentrations were observed over the season. The differences could be related to muscle mass, muscle damage or the specific sport's physical demands.

Interrelationships between stress, eating attitudes, and metabolism in endurance athletes across a competitive season.

A competitive sport season represents a multidimensional stressor where physical and psychological stress may render an athlete susceptible to energy deficiency (ED). Downstream effects of ED can include a reduction in measured-to-predicted resting metabolic rate (RMRratio), indicating metabolic compensation. A pathway linking stress, eating attitudes, and metabolic compensation has not been explored. To test if sport-specific stress is associated with eating attitudes and metabolism in endurance athletes (18-22years) at different phases of a competitive season, we assessed two groups of athletes: 26 swimmers (15 female and 11 male) during peak season (PEAK), and 26 runners (female) across pre- (PRE) and off-season (OFF). Stress (RESTQ-52), eating attitudes (cognitive restraint (CR), drive for muscularity (DM), and body dissatisfaction), and metabolism (RMRratio) were assessed. In PRE, sport-specific stress and CR were negatively correlated with RMRratio (R = -0.58; p<0.05, and R = -0.57; p<0.05, respectively). In PEAK, sport-specific stress and DM were negatively correlated with RMRratio (R = -0.64; p<0.05; R = -0.40; p<0.05, respectively). DM was positively related to sport-specific stress (R=0.55; p<0.05). During OFF, there was no relation between RMRratio and sport-specific stress. In runners, there was a change in stress from PRE-to-OFF with highest reported stress during PRE (p<0.05) versus OFF. Regression analyses revealed that sport-specific stress and CR were significant predictors of RMRratio during PRE and PEAK (p<0.05), but not OFF (p>0.05). Associations between stress, eating attitudes, and metabolic compensation in endurance athletes during PRE and PEAK season suggest that during heavier training, metabolic compensation may be linked to upstream eating attitudes associated with sport-stressors.

The Influence of Futsal Players' Initial Physical Condition on the Occurrence of Injuries.

Although there are some studies that have linked fitness parameters and sports injuries, the literature remains controversial. The aim of the study was to prospectively analyze the influence of initial physical condition parameters on the development of injury in the first three months of the sports season in futsal players. A total of 68 players (24.26±4.63 years old) were assessed before the start of the sports season in relation to certain physical condition parameters, such as body composition (bioimpedance), lower limb power (countermovement jump, CMJ) and muscle strength (isokinetic dynamometer). The injured players showed significantly worse initial performance in the CMJ compared to the uninjured players (p<0.001). There were no significant differences between groups in body composition and muscle strength. Lower power values were associated with a higher risk of injury in the first few months of the sports season (OR=0.92; 95% CI=0.88-0.99). Muscle power was an independent predictor of injury in the first few months of the sports season in futsal players, indicating that improving players' physical condition could help reduce the number of injuries.

دراسة مقارنة لمستوى التصور العقلي للاعبين وفقاً لمراكز اللعب بكرة اليد

The research problem was represented by the following question: Do elite handball club players differ in their level of mental perception according to their playing positions on the field? The research aimed to identify the mental level of elite handball club players for the 2023-2024 sports season, as well as to identify the differences in the mental level between players according to playing positions. The researcher used the descriptive approach in a comparative manner, and the research community was represented by elite club players, numbering (275). Players were distributed among (11) teams, according to the federation’s lists. As for the sample, it was represented by (110) players who were randomly selected according to the playing positions. The researcher used the mental perception scale by Reiner Martins and applied it to the research sample after confirming the scientific soundness of the scale. The results showed that the level of mental perception among elite handball club players was high, and dimension 1 (individual practice) came in first place with a very high degree of agreement, while dimension 4 (practice during competition) came in last place with a moderate degree of agreement. There has been a difference in the level of mental perception of elite club players depending on the playing positions in favor of the (playmaker).

Sport seasons through the lenses of project management – Identifying the common key characteristics of sport seasons and projects

There is a large amount of research on both successful project management and the management of professional sports organisations, but the relationship between these two phenomena remains to be analysed. Therefore, the aim of this article is to identify the similarities between sports seasons and projects by examining the characteristics of these two domains, as well as to lay the foundations for defining the potential management practices that can improve the efficiency of seasons using tools and techniques derived from project management. The results will be obtained through a narrative literature review of relevant books and articles on projects and sports seasons. The outcome of this research will contribute to a better understanding of how sport organisations can streamline their operations, optimise performance and ensure successful sport seasons by potentially implementing a project management approach.

A - 55 Pre- to Post-Season Reliability of Blink Reflex Parameters in Non-Concussed Athletes

Abstract Purpose Examining quantitative parameters of the blink reflex may improve sport-related concussion (SRC) diagnosis and management because it may serve as an objective measure of injury severity and recovery. However, the psychometric properties of several FDA-cleared devices assessing the blink reflex are understudied. The current study compared blink reflex parameters pre- and post-season using the BlinkTBI EyeStatTM device to assess its reliability in non-concussed athletes. Method A cohort of high school athletes underwent pre- and post-season BlinkTBI EyeStatTM testing. Statistical analysis included Spearman correlations, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and interclass correlations for ten blink parameters. Multivariable linear regressions assessed the influence of contact (i.e., soccer, football) vs. non-contact sports (i.e., baseball, softball, basketball) on changes in blink parameters. Results Among 32 athletes with pre- and post-season testing (age: mean = 15.3, SD = 1.1; 53.1% female), 19 played non-contact and 21 played contact sports. Most parameters were not statistically different between pre- and post-season, except for delta 30 (W = 229.5, p = 0.015), time under threshold (W = 191.0, p = 0.003), and oscillations (W = 667.0, p &amp;lt; 0.001). Parameters exhibited moderate to excellent reliability (interclass correlations = 0.575–0.872, p-values = 0.001–0.004). Spearman’s rho values ranged from 0.435 to 0.828 (p-values = 001–0.005). Participation in contact vs. non-contact sports was not associated with changes in blink parameters (all p-values&amp;gt;0.05). Conclusions Preliminary evidence suggest stable blink parameters across a sports season in non-concussed athletes when measured by the BlinkTBI EyeStatTM device. Contact sport participation was not significantly associated with changes in blink parameters. The findings add to the psychometric evidence that the blink reflex can be reliably measured, warranting further study on its utility in concussion.

The effects of high-intensity physical exercise on the achievement of a 1,500-meter man running competition, maximal heart rate, and the development of personal tolerance

Creating high-density workouts and determining how they affect the development of specific tolerance, maximum heart rate, and success in the 1,500-meter man run competition are the goals of the research. Therefore, the development of high-density physical exercises that arise during the run-off as a consequence of ongoing training and the utilization of exercise quality that satisfies the requirements of the 1,500-meter run-off competition are the primary goals of the research. Research is beset by a shortcoming in the competition's ability to achieve its unique tolerance and accomplishment skills, The 1,500-meter race amongst the elite men of the Iraqi Union of Forces for the Open Ages over 20 years of the 2023 sports season has been designated for the research community. The sample was split up by the 12 players into the six players, the command group, and the two pilot groups. The researchers came to the conclusion that men's 1,500-meter run competition achievement, maximum heart rate, and the development of special tolerance were all positively impacted by high-density physical training. In order to establish a unique tolerance for other competitions, the researchers advised high-density physical training. They also suggested conducting similar experiments and research in various age groups.

Changes in the Fatty Acid Profile in Erythrocytes in High-Level Endurance Runners during a Sports Season.

Fatty acids (FAs) are an essential component of the erythrocyte membrane, and nutrition and physical exercise are two variables that affect their structure and function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the erythrocyte profile in a group of high-level endurance runners, as well as the changes in different FAs, throughout a sports season in relation to the training performed. A total of 21 high-level male endurance runners (23 ± 4 years; height: 1.76 ± 0.05) were evaluated at four different times throughout a sports season. The athletes had at least 5 years of previous experience and participated in national and international competitions. The determination of the different FAs was carried out by gas chromatography. The runners exhibited low concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and omega-3 index (IND ω-3), as well as high values of stearic acid (SA), palmitic acid (PA), and arachidonic acid (AA), compared to the values of reference throughout the study. In conclusion, training modifies the erythrocyte FA profile in high-level endurance runners, reducing the concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as DHA and AA and increasing the concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) such as SA and the PA. High-level endurance runners should pay special attention to the intake of PUFAs ω-3 in their diet or consider supplementation during training periods to avoid deficiency.

The Cystic Appearance of a Mediastinal Mass Does Not Exclude Lymphoma: A Case Example of Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma in a Thymic Cyst and a Brief Literature Review

AbstractHerein, we report a case of a 16-year-old girl who presented with an episode of shortness of breath while playing sports. Upon radiologic workup, she was found to have a large multicystic anterior mediastinal mass. The cystic appearance of mass and lack of constitutional symptoms contributed to favoring a benign cystic process and deferring surgical resection until the end of sport season. When surgery was performed 3 months later, microscopic examination showed findings diagnostic of classic Hodgkin lymphoma arising in a thymic cyst. Despite the rarity of such cases, it is important to remember that the cystic nature of an anterior mediastinal mass does not exclude lymphoma. Definitive diagnosis is not possible without examination of representative tissue.

The toll of the scroll: A path toward burnout

Athletes report using social networking sites, including Instagram, to manage their self-presentations. While on Instagram, they may browse content and interact with others, enabling them to socially compare themselves to other athletes. Less favorable comparisons may contribute to higher burnout perceptions. The purpose of the current study was to (a) examine if the use of Instagram contributed to burnout perceptions and (b) if type of use and social comparison mediated these relationships. Male and female collegiate athletes (N = 162) completed measures of Instagram usage, social comparison, and burnout during their sport season. Latent path analysis using robust maximum likelihood estimation was used to examine the model. Daily time spent on Instagram was directly associated with exhaustion (β = −0.32) and reduced accomplishment (β = −0.21). Browsing was directly associated with exhaustion (β = 0.39), reduced accomplishment (β = 0.38), and sport devaluation (β = 0.27). Interacting was directly associated with devaluation (β = −0.23). Social comparison while using Instagram was directly associated with reduced accomplishment (β = −0.35) and devaluation (β = −0.34). Browsing mediated the relationship between time spent on Instagram and exhaustion (β = 0.13) and reduced accomplishment (β = 0.13). Social comparison was not a mediator. Results suggest that scrolling through posts on Instagram explains why time spent on the platform contributes to burnout perceptions. Comparing oneself favorably to others while using Instagram, independent of time spent on Instagram as well as type of use, may reduce burnout while comparing oneself unfavorably may enhance burnout perceptions.

More Than Skin Deep: Patient-Provider Racial and Ethnic Concordance and Discordance in Collegiate Athletics and Concussion Management.

There is strong evidence that racial and ethnic disparities exist in multiple arenas of health and wellness. The causes of racial and ethnic differences in health care are multidimensional; one factor that may affect injury/illness communication, interactions, and outcomes is patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance. At present, it is unclear what role patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance and discordance plays in facilitating concussion care for collegiate athletes. To investigate the presence of athlete-athletic trainer (AT) racial and ethnic concordance and discordance among diagnosed concussion cases and examine if racial and ethnic concordance and discordance influences time (in days) until diagnosis, symptom resolution, or return-to-sport clinical milestones in collegiate athletes. Retrospective cohort study. Collegiate athletics. A total of 694 concussion cases (38.6% [n = 268] sustained by women, 61.4% [n = 426] sustained by men) that occurred within the 2015-2016 through 2019-2020 sport seasons at 9 institutions. The number of days from the date of injury to diagnosis, symptom resolution, and return to sport and from the date of diagnosis to symptom resolution and return to sport. Overall, 68.4% (n = 475) of concussion cases had patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance, and 31.6% (n = 219) were discordant. All concordant pairs included a White athlete and White AT. Time to diagnosis differed between the concordant and discordant groups (median [interquartile range] = 1 [0-2] versus 0 [0-1], respectively) only in the model adjusted for sex, sport type, and availability of an AT (odds ratio [95% CI] = 1.46 [1.07-1.85]). There were no other group differences. One-third of concussion cases had athlete-AT racial and ethnic discordance. Although this group was diagnosed with a concussion 1 day sooner than the concordant group, no differences were observed for any concussion recovery milestones. These findings suggest that patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance may play a minor role in concussion recognition or reporting but not necessarily in the management and recovery thereafter.

Influence of sleep symptoms on recovery from concussion in collegiate athletes: a LIMBIC MATARS consortium investigation.

Changes in sleep quality and quantity are commonly endorsed by individuals following a concussion. Limited data exists examining the role of sleep disturbances within 72 hours, and throughout recovery, from concussion. The objective of this study was to determine if the number of days to symptom resolution varied between collegiate athletes with or without sleep-related symptoms following a concussion. Retrospective chart review. Collegiate athletes (n = 539) who were diagnosed with a concussion between the 2015-2020 sport seasons participated in this retrospective chart review. Participants were divided into groups based on the presence or absence of sleep symptoms within 72 hours of a diagnosed concussion. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare days to symptom resolution between groups with α = 0.05. Of the 539 participants, 250 (46.3%) reported sleep-related symptoms. Participants with sleep-related symptoms took significantly longer (U = 30656, p = 0.002) to report symptom resolution at rest (median [full range] = 8.00[0-423]) as compared to participants who did not report sleep-related symptoms (6.00[0-243] days). Collegiate athletes that report sleep-related symptoms immediately following concussion (<72 hours) were observed to take, on median, two days longer to achieve symptom resolution at rest when compared to athletes who did not endorse the same symptoms.

Exploring the interplay of trunk and shoulder rotation strength: a cross-sport analysis.

Introduction: Trunk and shoulder strength are consistently shown to be involved in performance limitations, as well as contributing to stability, power output, and reducing the risk of injury. Although their biomechanical interaction is a critical aspect for athletes, there is limited research on the relationship between trunk and shoulder strength in sports where upper body mechanics are critical for optimal performance. Purpose: This study examined the differences and relationships between trunk rotational strength and shoulder rotational strength among athletes participating in mixed martial arts (MMA), tennis, swimming, and baseball. Methods: Maximal voluntary contraction tests were performed to evaluate strength of 39 professional adult male athletes from disciplines of MMA (n = 6), tennis (n = 11), swimming (n = 11) and baseball (n = 11). Peak force data were used in sports comparison and relationship analysis between trunk and shoulder rotation strength parameters. Results: The findings revealed a complex and significant relationship between trunk and shoulder strength, with unique patterns for each athletic discipline. Tennis players exhibited a strong correlation between trunk bilateral differences and internal shoulder rotation, while other disciplines demonstrated a more balanced use of trunk asymmetry. Swimmers displayed the best interactions between trunk and shoulder overall, emphasizing the aquatic environment's biomechanical demands. In MMA, the strongest correlation was between shoulder internal and external rotation with the trunk, mainly due to the number of defensive movements in addition to offensive ones. Baseball pitchers showed a significant correlation between internal/external shoulder rotation strength ratio and trunk asymmetry. Conclusion: While no differences in peak force variables were found, unique relationships between trunk and shoulder rotational performance were discovered. The results suggest a long-term sport-specific adaptation of the trunk-shoulder interaction in sports that require upper limb power movements. It seems, that the relationship between the various parameters of trunk and shoulder was influenced by the movement stereotype of each sport. Therefore, recognition of sport-specific interactions is critical to the development of effective training programs that enhance performance and potentially reduce injury risk in different sports. Researchers and practitioners should focus on longitudinally monitoring fluctuations in TRS and SRS relationships throughout each sport season and examining potential associations with injury incidence.

How do psychological and physiological performance determinants interact within individual athletes? An analytical network approach

ABSTRACT Previous research on sports performance has mostly been conducted: (a) at a single point, or at most, a few points in time, (b) at the group level, and (c) as a causal chain of monodisciplinary predictor and outcome variables. In the present research, we argue and demonstrate that the next important step should be to monitor, analyze, and visualise the dynamic and individual-specific interactions of multidisciplinary determinants of sports performance. Hence, we apply a recently developed analytical approach, that is, (Time-Varying) Vector-AutoRegressive ((TV)-VAR) modelling, which captures the intra-individual interactions and changes of multidisciplinary determinants. We first measured critical psychological (e.g., self-efficacy) and physiological (e.g., heart rate) factors among youth male football (soccer) players at a professional club, on a daily basis across one season. Next, we assessed the temporal dynamics of the factors with (TV-)VAR models and visualised the findings in network graphs. We present the results of two show-cases that demonstrate how multidisciplinary key determinants of sports performance can dynamically evolve across a sports season, that is, interact and change in individual-specific ways over time. Specifically, the results of Player 1 revealed a stable network across the season in which self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of other determinants, whereas this was not the case for Player 2. These new insights improve our understanding of how key determinants of sports performance are dynamically related within individual athletes and may allow practitioners to develop and implement person-specific, targeted, and timely interventions.

Building and rationing a header shot accuracy test for young football players

The purpose of this paper is to identifying building a header shot accuracy test for young football players in Maysan Governorate aged (17-19) years , and establishing grades and standard levels to test the accuracy of heading goals for young football players in Maysan Governorate aged (17-19) years. The researchers used the descriptive method using the survey method , The community consists of for this research, the number of players who participate in the league for the sports season (2021/2022) is (220) players . One of the most important results reached by the researcher is that : It is clear to us that the highest percentage was achieved at the medium level, with a percentage of (46%), while the lowest percentage was achieved at the very weak level, with a percentage of (4%) , and it was achieved to build a test that measures the accuracy of heading goals for young football players in Maysan Governorate aged (17-19) years. One of the most important recommendations recommended by the researchers is that : Adopting a header shot accuracy test for young football players in Maysan Governorate aged (17-19) years., and necessary to build other skill tests on young football players, because of their importance in identifying their levels in a way that enhances the level of their skill performance.