Brage NIH (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences)
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(Re)Asserting organization as a lens in sport sociology: The meaning, workings, and consequences of rational design efforts
Full text linkThe purpose of this article is to (re)assert the importance of an organizational lens in the socio-cultural study of sport. Specifically, we aim to demonstrate the often self-perpetuating and always value-infused nature of rational design, and the organizational processes through which problems, objectives, structures, roles, identities, and knowledges are (re)constituted and privileged in the context of sport. Drawing on an institutional understanding of organizational life, we examine Swedish sports' adoption of a new integrity platform as a case of rational design. Analyzing documentary and interview data, we demonstrate how positing organization as the object of knowledge allows us to unpack how, why, and with what effects, social issues and domains become subsumed into processes of rationalization and rational organizational design.publishedVersio
Taking a breather: Do physiological changes induced by growth during puberty outweigh those induced by endurance training in youth athletes?
Full text linkAvhandling (doktorgrad) - Norges idrettshøgskole, 2025This dissertation is based on one prospective study, including one controlled trial, divided into four papers. The primary objective was to enhance our knowledge regarding the influence of endurance training on maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) and cardiorespiratory functions in youth endurance athletes throughout puberty. We also aimed to evaluate the reliability and accuracy in rating bone age from DXA scans through self-practice as a marker of maturity level.
Seventy-eight males and females from a local cross-country ski club (n = 49, aged: 12.4 ± 0.5) and an elementary school in the greater Oslo area (n = 29, aged: 12.3 ± 0.3) were recruited and followed over 14 months. The two cohorts were chosen based on their large disparities in level of physical activity and training regime. The cross-country skiers averaged 7.0 ± 2.3 hours of weekly training throughout the 14 months, and their training mainly consisted of cross-country skiing but also included other sports. On the other hand, the elementary school children, who served as a control group for growth and maturation, averaged 2.5 ± 2.4 hours of weekly training throughout the 14 months. This group did not participate in endurance sports, and many of them did very little training and were habitually less physically active than the crosscountry skiers.
In conclusion, this 14-month prospective study, including an 8-week training intervention, suggests that endurance training during puberty in youth athletes does not result in superior changes in V̇O2max and cardiorespiratory functions beyond the changes from growth and maturation.Institutt for fysisk prestasjonsevne / Department of Physical Performanc
No detectable loss of myonuclei from human muscle fibers after 6 wk of immobilization following an achilles tendon rupture
Full text linkMuscle disuse has rapid and debilitating effects on muscle mass and overall health, making it an important issue from both scientific and clinical perspectives. However, the myocellular adaptations to muscle disuse are not yet fully understood, particularly those related to the myonuclear permanence hypothesis. Therefore, in this study, we assessed fiber size, number of myonuclei, satellite cells, and capillaries in human gastrocnemius muscle after a period of immobilization following an Achilles tendon rupture. Six physically active patients (5 males/1 female, 43 ± 15 yr) were recruited to participate after sustaining an acute unilateral Achilles tendon rupture. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the lateral part of the gastrocnemius before and after 6 wk of immobilization using a plaster cast and orthosis. Muscle fiber characteristics were analyzed in tissue cross-sections and isolated single fibers using immunofluorescence and high-resolution microscopy. Immobilization did not change muscle fiber type composition nor cross-sectional area of type I or type II fibers, but muscle fiber volume tended to decline by 13% (P = 0.077). After immobilization, the volume per myonucleus was significantly reduced by 20% (P = 0.008). Myonuclei were not lost in response to immobilization but tended to increase in single fibers and type II fibers. No significant changes were observed for satellite cells or capillaries. Myonuclei were not lost in the gastrocnemius muscle after a prolonged period of immobilization, which may provide support to the myonuclear permanence hypothesis in human muscle. Capillaries remained stable throughout the immobilization period, whereas the response was variable for satellite cells, particularly in type II fibers.publishedVersio
Human skeletal muscle possesses an epigenetic memory of high-intensity interval training
Full text linkHuman skeletal muscle displays an epigenetic memory of resistance exercise induced-hypertrophy. It is unknown, however, whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) also evokes an epigenetic muscle memory. This study used repeated training intervention interspersed with a detraining period to assess epigenetic memory of HIIT. Twenty healthy subjects (25 ± 5 yr) completed two HIIT interventions (training and retraining) lasting 2 mo, separated by 3 mo of detraining. Measurements at baseline, after training, detraining, and retraining included maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2max). Vastus lateralis biopsies were taken for genome-wide DNA methylation and targeted gene expression analyses. V̇o2max improved during training and retraining (P 0.58). Thousands of differentially methylated positions (DMPs) predominantly demonstrated a hypomethylated state after training, retained even after 3-mo of exercise cessation and into retraining. Five genes, ADAM19, INPP5a, MTHFD1L, CAPN2, and SLC16A3, possessed differentially methylated regions (DMRs) with retained hypomethylated memory profiles and increased gene expression. The retained hypomethylation during detraining was associated with an enhancement in expression of the same genes even after 3 mo of detraining. SLC16A3, INPP5a, and CAPN2 are involved in lactate transport and calcium signaling. Despite similar physiological adaptations between training and retraining, memory profiles were found at epigenetic and gene expression level, characterized by retained hypomethylation and increased gene expression after training into long-term detraining and retraining. These genes were associated with calcium signaling and lactate transport. Although significant memory was not observed in physiological parameters, our novel findings indicate that human skeletal muscle possesses an epigenetic memory of HIIT.publishedVersio
Part II of a two-step mixed-methods approach in developing the Growth Talent Mindsets for Sports Coaches Intervention 2.0: The coaches’ perceptions of delivery and possible psychological processes of change
Full text linkThe current study follows up on the first-time implementation of the GrowTMindS Intervention described in Part I, with an overall aim of improving sports coaches’ beliefs in their talent as a coach (coach talent mindset, C-TM) and their athletes’ talent (athlete talent mindset, A-TM) as being malleable. By drawing on the user-centered design approach, we first refined the intervention using the insight provided by the coaches in Part I. A mixed-method approach then evaluated the second-time implementation, which included 33 participants (Mage = 38.76, SD = 16.55; 13 women, 20 men) in the quantitative strand and 11 informants (Mage = 39.09, SD = 14.10; 5 women, 6 men) in the sequential qualitative strand. The coaches represented the sports of swimming, bandy, ski sports, golf, and orienteering. The quantitative results indicate that the intervention targeted the coaches’ talent mindsets as their growth C-TM and A-TM scores increased from pre-test to post-test a year and a half after the intervention. The qualitative findings substantiate these results, showing how an increase at scale also appears meaningful concerning their belief in their own and their athletes’ developments. The findings also helped us to understand how the embracing, or possibly refuting, of intervention delivery may substantiate different trajectories of change, and thereby provided insight into the difficulty of targeting and the complexity of psychological processes and behavioral change. By considering the changes in coaches’ growth C-TM and A-TM, we assume that the GrowTMindS Intervention is ready for testing in a Phase III efficacy trial.publishedVersio
Daily within-fluctuations in need frustration and implications for employee recovery and well-being: A mixed-methods study
Full text linkIntroduction: Daily variations in frustration of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) have received limited attention. This mixed-methods study examines such daily variations and their relations to recovery from work and employee well-being.
Method: The study uses multilevel modeling of repeated measures through daily surveys from a period of 8 working days across 2 consecutive weeks, combined with in-depth interviews. A sample of 54 Norwegian health-care workers completed a total of 242 daily surveys, and follow-up interviews were conducted with 10 participants.
Results: Quantitative results showed that need frustration at work fluctuates from day to day, with competence frustration notably impairing recovery (i.e., lower psychological detachment and relaxation) and increasing ill-being (i.e., higher exhaustion and negative work affect). Autonomy frustration was related to increased exhaustion and sleep complaints, while relatedness frustration showed no significant relation to recovery, ill-being, or sleep. Qualitative findings corroborated and expanded on these results, offering deepened insights into how competence and, sometimes, relatedness need frustration hampered the recovery process and sleep.
Conclusion: The results of the current study add to the scarce body of literature on daily fluctuations in need frustration at work and its adverse consequences.publishedVersio
Does high-intensity running to fatigue influence lower limb injury risk?
Full text linkObjectives: The aim of this study was to quantify changes in peak bending moments at the distal tibia, peak patellofemoral joint contact forces and peak Achilles tendon forces during a high-intensity run to fatigue at middle-distance speed.
Design: Observational study.
Methods: 16 high-level runners (7 female) ran on a treadmill at the final speed achieved during a preceding maximum oxygen uptake test until failure (~ 3 min). Three-dimensional kinetics and kinematics were used to derive and compare tibial bending moments, patellofemoral joint contact forces and Achilles tendon forces at the start, 33 %, 67 % and the end of the run.
Results: Average running speed was 5.7 (0.4) m·s−1. There was a decrease in peak tibial bending moments (− 6.8 %, p = 0.004) from the start to the end of the run, driven by a decrease in peak bending moments due to muscular forces (− 6.5 %, p = 0.001), whilst there was no difference in peak bending moments due to joint reaction forces. There was an increase in peak patellofemoral joint forces (+ 8.9 %, p = 0.026) from the start to the end of the run, but a decrease in peak Achilles tendon forces (− 9.1 %, p ＜ 0.001).
Conclusions: Running at a fixed, high-intensity speed to failure led to reduced tibial bending moments and Achilles tendon forces, and increased patellofemoral joint forces. Thus, the altered neuromechanics of high-intensity running to fatigue may increase patellofemoral joint injury risk, but may not be a mechanism for tibial or Achilles tendon overuse injury development.publishedVersio
Youth athletes’ framing of nutritional supplements: Performance enhancement and food
Full text linkPrior studies have revealed how some nutritional supplements used to enhance performance in sports are considered problematic because they are associated with doping. In this study, frame analysis is applied to scrutinise interviews conducted with 24 ambitious youth athletes enrolled in elite sport schools. The analysis enables exploration of the athletes’ understanding and meaning-making concerning the so-called grey zone supplements in terms of two major frames. The first performance frame is expected as the context is elite youth sport, and many aspects of the athletes’ lives revolve around athletic progress. However, the more interesting finding is that this performance frame permeates almost all aspects of the young athletes’ lives, including how food is both understood and consumed. The second frame implies the framing of nutritional supplements as food. Here, the use of supplements is rationalised by practical concerns such as hectic training and teaching schedules that leave little time for meals, with supplements becoming a quick fix to meet energy needs. Hence, meaning-making concerning the grey zone supplements gives rise to an alternative framing linked to food and eating, although an overarching logic of performance also exerts a significant impact.publishedVersio
Snow sports-specific extension of the IOC consensus statement: Methods for recording and reporting epidemiological data on injury and illness in sports
Full text linkThe International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) consensus statement on ‘methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport’ recommended standardising methods to advance data collection and reporting consistency. However, additional aspects need to be considered when these methods are applied to specific sports settings. Therefore, we have developed a snow sports-specific extension of the IOC statement to promote the harmonisation of injury and illness registration methods among athletes of all levels and categories in the different disciplines governed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), which is also applicable to other related snow sports such as biathlon, ski mountaineering, and to some extent, para snow sports. The panel was selected with the aim of representing as many different areas of expertise/backgrounds, perspectives and diversity as possible, and all members were assigned to thematic subgroups based on their profiles. After panel formation, all members were provided with an initial draft of this extension, which was used as a basis for discussion of aspects specific to the discipline, application context, level and sex within their snow sports subgroup topic. The outcomes were then aligned with the IOC’s existing consensus recommendations and incorporated into a preliminary manuscript draft. The final version of this snow sports-specific extension was developed and approved in two iterative rounds of manuscript revisions by all consensus panel members and a final meeting to clarify open discussion points. This snow sports-specific extension of the IOC statement is intended to guide researchers, international and national sports governing bodies, and other entities recording and reporting epidemiological data in snow sports to help standardise data from different sources for comparison and future research.publishedVersio
From Cardiorespiratory Limitations Across the Cancer Continuum to Aerobic Exercise Benefits in Cancer Survivors: The Effects of Exercise Therapy in Breast Cancer Survivors
Full text linkAvhandling (doktorgrad) - Norges idrettshøgskole, 2025Background: Systemic cancer treatment is linked to reduced cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), whereas poor CRF is associated with higher symptom burden and increased cardiovascular (CV) risk in cancer survivors. The magnitude of CRF impairment from systemic therapy, however, remains unclear. While exercise therapy may mitigate CRF decline during treatment and provide benefits in early survivorship, studies in short-term breast cancer survivors (BCSs) report only modest CRF improvements, suggesting potential treatment-related limitations in physiological adaption to exercise therapy. However, whether such blunted exercise response persists in long-term survivorship is unknown. Additionally, previous research reports that a high proportion of long-term BCSs experience a substantial symptom burden following treatment. However, while research shows beneficial effects of exercise therapy on overall health (e.g., fatigue) during and shortly after breast cancer treatment, the effects of exercise therapy on other late effects in long-term BCSs remain scarce.
Aims: The main aims of this thesis were to: I) evaluate the effects of systemic anticancer treatment on CRF; II) evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on CRF and CV risk factors in long-term BCSs, with comparisons to cancer naïve controls; and III) evaluate the impact of aerobic exercise on other late effects and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in long-term BCSs.
Design and participants: This thesis comprises three papers. Paper I is a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving adult cancer patients or adult childhood cancer survivors of any cancer diagnosis who had undergone systemic anticancer treatment, with peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) directly measured before and after systemic therapy. Papers II and III are based on the two-armed randomized controlled trial the CAUSE (CArdiovascUlar Survivors Exercise). Eligible participants were female BCSs (stage II-III) diagnosed between 2008-2012, aged ≤60 years at diagnosis, and treated with Epirubicin. In Paper II, a non-cancer control group with similar-aged cancer naïve women free of malignancy diagnosis was included for comparison.
Methods: For Paper I, a comprehensive literature search regarding systemic anticancer treatment and CRF was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscusTM, and the Cochrane Library. In Papers II and III, long-term BCSs were randomized to either supervised aerobic exercise consisting of thrice-weekly treadmill walking/running sessions for five months or to usual care. CRF was assessed as peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). CV risk factors included blood pressure, cardiometabolic blood biomarkers from blood samples, body composition measured from Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), and self-reported activity level from Godin Questionnaire. Patient-reported outcomes included the Subjective Vitality- and Satisfaction with Life Scale. Other late effects, including fatigue, breast cancer-specific symptoms, neuropathy, and HRQoL, were assessed by the Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire, the EORTC QLQ-BR23 Questionnaire, the EORTC QLQ-C30 Questionnaire, and the Scale for Chemotherapy-Induced Long-term Neurotoxicity Questionnaire. All assessments were measured at baseline and post-intervention, with additional questionnaires administered at one-year follow-up.
Main results: I) Paper I indicated that 13 weeks of systemic anticancer treatment was associated with a significant decrease in VO2peak from pre- to post-systemic treatment. VO2peak remained significantly lower in cancer survivors a median time of two years (range: six weeks to 12 years) post-treatment compared to non-cancer controls. Lower arteriovenous oxygen difference (a-vO2 difference) was associated with lower VO2peak. II-III) Among the 140 longterm BCSs (aged 59.0±6.4 years, 11±1 years post-treatment) included in the CAUSE trial, exercise therapy led to significant improvements in VO2peak compared to usual care. The change in VO2peak from pre- to post-intervention was significantly less in the BCSs Exercise group compared to non-cancer controls (n=69, aged 57.8±4.9 years). No significant beneficial effects on CV risk factors were observed between groups. The BCSs Exercise group significantly improved subjective vitality and life satisfaction and improved fatigue, body image, and HRQoL compared to BCSs Usual care, with persistent improvements observed for mental fatigue and selected HRQoL domains at one-year follow-up. The effects of exercise therapy were most pronounced among BCSs with high symptom burden at baseline.
Conclusion: Systemic anticancer therapy leads to significant and persistent CRF impairments. Aerobic exercise is well-tolerated and improves CRF, vitality, and life satisfaction in long-term BCSs, though the CRF responses were blunted compared to noncancer controls. Additionally, aerobic exercise improves fatigue, body image, and HRQoL compared to usual care, particularly for BCSs with high symptom burden at baseline. However, most of the observed exercise benefits returned towards baseline values at one-year follow-up.Institutt for fysisk prestasjonsevne / Department of Physical Performanc