932 research outputs found
Sort by
Individual hop analysis and reactive strength ratios provide better discrimination of ACL reconstructed limb deficits than triple hop for distance scores in athletes returning to sport
Get PDFSurgical treatment and rehabilitation programs for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) remain a costly burden to health care services (23). Approximately two thirds of patients successfully return to sport (48); however, re-injury rates are high (~ 35%), occurring to either the reconstructed graft or the contralateral ACL (49). To minimise the risk of re-injury, return-to-sport (RTS) test batteries are used as part of the rehabilitation process to ensure neuromuscular function recovers as close to their pre-injury levels as possible
COVID-19: #Working From Home. Quite Enjoyed It. Surprised Myself.
Get PDFAs more than a third of the world's population is now in lock-down, we are seeing COVID-19 not only having serious implications on people's health but also having a significant knock-on effect on their livelihoods. A recent YouGov report highlights that one in twenty people in the UK has lost a job due to coronavirus and that 52\% of those studied expect the British economy to be in recession within a year Yougov.
In this paper we aim to investigate the online social response to the working from home \#WFH concept, by analysis the twitter activity around the coronavirus and #WFH, initial findings suggest, 73.1\% positive tweets before the lock-down, on the other hand, 79.3\% positive tweets after the lock-down around the #WFH
Effects of plyometric jump training on jump and sprint performance in young male soccer players: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Get PDFAbstract
Background: Even from a young age, modern soccer requires high levels of physical fitness development, particularly jumping and sprinting. Plyometric jump training (PJT), combined with young athletes’ regular soccer sessions, has the potential to improve jumping and sprinting. However, studies exploring the effects of PJT are generally limited by small sample sizes. This problem of underpowered studies may thus be resolved by pooling study results in a meta-analysis.
Objective: The objective of this systematic review with meta-analysis (SRMA) was to assess the effects of plyometric jump training (PJT) on jumping and sprinting among young male soccer players.
Methods: The SRMA included peer-reviewed articles that incorporated PJT in healthy players (i.e., <23 years of age), a control group, and a measure of jumping or sprinting. Means and standard deviations of outcomes were converted to Hedges’ g effect sizes (ES), using the inverse variance random-effects model. Moderator analyses were conducted for PJT duration, frequency, total number of sessions, participants’ chronological age, and FIFA age categories (i.e., U-17 vs. U-20 vs. U-23). A multivariate random effects meta-regression was also conducted.
Results: Thirty-three studies were included, comprising 1,499 participants. PJT improved vertical jump tests (ES = 0.60-0.98; all p 7 weeks and >14 PJT sessions induced greater effects compared to PJT with ≤7 weeks and ≤14 total sessions on 10-m sprint performance (between-group p = 0.038).
Conclusion. Therefore, PJT is effective in improving jumping and sprinting performance among young male soccer players. Greater 10-m linear sprinting improvements were noted after interventions >7 weeks duration and >14 sessions, suggesting a greater return from exposure to longer PJT interventions, partially in support for the adoption of a long-term approach to athletic development in young athletes. However, with reference to the findings of the meta-regression, and those from the remaining subgroup and single factors analysis, a robust confirmation regarding the moderator role of participant’s age, or PJT configuration effects on young soccer player’s fitness qualities needs future confirmation
The importance of duration and magnitude of force application to sprint performance during the initial acceleration, transition and maximal velocity phases
Get PDFSuccessful sprinting depends on covering a specific distance in the shortest time possible. Although external forces are key to sprinting, less consideration is given to the duration of force application, which influences the impulse generated. This study explored relationships between sprint performance measures and external kinetic and kinematic performance indicators. Data were collected from the initial acceleration, transition and maximal velocity phases of a sprint. Relationships were analysed between sprint performance measures and kinetic and kinematic variables. A commonality regression analysis was used to explore how independent variables contributed to multiple-regression models for the sprint phases. Propulsive forces play a key role in sprint performance during the initial acceleration (r = 0.95 ± 0.03) and transition phases (r = 0.74 ± 0.19), while braking duration plays an important role during the transition phase (r = −0.72 ± 0.20). Contact time, vertical force and peak propulsive forces represented key determinants (r = −0.64 ± 0.31, r = 0.57 ± 0.35 and r = 0.66 ± 0.30, respectively) of maximal velocity phase performance, with peak propulsive force providing the largest unique contribution to the regression model for step velocity. These results clarified the role of force and time variables on sprinting performance
Young Adolescents' Experiences and Views on Eating and Food
Get PDFPurpose – Poor eating habits established during adolescence are likely to lead to negative
long-term health consequences. The childhood obesity epidemic is a growing public
health concern, largely attributed to obesogenic environments. This study explores the
multiple factors contributing positively or negatively to young consumers’ attitudes
towards their food consumption.
Methodology – Forty-two 11- to 13-year-olds (24 males and 18 females) from three
secondary schools in Wales participated in five focus group discussions. The process of
thematic analysis resulted in several identified themes that influenced the young
consumers’ eating habits.
Findings – Extrapersonal factors compromised: education, peer pressure, parenting,
availability and social media; and, intrapersonal factors included: health consciousness,
taste preferences, convenience and price consciousness. Contrary to previous research,
the adolescent participants perceived their parents as more influential than their peer
group, even during decision-making in the school canteen.
Originality – A novel connection between peer pressure and convenience was
discovered. Multiple factors contribute to young consumers’ attitudes towards food and
their dietary habits.
Practical Implications – These research findings are beneficial for policy-makers
working to develop an age-appropriate multi-factorial approach to promote healthful
dietary practices amongst young consumers. For instance, increasing easily accessible
food-to-go choices that are not only convenient to purchase and consume, yet healthful
could improve dietary intake
Developing athletic motor skill competencies in youth
Get PDFSynergistic development of muscular strength and motor skill competency is central to Long Term Athletic Development. However, these qualities need to be developed in a logical and progressive manner and training methods need to be developmentally appropriate, engaging, and enjoyable for young athletes to help them build a positive association with strength and conditioning based activities. This article aims to provide a resource for coaches to utilise when developing the athletic motor skill competencies (AMSC) in youth, including game-based activities, and a more structured resistance training curriculum
The health benefits of passive heating and aerobic exercise: to what extent do the mechanisms overlap?
Get PDFExercise can induce numerous health benefits that can reduce the risk of chronic diseases and all-cause mortality, yet a significant percentage of the population do not meet minimal physical activity guidelines. Several recent studies have shown that passive heating can induce numerous health benefits, many of which are comparable to exercise, such as improvements to cardiorespiratory fitness, vascular health, glycaemic control and chronic low-grade inflammation. As such, passive heating is emerging as a promising therapy for populations who cannot perform sustained exercise or display poor exercise adherence. There appears to be some overlap between the cellular signalling responses that are regulated by temperature and the mechanisms that underpin beneficial adaptations to exercise, but detailed comparisons have not yet been made. Therefore, the purpose of this mini review is to assess the similarities and distinctions between adaptations to passive heating and exercise. Understanding the potential shared mechanisms of action between passive heating and exercise may help to direct future studies to implement passive heating more effectively and identify differences between passive heating and exercise induced adaptations
A Psychophysiological Examination of the Mutability of Type D Personality in a Therapeutic Trial
Get PDFIdentifying the associations between health and personality has been a focus for psychophysiological research. Type D personality is associated with predisposition to physical and psychological ill-health. This statistician-blind parallel-group controlled trial (intervention group vs. waiting list control group) examined the impact of Havening Techniques on the Type D constituents of negative affect (NA) and social inhibition (SI). One hundred twenty-five adult (18+ years) participants in the United Kingdom (72 females, 53 males) completed the Type D Scale-14 (DS14) measure of Type D personality at baseline (T1), 24-hours (T2), and at 1-month (T3). Forty participants in the treatment group received additional stress biomarker assessment of heart rate, blood pressure, and salivary cortisol. Type D caseness remained stable in the waiting list participants (n = 57). In the treatment group (n = 68); NA, SI, and total scores decreased from T1 to T2 (p < .001, p < .001, and p < .001, respectively), and from T2 to T3 (p = .004, p < .001, and p < .001, respectively), significantly transmuting to non-caseness (p < .001 for T1 to T2; p = .025 for T2 to T3). Between T1 and T2, decreases in cortisol (p < .001), diastolic blood pressure (p < .001), and systolic blood pressure (p < .001) were demonstrated. Heart rate fell nonsignificantly between T1 and T2 (p = .063), but significantly from T1 to T3 (p = .048). The findings of this study indicate the potential mutability of the psychophysiological illness-prone characteristics of Type D personality
The influence of increased venous return on right ventricular dyssynchrony during acute and sustained hypoxemia
Get PDFRegional heterogeneity in timing of right ventricular (RV) contraction (RV dyssynchrony; RVD) occurs when pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) is increased during acute hypoxia. Interestingly, RVD is not observed during exercise, a stimulus that increases both PASP and venous return. Therefore, we hypothesized that RVD in healthy humans is sensitive to changes in venous return, and examined whether (i) increasing venous return in acute hypoxia lowers RVD and (ii) if RVD is further exaggerated in sustained hypoxia, given increased PASP is accompanied by decreased ventricular filling at high altitude. RVD, PASP and RV end diastolic area (EDA) were assessed using transthoracic two‐dimensional and speckle‐tracking echocardiography during acute normobaric hypoxia (FiO2 = 0.12) and sustained exposure (5‐10 days) to hypobaric hypoxia (3800m). Venous return was augmented with lower body positive pressure at sea level (LBPP; +10 mmHg) and saline infusion at high altitude. PASP was increased in acute hypoxia (20±6 vs. 28±7, P<0.001) concomitant to an increase in RVD (18±7 vs. 38±10, P<0.001); however, the addition of LBPP during hypoxia decreased RVD (38±0 vs. 26±10, P<0.001). Sustained hypoxia increased PASP (20±4 vs. 26±5, P = 0.008) and decreased RV EDA (24±4 vs. 21±2, P = 0.042), with RVD augmented (14±5 vs. 31±12, P = 0.001). Saline infusion increased RV EDA (21±2 vs. 23 ± 3, P = 0.008) and reduced RVD (31±12 vs. 20±9, P = 0.001). In summary, an increase in PASP secondary to acute and sustained exposure to hypoxia augments RVD, which can be at least partly reduced via increased venous return
Assessing the broader social outcomes of a community health programme through a social-ecological framework
Get PDFEcological approaches to health promotion have been increasingly adopted to address the complexities
of increasing population level physical activity. These approaches understand individual behaviour in
terms of the outcome of interactions between multiple biological, psycho-sociological and
environmental factors which require complex and multilevel interventions. However, the health
promotion field has been hampered by a lack of evaluation frameworks that provide sufficient flexibility
to accommodate the complexity of ‘real world’ settings which lie at the heart of ecological approaches.
In order to evaluate a small grants community health promotion programme this study deployed a
social-ecological evaluation framework operationalised through a Social Return on Investment (SROI)
methodology. This sought to understand and assess the broader social outcomes relating to the
implementation of range of local physical activity and sport projects, and to maintain stakeholder
engagement throughout. The formative and summative components of the evaluation are described
before results are presented, which include qualitative findings and outcome indicator values. Findings
highlight a diverse range of societal outcomes at the individual level for example, improved physical
and mental health, and community level for example, community connectedness, which reflect a range
of social, personal and interpersonal, and economic benefits. The SROI methodology not only provides
social enterprises with a framework for measuring performance and impact, but is also shown to be a
valuable management and stakeholder engagement tool for those commissioning local physical activity
and sport programmes of this type