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Background The measurement of physical fitness has a history that dates back nearly 200 years. Recently, there has been an increase in international research and surveillance on physical fitness creating a need for setting international priorities that could help guide future efforts. Objective This study aimed to produce a list of the top 10 international priorities for research and surveillance on physical fitness among children and adolescents. Methods Using a twin-panel Delphi method, two independent panels consisting of 46 international experts were identified (panel 1 = 28, panel 2 = 18). The panel participants were asked to list up to five priorities for research or surveillance (round 1), and then rated the items from their own panel on a 5-point Likert scale of importance (round 2). In round 3, experts were asked to rate the priorities identified by the other panel. Results There was strong between-panel agreement (panel 1: r(s) = 0.76, p < 0.01; panel 2: r(s) = 0.77, p < 0.01) in the priorities identified. The list of the final top 10 priorities included (i) "conduct longitudinal studies to assess changes in fitness and associations with health". This was followed by (ii) "use fitness surveillance to inform decision making", and (iii) "implement regular and consistent international/national fitness surveys using common measures". Conclusions The priorities identified in this study provide guidance for future international collaborations and research efforts on the physical fitness of children and adolescents over the next decade and beyond., Funding Agencies|Public Health Agency of Canada

The measurement of physical fitness has a history that dates back nearly 200 years. Recently, there has been an increase in international research and surveillance on physical fitness creating a need for setting international priorities that could help guide future efforts. This study aimed to produce a list of the top 10 international priorities for research and surveillance on physical fitness among children and adolescents. Using a twin-panel Delphi method, two independent panels consisting of 46 international experts were identified (panel 1 = 28, panel 2 = 18). The panel participants were asked to list up to five priorities for research or surveillance (round 1), and then rated the items from their own panel on a 5-point Likert scale of importance (round 2). In round 3, experts were asked to rate the priorities identified by the other panel. There was strong between-panel agreement (panel 1: r = 0.76, p < 0.01; panel 2: r = 0.77, p < 0.01) in the priorities identified. The list of the final top 10 priorities included (i) "conduct longitudinal studies to assess changes in fitness and associations with health". This was followed by (ii) "use fitness surveillance to inform decision making", and (iii) "implement regular and consistent international/national fitness surveys using common measures". The priorities identified in this study provide guidance for future international collaborations and research efforts on the physical fitness of children and adolescents over the next decade and beyond. [Abstract copyright: © 2022. Crown.]

Background: Improved survival rates for children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer call for novel strategies for reducing short- and long-term treatment-related side effects. These include the physical and metabolic sequelae that are exacerbated by sedentary behavior and treatment-induced toxicities. We aim to investigate the effect of an integrative neuromuscular training intervention during the first 6 months of anti-cancer treatment primarily on muscle strength, and secondarily on exercise capacity, physical function, markers of metabolic syndrome, dysmetabolism, and health-related quality of life during and after ended treatment. Methods: One hundred and twenty-seven children and adolescents, newly diagnosed with malignant and benign neoplasia, aged 6–17 years, and treated with chemotherapy or radiation will be randomized to either the intervention or the control arm of the study. The intervention group will, in addition to usual care, be offered a combination of 6 months of supervised physical exercise (integrative neuromuscular training) and home-based exercise. The active control group will, in addition to usual care, receive information along an unsupervised written home-based training program. All participants, including parents, will receive information about the importance of physical exercise during the course of cancer treatment, at the start of treatment, and in 5 monthly sessions. The primary outcome is measured in terms of isometric quadriceps muscle strength. Secondary outcomes include muscle strength and endurance, markers of metabolic syndrome and dysmetabolism, exercise capacity, physical function and activity, days of hospitalization, and health-related quality of life. Assessment will be conducted at treatment initiation (baseline), at 3 and 6 months after inclusion, and 1 month and 1 year after ended treatment. The primary endpoint for lower-body muscle strength is at 6 months after treatment initiation. The effects of the intervention

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of an 8-week integrative neuromuscular training (INT) program on physical fitness measures in young rugby players. A sample of 138 male rugby players (age range, 6–14 years) was divided into 5 age-related groups: group 1 (G1) (n = 20; age, 7.05 ± 0.58), group 2 (G2) (n = 27; age, 8.57 ± 0.49), group 3 (G3) (n = 31; age, 11.02 ± 0.56), group 4 (G4) (n = 33; age, 13.12 ± 0.58, and group 5 (G5) (n = 27; age, 14.85 ± 1.53 and additionally into 2 game position groups: forwards (FOR) (n = 69) and backs (BAC) (n = 69). Physical fitness measures included the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), dominant and nondominant hand-to-eye coordination, sprint capacity, core muscular endurance, and lower- and upper-body power. Integrative neuromuscular training (INT) included progressive strength, coordination, and speed exercises performed twice per week for 20 minutes. Following INT, significant improvements in selected age-related groups (p < 0.01) were found in total FMS score G3 (effect size [ES] = 0.47), G4 (ES = 0.88), and G5 (ES = 0.58); dominant hand-to-eye coordination G1 (ES = 1.48), G2 (ES = 0.71), G3 (ES = 0.55), G4 (ES = 1.47), and G5 (ES = 1.15), nondominant hand-to-eye coordination G2 (ES = 0.74), G4 (ES = 1.34), and G5 (ES = 1.09); lower-body power G2 (ES = 0.44), G4 (ES = 0.39), and G5 (ES = 0.43); core muscular endurance G1 (ES = 0.82), G3 (ES = 0.68), and G4 (ES = 1.04); upper-body power G2 (ES = 0.53); and sprint capacity G4 (ES = 0.69). Significant improvements were also found between player's positions for all tests. These findings indicate that a progressive INT program can enhance functional movement abilities and selected physical fitness measures in young rugby players regardless of game position and age.

Power development is critical for enhancing rugby performance because there is a close relationship between power and sport-specific skills. The aim of this study was to examine the force-velocity profiling generated by adolescent rugby players in the squat and bench press exercises and to compare sex-related differences. Subjects were 46 men (age: 14.48 ± 1.31 years; body height: 1.65 ± 0.09 m; and body mass: 58.07 ± 13.01 kg) and 41 women (age: 14.93 ± 2.76 years; body height: 1.63 ± 0.12 m; and body mass: 59.23 ± 12.66 kg) who were recruited from a national amateur rugby league team. Maximal strength, power, and velocity were assessed on the squat and bench press exercises using a Smith Machine and a linear power transducer with intensities ranging from 40 to 80% 1 repetition maximum (1RM) on the squat and 50–80% 1RM on the bench press. 1 repetition maximum squat and bench press performance were 104.26 ± 30.83 and 46.97 ± 13.59 kg, respectively, for men and 115.17 ± 41.42 and 45.85 ± 16.71 kg, respectively, for women. The maximum squat power results for men and women were 521.91 ± 298.75 and 591.26 ± 352.69 W, respectively, and the maximum bench press power results for men and women were 190.26 ± 150.54 and 326.16 ± 195.57 W, respectively. Significant sex-related differences (p < 0.001) were found on the squat exercise for maximum (40%), mean (40–50%), and time to maximum velocities (40–80%) as well as time to maximum power (80%). On the bench press exercise, significant sex-related differences (p < 0.001) were found for power and time to maximum velocity (40%-60%-70%-80%). These results may aid in the design of strength and conditioning programs for adolescent rugby players by targeting training prescriptions toward enhancing strength or velocity.