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Handheld percussive massage devices (ie, massage guns) are a relatively new and under-researched recovery tool. These tools are intended to increase range of motion and reduce muscle soreness by delivering targeted vibration to soft tissues. Empirical knowledge about the potential influence of these devices on perceptual recovery and the recovery of performance characteristics after exercise is scarce. To investigate the effect of a 5-minute massage gun application, using a commercially available device, on physical and perceptual recovery after a strenuous bout of lower body exercise. Controlled laboratory study. Physiology laboratory. A total of 65 active young adults (age = 21.3 ± 1.4 years; age range = 18–30 years; 34 women: height = 165.8 ± 6.1 cm, mass = 66.0 ± 7.4 kg; 31 men: height = 181.1 ± 6.0 cm, mass = 81.5 ± 11.8 kg). Participants applied a massage gun on the calf muscles of 1 leg after strenuous exercise (massage gun recovery group) for 5 minutes and used no recovery intervention on the other leg (control group). Ankle range of motion, calf circumference, isometric strength, calf endurance, and perceived muscle soreness measures were collected at baseline and at various points after lower body exercise. No significant group × time interactions were recorded for any of the performance or perceptual measures (P values >.05). Effect sizes were mostly unclear, except for a small increase in perceived muscle soreness in the massage gun recovery group compared with the control group immediately (d = −0.35) and 4 hours (d = −0.48) postrecovery. Massage guns appeared to have little effect on physical measures when applied for 5 minutes immediately after strenuous calf exercise. Given the small increase in muscle soreness up to 4 hours after their use, caution is recommended when using massage guns immediately after strenuous lower body exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent academic focus has been on reducing the sex data gap for women in sport and exercise research. However, 'women in sport' is often narrowly represented by female athletes/participants, though there are numerous other positions in sport which are also threatened by a sex data gap. In this paper, we propose a six-pillar framework of sport to draw attention to the key areas that women can contribute to within a sporting organisation. In this paper we cover the current state of play of female participation across these pillars, identify some of the challenges and implications of women being a minority, and look at the benefits of taking a wider whole-of-sport approach to women in sport beyond just as participants. By conceptualising women in sport across this wider sporting context, we encourage readers to avoid 'gender blindness,' and we provide specific recommendations to help raise the profile of women in sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of contextual factors on physical activity and technical match performance during Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) competition match-play. The study was of a retrospective longitudinal design and used physical activity and technical data collected from female Australian Football players (n = 49) from 1 team during 23 AFLW competition games over 3 seasons. A three-level linear mixed model was constructed to investigate the influence of different contextual factors (match-related variables) on relative total distance (TD), relative high-speed running (HSR) distance, and ranking points during AFLW match-play. The results showed that from season 1 to season 3, relative TD increased by 2.0 m·min-1 (ES: 0.06 [-0.04 to 0.16], p < 0.05) and relative HSR increased by 4.1 m·min-1 (ES: 0.22 [0.14-0.31], p < 0.001). Interstate matches were associated with a reduction of 5.1 m·min-1 per match in TD (ES: -0.21 [-0.30 to -0.12], p < 0.001) and 2.5 m·min-1 in HSR distance (ES: -0.22 [-0.31 to -0.13], p < 0.001). Total disposals were associated with a 0.23 m·minute-1 reduction in HSR for that player (ES: -0.13 [-0.22 to 0.04], p < 0.01). Match margin was the only contextual factor to influence ranking points/min (0.007 AU·min-1, ES: 0.30 [0.21-0.38], p < 0.001). In conclusion, this study shows that player physical activity may be reduced during interstate AFLW matches; the average HSR has increased since the start of the AFLW competition and may reflect increasing match activity profiles, and players have a greater rate of accumulation of ranking points when the score difference is greater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify seasonal changes in AFLW Draft Combine assessments, examine the physical and anthropometric assessments associated with draft outcome and investigate the presence of a relative age effect. Three seasons (2017–2019) of the AFLW Draft Combine assessment data were obtained (n = 131). Testing data between seasons were examined using a MANOVA. A factor analysis using principal components (identifying speed, lower body power, aerobic capacity, and anthropometry) was conducted prior to the construction of a binary logistic regression model. Speed (including 5, 10 and 20 m sprint times) significantly contributed to the binary logistic regression model discriminating drafted and non-drafted players (p = 0.040). A significant main effect of season was reported (p ≤ 0.01) with post-hoc tests confirming 5, 10 and 20 m sprint times were faster in the 2018 AFLW Draft Combine compared with the 2017 AFLW Draft Combine. No relative age effect was observed in this dataset. Overall, the 20 m sprint test showed the greatest difference between drafted and non-drafted players, while speed (collectively) was the greatest predictor of draft outcome. This data provides insight into the physical qualities of prospective players that were associated with selection to the AFLW competition in its first 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]