Search

Objectives: Describe the injury risk of English youth basketball, comparing game versus training injury incidence and burden.\ud \ud Design: 5 season (2013/14-2018/19) prospective cohort study.\ud \ud Setting: Basketball academy at an English sports college.\ud \ud Participants: Male basketball players (n = 110, mean age; 17.3 ± 0.9 years).\ud \ud Main outcomes measures: Descriptive data regarding game and training injury incidence (injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (AE)) and burden (severity x incidence) are provided with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Rate ratios (RR; 95% CI) were used to compare outcome measures, with results statistically significant if the 95% CI did not pass 1.0.\ud \ud Results: Fifty-four injuries were sustained during 13,350-AE (1666 games, 9684 training). Game injury incidence (12.0/1000-AE, 95% CI 6.7–17.3) was significantly greater than training injury incidence (2.4/1000-AE, 95% CI 1.4–3.3; RR = 5.1, 95% CI 2.8–9.2). Games had a significantly greater injury burden (216 days absence/1000-AE, 95% CI 121-311) than training (62 days absence/1000-AE, 95% CI 37-88; RR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.9–6.3). The ankle was the most injured body location (37%), whilst over 50% of injuries occurring through contact mechanisms.\ud \ud Conclusion: This study is the most comprehensive description of injury epidemiology in English youth basketball to date. This information can inform evidence-based injury prevention strategies to mitigate risk in this population.

Low intensity active recovery such as walking appears to be optimal for the clearance of blood lactate (BLa) concentration following high intensity exercise. However, within a sporting context, competition rules or procedural impracticalities often mean walking is not possible. Leg fidgeting during sitting has been shown to increase leg blood flow, which may impact BLa clearance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether leg fidgeting stimulates BLa clearance following high intensity exercise. Using a randomized crossover design, fifteen (7 female) university athletes performed a 30 s Wingate test followed by 15 min of either passive seated rest, or seated leg fidgeting. BLa, heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were assessed pre, immediately post and post 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 min. There was a significant ( p −1), 9 (9.3 ± 2.3 vs. 9.9 ± 2.1 mmol·L−1), 12 (8.8 ± 2.3 vs. 9.5 ± 2.2 mmol·L−1) and 15 (7.6 ± 2.1 vs. 8.6 ± 2.2 mmol·L−1) min respectively. Overall, leg fidgeting improved BLa clearance by 10% more than passive recovery. No significant interactions were found for HR or RPE. Following high intensity exercise, leg fidgeting may be considered a useful alternative to whole body active recovery when walking is not permitted.

In this paper, we outline an ecological approach to practice design in American football to support coaches in helping players to coordinate skilled movement behaviours in dynamic performance environments. This approach may require moving away from some long-held practice approaches traditionally employed by some coaches across all performance levels. To guide this progression, we present two novel case examples to support coaches interested in moving towards more contemporary pedagogical frameworks that support the notion of their role as a practice designer, centralising athlete-envirnoment interactions. Distinctively, through the utilisation of a constraints-led methodology, coaches could design practice tasks to offer opportunities for players to interact with challenging performance problems. Our case examples range from high school players to National Football League standouts to support the implementation of alternative approaches to practice design, exploring what an ecological dynamics rationale could look, feel and sound like in the context of American football.

This mixed methods study aimed to investigate weight cutting practices of female taekwon-do athletes internationally and explore their experiences of “making weight.” A survey of weight loss practices and eating behaviors was completed by 103 taekwon-do athletes from 12 countries, which illustrated that 72.5% of athletes engage in both acute and chronic weight loss practices prior to competition and that there were higher levels of disordered eating within this athletic population than nonweight cutting athletes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five international-level competitors; thematic analysis of the interviews identified that the women in general felt weight cutting was “horrible—but worth it” and the women believed that (a) weight cutting is unpleasant, difficult, and challenging; and (b) weight cutting provides a competitive advantage. The implications of this study are that weight cutting is widespread among high-level competitive female taekwon-do athletes and this is unlikely to change given the perceived advantages. Efforts are needed to make sure that the women are knowledgeable of the risks and are provided with safe and effective means of making weight.

Academic studies have helped to shed light on the potential of partnership working as a means to address \ud crime prevention issues, but from a practical perspective it seems to have done little to further our \ud understanding of what it is that makes the difference between partnerships that are effective and those \ud which are not. This is even more the case within the sport and criminal justice sector, where evidence \ud concerning the relationship between partnership operations, processes, and outcomes is limited, with \ud little understanding of the contradictions, complexities and contexts in which partnerships take place.

The concept of partnership working has gained traction as an alternative form of governance to address complex and multifaceted problems. The popularity of partnerships is also evident within the sport and physical activity sector, where their inclusion has become a staple of initiatives that utilise sport as a mechanism for development and to address social ills. This includes the issue of youth crime, where partnership working has become embedded as a key component of crime prevention and desistance strategies. While partnership working has become one of the most overused terms in contemporary policy, the failure to adequately grasp its meaning and to identify which aspects might usefully support it effectiveness is a long-standing problem. This paper adopts McDonald’s (2005) theoretical framework, which draws a distinction between strategic and communicative partnerships, to examine the partnership workings of a UK organisation that seeks to build a better and safer society through the use of sport in the criminal justice system. Drawing upon qualitative data collected from the stakeholders of this organization (n=35), the paper presents insights into some of the tensions and challenges experienced by participants during the formation of operational partnerships and explores how these factors result in the development of either strategic partnerships, dominated by goal-attainment, instrumentalism and managerial authority; or communicative partnerships, where co-operation is central to the achievement of objectives.

Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) can be combined with lower body power-based movements to acutely enhance them, however, currently there are limited recommendations for this training method. AEL can enhance force and power metrics during its utilization with lower body power-based exercises. When employing AEL, exercises should consist of jump squats and countermovement jumps with loading methods consisting of weight releasors or dumbbell hand release. Elastic bands can be utilized, however, more research is needed in this area. External loads ranging from 10 – 30% of body mass can be utilized. Future research needs to investigate increased eccentric and concentric loads when employing AEL with power-based movements.

Background\ud Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has a detrimental impact on athletic performance. Despite rehabilitation guidelines and criterion-based progressions to ensure safe restoration of fundamental physical capacities and maladaptive movement strategies, residual deficits in maximal strength, rate of force development (RFD), power and reactive strength are commonly reported. These combined with associated compensatory inter and intra-limb strategies increase the risk of re-injury.\ud \ud Objective\ud The aim of this article is to examine the relationships between fundamental physical capacities and biomechanical variables during dynamic movement tasks.\ud \ud Design\ud Narrative review\ud \ud Results\ud The available data suggests that quadriceps strength and rate of torque development, explain a moderate portion of the variance in aberrant kinetic and kinematic strategies commonly detected in ACL reconstructed cohorts at who are during the later stages of rehabilitation and RTS\ud \ud Conclusion\ud The available data suggests that quadriceps strength and rate of torque development, explain a moderate portion of the variance in aberrant kinetic and kinematic strategies commonly detected in ACL reconstructed cohorts at who are in the later stages of rehabilitation and RTS

The individual response to load is multifactorial and complicated by transient and temporal changes in biological maturation. The period surrounding peak height velocity exposes potentially ‘fragile’ individuals to systematic, age-related increases in training loads. Bio-banding allows practitioners to manage the biological diversity and align training to the development needs to each athlete. This study explores the acute impact of maturation on neuromuscular performance and perceived intensity through comparing both chronological and bio-banded training sessions. \ud \ud 55 male soccer players (mean ±SD; age 13.8 ±1.4 years) were recruited from an EPPP academy. Following a warm-up and standardised sub-maximal run (30-15IFT), players competed in five bouts of 5-minute 6v6 small-sided games (SSGs) before repeating the standardised sub-maximal run. The sessions were repeated on three occasions with chronological SSGs and the same with bio-banded SSGs wearing foot-mounted inertial measurement units (PlayerMakerTM) with differential ratings of perceived exertion used to quantify internal loads. \ud \ud Mixed linear modelling indicated maturity-specific pre-post differences in neuromuscular response, stride length and cadence having contrasting responses pre- (reduced) and post-PHV (increased), and larger changes in post sessions stiffness for pre- (~18.6 kNm-1) and circa-PHV (~12.1 kNm-1) players. Secondly, there were small to large differences in neuromuscular response (RSI stride length, stiffness, and contact time) and perceptions of intensity between chronological and bio-banded sessions, with bio-banding generally reducing pre-post changes.\ud \ud Bio-banding may offer a mechanism to prescribe maturity-specific training loads which may help to alleviate the impact of repeated exposure to high-intensity activity, thus reducing injury risk whilst promoting long-term player development.

Reductions in brain blood flow are associated with reduced cognitive function and cerebrovascular disease. Acute periods of uninterrupted sitting can lead to endothelial dysfunction, namely due to a reduction in shear stress and subsequent reduction in nitric oxide bioavailability. Little is known of the impact of sitting on brain health. The purpose was to determine the total brain blood flow response following a 60-minute bout of uninterrupted sitting. Using a parallel design, this study evaluated the impact of 60-minutes of sitting on total brain blood flow. Fifteen participants (n=15; age=24 ± 1yr; BMI=25 ± 1 kg/m(2)) sat, uninterrupted, for 60-minutes during the SIT protocol. To ascertain the contribution of blood pooling effects on total brain blood flow, ten participants (n=10; age=23±2yr; BMI=27±4 kg/m(2)) sat in a modified sitting (MOD) for 60-minutes. Finally, thirteen participants (n=13; age=23±3yr; BMI=26±4 kg/m(2)) remained supine for the duration of the 60-minutes as a time-control (TC). Brain blood flow was quantified through Doppler-ultrasound measurements of blood flow through the internal carotid (ICA) and vertebral (VA) arteries: (ICA blood flow + VA blood flow) × 2. Following the 60-minutes of sitting (SIT), there was a significant reduction in brain blood flow with time (p=0.001, η(p)(2)=0.05). Total brain blood flow did not significantly change in MOD (p=0.69, η(p)(2)=0.05) or TC (p=0.06, η(p)(2)=0.58) conditions. These findings indicate 60-minutes of sitting may alter cerebrovascular hemodynamics characterized by a reduction in total brain blood flow.

Context: The assessment of pediatric muscle strength is necessary in a range of applications, including rehabilitation programs. Handheld dynamometry (HHD) is considered easy to use, portable, and low cost, but validity to measure lower limb muscle strength in children has not been assessed. Objective: To determine the concurrent validity of lower limb torque from HHD compared with isokinetic dynamometry (ID) in children aged from 7 to 11 years old. Design: A descriptive assessment of concurrent validity of lower limb joint torques from HHD compared with ID. Methods: Sixty-one typically developing children underwent assessment of maximal hip, knee, and ankle isometric torque by HHD and ID using standardized protocols. Joint positions were selected to represent maximal strength and were replicated between devices. Concurrent validity was determined by Pearson correlation, limits of agreement, and Bland–Altman plots. Results: Correlations between HHD and ID were moderate to large for knee extension (r 95% CI, .39 to .73), small to large for plantar flexion (r 95% CI, .29 to .67), knee flexion (r 95% CI, .16 to .59), hip flexion (r 95% CI, .21 to .57), hip extension (r 95% CI, .18 to .54), and hip adduction (r 95% CI, .12 to .56), and small to moderate for dorsiflexion (r 95% CI, −.11 to .39) and hip abduction (r 95% CI, −.02 to .46). Limits of agreement for all joint torques were greater than 10% indicating large error in HHD measured torque compared with ID. A positive proportional bias was detected for plantarflexion, indicating that HHD underestimated torque to a greater extent in participants with higher torque values. Conclusions: Maximal torque values from HHD and ID are consistent with those previously reported in the literature. Poor concurrent validity of HHD may have arisen from issues around joint position, joint stabilization, and the experience of the tester to prevent an isokinetic contraction. Pediatric lower limb muscle strength assessed by HHD should be interpreted with caution.

ObjectiveThe efficacious Activate injury prevention exercise programme has been shown to prevent injuries in English schoolboy rugby union. There is now a need to assess the implementation and effectiveness of Activate in the applie setting.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study used a 24-hour time-loss injury definition to calculate incidence (/1000 hours) and burden (days lost/1000 hours) for individuals whose teams adopted Activate (used Activate during season) versus non-adopters. The dose-response relationship of varying levels of Activate adherence (median Activate sessions per week) was also assessed. Player-level rugby exposure, sessional Activate adoption and injury reports were recorded by school gatekeepers. Rate ratios (RR), adjusted by cluster (team), were calculated using backwards stepwise Poisson regression to compare rates between adoption and adherence groups.ResultsIndividuals in teams adopting Activate had a 23% lower match injury incidence (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.07), 59% lower training injury incidence (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.97) and 26% lower match injury burden (95% CI 0.46 to 1.20) than individuals on non-adopting teams. Individuals with high Activate adherence (≥3 sessions per week) had a 67% lower training injury incidence (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.91) and a 32% lower match injury incidence (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.92) than individuals with low adherence (Activate during the season, only one team used Activate three times per week, using whole phases and programme progressions.ConclusionActivate is effective at preventing injury in English schoolboy rugby. Attention should focus on factors influencing programme uptake and implementation, ensuring Activate can have maximal benefit.

Injury surveillance systems seek to describe injury risk for a given sport, in order to inform preventative strategies. This often leads to comparisons between studies, although these inferences may be inappropriate, considering the range of methods adopted. This study aimed to describe the injury epidemiology of seven youth sports, enabling valid comparisons of injury risk. Consistent methods were employed across seven sports [male American football, basketball, soccer, rugby league, rugby union; female soccer and rugby union] at a high school in England. A 24-hour time-loss injury definition was adopted. Descriptive statistics and injury incidence (/1000 match-hours) are reported. In total, 322 injuries were sustained by 240 athletes (mean age=17.7±1.0) in 10 273 player-match hours. American football had a significantly greater injury incidence (86/1000 h; 95% CI 61–120) than all sports except female rugby union (54/1000 h; 95% CI 37–76). Concussion was the most common injury (incidence range 0.0–26.7/1000 h), while 59% of injuries occurred via player contact. This study employed standardized data collection methods, allowing valid and reliable comparisons of injury risk between youth sports. This is the first known study to provide epidemiological data for female rugby union, male basketball and American football in an English youth population, enabling the development of preventative strategies.

Resource constraints complicate load monitoring practices in some academies, which is problematic based on load-injury associations surrounding periods of rapid non-linear growth. Limited research has explored relationships between maturation and perceived psycho-physiological response to activity and associated neuromuscular performance changes. This study aimed to quantify neuromuscular and psycho-physiological responses to standardised activity and analyse whether dose-responses were moderated by maturation. Fifty-seven male soccer players (age: 14.1 0.9 years; stature: 165 10 cm; body mass, 57 9 kg; percentage of predicted adult height 92.7 5%) from two Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) academies completed the youth soccer-specific aerobic fitness test (Y-SAFT 60). Countermovement jump (CMJ), reactive strength index (RSI), absolute (ABS) and relative leg stiffness (REL) were measured pre-post the Y-SAFT 60 with player-load (PL), heart rate (HR), total distance (TDist) and differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE) used as markers of load and intensity. A moderation model was employed to analyse interactions of maturation as a continuous variable. Analysis indicated no significant interaction (p

Some Long-term athlete development (LTAD) models have proposed generic sensitive periods or ‘windows of opportunity’ during childhood and adolescence that are optimal for training general motor abilities such as strength or speed. However, it remains unclear whether these periods exist. This review will therefore critically appraise the rationale behind generic sensitive periods. We discuss several issues with generic sensitive periods and argue that general motor abilities and the associated sensitive periods do not exist. The identified issues with generic sensitive periods questions their validity and we therefore suggest that they should not be used to train youth athletes.

Purpose Jump-landing assessments provide a means to quantify an individual’s ability to attenuate ground reaction forces, generate lower limb explosive power and maintain joint alignment. In order to identify risk factors that can be targeted through appropriate training interventions, it is necessary to establish which (scalar) objective kinetic, kinematic, and performance measures are most associated with lower-extremity injury. Methods Online searches of MEDLINE, SCOPUS, EBSCOHost, SPORTDiscus and PubMed databases were completed for all articles published before March 2020 in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Results 40 articles investigating nine jump-landing assessments were included in this review. The 79% of studies using drop jump (n = 14) observed an association with future injury, while only 8% of countermovement jump studies (n = 13) observed an association with injury risk. The 57% of studies using unilateral assessments found associations with risk of injury (n = 14). Studies using performance measures (jump height/distance) as outcome measure were only associated with injury risk in 30% of cases. However, those using kinetic and/or kinematic analyses (knee abduction moment, knee valgus angle, knee separation distance, peak ground reaction force) found associations with injury in 89% of studies. Conclusion The landing element of jump-landing assessments appears to be superior for identifying individuals at greater risk of injury; likely due to a closer representation of the injury mechanism. Consequently, jump-landing assessments that involve attenuation of impact forces such as the drop jump appear most suited for this purpose but should involve assessment of frontal plane knee motion and ground reaction forces.

Clarke, R, Read, PJ, De Ste Croix, MBA, and Hughes, JD. The deceleration deficit: a novel field-based method to quantify deceleration during change of direction performance. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2434-2439, 2022-The study investigated the relationship between linear and change of direction (COD) speed performance components and the individual differences between deceleration deficit (DD) and COD deficit (CODD). Thirty-six subjects (mean ± SD : age = 20.3 ± 2.9 years; stature = 175.2 ± 7.7 cm; and body mass = 78.0 ± 16.7 kg) completed 3 trials of a 505 test in both turning directions (dominant [D]; nondominant [ND]) and 3 15-m linear sprints. Deceleration deficit was calculated by the 15-m approach in the 505 test, minus the athlete's linear 15-m sprint time. To compare individuals CODD and DD, z-scores were calculated, and moderate worthwhile changes (MWCs) were identified between these deficit z-scores. Significant correlations were identified between linear sprints and 505 time (D: r = 0.71, 0.74; P0.01. ND: r = 0.76, 0.75; P0.01) for 10-m and 15-m sprint. respectively, and between 505 performance and CODD (D: r = 0.74; P0.01. ND: r = 0.77; P0.01) and DD (D: r = 0.41, P0.05. ND: r = 0.44, P0.01). Deceleration deficit was significantly related to CODD (D: r = 0.59; P0.01. ND: r = 0.62; P0.01); however, 78% of subjects demonstrated differences between these deficit measures greater than an MWC. In conclusion, linear speed has the strongest significant relationship with 505 performance. Deceleration deficit could provide a more isolated construct than CODD which may be related to an athlete's deceleration capabilities.

The philosophy of sports is a relatively young discipline in China which we argue, can be divided into four stages of development over the past four decades. This paper attempts to map the history of this development and provide an indication of how Chinese sport philosophy has contributed to the global development of research in this area. Stage one (1980–1985) focused primarily on ontological issues such as the nature of sport philosophy and the definition of ‘体育’ (Chinese pinyin ‘tiyu’, a term refering to sports, physical education and other physical activities). Stage two (1986–1996) saw an expansion of research and publications in sport philosophy that encompassed a variety of topic areas, including ethics and aesthetics. Scholars also began to introduce foreign works into their own research as well as turning to the traditional Chinese bodies of thought such as, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, to explore philosophical issues in sport. The third stage was a period of relative stagnation (1997–2003) until Chinese sport philosophy expanded steadily, arguably thanks to the awarding of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Over the past 15 years (the fourth stage), Chinese sport philosophy has made further contributions in ontological, ethical and aesthetic study of sports, which is shown in the increasing number of new doctoral dissertations, books and journal papers published. However, it still faces challenges. In recent years, there have been fewer conferences or symposiums on sport philosophy which has led to a decline in academic exchanges, resulting in a divided focus of resources rather than progression within a common community of academic interests. For this to be rectified, there needs to be greater opportunities for academic exchange and dialogue as well as the creation of professional associations and journals for Chinese sport philosophy.

Sports Leaders UK (SLUK) commissioned this study to explore the socio-economic and demographic factors that influence candidates’ access, completion and progression through formal sport leader qualifications. A sample (n = 76,179) of registered sport leaders, who are defined as those qualified to lead safe, purposeful and enjoyable sport/physical activity at an entry level in local communities, was selected from SLUK’s database covering a five year period. Following frequency analysis and binary logistic regression, findings highlighted certain variables (e.g., gender, experience, locality) as strong predictors of qualification completion and candidate progression through the award system. However, socio-economic status was not found to predict award completion or continued engagement. Frequency analysis indicated an inequality of sport leaders identifying as female, Black or minority ethnic, and/or disabled. This research offers some insight into the landscape of the current and potential future workforce, and has determined factors associated with more sustained involvement in UK sport leader roles. Consequently, such findings are thought to offer a valuable insight into the factors impacting the growth and development of the field.

This paper aims to further our understanding of the identity of the lifestyle entrepreneur operating within the lifestyle sports industry. The lifestyle entrepreneur has to date been the subject of numerous definitions. However, understanding the context in which entrepreneurs operate has been identified by researchers as impacting upon the actions they take, and so therefore linking context to the entrepreneur is critical to the understanding of these individuals. A mixed methods study comprising of 80 questionnaire responses, and 21 semi-structured interviews focussed on identifying lifestyle sports entrepreneurs. Two groups of entrepreneurs were targeted; those entrepreneurs operating within a sport (Engagers) and those who run a business to participate (Enablers). Issues surrounding the identification of lifestyle entrepreneurs are presented. Through the analysis of the data, entrepreneurs identified through their own narratives how their identities are created. The results demonstrate that while the current external interpretation of the lifestyle entrepreneur is of a fixed nature, the entrepreneurs themselves evidence a much more complex approach to their identities.

The aim of this longitudinal observational study was to examine the age differences in jump landing kinematics in 13–17-year-old male soccer players. Landing technique was evaluated in three consecutive seasons in U14 (n = 15) and the U16 (n = 10) competition age groups using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS). For the LESS, ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effect (p = 0.81, η2 = 0.009) or main effect for groups (p = 0.15, η2 = 0.086), but a significant year effect was observed (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.265). The LESS score in the U14 group decreased significantly in the second year (5.7 ± 1.9, p = 0.006, d = 0.84) and in the third year (5.9 ± 2.0, p = 0.020, d = 0.70) compared to the first year (7.1 ± 1.7). The LESS score in the U16 group decreased significantly in the second year (5.1 ± 0.9 points, p = 0.034, d = 0.77) and in the third year (4.9 ± 1.4, p = 0.013, d = 0.92) compared to the first year (6.4 ± 1.2). This trend was supported by the results of the separate assessment of the sagittal plane joint displacement. These findings support previous limited findings from cross-sectional studies, which point to improved landing mechanics during maturation. However, the LESS scores in both groups indicate that players who were around and/or post-peak height velocity during the observed periods may be considered “at-risk”, and suggest that preventive training programs should be introduced at earlier stages of players’ development.

Hip-shoulder separation (H-Ssep) has been widely researched in many sporting activities (e.g., golf) to provide information on the contribution of torso rotation to performance and injury. Although it is necessary for high jumpers to generate significant long-axis rotation to successfully clear the bar, limited information exists on H-Ssep for high jump athletes. As such, this study aimed to (a) characterize the H-Ssep of world-class high jump athletes during competition, (b) determine if differences exist between male and female athletes and (c) to examine the relationship between H-Ssep and the biomechanical parameters used to describe high jump technique. Twenty-nine world-class high jumpers (17 males, 12 females) were video recorded (frame rate: 120–200 Hz) during the 2017 and 2018 World Athletics Championship finals. H-Ssep was quantified at touchdown (TD) and take-off (TO) following manual digitizing (SIMI motion) and a number of other common biomechanical parameters were computed. The observed levels of H-Ssep at TD (−46±12°) and TO (16 ±11°) were in line with those reported previously for other sports. The magnitude of H-Ssep varied between individuals and showed significant associations with other approach and take-off characteristics. Significant differences in H-Ssep were not evident between male and female athletes despite significant differences in other performance- and technique-related parameters. These findings highlight the divergent take-off characteristics of world-class performers and their reliance on hip-shoulder interactions when generating long axis rotation. Coaches should be mindful of the mechanical and physical consequences of H-Ssep when developing technical models, conditioning interventions and coaching strategies.

Sprint running is one of the oldest athletic events that has dominated the athletics\ud scene since the first ancient Olympic games in 776 BC. Has this happened through\ud an evolution process where this competitive gait has managed to adapt and\ud modernise itself to remain contemporary? If this is the case, how do the sprinters of\ud the 21st century compare to the ancient runners competing barefoot on plain dirt\ud surface? What does the future of sprinting look like?\ud Having spent over two decades studying sprint running through a biomechanical\ud lens, Professor Bissas will philosophise about this pure, uncomplicated and aesthetic\ud mode of human locomotion that obeys unfailingly the laws of classical mechanics.

This study aimed to compare joint kinematics and center of mass parameters throughout hurdle clearance between world-class men and women sprint hurdlers, who were competing in a World Championships final. This was the first study to present time-series kinematic data around hurdle clearance, and given the technical ability of the athletes analyzed, it can be used as a template when analyzing the technique of other athletes in similar competitions and training. Video data were collected of the 16 finalists at the 2017 IAAF World Championships using four high-speed cameras (150 Hz). Video files were continuously digitized manually from touchdown before hurdle clearance to toe-off after landing around the sixth hurdle for men and the fifth hurdle for women, and sex-based comparisons were made at key discrete time points using independent t-tests, and throughout the entire hurdle phase using statistical parametric mapping. When calculated relative to hurdle height, the women's center of mass height was significantly greater than the men's throughout the full analyzed sequence (p < 0.001). Men also displayed more hip flexion in the lead leg at take-off before hurdle clearance (p = 0.029) as well as a more extended knee joint at intervals during flight and upon landing (p ≤ 0.037). Women completed the hurdle phase in a significantly shorter time than men (~11% difference, p < 0.001). Finally, women seemed to be more efficient by maintaining and even exceeding their entry velocity for the first 40% of the hurdle phase. These results show a lower technical demand for the women to successfully negotiate hurdle clearance, thus providing further evidence to support the argument that the women's hurdle height is too low for their performance capabilities and should be raised in senior competition.

Boing was launched in 2014 to support practitioners (coaches, coach developers,\ud teachers, sports development professionals, volunteers and many more!) to deliver\ud highly engaging physical activity, sport and physical education. This report focuses on\ud a Sport England funded pilot project (2019-2021) conceived of to develop an\ud understanding of:\ud 1. What is required to build meaningful relationships across the Active Partnerships\ud Network and across the sector as a whole.\ud 2. The potential impact of bespoke partnerships/influencing on the way we support\ud and educate the workforce.\ud 3. The impact of an educational programme of workshops on practitioners and\ud children.

This study aimed to explore gender stereotypes and their impact upon perceived roles and practice of in-service physical education teachers. Twenty-one qualified PE teachers completed an online story completion method and results were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Comparisons were generated between the two-story stems: between male and female participants and between the hypothetical stories and direct question answers. Results showed that teachers’ perceptions largely conformed to typical gender stereotypes, including stereotypical views on gender roles, gendered sports and story character assumptions. Participants did not attribute stereotype reproduction to themselves as teachers and negative external pressures arose as a common reasoning for stereotypical practice. However, only female participants highlighted parents and peers as significant contributors, whereas both genders highlighted governmental pressures such as curriculum design. This study displayed that gender segregation, masculine and feminine discourses and gendered habitus are still prominent within PE.

BackgroundSocio-economic status continues to mediate physical activity engagement, despite a range of interventions aimed at reducing inequalities and widening sport and physical activity participation. As a result there has been increasing interest amongst policy makers, national governing bodies (NGB), county sports partnerships (CPS) and the sport and physical activity sector more broadly, in understanding how best to reduce inequalities and widen participation. The “price point” of offers and whether a “free offer” enables or devalues participation, has been a key area of interest. This scoping review aimed to explore this topic further by investigating whether “a free “offer” devalues or widens sport and physical activity participation amongst children and young adults aged 0-25?”.MethodsThis scoping review searched three electronic bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus) using a structured search strategy to identify articles published between 2017 and January 2022. Studies were included using the PICO criteria of; Population: children and young adults aged 0-25; Intervention: free “offer” relating to physical activity; Context: areas of deprivation in the UK; Outcome: engagement, involvement, participation in sport and physical activity.Results and DiscussionFive studies were eligible after screening 1301 titles and reviewing 14 full-text studies. Features reported included intervention design, outcomes, potential challenges and wider implications / future recommendations. Specifically, a narrative synthesis of the key themes of participation deprivation and cost effectiveness were outlined in more detail. A subsidized cost or free offer can improve participation generally and in attracting those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. However, the impact of such initiatives decrease with increasing deprivation highlighting that groups with the highest levels of deprivation have wider complexities affecting their participation. Competing priorities and potentially unrealistic expectations at stakeholders level was also identified.ConclusionDespite the paucity of current research exploring the impact of a “free offer” in children and young adults, recommendations for future research, practice and policy included the need for longitudinal, more holistic and participant centric approaches. Further research is required to explore the impact of a “free offer” from an individual, societal and policy-level perspective, in widening and increasing participation in sport and physical activity.

Prior to covid-19, the live sports experience was one of spectators being in close physical and emotional contact with one another, celebrating and commiserating, enthralled and entranced, or disappointed and disillusioned depending on the event they were part of. The tactile nature of a sports fan who, in the stadium, pub or sports bar, hugs and kisses those around them in celebration or puts an arm around a shoulder in commiseration, may not return for some time. The phenomenological experience even for the television spectator has drastically changed, as demonstrated by the sensation of watching empty stadiums devoid of sound apart from echoey calls from the players and management on the side-lines. As such, lockdown and social distancing removes some of the fundamental preconditions of human existence in terms of human contact and intersubjectivity of which attendance at live sport events are a prime example. \ud The question then is what can the covid-19 pandemic show us about the experience of the sports spectator now and in the future? As demonstrated by the huge rise of esports over the past decade, it may be the case that covid-19 has hastened, through its employment of new technology, the direction of travel to a more virtual medium of sports spectating.1 The examples of virtual sports provided at the outset are illustrative of the fundamental differences between watching live sport played by real humans, albeit on a television screen, and a virtual simulation of sporting contests. The question of ‘reality’ and its associated phenomenological experience is pertinent here if lockdown exacerbates a change in the very nature of spectatorship, where the ‘reality’ of the play being watched becomes marginal. This then highlights two aspects for consideration; the intersubjective experience of being a member of a sports crowd and the more attenuated intersubjectivity of watching a real, embodied player in contrast to a simulated or virtual version of a sports event such as those illustrated above. In particular, a consideration of the gap that exists between ‘real’ sport and its imitation in virtual simulations serves to highlight the diverse values and needs that sport satisfies for spectators. Furthermore, it raises the question as to the degree to which virtual representations can satisfy these needs; do we need ‘real’ sport at all?

Post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) may be used to enhance jump performance. The review recommends PAPE can be subcategorised into two groups: Training PAPE and Performance PAPE. Training PAPE methods can be incorporated for training purposes where more select equipment, time, and space is available. Performance PAPE can be utilised to enhance competition performance in which limited, or no equipment, is required and can be easily performed before an event. This review highlighted that isoinertial methods are commonly employed for both performance and Training PAPE; however, plyometric training appears a more favourable form of Performance PAPE. Furthermore, accentuated eccentric loading could be coupled with plyometric training to achieve the highest PAPE response, but further work is required.

For optimal sports performance, many athletes will require a range of physical qualities including strength, power, and aerobic capacity. Subsequently, training is likely to contain periods where concurrent development of fitness components is required and can typically be classified into two simple training paradigms, endurance and strength training. In order to optimise training, the interaction of these fitness components should be considered as endurance training may interfere with strength training sessions via conflicting molecular signaling which may blunt optimal muscular development. At present, there are a range of conflicting recommendations in the literature, due to the challenges of comparing different training studies and the variables which impact upon the magnitude of adaptation; including volume, intensity (load), rest, sequencing, and concurrent training goals. Most importantly, the overall training stress should be considered to reduce cumulative fatigue and minimise the potential negative effect on strength adaptations via dampened hypertrophic responses. Inter-session rest should be maximized wherever possible to reduce the interaction between competing molecular signaling pathways and provide opportunity to refuel as excesive bouts of training when fuel depleted may restrict subsequent training intensities and blunt any potential adapatations. When training sessions must be completed in close proximity, sequencing should consider the desired training adaptations. If strength adaptations are priority, training sessions should be sequenced, strength-endurance to maximise the strength stimulus. Overall, optimal planning during concurrent training is a complex interaction between a range of variables where strength and conditioning professionals should be conscious of a series of factors and select a training regime that minimises the interference effect within the constraints of their own training logistics.

Reactive strength index (RSI) is used frequently in the testing and monitoring of athletes. Associations with sports performance measures may vary dependent on the task but a literature synthesis has not been performed. The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine associations between RSI measured during rebound jumping tasks and measures of strength, linear and change of direction speed, and endurance performance. A systematic literature search with meta-analysis was conducted using databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Ovid. Inclusion criteria required studies to (1) examine the relationship between RSI and an independent measure of physical or sporting performance for at least one variable; and (2) provide rebound test instructions to minimise ground contact time and maximise displacement of the jump. Methodological quality was assessed using a modified version of the Downs and Black Quality Index tool. Heterogeneity was examined via the Q statistic and I . Pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model, with Egger's regression test used to assess small study bias (inclusive of publication bias). Of the 1320 citations reviewed, a total of 32 studies were included in this meta-analysis. RSI was significantly and moderately associated with strength (isometric: r = 0.356 [95% CI 0.209-0.504]; isotonic: r = 0.365 [0.075-0.654]; pooled strength measures: r = 0.339 [0.209-0.469]) and endurance performance (r = 0.401 [0.173-0.629]). Significant moderate and negative associations were indicated for acceleration (r = - 0.426 [- 0.562 to - 0.290]), top speed (r = - 0.326 [- 0.502 to - 0.151]), and significant large negative associations were noted for change of direction speed (r = - 0.565 [- 0.726 to - 0.404]). Heterogeneity was trivial to moderate across all measures (I = 0-66%), and significant for isotonic strength and change of direction speed (p

Physical activity (PA) participation was substantially reduced at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between PA, mental health, and wellbeing during and following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand (NZ). In this study, 3363 adults completed online surveys within 2–6 weeks of initial COVID-19 restrictions (April/May 2020) and once restrictions to human movement had been eased. Outcome measures included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-9 (mental health) and World Health Organisation-5 Wellbeing Index. There were no differences in PA, mental health or wellbeing between timepoints (p > 0.05). Individuals engaging in moderate or high volume of PA had significantly better mental health (−1.1 and −1.7 units, respectively) and wellbeing (11.4 and 18.6 units, respectively) than individuals who engaged in low PA (p < 0.001). Mental health was better once COVID-19 restrictions were eased (p < 0.001). NZ had better mental health and wellbeing than the UK (p < 0.001). Participation in moderate-to-high volumes of PA was associated with better mental health and wellbeing, both during and following periods of COVID-19 containment, compared to participation in low volumes of PA. Where applicable, during the current or future pandemic(s), moderate-to-high volumes of PA should be encouraged.

Three-dimensional (3D) motion capture systems have been used to identify athletes in high risk of injury, but due to their cost, lack of portability and qualified technicians, an alternative is needed, such as two-dimensional (2D) systems. The purpose of this study was to examine the criterion-related validity of three measures of frontal plane knee alignment (Frontal plane projection angle [FPPA], knee-to-ankle separation ratio [KASR] and knee medial displacement [KMD]) and two sagittal plane measures (hip and knee flexion ranges of motion [ROMs]), recorded simultaneously using a 2D video analysis procedure and a 3D motion analysis system. Twenty-nine male futsal players had frontal and sagittal plane kinematics assessed while performing bilateral drop vertical jumps (DVJ). The criterion-related validity of the frontal and sagittal plane kinematic measures obtained using the 2D video analysis procedure and 3D motion system was determined through the estimation equation, typical error of the estimate (TEEST) and validity correlation (r). Kappa correlations were also calculated to determine the agreement between the 2D and 3D kinematic approaches. The results showed poor validity for the FPPA measure (standardized TEEST = 1.34 [large], r = 0.60) and moderate validity for KASR (standardized TEEST = 0.88 [moderate], r = 0.77), KMD (standardized TEEST = 0.53 [small], r = 0.88), hip flexion ROM (standardized TEEST = 0.62 [moderate], r = 0.85) and knee flexion ROM (standardized TEEST = 0.56 [small], r = 0.87) measures. However, only the KMD and knee flexion ROM measures showed high levels of agreement (kappa > 0.7). Therefore, the KMD and knee flexion ROM measures calculated during a bilateral DVJ and using a 2D video analysis procedure might be considered as valid and feasible alternatives to their respective 3D criterion to quantify knee kinematics and to detect futsal players who demonstrated aberrant movement patterns in the frontal and sagittal planes, respectively.

Independently, prolonged uninterrupted sitting and the consumption of a meal high in saturated fats acutely disrupt normal cardiovascular function. Currently, the acute effects of these behaviors performed in combination on arterial stiffness, a marker of cardiovascular health, are unknown. This study sought to determine the effect of consuming a high-fat meal (Δ = 51 g fat) in conjunction with prolonged uninterrupted sitting (180 min) on measures of central and peripheral arterial stiffness. Using a randomized crossover design, 13 young healthy males consumed a high-fat (61 g) or low-fat (10 g) meal before 180 min of uninterrupted sitting. Carotid-femoral (cf) and femoral-ankle (fa) pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic-femoral stiffness gradient (af-SG), superficial femoral PWV beta (β), and oscillometric pulse wave analysis outcomes were assessed pre and post sitting. cfPWV increased significantly more following the high-fat (mean difference [MD] = 0.59 m·s−1) meal than following the low-fat (MD = 0.2 m·s−1) meal, with no change in faPWV in either condition. The af-SG significantly decreased (worsened) (ηp2 = 0.569) over time in the high- and low-fat conditions (ratio = 0.1 and 0.1, respectively). Superficial femoral PWVβ significantly increased over time in the high- and low-fat conditions (ηp2 = 0.321; 0.8 and 0.4 m·s−1, respectively). Triglycerides increased over time in the high-fat trial only (ηp2 = 0.761). There were no significant changes in blood pressure. Consuming a high-fat meal prior to 180 min of uninterrupted sitting augments markers of cardiovascular disease risk more than consuming a low-fat meal prior to sitting.

Individuals become activists to affirm both themselves and their vision of the world, often prompted to action by seeking out complementary individuals, groups or organisations that can help organise, research, and promote solutions to shared problems. A gap exists between research and practice within the field of disability sport and adaptive physical activity. In particular, the academy is failing to produce research that demonstrates what, how and why theory and practice can become misaligned and problematic. This novel and needed paper is a reflexive ethnography detailing my struggles to pilot a local adaptive CrossFit project to the disabled community due to unforeseen challenges with gatekeepers, stripping of agency and academic rhetoric. A narrative is included with the hope of revealing social processes outside and within the field of disability sport and adaptive physical activity and to provoke discussion regarding problems with choice, advocacy and agency.

Research Question: How do legal norms and reasoning processes, in relation to selection appeals, underpin the concepts of good governance and professionalism in sport?\ud Research Methods: This is primarily a theoretical paper that outlines the reasoning techniques and methodology of law as an academic and professional discipline in interpreting, explaining and understanding arbitral decisions related to selection in sport. It draws upon four exemplar cases from the UK dispute resolution body, Sports Resolutions, to illustrate the over-arching norms and principles inherent in legal reasoning and demonstrate how they form part of the normative framework for good governance.\ud Results and Findings: This paper demonstrates how legal reasoning processes, exemplified by dispute resolution cases, provide indicators of good governance in sport. It suggests that a basic understanding of key legal norms and the legal reasoning process would reduce the likelihood of arbitration and appeal against decisions made by SGBs. It concludes that there should be greater dissemination of arbitration decisions by dispute resolution services and that these decisions should be used as education and professional development tools to illustrate the way in which legal norms and reasoning processes are applied.\ud Implications: This paper demonstrates the importance of legal norms and reasoning processes to the concept of good governance in sport. It illustrates how better knowledge and understanding of the way in which arbitral judgements are reached could facilitate improved policy creation and implementation, thereby enhancing good governance, increased professionalism and more robust decision making within SGBs.

Objective: To determine which ultrasound-based, single-point arterial stiffness estimate is least dependent on blood pressure to improve assessment of local vascular function. Methods: Ultrasound was used to assess blood flow and diameters at the left brachial artery of twenty healthy adults [55% F, 27.9 y (5.2), 24.2 (2.8) kg/m2]. Blood pressure of both arms was measured simultaneously. Experimental (left) arm blood pressure was then systematically manipulated by adjusting its position ABOVE (+30) and BELOW (-30) heart level in a randomized order following measurement at heart level (0). The control (right) arm remained at heart level. Six stiffness measurements were calculated: compliance, distensibility, beta-stiffness, and three estimates of pulse wave velocity (Bramwell Hill, blood flow, and Beta-stiffness). We considered the measurement technique with the least significant change across positions to be the least pressure-dependent. Results: There was a large effect change in mean arterial pressure (n2p = 0.75, p < 0.001) in the experimental arm when it was ABOVE (∆-4.4 mmHg) and BELOW (∆10.4 mmHg) heart level. There was a main effect (p < 0.05) of arm position on all arterial stiffness measures. From least to most pressure-dependent, the arterial stiffness measurements were: pulse wave velocity (blood flow method), compliance coefficient, beta-stiffness, distensibility coefficient, pulse wave velocity (Bramwell-Hill method), and pulse wave velocity (beta-stiffness index method). Conclusions: All single-point measures assessed are pressure-dependent. The pulse wave velocity (blood flow method) may be the least pressure-dependent single-point measure, and may be the most suitable single-point measure to assess local vascular function.

The findings of this article emerge from an eight-month study examining career identity practices amongst a select group of fitness professionals in the U.K. We examine how the inter-relationship between physical and social space can denote how power is acquired, displayed, and used by individuals interacting in a shared space. The findings show that power is signified through spatial practices as individuals negotiate through triadic space, creating an identity of space and place for both trainer and client that identifies power, and signifies who has power. Fitness professionals with high levels of symbolic power are able to subvert organizational spatial norms to better serve themselves and their clients, while those with lower levels of symbolic power are forced to, or choose to, negotiate or abdicate space to others. These findings are relevant to a wide range of occupations where self-employment and contract workers interact in shared space

Hamstring strain injury (HSI) is one of the most prevalent and severe injury in professional soccer. The purpose was to analyze and compare the predictive ability of a range of machine learning techniques to select the best performing injury risk factor model to identify professional soccer players at high risk of HSIs. A total of 96 male professional soccer players underwent a pre-season screening evaluation that included a large number of individual, psychological and neuromuscular measurements. Injury surveillance was prospectively employed to capture all the HSI occurring in the 2013/2014 season. There were 18 HSIs. Injury distribution was 55.6% dominant leg and 44.4% non-dominant leg. The model generated by the SmooteBoostM1 technique with a cost-sensitive ADTree as the base classifier reported the best evaluation criteria (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve score=0.837, true positive rate=77.8%, true negative rate=83.8%) and hence was considered the best for predicting HSI. The prediction model showed moderate to high accuracy for identifying professional soccer players at risk of HSI during pre-season screenings. Therefore, the model developed might help coaches, physical trainers and medical practitioners in the decision-making process for injury prevention.

Students’ social relationships play an important role in their experiences of educational transition, with some researchers reporting that postgraduate students often feel a lack of support during their transition. The current study examined how students’ social relationships influence their experiences of transition into taught postgraduate study in the Sport and Exercise Sciences. A mixed methods approach was adopted to explore 12 students’ (Mage 25 ± 9.54; 4 female, 8 male) social relationships and the perceived influence of these relations on educational transition. A personal network analysis was used to structure an interview which was analysed using a thematic content analysis. Five sources of social influence were identified, including social support, social comparison, gate keeper, accommodation of relationships, and, coping with the network. These themes were evidenced and discussed with reference to participants’ network structural features such as tie strength and alter centrality. The combination of both network structure and the function of relationships makes a novel contribution to literature by highlighting aspects of participants’ social network in context to their experiences of transition. Results are discussed in relation to social network theory and models of influence. Recommendations for coordinators of Masters programmes are also offered relating to the provision, development and maintenance of supportive relationships.

Negative long-term outcomes have been reported following sport specialisation including increased injury risk. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear; however, fewer exposures to broad ranging movement patterns and reductions in movement competency have been suggested. This review synthesised the evidence to examine if an association is present between sport specialisation and movement competency. A systematic electronic database search was conducted using combinations of the key words early speciali?ation, sport speciali?ation, early sport speciali?ation, single sport, high school, youth, adolescen*, movement competenc*, movement ability, movement control, movement pattern, physical performance, coordination, fitness, motor skill, motor development, movement performance, neuromuscular control, balance, asymmetr*. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria and were included. Four studies reported no significant differences in movement competency based on specialisation status, while seven showed some measures of movement competency differed but not others. The remaining two studies concluded that adult athletes who participated in two or more sports during high school exhibited better movement competence than those who specialised in a single sport. Multisport athletes commonly displayed improved jump mechanics and performance compared to those competing in a single sport (6/9 studies). Consistent differences in movement competence based on level of sport specialisation were not shown; however, sport specialisation may result in poorer jump mechanics/performance than playing multiple sports. Further research is needed across a greater range of sports, and consistent definitions of both movement competence and the level of sport specialisation are required to improve our ability to compare and contrast different studies.

The sprint hurdle events require athletes to cross ten hurdles between the start and finish line. The height of the hurdles, and the distances between them, differ for men and women, possibly resulting in technical differences. The aim of this study was to provide a kinematic comparison of in-competition hurdle technique for world-class men and women hurdlers. Video data were collected for the 16 finalists in the 100 m and 110 m hurdles events at the 2017 IAAF World Championships using four high-speed cameras (150 Hz), focusing on the sixth hurdle for the men and fifth for the women. Center of mass (CM) position, joint angles, step lengths and clearance times were compared between sexes at key events before, during and after hurdle clearance. The hurdle height was ~7% higher for men when calculated as a proportion of stature (p < 0.001). This discrepancy in relative hurdle height provided women with a kinematic and mechanical advantage over men as they took off farther from the hurdle (relative to hurdle height) (p < 0.001), leading to a lower and more efficient flight parabola. Women were also able to maintain longer relative step lengths after hurdle clearance and showed minimal vertical oscillation of the CM in the stance phases before and after the hurdle compared with men. The lower relative hurdle heights in the women's event provide a less demanding task, and thus these findings present preliminary evidence to those coaches who advocate revising the women's hurdle heights in competition.

BACKGROUNDː The most demanding scenarios and physical demands of elite basketball 5-on-5 scrimmages are unknown to trainers, although recent advances in microtechnology allows the gaps in this research to be filled. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the physical demands, through the most demanding scenarios and traditional average measures, of two different 5-on-5 scrimmage situations executed during training sessions in elite male basketball players.\ud METHODSː Physical demand measures (i.e., total distance covered, high-speed running distance, number of high-intensity accelerations actions, number of high-intensity decelerations actions) were collected from 12 players from the Spanish first Division using a Local Positioning System. Measures were compared via a Bayesian inference analysis, considering playing in half-court (HALF) and half-court and transition (HTRAN) conditions for the 5-on-5 scrimmage.\ud RESULTSː This study showed that, irrespective of the approach used to quantify the physical demands (traditional [average measures per minute] and novel rolling average time epoch [most demanding scenarios]), during the HALF condition players covered less and performed a lower number of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations than in HTRAN (Bayesian factor > 10 and standardized effect size > 0.6). Furthermore, players´ physical demands during 5-on-5 scrimmage situations, independently of the court size, were underestimated consistently by the traditional approach.\ud CONCLUSIONSː Quantifying players´ physical demands through the rolling approach may provide a more accurate measure of the most intense periods of activity. Based on the physical demands described, HTRAN may be used to help train players to perform optimally during the most physically-stressful scenarios of match-play whereas HALF may be more suitable to be included in warm- ups, recovery sessions and sessions immediately before a match.

The concept of shared decision-making (SDM) has emerged as a key component in the return to play interface as a hallmark of good practice that is athlete focused and allows greater engagement from the athlete. SDM is an appealing, well-intentioned framework that would seemingly lend itself to effectively being implemented. However, in this editorial, we have identified concerns surrounding the social complexities of elite sports and the difficulties of truly applying this concept in practice. In what follows, we explain the dynamics associated, discuss the importance of context when considering the efficacy of this practice and lastly offer what we see as certain key issues that might impede effective SDM.

Kinematic analysis is often performed in a lab using optical cameras combined with reflective markers.\ud With the advent of artificial intelligence techniques such as deep neural networks, it is now possible\ud to perform such analyses without markers, making outdoor applications feasible. In this paper I summarise\ud 2D markerless approaches for estimating joint angles, highlighting their strengths and limitations.\ud In computer science, so-called ‘‘pose estimation” algorithms have existed for many years. These methods\ud involve training a neural network to detect features (e.g. anatomical landmarks) using a process called\ud supervised learning, which requires ‘‘training” images to be manually annotated. Manual labelling has\ud several limitations, including labeller subjectivity, the requirement for anatomical knowledge, and issues\ud related to training data quality and quantity. Neural networks typically require thousands of training\ud examples before they can make accurate predictions, so training datasets are usually labelled by multiple\ud people, each of whom has their own biases, which ultimately affects neural network performance. A\ud recent approach, called transfer learning, involves modifying a model trained to perform a certain task\ud so that it retains some learned features and is then re-trained to perform a new task. This can drastically\ud reduce the required number of training images. Although development is ongoing, existing markerless\ud systems may already be accurate enough for some applications, e.g. coaching or rehabilitation.\ud Accuracy may be further improved by leveraging novel approaches and incorporating realistic physiological\ud constraints, ultimately resulting in low-cost markerless systems that could be deployed both in and\ud outside of the lab.

There has been extensive debate among various disciplines about the nature and value of play. From these discussions it seems clear that play is a phenomenon with more than just one dimension: as a specific type of activity, as a form or structure, as an ontologically distinctive phenomenon, as a type of experience, or as a stance or an attitude towards a particular activity. This article focuses on the importance of the playful attitude in sport. It begins by attempting to describe the underpinning features of a playful attitude, and its relation to Suits’ lusory attitude and the concept of gamification. Finally, it considers and critically evaluates the relationship between play and sport and the importance of the playful attitude in sporting activities. The purpose of this paper is a far deeper analysis of the playful attitude and its relationship to sport than has been previously provided, and a more precise definition as to what the playful attitude is. This will ultimately help to answer questions about the value of sport and how sport ought to be played.

Background: Canadian rugby coach injury prevention beliefs and attitudes have not been studied, yet are key to informing injury prevention strategy implementation. Despite neuromuscular training (NMT) warm-up success in reducing injury, adoption of these programs is variable. Therefore, objectives of this study included (1) describing Canadian youth rugby coach injury prevention beliefs and attitudes and current warm-up practices and (2) evaluating intention to use a rugby-specific NMT warm-up.Methods: High school rugby coaches completed a questionnaire before and after a rugby-specific NMT warm-up workshop. The pre-workshop questionnaire captured demographics, current warm-up practice, and NMT warm-up knowledge and use. Both questionnaires captured injury prevention beliefs, attitudes and behavioral intention.Results: Forty-eight coaches participated in the workshops. Pre-workshop, 27% of coaches were aware of NMT warm-ups. Coaches primarily included aerobic and stretching components, while balance components were not common in their warm-ups over the past year. Additionally, 92% of coaches agreed to some extent they would “complete a rugby-specific warm-up program prior to every game and training session this season.” Post-workshop, 86% of coaches agreed to some extent that they would use the program in every rugby session. No differences were observed between pre- and post-workshop intention to implement the warm-up (p = 0.10).Interpretation: This is the first study to examine current Canadian youth rugby coach warm-up practices and intention to use NMT warm-ups. Canadian rugby coach intention to use a rugby-specific NMT warm-up is high, providing ample opportunity to investigate the efficacy of a NMT warm-up in youth rugby.

The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) is a behaviour change model showing promise in positively changing youth sport coaches’ injury prevention behaviours. This study incorporated the HAPA model into coach training workshops for Activate, an efficacious rugby injury prevention programme. Primary aims were to investigate the effect of the workshop on schoolboy rugby union coaches’ (1) perceptions towards injury risk and prevention, (2) Activate adoption and adherence. Secondary aims were to (3) assess the differences in post-season HAPA constructs between workshop attendees and non-attendees, (4) explore associations between HAPA constructs and Activate adherence. In the pre-season, all participants (n = 76) completed a baseline survey, with 41 coaches electing to attend a workshop. Participants completed a post-season survey assessing HAPA constructs and Activate adoption and adherence throughout the season. The workshop did not affect coach perceptions of injury risk and prevention. Attendees had significantly greater rates of Activate adoption (95% vs. 54% χ2 = 17.42, p &lt, 0.01) and adherence (median = 2 sessions vs. ≤1 session per week, z = 3.45, p = 0.03) than non-attendees. At post-season, attendees had significantly greater task self-efficacy (z = −3.46, p &lt, 0.05) and intention (z = −4.33, p &lt, 0.05) to use Activate. These results support the delivery of coach workshops that utilise a behaviour change model to maximise programme implementation.

This study aimed to explore the inter-session reliability of the measures obtained from 2 trunk extension (Biering-Sorensen and Dynamic Extensor Endurance (DEE) tests) and 3 trunk flexion (Ito, Side Bridge and Bench Trunk Curl-Up (BTC) tests) endurance field-based tests in adolescents by sex and age. A total of 208 (males, n = 100; females, n = 108) adolescents (ranging from 12 to 18 years) performed all the field-based tests on 2 separate testing sessions, 7-days apart. The inter-session reliability scores were explored for the total sample and by sex and age groups through relative reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)), inter-session differences (systematic bias) and precision of measurements (i.e. absolute reliability) (standard error of measurement expressed as a percentage of the mean score (CVTE) and minimal detectable change (MDC95)). The sensitivity of each test was also assessed through the smallest worthwhile percentage change (SWC). No relevant sex and age groups differences were found for either test-retest reliability or sensitivity in each test, so the grouped scores were considered as generalizable for this cohort of high school-aged adolescents. Most of the trunk endurance measures demonstrated acceptable relative reliability (ICCs ranged from 0.75 to 0.94). However, significant inter-session differences were identified for measures from the DEE and BTC tests. Likewise, the precision of the measurement of each field-based test was poor (CVTE ranged from 11.3 to 24.4%) with the MDC95 revealing that changes higher than 42% for trunk extension endurance tests and 31.4% for trunk flexion endurance tests after an intervention are required to indicate a significant change above measurement error. All tests were sensitive enough to detect moderate to large changes in trunk muscle endurance. Therefore, the findings from this study indicate that only the BTC test demonstrates acceptable inter-session reliability (ICC > 0.9, CVTE ~ 10%, MDC95 ~ 30%) to monitor the changes in trunk endurance scores that may be expected in adolescents after performing an intervention program. The use of supervised familiarization sessions before performing the tests and strong encouragement to perform a maximal effort in each test may be helpful strategies to improve the reliability scores.