Sports, Volume 13, Issue 12

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) represent a growing global health concern with no definitive cure. Increasing evidence suggests that mind–body practices like yoga may of...

This study investigated the test–retest reliability of strength and power-related measures assessed with a portable IMTP set-up and with CMJ in elite ice hockey players from the Swedish Hockey League. Twenty-two male ice hockey players (age: 26...

Compromised balance is implicated with increased injury risk in athletes. Although multiple modalities are available to improve balance, investigation into slackline balance training (SLT) has remained limited, especially in regard to elite athletes....

Background: Sports-related concussions are complex, traumatic brain injuries as a result of a sporting accident. Prompt diagnosis and assessment with the use of diagnostic protocols help provide athletes with the appropriate management to minimise ac...

This study examined the effect of competition stress on recovery time in female collegiate soccer players. Thirty NCAA Division I athletes were monitored over 35 consecutive days using Polar Team Pro wearable devices, which captured exercise duration...

Objective: The purpose of the study was to conduct a systematic review assessing the impact of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). The study design follows a systematic review and meta-...

This study compared the external [movement load (ML)] and internal [rating of perceived exertion (RPE), mean and peak heart rate (HRmean, HRpeak)] loads, performance and enjoyment between time-matched (~12 min) traditional (TRAD) and small-sided game...

Purpose: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a time-efficient alternative to traditional endurance training. This study investigated the molecular, systemic, and physiological adaptations induced by an 8-week HIIT program in nation...

Before returning to sport (RTS) following lower extremity injury, competitive alpine skiers’ performance strength profiles should be verified. This study examined whether differences in maximal isometric (F_max) and explosive strength (P_max) exi...

Background: Ice hockey is a high-intensity collision sport with one of the highest injury rates among youth team sports. Despite advanced protective equipment, youth athletes remain particularly vulnerable due to their unique physiological and psycho...

Objective: To determine the neurocognitive functions of women professional football players and explore their potential connection to concussions. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted via electronic questionnaires. Neurocogni...

(1) Background: Ankle joint range of motion is recognized as abnormal in individuals with ankle sprains and Chronic ankle instability (CAI), especially in the dorsiflexion movement. This research investigated the test–retest and inter-rater rel...

Pitching requires effective transfer of ground reaction force (GRF), and structural breakdown of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) may influence glenohumeral internal rotation (IR) deficits. This study investigated whether changes in foot morphology...

Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of linear sprint training with changes of direction (LSCD) versus small-sided games (SSSG) on physical performance, agility, and soccer-specific skills in young elite female players. Methods: In a r...

Sarcopenia is a progressive, age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, strongly associated with frailty, disability, and chronic disease. Its pathogenesis involves chronic low-grade inflammation, hormonal imbalance, and impair...

High-speed running (HSR) has the greatest physiological impact on soccer players. It is closely linked to neuromuscular fatigue and muscle damage post-match, emphasizing the role that load monitoring plays in both performance and recovery. The aim of...

Occupational demands, such as load carriage in tactical professions, do not discriminate based on sex. The aim of this study was to explore the differences in metabolic cost of a loaded pack march between the sexes in both absolute and relative terms...

Monitoring the training load of elite soccer players is a common practice for clubs. However, limited information exists about the internal load experienced by elite soccer players. The heart rate (HR) exposure of 51 French elite soccer players was m...

Background: Despite many young players showing strong potential, only a small fraction succeeds in the critical transition from youth to elite senior football. This scoping review synthesizes research on the junior-to-senior transition in men’s...

Hamstrings–quadriceps (H–Q) imbalance represents a biomechanical marker of knee instability and injury risk in running. This in silico (simulation-based) study introduces a digital machine learning framework designed to estimate H–Q...

The present systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive synthesis of evidence and practices regarding sustainable career transitions in elite sport. Following PRISMA guidelines, an extensive literature search was conducted in SPORTDiscus (EBSCO...

Jumping exercises are widely applied in sport performance and conditioning due to their crucial role in enhancing neuromuscular function and lower-limb power. Acute effects related to contractile properties measured by tensiomyography (TMG) remain in...

This case report describes the acceleration of an Olympic decathlete’s return to competition induced via high-frequency Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training. BFR has gained popularity as an innovative rehabilitation method for promoting muscle...

This retrospective, non-interventional study investigated the impact of a forced training interruption, such as the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown, on the physical efficiency, performance, and technical-agility skills of prepubertal soccer players by c...

The use of chemically assisted performance enhancement (CAPE) substances has become a prominent trend in today’s competitive societies. Although evidence suggests that CAPE behaviors across different life domains share common characteristics, n...

Pull-ups are a widely recognized exercise for training and assessing upper-body strength and muscular endurance, requiring coordinated activation of the latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, forearm flexors, and core stabilizers. However, many individual...

Background: Gender differences in anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) have been noted in international research, yet systematic analyses are rare. This study addresses that gap by providing the first comprehensive evaluation of the doping prevalence...

Landing biomechanics are strongly influenced by task complexity, yet the combine effects of different landing demands and taping on stability, kinetics, and kinematics remain unclear. Nineteen female athletes performed 40 cm drop landings (DL), drop...

Resistance training (RT) can induce cardiovascular overload, especially at high intensities. Blood flow restriction (BFR) has emerged as a low-load alternative that is potentially effective and safe, although its hemodynamic and respiratory effects r...

Aging entails concurrent declines in physical and cognitive domains, contributing to reduced independence, higher fall risk, and lower quality of life. Understanding how motor performance relates to cognition is crucial for prevention in community-dw...

This study investigates the effects of a structured motor intervention program on the development of lower limb strength in junior athletes practicing Greco-Roman wrestling. Recognizing the crucial role of explosive strength in performing technical a...

Caffeine, a nervous system stimulant, and sodium bicarbonate, a metabolic buffer, have been shown to improve performance in high-intensity, particularly aerobic, exercises. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study compared t...

Aim: This prospective observational study aimed to evaluate acute adrenal-derived hormonal responses and training performance in elite female athletes during resistance training with respect to the female cycle. Methods: In 19 elite female athletes,...

Countermovement jump (CMJ) testing is widely used to monitor neuromuscular function, but trial-to-trial reliability depends on the population and testing ecology. Previous reliability prescriptions have often been derived from male cohorts, risking m...

Accurate assessment of aerobic fitness is crucial in soccer; however, the validity of field-based predictive tests remains uncertain in professional players. This study examined the relationship between directly measured and estimated maximal oxygen...

This study aimed to analyze whether recreational soccer, through small-sided and traditional soccer formats, can promote improvements in different dimensions of physical literacy among adolescents with high cardiometabolic risk. Methodology. A random...

Nutrition knowledge is essential for optimizing performance, recovery, and overall health in athletes. This study aimed to (1) adapt and validate the Hungarian version of the ANSKQ (Trakman et al., 2017) (ANSKQ-HU) and (2) assess the nutrition knowle...

This study examined the relationship between perceived mother- and father-initiated motivational climate and grit in youth male team sports players. A total of 336 players from five team sports (basketball, football, handball, volleyball, and water p...

Sport psychology has generated an expansive body of literature on how psychological factors influence athletic performance, yet no review has systematically mapped this body of research. Guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework, this study charted publishe...

Background: Participation in soccer imposes high physical, mechanical, and cognitive demands. Recent evidence suggests that cognitive load, often overlooked in injury prevention, interacts with biomechanical factors and injury risk, resembling a dual...

This study aimed to compare the acute effects of three eccentric training strategies—constant resistance (CR), accentuated eccentric loading (AEL), and accelerated eccentrics (AE)—on the performance and biomechanical characteristics of th...

Background: Oral health (OH) seems to be relevant for the number of sick and injured days (NSID), missing matches (MM) and secondarily for the physical performance (PP). Aim: The objective was to clarify possible associations between OH, NSID, and PP...

Football is a multifaceted sport in which cognitive function plays a crucial role alongside physical performance in overall athletic success. However, widely adopted warm-up protocols primarily target motor skills, with minimal attention to cognitive...

Objectives: Psychological distress has been linked to dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and altered cortisol secretion. Exercise is increasingly recognized as a non-pharmacologic strategy for stress regulation...

Background: Biomechanical factors behind non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in soccer and handball are still not fully understood. Unfortunately, ACL injuries more frequently appear in game situations. Aim: To describe a possible ACL...