Sports, Volume 14, Issue 1

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease that often leads to impaired postural control, pain, and reduced physical function. Exercise is considered a first-line treatment, with sensorimotor training being an effective ap...

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study is to objectively evaluate the effects of a six-week intermittent hypoxic–hyperoxic exposure program on blood pressure, respiratory function, cardiac autonomic nervous activity and C Reactive Pro...

The global rise in nursing home (NH) populations presents substantial challenges, as residents frequently experience physical and cognitive decline, low physical activity, and high fall risk. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the BeSt Age App...

Understanding the long-term effectiveness of warm-up strategies is essential for enhancing neuromuscular performance in youth soccer players. This study examined the long-term effects of integrating squat exercises into the final phase of the warm-up...

This study examined the longitudinal patterns of concurrent aerobic and resistance training in young elite rowers to address the limited understanding of how training volume, modality, and periodisation interact across a season, and to introduce a no...

Background: Several studies have investigated the importance of physical exercise (PE) in overweight and obese populations; however, to date, no bibliometric study has analyzed research trends in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in overweight...

Kabaddi is a contact sport that demands high physical fitness and specific technical skills. Although multiple training programs have been designed to improve performance, no systematic review had previously synthesized their effects on physical, phy...

In modern sports, straight-line sprinting alone is insufficient for assessing overall sprint performance, as athletes must also decelerate and change direction efficiently. Existing methods lack a single metric that integrates all abilities, enabling...

Studies have rarely examined the effects of changes in legal anti-doping knowledge (LADK) on doping tendencies in athletes. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured educational intervention focused on LADK and to analyze how LAD...

Volleyball physical performance relies on the interaction between mechanical power, metabolic efficiency, and ventilatory regulation during repeated high-intensity actions. This study examined mechanical and cardiopulmonary responses during three con...

Youth soccer requires an integrated approach combining technical–tactical, physical, and psychological components to enhance performance and long-term engagement. Although Repeated Linear Sprint Training (LRST) and Repeated Change of Direction...

Aim: To investigate the effect of a 6-week sport-specific BET intervention on cognitive and physical performance in elite orienteering athletes. Methods: A single-arm cross-over study with an initial 6-week control period (CON) followed by a 6-week b...

Background: Physical inactivity during adolescence remains a major public health concern, yet its multifactorial determinants are not fully understood in low- and middle-income settings. Objective: To identify and quantify the determinants of physica...

Aerobic exercise with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may enhance cognition via cerebrovascular pathways. We tested whether mild hyperbaric oxygen (HBO; 1.41 atmospheres absolute [ATA], approximately 30% O₂) adds to gains in cognitive processing capacity...

Background: This study aimed to provide reference values for estimating training intensities in long-distance runners based on progressive incremental tests, considering differences related to sex and performance level. Methods: A total of 1411 endur...

The purpose was to characterize and compare biomechanical and coordinative parameters at maximum velocity between swimmers with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities and examine these in relation to their anthropometrics. Nine swimmers (four wi...

Background: Evidence on how physical and technical factors distinguish U-18 basketball levels is limited, yet these determinants may aid talent identification and development. This study examined differences in anthropometric, physical performance, a...

This study examined the effects of contrast water therapy (CWT) on physiological, perceptual, and performance-related recovery in collegiate male swimmers following high-intensity interval training. Fifteen freestyle swimmers (19.3 ± 1.1 years...

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) face a wide range of social barriers, including stigma, limited support, and inaccessible environments, that restrict participation in physical activity (PA). Although PA is known to improve physical...

Background: Obesity alters metabolic, inflammatory, and immune responses, and acute exercise may affect these parameters differently according to body composition. This study investigated the acute effects of Spartacus exercise on metabolic, inflamma...

Purpose: This single-athlete, longitudinal observational study describes training intensity distribution (TID) across two Olympic preparation cycles (Rio 2016 vs. Tokyo 2021) and explores whether differences in high-intensity exposure coincided with...

Background/Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined how training age, chronological age, and biological maturity influence motor and perceptual–cognitive performance in youth soccer players, with relevance for health and well-being throu...

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) negatively affects women’s physical performance, emotional balance, and quality of life. Although pharmacological therapies exist, their side effects and limited effectiveness highlight the need for alternatives. Thi...

Natural bodybuilders optimize their body composition by combining training and nutrition strategies. This study compared the resistance training practices of amateur and professional natural bodybuilders, during the pre-contest phase and in general....

The gut microbiota represents a complex microbial ecosystem with the potential to influence athletic performance, energy metabolism, inflammatory responses, and recovery capacity in athletes. However, the specific relationship between microbiota and...

Background: Periodontal disease is prevalent among elite athletes globally, yet its status in Japanese athletes remains unclear. This study assessed periodontal risk in Japanese university athletes and its association with oral health-related quality...

One of the most prominent topics in contemporary research is how individuals can adopt behaviors and attitudes that support successful aging (SA) throughout their life course. Participation in sport is widely regarded as an important behavioral strat...

This study aimed to examine the effects of eight weeks of repeated backward sprint training (RBST) versus repeated forward sprint training (RFST) on physical fitness measures. Twenty-three postpubertal male basketball players (mean age = 15 years) we...

This study examined the trial-to-trial reliability and usefulness of the Output Sports inertial measurement unit (IMU) in measuring reactive strength index (RSI) derived from the Drop Jump (DJ) and 10-5 rebound jump test (10-5 RJT). Twenty-three male...

Tai Chi has evolved into a widely used mind–body practice increasingly incorporated into complementary therapy, rehabilitation, and public health. This study provides an updated global bibliometric overview, with VOSviewer mapping publication p...

Yoga is increasingly practiced worldwide and is associated with diverse physical and mental health benefits, yet its spiritual dimensions remain underexplored in empirical research. This study investigated the relationship between the weekly frequenc...

This study aimed to assess the effect of a downhill-running (DR) bout on muscle damage biomarkers. It also examined whether training background and gait kinematics may influence DR-induced muscle damage and strength loss. Thirty-six experienced trail...

Background: Neuromuscular determinants such as maximal force, maximal velocity, and upper-body power are recognized as key contributors to competitive swimming performance. However, despite the relevance of these dry-land qualities, their relationshi...

Change-of-direction (COD) capacity is a key performance metric in football due to the high volume of COD actions occurring during match play. This study aimed to (i) evaluate the repeatability of the 5-0-5 test and (ii) examine the relationship betwe...

This study was aimed at analyzing physical fitness in 9–11-year-old children and verifying whether it is affected by body mass index (BMI), peak height velocity (PHV), quartile distribution (QD), and sport practice (SP), also considering any po...

Monitoring the volume and intensity of physical load is essential in elite women’s futsal to optimize performance and prevent injuries. However, external load indicators such as PlayerLoad may underestimate critical moments in competition where...

Background. Extensive research confirms that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle significantly influence female athletic performance, with profound implications for public health, including promoting equitable access to sports and enhanc...

We examined the acute effects of flywheel eccentric overload (FEO) on countermovement jumps (CMJs), changes of direction (COD), and isometric mid-thigh pulls (IMTPs) in top-level team sports athletes (three females and seven males). FEO was carried o...

(1) Background: Early stages of hypertension, including elevated blood pressure and stage 1 hypertension, are known to increase cardiovascular risk and mortality. Exercise is widely recommended for blood pressure management; however, the optimal exer...

Background: Resistance training (RT) is widely recommended for adolescent athletes to enhance performance and reduce injury risk. However, sex differences in RT participation and beliefs during adolescence remain underexplored. Methods: This explorat...

Background: Blind 5-A-side football is an intermittent sport that requires the development of specific physical, physiological, and technical–tactical variables, making the identification of recovery processes such as sleep, well-being, and ath...

In the original publication [...]

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) experience motor competence challenges that hinder their participation in physical activities and affect daily functioning. While traditional motor skills training is commonly used, sport-based...