Search Results (2,028)

This study examines whether possession-oriented tactical profiles are associated with reported absolute injury burden across Europe’s Big Five domestic football leagues. Team-level tactical statistics were integrated with publicly available injury data covering eight seasons (2017–18 to 2024–25), yielding 780 team-season observations. Three outcomes were examined: total reported injury events, total days lost, and total matches missed. League-specific feature selection used Elastic Net and Random Forest models combined through a performance-weighted Meta Score, followed by K-Medoids clustering with cosine distance to identify relatively higher- and lower-possession tactical profiles. Injury outcomes were compared using Welch’s t-tests and permutation tests with false discovery rate correction, supplemented by club-clustered bootstrap confidence intervals. After multiplicity correction, higher-possession profiles showed greater injury-event counts and matches missed in the Premier League and La Liga, all three outcomes in Ligue 1, and matches missed in the Bundesliga. The La Liga total-days-lost difference did not remain robust under club-clustered resampling. No adjusted difference was identified in Serie A. These findings indicate exploratory associations between possession-oriented tactical profiles and reported absolute injury burden rather than causal or exposure-adjusted effects. As player exposure, fixture volume, and major club- and competition-level confounders were not fully controlled, the results should not be interpreted as estimates of epidemiological injury risk. Full article

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in sport science to classify movement, analyse tactics, estimate readiness, forecast performance and injury risk, and support rehabilitation. Predictive performance alone, however, does not establish practical usefulness, safety, or responsible use. Through purposive source selection and critical synthesis, this review integrates sport-specific evidence with guidance on prediction modelling, human–AI interaction, and AI risk management. It highlights five recurring gaps: limited data and labels; leakage-prone or temporally inappropriate validation; weak reporting of calibration and uncertainty; unclear translation from prediction to action; and insufficient attention to athlete rights and post-deployment monitoring. We propose a six-layer framework covering data and context, prediction, decision translation, individualisation, human oversight, and deployment monitoring. For each applicable layer, the framework specifies evidence to document, appraisal questions, and common failure modes. It distinguishes model development from operational decision support and links technical evaluation with workflow utility, fairness, privacy, accountability, contestability, and lifecycle governance. The framework is conceptual, not a validated scoring or certification instrument. Sport-science AI should be evaluated as a socio-technical intervention rather than an isolated algorithm. Future studies should prioritise athlete-level and temporal validation, calibrated probabilities, external and prospective evaluation, prespecified action pathways, subgroup performance, documented override procedures, and ongoing monitoring. Full article

Background and Objectives: Peripheral nerve injuries around the shoulder are increasingly recognized in athletes who perform repetitive overhead motions. Suprascapular neuropathy is well described in volleyball players, whereas axillary neuropathy is usually attributed to dislocation or direct trauma. Concurrent, painless, non-traumatic involvement of both nerves is rare and may be mistaken for disuse or a rotator cuff disorder. Case Presentation: A 17-year-old male national-level volleyball player presented with painless atrophy of the dominant shoulder, noticed three months earlier, without trauma, dislocation, instability or pain. Examination showed infraspinatus fossa wasting and predominantly anterior deltoid atrophy, Medical Research Council grade 4 strength in external rotation, forward elevation and abduction, intact lateral deltoid sensation, symmetrical reflexes and a negative Spurling test. Radiographs were unremarkable. Magnetic resonance imaging showed fatty degeneration and atrophy of the infraspinatus and anterior deltoid with relative preservation of the supraspinatus, and no rotator cuff tear, labral tear, paralabral cyst or space-occupying lesion. Motor nerve conduction studies showed a reduced compound muscle action potential recorded from the infraspinatus with a preserved response from the supraspinatus after suprascapular nerve stimulation, together with a reduced deltoid response after axillary nerve stimulation. Selective involvement of the infraspinatus branch was most consistent with a suprascapular lesion at or distal to the branch to the supraspinatus, clinically compatible with involvement around the spinoglenoid notch, and argued against a C5 root or upper trunk lesion. Conclusions: Painless shoulder atrophy in an overhead athlete warrants systematic evaluation for peripheral nerve injury. The pattern of motor responses can localize the lesion, but in the absence of needle electromyography a multifocal process such as neuralgic amyotrophy (Parsonage–Turner syndrome) cannot be excluded, and a sport-related traction or compression mechanism should therefore be advanced cautiously. Full article

Objective: This exploratory study aimed to: (1) verify whether session-RPE (sRPE) can serve as a reliable workload-monitoring indicator in female adolescent swimmers aged 13–17 years; (2) compare the same-week injury-classification performance of sRPE-, exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA)-, and robust exponential decreasing index (REDI)-derived indicators using a multilayer perceptron (MLP) model; and (3) identify candidate indicator combinations for future prospective validation in youth swimming. Design: A 12-week prospective observational tracking study was conducted with 20 female adolescent 200 m individual medley swimmers (aged 13–17 years) from a single provincial youth swimming team (Zhejiang). Twenty-five injury events were recorded across 240 athlete-weeks. Because repeated athlete-weeks were analyzed as independent samples and injury status was classified within the same week as the load indicators, the classification findings are preliminary internal-validation results that may overestimate model performance; they are not externally validated prospective predictions. Methods: Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate associations and agreement between sRPE-derived indicators and traditional training-load indicators (swimming distance and training duration). Twelve sRPE-derived indicators (four each from sRPE, EWMA, and REDI) were used as input features for MLP same-week binary classification models. REDI was included because its natural-logarithmic weighting emphasizes long-term cumulative load, complementing the recency-weighted EWMA. Model performance was evaluated using area under the ROC curve (AUC), with Bootstrap resampling (1000 iterations) to characterize internal stability. Results: Swimming distance, which shares no computational component with sRPE, was very strongly correlated with sRPE (r = 0.965, p < 0.001). Training duration was also strongly correlated with sRPE (r = 0.972, p < 0.001), but this duration correlation is partly part-whole by construction because duration enters the sRPE calculation. After Z-score standardization, the ICC between duration and sRPE reached 0.614 (substantial agreement), although standardization does not imply direct interchangeability. Among the 12 single indicators, EWMA uncoupled ACWR had the highest observed AUC (0.946). The EWMA four-indicator combination (coupled ACWR + uncoupled ACWR + Diff + SD) had the highest observed internal AUC (0.958). Uncoupled ACWR and Diff indicators showed numerically higher AUCs than their coupled and SD counterparts, respectively; these differences were not formally tested statistically and confidence intervals overlapped. Conclusions: In this small, single-team, single-event sample of female adolescent 200 m individual medley swimmers, sRPE showed moderate-to-substantial agreement with traditional workload indicators. The EWMA four-indicator model showed the highest observed internal discriminative ability for same-week injury classification (AUC = 0.958), with EWMA uncoupled ACWR the highest-ranked single indicator (AUC = 0.946). These findings are preliminary because of the small number of injury events, class imbalance, athlete-level clustering, binary injury labels, absence of simpler-model comparison, and lack of lagged or external validation. The exploratory two-tier warning thresholds (yellow > 0.5, red > 0.7) are conceptual, non-optimized boundaries and require prospective derivation and validation in independent cohorts before any operational use. Full article

Background and Objectives: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasingly recognized as a lifespan neurodevelopmental condition with far-reaching consequences for functioning and health that extend well beyond its core signs and symptoms. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the real-world impact of ADHD across the lifespan, with a focus on academic and occupational outcomes, interpersonal and family functioning, risk-taking and behavioral outcomes, accidental and sport-related injuries, physical and medical health burdens, substance use disorders, sexual health risks, and mortality. Materials and Methods: A structured search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science supplemented by reference-list screening was conducted to identify relevant clinical studies, epidemiological studies, longitudinal investigations, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2000 and 2025. Evidence was synthesized narratively, with greater interpretive weight given to systematic reviews and meta-analyses, large epidemiological datasets, longitudinal studies, and investigations accounting for important potential confounding factors. Results: Findings indicate that ADHD is associated with substantial impairments across functional, behavioral, and health domains. However, the strength and magnitude of these associations vary and may be influenced by symptom presentation, neurocognitive characteristics, psychiatric comorbidities, lifestyle behaviors, and broader clinical and contextual factors, with evidence of bidirectional relationships for some outcomes. These findings caution against uniformly interpreting adverse outcomes as direct causal consequences of ADHD and support interconnected neurocognitive, reward/motivational, emotional, and environmental pathways linking ADHD features with downstream impairment. Clinically, the evidence underscores the importance of assessing functional impairment alongside ADHD signs and symptoms. Conclusions: Overall, ADHD is associated with substantial and heterogeneous burdens across the lifespan, highlighting the need for multidimensional assessment, further longitudinal and mechanistic research, and timely access to evidence-based interventions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Saudi evidence on self-reported knee injuries among amateur sport participants is limited. We estimated lifetime knee injury prevalence and associated factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study used non-probability convenience sampling to recruit amateur players aged 18–60 years without chronic disease. Data were collected in 2022 using an Arabic study questionnaire and the Saudi Arabic Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. The primary outcome was a broadly defined, self-reported lifetime knee injury history. Associations were estimated using logistic and Firth penalized logistic regression. Results: Of 462 submissions after the eligibility gateway, 273 were eligible and internally consistent. Most participants were male (89.4%), and football was the most frequently reported sport (74.7%). Overall, 155 participants reported a lifetime knee injury (56.8%; 95% CI 50.8–62.5%). In the adjusted model (n = 269), football participation (aOR = 2.60, 95% CI 1.35–5.13; p = 0.004) and older age (aOR per year = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.08; p = 0.023) were associated with higher odds. Estimates for male sex and high exercise intensity were imprecise. Conclusions: More than half of this convenience sample reported a lifetime knee injury. Football was the most consistent correlate. These cross-sectional findings are neither causal nor nationally representative. Full article

Mobile health (mHealth) apps increasingly capture the physiological, biomechanical, and psychological variables involved in sport training, but the evidence remains fragmented across single-domain reviews, leaving practitioners without a consolidated basis for selecting and deploying these tools across the training process. This scoping review aimed to identify and characterize research on mHealth apps in sport training, focusing on their performance testing, training load and recovery monitoring, technical and skill development, injury screening and prevention, and athlete self-management. It also synthesized evidence regarding their applications, intended purposes, technical characteristics, and the evidence supporting their effectiveness. Five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, Embase) were searched from inception to July 2026 for journal articles reporting original empirical data on app research on the sport training process in athletes. Studies involving only the promotion of physical activity or lacking human-subject testing, including commercially available apps without supporting research on their effectiveness, were excluded. Findings were synthesized narratively, and methodological quality was appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Of 9476 records identified, 111 studies met the inclusion criteria and were inductively classified into ten application categories: sport skill training (n = 26), performance measurement (n = 20), vertical jump measurement (n = 18), self-reported monitoring (n = 12), physiological measurement (n = 12), musculoskeletal screening (n = 10), psychological intervention (n = 5), nutrition (n = 3), anthropometric and maturation screening (n = 3), and tactical and match analysis (n = 2). Most apps relied on built-in smartphone sensors or no sensing at all and used manual or deterministic computation; processing location went unreported in 74.8% of studies, which reflects a reporting gap rather than an architectural profile of the field, and reported that AI or machine learning labels did not track with actual method disclosure. Validation and reliability designs dominated the evidence base (52%), while randomized or controlled effectiveness trials were rare (10%). Apps generally showed good relative validity but limited absolute accuracy against criterion instruments, and wherever apps were deployed longitudinally, adherence rather than accuracy determined their real-world value. mHealth apps now support nearly every stage of sport training and can substitute for laboratory instruments in select, validated use cases, including video-based sprint and jump timing and chest-strap-paired heart-rate variability monitoring. However, the field remains organized around demonstrating measurement accuracy rather than showing that app-guided decisions improve athlete outcomes. A successful pathway for mHealth app development should progress from technical validity, through measurement reliability and responsiveness, to decision rules, and then to practitioner adoption by coaches and athletes, ultimately yielding better athlete outcomes. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly reshaped sports motion analysis through advances in wearable sensing, computer vision, and deep learning. However, existing reviews often focus on isolated techniques and lack a systematic evolutionary perspective. This study presents a 15-year bibliometric and evolutionary review of AI in sports motion analysis (2011–2025), integrating scientometric mapping with quantitative content analysis across modalities, methods, and applications. A comprehensive multi-source dataset of 2602 publications was analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace to examine knowledge structures, collaboration patterns, co-citation networks, and emerging research fronts. In addition, each study was categorized by modality (wearable, visual, and multi-modal), AI method (traditional machine learning, deep learning, and transformer-based), and task type (activity recognition, performance analysis, rehabilitation, and others). The results reveal exponential growth and a clear three-stage evolution: a sensor-driven phase dominated by wearable devices and traditional machine learning (2011–2015), a deep learning expansion phase centered on vision-based modeling (2016–2019), and a recent deep learning consolidation phase characterized by emerging transformer-based methods, increasing multimodal integration, real-time monitoring, and application-oriented sports analytics (2020–2025). The field has shifted from signal-based recognition toward vision-centered performance evaluation, rehabilitation-related movement assessment, and injury-informed applications. This data-driven review provides an integrated evolutionary framework and future research roadmap to support the continued development of AI-driven analytics in sports science, athlete monitoring, and health-related human movement analysis. Full article

Background and objectives: It is now increasingly acknowledged that psychological resilience and effective stress management are important factors in determining performance in professional sport. The present review examines various psychological interventions used in sport psychology, with particular emphasis on methods for improving performance under competitive pressure. It also assesses the psychometric scales and paradigm-based tools available for measuring stress, stress reactivity, and pre-competition anxiety in athletes. Methods: A narrative review was carried out using the OVID, EBSCO, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, with a preference for randomised controlled trials, observational studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and consensus guidelines. Results: The results form the foundation for creating more thorough athlete support programmes. Psychological interventions are necessary to improve or maintain sporting performance, manage stress and anxiety, promote healthy sleep habits, and reduce the risk of injury. Conclusions: Athletic performance is influenced by technical, tactical, physical, and psychological factors. Psychological interventions, including self-talk, imagery, goal setting, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques, help manage stress while maintaining focus and motivation. It is recommended that athlete sleep education and psychosocially informed injury prevention be incorporated into these strategies. Full article

Background: Injuries are a major concern in professional football because they may reduce player availability and affect team performance. Injury risk may vary across different phases of the season in relation to changes in training and competition demands, recovery, and cumulative workload. Objectives: To describe the epidemiology of injuries in a professional football team over three consecutive seasons and to evaluate seasonal variations in injury characteristics and injury-related time-loss. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 260 time-loss injuries sustained by 78 of 96 registered male first-team players (mean age 27.0 ± 4.5 years) from a professional football club in Türkiye over three consecutive seasons (2022–2023 to 2024–2025). Total team exposure was 33,609 player-hours (2409 match player-hours and 31,200 training player-hours). Injuries were classified according to injury setting, seasonal period, anatomical location, injury type, and injury-related time-loss. Exploratory generalized estimating equations (GEE) analysis accounted for repeated injuries within players. Results: A total of 260 injuries were recorded; 62.3% occurred during training and 37.7% during matches. The overall injury incidence was 7.7 per 1000 player-hours (95% CI, 6.8–8.7), with rates of 40.7 per 1000 match player-hours (95% CI, 33.0–49.6) and 5.2 per 1000 training player-hours (95% CI, 4.4–6.1). The groin–thigh–lower-leg region (52.7%) and the thigh (25.4%) were the most frequently affected anatomical sites, while muscle injuries accounted for 43.5% of all injuries. Estimated injury incidence was highest during the mid- and late-season (9.29 and 9.12 per 1000 player-hours, respectively) and lowest during the preparation period (2.55 per 1000 player-hours). Exploratory GEE analysis showed significant differences in injury counts across seasonal periods (Wald χ² = 41.35, p < 0.001). Compared with the late season, injury incidence was lower during the preparation period (IRR 0.17, 95% CI 0.09–0.33; p < 0.001), whereas no significant differences were observed for the early or mid-season. Conclusions: Injury incidence was lowest during the preparation period and highest during the competitive season. Because exposure estimates were based on team-level rather than individual player-level data, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. Prospective multicentre studies with individual exposure data are needed. Full article

Background/Objectives: Shoulder pain in tennis players is usually interpreted from a local shoulder perspective, although kinetic-chain and trunk-control factors may also be relevant. The diaphragm contributes to breathing and trunk stabilization, but diaphragm-related measures have received limited attention in tennis players with shoulder pain. This study compared inspiratory muscle strength, diaphragm thickness, and diaphragm thickening fraction between tennis players with and without non-specific shoulder pain. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study included 64 tennis players: 32 with non-specific shoulder pain and 32 asymptomatic controls. Maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), bilateral diaphragm thickness during relaxed inspiration and expiration, and diaphragm thickening fraction were assessed. Between-group differences were analyzed. Results: Tennis players with non-specific shoulder pain showed lower MIP than controls (p = 0.002). Diaphragm thickness during relaxed inspiration was lower in symptomatic players on the left (false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted p = 0.033) and right sides (FDR-adjusted p = 0.012), and diaphragm thickening fraction was also lower bilaterally (left: FDR-adjusted p = 0.036; right: FDR-adjusted p = 0.039). Conclusions: Tennis players with non-specific shoulder pain showed lower inspiratory muscle strength, lower bilateral diaphragm thickness during relaxed inspiration, and lower bilateral diaphragm thickening fraction than asymptomatic players. These cross-sectional findings describe group-level differences but do not establish causality, diaphragm dysfunction, or clinical relevance. Full article

Background: Achilles tendon ruptures are among the most common sports injuries. The literature reports highly variable “return to sport” (RTS) rates depending on the study, as the definition of return to play is not consistent. Our purpose was to assess RTS and self-reported relative performance level after surgical management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Method: In this retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort, the RTS rate and the return to self-reported preinjury level (RTPIL) in patients treated surgically for acute Achilles tendon rupture between November 2020 and September 2023 with at least 2 years of follow-up were reported. The primary outcomes were the RTS and RTPIL rates at last follow-up. Secondary outcomes were Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS): Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), Ankle Ligament Reconstruction–Return to Sport after Injury (ALR-RSI), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Tegner Activity Scale (TAS) and the University of California and Los Angeles (UCLA) activity level rating scale. Data was collected preoperatively; at three, six, twelve, and twenty-four months postoperatively; and then every two months thereafter. Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed to measure time to RTS and RTPIL. Results: In the final analysis, 65 patients were included for analysis of RTS and RTPIL, and 69 for the PROMS. In total, 81.7% (58) were male, and the mean age was 40.6 years (SD 12.5). The RTS rate was 76.9%, and the RTPIL rate was 44.6%. The mean delay to RTS was 11.6 months (SD 7.6). The median time to RTS was approximately 14 months (95% CI, 10.0–18.0). The RTPIL rate continued to increase between the first and second years after surgery. At the last follow-up, the median ATRS was 89 with an interquartile range (IQR) of [77.0–95.0], ALR-RSI was 80 [62.5–95.0], FAAM activity was 91.7 [85.7–97.6], FAAM sport was 85.9 [68.8–96.9], TAS was 7 [5–7], and UCLA was 10 [9–10]. Median follow-up was 24.8 months. Conclusions: In conclusion, self-reporting of RTS and RTPIL yields low rates, and caution should be used in overly optimistic preoperative counselling. Level of evidence: IV. Full article

Background: The ability of preseason screening to identify athletes at risk for non-contact lower-limb injury remains uncertain. Purpose: To determine whether knee and ankle joint tests, body mass index (BMI), prior lower-limb injury, and Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores were associated with injury and improved discrimination. Methods: Prospectively collected data from 381 collegiate athletes across 11 sports were retrospectively analyzed. Preseason assessments included BMI, injury history, FMS composite and subtest scores, and knee and ankle special tests summarized regionally. The primary outcome was two or more non-contact lower-limb injuries during the subsequent season; at least one injury was secondary. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression, sex-stratified and sensitivity analyses, and cross-validated ridge logistic regression were performed. Results: Eighty athletes (21.0%) sustained at least one injury and 41 (10.8%) sustained two or more. Prior injury was associated with ≥2 injuries in Models 1 and 2 (odds ratios = 2.03 and 2.00, respectively) and remained the most consistent correlate across sensitivity analyses. Knee and ankle test findings and FMS composite scores were not consistently associated with injury in primary analyses. Exploratory subgroup associations included female BMI, In-Line Lunge, female Deep Squat, and male ankle instability without prior injury. For the primary outcome, apparent AUC was 0.621–0.649 and cross-validated AUC was 0.535–0.562; adding FMS variables did not improve cross-validated discrimination. Conclusions: Prior injury history was the most consistent risk marker, but the preseason battery showed limited generalizable predictive value. FMS and joint-test measures should not be used alone to predict individual injury risk. Full article

Background/Objectives: Regular participation in physical activity is essential for maintaining health and well-being and plays a key role in disease prevention and quality of life, both in the general population and among people with disabilities, who represent approximately 16% of the global population. Martial arts-based physical activity programs incorporating safe-falling techniques may contribute to improving physical fitness, reducing fall-related injuries, and supporting adherence to the World Health Organization physical activity recommendations. This systematic review primarily aimed to identify martial arts-based fall-training programs, particularly judo-based interventions, and examine their effects on health and well-being in individuals with intellectual disability. As a secondary objective, evidence from other populations and martial arts disciplines was considered to identify relevant fall-training protocols and transferability. Methods: The research question was formulated using the PEO framework. Eligibility criteria included: people with intellectual and developmental disabilities or special educational needs; exposure to exercise programs involving martial arts, combat sports, or judo; and outcomes related to safe falling, falls, balance, motor skills, and physical condition. A systematic literature search was conducted between December 2025 and April 2026 on the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Results: From a total of 658 records identified, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 1892 participants with various disabilities, including intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, visual impairment, and deafness. The interventions involved different martial arts modalities, such as judo, taekwondo, karate, tai chi, and capoeira. Overall, the available evidence suggests beneficial effects on physical fitness, motor abilities, balance, psychosocial outcomes, and safe-falling skills across different populations; however, substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity was observed among the included studies. Conclusions: No studies investigating structured martial arts-based fall-training programs in individuals with intellectual disability were identified. Although evidence from other populations is promising, it remains heterogeneous. Further high-quality studies are needed to evaluate these interventions in individuals with intellectual disabilities. Full article

Rodeo, a non-traditional sport, may pose a higher risk of injury compared to other sports due to the intense forces exerted by livestock. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of lower extremity injuries and discuss potential strategies for injury reduction among rodeo athletes. A systematic review with meta-analysis, following PRISMA guidelines, was performed. A comprehensive search of three electronic databases was conducted, searching for studies assessing the epidemiological trends of lower extremity injuries in rodeo athletes. Studies were included if they were published in English, reported injury frequencies by body part, involved collegiate or professional rodeo athletes, and covered more than one rodeo event type. Among the seven identified studies on rodeo injury prevalence, six focused on Canadian and American professional rodeo athletes, while one studied collegiate athletes. The order of injury prevalence of the lower extremity was found to be thigh/knee (TK) > ankle (A) > lower leg (LL) > foot/toes (FT) across all rodeo athletes. Timed event athletes exhibited a nine-percent higher prevalence of thigh/knee and ankle injuries compared to rough stock athletes. Lower extremity injuries accounted for approximately twenty-eight percent of injuries among collegiate and professional rodeo athletes. Full article