Search Results (61)

Professional football players face considerable occupational hazards, with injuries posing serious challenges to player safety, club performance, and regulatory oversight. This descriptive study examines the multifaceted implications of Portugal’s Laws No. 48/2023, which formally recognises professional football as a high-risk occupation and strengthens the mandatory insurance regime through a major regulatory update. Adopting a qualitative approach, the analysis focuses on Portugal, where the professional football business model heavily relies on player commercialisation, and compares regulatory frameworks in Spain, Germany, England, Italy, France, and Brazil. Findings indicate that Portugal’s legal framework enhances player safety by ensuring comprehensive coverage and improved disability protections, yet also introduces financial pressures on clubs, particularly those with lower economic capacity. These pressures are exacerbated by limited market competition and high insurance concentration, increasing premium costs. Cross-country comparisons reveal persistent disparities in legal standards, insurance scope, and institutional coordination, which complicate risk allocation in an increasingly globalised football market. Notably, Portugal’s high-risk insurance model most closely aligns with France’s hybrid approach, in contrast to fully public schemes seen in countries like Germany and Italy. While complete harmonisation remains challenging, the study identifies key principles to guide policy reform and international cooperation. Overall, the findings advance understanding of occupational risk regulation in sport and offer practical insights for designing effective, equitable, and safety-oriented protection systems for professional athletes. Full article

Female participation in NCAA athletics has grown significantly since the passage of Title IX—the 1972 U.S. federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities receiving federal funding—yet much of the existing research continues to focus on male athletes, leaving important gaps in our understanding of women’s experiences in collegiate sports. One underexamined area with important public health implications is the role of coach–athlete relationships in shaping female athletes’ mental health, access to resources, and overall collegiate experience. This exploratory study draws on in-depth interviews with 19 former female NCAA athletes to examine how their relationships with coaches influenced their athletic careers, mental health, and perceptions of support. Participants represented a range of sports and competitive levels, allowing for variation in experiences across contexts. Findings reveal that coach–athlete relationships are not only central to performance and motivation but also serve as key sources of emotional, social, and material support—or, in some cases, stress and disengagement. The quality and impact of these relationships were shaped by competitive pressures, team dynamics, and institutional expectations. This study underscores the importance of relational context in understanding the broader landscape of female NCAA athletes’ experiences and suggests that coach–athlete dynamics merit greater attention in both research and athletic program development. These findings underscore the relevance of coach–athlete dynamics as a public health concern, particularly in relation to mental health and emotional well-being in competitive sports environments. Supporting healthier relational cultures in collegiate athletics is essential for promoting positive health outcomes among female student-athletes. Full article

Mid-infrared passive spectroscopic imaging is a novel non-invasive and remote sensing method based on Planck’s law. It enables the acquisition of component-specific information from the human body by measuring naturally emitted thermal radiation in the mid-infrared region. Unlike active methods that require an external light source, our passive approach harnesses the body’s own emission, thereby enabling safe, long-term monitoring. In this study, we successfully demonstrated the simultaneous, non-invasive measurements of blood glucose and lactate levels of the human body using this method. The measurements, conducted over approximately 80 min, provided emittance data derived from mid-infrared passive spectroscopy that showed a temporal correlation with values obtained using conventional blood collection sensors. Furthermore, to evaluate localized metabolic changes, we performed k-means clustering analysis of the spectral data obtained from the upper arm. This enabled visualization of time-dependent lactate responses with spatial resolution. These results demonstrate the feasibility of multi-component monitoring without physical contact or biological sampling. The proposed technique holds promise for translation to medical diagnostics, continuous health monitoring, and sports medicine, in addition to facilitating the development of next-generation healthcare technologies. Full article

This article presents a comparative study of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and articles authored by professional journalists, focusing on the perspective of a Kazakhstani audience. The analysis was conducted based on several key criteria, including the structure of the article, writing style, factual accuracy, citation of sources, and completeness of the information. The study spans a variety of topics, such as politics, economics, law, sports, education, and social issues. The results indicate that AI-generated articles tend to exhibit greater structural clarity and neutrality. On the other hand, articles written by journalists score higher in terms of factual accuracy, analytical depth, and the use of verified sources. Furthermore, the research explores the significance of journalistic ethics in ensuring transparency and information completeness in content production. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the importance of upholding rigorous journalistic standards when integrating AI into media practices. Full article

This study examines perceptions of sexual harassment in sports 25 years after the enactment of Israel’s prevention of sexual harassment law, building upon a 1999 study by Feigin and Negbi. Utilizing feminist and power relations theories, this research investigates how perceptions have evolved across genders, competitive levels, and coaching statuses. A total of 361 participants, including non-competitive, competitive, and Olympic athletes, completed a questionnaire assessing perceptions of potentially harassing behaviors. The results reveal significant shifts in awareness, particularly among female athletes, across all four factors of sexual harassment examined. The most substantial change was observed in the “Between concern and interest” factor, indicating increased sensitivity to ambiguous behaviors. Olympic athletes and coaches demonstrated heightened awareness compared to non-competitive athletes. Gender disparities persisted, with female participants consistently showing higher sensitivity to potentially harassing behaviors. These findings underscore the need for tailored educational programs, policy revisions, and increased representation of diverse perspectives in sports leadership. Full article

Against the backdrop of rapid rail transit development, this study takes Urumqi Metro Line 1 as a case, using geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis and space syntax Pearson correlation coefficient methods. Focusing on an 800 m radius around station areas, the research investigates the distribution characteristics of commercial facilities and the impact of metro development on commercial patterns through the quantitative analysis and distribution trends of points of interest (POI) data across different historical periods. The study reveals that following the opening of Urumqi Metro Line 1, commercial facilities have predominantly clustered around stations including Erdaoqiao, Nanmen, Beimen, Nanhu Square, Nanhu Beilu, Daxigou, and Sports Center, with kernel density values surging by 28–39%, indicating significantly enhanced commercial agglomeration. Metro construction has promoted commercial POI quantity growth and commercial sector enrichment. Surrounding commercial areas have developed rapidly after metro construction, with the most significant impacts observed in the catering, shopping, and residential-oriented living commercial sectors. After the construction of the subway, the distribution pattern of commercial facilities presents two kinds of aggregation patterns: one is the original centripetal aggregation layout before construction and further strengthened after construction; the other is the centripetal aggregation layout before construction and further weakened after construction, tending to the site level of face-like aggregation. The clustering characteristics of different business types vary. Factors such as subway accessibility, population density, and living infrastructure all impact the distribution of businesses around the subway. The impact of subway accessibility on commercial facilities varies by station infrastructure and urban area. The findings demonstrate how transit infrastructure development can catalyze sustainable urban form evolution by optimizing spatial resource allocation and fostering transportation–commerce synergy. It provides empirical support for applying the theory of transit-oriented development (TOD) in the urban planning of western developing regions. The research not only fills a research gap concerning the commercial space differentiation law of metro systems in megacities in arid areas but also provides a scientific decision-making basis for optimizing the spatial resource allocation of stations and realizing the synergistic development of transportation and commerce in the node cities along the “Belt and Road”. Full article

Isometric training is a method focused on muscle strengthening without joint movement and has gained attention in recent years due to its applicability in rehabilitation and sports medicine. However, no comprehensive bibliometric analysis focused exclusively on adult populations has been performed. This study aimed to analyze the scientific production related to isometric training in adults; identify prominent authors, journals, and thematic trends; and evaluate the evolution of interest in this field over time. A bibliometric review was performed using the Web of Science Core Collection (SCI-E, SSCI, and ESCI). A specific search strategy was applied to identify articles and reviews focused on isometric training in adult populations. A total of 238 records met the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Excel 2016 and VOSviewer software1.6.20. Bibliometric indicators such as Price’s Law, Bradford’s Law, Lotka’s Law, h-index, and co-occurrence and co-authorship network analysis were applied. The results showed a steady increase in publications in the last decade, highlighting the categories of Sports Science, Physiology, and Cardiovascular. The Journal of Applied Physiology was the most frequent source, and Springer Nature was the most prolific publisher. The h-index identified 21 highly cited papers, and Lotka’s Law confirmed the existence of a small group of prolific authors. VOSviewer analysis revealed clear thematic clusters, mainly around blood pressure regulation, rehabilitation, and aging. International collaboration was evident, with the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom leading the co-authorship networks. Scientific interest in isometric training for adult populations is growing, particularly in relation to cardiovascular health and rehabilitation. Despite this, gaps remain in terms of methodological consistency and standardized protocols. Addressing these issues could improve the applicability and scientific impact of this training modality. Full article

The gender perspective (GP) aims to generate social change by questioning the stereotypes and roles assigned to individuals and addressing biases and related issues. In Chile, it has been promoted through public policies (Law No.21.369). For this reason, the Physical Education, Sports, and Recreation Pedagogy program at a state university has adjusted its curricular activities. Rhythmic gymnastics (RG), a sport traditionally considered exclusive to women and previously taught only to “them”, must now be taken by all people, regardless of their gender. This research, project funded by the Metropolitan University of Chile DIUMCE01-2024-EFA, analyzes the opinions of 50 students about RG in their curriculum and its relationship with GP prior to taking the course. The study follows a qualitative case study approach, applying semantic content analysis with emergent categories to the responses. The student body presents a favorable attitude toward the curricular activity, expressing interest in applying it within their professional field. They state that sports should be practiced without gender differentiation. They recognize that there are social biases linked to gender stereotypes. On the other hand, the lack of knowledge of RG implies prejudices, such as feeling uncoordinated, inflexible, and uncomfortable when working on corporal expression. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults are at an increased risk for suicide and suicidal ideation compared with cisgender/heterosexual adults. Due to the complexity of suicidal ideation, individual, social, and systemic factors must be considered. The purpose of this study was to identify determinants of suicidal ideation among SGM adults using constructs from the Social–Ecological Model (SEM). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of data collected from 1034 SGM adults between 27 January and 7 February 2022, and variables reflected the four constructs of the SEM, including individual, family, community, and societal levels. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to enter the variables in blocks. Results: The final model explained 55% of the variance in suicidal ideation, and determinants of suicidal ideation were identified at all four levels. At the individual level, factors were depression (p < 0.001, β = 0.231), anxiety (p < 0.001, β = 0.279), vigilance distress (p = 0.036, β = 0.157), not being out/open (p = 0.046, β = 1.136), having some college education (p = 0.002, β = −1.875), and personal strength (p = 0.012, β = −0.131). Family of origin discrimination distress was significant at the family level (p = 0.016, β = 0.174). Social resources (p < 0.001, β = −0.113), victimization distress (p < 0.001, β = 0.795), and harassment/discrimination distress (p = 0.035, β = 0.179) were significant at the community level. At the social level, SGM protective state law score (p = 0.43, β = −0.35) and having a proposed or enacted transgender sports ban (p = 0.027, β = 1.480) were significant. Conclusions: Understanding the factors across the various levels of the SEM that influence suicidal ideation allows for the development of multi-level, social-ecological suicide prevention programs. Such programs can address the unique needs of SGM individuals and help mitigate suicidal ideation. Full article

Background: Though ancient Greece preserves many pictures of combat sports, there is limited research in terms of biomechanical analysis of their sports. This research aimed to investigate the Pankration postures of ancient Greek athletics, expecting to bridge the gap between historical sports practices and contemporary biomechanical applications. Methods: This study employed computer vision (OpenPose) to analyze two images, one as readiness and another as kicking postures, from ancient Greek Pankration by constructing a static multi-segmental model. Using Newton’s Laws, the models simulated the postures as presented in historical depictions, estimated joint forces and moments, and calculated weight distribution and ground reaction forces for these postures. Results: For the readiness posture, it was found that the right hind leg experienced significant forces, with the highest moment at the knee joint, while the ankle and hip joints showed similar slightly lower moments. The front leg encountered lower forces and moments. For the kick posture, the supporting leg experienced the highest moment at the knee, while the kicking leg showed minimal moments at the ankle, knee, and hip. Conclusions: The static analysis provided quantitative estimates of joint forces and moments in the depicted Pankration postures, suggesting that these postures were biomechanically effective for their intended functions in combat. While the analysis cannot confirm whether ancient athletes deliberately applied biomechanical principles, the results highlight the potential of biomechanical modeling to enhance our understanding of ancient sports practices. The research demonstrates the possible benefits of integrating static analysis with historical elements to study the physical demands and techniques of ancient combat sports. Full article

Background/Objectives: Custody officers (CO) are often exposed to workplace hazards when monitoring prisoners, managing prisoners’ recreational time, or searching for contraband, yet research into their injuries is limited. This review aimed to identify, appraise, and synthesise research investigating injuries in CO. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol and registration with the Open Science Framework, a systematic search of five databases (PubMed, ProQuest, Embase, CINAHL and SportDiscus) using key search terms was conducted. The identified studies were considered against eligibility criteria, with the remaining studies critically appraised using the appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Results: From the 975 identified studies, eight studies (mean critical appraisal score = 69 ± 25%) remained to inform the review. The incidence of fatal injuries ranged from 0.027 to 0.03 per 1000 full-time employees (FTE), whereas that of non-fatal injuries ranged from 15.9 to 44.0 per 1000 FTE. CO aged 31+ years were the most likely to experience injuries (22–44%). Male CO were more commonly injured than female CO in both fatal injuries (male = 89%, female = 11%) and non-fatal injuries (male = 73–74%, female = 26–27%). Assaults (11.5–38%) and slips/trips/falls (23.2–25%) were found to be the most common causes of injuries. The upper extremity was the most commonly injured body part (26–30%), with musculoskeletal sprains and strains (30–60.2%) the most common types of injury. Conclusions: CO injury profiles are similar to those reported in general-duty police officers. As such, musculoskeletal conditioning, reconditioning, and fall prevention practices employed in law enforcement may serve as an initial approach to risk mitigation in this population. Full article

Fitts’ law, a predictive model for motor task completion time, is widely utilized in human–computer interaction (HCI) research. While its formulas in two dimensions have achieved consensus over the decades, research diverges on its application in three dimensions. This paper synthesizes practical applications across touchscreens, virtual reality (VR), pedals, handheld devices, etc., with a specific emphasis on enhancing interaction experiences for vulnerable populations. This review studies Fitts’ law’s applicability in diverse interaction scenarios, highlighting design considerations for touchscreens and handheld/foot-held devices. This article underscores the need for future research to explore three-dimensional applications and consider user age, with potential expansions into medical and sports domains. This systematic review aims to empower designers in crafting more ergonomic products and improving HCI experiences. Full article

In Europe, sports food supplements (SSFs) are subject to specific laws and regulations. Up to 70% of athletes are highly influenced by the information on the label or the advertisement of the SSF, which often does not correspond to the scientific evidence, such as health claims. The aim is to analyze such claims relating to sports drinks (SDs) in commercial messages. To this end, an observational and cross-sectional study was conducted based on the analysis of the content and degree of adequacy of the health claims indicated on the labelling or technical data sheet of the SDs with those established by the European legislation in force according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The SSFs were searched for via Amazon and Google Shopping. A total of 114 health claims were evaluated. No claim fully conformed with the recommendations. A total of 14 claims (n = 13 products) almost conformed to the recommendations; they were “Maintain endurance level in exercises requiring prolonged endurance”, “Improve water absorption during physical exercise”, and “Improved physical performance during high intensity, high duration physical exercise in trained adults”, representing 12.3% of the total (n = 114). The vast majority of the claims identified indicated an unproven cause–effect and should be modified or eliminated, which amounts to food fraud towards the consumer. Full article

The present study investigated the mediating effects of emotional intelligence and self-esteem between youth sports participation and life satisfaction, as well as the comparative effects of different types of sports involvement (team, individual, and non-participation) on these selected variables. A sample of 1053 Portuguese adolescents (612 girls and 441 boys), aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.40; SD = 1.55), completed the following self-report measures: the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. The structural equation modeling results indicated a complete mediating role of two emotional intelligence dimensions (use of emotion and self-emotional appraisal) and self-esteem in the relationship between sports participation and adolescents’ life satisfaction. Team sport participants reported higher emotional intelligence and self-esteem scores than their non-sport participant counterparts who revealed lower levels of emotion use than their individual sport participant peers. These findings provide novel insights into the potential emotional and psychological mechanisms underlying the association between youth sports participation and life satisfaction. Full article

Movements of the horse and rider in equestrian sports are governed by the laws of physics. An understanding of these physical principles is a prerequisite to designing and interpreting biomechanical studies of equestrian sports. This article explains and explores the biomechanical effects between riders and horses, including gravitational and inertial forces, turning effects, and characteristics of rider technique that foster synchronous movement with the horse. Rider symmetry, posture, and balance are discussed in the context of their relationship to rider skill level and their effects on the horse. Evidence is presented to support the feasibility of improving equestrian performance by off-horse testing followed by unmounted therapy and exercises to target the identified deficiencies. The elusive quality of harmony, which is key to a true partnership between riders and horses, is explored and described in biomechanical terms. Full article