Evaluating SafeClub : Can risk management training improve the safety activities of community soccer clubs?
- Authors: Abbott, Kristy , Klarenaar, Paul , Donaldson, Alex , Sherker, Shauna
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 42, no. 6 (Jun 2008), p. 460-465
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- Description: Objective: To evaluate a sports safety-focused risk-management training programme. Design: Controlled before and after test. Setting: Four community soccer associations in Sydney, Australia. Participants: 76 clubs (32 intervention, 44 control) at baseline, and 67 clubs (27 intervention, 40 control) at post-season and 12-month follow-ups. Intervention: SafeClub, a sports safety-focused risk-management training programme (362 hour sessions) based on adult-learning principles and injury-prevention concepts and models. Main outcome measures: Changes in mean policy, infrastructure and overall safety scores as measured using a modified version of the Sports Safety Audit Tool. Results: There was no significant difference in the mean policy, infrastructure and overall safety scores of intervention and control clubs at baseline. Intervention clubs achieved higher post-season mean policy (11.9 intervention vs 7.5 controls), infrastructure (15.2 vs 10.3) and overall safety (27.0 vs 17.8) scores than did controls. These differences were greater at the 12-month follow-up: policy (16.4 vs 7.6); infrastructure (24.7 vs 10.7); and overall safety (41.1 vs 18.3). General linear modelling indicated that intervention clubs achieved statistically significantly higher policy (p, 0.001), infrastructure (p, 0.001) and overall safety (p, 0.001) scores compared with control clubs at the post-season and 12-month follow-ups. There was also a significant linear interaction of time and group for all three scores: policy (p, 0.001), infrastructure (p, 0.001) and overall safety (p, 0.001). Conclusions: SafeClub effectively assisted community soccer clubs to improve their sports safety activities, particularly the foundations and processes for good risk-management practice, in a sustainable way.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003005630
Hip and knee osteoarthritis affects younger people, too
- Authors: Ackerman, Ilana , Kemp, Joanne , Crossley, Kay , Culvenor, Adam , Hinman, Rana
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy Vol. 47, no. 2 (2017), p. 67-79
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- Description: Although osteoarthritis (OA) has traditionally been considered a disease of older age, hip and knee OA can and does affect younger adults, with a profound impact on psychosocial well-being and work capacity. Obesity and a history of traumatic knee injury (eg, anterior cruciate ligament rupture and/or meniscal tear) are key risk factors for the accelerated development of knee OA, while structural hip deformities (including those contributing to femoroacetabular impingement syndrome) are strong predictors of early-onset hip OA. In view of these associations, rising rates of obesity and sports injuries are concerning, and may signal a future surge in OA incidence among younger people. Assessment of hip and knee OA in younger people should focus on a patient-centered history, comprehensive physical examination, performance-based measures, and patient-reported outcome measures to enable monitoring of symptoms and function over time. Referral for imaging should be reserved for people presenting with atypical signs or symptoms that may indicate diagnoses other than OA. Nonpharmacological approaches are core strategies for the management of hip and knee OA in younger people, and these include appropriate disease-related education, activity modifcation (including for work-related tasks), physical therapist-prescribed exercise programs to address identifed physical impairments, and weight control or weight loss. High-quality evidence has shown no beneft of arthroscopy for knee OA, and there are no published clinical trials to support the use of hip arthroscopy for OA. Referral for joint-conserving or joint replacement surgery should be considered when nonpharmacological and pharmacological management strategies are no longer effective. © 2017 Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
Facilitators to support the implementation of injury prevention training in youth handball : A concept mapping approach
- Authors: Ageberg, Eva , Bunke, Sofia , Lucander, Karolina , Nilsen, Per , Donaldson, Alex
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Vol. 29, no. 2 (2019), p. 275-285
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- Description: There is a need for research to identify effective implementation strategies for injury prevention training within real-world community sports. The aim of this ecological participatory study was to identify facilitators, among stakeholders at multiple levels, that could help injury prevention training become part of regular training routines in youth team handball. Concept mapping, a mixed-method approach for qualitative data collection and quantitative data analysis, was used. Stakeholders (n = 196) of two community team handball clubs (29% players, 13% coaches, 38% caregivers, 11% club, district and national handball administrators, 9% unknown) participated in a brainstorming process. After the research team synthesized the 235 generated statements, 50 stakeholders (34% players, 22% coaches, 24% caregivers, 20% administrators) sorted 89 unique facilitator statements into clusters and rated them for importance and feasibility. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis yielded five clusters (stress value 0.231): “Understanding and applying knowledge,” “Education, knowledge, and consistency,” “Set-up and exercises,” “Inspiration, motivation, and routines,” and “Club policy and expert collaboration.” The cluster “Understanding and applying knowledge” had the highest mean importance (3.17 out of 4) and feasibility (2.93) ratings. The 32 statements rated as both highly important and feasible (Go-zone) indicate action is required at the individual (end-users) and organizational (policymakers) levels to implement injury prevention training. Results suggest that developing evidence-based context-specific injury prevention training, incorporating physiological, biomechanical and psychological components, and an associated context-specific implementation plan in partnership with all stakeholders should be a high priority to facilitate the implementation of injury prevention training in youth team handball.
Inattentional blindness and pattern-matching failure : The case of failure to recognize clinical cues
- Authors: Al-Moteri, Modi , Symmons, Mark , Cooper, Simon J. , Plummer, Virginia
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Applied Ergonomics Vol. 73, no. (2018), p. 174-182
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- Description: Eye-tracking methodology was used to investigate lapses in the appropriate treatment of ward patients due to not noticing critical cues of deterioration. Forty nursing participants with different levels of experience participated in an interactive screen-based simulation of hypovolemic shock. The results show that 65% of the participants exhibited at least one episode of non-fixation on clinically relevant, fully visible cues that were in plain sight. Thirty-five percent of participants dwelt for sufficient time (>200 ms) on important cues for perception to take place, but no action followed, indicating they had pattern-matching failure. When participants fail to notice what, they should notice in patient status until it is too late, this can have serious consequences. Much work needs to be done, since these human perceptual limitations can affect patient safety in general wards.
Could targeted exercise programmes prevent lower limb injury in community Australian football?
- Authors: Andrew, Nadine , Gabbe, Belinda , Cook, Jill , Lloyd, David , Donnelly, Cyril , Nash, Clare , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 43, no. 8 (2013), p. 751-763
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565907
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- Description: Background: Australian football is a popular sport in Australia, at both the community and elite levels. It is a high-speed contact sport with a higher incidence of medically treated injuries when compared with most other organized sports. Hamstring injuries, ligament injuries to the knee or ankle, hip/groin injuries and tendinopathies are particularly common and often result in considerable time lost from sport. Consequently, the prevention of lower limb injuries is a priority for both community and elite Australian football organizations. There is considerable literature available on exercise programmes aimed at reducing lower limb injuries in Australian football and other running-related sports. The quality and outcomes of these studies have varied considerably, but indicate that exercise protocols may be an effective means of preventing lower limb injuries. Despite this, there has been limited high-quality and systematic evaluation of these data. Objective: The aim of this literature review is to systematically evaluate the evidence about the benefits of lower limb injury prevention exercise protocols aimed at reducing the most common severe lower limb injuries in Australian football. Methods: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Bone Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE and other electronic databases were searched, from January 1990 to December 2010. Papers reporting the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, cohort and case-control studies were extracted. Primary outcomes were injury reduction or risk factor identification and/or modification. Secondary outcomes were adherence to any trialled interventions, injury severity and adverse effects such as secondary injuries and muscle soreness. The methodological quality of extracted manuscripts was assessed and results were collated. Results: Forty-seven papers were identified and reviewed of which 18 related to hamstring injury, eight related to knee or ankle ligament injury, five related to tendon injury and four were hip or groin injury related. Another 12 papers targeted general lower limb injuries. Most (n = 27 [57 %]) were observational studies, investigating injury risk factors. Twenty reported the results of intervention trials. Of these, 15 were efficacy trials reporting the effects of an intervention in reducing injury rates, four were biomechanical interventions in which the impact of the intervention on a known injury risk factor was assessed and one reported changes in injury risk factors as well as injury rates. The strength of the evidence base for exercise programmes for lower limb injury prevention was found to be limited, primarily due to the research methods employed, low adherence to interventions by the study participants and a lack of statistical power. Limited evidence obtained from a small number of RCTs suggests that balance and control exercises might be efficacious in preventing ankle ligament injuries and a programme involving a combination of balance and control exercises, eccentric hamstring, plyometrics and strength exercises could be efficacious in preventing all lower limb injuries. Conclusions: Overall, the evidence for exercise programmes as an efficacious lower limb injury prevention strategy is predominantly restricted to studies addressing injury aetiology and mechanisms. The findings of this review highlight the need to develop and test interventions in well designed population-based trials with an emphasis on promoting intervention uptake and adherence and, hence, intervention effectiveness. The results of this review can inform the development of the components of a future lower limb injury prevention exercise protocol for community-level Australian football. © 2013 Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Funded by the NHMRC.
- Description: 2003011215
The effects of plyometric training on change-of-direction ability : A meta-analysis
- Authors: Asadi, Abbas , Arazi, Hamid , Young, Warren , De Villarreal, Eduardo
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance Vol. 11, no. 5 (2016), p. 563-573
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- Description: Purpose: To show a clear picture about the possible variables of enhancements of change-of-direction (COD) ability using longitudinal plyometric-training (PT) studies and determine specific factors that influence the training effects. Methods: A computerized search was performed, and 24 articles with a total of 46 effect sizes (ESs) in an experimental group and 25 ESs in a control group were reviewed to analyze the role of various factors on the impact of PT on COD performance. Results: The results showed that participants with good ftness levels obtained greater improvements in COD performance (P <.05), and basketball players gained more benefits of PT than other athletes. Also, men obtained COD results similar to those of women after PT. In relation to the variables of PT design, it appears that 7 wk (with 2 sessions/wk) using moderate intensity and 100 jumps per training session with a 72-h rest interval tends to improve COD ability. Performing PT with a combination of different types of plyometric exercises such as drop jumps + vertical jumps + standing long jumps is better than 1 form of exercise. Conclusion: It is apparent that PT can be effective at improving COD ability. The loading parameters are essential for exercise professionals, coaches, and strength and conditioning professionals with regard to the most appropriate dose-response trends to optimize plyometric-induced COD-ability gains. © 2016 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Influence of post-exercise hypoxic exposure on hepcidin response in athletes
- Authors: Badenhorst, Claire , Dawson, Brian , Goodman, Carmel , Sim, Marc , Cox, Gregory , Gore, Christopher , Tjalsma, Harold , Swinkels, Dorine , Peeling, Peter
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: European Journal of Applied Physiology Vol. 114, no. 5 (2014), p. 951-959
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- Description: PURPOSE: To assess the influence of a simulated altitude exposure (~2,900 m above sea level) for a 3 h recovery period following intense interval running on post-exercise inflammation, serum iron, ferritin, erythropoietin, and hepcidin response. METHODS: In a cross-over design, ten well-trained male endurance athletes completed two 8 x 3 min interval running sessions at 85 % of their maximal aerobic velocity on a motorized treadmill, before being randomly assigned to either a hypoxic (HYP: F IO2 ~0.1513) or a normoxic (NORM: F IO2 0.2093) 3 h recovery period. Venous blood was collected pre- and immediately post-exercise, and after 3 and 24 h of recovery. Blood was analyzed for interleukin-6, serum iron, ferritin, erythropoietin, and hepcidin. RESULTS: Interleukin-6 was significantly elevated (p < 0.01) immediately post-exercise compared to baseline (NORM: 1.08 +/- 0.061 to 3.12 +/- 1.80) (HYP: 1.32 +/- 0.86 to 2.99 +/- 2.02), but was not different between conditions. Hepcidin levels were significantly elevated (p < 0.01) at 3 h post-exercise for both conditions when compared to baseline (NORM: 3.25 +/- 1.23 to 7.40 +/- 4.00) (HYP: 3.24 +/- 1.94 to 5.42 +/- 3.20), but were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the HYP trial compared to NORM. No significant differences existed between HYP and NORM for erythropoietin, serum iron, or ferritin. CONCLUSION: Simulated altitude exposure (~2,900 m) for 3 h following intense interval running attenuates the peak hepcidin levels recorded at 3 h post-exercise. Consequently, a hypoxic recovery after exercise may be useful for athletes with compromised iron status to potentially increase acute dietary iron absorption.
Seven days of high carbohydrate ingestion does not attenuate post-exercise IL-6 and hepcidin levels
- Authors: Badenhorst, Claire , Dawson, Brian , Cox, Gregory , Sim, Marc , Laarakkers, Coby , Swinkels, Dorine , Peeling, Peter
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: European Journal of Applied Physiology Vol. 116, no. 9 (2016), p. 1715-1724
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- Description: PURPOSE: This investigation examined if a high carbohydrate (CHO) diet, maintained across a seven-day training period, could attenuate post-exercise interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum hepcidin levels. METHODS: Twelve endurance-trained male athletes completed two seven-day running training blocks whilst consuming either a high (8 g kg(-1)) versus a low (3 g kg(-1)) CHO isoenergetic diet. Each training block consisted of five running sessions performed on days 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7, with the intensity and duration of each session matched between training weeks. Serum levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and hepcidin were measured pre- and either immediately (IL-6) or 3-h (hepcidin) post-exercise on days 1 and 7 of each training week. RESULTS: During each training week, the immediate post-exercise IL-6 and 3-h post-exercise serum hepcidin levels were significantly elevated (both p = 0.001) from pre-exercise on days 1 and 7. These increases were not different between trials. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the ingestion of a high (compared to low) CHO diet over a seven-day training period is ineffective in attenuating post-exercise IL-6 and hepcidin responses. Such results may be due to the modest training load, the increased protein intake in the low-CHO trial, and a 48 h recovery period prior to sample collection on day 7, allowing a full recovery of muscle glycogen status between exercise sessions.
'In a blink of an eye your life can change ' : Experiences of players sustaining a rugby-related acute spinal cord injury
- Authors: Badenhorst, Marelise , Verhagen, Evert , Lambert, Michael , van Mechelen, Willem , Brown, James
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Prevention Vol. 25, no. 4 (2019), p. 313-320
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- Description: Background Though rare, rugby union carries a risk for serious injuries such as acute spinal cord injuries (ASCI), which may result in permanent disability. Various studies have investigated injury mechanisms, prevention programmes and immediate medical management of these injuries. However, relatively scant attention has been placed on the player's experience of such an injury and the importance of context. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the injury experience and its related context, as perceived by the catastrophically injured player. Methods A qualitative approach was followed to explore the immediate, postevent injury experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 (n=48) players who had sustained a rugby-related ASCI. Results Four themes were derived from the data. Participants described the context around the injury incident, which may be valuable to help understand the mechanism of injury and potentially minimise risk. Participants also described certain contributing factors to their injury, which included descriptions of foul play and aggression, unaccustomed playing positions, pressure to perform and unpreparedness. The physical experience included signs and symptoms of ASCI that is important to recognise by first aiders, fellow teammates, coaches and referees. Lastly, participants described the emotional experience which has implications for all ASCI first responders. Significance All rugby stakeholders, including players, first responders, coaches and referees, may gain valuable information from the experiences of players who have sustained these injuries. This information is also relevant for rugby safety initiatives in shaping education and awareness interventions.
Injuries in field hockey players : A systematic review
- Authors: Barboza, Saulo , Joseph, Corey , Nauta, Joske , van Mechelen, Willem , Verhagen, Evert
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 48, no. 4 (2018), p. 849-866
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- Description: Background: To commence injury prevention efforts, it is necessary to understand the magnitude of the injury problem. No systematic reviews have yet investigated the extent of injuries in field hockey, despite the popularity of the sport worldwide. Objective: Our objective was to describe the rate and severity of injuries in field hockey and investigate their characteristics. Methods: We conducted electronic searches in PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL. Prospective cohort studies were included if they were published in English in a peer-reviewed journal and observed all possible injuries sustained by field hockey players during the period of the study. Results: The risk of bias score of the 22 studies included ranged from three to nine of a possible ten. In total, 12 studies (55%) reported injuries normalized by field hockey exposure. Injury rates ranged from 0.1 injuries (in school-aged players) to 90.9 injuries (in Africa Cup of Nations) per 1000 player-hours and from one injury (in high-school women) to 70 injuries (in under-21 age women) per 1000 player-sessions. Studies used different classifications for injury severity, but—within studies—injuries were included mostly in the less severe category. The lower limbs were most affected, and contusions/hematomas and abrasions were common types of injury. Contact injuries are common, but non-contact injuries are also a cause for concern. Conclusions: Considerable heterogeneity meant it was not possible to draw conclusive findings on the extent of the rate and severity of injuries. Establishing the extent of sports injury is considered the first step towards prevention, so there is a need for a consensus on injury surveillance in field hockey. © 2018, The Author(s).
Acceptability and perceptions of end-users towards an online sports-health surveillance system
- Authors: Barboza, Saulo , Bolling, Caroline , Nauta, Joske , van Mechelen, Willem , Verhagen, Evert
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine Vol. 3, no. 1 (2017), p. 1-8
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- Description: Aim To describe the acceptability and the perceptions of athletes and staff members (ie, end-users) towards an online sports-health surveillance system. Methods A pilot study with a mixed-methods approach was pursued. Descriptive analysis was conducted to present the adherence of judo (n=34), swimming (n=21) and volleyball (n=14) athletes to an online registration of their sport exposure and any health complaints between April 2014 and January 2015. End-users' perceptions towards the system were investigated qualitatively with semistructured interviews (n=21). Qualitative analysis was based on the constant comparative method using principles of the grounded theory. Results The response rates of judo, swimming and volleyball athletes were 50% (SD 23), 61% (SD 27) and 56% (SD 25), respectively. Most athletes found it simple to register their sport exposure and health complaints online; however, personal communication was still preferred for this purpose. The system facilitated the communication between medical and trainer staff, who were able to identify in the system reports health complaints from athletes that were not necessarily communicated face-to-face. Therefore, staff members reported that they were able to intervene earlier to prevent minor health complaints from becoming severe health problems. However, staff members expected higher adherence of athletes to the online follow-ups, and athletes expected to receive feedback on their inputs to the system. Conclusion An online system can be used in sporting settings complementary to regular strategies for monitoring athletes' health. However, providing feedback on athletes' inputs is important to maintain their adherence to such an online system.
GPS variables most related to match performance in an elite Australian football team
- Authors: Bauer, Alexandra , Young, Warren , Fahrner, Brendan , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport Vol. 15, no. 1 (2015), p. 187-202
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- Description: Player Rank (PR) and coaches' ratings (CR). Variables were sampled at 10Hz and partial correlations adjusted for game time were calculated between all variables and both performance measures, by position. Variables that displayed the highest partial correlations with both performance measures were used in a stepwise regression to identify the most relevant to performance. For the nomadic group, a negative relationship (P<0.05) was found between walking (distance and # entries) and PR. For the fixed players, a negative relationship (P<0.05) was evident between sprinting (# entries) and PR. However, a positive relationship (P<0.05) was found between CR and HSR (% time) and sprinting (distance). This indicates that the GPS variables that most relate to performance depend on the performance measure employed by coaches. The purpose of this study is to identify which GPS variables are most related to Australian football (AF) physical performance. Data was collected from thirty-five professional AF players over 11 games early in the 2013 Australian Football League (AFL) season. Match performance was measured by the Champion Data © 2015 International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport.
Left ventricular speckle tracking-derived cardiac strain and cardiac twist mechanics in athletes : A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies
- Authors: Beaumont, Alexander , Grace, Fergal , Richards, Joanna , Hough, John , Oxborough, David , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 47, no. 6 (2017), p. 1145-1170
- Full Text: false
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Aerobic training protects cardiac function during advancing age : A meta-analysis of four decades of controlled studies
- Authors: Beaumont, Alexander , Grace, Fergal , Richards, Joanna , Campbell, Amy , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 49, no. 2 (2019), p. 199-219
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- Description: Background: In contrast to younger athletes, there is comparatively less literature examining cardiac structure and function in older athletes. However, a progressive accumulation of studies during the past four decades offers a body of literature worthy of systematic scrutiny. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of controlled echocardiography studies comparing left ventricular (LV) structure and function in aerobically trained older athletes (> 45 years) with age-matched untrained controls, in addition to investigating the influence of chronological age. Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2018 before conducting a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate pooled differences in means, effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study heterogeneity was reported using Cochran’s Q and I2 statistic. Results: Overall, 32 studies (644 athletes; 582 controls) were included. Athletes had greater LV end-diastolic diameter (3.65 mm, 95% CI 2.66–4.64), interventricular septal thickness (1.23 mm, 95% CI 0.85–1.60), posterior wall thickness (1.20 mm, 95% CI 0.83–1.56), LV mass (72 g, 95% CI 46–98), LV mass index (28.17 g·m2, 95% CI 19.84–36.49) and stroke volume (13.59 mL, 95% CI 7.20–19.98) (all p < 0.01). Athletes had superior global diastolic function [ratio of early (E) to late (A) mitral inflow velocity (E/A) 0.18, 95% CI 0.13–0.24, p < 0.01; ratio of early (e′) to late (a′) diastolic annular tissue velocity (e′/a′) 0.23, 95% CI 0.06–0.40, p = 0.01], lower A (−8.20 cm·s−1, 95% CI −11.90 to −4.51, p < 0.01) and a′ (−0.72 cm·s−1, 95% CI −1.31 to −0.12, p = 0.02), and more rapid e′ (0.96 cm·s−1, 95% CI 0.05–1.86, p = 0.04). Meta-regression for chronological age identified that athlete–control differences, in the main, are maintained during advancing age. Conclusions: Athletic older men have larger cardiac dimensions and enjoy more favourable cardiac function than healthy, non-athletic counterparts. Notably, the athlete groups maintain these effects during chronological ageing. © 2018, The Author(s).
Plantaris excision and ventral paratendinous scraping for achilles tendinopathy in an athletic population
- Authors: Bedi, Harvinder , Jowett, Charlie , Ristanis, Stavros , Docking, Sean , Cook, Jill
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Foot & Ankle International Vol. 37, no. 4 (2016), p. 386-393
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Background:Achilles tendinopathy is a frequent problem in high-level athletes. Recent research has proposed a combined etiologic role for the plantaris tendon and neovascularization. Both pathologies can be observed on ultrasound imaging.1,13 However, little is known about the change in structure of the Achilles tendon following the surgical treatment of these issues. The purpose of the study was to assess if excising the plantaris and performing ventral paratendinous ?scraping? of the neovascularization improved symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy and whether there was a change in the fibrillar structure of the tendon with ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) following this operation.Methods:This prospective consecutive case series included 15 professional/semiprofessional athletes (17 Achilles tendons) who underwent plantaris excision and paratendinous scraping to treat noninsertional Achilles tendinopathy. The plantaris tendon was excised if adherent to the Achilles tendon, and the area of neovascularization for scraping was demarcated on preoperative imaging. Preoperative and postoperative Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) scores were taken. UTC was performed on 11 of 17 tendons preoperatively and postoperatively. The mean follow-up was for 25 months.Results:Fourteen of 15 patients had a successful outcome after the surgery. The mean VISA-A improved from 51 to 95 (p=.0001). There was a statistically significant (p=.04) improvement in the aligned fibrillar structure of the tendon confirmed with UTC scanning following surgery from 90% (±8) to 96% (±5).Conclusion:This group of high-level athletes derived an excellent clinical result from this operation. Furthermore, UTC scanning offered an objective method to evaluate the healing of Achilles tendons.Level of Evidence:Level IV, case series.
Trunk muscle electromyographic activity with unstable and unilateral exercises
- Authors: Behm, David , Leonard, Allison , Young, Warren , Bonsey, Andrew , MacKinnon, Scott N.
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Vol. 19, no. 1 (2005), p. 193-201
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- Description: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effect of unstable and unilateral resistance exercises on trunk muscle activation. Eleven subjects (6 men and 5 women) between 20 and 45 years of age participated. Six trunk exercises, as well as unilateral and bilateral shoulder and chest presses against resistance, were performed on stable (bench) and unstable (Swiss ball) bases. Electromyographic activity of the upper lumbar, lumbosacral erector spinae, and lower-abdominal muscles were monitored. Instability generated greater activation of the lower-abdominal stabilizer musculature (27.9%) with the trunk exercises and all trunk stabilizers (37.7-54.3%) with the chest press. There was no effect of instability on the shoulder press. Unilateral shoulder press produced greater activation of the back stabilizers, and unilateral chest press resulted in higher activation of all trunk stabilizers, when compared with bilateral presses. Regardless of stability, the superman exercise was the most effective trunk-stabilizer exercise for back-stabilizer activation, whereas the side bridge was the optimal exercise for lower-abdominal muscle activation. Thus, the most effective means for trunk strengthening should involve back or abdominal exercises with unstable bases. Furthermore, trunk strengthening can also occur when performing resistance exercises for the limbs, if the exercises are performed unilaterally. © 2005 National Strength & Conditioning Association.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001184
Assessment and monitoring practices of Australian fitness professionals
- Authors: Bennie, Jason , Wiesner, Glen , van Uffelen, Jannique , Harvey, Jack , Craike, Melinda , Biddle, Stuart
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 21, no. 4 (2018), p. 433-438
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Objectives: Assessment and monitoring of client health and fitness is a key part of fitness professionals’ practices. However, little is known about prevalence of this practice. This study describes the assessment/monitoring practices of a large sample of Australian fitness professionals. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: In 2014, 1206 fitness professionals completed an online survey. Respondents reported their frequency (4 point-scale: [1] ‘never’ to [4] ‘always’) of assessment/monitoring of eight health and fitness constructs (e.g. body composition, aerobic fitness). This was classified as: (i) ‘high’ (‘always’ assessing/monitoring ≥5 constructs); (ii) ‘medium’ (1–4 constructs); (iii) ‘low’ (0 constructs). Classifications are reported by demographic and fitness industry characteristics. The odds of being classified as a ‘high assessor/monitor’ according to social ecological correlates were examined using a multiple-factor logistic regression model. Results: Mean age of respondents was 39.3 (±11.6) years and 71.6% were female. A total of 15.8% (95% CI: 13.7%–17.9%) were classified as a ‘high’ assessor/monitor. Constructs with the largest proportion of being ‘always’ assessed were body composition (47.7%; 95% CI: 45.0%–50.1%) and aerobic fitness (42.5%; 95% CI: 39.6%–45.3%). Those with the lowest proportion of being ‘always’ assessed were balance (24.0%; 95% CI: 24.7%–26.5%) and mental health (20.2%; 95% CI: 18.1%–29.6%). A perceived lack of client interest and fitness professionals not considering assessing their responsibility were associated with lower odds of being classified as a ‘high assessor/monitor’. Conclusions: Most fitness professionals do not routinely assess/monitor client fitness and health. Key factors limiting client health assessment and monitoring include a perceived lack of client interest and professionals not considering this their role. © 2017
A framework for the etiology of running-related injuries
- Authors: Bertelsen, Michael , Hulme, Adam , Petersen, Jesper , Brund, Rene , Sørensen, Henrik , Finch, Caroline , Parner, Erik , Nielsen, Rasmus
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports Vol. 27, no. 11 (2017), p. 1170-1180
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The etiology of running-related injury is important to consider as the effectiveness of a given running-related injury prevention intervention is dependent on whether etiologic factors are readily modifiable and consistent with a biologically plausible causal mechanism. Therefore, the purpose of the present article was to present an evidence-informed conceptual framework outlining the multifactorial nature of running-related injury etiology. In the framework, four mutually exclusive parts are presented: (a) Structure-specific capacity when entering a running session; (b) structure-specific cumulative load per running session; (c) reduction in the structure-specific capacity during a running session; and (d) exceeding the structure-specific capacity. The framework can then be used to inform the design of future running-related injury prevention studies, including the formation of research questions and hypotheses, as well as the monitoring of participation-related and non-participation-related exposures. In addition, future research applications should focus on addressing how changes in one or more exposures influence the risk of running-related injury. This necessitates the investigation of how different factors affect the structure-specific load and/or the load capacity, and the dose-response relationship between running participation and injury risk. Ultimately, this direction allows researchers to move beyond traditional risk factor identification to produce research findings that are not only reliably reported in terms of the observed cause-effect association, but also translatable in practice. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Igniting the pressure acclimatization training debate: Contradictory pilot-study evidence from Australian football
- Authors: Beseler, Bradley , Mesagno, Christopher , Young, Warren , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Sport Behavior Vol. 39, no. 1 (2016), p. 22-38
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- Reviewed:
- Description: In Australian Football, set shot goal kicking is when a player has a shot at goal after taking a mark (i.e., catching a kicked ball) or receiving a free kick (i.e., penalty from an opposing player). In the past two decades, Australian football has improved in nearly all aspects of the game, yet set shot goal kicking accuracy has declined. The purpose of the current pilot study was to investigate whether pressure acclimatization training improves Australian football goal kicking under pressure. Twelve football players assigned to either an experimental (EG) or a control group (CG) completed a pre-intervention test, intervention, and post-intervention test. During the pre-intervention and post-intervention tests, participants attempted 10 goal kicking trials under low pressure (LP) and high pressure (HP) conditions. After five attempts, participants completed an anxiety questionnaire. During the intervention period, the EG practiced under HP, while the CG practiced under LP. These pilot results indicated a significant increase in participants ' anxiety from LP to HP for both groups and a significant decrease in accuracy from pre-intervention to post-intervention. In the post-intervention test, the CG was more accurate under HP than the EG, indicating no significant advantage by practicing under pressure and contradicting other acclimatization studies. These results may ignite a debate about the benefits of acclimatization training, but caution should be exercised when interpreting the results considering the pilot nature of the study. Larger sample sizes should be used to further explore these effects. Future research in acclimatization training is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Activity behaviors of university staff in the workplace : A pilot study
- Authors: Bird, Marie-Louise , Shing, Cecilia , Mainsbridge, Casey , Cooley, Dean , Pedersen, Scott
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Physical Activity and Health Vol. 12, no. 8 (2015), p. 1128-1132
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Sedentary behavior is related to metabolic syndrome and might have implications for the long-term health of workers in a low activity environment. The primary aim of this pilot study was to determine activity levels of adults working at a University during work hours. A secondary aim was to determine the relationship between actual and perceived activity levels. Methods: Activity levels of university staff (n = 15, male = 7, age = 53 ± 7 years, BMI = 26.5 ± 2.5kg•m2) were monitored over 5 consecutive workdays using SenseWear accelerometers, then participants completed a questionnaire of their perception of workplace sedentary time. Results: Each participant spent 71.5 ± 13.1% (358 ± 78 min) of their workday being sedentary (< 1.5 METs), 15.6 ± 9.0% involved in light activity (1.5-3 METs), 11.7 ± 10.0% in moderate activity (3-5 METs), and 1.1 ± 1.3% in vigorous activity (> 5 METs) (P <.0001). The mean difference between actual (SenseWear < 1.5 METs) and perceived sitting time was-2 ± 32%; however, perceived sedentary time was reported with a range of under-to-over estimation of-75% to 51%. Conclusion: This pilot study identifies long periods of low metabolic activity during the workday and poor perception of individual sedentary time. Interventions to reduce sedentary time in the workplace may be necessary to ensure that the work environment does not adversely affect long-term health. © 2015 Human Kinetics, Inc.