A comparison of health-related quality of life in rural and metropolitan areas of Australia: the contribution of sports and physical activity
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Charity, Melanie , Westerbeek, Hans , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Rural Quality of Life Chapter 17 p. 315-332
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: "People can be physically active in many different ways, including general physical activity and organised sports. In addition to the physical health benefits of participation, there is increasing evidence of broader health benefits –health-related quality of life of participation in organised community-level sports, specifically social and mental health benefits. The study utilised data from over 6,000 participants and investigated their sports and physical activity profiles and quality of life –social, physical and mental. In doing so, the propositions of the Health through Sport conceptual model regarding the different health benefits of different types of activity are investigated. Research questions: (1) What is the health-related quality of life of individuals in rural and regional areas (countryside) compared to metropolitan areas? (2) How does the health-related quality of life of individuals differ according to type of activity? (3) How do the activity profiles and health outcomes of individuals align to the Health through Sport conceptual model?The aim was to investigate the contribution of participation in sports and physical activity to the health-related quality of life of individuals before and during COVID-19. This study demonstrates that indicators of health-related quality of life differ among those living in rural and regional areas compared to metropolitan areas, in conjunction with differences attributable to gender, age and activity setting and mode." © Manchester University Press 2022.
The use of intra-articular platelet rich plasma for the symptomatic management of osteoarthritis of the knee : a pilot study
- Authors: Sibillin, Olivia , Mitchell, David , Harris, Greg , Harvey, Jack , Spencer, Polly , Spencer, Luke
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: ANZ Journal of Surgery Vol. 92, no. 5 (2022), p. 1178-1183
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- Description: Background: Osteoarthritis of the knee is a chronic inflammatory condition resulting in significant patient disability, with intra-articular platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections having shown potential to improve symptomatic outcomes. This retrospective cohort pilot study aimed to observe whether PRP injections were beneficial in the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis in an Australian population, based on patient reported outcomes. An additional aim was to observe for an association between the number of injections and patient characteristics, such as body mass index, age, sex and radiologically determined severity of the disease. Methods: The cohort was drawn from those who attended Ballarat Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine for PRP injections and who had completed the appropriate pre- and post-injection Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. WOMAC scores were analysed to observe for any difference following a course of PRP injections. Results: The data suggest that the use of PRP improved patient reported WOMAC scores. Additionally, it was shown that two injections had a greater effect than one injection, with a third injection providing no further benefit. Finally, there was an association with lower WOMAC scores post PRP therapy amongst male participants compared to female participants. Conclusion: These results suggest two PRP injections are optimal for the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis, identifying a need for further prospective research in this Australian population. © 2022 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Validation of a follow-through developmental sequence for the overarm throw for force in university students
- Authors: Beseler, Bradley , Mesagno, Christopher , Spittle, Michael , Johnson, Nicola , Harvey, Jack , Talpey, Scott , Plumb, Mandy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Motor Learning and Development Vol. 10, no. 2 (2022), p. 309-327
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- Description: Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the follow-through on thrown ball velocity, potentially justifying inclusion of the follow-through in Roberton’s five critical components. Method: Seventy-eight University students participated in the overarm, dominant hand, throwing task, which involved throwing a standard tennis ball with maximum force three times. Each throw was filmed by two cameras placed behind and to the open side of the thrower to assess the throwing technique. The velocity of the throws was recorded with a radar gun. Results: Results indicated that, after accounting for the effects of gender, age, and throwing experience, there was a significant effect of follow-through level on throw velocity. Analysis of covariance also revealed a significant gender effect, with males throwing significantly faster than females. Results indicated the follow-through had the second largest impact on thrown ball velocity of all six components. Discussion: These findings provide preliminary support that the follow-through should be added to Roberton’s developmental levels. The inclusion of the follow-through component could assist teachers and coaches to facilitate learner and athlete development and could also improve the accuracy of throwing development assessment. © 2022 Human Kinetics, Inc.
Women and girls’ participation in male-dominated sports: research outcomes - a project supported by change our game research grant
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Pankowiak, Aurelie , Casey, Meghan , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie , Westerbeek, Hans
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
Body-worn versus bell-and-pad alarm device for the management of monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis in children : a randomized controlled trial
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Peck, Bronwyn , Harvey, Jack , Green, Andrea , Svedas, Kerrie , Whitaker, Shirley , Nethercote, Mark , Shea, Rosemarie
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of wound, ostomy, and continence nursing : official publication of The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society Vol. 47, no. 5 (2020), p. 507-512
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- Description: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of bell-and-pad alarm therapy to body-worn alarm therapy for the management of monosymptomatic enuresis in children 6 to 16 years of age. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, adaptive clinical control trial. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The sample comprised 86 children who attended a continence clinic for treatment of monosymptomatic enuresis and met the criteria for enuresis alarm therapy as per International Children's Continence Society (ICCS) guidelines. Subjects were randomly allocated to an experimental group (body-worn alarm, n = 41) or a control group (bell-and-pad alarm, n = 45). The study setting was a single-site specialist continence service in regional Victoria, Australia. Treatment was administered in the child's home. METHODS: Alarm therapy was administered by the child and/or parent for an initial period of 8 weeks at which time the child underwent a review with the continence nurse specialist. If the child had achieved 14 consecutive dry nights, the therapy was deemed successful and ceased. Children who had not become dry continued therapy for a further 8 weeks up to a maximum of 16 weeks, with a final review was instituted. Each child kept a diary for the duration of alarm therapy to report on frequency of wet/dry nights, times of alarm, response to alarm, and response to sensation to void (without alarm). The 2 types of alarm devices were compared with respect to categorical variables using dichotomous cross-tabulations and χ tests of independence based on the most positive outcome versus the other outcomes. RESULTS: Dryness in accordance with the criteria outlined by the ICCS guidelines was achieved in 18 children (43.9%) in the body-worn alarm group versus 29 children (64.4%) in the routine (bell-and-pad) group (P = .056). The bell-and-pad alarm performed better on 7 out of the 9 indicators, including the primary outcome measure of the child attained dryness for 14 nights or more, nightly alarm use, alarm woke child, alarm woke parent (P = .022), false (positive) alarms (P = .039), child turned alarm off and went back to sleep (P = .003), and child was compliant with alarm use. The body-worn device produced higher proportions of the most positive outcomes for 2 of the 9 indicators: relapse (P = .076) and false (negative) nonalarms (P = .066). CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggests that the bell-and-pad alarm is preferable to the body-worn alarm. Additional research is recommended using other body-worn alarm devices across a larger population in order to establish the more definitive findings needed for clinical decision-making.
Sport drop-out during adolescence : Is it real, or an artefact of sampling behaviour?
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack , Charity, Melanie
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics Vol. 11, no. 4 (2019), p. 715-726
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Understanding sport participation and drop-out are important for sport management. Many children sample or play multiple sports before specialising. However, quantifying these behaviours is challenging. Sport registration databases are potentially useful for this purpose. However, given privacy and data security issues, identification and direct linking of data records of individual participants across sports are not possible. This study demonstrates a feasible methodology for approximate cross-linking of de-identified data and thereby quantifying the extent of sampling behaviour, and hence investigating to what degree the decline in community club-based sport participation observed during adolescence is attributable to a 'sampling to specialisation' effect as opposed to drop-out from sport altogether. Participants were registered members of one of 11 state sporting associations in 2015. For this analysis, data (907,150 player records) were amalgamated, and players categorised by sex, age group and residential postcode. Numbers of individual players were estimated using demographic matching, comparing numbers of registrations and numbers of individual participants across age, sex and region. Results showed that the effect of individuals playing multiple sports is highest for ages 5-14, and then it diminishes as specialisation increases. Nevertheless, this study confirms that, after adjustment for this change in behaviour, the drop-off in community sport participation during adolescence persists, i.e. it is real and not simply an artefact of sampling/specialisation behaviour. It is recommended that sport policy focuses on overall participation across sports, taking into account the sampling and specialising phenomena which naturally occur, rather than merely asking individual sports to increase participation.
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
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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
Cognitive behavior therapy for older adults with insomnia and depression : A randomized controlled trial in community mental health services
- Authors: Sadler, Paul , McLaren, Suzanne , Klein, Britt , Harvey, Jack , Jenkins, Megan
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sleep Vol. 41, no. 8 (2018), p. 1-12
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Study Objectives: To investigate whether cognitive behavior therapy was effective for older adults with comorbid insomnia and depression in a community mental health setting, and explore whether an advanced form of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia produced better outcomes compared to a standard form of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia. Methods: An 8-week randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted within community mental health services, Victoria, Australia. Seventy-two older adults (56% female, M age 75 ± 7 years) with diagnosed comorbid insomnia and depression participated. Three conditions were tested using a group therapy format: cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I, standard), cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia plus positive mood strategies (CBT-I+, advanced), psychoeducation control group (PCG, control). The primary outcomes were insomnia severity (Insomnia Severity Index) and depression severity (Geriatric Depression Scale). Primary and secondary measures were collected at pre (week 0), post (week 8), and follow-up (week 20). Results: CBT-I and CBT-I+ both generated significantly greater reductions in insomnia and depression severity compared to PCG from pre to post (p < .001), which were maintained at follow-up. Although the differences between outcomes of the two treatment conditions were not statistically significant, the study was not sufficiently powered to detect either superiority of one treatment or equivalence of the two treatment conditions. Conclusion: CBT-I and CBT-I+ were both effective at reducing insomnia and depression severity for older adults. Mental health services that deliver treatment for comorbid insomnia with cognitive behavior therapy may improve recovery outcomes for older adults with depression. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR); URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au; Trial ID: ACTRN12615000067572; Date Registered: December 12, 2014.
Personality and performance in real-world competitions : Testing trait activation of fear of negative evaluation, dispositional reinvestment, and athletic identity in the field
- Authors: Geukes, Katharina , Harvey, Jack , Trezise, Alexandra , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology of Sport and Exercise Vol. 30, no. (2017), p. 101-109
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- Description: Objectives Based on the trait activation principle, researchers have tested whether personality traits are capable of predicting sport performance (under pressure). Typically, however, these investigations followed experimental approaches in the laboratory and only rarely in the field. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to test for the generalizability of findings gained in these experimental studies and to investigate potential trait activation for real-world performance in competitions. Based on prior studies on the prediction of performance under pressure, the selected personality traits involved fear of negative evaluation, dispositional reinvestment, and athletic identity. Design Personality traits were used as predictors for low-pressure and high-pressure basketball free-throw performance. Method First, 53 basketball players completed trait questionnaires. Second, directly prior to performance assessments, participants reported on perceived importance, their somatic and cognitive state anxiety, and confidence. Third, free-throw performance was assessed in a low-pressure condition (i.e., successful free-throw percentage for 30 attempts) and repeatedly in 12 high-pressure conditions within real basketball matches (i.e., successful free-throw percentage for total attempts). Results Two main findings were identified: First, none of the traits predicted performance under low pressure. Second, under high-pressure, only fear of negative evaluation as well as state anxiety were significantly negatively associated with performance in competitions. Conclusion These results extend existing literature and add applied and ecologically valid empirical support for the relevance of anxiety-related traits (i.e., fear of negative evaluation) and states for performance under pressure in real-world competitions, emphasizing the importance of self-presentational considerations in athletes when the stakes are high. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
Social anxiety mediates the relationship between social connectedness and test anxiety : an exploratory investigation
- Authors: Kavanagh, Bianca , Harvey, Jack , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology Vol. 1, no. 2 (2017), p. 60-69
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This preliminary study explored the relationships and mediation structure among social anxiety, social connectedness, and test anxiety, among Australian higher education students (N = 189). Results indicated that students who experienced higher social connectedness were less socially anxious and more inclined to experience higher test anxiety. Additionally, social anxiety was positively related to test anxiety. Exploratory mediation analyses revealed that social anxiety mediated between social connectedness and test anxiety. Social connectedness did not mediate between social anxiety and test anxiety. It is concluded that social connectedness protects against threats of relational devaluation and decreases social anxiety. However, due to the social component of test anxiety, these threats may persist when the examination has potential for relational devaluation to occur. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sources of practice knowledge among Australian fitness trainers
- Authors: Bennie, Jason , Wiesner, Glen , van Uffelen, Jannique , Harvey, Jack , Biddle, Stuart
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Translational Behavioral Medicine Vol. , no. (2017), p. 1-10
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Few studies have examined the sources of practice knowledge fitness trainers use to inform their training methods and update knowledge. This study aims to describe sources of practice knowledge among Australian fitness trainers. In July 2014, 9100 Australian fitness trainers were invited to complete an online survey. Respondents reported the frequency of use of eight sources of practice knowledge (e.g. fitness magazines, academic texts). In a separate survey, exercise science experts (n = 27) ranked each source as either (1) 'high-quality' or (2) 'low-quality'. Proportions of users of 'high-quality' sources were calculated across demographic (age, sex) and fitness industry-related characteristics (qualification, setting, role). A multivariate logistic regression analysis assessed the odds of being classified as a user of high-quality sources, adjusting for demographic and fitness industry-related factors. Out of 1185 fitness trainers (response rate = 13.0%), aged 17-72 years, 47.6% (95% CI, 44.7-50.4%) were classified as frequent users of high-quality sources of practice knowledge. In the adjusted analysis, compared to trainers aged 17-26 years, those aged >/=61 years (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.05-4.38) and 40-50 years (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.02-2.31) were more likely to be classified as a user of high-quality sources. When compared to trainers working in large centres, those working in outdoor settings (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.23-2.65) and medium centres (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.12-2.29) were more likely to be classified as users of high-quality sources. Our findings suggest that efforts should be made to improve the quality of knowledge acquisition among Australian fitness trainers.
Sport participation across the lifespan : Australian trends and policy implications
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Sport and Physical Activity Across the Lifespan: Critical Perspectives Chapter 2 p. 23-43
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This chapter will explore the sport participation trends in Australia across the lifespan. Utilising the Sport and Recreation Spatial programme of research which integrates over 1 million club-sport participant records annually, this Chapter will present the participation rates from 4 to 100 years. Key results are: Sport participation is the highest among young children (aged 5-14 years) Sport participation rates drop significantly during adolescence Sport participation rates among females are half of those among males Sport participation rates are higher in regional areas compared to metropolitan areas, including how sport participation rates differ based on socio-economic status These key results are discussed with reference to Australian Sport policy. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018.
Video-based training to improve perceptual-cognitive decision-making performance of Australian football umpires
- Authors: Larkin, Paul , Mesagno, Christopher , Berry, Jason , Spittle, Michael , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Sports Sciences Vol. 36, no. 3 (2017), p. 239-246
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Decision-making is a central component of the in-game performance of Australian football umpires; however, current umpire training focuses largely on physiological development with decision-making skills development conducted via explicit lecture-style meetings with limited practice devoted to making actual decisions. Therefore, this study investigated the efficacy of a video-based training programme, aimed to provide a greater amount of contextualised visual experiences without explicit instruction, to improve decision-making skills of umpires. Australian football umpires (n = 52) were recruited from metropolitan and regional Division 1 competitions. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group and classified according to previous umpire game experience (i.e., experienced; less experienced). The intervention group completed a 12-week video-based decision-making training programme, with decision-making performance assessed at pre-training, and 1-week retention and 3-week retention periods. The control group did not complete any video-based training. Results indicated a significant Group (intervention; Control) x Test interaction (F(1, 100) = 3.98; P = 0.02, partial 2 = 0.074), with follow-up pairwise comparisons indicating significant within-group differences over time for the intervention group. In addition, decision-making performance of the less experienced umpires in the intervention group significantly improved (F(2, 40) = 5.03, P = 0.01, partial 2 = 0.201). Thus, video-based training programmes may be a viable adjunct to current training programmes to hasten decision-making development, especially for less experienced umpires.
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
- Full Text: false
- 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)
Patterns of time use among regional and rural adolescent girls : Associations with correlates of physical activity and health-related quality of life
- Authors: Casey, Meghan , Harvey, Jack , Telford, Amanda , Eime, Rochelle , Mooney, Amanda , Payne, Warren
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 19, no. 11 (2016), p. 931-935
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP0990206
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Objectives: To describe patterns of time use among regional and rural adolescent girls and compare identified clusters with respect to correlates of physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: Data were from Year 7-9 adolescent girls (aged 12-15 years) from 16 schools involved in a cluster-randomised trial in regional and rural Victoria, Australia (n = 494). Time use data were collected using 24-h Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR-24) questionnaire, collapsed into 17 categories of time use. Differences between time use clusters with regard to demographics, correlates of PA and HRQoL measured using PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales, were investigated. Results: Two time use clusters were identified and were associated with correlates of PA and HRQoL. Girls who spent significantly more time in teams sports, non-team sports, school classes, watching TV and sleeping had higher levels of positively aligned PA correlates (e.g. self-efficacy, perceived sports competence) and HRQoL than girls characterised with high levels of computer use and video gaming. Conclusions: These findings highlight how different activity patterns of regional and rural girls affect HRQoL and can inform future intervention strategies to improve PA levels and HRQoL. Clusters characterised by low levels of PA and high computer use and video gaming require targeted interventions to address barriers to their participation. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Sports Medicine Australia.
Selection and management of sports grounds : Does surface heat matter?
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Harvey, Jack , Otago, Leonie , Rossignol, Peter
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Facility Planning, Design, and Management Vol. 4, no. 1 (2016), p. 33-47
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Little evidence exists on the surface temperatures experienced on third generation (3G) artificial turf sports surfaces. Without this fundamental information, it is difficult for local government organizations, governing bodies of sport, or facility managers to determine whether these surfaces are the most appropriate option for their venues and whether different management strategies need to be applied if these surfaces are installed in hot climates. Ambient and surface temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and cloud cover were measured on two natural grass and two adjacent artificial turf surfaces. The highest temperatures were recorded on 3G artificial turf (M = 46.3°C, maximum = 86.6°C) and the lowest on irrigated natural grass (M = 24.1°C, maximum = 49.4°C). Overall, surface temperature was significantly associated with ambient temperature, wind speed , and cloud cover and with the interaction between ambient termperature and surface type. The current findings have implications for sport surface selection and management, particularly in hot climates.
Comparison of surface temperatures of different synthetic turf systems and natural grass: Have advances in synthetic turf technology made a difference
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Twomey, Dara , Harvey, Jack , Otago, Leonie , Lerossignol, Peter
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Vol. 229
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Few studies have considered surface temperatures on the most recent synthetic turf products, and no empirical evidence is available on the more technologically advanced cool climate synthetic products which claim to reduce surface temperature. This article compared surface temperatures of typical third-generation synthetic turf with a cool climate product and also compared the synthetic turf products to natural grass to determine whether synthetic turf reacts differently to environmental factors and hence may increase heat-related health risks for participants. Surface temperatures were significantly associated with ambient temperature (F3,376 = 116.02, p < 0.001), relative humidity (F1,376 = 10.15, p = 0.028), and wind (F1,376 = 1.45, p = 0.004) having smaller effects. After adjustment for covariates, mean surface temperatures were significantly lower (40.79 °C) on a cool climate field compared to a typical third-generation field (44.91 °C), although both synthetic fields were considerably warmer than natural grass at the same venue (by 12.46 °C at the metropolitan venue and 22.15 °C at the regional venue). These findings provide initial insight into the potential value of cool climate products and will aid both design and development of synthetic turf products for the future. © IMechE 2014.
Different methods of training load quantification and their relationship to injury and illness in elite Australian football
- Authors: Veugelers, Kristopher , Young, Warren , Fahrner, Brendan , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. , no. (2015), p.
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Objectives: To compare different methods of training load (TL) quantification and their relationship to injury and illness in elite Australian footballers. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Forty-five elite Australian footballers (mean ± standard deviation: age = 23.4 ± 3.8 years) from one elite club participated in this 15 week pre-season study. TL was quantified every session for each individual using four different methods involving rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Two of these methods enabled the quantification of TL for all exercise modalities whilsttwo were applicable only to outdoor field activities. One- and two-weekly cumulative TL was investigated against injury and illness data using a logistic regression model where the low TL group was considered as the reference group. Results: A general trend existed across all TL methods which suggested lower odds of injury and illness in high TL groups. The one-week RPE (all) and one-week RPE x Duration (all) methods detected reduced odds ofinjury inhighTL groups comparedto low TL groups (p < 0.05, OR = 0.199–0.202). Similarly,the one-week RPE (field) method identified lower illness odds in the high TL groups (p < 0.05, OR = 0.083–0.182). Conclusions: Higher TL appeared to provide a protective effect against both injury and illness. The inclusion of duration in the quantification of TL via RPE did not improve the ability of RPE to predict change in odds of injury or illness. © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
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
- Full Text: false
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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.
How healthy is Australian sport?
- Authors: Eime, Rochelle , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australasian Epidemiologist Vol. 22, no. 1 (2015), p. 9-10
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Behavioural epidemiology in health promotion has been defined as having five phases: establishing links between behaviours and health; developing measures of the behaviour; identifying influences on the behaviour; evaluating interventions to change the behaviour; and translating the research into practice. This article outlines some recent developments in the application of behavioural epidemiology to the issue of sport participation in Australia and its consequential health benefits.