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Imagery training could give esport athletes a competitive edge

A new study suggests that esport athletes can benefit from using 'imagery ability' techniques to build rich and vivid multi-sensory images of success. The technique, called Layered Stimulus Response Training, has been shown to improve imagery ability levels and sporting performance in regular athletes.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalJournal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity·TypeMeta-analysis·DateApr 18, 2023

Spike in major league home runs tied to climate change

A Dartmouth College study found that more than 500 home runs since 2010 can be attributed to higher-than-average temperatures due to climate change. Rising temperatures could account for 10% or more of home runs by 2100, with some stadiums experiencing significant spikes in home run totals.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalBulletin of the American Meteorological Society·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 7, 2023

“Alarming” rate of girls quit sport due to clothing concerns, shows hockey star’s new study already revolutionizing rules

A recent study by England Hockey star Tess Howard found that 70% of teenage girls in the UK dropped out of sports due to body image concerns related to their clothing. The research led to the introduction of new, more inclusive uniform policies allowing athletes to choose between skirts and shorts.

SourceTaylor & Francis Group·JournalSport Education and Society·DateApr 6, 2023

Attending live sport improves wellbeing – study

New research by Anglia Ruskin University found that attending live sporting events boosts life satisfaction and sense of life being worthwhile, while reducing loneliness. The study used data from over 7,200 adults living in England and suggests that watching live sport can be an effective public health tool.

SourceAnglia Ruskin University·JournalFrontiers in Public Health·DateMar 17, 2023

Digital tools make physical exercise programmes more effective and easier to stick with

A metastudy found digital-based physical exercise interventions are at least as effective as face-to-face ones, but generic designs often fail to provide quality information. The researcher aims to improve the digital-health-based prescription of physical exercise to take account of patients' individual requirements.

SourceUniversitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)·JournalApunts Educación Física y Deportes·TypeMeta-analysis·DateMar 15, 2023

3D-printed insoles measure sole pressure directly in the shoe

A new invention by ETH Zurich researchers uses 3D printing to create customized insoles with integrated pressure sensors that can measure foot pressure during various activities. This allows for more accurate and efficient creation of custom insoles, potentially improving athletic performance and treating musculoskeletal pain.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 15, 2023

Mental fatigue can impair physical performance - study

A study by University of Birmingham's School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences found that mental fatigue impairs physical exercise performance. Researchers measured cognitive tasks on a group of 16 men and women, showing increased exertion during physical exercise among mentally fatigued participants.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalInternational Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 13, 2023

Fewer sports injuries with digital information

A digital health platform has been shown to reduce injury incidence in youth athletics by providing valuable information on adolescent growth and training loads. The study found that clubs with access to the platform had significantly lower injury rates, with injuries occurring twice as long after the start of the season.

SourceLinköping University·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·DateMar 13, 2023

Disturbances in eating behaviors and menstrual function can expose female athletes to injuries and earlier termination of a sports career

A study of female endurance athletes found that disturbances in eating behaviors predict a shorter sports career, as well as increased injuries. Menstrual dysfunction was also linked to both shorter careers and more frequent injuries.

SourceUniversity of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto·JournalBMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine·TypeSurvey·DateMar 9, 2023

Group exercise program for older adults led to more independent exercise despite pandemic restrictions, MU study finds

A study by the University of Missouri found that older adults who completed an eight-week resistance training program maintained long-term exercise habits and increased their physical energy despite COVID-19 restrictions. The Stay Strong, Stay Healthy program improved participants' sleep, balance, flexibility, and self-confidence in da...

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalJournal of Sports Sciences·TypeSurvey·DateMar 8, 2023

Exercise more effective than medicines to manage mental health

A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reveals that physical activity is 1.5 times more effective than counselling or medications in managing depression. The review of 97 reviews and 1039 trials shows that exercise interventions, especially those lasting 12 weeks or less, can significantly reduce mental health ...

SourceUniversity of South Australia·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·TypeSystematic review·DateFeb 23, 2023

Psychological stress impedes performance, even for Olympic athletes

A study by Yunfeng Lu and Songfa Zhong found that high contactless real-time heart rates are associated with poor performance in elite archers. Athletes' age and gender did not significantly influence the relationship between stress and performance, but factors like competition ranking and score influenced the results.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 15, 2023

Regular high-intensity physical activity in early adulthood may increase the risk of urinary and fecal incontinence in middle-aged women

A study of over 1,000 women found that regular high-intensity physical activity in early adulthood was associated with an increased risk of symptoms like urge urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. Women who engaged in competitive sports as young adults were more likely to experience these issues.

SourceUniversity of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto·JournalBJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology·DateFeb 1, 2023

Primary care plays a role in helping patients with long COVID symptoms by providing holistic, trustworthy care

Researchers found that patients used various therapeutic strategies to alleviate symptoms, including mind-body medicine, nutritional supplements, exercise, and olfactory training. Many patients need more understanding, recognition, and specific post-COVID health care services, as well as empathy from their doctors.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateJan 23, 2023

Physical fitness a demographic watershed

A study of 5,308 participants aged 50-64 found significant correlations between sedentary behavior and low fitness levels. Highly uneven fitness distribution was observed among groups at higher risk, including older adults, foreign-born individuals, and those with poor health and lifestyle habits.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalBMJ Open·DateDec 22, 2022

Doubling in proportion of male professional footballers’ hamstring injuries and lay-off days over past 20 years

The proportion of hamstring injuries and associated lay-off days among male professional European footballers has doubled over the past 20 years. Nearly one in five injuries were recurrences, occurring within two months of return to play, with most injuries being structural and resulting in more lay-off days.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateDec 6, 2022

Decrease in Japanese children's ability to balance during movement related to COVID-19 activity restrictions

The study found that COVID-19 restrictions led to decreased balance ability, higher body fat levels, and worsened lifestyle habits in Japanese children. The researchers suggest that quality of exercise, rather than quantity, was the main factor contributing to these changes.

SourceNagoya University·JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·DateDec 5, 2022

Researchers from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology develop an intelligent observer for Esports

A new intelligent observer for Esports has been developed using a Mask R-CNN algorithm to learn from human spectating data. This approach overcomes limitations of existing automatic observers, which require extensive domain knowledge and cannot capture undefined events or changes in event significance.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalExpert Systems with Applications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 24, 2022

Ticking boxes? Football industry continues to marginalise ethnically diverse coaches

A new study found that the use of the BAME acronym in the football industry can cause discomfort and reinforce feelings of marginalization. Researchers recommend a more inclusive approach, allowing individuals to describe their heritage and background rather than relying on tick boxes for ethnicity classification.

SourceBournemouth University·JournalInternational Review for the Sociology of Sport·TypeSurvey·DateNov 14, 2022

Researchers studied whether machine learning can predict knee injuries - the largest data set ever collected in the field

Researchers at University of Jyväskylä used machine learning to predict ACL injuries in elite athletes but found a low overall accuracy rate. The study analyzed the largest data set ever collected and provided valuable insights into the challenges of predicting injuries in individual athletes.

SourceUniversity of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto·JournalThe American Journal of Sports Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 3, 2022

How groups best work together

Researchers Dr. Fabian Pels and Prof. Jens Kleinert developed an integrative group flow theory that explains the conditions for optimal group performance. The IGFT highlights the importance of interpersonal coordination, positive relationship quality, and continuous maintenance of primary and secondary fits to achieve group flow.

SourceGerman Sport University·JournalGroup Dynamics Theory Research and Practice·TypeSystematic review·DateOct 19, 2022