Frontiers in Sports and Active Living最新文献

{"title":"The effects of different gait patterns on knee joint biomechanics and dynamic stability during stair ascent in healthy adults.","authors":"Gangzheng Yi, Lian Duan, Yang Sun, Yuan Gao, Dapeng Wang","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1924813","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1924813","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the effects of different stair-ascent gait patterns on knee joint biomechanics and dynamic postural stability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional, repeated-measures laboratory study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qinhuangdao First Hospital [approval no. (2025K-135-01)]. Experimental procedures were conducted at Qinhuangdao First Hospital, and data analysis was performed at Yanshan University, which served as the collaborating institution for study design and statistical processing. Participants were recruited between 03 December 2024 and 18 December 2024. Fourteen healthy young males (mean age: 19.8 years; mean body mass: 72.2 kg) were enrolled and instructed to ascend stairs using two distinct gait patterns: a regular step-by-step (alternating) pattern, in which one step height was ascended per gait cycle, and a double-step (skip-step) pattern, in which two step heights were ascended per cycle by skipping one intervening step. Kinematic and kinetic data were synchronously recorded using a Qualisys infrared motion-capture system and a Kistler force platform. As each participant performed both conditions, all statistical comparisons were conducted using paired-sample *t*-tests. Dynamic stability and knee loading were quantified by the margin of stability (MOS) and patellofemoral joint stress (PFJS), respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Throughout the gait cycle, no significant difference was observed MOSml between the two gait patterns (<i>P</i> = 0.318). In the anterior-posterior (AP) direction, however, the MOS for both patterns remained negative and decreased over time, with the double-step pattern yielding significantly lower MOSap values compared with the regular step-by-step pattern (<i>P</i> = 0.002). At the instant of left foot-off, significant differences were detected between patterns in right knee joint angle, right knee joint moment, net joint moment, effective quadriceps muscle lever arm, quadriceps force (QF), angle between the quadriceps tendon and patellar ligament, patellofemoral joint force (PFJF), PFJS, and patellofemoral contact area (all <i>P</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In healthy young males, the double-step stair-ascent pattern was associated with reduced anterior-posterior dynamic stability, reflecting a decreased anterior-posterior stability margin. This pattern was also associated with elevated PFJS, reflecting greater compressive loading of the knee joint. Because of the cross-sectional design, these findings represent observed associations rather than causal mechanisms. Accordingly, lower-limb strengthening exercises and modifications to stair-climbing strategy may constitute reasonable hypotheses for mitigating stability decline and mechanical loading; however, these should be tested in future studies before being translated into clinical recommendations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1924813"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662054/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149181278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"NSAID use as a shared decision-making variable in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and strength and conditioning: a perspective.","authors":"Longji Li, Haojie Long, Lifeng Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1912725","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1912725","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pain relief is often considered a key indicator of musculoskeletal rehabilitation and load progression in physical training. However, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can alter pain perception and symptom expression, posing new interpretive challenges to symptom-based clinical judgment. During NSAID use, decreased pain and improved training completion do not necessarily indicate a synchronous recovery of tissue load tolerance. Adjusting load solely based on immediate symptom changes may lead to an overestimation of rehabilitation progress. This article explores the potential impact of NSAID use on rehabilitation decisions from the perspectives of symptom interpretation and load management. Pharmacological status should be considered a crucial variable influencing clinical reasoning, rather than merely background information in the medical history. Based on the shared decision-making principle, this article proposes the DICE framework (Document, Interpret, Coordinate, Educate), which integrates NSAID-related information into rehabilitation and load-management decisions by standardizing medication information recording, interpreting symptom changes in conjunction with medication context, promoting multidisciplinary team collaboration, and strengthening medication education. This framework is intended to support more consistent symptom interpretation, more informed load progression decisions, and improved communication within rehabilitation teams. This article argues that NSAID use should be incorporated into a dynamic assessment system for rehabilitation and training decisions to more accurately differentiate changes in symptom control, functional recovery, and load tolerance, thereby supporting safer, more transparent, and patient-centered rehabilitation practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1912725"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13661948/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149181289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frequency profiles of muscle-strengthening exercise identified using three national surveillance measures in a convenience sample of adults.","authors":"Christina Johnson, Joshua Haworth, Elise Brown","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1864851","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1864851","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE) is crucial for health, with current guidelines recommending engaging in MSE at least two times per week. In the US, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) assess MSE frequency, however, research on frequency-based adherence is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe subgroups of MSE participation based on frequency responses to NHANES, NHIS, and BRFSS MSE survey items. In this cross-sectional analysis, a convenience sample of participants (<i>n</i> = 118 [male = 54, female = 64], mean age [±standard deviation] = 27.0 ± 10.7 years) completed an MSE questionnaire at two time points approximately one week apart that included MSE frequency items from the NHANES, NHIS, and BRFSS. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted on data from the first time point to identify latent MSE frequency subgroups, while bootstrap likelihood ratio tests (BLRT; <i>B</i> = 5,000) were utilized to help determine the optimal number of profiles. The LPA indicated a three-profile solution as the best overall fit based on the difference in Bayesian information criterion, strong relative entropy (0.980), and adequate profile distribution (<i>p</i>1 = 28.8%, <i>p</i>2 = 50.0%, <i>p</i>3 = 21.2%). The BLRT supported the three-profile solution, with the addition of a third profile significantly improving fit compared to the two-profile model (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Profiles were labeled based on the average times per week of MSE. They included, (1) Minimal Participation With No Guideline Adherence (0.23 ± 0.43 times per week), (2) Moderate Participation With Guideline Adherence (3.30 ± 0.74 times per week), and (3) High Participation With Guideline Adherence (5.53 ± 0.66 times per week). Three distinct MSE frequency profiles were identified in this convenience sample, with 71.2% of participants classified into guideline-adherent profiles, substantially higher than national estimates of <30%. Within this sample, the identification of two guideline-adherent frequency profiles suggests that binary classification may mask variability in MSE frequency among individuals meeting current guidelines. These findings should be validated in nationally representative samples.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1864851"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662153/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Valuing an urban marathon as a public sport service: evidence from the Seoul international marathon.","authors":"Sang-Hyun Shin, Jae-Eun Shin, Timothy Baghurst","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1896016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1896016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examined the nonmarket value of the Seoul International Marathon (SIM) as part of the city's sport infrastructure and public sport service provision, using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to estimate Seoul residents' willingness to pay for the event. An online survey of 1,250 adult residents employed a double-bounded dichotomous-choice format in a hypothetical tax-based donation scenario. A logit model was used to explore which factors shape willingness to pay, and bid level, interest in marathon events, satisfaction with related infrastructure, event perception, occupation, and gender emerged as significant predictors. The estimated individual contribution ranged from KRW 15,781.51 (USD 11.34), the median WTP at KRW 14,394.95 (USD 10.35), and the truncated WTP at KRW 4,747.86 (USD 3.41). The findings indicate that the SIM delivers substantial nonmarket benefits for the host city and that residents' positive views of the event and its supporting environment are closely linked to their readiness to contribute. These results underline the potential of large-scale road races to strengthen urban sport infrastructure and provide practical guidance for sport managers and local governments when deciding on public funding, route and facility improvements, event design, and the development of citywide running programmes. The study also shows how resident-based valuation can be incorporated into planning processes to align sport event strategies with broader urban sport and health objectives. Preprint statement: An earlier version of this manuscript was posted as a preprint on Research Square (DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8746817/v1).</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1896016"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13661926/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"More than movement: a conceptual exploration of the convergence of social-emotional learning and physical literacy.","authors":"Kyle Pushkarenko, Liz Durden-Myers","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1927655","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1927655","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper develops an integrative framework for bringing social-emotional learning (SEL) and physical literacy (PL) into closer conceptual and pedagogical alignment. Rather than treating SEL and PL as separate domains, the paper positions them as mutually reinforcing lenses for understanding how movement experiences can support holistic development across health and physical education, community sport and recreation, outdoor and play-based settings, and lifespan physical activity contexts. Ecological systems theory provides the primary architecture, while socio-constructivist, self-determination, ecological dynamics, and meaningful physical education perspectives explain how embodied learning, motivation, agency, belonging, and adaptive movement competence are cultivated through meaningful activity. Within this integrated view, movement is not limited to fitness, performance, or skill acquisition; it is a relational and culturally situated site through which learners develop empathy, resilience, ethical awareness, confidence, competence, motivation, and understanding. International policy frameworks, including UNESCO's Quality Physical Education guidelines, the OECD's Learning Compass 2,030, and the WHO's Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, further underscore the need for approaches that respond to persistent physical inactivity, widening inequities, and growing concerns about young people's mental health and wellbeing. The framework translates these priorities into design principles that emphasize autonomy, competence, relatedness, equity, cultural relevance, and meaningful engagement. In doing so, the paper proposes SEL-PL integration as an evaluative and conceptual direction for health and physical education and related movement contexts, suggesting that meaningful movement may contribute to identity formation, flourishing, lifelong participation, and more just conditions for wellbeing.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1927655"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662151/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Return to sport assessment following isolated anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction - 82 consecutive cases.","authors":"Suchung Kim, Michael Cassel, Lucca Lacheta, Marc Trefz, Ulrich Stoeckle, Oliver Miltner","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1922271","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1922271","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this study was to investigate different patient related factors associa/copted with objective return to sport (RTS) testing after an isolated anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) following an optimised and standardized outpatient clinic setting.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From 2015 to 2019, patients with isolated ACL tears undergoing ACL reconstruction (ACLR) with hamstring autograft were included. All followed the same standardized rehabilitation protocol. RTS testing comprised isokinetic extensor (ISO Ext) and flexor (ISO Flex) strength, One-Leg Hop (OLH), Side Hop (SH), and Tapping Agility (TT). A Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) ≥ 90% defined the pass criterion for strength and hop tests; H/Q ≥ 50% was used for both limbs. Logistic regression assessed the influence of time after surgery, in-house vs. external rehabilitation and active/passive rehabilitation sessions on RTS pass rates (<i>α</i>=0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 104 patients, 82 (45 male, 37 female; mean age 34 ± 11.2 years) completed RTS testing at 27.6 (±4.2) weeks after surgery. Patients completed 30 ± 16 strength and functional training sessions. Mean LSI was 92.8 (±11.1%) for OLH and 88.8 (±16.9%) for SH; mean H/Q was 53.9 (±10.8%) (affected) and 50.2 (±6.8%) (unaffected). Pass rates were 66.7% (OLH), 64.4% (SH), 32.4% (TT), 37.2% (ISO Ext), and 44.2% (ISO Flex). No consistent influencing factors were identified (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Fewer active physiotherapy sessions were associated with higher pass rates for SH (OR 0.934; <i>p</i> = 0.041) and OLH (OR 0.906; <i>p</i> = 0.034).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Less than half of patients met the commonly used RTS criteria at 6.5 months after ACLR, even after isolated ACL injury treated by a single surgeon using a standardized surgical technique and standardized rehabilitation protocol. These findings argue against time-based RTS clearance and support continued criterion-based rehabilitation and RTS testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1922271"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663171/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuromuscular conditioning strategies and their effectiveness in preventing injuries in soccer players: a systematic review.","authors":"César Eubelio Figueroa-Pico, Silvia María Castillo-Morocho, Noemí Georgina Díaz-Meneses, Andrea Patricia Chancay-Mendoza, Juan Carlos Suárez-Fernández, Juan Carlos Briones-Olvera, Jorge Eduardo Bejarano-Macías, Emilio Sebastián Portés-Montalvo, Diego Andrés Portés-Montalvo, María Fernanda Calderón León, Raúl Antonio Burgos-Macías, Javier Aquiles Hidalgo-Acosta","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1930100","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1930100","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The objective of this review is to define the advances in neuromuscular training and its effectiveness in preventing injuries in soccer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Eligibility criteria were randomized clinical trials on the research topic. To evaluate the number of available studies, a population comprised of soccer players who performed physical training using neuromuscular control and its effect on injury prevention was established.The articles were selected according to the 2020 PRISMA declaration, obtained from databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and Web of Science. For the research design, a research question was posed to define the search: What are the advances in neuromuscular training and its effectiveness in preventing injuries in soccer?Risk of bias of individual studies was measured using the RoB2 risk of bias tool.The results were summarized in Excel spreadsheets based on the population and interventions performed, and a descriptive analysis of the results obtained regarding training progress and its role in injury prevention was performed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The studies included in the selection were those focused on reducing injuries in soccer; a total of 15 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Three studies were excluded because they did not focus on reducing injuries, although they did improve skills and knowledge.This study focuses on the importance of establishing injury prevention strategies in soccer, considering the different types and varieties of physical training currently used due to the high injury rate. Strength and balance training reduced ankle instability and kinesiophobia (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001). The additional post-FIFA 11+ exercise program significantly reduced the total number of injuries (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; = 0.001) and the initial injury incidence (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; = 0.003) compared to the pre-FIFA 11+ training program. Lower extremity injuries for the M11+, F11+, and control groups were 2.00, 5.79, and 7.55 per 1,000 hours of training, respectively, with M11+ having the lowest injury incidence (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; = 0.02). A significant reduction in the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury was observed after the FIFA 11+ program compared to the pre-program rate (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; = 0.031). The extended knee control training group had a 29% lower incidence of injuries than the comparison group (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; = 0.083) (incidence ratio 0.71; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.98). The extended knee control program included a running warm-up and six exercises focused on muscle strength and neuromuscular control, with 10 variations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Discussion: &lt;/strong&gt;Limitations of the evidence show poor program adherence and limited research on the causes of dropouts and their relationship to injuries. Data are based on heterogeneous populations to integrate results on a large scale; However, more high-quality research in specific populations is needed.Interpretation of the role of p","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1930100"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663179/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The \"maintainer's\" perspective on maintaining regular physical activity: theory development using a constructivist grounded theory approach.","authors":"Livia Kellerhals, Claudio R Nigg","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1869609","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1869609","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The factors leading to physical activity maintenance are not well-understood. This study investigated such factors among individuals who adhere to the WHO physical activity guidelines for five years or longer, exploring perspectives, motives and facilitators of long-term physical activity maintenance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted to explore the phenomenon through the maintainers themselves (<i>n</i> = 10) via in-depth semi-structured interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Coded segments (<i>n</i> = 1,127) were sorted into 21 themes and summarized into six broad categories: three main categories: 1) enjoyment; 2) adaptability; 3) well-being, the fundamental factor of 4) priority, as well as two supporting categories: 5) organization, and 6) community. The model presents the interconnectedness of these factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study aligns and expands the existing literature on physical activity maintenance, emphasizing the importance of prioritization as foundational for adaptability, enjoyment, and well-being. The findings suggest that a dynamic approach is crucial for physical activity maintenance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1869609"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662002/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Football and symbols: a Bayesian analysis of symbolic consumption in sports club brands.","authors":"Ruby Lorena Carrillo, Alfredo Guzmán, Nestor Ordoñez, Dario Jose Espinal","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1807788","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1807788","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Contemporary football operates as a cultural system in which club brands function as symbolic resources through which fans construct identity, lifestyle, and social belonging. However, existing research has largely relied on linear analytical approaches, limiting the understanding of how real social identity, ideal social identity, and lifestyle interact as an integrated symbolic system.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>This study aims to analyze how football club brands generate a sense of belonging through symbolic consumption, considering the interrelationships among real social identity, ideal social identity, and lifestyle.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A quantitative, cross-sectional, non-experimental design was employed using a non-probabilistic sample of 786 Colombian football fans. Data were collected through validated symbolic consumption scales measuring real social identity, ideal social identity, and lifestyle as perceptions of brand-self congruence; the sense of belonging was not directly measured but theoretically inferred. A Bayesian network analysis was conducted using a Gaussian graphical model to estimate conditional dependencies among items and identify the most central nodes of the symbolic consumption network.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results reveal a cohesive yet differentiated symbolic network composed of nine nodes and 21 significant conditional relationships. Items measuring ideal social identity showed the greatest relational prominence in the network, exhibiting the highest levels of closeness, betweenness, and expected influence. Real social identity items occupied a more peripheral position, while lifestyle items showed a moderate integrative role, linking identity perceptions to self-reported lifestyle congruence. These findings suggest that the perceived symbolic connection with football brands is, in this sample, more strongly associated with aspirational self-projection than with congruence with the current self-image.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Within the scope of the nine items analyzed, the sample studied, and the cross-sectional design, symbolic consumption in football appears to be predominantly aspirational. The results suggest that football club brands may operate as narrative and cultural devices through which fans project desired identities. Methodologically, the study illustrates the value of Bayesian network analysis for exploring the relational structure of symbolic consumption in sport.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1807788"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662070/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149192844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From monitoring metrics to decision evidence: validating actionability in applied sport science.","authors":"Cyril Besson, Frédéric Stucky","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2026.1983979","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2026.1983979","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In high-performance sport, athlete monitoring and management systems now make physiological, biomechanical, and contextual data easier to collect and share than ever before. Yet it remains unclear whether this expansion has produced better decisions or improved athlete-relevant outcomes. Existing frameworks classify monitoring tools, establish standards for verifying and validating biometric technologies for a stated use, and, increasingly, link patterns of monitoring signals to candidate coaching actions. These advances are necessary, but they do not establish whether valid monitoring information influences decisions or improves the outcomes those decisions are intended to affect. In this Perspective, we argue that actionability should be treated as a claim about decision utility rather than as an inherent property of a metric or monitoring system. We distinguish two levels of evaluation: decision impact, whether monitoring information influences the decision that would otherwise have been made; and outcome evidence, whether the resulting decision improves or protects athlete-relevant outcomes. Practical value also depends on whether a pathway is implemented as intended and whether its benefits justify the burden of implementation. To support evaluation in applied settings, we outline feasible approaches ranging from descriptive audits and decision-impact studies to pragmatic outcome designs. Although our primary focus is high-performance sport, the same decision-evidence logic may extend to health, rehabilitation, and amateur sport. Ultimately, monitoring should be judged by the strength of evidence linking its use to decisions that serve the athlete's best interest.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"8 ","pages":"1983979"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13661024/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149181227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}