Frontiers in Sports and Active Living最新文献

{"title":"Identifying barriers to physical activity participation and engagement among college students in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): gender differences in perceived barriers.","authors":"Pablo Prieto-González, Claire Alkouatli","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1657854","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1657854","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Despite growing public health efforts worldwide, many young adults-particularly women-remain insufficiently active, often due to a complex interplay of personal, social, and environmental barriers. In the context of rapid sociocultural change in Saudi Arabia, this descriptive study aims to identify and compare perceived barriers to physical activity (PA) among male and female college students in Riyadh across key domains.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional observational study included 437 college students (219 females and 218 males), aged 18-25 and residing in Riyadh. Data were collected in person using a validated, self-administered questionnaire comprising 39 items across nine domains assessing barriers and behavioral aspects related to PA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant gender differences emerged in barriers such as harassment, lack of friend support, body image concerns, safety, weather, and the absence of same-gender role models. No differences were observed in PA frequency. Key factors negatively affecting PA frequency included competing priorities, weather, transportation, and fatigue. Engagement in more structured or competitive activities was hindered by environmental pollution, time management challenges, limited group support, lack of skills, and absence of role models. However, effect sizes were generally small, and the predictive power of the models was modest.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Gender disparities in perceived barriers were most pronounced in personal, sociocultural, environmental, and health-related domains, influencing the type of PA more than its frequency. Although some gender differences were statistically significant, their effect sizes are small and should be interpreted with caution. Promoting equitable participation requires safe, female-friendly environments, stronger peer and role model support, and improved access to equipment and green spaces. Addressing body image, personal safety, confidence, skills, and time management is also essential. Given the modest predictive power of the models, other factors likely influence PA behaviors and warrant further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1657854"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12460344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185604","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":"Unlocking the training process: how different training tasks shape the physiology and biomechanics of professional futsal players.","authors":"Carlos Serrano, António Ferraz, João Nuno Ribeiro, Enrique Ibañez, Bruno Travassos","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1549026","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1549026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Despite the characterization of the physical and technical tactical demands of futsal SSCGs, there remains a need to better understand the physiological and biomechanical loads of each training task to determine its workload during training sessions further. The present study aims to analyze and classify the physiological and biomechanical demands of different futsal training tasks to enhance the understanding of these demands and their implications for elite futsal players' performance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Conducted over three seasons with a professional futsal team, this study systematically categorized training exercises into six task types: introductory, analytical, mid-court, ¾ court, full-court, and superiority/inferiority tasks. The WIMU PRO™ device was used to monitor physiological and biomechanical metrics and to assess how variations in task type influence them.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Superiority/inferiority tasks, followed by full-court tasks, showed significantly higher physiological and biomechanical loads compared with introductory, analytical, and mid-court tasks. These differences (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05) were associated with higher values of average heart rate, total distance covered, and high-speed running per minute for the physiological load, as well as a greater number of accelerations, decelerations, and player load per minute for the biomechanical load.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>A visual four-quadrant effort assessment provided insights into the contribution of each task category through its specific load distribution, revealing significant variations associated with player numbers, field dimensions, and task objectives. These findings suggest that specific task configurations can be strategically used to optimize training outcomes by aligning physical demands with coaching objectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1549026"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12460235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185538","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":"Trends and hotspots in running shoe research: a bibliometric study from 2005 to 2024.","authors":"Xiaoge Xiao, Ao Lian, Zhiyu Li, Yifang Fan","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1609141","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1609141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Running shoes can protect the feet, enhance performance and lower the injury risk during running. While extensive research has been investigated on footwear design and innovation in running, the scientific guideline underlying running shoe research remain inadequately explored and established.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The aims of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications in running shoes for identifying research hotspots and future trends. The results from this study can provide valuable references for future studies and contribute to the scientific advancement of running shoe design.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Articles on running shoes were collected and screened from the Web of Science Core Collection database covering the years 2005-2024. After duplicate and irrelevant articles removed, CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R-biblioshiny were used to perform visualized analyses of authors, titles, journals, countries, institutions, keywords, research directions, and cited references. Co-citation maps were created to provide a clear representation of research hotspots and knowledge structures.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>A total of 1,576 articles on running shoes were identified across 394 journals spanned 69 countries and 3,599 institutions, with peak publication volume found in 2022. The United States generated the highest number of publications, followed by China and the United Kingdom. The University of Calgary produced the highest publication output. Gu YD was the top author to produce the most publications, while Lieberman DE was identified as the most influential scholar in the field. The <i>Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise</i> have been the most prominent journals in this field. Trend keywords had centered on running injuries (e.g., \"<i>barefoot</i>,\" \"<i>ground reaction force</i>,\" and \"<i>injuries</i>\") and performance (e.g., \"<i>running economy</i>,\" \"<i>performance</i>,\" and \"<i>metabolic cost</i>\"), which have been clustered into eight distinct labels.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is the first study to present bibliometric analysis on running shoes literature over the past 20 years, highlighting the key hotspots and future trends. Overall, the annual publications on running shoes has steadily increased. Current research have focused on the biomechanics and physiological indicators of runners whilst wearing running shoes to explore the associated injury risks and running performance, with particular emphasis on the impact of minimalist shoes.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1609141"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457306/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148979","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":"Redefining the draft pick valuation in the National Football League.","authors":"Bryce Hadley, Jun Woo Kim, Marshall Magnusen, Kyoung Tae Kim","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1628223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1628223","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The National Football League (NFL) Draft plays a critical role in determining team compositions and enhancing the competitive balance within the league. This study examines the valuation dynamics of NFL Draft picks, contrasting traditional valuation paradigms like Jimmy Johnson's Pick Value Chart (PVC) to estimate the intrinsic value of draft selections. Utilizing metrics such as weighted approximate value (wAV), games played (GP), and seasons started (ST), we derived that late-round draft picks might be undervalued in the conventional PVC. Our regression results indicated that the final pick in the first round holds a value closer to 56% of the first pick's worth, contrasting sharply with PVC's 20%. Our refined model suggested that the value of a pick 200 is about 30 times more than what PVC projects. We incorporate round-specific \"Traded Up\" dummy variables into our player-level regression models to test whether trade-up selections yield better outcomes. Results reveal that early round trade-ups, particularly in Round 1, are associated with significantly lower player performance, suggesting inefficiencies driven by overconfidence. In contrast, trade-ups in Round 4 show a modest positive effect, while other rounds yield no consistent advantage. These findings indicate that teams may benefit more from accumulating late-round picks than from aggressively trading up early. This paper accentuates the need for NFL teams to integrate data-driven models for informed draft decisions, thereby deepening insights into NFL draft valuation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1628223"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457378/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148899","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":"Session-RPE for quantifying workload in olympic curling athletes.","authors":"Junqi Wu, Chunlei Li","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1636827","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1636827","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the correlation between different workload methods among Olympic curling athletes.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Eight curlers were monitored after training during Olympic seasons with three load quantification methods: external load measurements, physiological/biochemical markers, and Omegawave state indices. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and Bland-Altman plots were used to analyze the Session-RPE index [sRPE workload (RPE × session duration), acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR), etc.], external [number of draws (the number of curling stones thrown during training/competition), training duration, etc.], and internal [physiological and biochemical indices (testosterone, etc.), and Omegawave sport performance evaluation system indices (comprehensive readiness, etc.)] workloads.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The sRPE index was significantly correlated with external loads and Omegawave sport performance indicators at the 0.01 level (<i>p</i> < 0.01); it was significantly correlated with cortisol and creatine kinase at the 0.05 level (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In the standardized ICC and Bland-Altman plot concordance analyses, the sRPE correlates showed moderate (0.4 < ICC < 0.6) to strong (0.6 < ICC < 0.8) concordance with the corresponding external loading indices, the Omegawave athletic status indices, and average (0.2 < ICC < 0.4) to moderate agreement with the corresponding physiological and biochemical indicators.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The sRPE is a valid curling training-load tool capturing sport-specific demands but retains psychosocial limitations. Appropriate methods should be selected based on actual conditions and needs when choosing how to quantify and evaluate training load.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1636827"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12457370/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148887","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":"Changes in cortical brain activity after active break in preschoolers: MOVI-HIIT study.","authors":"María Valdivieso-González, Francisco Javier Sancho-Bielsa, Beatriz García-Martínez, Arturo Martinez-Rodrigo, Oscar Navarro-Martínez, Andrés Redondo-Tébar, Mairena Sánchez-López","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1529288","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1529288","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study investigates the acute effects of high-intensity interval exercise on brain activity in preschool children, focusing on changes in electroencephalogram (EEG) bands before, immediately after, and 20 min post-exercise.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eleven children (5-6 years) participated, but EEG recordings were included only if all channels maintained a quality score >3 (0-4 scale updated every 0.5 s), resulting in the exclusion of two participants due to insufficient high-quality data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>EEG data revealing significant increases in Theta, Alpha1, and Alpha2 bands, suggesting enhanced relaxation, attentiveness, and readiness to learn. Conversely, Beta and Gamma bands showed reductions, especially in frontal, temporal, and parietal regions, indicating decreased stress and mental effort.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These effects persisted for up to 20 min after exercise, suggesting that brief, high-intensity exercise induces EEG changes associated with states of attentional readiness and emotional regulation, which may support learning, pending further validation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1529288"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12459121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145148872","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 influence of cereboost on mood, cognitive function, and simulated driving in professional race car drivers.","authors":"David P Ferguson, Pascale Franca-Berthon, Claire Williams, Romain Le Cozannet","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1658468","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1658468","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Race car driving is a physically and cognitively demanding sport requiring rapid decision-making under extreme conditions. While physical training and hydration strategies have been explored, few studies have investigated nutritional interventions to enhance cognitive or driving performance. This study examined the effects of Cereboost, an American Ginseng extract, on mood, cognitive function, and simulated driving performance in professional race car drivers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty-eight licensed drivers completed a four-phase, within-subjects protocol (baseline, acute, chronic, and acute-on-chronic) involving 200 mg/day Cereboost supplementation. Assessments included validated mood questionnaires, cognitive testing via the Senaptec Sensory Station (spatial memory and split attention), and 30-minute sessions in a professional-grade racing simulator. Statistical analyses included ANOVA with Holm-Bonferroni corrections.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Cereboost had no statistically significant effects on mood or cognitive function after correction for multiple comparisons. However, acute-on-chronic supplementation significantly improved simulated driving performance, with a 3-second reduction in lap time and faster throttle application in corners (adjusted <i>P</i> = 0.000003, Cohen's <i>d</i> = -1.274). Participants reported subjective improvements in mental acuity (97%) and driving performance (94%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While Cereboost did not significantly alter mood or cognitive test outcomes, sustained supplementation enhanced simulated driving performance in professional drivers. These findings suggest potential benefits of nootropic supplementation for motorsport performance, warranting further investigation in on-track settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1658468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12490233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145232500","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":"Ankle sprain history and clinical outcome have limited influence on walking and running biomechanics among runners: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Jean-Louis Peters-Dickie, Christine Detrembleur, Margaux Bertrand, Emma Detrembleur, Anh Phong Nguyen","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1553995","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1553995","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is prevalent among runners, with many developing chronic ankle instability (CAI). While CAI is associated with many motor-behavioral, sensory-perceptual, and pathomechanical factors, its impact on gait biomechanics remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess gait biomechanics and other factors contributing to CAI in runners.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Seventy participants (47 men and 23 women) were categorized as healthy (<i>n</i> = 24), acute LAS (<i>n</i> = 17), CAI (<i>n</i> = 16) and copers (<i>n</i> = 13). Walking and running spatiotemporal, kinetic and kinematic parameters were collected on an instrumented treadmill. Rehabilitation-oriented assessment outcomes were also assessed. One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used, along with their corresponding post-hoc tests. Effect sizes (g or r according to normality) were reported.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Runners with CAI and acute LAS reported significantly greater perceived instability (<i>r</i> = 0.68-0.86) and worse self-reported function (<i>r</i> = 0.47-0.67) than healthy controls and copers. However, running biomechanics did not differ between groups, suggesting that traditional biomechanical assessments at comfortable speeds may not be sensitive to functional deficits in CAI. A notable finding was the lower mechanical work recovery during walking in copers compared to healthy controls (g = 0.98).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These results highlight the importance of considering self-reported function and perceived instability when assessing LAS and CAI. The absence of gross running gait alterations suggests that rehabilitation could safely integrate running early in recovery. However, more demanding tasks or advanced biomechanical modeling techniques may be needed to identify residual gait impairments.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1553995"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12452186/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145130303","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":"Sports injuries in elite football players: classification, prevention, and treatment strategies update.","authors":"Yinping Zeng, Weiguo Ji, Yu Shi, Wenduo Liu, Weiping Ji","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1643789","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1643789","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Elite football players are particularly vulnerable to sports injuries due to the demands of high-intensity training and competition, which negatively affect their athletic careers and the economic interests of their clubs. Currently, the structural classification of injury scenarios and types in football remains unclear, hindering players' understanding of injuries and the implementation of effective preventive measures. This study aims to refine the structural classification of football-related injuries and update the corresponding scenarios, prevention strategies, and treatment approaches for general sports injuries, degenerative injuries, and accidental injuries. Researchers screened relevant literature from PubMed, SportDiscus, and Google Scholar databases from May 2000 to May 2025. For general sports injuries, skeletal muscle injuries (muscle fiber injuries, tendon injuries) can be prevented through eccentric strength training, while joint injuries (ligament injuries, muscle imbalances) require a focus on neuromuscular control training. Degenerative injuries necessitate systematic treatment, and surgical intervention should be adopted, when necessary, followed by a personalized rehabilitation program. Accidental injuries (concussions and fractures) can be mitigated using protective gear, rule modifications, and enhanced safety measures education. This article emphasizes the importance of a structured classification system for injury prevention and differentiated treatment strategies for elite football players. This will provide a theoretical basis for establishing clear understanding among individual athletes and reducing the occupational risk of injury in football.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1643789"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12450946/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145130313","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":"Women participating in sport: tensions rising from negotiations of aging, gender norms, and personal responsibility for health in later life.","authors":"Paula M van Wyk, Hannah Seguin, Rylee A Dionigi, Patti L Weir, Sean Horton","doi":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1655912","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fspor.2025.1655912","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Older women have typically faced systemic exclusion from sport, often a result of intersecting age- and gender-based norms and/or constraints. This study investigated how 22 women (mean age 61 years) participating in recreational or competitive sport understood and experienced their participation in relation to societal expectations of aging, gender, and maintaining health and wellbeing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The women, aged 52-77 years, each participated in a semi-structured interview to explore their perspectives on aging, disability, societal perceptions, and sport engagement. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymized, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, emphasizing researcher subjectivity and iterative theme development.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The women framed their sport involvement as a moral and disciplined practice, aligning with neoliberal ideals of personal responsibility and self-management for health in later life. However, their narratives also highlighted systemic barriers, such as professional demands, caregiving responsibilities, and gendered norms, that constrained their participation. This \"double barrier\" of age and gender norms produced a tension between perceived agency and structural exclusion.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>While older women actively asserted responsibility for their health and engagement, their experiences revealed that structural inequities related to age and gender expectations, not personal failings, often limited participation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings challenge responsibility-centred narratives and call for inclusive sport policies that account for the socio-cultural and institutional barriers shaping older women's experiences in sport and exercise contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":12716,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sports and Active Living","volume":"7 ","pages":"1655912"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12450987/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145130335","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}