Adele M Boylen, Rhiannon A Campbell, Eric J Drinkwater, Elizabeth J Bradshaw
{"title":"Current biomechanical methods and practices of physical training load monitoring in women's artistic gymnastics: A scoping review.","authors":"Adele M Boylen, Rhiannon A Campbell, Eric J Drinkwater, Elizabeth J Bradshaw","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2528442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2025.2528442","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Women's artistic gymnastics (WAG) is a precision-based sport involving intense physical and technical training from a young age. Injuries in WAG can be a result of poorly managed acute and/or chronic biomechanical loads. This scoping review aims to identify current biomechanical methods of load monitoring in WAG. This review followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Four databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus) were searched for studies that measured biomechanical load of competitive WAG skills. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria from the previous 15 years. Biomechanical load was measured using force plates and/or inertial measurement units (IMU). Only three studies have used IMUs in WAG, however they are a more ecologically valid method for monitoring load during training sessions and have shown that technique/skill variations affect the biomechanical load gymnasts experience. Upper limb asymmetries exist in common WAG skills; therefore, opposite limbs may have different injury risks. No studies investigated biomechanical load of uneven bars, and few measured skills on unmodified, competition apparatus. Comprehensive understanding of loads gymnasts experience is essential for effectively managing training prescription and injury prevention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Steven Curnyn, Mark Leslie, Debbie Palmer, Sean Williams, Sean Cumming
{"title":"The influence of relative age and biological maturation on player selection in the Scottish football associations Club Academy Scotland.","authors":"Steven Curnyn, Mark Leslie, Debbie Palmer, Sean Williams, Sean Cumming","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2527436","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2025.2527436","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Relative age and biological maturation significantly impact talent identification and development in football, with professional academies often favouring relatively older and early maturing players. This study investigated these biases across Club Academy Scotland (CAS). The biological maturation of 1,011 players (U10-U18) across 12 CAS academies was assessed using the Khamis-Roche method. One-sided t-tests were conducted to test the null hypotheses that the true mean was 0.5 (relative age) and 0 (biological age - chronological age [BA-CA]). A significant bias favouring early maturing players emerged from U12. The BA-CA offset effect sizes ranged from small (U12, Hedges' g = 0.22) to large (U18, Hedges' g = 1.44). A relative age effect was statistically significant across most groups, with a large effect in U10 (Hedges <i>g =</i> 1.19) but smaller effects in all other groups (Hedges <i>g</i> = 0.16-0.41). This study demonstrated that a RAE exists within professional Scottish football academies, albeit to a small-to-moderate degree, but a larger bias towards earlier developing players exists from U12 and increases in magnitude with each age group. Regular monitoring of biological maturation is essential to address this bias, maximise the talent pool from Scotland's relatively small population, and support developmentally appropriate training programmes in CAS academies.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144560463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matteo Bozzato, Andrea Di Silvestre, Luca Rotundo, Antonio Paoli, Giuseppe Marcolin
{"title":"Self-selected music enhances bench press performance compared to no-music alone and mood compared to stimulative and no-music conditions.","authors":"Matteo Bozzato, Andrea Di Silvestre, Luca Rotundo, Antonio Paoli, Giuseppe Marcolin","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2526294","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2025.2526294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Previous studies on music and performance mainly considered isometric contractions or endurance exercises and rarely included power output measures or a no-music condition as control. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effect of self-selected (SSM) and stimulative (STM) music, compared to a no-music condition (NM), on muscle power and affective states in the bench press (BP). Twenty regional-level athletes (age 23.5 ± 3.2 years; body mass 84.0 ± 10.0 kg; height 1.79 ± 0.08 m) underwent three sets of eight repetitions at 75% of their one repetition maximum for each music condition. Each repetition's average power (P<sub>AVG</sub>) and peak power (P<sub>PEAK</sub>) were calculated. The Borg scale CR-10 (RPE), the Feeling scale (FS), and the Felt arousal scale (FAS) were administered. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures was performed to assess the effects of music and sets on power performance. P<sub>PEAK</sub> (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and P<sub>AVG</sub> (<i>p</i> < 0.05) resulted greater in SSM than NM and decreased among sets (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Friedman test revealed that activation was greater in SSM than STM (<i>p</i> < 0.05) and NM (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Listening to music enhanced power performance, but listening to SSM could lead to higher psychophysical activation than STM. Therefore, we encourage listening to self-selected music during power training.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144553849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicholas A Busuttil, Marcus Dunn, Alexandra H Roberts, Corey Perrett, Kane J Middleton
{"title":"Acute effects of a physically constraining tool on different phases of tennis serve technique.","authors":"Nicholas A Busuttil, Marcus Dunn, Alexandra H Roberts, Corey Perrett, Kane J Middleton","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2490417","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2490417","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The purpose of this study was to compare upper-body kinematics of tennis players when modifying their grip position using a physically constraining tool during the tennis serve. Thirty right-handed tennis players performed serves using two grip position variations (preferred [Continental], grip-constrained [Precision-continental]) across two directions (Deuce, Advantage). Upper limb and racket trajectory data were captured with 60 reflective skin-attached markers using a 22-camera Vicon motion capture system (240 hz). Shot accuracy and racket kinematics were similar; however, the peak horizontal racket velocity was greater in the deuce condition. Significant main effects were observed at the dominant shoulder across grip type and shot direction, while grip-constrained serves featured increased elbow pronation and wrist ulnar deviation during the preparation and propulsion-acceleration phases. During the preparation phase, significant interactions between grip type and shot direction occurred for grip angle (17-40% of the phase) and elbow pronation/supination (0-5%, 65-77%), where the grip-constrained condition featured increased counterclockwise rotation (grip angle) and supination of ~ 3°. Using a physically constraining tool for acute grip modification appears to influence upper limb kinematics, with the magnitude possibly being serving direction-dependent.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1207-1218"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143970814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stefano Di Paolo, Alli Gokeler, Anne Benjaminse, Stefano Zaffagnini, Laura Bragonzoni
{"title":"On-field kinematics of cut maneuvers in football players: Are wearable sensors reliable for assessing anterior cruciate ligament injury risk?","authors":"Stefano Di Paolo, Alli Gokeler, Anne Benjaminse, Stefano Zaffagnini, Laura Bragonzoni","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2493012","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2493012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of the present study was to present the reliability and normative values of wearable inertial sensors kinematics during football-specific cut maneuver tasks collected on the football field for assessing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk. Forty-seven academy football players (age 15.9 ± 2.4 years, female <i>n</i> = 20) performed a planned 90° change of direction within the Agility T-test and unplanned football-specific changes of direction (FS deceiving action). Kinematics was collected through eight wearable inertial sensors (100 hz, MTw Awinda, Movella). Intraclass correlation coefficient and Root Mean Square Error were used to inspect test-retest and side-to-side reliability of peak and waveform kinematics. Normative kinematics was compared between male and female players (t-test with Cohen's <i>d</i>, <i>p</i> < 0.05). Test-retest reliability was moderate-to-excellent in most of the parameters (<i>r=</i>0.40-0.92). Side-to-side reliability was worse than test-retest (both movement tasks). Female players showed worse movement quality than males with greater peak values on the frontal and transverse planes at the knee, pelvis and trunk and smaller knee and trunk flexion (<i>d</i> = 0.50-1.1 in Agility T-test, = 0.39-0.73 in FS deceiving action). The on-field cut maneuver kinematics by wearable sensors demonstrated sufficient reliability for most joints. Reliability and normative values might help to objectify ACL injury prevention programs in football academies.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1256-1266"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144027605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Isaura Leite, Luis Arturo Gómez-Landero, Lurdes Ávila-Carvalho, João Paulo Vilas-Boas, Márcio Goethel, Filipe Conceição, Luis Mochizuki
{"title":"Acrobatic gymnastics: The effect of experience, interpersonal coordination and variability in partner-assisted flight.","authors":"Isaura Leite, Luis Arturo Gómez-Landero, Lurdes Ávila-Carvalho, João Paulo Vilas-Boas, Márcio Goethel, Filipe Conceição, Luis Mochizuki","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2490422","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2490422","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acrobatic gymnastics demands inter-partner coordination during partner-assisted flights. This work aims to investigate (1) the effect of pair experience on inter-partner coordination and (2) on its variability and (3) the association between the flight phase and coordination modes during a pair task. Twelve pairs of acrobatic gymnasts performed 10 vertical throws in laboratory settings. The position and velocity of the center of mass were used for vector coding analysis to quantify the coordination modes into in-phase, anti-phase, base-phase and top-phase, and continuous relative phase to study the coordination variability. Pairs were grouped by the experience level and the trials by the top gymnast's height achieved. Results showed that more experienced pairs spend less time moving in-phase, more time in base-phase and use less parallel coordination. Coordination variability was similar between groups, but time-series differed in the time segment of 60.7%-78.7% of the task, during upward motion (<i>p</i> <0.05). Trials that reached a greater height used coordination modes similar to more experienced pairs. These findings suggest that the experience level influences the inter-partner coordination, underscoring the potential for learning and adaptation in less experienced pairs and offering valuable information for training strategies aimed at achieving higher flight phases.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1227-1236"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143988492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sam Jones, Chris Bailey, Dave Thomas, Mark G E White, Paul Rees, Huw D Summers, Neil E Bezodis
{"title":"A novel measure to quantify technical ability in on-water rowing.","authors":"Sam Jones, Chris Bailey, Dave Thomas, Mark G E White, Paul Rees, Huw D Summers, Neil E Bezodis","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2493020","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2493020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study developed a new measure that quantifies technical ability in on-water rowing by accounting for the effects of an athlete's physiological capabilities and the given environmental conditions. Maximal 2000 m efforts for both ergometer and on-water (<i>n</i> = 340 of each) were collected from 162 national and international athletes (78 women, 84 men) over 16 years. A linear mixed model predicted on-water performance from static ergometer performance (physiological capability), accounting for day of on-water testing (environmental condition effects). <i>On-water delta</i> was the difference between predicted and actual on-water performance. The model revealed significant fixed effects (intercept = 17.70 s, 95% CI = [8.43, 26.97], <i>p</i> < 0.001; ergometer coefficient = 0.87, 95% CI = [0.81, 0.93], <i>p</i> < 0.001), and random effects for year ranged from -15.43 s to 47.98 s (median = -6.29 s). <i>On-water delta</i> ranged from -32.8 s (faster than predicted) to 51.1 s (slower). <i>On-water delta</i> provides a new dependent variable that can be used to quantify technical ability in future investigations. The current data provide contextual <i>on-water delta</i> values from a large sample of high-level athletes, and the outlined modelling approach can be applied to new datasets to provide population-specific quantifications of technical ability.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1300-1308"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143978553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ioannis S Nikitakis, Gregory C Bogdanis, Giorgos P Paradisis, Argyris G Toubekis
{"title":"Concurrent sprint and aerobic training in swimming: Influence of exercise sequence on physiological responses and perceived exertion.","authors":"Ioannis S Nikitakis, Gregory C Bogdanis, Giorgos P Paradisis, Argyris G Toubekis","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2493021","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2493021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study examined the effect of aerobic and sprint sets sequence on physiological responses and perceived exertion during concurrent training sessions. Twelve male highly trained swimmers performed four sessions in randomized order, using combinations of the following training sets: (a) lactate threshold training (8 × 200-m at a speed corresponding to lactate threshold with 30-s recovery; LT), (b) high-intensity aerobic training (8 × 100-m at the maximal aerobic speed with 30-s recovery; MAS) and (c) repeated-sprints training (8 × 25-m repeated sprints with 2-min recovery; SPR). The four combinations used were as follows: LT-SPR, SPR-LT, MAS-SPR, SPR-MAS. Blood lactate (BL), pH, base excess (BE), bicarbonate, heart rate (HR), HR variability, objective [training impulse (iTRIMP)] and subjective training load [session's rating of perceived exertion (sRPE)] were measured. Between session pH and BE were no different, but mean BL was higher in sessions starting with repeated sprints compared with the reverse order (SPR-LT: 6.3 ± 3.6, LT-SPR: 5.3 ± 3.7 mmol·L<sup>-1</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.03; SPR-MAS: 7.2 ± 3.9, MAS-SPR: 6.0 ± 3.7 mmol·L<sup>-1</sup>, <i>p</i> = 0.05). Bicarbonate in SPR-LT was lower compared with LT-SPR (<i>p</i> = 0.03). sRPE, but not iTRIMP, was higher in sessions starting with SPR compared with the reverse order (<i>p</i> = 0.02). Anaerobic-aerobic set sequence, compared with the reverse order, augments BL response and increases perceived training load but not the training impulse.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1309-1318"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143978554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuxin Zuo, Eric Tsz-Chun Poon, Xiaoyuan Zhang, Borui Zhang, Chen Zheng, Fenghua Sun
{"title":"Effects of pre-exercise snack bars with low- and high-glycemic index on soccer-specific performance: An application of continuous glucose monitoring.","authors":"Yuxin Zuo, Eric Tsz-Chun Poon, Xiaoyuan Zhang, Borui Zhang, Chen Zheng, Fenghua Sun","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2497672","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2497672","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to investigate the effects of pre-exercise snack bars with different glycemic indices (GI) on soccer-specific performance. In a randomised crossover study design, 12 recreational soccer players consumed either low- or high-GI snack bars 1 h before 25 min small-sided game (SSG) training. Following the SSG training, the players' passing abilities were assessed using the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT), followed by aerobic endurance capacities YOYO Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRT), respectively. Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) were used to track the glycemic response during SSG training and all tests. The result showed that participants' performance was significantly better in the low-GI trial compared with the high-GI trial for the LSPT movement (58.27 ± 10.99 vs. 62.27 ± 7.63 s, <i>p</i> < 0.05), LSPT total (74.64 ± 22.66 vs. 83.18 ± 18.29 s, <i>p</i> < 0.05), and YYIRT (1196 ± 657 vs. 993 ± 536 m, <i>p</i> < 0.01). The CGM data indicated a lower mean (6.2 ± 0.7 vs. 7.1 ± 0.6 mmol/L, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and lower glycemic variability in postprandial interstitial glucose levels in the low-GI trial, compared with the high-GI trial. In conclusion, pre-exercise low-GI snacks could result in more stable glycemic responses and enhance soccer-specific performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1397-1405"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144000825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sam D Joseph, Suzanna Russell, Shona L Halson, Rich D Johnston, Ryan G Timmins, Nick B Murray, Selwyn Griffith, Stuart J Cormack
{"title":"Mental fatigue, skill performance and activity profile in elite male Australian Football match play.","authors":"Sam D Joseph, Suzanna Russell, Shona L Halson, Rich D Johnston, Ryan G Timmins, Nick B Murray, Selwyn Griffith, Stuart J Cormack","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2489883","DOIUrl":"10.1080/02640414.2025.2489883","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to identify relationships between mental fatigue (MF), match activity profile and skill execution in elite Australian Football (AF) match play. Thirty-nine elite male AF athletes (24.6 ± 4.5y) rated their MFs on a visual analogue scale on each training day of a 25 week, 23 match seasons. Match activity profile was measured by global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and match statistics measured by official Australian Football League (AFL) statistics in 23 AFL matches. Match statistics were coded based on an offensive or defensive skill and association with positive or negative outcomes. Linear mixed models were used to determine relationships between weekly median MF, measures of match activity profile and match statistics. Increased MF was significantly associated with decreased match running intensity, low velocity running intensity and PlayerLoad™ intensity (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). Increased MF was associated with increased handballs per match (<i>p</i> = 0.02), but no other individual skill measure. There was no impact of MF on positive or negative skill outcome, nor offensive or defensive skill types. Increased subjective MF during a week modifies activity profile but not skill performance in elite AF match-play.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1185-1195"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144000829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}