James Feist, Naomi Datson, Oliver R Runswick, Chris Pocock
{"title":"Using 360-video to investigate visual exploratory activity in 7v7 and 9v9 sided games in women's soccer.","authors":"James Feist, Naomi Datson, Oliver R Runswick, Chris Pocock","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2750619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2750619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Immersive technology such as 360-video offers opportunities to analyse visual exploratory activity (VEA) under varying task constraints in controlled experimental settings. The study aimed to investigate the effect of pitch location and sided‑game format on VEA and verbal action responses in 360-video. Nineteen sub-elite female soccer players (21 ± 4 years) viewed 40 soccer videos in a head-mounted display. Footage was recorded using a stationary GoPro 360 Max camera at eye height in defensive and attacking central midfield locations. VEA was measured as the number of \"scans\" away from the ball across 32 analysed trials. Upon receiving a pass in 360-video, participants simulated and verbalised an action to continue play. A 2 × 2 repeated‑measures ANOVA showed a significant main effect of pitch location (<i>p</i> = 0.016), with higher scan frequencies in defensive (0.31 ± 0.15 scans/s) than attacking midfield (0.29 ± 0.15 scans/s), with no significant effect of sided‑game or interaction effect (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Findings demonstrate players had significantly higher scan frequencies in defensive central midfield compared with attacking central midfield, with the most verbal actions per trial in the 9v9 attacking midfield condition. Future research should assess agreement between VEA measured in 360-video and on-field activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228159","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}
Grant Abt, Colin Boreham, Gareth Davison, Robin Jackson, Simon Jobson, Daniel Memmert, Eric Wallace, Mark Williams
{"title":"Journal of Sports Sciences data sharing policy update 2026.","authors":"Grant Abt, Colin Boreham, Gareth Davison, Robin Jackson, Simon Jobson, Daniel Memmert, Eric Wallace, Mark Williams","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2750698","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2750698","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224314","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}
Serkan Taş, Dilek Hande Esen, Veysel Alcan, Yusuf Muratoğlu
{"title":"Relationship between rectus femoris stiffness, muscle activity, and force production during graded isometric contractions measured by handheld myotonometry.","authors":"Serkan Taş, Dilek Hande Esen, Veysel Alcan, Yusuf Muratoğlu","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2750627","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2750627","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Surface electromyography (sEMG) is widely used to assess muscle activation; however, practical limitations may restrict its routine clinical use. Handheld myotonometry, which may provide complementary information on the mechanical behavior of active muscles, was used to examine the association between rectus femoris (RF) muscle stiffness, sEMG amplitude, and isometric knee extension force across graded contraction intensities. Fifteen healthy adults performed isometric knee extensions at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). RF stiffness, sEMG root mean square amplitude, and knee extension force were recorded at each contraction level. RF stiffness increased with contraction intensity and showed a strong positive association with the sEMG amplitude (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.706). Stiffness was also associated with the knee extension force (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.561). Although the EMG amplitude increased with contraction intensity, no significant difference was observed between 70% and 100% MVC, whereas stiffness continued to differentiate between these higher contraction levels. RF muscle stiffness was strongly associated with sEMG amplitude and knee extension force during graded-isometric contractions. These findings suggest that handheld myotonometry may provide a practical complementary measure of the muscle mechanical response associated with the activation level under standardized conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224259","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}
{"title":"Bilateral erector spinae and biceps femoris co-activation following unilateral hamstring injury in young sprinters.","authors":"Eleftherios Kellis, Vasilios Baltzopoulos","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2750589","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2750589","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study compared coactivation and strength of the erector spinae (ES) and biceps femoris long head (BFLH) during isometric knee flexion and trunk extension in sprinters with a recent BFLH injury. Twenty-four sprinters with grade 2 BFLH injury and 21 controls performed prone trunk extension and knee flexion maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) at 90° and 0° knee flexion. Torque and surface electromyography (EMG) of the ES and BFLH were recorded bilaterally and normalized to MVCs during 30° trunk extension and 0° knee flexion, respectively. Previously injured athletes showed a greater co-contraction index (CCI) during knee flexion at 0° and 90° than controls (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with higher ES activation (32.52 ± 17.08 to 47.72 ± 17.83% MVC) than the uninjured group (21.56 ± 14.52 to 44.68 ± 18.02% MVC; <i>p</i> < 0.05). No group differences were found in normalized BFLH EMG, CCI during trunk extension, or absolute knee flexion or trunk extension strength (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Previously injured sprinters showed larger between-limb knee flexion strength asymmetries (>10%, <i>p</i> < 0.01), which were absent in controls. This paraspinal overactivation and increased trunk-hamstring co-contraction after BFLH injury suggest that lumbopelvic control exercises may be beneficial for preventing BFLH re-injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149220128","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}
{"title":"The combined influence of athletic identity and social support networks on rehabilitation adherence during sports injury recovery: A longitudinal investigation utilizing real-time experience sampling methods.","authors":"Xiaohan Chen, Xiaofeng Hu, Chengyu Ma, Chunyang Guo","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2750618","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2750618","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p> This study examined the interactive effects of athletic identity and social support on rehabilitation adherence across recovery phases among injured athletes using experience sampling methodology (ESM). A total of 142 competitive athletes (18-35 years) with moderate‑to‑severe sports injuries requiring 8-12 weeks of rehabilitation were recruited. Athletic identity and perceived social support were measured by validated questionnaires, and adherence was assessed via clinic attendance, home exercise records and therapist ratings. ESM assessments were delivered three times daily over 12 weeks. Mixed‑effects models revealed significant temporal variation in adherence, declining from 76.8% (early phase) to 64.2% (middle phase) and rising slightly to 69.5% (late phase). Athletic identity and social support exhibited a significant interaction. Athletes with high athletic identity and high social support showed 84.2% adherence, while high‑identity athletes with low support only reached 58.6%. Daily perceived social support positively predicted same‑day adherence, with emotional support exerting a stronger effect than instrumental support; the predictive model yielded an AUC of 0.847. Our findings indicate that adherence depends on the joint effect of athletic identity and social support. Clinicians should evaluate athletes' identity profiles and available social support to design tailored rehabilitation adherence interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149220170","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}
Sihang Wang, Qiaozhu Chen, Haochang Cai, Pei Li, Hongyou Liu
{"title":"Talent development in Chinese football: A comparative analysis of developmental activities between international and professional players.","authors":"Sihang Wang, Qiaozhu Chen, Haochang Cai, Pei Li, Hongyou Liu","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2750646","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2750646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study compared developmental activities of Chinese male international and professional football players and used the comparison to characterize the broader talent pathway in China. A total of 112 players (57 international, 55 professional) completed the Participation History Questionnaire, assessing birth date and birthplace, developmental milestones, football-specific activities, participation in other sports, and social support across childhood (6-12 years), adolescence (13-17 years), and adulthood (≥18 years). A significant relative age effect was observed, with 42% (46/110) born in the first quartile of the selection year. Player origins were descriptively concentrated in densely populated, economically developed regions. Players typically began football at age 8. Groups differed in senior first-team entry age (p = 0.01) and adult individual practice (p = 0.022). Development was dominated by coach-led practice, whereas unstructured peer-led play was limited; 96% (108/112) reported no childhood participation in other sports. International players reported greater coach support (p = 0.001). These findings suggest that limited unstructured play and early sport diversification may constrain opportunities for attaining the highest level, highlighting the need to encourage diversification and reduce resource-related biases in talent development.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149194807","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}
{"title":"Injury surveillance, on-field rehabilitation and return-to-play criteria: A survey of current practices in male professional football.","authors":"Ben Dixon, Jill Alexander, Damian Harper","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2745280","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2745280","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Injuries in professional football present complex challenges to multiple stakeholders. Subsequent rehabilitation processes are guided by epidemiological research and rehabilitation frameworks providing objective criteria informing decision-making. Processes must constantly evolve to provide support and minimise subsequent injury risk. The aims of this exploratory study were to investigate current practices in injury surveillance, on-field rehabilitation (OFR) and return-to-play (RTP) criteria in male professional football. In total, 81 practitioners responded to an online survey consisting of 34 questions divided into four sections: 1) practitioner demographics, 2) injury data collection and monitoring, 3) OFR and RTP criteria, and 4) decision-making process for return-to-training and RTP. Results indicate that for injury data collection, variability exists in rehabilitation end-date classification, post-rehabilitation timeframes, and a potential disparity between subsequent injury classification and reporting. A range of external running load metrics and objective targets are used to monitor and progress OFR, indicating lack of consensus and availability of validated objective criteria. A multidisciplinary, shared decision-making approach is adopted, including input from players; however, communication was highlighted as a key area to improve. Findings of this study may be beneficial for practitioners developing internal rehabilitation procedures and for identifying future research gaps that could result in positive rehabilitation outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149165546","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}
Vladislav A Bespomoshchnov, Jean Lemoyne, Geir Jordet, Christian Vater
{"title":"Scanning in junior elite ice hockey players: In-situ analysis of gaze behaviour.","authors":"Vladislav A Bespomoshchnov, Jean Lemoyne, Geir Jordet, Christian Vater","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2744018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2744018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The visual strategies underpinning performance in the high-velocity invasion sports so far remain unexamined during live play. This study provides the first <i>in-situ</i> analysis of scanning and gaze behaviour in ice hockey. The participants were 16 elite junior players (<i>M</i><sub><i>age</i></sub> = 16.5 years; <i>SD</i><sub><i>age</i></sub> = 0.6 years) from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. The data were collected during game-representative scrimmage play with mobile eye-tracking technology. Gaze behaviour was quantified using fixation frequencies and viewing times per area of interest (AOI), scan complexity (single- and multi-fixation scans) and possession status (5-s prior to possession). Chi-Square tests were used to analyse the distribution of fixations across these variables, while Markov chain models were constructed to map the transition probabilities of gaze between AOIs. Results revealed that 58.1% of scans contained only one fixation between puck anchors. Mean fixation duration was 134.52 ms. Scans prior to puck reception were shorter and less complex than non-possession scans. Markov chain analysis indicated that the first fixations were largely directed toward space, particularly for forwards (47-53%). The findings of this study may inform training design and future research in visual perception in ice hockey and other team sports.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149164586","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}
Jules Cusson-Fradet, Frédéric Domingue, Claude Lajoie
{"title":"An 8-minute Self-Paced Cycling Test designed for endurance fitness monitoring: Cross-sectional validity, test-retest reliability, and practical implementation.","authors":"Jules Cusson-Fradet, Frédéric Domingue, Claude Lajoie","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2741755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2741755","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monitoring cycling fitness remains challenging. Most submaximal tests rely on physiological responses to imposed workloads and overlook perceptual responses. This study evaluated the cross-sectional convergent validity and test-retest reliability of the Self-Paced Cycling Test (SCT-RPE), an 8-minute rating of perceived effort (RPE)-regulated protocol. Twenty-one cyclists completed the SCT-RPE, comprising three 2-minute stages at RPE Moderate, Strong, and Very strong, followed by recovery and a 6-second sprint (P<sub>peak</sub>). Power output-to-heart rate ratios (PO/HR) and weighted indices (wPO/HR) were calculated at stage and overall levels. Validity was evaluated against graded exercise test outcomes and sprint performance, and reliability across repeated trials. wPO/HR<sub>overall</sub> was retained as a candidate endurance-fitness index because it showed a strong association with peak work rate (W<sub>peak</sub>, <i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.77, <i>p</i> < 0.001, slope = 13.4 W per unit), acceptable reliability, and power-dominant weighting aligned with the RPE-regulated design. Endurance-related variables showed moderate-to-very-high interday reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients, ICC<sub>3,1</sub> = 0.72-0.94; coefficients of variation of the typical error, CV<sub>TE</sub> = 3.29%-7.97%). P<sub>peak</sub> showed high reliability (ICC<sub>3,1</sub> = 0.86; CV<sub>TE</sub> = 8.96%) and an almost perfect correlation with sprint performance (<i>r</i> = 0.93). The SCT-RPE showed cross-sectional convergent validity and acceptable reliability; longitudinal responsiveness remains to be established.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149127872","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}
{"title":"Assessment of perceived competence in aquatic education: Aspects of reliability and validity of the Perceived Swimming Competence Assessment Scale.","authors":"Monika Haga, Håvard Lorås, Jon Sundan","doi":"10.1080/02640414.2026.2740990","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2026.2740990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a new scale, Perceived Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (PSCAS), designed to assess perceived swimming competence in children. The scale is aligned with skills assessed in the Swimming Competence Assessment Scale (SCAS), is simple to administer, and applicable for large-group assessment. A total of 353 Norwegian-speaking children (girls: <i>n</i> = 181, boys: <i>n</i> = 172) with a mean (SD) age of 9.65 (0.31) years completed the scale consisting of seven items, enabling us to investigate its internal consistency, construct validity, and test-retest reliability. Results indicated that the children rated their perceived swimming competence primarily as high or very high and that boys rated their perceived competence higher compared to girls for five of the items. Correlational analysis indicated significant relationships between nearly all items and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported a unidimensional model. The internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of this overall factor was 0.8, and test-retest reliability analysis indicated moderate-to-high ICCs for individual items and a relatively high ICC for the overall score (<i>r</i> = 0.91). Overall, it is concluded that the PSCAS has acceptable psychometric properties for confident use in assessing perceived swimming competence among 9- to 10-year-old children.</p>","PeriodicalId":17066,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Sports Sciences","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149111308","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}