Jordan Rodu, Alexandra F DeJong Lempke, Natalie Kupperman, Jay Hertel
{"title":"On Leveraging Machine Learning in Sport Science in the Hypothetico-deductive Framework.","authors":"Jordan Rodu, Alexandra F DeJong Lempke, Natalie Kupperman, Jay Hertel","doi":"10.1186/s40798-024-00788-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-024-00788-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Supervised machine learning (ML) offers an exciting suite of algorithms that could benefit research in sport science. In principle, supervised ML approaches were designed for pure prediction, as opposed to explanation, leading to a rise in powerful, but opaque, algorithms. Recently, two subdomains of ML-explainable ML, which allows us to \"peek into the black box,\" and interpretable ML, which encourages using algorithms that are inherently interpretable-have grown in popularity. The increased transparency of these powerful ML algorithms may provide considerable support for the hypothetico-deductive framework, in which hypotheses are generated from prior beliefs and theory, and are assessed against data collected specifically to test that hypothesis. However, this paper shows why ML algorithms are fundamentally different from statistical methods, even when using explainable or interpretable approaches. Translating potential insights from supervised ML algorithms, while in many cases seemingly straightforward, can have unanticipated challenges. While supervised ML cannot be used to replace statistical methods, we propose ways in which the sport sciences community can take advantage of supervised ML in the hypothetico-deductive framework. In this manuscript we argue that supervised machine learning can and should augment our exploratory investigations in sport science, but that leveraging potential insights from supervised ML algorithms should be undertaken with caution. We justify our position through a careful examination of supervised machine learning, and provide a useful analogy to help elucidate our findings. Three case studies are provided to demonstrate how supervised machine learning can be integrated into exploratory analysis. Supervised machine learning should be integrated into the scientific workflow with requisite caution. The approaches described in this paper provide ways to safely leverage the strengths of machine learning-like the flexibility ML algorithms can provide for fitting complex patterns-while avoiding potential pitfalls-at best, like wasted effort and money, and at worst, like misguided clinical recommendations-that may arise when trying to integrate findings from ML algorithms into domain knowledge. KEY POINTS: Some supervised machine learning algorithms and statistical models are used to solve the same problem, y = f(x) + ε, but differ fundamentally in motivation and approach. The hypothetico-deductive framework-in which hypotheses are generated from prior beliefs and theory, and are assessed against data collected specifically to test that hypothesis-is one of the core frameworks comprising the scientific method. In the hypothetico-deductive framework, supervised machine learning can be used in an exploratory capacity. However, it cannot replace the use of statistical methods, even as explainable and interpretable machine learning methods become increasingly popular. Improper use of supervised machine learning in ","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11564444/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142627416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Scott J Fatt, Emma George, Phillipa Hay, Nikki Jeacocke, Deborah Mitchison
{"title":"Comparing Population-General and Sport-Specific Correlates of Disordered Eating Amongst Elite Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Scott J Fatt, Emma George, Phillipa Hay, Nikki Jeacocke, Deborah Mitchison","doi":"10.1186/s40798-024-00791-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-024-00791-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite the high prevalence of disordered eating and eating disorders amongst elite athletes, it remains unclear whether risk factors and psychological processes align with those in the general population or if there are unique sport-factors associated with heightened risk. This cross-sectional study investigated if sport-specific factors (including pressures and psychological processes) explained additional variance in elite athletes' disordered eating symptoms, controlling for established population-general risk factors. Current elite athletes (N = 178, 72.4% female, mean age = 23.9, standard deviation age = 7.0) completed online surveys assessing disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, perfectionistic traits, population-general and sport-specific pressures, as well as general (thin-ideal, muscular-ideal) and athlete-specific (drive for leanness for performance, athletic identity) psychological processes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Disordered eating was highly prevalent, with 78.2% of athletes reporting at least moderate risk, 46.4% at least high risk, and 20.6% very high risk. Controlling for demographic covariates and population-general pressures, sport-specific pressures explained significant additional variance (13.5%) in disordered eating. Even when controlling for perfectionistic traits, greater weight pressures in sport (β = .35) was uniquely associated with greater disordered eating. In a separate multivariate analysis controlling for covariates and general psychological processes, athlete-specific psychological processes explained significant additional variance (15.5%) in disordered eating. Even when controlling for body dissatisfaction, greater drive for leanness for performance (β = .17) and athletic identity (β = .13) were uniquely associated with greater disordered eating.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings support evidence that elite athletes may experience dual pressures and psychological processes associated with disordered eating: those congruent with appearance-oriented models and others independent of appearance. This duality should be considered in the modification of interventions for disordered eating in elite athletes.</p><p><strong>Key points: </strong>1. Disordered eating was highly prevalent in a sample of 178 elite adult athletes, with 78.2% reporting at least moderate risk for having related symptoms or behaviours. 2. Greater weight pressures in sport was significantly associated with greater disordered eating, even when controlling for demographic covariates and population-general appearance-related pressures from family and the media. 3. Both appearance-based (drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction) and non-appearance (drive for leanness for performance, athletic identity) psychological processes were uniquely associated with greater disordered eating.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11557852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142627329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Astrid Junge, Rogier M van Rijn, Janine H Stubbe, Anja Hauschild
{"title":"Self-reported Health Problems of Professional Dancers from Five German Opera Houses or State Theatres: A Prospective Study with Weekly Follow-ups during One Season.","authors":"Astrid Junge, Rogier M van Rijn, Janine H Stubbe, Anja Hauschild","doi":"10.1186/s40798-024-00782-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-024-00782-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Most studies on injuries of professional dancers used a medical-attention and/or time-loss definition and did not analyse all health problems. Further, almost all studies included just one company. The aim was to analyse all self-reported health problems of professional ballet and contemporary dancers during one season and compare sexes and five companies in Germany.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Dancers of five professional companies completed weekly health questionnaires during the season (September 2022 to June 2023). Numerical rating scales were used for severity of all health problems, musculoskeletal pain, impairment of the ability to dance at full potential, physical and mental workload in the previous seven days. If the severity of all health problems were rated greater than \"0\", the dancers were asked to report the type and consequences of their most severe health problem.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During 43 weeks, 98 dancers (39.8% male) completed 3123 weekly reports (response rate 74.1%). The season prevalence of any health problem was 100% and of time-loss health problems 74.5%. The average weekly prevalence of any health problem was 62.7%, of musculoskeletal pain 83.4% and of impaired ability to dance at full potential, due to health problem 48.6%. While the season prevalence and type of health problems was similar between sexes, the average weekly prevalence of severe health problems was higher in female than in male dancers (Chi<sup>2</sup> = 23.2; p < .001), and female dancers saw a qualified health professional more often than male dancers (Chi<sup>2</sup> = 19.5; p < .001). Companies differed in almost all investigated variables, with more health problems in companies where more dancers rated their workload higher than \"ideal\".</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Health problems are frequent in professional dancers and affect their ability to dance. Future studies should analyse the impact of physical and mental workload on health problems.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11550303/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142627417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Effect of Specific Strength Training on Throwing Velocity in Overarm Throwing: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Andrea Bao Fredriksen, Roland van den Tillaar","doi":"10.1186/s40798-024-00785-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-024-00785-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Throwing velocity is an important research topic in sports science, and it is an essential performance variable for athletes in overarm-throwing sports like baseball, team handball, water polo, softball, and cricket. The aim of the present review was to investigate the effect of specific strength training on throwing velocity for overarm throws.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The literature was analysed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses, searching in SPORTDiscus and MEDLINE. Seventeen studies were included in this review, and the training studies were divided into four categories: (a) overweight and underweight balls, (b) forearm loading, (c) pulley device training, and (d) strength training with a resistance band.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All strength training studies with resistance band and the forearm loading categories increased the throwing velocity, varying from 3.7 to 26%. However, only half of these studies found that training was associated with a significantly higher increase versus the control group. Findings were inconsistent in other categories.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the findings of the present review, no clear conclusion can be made on which of the specific strength training methods is best for increasing throwing velocity. However, some recommendations can be offered. Firstly, the throwing training period should be long enough (≥ 6 weeks) with a high enough workload. Throwing training with a resistance band increases throwing velocity significantly for junior and less experienced overarm-throwing athletes. Furthermore, throwing with underweighted balls of similar size will ensure a positive effect on throwing velocity. Also, throwing training with combined over- and underweighted balls can be used if the overweighted balls are carefully selected to ensure there is no negative impact on throwing kinematics and injuries. For the other categories, the results were conflicting. Furthermore, due to the low number of studies in the pulley device and forearm loading categories, more studies should be conducted to investigate their effects on throwing velocity.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11550301/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142627418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}