Sports Medicine - Open最新文献

{"title":"The Relationship Between Inter-limb Asymmetry and Sprinting Performance in Sprint Athletes: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Joachim D'Hondt, Laurent Chapelle, Jarno Van Handenhoven, Jasper Stalmans, Dirk Aerenhouts","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01082-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-026-01082-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Inter‑limb asymmetries are commonly observed in athletes, yet their relationship with sprinting performance remains poorly understood. While most existing research has focused on unilateral sports, a comprehensive systematic review examining the relationship between lower limb asymmetry and sprinting performance in sprint athletes is still lacking.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This systematic review aimed to examine the association between lower inter-limb asymmetry and sprinting performance in sprint athletes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science to identify studies investigating lower inter-limb asymmetry and sprinting performance in healthy, injury-free sprint athletes. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251140520). Study quality was assessed using the Downs and Black Quality Index Tool, whilst the evidence certainty was evaluated with the GRADE framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 4,811 articles screened, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. In general, limited associations were observed between functional, morphological, kinetic and kinematic asymmetry and sprinting performance. However, task- and metric-specific associations were observed in individual studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Given the limited number of eligible studies and the substantial heterogeneity in study designs, tasks, and asymmetry metrics, drawing definitive conclusions remains challenging. The evidence synthesized in this review is mixed, and therefore does not allow for a straightforward assertion that inter-limb asymmetry is associated with reduced sprinting performance. To enhance comparability and clarify the potential role of inter-limb asymmetry in sprinting, future research should implement standardized, task-specific, metric-specific, and muscle-specific assessment approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13631215/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114707","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":"Strategic Application of Post-exercise Cold-Water Immersion to Enhance Performance Recovery and Adaptation: An Umbrella Review of 15 Published Systematic Reviews with Meta-analysis.","authors":"Erfan Berjisian, Hossein Miraftabi, Mohammed Ihsan, Kai Alexander Homer, Kristina Kendall, Llion Roberts, Chris Abbiss","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01116-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-026-01116-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Athletes commonly implement post-exercise cold-water immersion (CWI), with several meta-analyses having assessed its effectiveness.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To thoroughly review, appraise, and summarise existing systematic reviews with meta-analyses (SRMA) examining the effects of post-exercise CWI on the recovery of exercise performance and adaptation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An umbrella review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR 2, and certainty of evidence using GRADE. PROSPERO registration: (CRD420251103267). Eight databases were searched, including Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Systematic reviews with meta-analyses of peer-reviewed randomised controlled trials examining post-exercise CWI vs passive rest or other recovery modalities on performance, training adaptation, or physiological, biochemical, and perceptual outcomes in healthy humans were included, with restriction to the English language.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fifteen SRMAs published between 2011 and 2025, comprising 161 unique studies, were included. Overall methodological quality was low to critically low, and certainty of evidence was low to very low, mainly due to inconsistency and imprecision. Protocols of 10-15 min at 10-15 or 5-10 °C appear to be most effective for improving performance and recovery. Post-exercise CWI resulted in significant improvements in muscular power at 24 h post-high-intensity exercise and at 24-48 h post-eccentric exercise, and in jump performance at 24-48 h, despite impaired jump performance in the initial hours after post-exercise CWI. Endurance performance improved immediately after CWI, but CWI produced no later benefits or positive effects on adaptations. CWI did not improve muscular strength performance, and impaired strength and hypertrophic gains. CWI improved heart rate variability immediately after exercise, reduced muscle soreness up to 96 h, and lowered creatine kinase (CK) concentrations between 24 and 72 h, with no significant effects on C-reactive protein or interleukin-6 up to 72 h. No immediate impact on blood lactate or lactate dehydrogenase was found, although some reductions appear 24-72 h post-exercise.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Post-exercise CWI confers outcome-specific recovery benefits but may impair resistance training adaptations with chronic use. These findings support a periodised, context-driven approach to CWI implementation rather than routine application after all exercise sessions.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13627639/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115276","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":"Development of Physical Fitness in Young Athletes: A Longitudinal Meta-analysis.","authors":"Ahlan B Lima, Ricardo T Quinaud, Gabriel F Reis, Fábio C Karasiak, Eva Ageberg, Filipe M Clemente, Carlos E Gonçalves, Humberto M Carvalho","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01109-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01109-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Understanding how physical fitness develops during adolescence is critical for interpreting and optimizing training and setting realistic performance expectations in youth sport. Yet, evidence-based, age-referenced benchmarks that track multiple fitness components across sports remain lacking, leaving practitioners without reliable normative trajectories to guide athlete development.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This longitudinal meta-analysis estimated developmental trajectories for vertical jump, sprint, and endurance performance in male youth athletes across multiple sports using data from longitudinal studies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies with repeated measurements of vertical jump, 10-meter sprint, and endurance performance in male youth athletes, from database inception to October 4, 2025. Analyses were restricted to males due to an insufficient number of eligible studies including female athletes. We applied a risk-of-bias assessment adapted from the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and examined publication bias through funnel plot inspection and Egger's regression test. We used Bayesian multilevel growth curve modeling to estimate age-related developmental trajectories, with analyses stratified by sport and test protocol.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-eight studies met eligibility criteria, providing 41 independent samples across nine sports. Vertical jump and endurance performance exhibited curvilinear trajectories with peak velocity occurring at 13.2 years (68% CrI [±1 posterior SD]: 13.0; 13.5) and 13.8 years (68% CrI: 13.6; 14.2), respectively, overlapping the typical period of peak height velocity in male athletes. Sprint performance showed linear improvement throughout adolescence (ages 12-17) without distinct acceleration periods. Sport-specific analyses revealed varying absolute values but broadly similar developmental patterns within each fitness component, with rugby exhibiting the highest vertical jump values and minimal sport differences observed for sprint development.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present age-referenced trajectories offer practical benchmarks for monitoring progression and setting realistic expectations in youth sport contexts. Our findings reveal distinct developmental patterns-curvilinear trajectories for vertical jump and endurance with peak improvements around ages 13-14 versus linear progression for sprint-with peak velocities coinciding with typical maturation timing Trial registration: CRD42020175084 (PROSPERO) 25/03/2020.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13624235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149081938","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 Mum-Alete: An Observational Survey-Based Study of Australian Athletes Returning to High-Performance Sport After Pregnancy.","authors":"Victoria K Norbury, Aaron T Scanlan, Rachel Harris, Richard Saw, Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen, David Hughes, Melanie Hayman","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01114-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01114-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As more female athletes extend their careers and resume high-performance sport following childbirth, there is an increasing need to understand factors influencing this transition. The return-to-high-performance sport process for postpartum athletes remains complex, with limited evidence available to guide sporting organisations and practitioners. This study aimed to identify the experiences, facilitators, challenges, and barriers for athletes returning to high-performance sport postpartum.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>An exploratory cross-sectional survey study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants included postpartum elite and sub-elite Australian athletes who maintained training 6 months prior to conception and gave birth between July 2016 and February 2022. The online Mum-Alete survey included various types of closed-ended questions as well as open-ended questions to gather deeper insights related to demographic/pregnancy information, training and performance, physical health (e.g., sport-related injuries), and social factors impacting return to high-performance sport. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise data, while a hybrid thematic analysis was used for qualitative analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Descriptive analyses for the 64 athletes who participated showed most resumed exercise within 6-week postpartum, with pelvic floor exercises initiated earliest. Endurance and strength training followed, though 59% of respondents reported performance declines and 43% reported sport-related injuries. Key challenges in returning to high-performance sport included time management, sleep, breastfeeding, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Among facilitators in returning to high-performance sport, support from family, coaches, and medical staff was generally rated positively, with many athletes reporting a lack of (or non-awareness of) organisational policies and support provisions (e.g., well-being officer, maternity leave, status protections, including stipends, caregiver allowance to attend training) as well as facility-related challenges (e.g., dedicated spaces for childcare and breastfeeding). Eight qualitative themes were identified, including time/time management, training 'new' bodies, safe return to high-performance sport, breastfeeding while participating, critical support, navigating motherhood and sport, discrimination, and education/expertise.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study showed that while athletes returned to high-performance training relatively early following childbirth, they regularly perceived reductions in performance and reported sport-related injuries. Various factors were also shown to facilitate and challenge the return-to-high-performance sport process. These outcomes highlight the need for athlete-informed, multidisciplinary, and flexible support strategies, and underscore critical gaps in organisational practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13620104/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149075788","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":"Ultrasound Characteristics of the Infrapatellar Fat Pad Under Physiological and Pathological Conditions.","authors":"Chong Zhang, Xinxin Xie, Haonan Wang, Meng Yang, Hongjie Huang, Ligang Cui, Jianquan Wang, Jin Cheng","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01113-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01113-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) is an intracapsular, extra-synovial adipose tissue located beneath the patellar tendon. It serves as a protective cushion for the knee, mitigating the mechanical impact of various movements. Furthermore, the IFP possesses a robust vascular network and strong secretory capacity, enabling it to contribute to the resolution of various inflammatory processes associated with knee pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used to assess the IFP, but it is limited by high cost, long examination times, and an inability to provide real-time dynamic evaluation. Ultrasound offers a cost-effective, portable, and clinically accessible alternative for IFP imaging. Beyond visualizing the dynamic morphology of the IFP, advances in Doppler ultrasound and elastography now enable the assessment of blood supply and mechanical properties. This review summarizes the ultrasound features of the IFP under physiological and pathological conditions, explores its potential applications in the diagnosis and evaluation of IFP-related disorders, and highlights future directions, with particular emphasis on the role of dynamic ultrasound in evaluating anterior knee disorders in sports medicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13612774/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149040523","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 Effectiveness of Cluster vs. Rest-Redistribution Set Configurations to Maintain Movement Velocity During Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-analysis.","authors":"Tsuyoshi Nagatani, Christopher Latella, Jiahao Yang, Kristina L Kendall, Shayne Vial, Paul Comfort, Eric J Drinkwater, G Gregory Haff","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01106-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01106-w","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Alternative set structures such as cluster sets (CS) and rest-redistribution (RR) are often used as a more effective method for preserving movement velocity during resistance training than traditional sets (TS). However, only a limited number of studies have directly compared CS and RR, and their relative effectiveness has not been comprehensively synthesized. The aim of this present study was to systematically synthesize the existing literature examining acute effects of CS and RR on movement velocity during resistance training, compare CS and RR using Bayesian network meta-analyses, and examine potential moderators of these effects using Bayesian network meta-regressions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Two databases (PubMed and Web of Science) were searched for peer-reviewed English-language literature. Studies were included when they compared at least one acute mechanical response (mean, mean propulsive or peak velocity) between TS and CS, TS and RR, or CS and RR structures. RR structures were further categorized into intra-set rest-redistribution (intraRR) and inter-set rest-redistribution (interRR) based on how rest was redistributed. Random-effects Bayesian network meta-analyses and meta-regressions were conducted where possible. Posterior standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% credible intervals (CrI) were computed, and surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) scores were used to rank conditions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Thirty-seven studies were included. CS, intraRR and interRR were all more effective than TS in preserving mean velocity during resistance training [SMD (95% CrI) = 0.60 (0.42-0.80), 0.41 (0.08-0.75) and 0.42 (0.26-0.61), respectively]. Both CS and intraRR allowed for greater peak velocity when compared to TS [SMD (95% CrI) = 0.48 (0.20-0.76) and 0.39 (0.04-0.73), respectively], whereas the CrI for interRR compared with TS crossed zero (- 0.11 to 0.43). Direct comparisons among alternative set structures revealed no clear evidence of meaningful differences in both mean and peak velocity. However, based on SUCRA scores, CS had the highest probability of being the most effective for preserving mean and peak velocity (SUCRA = 99.7 and 95.6%, respectively), followed by intraRR (SUCRA = 46.9 and 65.1%) and interRR (SUCRA = 46.3 and 26.9%). Meta-regressions indicated that exercise type and relative training intensity did not moderate the differences between TS and the alternative set structures.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;Overall, alternative set structures are generally more effective than TS for preserving mean and peak velocity during resistance training. Although the magnitude of this positive effect varies slightly across the alternative set structures examined, the differences between CS, intraRR and interRR appear to be small and may not be practically meaningful. These findings suggest that alternative set structures can be used to effectively maintain movement velo","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13598012/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149025908","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 Effects of Exergames on Fundamental Movement Skills in Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.","authors":"Oscar O'Brien, Connah Kendrick, Ben Ives, Moi Hoon Yap, John Henry","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01081-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01081-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical inactivity is a public health crisis that is influenced by practical barriers in childhood. We define a category of interventions that can reduce barriers, with exergames being one example. There is mixed evidence on fundamental movement skills effects, due to variability in experimental outcomes, that may be limiting usage. This meta-analysis identifies the source of that variability to determine the effect of exergames on fundamental movement skills.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To provide a comprehensive evidence base, we systematically surveyed 10 research databases / search engines (PubMed, APA PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Scopus, Proquest, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar) to identify studies of the post-intervention effects of exergames upon children's fundamental movement skills, published between Jan 2000 and Dec 2025. Records were identified through boolean search terms and then manual reviews of abstracts and full text. We used set theory and order theory, in an approach we call systematic hypothesis testing, to explore all explanations for fundamental movement skills variability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 17 statistically significant comparisons from 12 studies were identified. Comparisons between groups involved variance in coaching levels, activity structure levels, and whether the activity was an exergame or not. This study demonstrates that variability in fundamental movement skills effects is explained by coaching and activity structure, rather than exergame status. There was no evidence of a differential effect for skill components.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Low-barrier exergames, as defined in our taxonomy of exergame types, are just as effective as traditional activity for fundamental movement skills adaptation. They should be freely chosen by teachers and parents, to overcome the practical challenges that are spiralling into physically inactive lifestyles. This study provides a taxonomy and model of statistically significant effects that future research should use to manage the methodological variability that has made building upon previous findings challenging.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13590462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149012340","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":"Using Match Reference Values of External Load to Monitor Performance and Fatigue in Football: Are We Looking the Right Way?","authors":"Ricardo Pimenta, Hugo Antunes, José Afonso, Fábio Yuzo Nakamura","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01112-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01112-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monitoring external load is critical for informed decision-making processes across sports. In football, external load is routinely monitored during training sessions and competitive matches. Matches are typically given particular emphasis, as they are generally associated with the highest external load and the most pronounced fatigue responses within a microcycle. Consequently, coaches frequently use match-derived external load values as reference points for prescribing training loads throughout this period. However, despite the apparent specificity of this approach and the unique characteristics of match external load, recent research suggests that coaching staffs may be inadequately quantifying the actual external load produced by players during matches, as well as the associated fatigue responses. This limitation is largely attributable to the substantial match-to-match variability observed in external load outcomes, which may lead to misinterpretation of the true load produced by players. Therefore, a normalized approach to external load monitoring, whereby locomotor external loads are expressed to each player's highest observed load, has been recommended as a more player-specific method for quantifying and interpreting external load in football. This opinion article highlights how the use of match load as a reference for training prescription may lead to inaccurate estimations of the external load imposed on football players. Furthermore, it outlines the potential consequences of match-load-based prescription for microcycle load management, which may ultimately result in suboptimal or ineffective training stimuli in the long term. Finally, we propose a conceptual framework in which external locomotor load metrics are expressed to players' characteristic- and/or exposure-based reference values. This framework is intended to support a more player-specific interpretation of external load but requires empirical validation before being used as a prescriptive decision-making model.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13590470/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149012388","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":"Effects of Strength Training on Cognitive Function, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 in Highly-Trained Young Female Soccer Players.","authors":"Mariem Bousselmi, Hassane Zouhal, Manel Darragi, Houssem M Karamti, Ahlem Ben Hmid, Imen Zamali, Mélika Ben Ahmed, Asma Krir, Sghaeir Zouita, Ismail Laher, Anthony C Hackney, Urs Granacher, Amira Ben Moussa Zouita","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01103-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01103-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Female soccer continues to gain global popularity. Selected components of physical fitness (e.g., muscle power, change-of-direction [CoD] speed) and cognitive function (e.g., attentional demand, training-induced) play an important role in soccer performance and should, therefore, be systematically developed.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>In this study, we examined the effects of 12 weeks of strength training (ST) on selected measures of physical fitness, soccer performance, cognitive function, and selected markers of neuroplasticity in young female soccer players.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-two highly-trained female soccer players with Tier 3 training and performance caliber aged 14.9±0.8 years were randomly assigned to a strength training group (SG: n = 11) or an active control group (CG: n = 11). During the training period, SG performed two weekly upper and lower body ST sessions (3 sets, 12 repetitions per set) at an intensity of 60-80% of the one-repetition-maximum (1-RM) and three soccer-specific training sessions (tactical-technical drills). Players from CG continued their regular soccer-specific training routine consisting of five weekly sessions. Training volumes were similar between groups. Pre- and post-training tests were conducted for the assessment of body composition (e.g., body mass, skinfold site measurements), muscle strength (1-RM bench press/Lat pull-down/leg press),the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT), cognitive function (Stroop test), and selected markers of blood neurotrophins, such as basal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) serum concentrations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The following findings from post hoc analyses are based on significant (p <.05) group-by-time interactions. Post hoc analyses revealed ST-related increases in muscle strength for 1-RM bench press (p <0.001; η_p²=0.41), lat pull-down (p <0.001; η_p²=0.43), and leg press (p <0.001; η_p²=0.36) and improvements in soccer-specific performance for the LSPT in the SG (p =0.007; η_p²=0.22). Post hoc tests indicated improved cognitive function (Stroop test) in the SG (p <0.001; η_p²=0.56) but not in the CG. There were no significant group-by-time interactions for neuroplasticity markers, such as BDNF and IGF-1 basal serum concentrations (p>0.05; η_p²=0.00-0.04).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A 12-week in-season ST program with two weekly sessions improved measures of physical fitness, soccer-specific performance, and cognitive function but not biomarkers of neuroplasticity in young highly-trained female soccer players. Accordingly, we recommend ST should be implemented to improve physical fitness and cognitive function of young female soccer athletes.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13589019/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149002507","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":"Percentile-Based Normative Standards for Strength Assessment Beyond Linear Bodyweight Multipliers in Competitive Powerlifters.","authors":"Simone Montenegro, Pamela Wicker, Tim Wiedenmann, Ludwig Rappelt, Lars Donath","doi":"10.1186/s40798-026-01111-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40798-026-01111-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bodyweight multipliers (BM = L/M, where L denotes the absolute load lifted in kilograms and M the athlete's recorded body mass) represent the dominant benchmarking heuristic in strength and conditioning. However, because relative strength declines non-linearly with body mass, a single fixed threshold is not equally attainable across the body-mass spectrum, and these static standards provide no lift-specific, percentile-based reference for practitioner use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A large-scale dataset of drug-tested, classic competitive powerlifters was analyzed to establish empirical percentile-based normative standards. A \"Best-Ever\" filter was applied to isolate each athlete's peak performance, yielding a final sample of N = 101,898 athletes (aged 21-49). Quantile regression was employed to independently estimate normative percentiles (50th, 75th, 90th, and 99th) and evaluate mass-dependent changes in relative strength across all three lifts. A Loess smoothing procedure was applied to percentile values summarized across weight classes to visualize mass-dependent performance trends. All athletes were retrospectively mapped into current International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) weight categories to produce absolute-load normative atlases stratified by lift, sex, and weight class. The internal lift ratio, the percentage contribution of each lift to the competitive total, was additionally quantified across the mass spectrum.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A systematic, non-linear decrease in relative BMs was observed across all performance percentiles (p < 0.001). The smoothed male 99th percentile deadlift multiplier declined from 4.37 in the 59 kg class to 2.65 in the 120+ kg category. A progressive mass-dependent decline was identified, with the rate of relative strength decay becoming significantly steeper at elite tiers (99th percentile) compared to intermediate levels (50th percentile). Female athletes exhibited a steeper mass-dependent decline in bench press and squat performance compared to males. The internal lift ratio shifted systematically from deadlift-dominance in lightweight categories (~ 42%-45%) to a substantially narrower gap between deadlift and squat contribution in heavyweight classes (~ 39% vs ~37%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Traditional linear BM benchmarks are not equally attainable across body-mass classes and lack the resolution to support lift-specific athlete assessment. The empirical percentile-based normative framework established in this study provides coaches and researchers with a transparent, data-driven tool that accurately reflects the distribution of competitive performance across body mass categories. A practical normative atlas expressed in absolute kilograms is provided as a directly applicable field tool.</p>","PeriodicalId":21788,"journal":{"name":"Sports Medicine - Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13582683/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148983636","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}