SportsPub Date : 2024-07-11DOI: 10.3390/sports12070190
Sagrario Pérez-de la Cruz
{"title":"Influence and Relationship of Pain on Lumbar Biomechanics in a Young Adult Population with Non-Specific Low Back Pain","authors":"Sagrario Pérez-de la Cruz","doi":"10.3390/sports12070190","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070190","url":null,"abstract":"The therapeutic actions indicated for low back pain, in addition to physiotherapy, include mobilization of the affected segment, as it is assumed that a loss of mobility may contribute to a patient’s pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of back pain on the degrees of spinal mobility in young adults. Eighty-six volunteers participated in the study. Fingertip-to-floor distance, Schöber’s test, the fingertip-to-floor lateral flexion test, GHQ-12, the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire and the STarT Back Screening Tool were used. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups (pain and no pain) in degrees of spinal flexion (Schöber’s test and side flexion) showing greater mobility in the group with pain. However, the group with low back pain showed less rotational mobility. The presence or absence of back pain had an impact on the individual’s sporting practice and perception of pain, and they were able to carry out their sporting activities normally. Young adults with idiopathic low back pain showed some statistically significant differences in relation to the mobility of the spine in the different planes of movement (flexion and side flexion), conditioning their quality of life and sports practice.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141588072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-07-10DOI: 10.3390/sports12070188
Julio Martín-Ruiz, Jorge Alarcón-Jiménez, Nieves de Bernardo, Ignacio Tamarit-Grancha, Xavier Iglesias, Laura Ruiz-Sanchis
{"title":"Muscle Changes during Direct Attack under Different Conditions in Elite Wheelchair Fencing","authors":"Julio Martín-Ruiz, Jorge Alarcón-Jiménez, Nieves de Bernardo, Ignacio Tamarit-Grancha, Xavier Iglesias, Laura Ruiz-Sanchis","doi":"10.3390/sports12070188","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070188","url":null,"abstract":"Wheelchair fencing is a medium-distance combat sport in which the wheelchair is fixed to the floor. This requires a maximum concentration and gestational speed. Refined techniques and fatigue tolerance are essential to achieve competitive results. Aim: The main objective of this study was to measure the speed and muscular participation of a direct attack gesture with and without fatigue in a sample of elite wheelchair fencers. Methods: The maximal isometric force, gestural speed, and resistance to gestural velocity were estimated in 10 elite performed direct fencers. Results: The results revealed that sitting height and wingspan were important factors in achieving the highest speed, especially in women (r = 0.9; p = 0.07). Other factors, such as the elbow angle where the closed position was better, affected muscle contraction in both categories of athletes (p = 0.01). The onset of fatigue was earlier in category B than in category A, with greater variation in direct attack movement. The results highlight the importance of analyzing direct attacks for the best application of quick force, speed, and muscle participation, as well as identifying the onset of technical deterioration to devise a competitive strategy. These parameters may allow for precise design of conditioning sessions for elite wheelchair shooters.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141574240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-07-09DOI: 10.3390/sports12070187
Do-Youn Lee
{"title":"Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hand-Grip-Determined Dynapenia in the Korean Population: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Do-Youn Lee","doi":"10.3390/sports12070187","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070187","url":null,"abstract":"Dynapenia refers to muscle weakness related to aging and is defined as a loss of muscle strength associated with muscle quality. The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of dynapenia and associated risk factors by gender and age in domestic adults and to provide customized basic data for the prevention of dynapenia through its management. Based on the data from 2014 to 2019 of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey, 20,950 adults over the age of 20 who participated in grip strength tests and health surveys were selected as participants. Factors related to dynapenia were analyzed using complex sample multilogistic regression analysis. The prevalence of dynapenia in domestic adults was 6.3%, 4.1% in men, and 8.7% in women. Prevalence in the second decade was 5.3%, in the third decade was 3.2%, in the fourth decade was 3.3%, in the fifth decade was 4.8%, in the sixth decade was 8.9%, and was 24.6% for participants in their seventh decade or beyond. Among the factors related to dynapenia, age, BMI, and alcohol status were common in both men and women; education level, HDL-C, and resistance exercise were common in men; and high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and aerobic exercise were common in women. Our findings indicate that several factors are associated with dynapenia, which should be considered as potential targets for interventions focused on both individual and public health measures.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141574241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-07-08DOI: 10.3390/sports12070186
David M. Goldman, Cassandra B. Warbeck, Micaela C. Karlsen
{"title":"Protein and Leucine Requirements for Maximal Muscular Development and Athletic Performance Are Achieved with Completely Plant-Based Diets Modeled to Meet Energy Needs in Adult Male Rugby Players","authors":"David M. Goldman, Cassandra B. Warbeck, Micaela C. Karlsen","doi":"10.3390/sports12070186","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070186","url":null,"abstract":"Rugby athletes consume large amounts of animal protein in accordance with conventional dietary guidance to increase muscle mass and strength. This misaligns with national dietary guidelines, which suggest limiting meat consumption for chronic disease prevention. The ability of completely plant-based diets to satisfy the nutritional needs of rugby players has not been explored. This study scaled nutrient data from a large population consuming completely plant-based diets with limited supplemental protein to meet the calorie requirements of adult male rugby athletes to assess whether protein and leucine recommendations for muscular development and athletic performance would be achieved. Calorie requirements were estimated from research that employed the doubly labeled water method, and dietary data from the Adventist Health Study-2 were scaled to this level. The modeled protein level was 1.68 g/kg/day, which meets recommendations for maximal gains in muscle mass, strength, and athletic performance. The modeled leucine level was 2.9 g/meal for four daily meals, which exceeds the threshold proposed to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis in young men. These results indicate that consuming large portions of completely plant-based meals can satisfy protein and leucine requirements for maximal muscular development and athletic performance in adult male rugby athletes while aligning with public health recommendations.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"125 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141578059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Influence of Anthropometric Variables on the Performance of Elite Traditional Rowers","authors":"Arkaitz Castañeda-Babarro, Patxi León-Guereño, Aitor Viribay, Borja Gutiérrez-Santamaría, Iker López, Juan Mielgo-Ayuso","doi":"10.3390/sports12070185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070185","url":null,"abstract":"Athletes’ anthropometry, and especially their body composition, plays an important role in sport performance in general and in Trainera rowing in particular. Rowers’ anthropometric and performance profiles may vary according to their position in the boat. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between anthropometry, physical performance, physiological variables, and elite male rowers’ boat positions. Twenty elite male traditional rowers were assessed and categorized according to their boat position: either in the middle of the boat (M) (n = 9) or in the bow and stern positions (BS) (n = 11). Anthropometric measurements and body composition were obtained for each rower, and physical performance was measured by a 45-s supramaximal rowing test and a VO2max incremental test on a Concept II rowing ergometer. The results showed that the rowers in the middle were taller (186.6 ± 4.9 cm), and significant differences were also found between the two groups according to body mass (BS 72.3 ± 3.8 vs. M 85.4 ± 4.3) and peak power (BS 641.5 ± 84 vs. M 737 ± 47.1), mean power (BS 538.5 ± 48.4 vs. M 604.1 ± 42.3), and physiological parameters (p < 0.05), VO2max (BS 66.5 ± 4.9 vs. M 59.3 ± 6.7). It can be concluded that height could be associated with elite rowers’ performance and that a lower body mass index is related to better performance in bow and stern positions.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141550366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-07-01DOI: 10.3390/sports12070183
Alexis Arce-Álvarez, Ángelo Zaio, Camila Salazar-Ardiles, Cristian Álvarez, Pablo Merino-Muñoz, Manuel Vasquez-Muñoz, Mikel Izquierdo, Mauricio Castro, David C. Andrade
{"title":"Detraining’s Effects on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Maximal and Explosive Strength in Army Soldiers: Does Age Matter?","authors":"Alexis Arce-Álvarez, Ángelo Zaio, Camila Salazar-Ardiles, Cristian Álvarez, Pablo Merino-Muñoz, Manuel Vasquez-Muñoz, Mikel Izquierdo, Mauricio Castro, David C. Andrade","doi":"10.3390/sports12070183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070183","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study investigated the impact of four weeks of age-dependent detraining on army soldiers’ cardiorespiratory fitness and maximal and explosive strength. Methods: Fourteen volunteer tactical athletes participated, divided into two age groups (20 to 29 and 30 to 40 years). Before and after the detraining period, we assessed their anthropometric measurements (weight, height, body mass index, fat mass, and fat-free mass), cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max] and ventilatory thresholds [VT1 and VT2]), and kinematic properties during a single-leg counter-moving jump (CMJ) test for both the dominant and non-dominant legs. Two-way ANOVA followed by the Holm–Sidak post hoc test was used. Results: The anthropometric and cardiovascular variables did not show significant differences between the groups. However, both groups exhibited a significantly reduced maximum time and speed at the VO2max. Furthermore, the flight time and maximum height during the CMJ significantly decreased in the non-dominant leg for both age groups. Notably, the dominant leg’s concentric impulse (CI) significantly reduced during the CMJ, but this effect was observed only in the 30–40 age group. There were significant differences between the two age groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that four weeks of detraining negatively impacts aerobic fitness and muscular strength, independently of age. However, the dominant leg may be more susceptible to detraining effects in army soldiers aged 30–40. Furthermore, as a perspective, our results strongly suggest that a detraining period could affect successful missions (aerobic performance deterioration), as well as promote a muscle imbalance between the legs, which could encourage muscle injuries and endanger combat missions.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-07-01DOI: 10.3390/sports12070184
Paula Sanchis, Aida Ezequiel-Rodriguez, Antonio Jesús Sánchez-Oliver, Walter Suarez-Carmona, Sergio Lopez-Martín, Francisco José García-Muriana, José Antonio González-Jurado
{"title":"Changes in the Expression of Inflammatory Genes Induced by Chronic Exercise in the Adipose Tissue: Differences by Sex","authors":"Paula Sanchis, Aida Ezequiel-Rodriguez, Antonio Jesús Sánchez-Oliver, Walter Suarez-Carmona, Sergio Lopez-Martín, Francisco José García-Muriana, José Antonio González-Jurado","doi":"10.3390/sports12070184","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070184","url":null,"abstract":"The impact of obesity on adipose tissue function is well acknowledged, but the role of physical exercise in regulating inflammatory markers and gene expression in obese individuals remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the effects of chronic exercise on inflammatory gene expression in adipose tissue and to explore sex differences in response to exercise. The study involved 29 obese participants (13 men, 16 women) aged 38 to 54 years with a mean BMI of 36.05 ± 4.99 kg/m2. Participants underwent an 8-week concurrent training program comprising three weekly sessions of ~60 min each. The sessions included joint mobility exercises, cardiovascular activation, and cardiorespiratory resistance exercises at medium to low intensity. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was performed for gene expression analysis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The study demonstrated that chronic exercise modulates the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, particularly ADIPOR2 (p = 0.028), leptin (p = 0.041), and IFNg (p = 0.040) (downregulated). Interestingly, regardless of sex, the exercise programs had an independent effect on pro-inflammatory genes. Overall, this study provides insight into the role of chronic exercise in modulating adipose tissue gene expression in obese individuals. Further research involving both sexes is recommended to tailor exercise interventions for better outcomes.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"98 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-06-27DOI: 10.3390/sports12070181
Andreia P. Teques, Rita F. de Oliveira, Michala Bednarikova, Maurizio Bertollo, Grzegorz Botwina, Anastasiya Khomutova, Hamit Emir Turam, İlknur Dinç, Marcos López-Flores, Pedro Teques
{"title":"Social and Emotional Skills in at-Risk Adolescents through Participation in Sports","authors":"Andreia P. Teques, Rita F. de Oliveira, Michala Bednarikova, Maurizio Bertollo, Grzegorz Botwina, Anastasiya Khomutova, Hamit Emir Turam, İlknur Dinç, Marcos López-Flores, Pedro Teques","doi":"10.3390/sports12070181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070181","url":null,"abstract":"(1) Background: Adolescents who are under the care of child and youth institutions are vulnerable due to factors that can include disruption to family structure or education and adverse experiences. They often experience poor or unstable support systems, leaving them at risk of delinquency. In this context, sports engagement may provide a stable structure and have positive effects in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding social and emotional skills among at-risk adolescents, with a specific focus on their engagement in sports. (2) Methods: Ninety-six adolescents aged 12 to 17 years (66 female, 30 male), residing in child and youth care institutions across Italy, Portugal, the UK, and Turkey, participated in this study. The participants were divided into 14 focus groups, each with six to eight participants of similar ages. (3) Results: Thematic analysis revealed four main themes: Emotional causes of behavioral problems; Emotional skills to regain control; Social support makes sports worthwhile; Sport as a socio-emotional resource. (4) Conclusions: The study findings highlight that although sports create many challenging emotional situations for these adolescents, they also provides resources that may help them cope with their emotions within and beyond sports.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"172 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-06-27DOI: 10.3390/sports12070182
Gaston Descamps, Maria João Campos, Terry Rizzo, Viktorija Pečnikar Oblak, Alain Guy Massart
{"title":"Benefits of Judo Practice for Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Literature Review","authors":"Gaston Descamps, Maria João Campos, Terry Rizzo, Viktorija Pečnikar Oblak, Alain Guy Massart","doi":"10.3390/sports12070182","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070182","url":null,"abstract":"This systematic literature review evaluates the benefits of judo practice designed for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Intellectual Developmental Disorders (IDDs), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This review adheres to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, focusing on the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of judo. A comprehensive search across databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, B-On, and Scopus, was conducted, and relevant studies were selected based on explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sixteen intervention studies were included, which contributed to a detailed understanding of the impact of judo. The results indicated significant benefits in terms of physical activity, social interactions, emotional well-being, and cognitive functions among participants. A synthesis of results is presented, showing the overall positive effect of judo practice. This review highlights the potential of judo as supportive therapy for individuals with NDDs, advocating its inclusion in therapeutic and educational settings. Limitations due to study heterogeneity and the need for more randomized controlled trials are also discussed.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141509133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
SportsPub Date : 2024-06-26DOI: 10.3390/sports12070175
Oscar Andrades-Ramírez, David Ulloa-Díaz, Bryan Alfaro Castillo, Patricio Arroyo-Jofré, Antonio Castillo-Paredes, Luis Chirosa-Ríos
{"title":"Test–Retest Reliability of an Isometric and Isometric/Vibratory Muscular Strength Protocol with Functional Electro-Mechanical Dynamometry","authors":"Oscar Andrades-Ramírez, David Ulloa-Díaz, Bryan Alfaro Castillo, Patricio Arroyo-Jofré, Antonio Castillo-Paredes, Luis Chirosa-Ríos","doi":"10.3390/sports12070175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070175","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of the study was to analyze the test–retest reliability of an isometric and isometric/vibratory muscular strength protocol in the bilateral seated bench press (BSBP), bilateral seated rowing (BSR), unilateral seated right knee extension (USKER), and left knee extension (USKEL) tests controlled using functional electromechanical dynamometry (FEMD) in healthy young adults. A repeated measures design was used to determine the reliability of a muscular strength protocol in isometric and isometric vibration modes with FEMD. No significant differences were found in test–retest analysis (p > 0.05; ES < 0.20); and high reliability (CV = 4.65–5.02%; ICC = 0.99–0.98) was found for BSBP measures, and acceptable reliability (CV = 3.71–9.61%; ICC = 0.98–0.95) was found for BSR, USKER, and USKEL. Furthermore, the coefficients between the two measures were strong (r = 0.963–0.839) and highly significant (p = 0.001) for maximal strength in the isometric and maximal isometric/vibratory assessment of muscle strength in all muscle strength tests. This study demonstrates that isometric and maximal isometric/vibratory strength in the BSBP, BSR, USKER, and USKEL tests can be measured with high reliability and reproducibility using the FEMD.","PeriodicalId":53303,"journal":{"name":"Sports","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141529859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}