European journal of sport science最新文献

{"title":"Baseline Symptom Collection in Elite Rugby Union Players—Limited Clinical Utility? An Investigation of Assessments Across 5879 men and Women Athletes","authors":"James Brown,&nbsp;Ross Tucker,&nbsp;Christina Mack,&nbsp;Gordon Ward Fuller,&nbsp;Lindsay Starling,&nbsp;Martin Raftery,&nbsp;Éanna Cian Falvey","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70269","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In World Rugby's Head Injury Assessment (HIA) protocol, a modified Sports Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) is completed during the pre-season (baseline) and when a player has a suspected head injury. The symptom component of the SCAT, which involves comparing current to baseline symptoms, has been shown to be the most predictive component for concussion diagnosis. Because the clinical comparison of symptom report to baseline is a key determinant of concussion diagnosis, this study aims to explore the relationship between symptoms endorsement at baseline and during HIA. Mean and standard deviation (SD) or median and interquartile ranges (IQR) are presented along with relevant bivariate analyses. Logistic regressions compared proportions of symptom endorsement profiles between men and women. At baseline, ‘Trouble sleeping’ and ‘Fatigue or low energy’ were commonly reported symptoms for men and women. At baseline, women (mean + SD) reported more symptoms than men (mean + SD) on average. During the HIA, women players were nearly 3 times (Relative risk: 2.98 95% CIs: 2.47–3.60) more likely than men to report fewer symptoms immediately after the match than at baseline (47% women vs. 16% men). While this study highlights the importance of collecting baseline assessment as a medical overview of players, it de-emphasises the relevance of baseline symptoms when using the SCAT as a clinical assessment tool in professional rugby players. This study also highlights important differences in men and women's rugby players in symptom reporting, and recommends de-coupling baseline symptom reporting from the diagnostic part of the HIA.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70269","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149206006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation Properties of Heart Rate Variability for Exercise Intensity Monitoring and Prescription During Constant-Load Cycling: A Comparison With Traditional Physiological Variables","authors":"Noemí Sempere-Ruiz,&nbsp;Agustín Manresa-Rocamora,&nbsp;Ana Sanz-Rocher,&nbsp;Sabina Baladzhaeva,&nbsp;Laura Fuertes-Kenneally,&nbsp;Manuel Moya-Ramón,&nbsp;Olaf Hoos,&nbsp;José M. Sarabia","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70271","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejsc.70271","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigated the applicability of the short-term scaling exponent alpha 1 of detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA-a1) as a marker of internal load during constant-load cycling. The aim was to explore DFA-a1 dynamics across the moderate, heavy, and severe intensity domains and assess its utility for both monitoring and prescribing exercise intensity. Sixteen untrained adults (3 women) performed an incremental cycling stage test and three constant-load sessions (moderate, heavy, and severe). Gas exchange kinetics, blood lactate concentration, and heart rate (HR) were measured. Ventilatory (VTs), lactate, and HR variability (HRV) thresholds were determined and used to define training zones. A two-factor repeated-measures ANOVA and the Friedman test assessed intensity- and method-related effects. Significant intensity × time interactions were observed for all variables (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). DFA-a1 remained stable without crossing the first HRV threshold throughout moderate exercise, while in the heavy and severe domains, it showed a drift over time, mirroring the behaviour of traditional markers. In the moderate session, DFA-a1-based prescription maintained &gt; 94% session time and 87%–100% of participants within the desired zone, outperforming HR methods based on VTs (71% time, 50%–81% participants; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). In the heavy and severe domains, corresponding values were &gt; 23% and &gt; 50%, whereas gas exchange or lactate prescriptions exceeded 44% and 65%, respectively (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). DFA-a1 appears to be a suitable tool for monitoring internal load, especially in moderate intensity exercise. It offers a non-invasive, integrative measure sensitive to both intensity and duration, providing a valuable complementary perspective on systemic regulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70271","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149198594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Remote Food Photography Method Is Valid for Assessing Dietary Intake of Serie A Football Players","authors":"Costanza Gavioli,&nbsp;Florentino Huertas Olmedo,&nbsp;Mathieu Lacome,&nbsp;Rossella Dodi,&nbsp;Mauro Mandorino,&nbsp;Julien Louis","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70250","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejsc.70250","url":null,"abstract":"<p>To ensure football players meet their nutritional demands, sport nutritionists need to accurately collect and analyse dietary intake. However, dietary assessment methods have limitations. The Remote Food Photography Method (RFPM) is a valid approach, but the validation in real-life settings requires further investigations. This study aims to evaluate validity, accuracy and agreement of analysing energy and macronutrient intake using the RFPM in <i>Serie A</i> football players. Twenty players collected food intake over six nonconsecutive post-training meals representative of three typical training days. Players independently served themselves food from the club's canteen; plates were then weighed and consequently photographed. Energy, carbohydrate (CHO), protein and fat intake were analysed. RFPM demonstrated a very large validity between weighed and estimated values for CHO (rrmcorr (repeated measure correlation) = 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82–0.92, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), protein (rrmcorr = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81–0.92, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), fat (rrmcorr = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81–0.92, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) and energy intake (rrmcorr = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78–0.90, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Good agreement was observed for CHO −0.83 [−24.41 to 22.75] g, protein 3.23 [−10.87 to 17.33] g, fat 0.85 [−6.96 to 8.66] g and energy 17.27 [−160.41 to 194.95] kcal. There was no systematic bias. Moderate accuracy and acceptable precision, consistent over different training days, were demonstrated for CHO, protein and energy intake. Intra-operator reliability, performed by repeating 30% of the estimations by the same operator, was good for CHO (CV = 4.7%), protein (CV = 3.6%) and energy (CV = 3.8%) and acceptable for fat intake (CV = 7.8%). The study confirms the RFPM is accurate and reliable for assessing energy and macronutrient intake of elite football players in a real-training environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662229/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149186726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advanced Footwear Technology in Distance Running: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Future Directions","authors":"Bas Van Hooren,&nbsp;Benedicte Vanwanseele,&nbsp;Emily Matijevich,&nbsp;Thomas Gronwald,&nbsp;Marlene Giandolini,&nbsp;Brian Hanley,&nbsp;Andrew M. Jones,&nbsp;Guillaume Rao,&nbsp;Christopher Napier,&nbsp;Hannah Rice,&nbsp;Anton Arndt,&nbsp;Karsten Hollander,&nbsp;Cedric Morio,&nbsp;Laurent Malisoux","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70266","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejsc.70266","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Over the past decade, running shoes have undergone substantial innovation with the emergence of Advanced Footwear Technology (AFT). Shoes with AFT are typically characterized by highly compliant (deformable) and resilient (high energy return) midsole foams, embedded curved stiffening elements, low mass, and a rockered longitudinal geometry. This expert statement aims to synthesize established knowledge, remaining uncertainties and key directions for future research on AFT in middle- and long-distance running. Current literature demonstrates robust improvements in running economy and performance with AFT, with reported metabolic savings of approximately 2%–4%, and corresponding performance improvements of 1%–3%. These benefits likely arise from a combination of “acute” and possibly “long-term” mechanisms. Proposed acute mechanisms include decreased muscle force production due to higher positive work from energy-returning foams, lower muscle force production to accommodate mechanical running demands due to compliant midsoles, and improved mechanical efficiency associated with greater longitudinal bending stiffness and curved geometry. Importantly, AFT features have a synergistic effect, with the relative importance of each mechanism differing depending on the context. Emerging evidence also suggests potential reductions in muscle damage/inflammation and soreness, which could support better physiological resilience, and higher training volumes/quality. From a biomechanical injury risk perspective, AFT can redistribute loading, potentially increasing metatarsal and tarsal stress while reducing tibia and possibly Achilles tendon loading. However, injury risk associated with AFT use remains equivocal, with limited high-quality data. Notably, substantial inter-individual variability has been observed, influencing both running economy and potential injury risk although the determinants of this variability remain unclear.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13657801/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149169134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms of Exercise Training in Ameliorating Cognitive Function in Patients With Depression: A Narrative Review of Molecular Targets and Clinical Prescriptions","authors":"Zhaohui Guo,&nbsp;Lingling Dong,&nbsp;Jessie J. X. Lin,&nbsp;Yanping Duan,&nbsp;Weizhi Liu,&nbsp;Wanting Jiang,&nbsp;Cong Liu,&nbsp;Shuqi Jia,&nbsp;Yagang Song,&nbsp;Feng Ding,&nbsp;Zhenwen Xie,&nbsp;Mingyue Yin,&nbsp;Kang Zhu,&nbsp;Xiaochen Ma,&nbsp;Peng Wang,&nbsp;Chen Wei,&nbsp;Felipe Barreto Schuch,&nbsp;Xing Wang","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70272","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejsc.70272","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Depression is frequently accompanied by core cognitive impairments, notably in executive function and memory. Although the ameliorative effects of exercise training have been widely corroborated, the evidence regarding its underlying mechanisms remains fragmented. To provide a comprehensive and integrated view, this review proposes a testable, cross-scale “peripheral-central-behavioral” hypothetical mechanistic model to explain the effects of exercise on cognition. The core theoretical contribution of this study lies in explicitly postulating a “molecule-structure-function” cross-level mediation hypothesis. The exercise-induced upregulation of peripheral neurotrophic factors must be mediated by a core “structural mediator”, specifically the enhanced white matter integrity of key tracts, to ultimately drive the “electrophysiological output” of optimized cerebral information processing efficiency. Furthermore, this model proposes the temporal cascade effects of neuro-psychological interactive regulation, distinguishing between early subacute HPA axis normalization and mid-to-long-term reward system activation. Crucially, recognizing the profound translational gap between biological mechanisms and clinical application, this review emphasizes that optimal exercise prescriptions cannot be dictated solely by physiological targets. Addressing the heterogeneity of depressed individuals, we propose a precision intervention framework that meticulously balances neurobiological efficacy by tailoring specific modalities and optimal dose-response thresholds to distinct depression subtypes. Ultimately, this review provides a theoretical framework for future stratified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) based on longitudinal multimodal co-measurements, paving the way for clinically viable, predictable, and highly individualized exercise prescriptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13657686/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149169796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-Exercise R-1,3-Butanediol did not Improve Markers of Fatigue or Recovery During a Multi-Stage Mountain Bike Race","authors":"Louise Engelbrecht,&nbsp;Chiel Poffé,&nbsp;Katrien Koppo,&nbsp;Elmarie Terblanche","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70260","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ejsc.70260","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Evidence suggests that exogenous ketosis (EK) induced by ketone monoester (KME) supports recovery and attenuates physiological stress during endurance exercise. However, the potential benefits of the ketone precursor R-1,3-butanediol (BDO) during real-world multi-stage cycling remain unknown. We investigated the effects of post-exercise BDO supplementation on physiological strain, dietary intake, hydration, cognitive function, sleep, and subjective recovery during the 2025 Absa Cape Epic mountain bike race. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 18 trained mountain bikers (10 teams) completed an 8-day multi-stage race. Participants received either 87.5 mL ketone IQ (BDO) or a placebo (CON) twice daily (post-stage and pre-sleep). Heart rate, energy intake, sleep metrics, cognitive performance, and subjective stress-recovery were monitored throughout the race. BDO induced mild post-stage ketosis (∼1.0 mM <i>β</i>-hydroxybutyrate) from stage 1 onwards. Across the race, both groups demonstrated lower exercise heart rate, increased resting heart rate, increased energy and carbohydrate intake, and slower reaction time by stage 6, indicating accumulating physiological strain. BDO did not alter any of these effects compared with placebo. These findings suggest that the modest ketosis achieved with BDO was not effective under real-world racing conditions, highlighting the importance of formulation-specific and ecologically valid evaluations of exogenous ketosis strategies in future studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70260","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149139773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Short Term Effects of Football Headers on Reaction Time and Symptomology in Males and Females","authors":"Yusef Mohammed,&nbsp;Rithik Rajan,&nbsp;Benjamin Tari,&nbsp;Flaminia Ronca","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70251","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Football heading is a form of repetitive head impact linked to cognitive decline. Although the English Football-Association have implemented heading restrictions, evidence guiding sex-specific protocols remains limited. This study explored the acute effects of a standardized heading drill on reaction time (RT) and concussion symptomology and whether sex moderates these outcomes.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>51 participants (25 females; mean age 22.8 ± 4.1 years), comprising recreational and university-level footballers, were non-randomly assigned to a heading group performing a 10-header drill, or a non-heading control group completing a regulated rest period. Immediately before and after the interventions, both groups completed tasks assessing simple reaction time, sustained attention, inhibition, and spatial timing anticipation and self-reported concussion symptoms via the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, sixth edition (SCAT-6).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>SCAT scores increased significantly post-intervention only in the heading group (<i>p</i> = 0.002, <i>dz</i> = 0.59), with higher post-heading scores compared to the control group (<i>p</i> = 0.009, <i>d</i> = 0.66). No significant main effect of sex (<i>p</i> = 0.08) nor any interactions involving sex were found for RT and symptomology (<i>ps</i> ≥ 0.22). No significant changes in RT for any cognitive test were observed for any condition (<i>ps</i> ≥ 0.14).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings suggest that a 10-header-drill has significant effects on symptomology, but no measurable effect on RT, and that sex did not influence either outcome. This supports the need to monitor sub-concussive symptoms post-heading. Future research should assess both immediate and longer-term effects of stronger, game-representative headers, across a wider range of cognitive domains.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70251","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149100210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acute Reactive Strength Responses and Peak Power–Performance Relationships After Flywheel Calf Raises in National-Level Track-and-Field Athletes: A Randomized Crossover Trial","authors":"Chen Chen,&nbsp;Tian Huang,&nbsp;Junlong Zhang,&nbsp;Bing Yan,&nbsp;Olivier Girard","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70264","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70264","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study examined reactive strength responses to flywheel eccentric calf raises performed under three inertial loads and the associations between peak power and post-intervention reactive strength. Thirty-seven national-level male track-and-field athletes completed three randomized crossover trials (≥ 48 h apart), each involving 3 × 8 calf raises under Light (0.0281 kg·m²), Moderate (0.0711 kg·m²), or High (0.1011 kg·m²) inertia. Reactive strength was assessed pre- and 4-min post-exercise using a 10/5 repeated-jump test measuring ground contact time (GCT), jump height (JH), and reactive strength index (RSI). Concentric and eccentric peak power (ConPP, EccPP) were recorded. JH and RSI increased after Light (<i>p</i> = 0.018 and <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and Moderate (both <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), while GCT decreased after both conditions (both <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). No statistically clear improvement was detected after High. Moderate produced greater RSI improvements than Light (<i>p</i> = 0.008) and High (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), and greater JH gains than Light (<i>p</i> = 0.020) and High (<i>p</i> = 0.016). Light produced greater RSI gains than High (<i>p</i> = 0.022), while GCT decreased more after Light and Moderate than High (both <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Power–performance associations varied across loads, with significant ConPP × Load interactions for JH (<i>p</i> = 0.002) and RSI (<i>p</i> = 0.003), and EccPP × Load interactions for JH (<i>p</i> = 0.040) and RSI (<i>p</i> = 0.025). Under High load, ConPP was associated with JH (<i>β</i> = 1.37 cm, 95% CI 0.57–2.16) and RSI (<i>β</i> = 0.086, 95% CI 0.020–0.153), while EccPP was associated with JH (<i>β</i> = 1.27 cm, 95% CI 0.42–2.12; all <i>p</i> ≤ 0.012). Overall, greater improvements were observed 4-min after light and particularly moderate inertia, whereas high-load peak power was more strongly related to post-intervention performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70264","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biomechanical Responses to Level, Uphill, and Downhill Running Segments During an Outdoor Marathon","authors":"Ransi S. S. Subasinghe Arachchige,&nbsp;Ke Hu,&nbsp;Yannis Pitsiladis,&nbsp;Carl James,&nbsp;Roy T. H. Cheung","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70261","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70261","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigated running biomechanics across varying slopes during a mass-participation road marathon. Although laboratory studies suggest specific gait modifications occur in response to varying slopes, data from outdoor competitive environments remain scarce. We monitored 39 distance runners using shoe-mounted inertial measurement units to capture spatiotemporal, footstrike, and wearable-derived loading data across level, uphill (+3%), and downhill (−3%) segments of the 2025 Hong Kong Marathon. Results demonstrated slope-dependent modifications, with uphill running characterized by slower velocity (−0.29 m/s, Cohen's <i>d</i> = −1.98), shorter stride length (−0.15 m, <i>d</i> = −1.55), and lower cadence (−5.00 steps/min, <i>d</i> = −1.21) compared with level ground (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Kinematically, participants adopted a more anterior footstrike pattern uphill (<i>d</i> = 1.48) and a more posterior footstrike pattern downhill (<i>d</i> = −0.62) relative to level running (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Analysis of wearable-derived loading metrics showed no differences across slope conditions once running velocity was included as a covariate. Running velocity emerged as the primary determinant of braking, impact, and shock accelerations, indicating that differences in self-selected running velocity may contribute substantially to loading responses across varying slopes during overground running. These findings highlight a discrepancy between controlled laboratory simulations and competitive overground running, emphasizing the role of wearable technology in capturing ecologically valid gait alterations to different terrains.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70261","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuromuscular Alterations of Knee Extensors During Padel Match Play","authors":"Antonin Jamotte,&nbsp;Marie-Florine Michel,&nbsp;Machar Reid,&nbsp;Callum Beale,&nbsp;Olivier Girard","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70263","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite padel's growing popularity, its neuromuscular fatigue profile during prolonged match play remains poorly understood. This study examined the magnitude and etiology of neuromuscular alterations in the knee extensors using voluntary and evoked contractions during extended padel play. Sixteen trained padel players (14 males, 2 females) completed a 135-min match. Neuromuscular assessments (maximal and explosive force, twitch and doublet responses) and vertical jump tests were conducted pre-match (<i>Pre</i>) and after 45, 90, and 135 min (<i>Mid-1</i>, <i>Mid-2</i> and <i>Post</i>). Heart rate and match characteristics were continuously monitored. Maximal voluntary torque declined significantly across match play (−10% at <i>Post</i> vs. <i>Pre</i>, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Electrically evoked twitch and doublet torques decreased from <i>Mid-1</i> onward (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), while voluntary activation remained unchanged. Explosive force production and vertical jump performance were preserved (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05). Heart rate responses reflected moderate-to-high match intensity, with a progressive shift toward lower intensity zones despite stable technical activity patterns. Prolonged padel match play induces early peripheral neuromuscular fatigue without impairing voluntary activation or rapid force production. Although maximal knee extensor strength declined, players maintained explosive performance and jumping ability, suggesting effective compensation strategies during extended play.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"26 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70263","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}