European journal of sport science最新文献

{"title":"Amateur Rowers to Transatlantic Trio Race Winners: A Case Study Describing the Physiological and Psychological Characteristics, Training Adaptations and Race Responses to Ultra-Endurance Rowing","authors":"Ash G. B. Willmott,&nbsp;Joseph Lillis,&nbsp;Jorge Marques Pinto,&nbsp;Matthew Jewiss,&nbsp;Gareth Turner,&nbsp;Justin Roberts","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70040","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This case study reports a team of three male (48 ± 12-year) amateur rowers' physiological and psychological characteristics, training adaptations and responses to an ultra-endurance rowing race across the Atlantic Ocean. Over 10 months, rowers completed laboratory-based testing on three occasions (8 months pre-race, 1 month pre-race and 1 month post-race), as well as self-reporting fortnightly training metrics and monthly resilience, challenge/threat appraisals and mental toughness scores. Compared to baseline, lactate threshold (LT: +28 ± 12 W) and LT turn-point (LTP: +25 ± 24 W) improved after training. However, maximum power remained unchanged (+3 ± 8 W) and peak oxygen uptake decreased (−0.30 ± 0.22 L<span></span><math></math>min⁻¹). During training, 54% of sessions were ergometer-based rowing, 31% strength and conditioning and 15% sea-based rowing. After 38-day of transatlantic rowing (∼12-h per day [3 x 4-h blocks], per rower), the team finished first in the trio category and sixth overall. Mean body mass was −12.7 ± 2.0 kg (−14 ± 2%) lower at race finish, and rowers self-reported a range of medical issues during the race (dermatological: 100% incidence, musculoskeletal: 100%, seasickness: 66.7%, mental health: 33.3%, infections: 33.3% and loss of appetite: 33.3%). One month post-race, cumulative fatigue and inadequate recovery were likely demonstrated by impaired LT (−29 ± 11 W), LTP (−16 ± 27 W) and maximum power (−19 ± 19 W); however, increased resilience, challenge/threat appraisals and mental toughness were reported. A 38-day transatlantic rowing race requires a considerable training demand for amateur rowers and induces a range of acute medical issues and prolonged cumulative fatigue.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70040","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144869732","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":"Comparison of Interlimb Coordination During Soccer Instep Kicking Between Elite and Amateur Players","authors":"Zhanyi Zhou,&nbsp;Zixiang Gao,&nbsp;Fengping Li,&nbsp;Dongxu Wang,&nbsp;Yucheng Wang,&nbsp;Gusztáv Fekete,&nbsp;Yaodong Gu","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70041","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigates how interlimb joint coordination influences foot speed during soccer instep kicking, using continuous relative phase (CRP) as a quantitative method. The sample includes 15 elite and 15 amateur players to examine potential differences in coordination patterns and their impact on performance. Specifically, we focused on the coordination between hip, knee, and ankle joints in the forefoot-back kicking motion. Results indicated that elite players exhibited significantly higher hip-knee CRP in the coronal plane during 62%–81% of movement duration (<i>p</i> = 0.015) and higher knee-ankle CRP in the vertical plane during 78%–100% (<i>p</i> = 0.013). Moreover, elite players had significantly greater hip-knee mean absolute relative phase (MARP) and deviation phase (DP) in the coronal plane (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), as well as increased knee-ankle DP (<i>p</i> = 0.04). In the horizontal plane, hip-knee MARP was also greater in the elite players compared to amateurs (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Further analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between hip-knee CRP and foot velocity in the sagittal plane (<i>R</i> = −0.66, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), whereas a significant positive correlation was observed between knee-ankle CRP and foot velocity in the horizontal plane (<i>R</i> = 0.56, <i>p</i> = 0.002). These findings suggest that elite players have superior joint coordination, which contributes to a faster foot velocity at the moment of ball impact. Understanding these coordination patterns provides valuable insights into optimizing kicking techniques. The findings of this study suggest that joint coordination may play an important role in enhancing kicking foot speed, which could inform future training approaches aimed at improving soccer performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70041","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144861817","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":"Durability of the Major Determinants of Endurance Performance Is Not Different After 15 kJ·kg−1 of Moderate or Heavy Exercise","authors":"George Evans,&nbsp;Alan Chorley,&nbsp;Jamie Highton","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Durability, or resilience to deteriorations in physiological endurance characteristics during exercise, is posited to have important implications for endurance performance. However, little is known about the effects of exercise intensity on the durability of important endurance parameters. The aim of this study was to compare changes in peak ramp power (power achieved at the end of a ramp test), <span></span><math></math>O_2max, lactate threshold, critical power, gross efficiency and W′ after work-matched moderate and heavy exercise bouts. Twelve competitive cyclists (<span></span><math></math>O_2max = 62.1 ± 4.4 mL·kg⁻¹ min⁻¹) performed exercise testing before and after completing 15 kJ·kg⁻¹ work bouts in the moderate (duration = 4837 ± 675 s) and heavy (4000 ± 537 s) exercise domain. Significant declines were seen in peak ramp power (baseline = 412.6 ± 64.5 W, moderate = 380.2 ± 59.7 W and heavy = 374.8 ± 59 W) and W’ (baseline = 7.8 ± 4 kJ, moderate = 4 ± 3.6 kJ and heavy = 3.6 ± 2.4 kJ)—all other parameters did not change. There were no significant differences in the magnitude of decline between the moderate and heavy work bouts for any variable. For the first time, we show that durability of important determinants of endurance performance is not different when 15 kJ·kg⁻¹ of moderate or heavy work is performed, suggesting that exercise domain does not influence durability for exercise lasting ∼60–90 min. Further research is needed to explore exercise of longer durations and associated physiological mechanisms for deteriorations in relevant parameters.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70039","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144853785","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":"Longitudinal Performance Changes in Transgender Women Athletes Pre and Post Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy","authors":"Joanna Harper,&nbsp;Richard C. Blagrove,&nbsp;Eugenie Hunsicker,&nbsp;Gemma L. Witcomb,&nbsp;Richard A. Ferguson,&nbsp;Emma O'Donnell","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The aim of this study was to evaluate athletic performance and training in transgender women (TW) athletes competing in running and swimming both pre and post gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT). Using survey methods, 9 TW runners and 1 TW swimmer provided independently verified retrospective data for race times, training volume, height, body mass, and testosterone, oestrogen and haemoglobin concentrations and pre-GAHT and post-GAHT. Prospective data were collected for a further 12 months. Changes in performance and age-grade scores (AGs) for runners and FINA scores for the swimmer were calculated. For runners, pre-GAHT and post-GAHT differences in AGs were adjusted based on training differences over time. Post-GAHT, testosterone concentrations in TW (1.10 ± 0.52 nmol·L⁻¹) were female typical. Average race time for the runners increased by 14.6 ± 5.6% after 31 ± 23 months (range 5–86 months) of GAHT. Changes in training were positively associated with changes in AGs (<i>p</i> = 0.008). Pre-GAHT and post-GAHT average AGs of the runners did not differ with or without adjustment (<i>p</i> = 0.304) for training differences. Average race times for the swimmer increased by 5.2 ± 2.3% and FINA score increased by 65 points after 34 months of GAHT. In our sample of TW athletes taking GAHT, longer distance events were associated with larger decrements in performance compared with shorter distance events, with exercise training helping attenuate these decrements. Event demands and exercise training may be important considerations in understanding the effects of GAHT on athletic performance in TW athletes.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70036","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144833078","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 Effects of Familiarisation on Countermovement Jumps with Handheld Dumbbell Accentuated Eccentric Loading in Youth Athletes","authors":"Thomas E. Bright,&nbsp;Jason Lake,&nbsp;Matthew J. Handford,&nbsp;Nicola Theis,&nbsp;Peter Mundy,&nbsp;Jonathan D. Hughes","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70033","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study was used to investigate the effects of familiarisation on a countermovement jump (CMJ) performed with handheld dumbbell accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) at 20% of body mass (CMJ_AEL20). Twenty-seven adolescent males performed CMJ_AEL20 on three separate occasions. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) detected significant differences in normalised force-time data between session one and two (50%–95% of movement time), two and three (47%–48%) and one and three (66%–96%), but not in velocity- or displacement-time data. Propulsion mean vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) had excellent reliability (CV% upper CI₉₅ = 5.12–9.33; ICC lower CI₉₅ = 0.99), whereas jump height exhibited good relative reliability (ICC lower CI₉₅ ≥ 0.94) but moderate to poor absolute reliability (CV% upper CI₉₅ = 6.72–15.36). Unweighting time and braking time showed moderate to poor reliability (CV% upper CI₉₅ = 14.22–37.06; ICC lower CI₉₅ = 0.46–0.89). Mean bias between sessions was ≤ 10% for all variables according to repeated measures Bland-Altman analysis; however, fixed bias was observed in braking mean vGRF and propulsion mean velocity. Jump height, braking mean vGRF, propulsion mean vGRF and propulsion mean velocity exhibited good to acceptable limits of agreement (LOA; ≤ 20%), whereas all other variables were classified as ‘poor’ (&gt; 20%). Proportional bias was identified in unweighting vGRF%, braking mean vGRF and braking mean velocity. These findings suggest that although more than three familiarisation sessions may be required for unweighting and braking CMJ_AEL20 variables, reliable propulsion data, including jump height, were observed from session one.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70033","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832863","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":"Evaluation of the Neurocognitive Affective Model for the Prediction of Habitual 24-Hour Physical Behavior","authors":"Selina Schneider,&nbsp;Ulrich W. Ebner-Priemer,&nbsp;Marco Giurgiu","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Physical activity (PA) is recognized for its health benefits, including reduced risks of noncommunicable diseases. Despite recommendations for PA, global inactivity rates remain high. The neurocognitive-affective model proposes that executive functions and affective responses to PA may influence habitual PA behavior. This cross-sectional study aimed to test the model's pathways, hypothesizing that (A) executive functions are associated with PA-induced affective responses, (B) affective responses are associated with habitual PA, and (C) the association between executive functions and PA. This study included 222 healthy university employees with predominantly sedentary occupations. Participants completed cognitive tasks (i.e., task switching, Stroop test, and numerical updating task) under laboratory conditions and an incremental treadmill test to assess PA-induced affective responses. PA was tracked for at least 15 days using a multisensor system (thigh-worn Move 4 and wrist-worn Fitbit Inspire 2). Results showed that cognitive flexibility, as measured by task-switching costs; working memory, as measured by percentage score of correct answers; and inhibitory control, as measured by difference of reaction time in congruent and incongruent trials, were not significantly associated with postexercise affect. Affective responses before and during exercise were positively associated with habitual moderate-to-vigorous PA and light PA, whereas task-switching performance was inversely related to habitual MVPA. Exploratory analyses revealed significant correlations between affective responses during exercise and sleep duration, as well as between task-switching performance and sleep duration. This study provides partial support for the neurocognitive-affective model of PA. Future research should explore these pathways at different temporal resolutions and consider within-person analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832641","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":"Associations Between Bone Age, Body Composition and Physical Performance in Icelandic 12-Year-Old Female Soccer Players","authors":"Runa Stefansdottir,&nbsp;Hilde Gundersen,&nbsp;Sigurdur Benediktsson,&nbsp;Mona Vestbøstad,&nbsp;Erlingur Johannsson,&nbsp;Vaka Rognvaldsdottir","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Biological maturation significantly influences physical development and performance, with notable differences between sexes. Research using objective measures, such as bone age (BA) assessed with X-ray to evaluate maturity and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition, remains scarce, particularly in females. This study investigated the associations between BA, body composition and physical performance in 12-year-old female soccer players. In total, 89 players (M_age 11.89 ± 0.33 years) from ten local soccer clubs across the greater Reykjavík area participated. BA, measured with X-ray, indicated biological maturity, whereas DXA assessed body composition. Physical performance was measured with a 40-m linear sprint, the countermovement jump (CMJ) and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (IR1-test). Results showed that BA had a small negative correlation with 40-m sprint time (<i>r</i> = −0.253, <i>p</i> = 0.017) but not with other performance tests. Total fat mass and fat percentage positively correlated with 40-m sprint time (<i>r</i> = 0.351 and <i>r</i> = 0.566) and negatively with CMJ height (<i>r</i> = −0.534 and <i>r</i> = −0.632) and peak power (<i>r</i> = −0.490 and <i>r</i> = −0.636; all <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Fat-free mass and fat-free mass index were negatively correlated with 40-m sprint time (<i>r</i> = −0.299 and <i>r</i> = −0.301; both <i>p</i> = 0.004) but not with other tests. No body composition measures correlated with the IR1-test. These findings emphasise the importance of understanding female-specific maturation patterns and their impact on physical performance, highlighting the need for targeted research and tailored training programmes for youth female athletes.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70029","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832640","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":"Real-Time Monitoring of Biometric Responses During a 200-km Ultra-Endurance Race Across the Desert","authors":"Chris J. Esh,&nbsp;Yannis Pitsiladis,&nbsp;Sebastien Racinais,&nbsp;Lee Taylor,&nbsp;Valentin Dablainville,&nbsp;Toaufik Belfekih,&nbsp;Fawzi Bendimerad,&nbsp;Asimina Pitsiladis,&nbsp;Panagiotis Verdoukas,&nbsp;Mark Willems,&nbsp;Nelda Nader,&nbsp;Feriel Dalansi,&nbsp;Paul Grandjean,&nbsp;Maha Al-Mulla,&nbsp;Nada Aldous,&nbsp;Joseph Dossou,&nbsp;Youmna Elsayed Hassanein,&nbsp;Nada Khater,&nbsp;Herald Miranda,&nbsp;Marco Cardinale","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70026","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ultra-endurance sports challenge athlete health, with these risks exacerbated by environmental extremes and/or remoteness of competition. Therefore, this study aimed to use real-time monitoring technology to characterise and monitor physiological/biomechanical responses during SAMLA 2023, a 200-km multidiscipline (swim, run, bike, and kayak) ultra-endurance race, encompassing cool and warm desert environmental conditions (16°C–28°C). Within a cross-sectional observational study design, 18 males (total entrants: 318) were instrumented with wearable/ingestible sensors measuring physiological [heart rate and core (Tc)/skin (Tsk) temperature], biomechanical [gait] and location-based [Global Positioning System (GPS)] metrics. Sensors connected to a smartphone application via Bluetooth, which saved and transmitted data to a cloud-based dashboard in real-time. Participants were on-course for an accumulated ∼668 h. ∼662 h of GPS data were displayed in real-time with the longest individual data capture of ∼57 h. Physiological/biomechanical data were acquired for x̄: ∼42% (range: ∼38%–∼49%) of the participant on-course time. Hypo/hyperthermic Tc's were seen (x̄: 37.8°C range: 35.7°C–39.2°C). Tsk (28°C: 11.7°C–38.4°C) in response to the varied in-race environmental challenges (16°C–28°C ambient temperature) and heart rate (111 b·min⁻¹: 37 b·min⁻¹–179 b·min⁻¹) varied markedly. One participant was hospitalised without presentation in physiological data. Biomechanical data had significant data loss and quality issues and are not presented. Developments in real-time monitoring technology, acknowledging limitations observed here (physiological/biomechanical data acquisition), may allow combined in-race GPS and physiological data (e.g., Tc/Tsk) to be used during ultra-endurance sport to prospectively protect athlete health. GPS/physiological data alone may not identify medical emergencies, and medical teams must remain alert to medical events.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70026","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144811002","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":"Impact Biomechanics Reveal Positional and Session Type Differences in Canadian Collegiate Football","authors":"Sebastian D'Amario,&nbsp;Kaden T. Shearer,&nbsp;Nicole S. Coverdale,&nbsp;Allen A. Champagne,&nbsp;Kristen L. Lacelle,&nbsp;Cameron C. Hambly,&nbsp;Shobhan Vachhrajani,&nbsp;Julianne D. Schmidt,&nbsp;Robert C. Lynall,&nbsp;Douglas J. Cook","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Frequent head impacts are common in Canadian football, yet the biomechanical determinants underlying repeated subconcussive exposure and their potential implications remain poorly characterized. To address this, we investigated the biomechanical impact characteristics of college-level Canadian varsity football players, aiming to elucidate the underlying factors that drive subconcussive impacts. Sixty-four athletes were outfitted with head impact sensors during games, practices, and training camps. We examined impact frequency, peak linear and rotational acceleration, impact duration, area under the acceleration-time curve (AUAC), impulse, and head jerk, grouping participants as small skill (SS), big skill (BS), or linemen (LN). Significant differences emerged based on both player position and session type. Linemen experienced the highest AUAC and impulse values, whereas SS and BS positions were associated with less frequent but higher-magnitude impacts. Session type further influenced exposure, with games producing greater peak accelerations and longer impact durations than practices or training camps. These results demonstrate that analyzing linear acceleration time series reveals more nuanced insights into the complex dynamics of subconcussive impacts than peak magnitudes alone. Such analyses establish a critical foundation for linking biomechanical parameters to injury risk and neurophysiological biomarkers, ultimately informing data-driven strategies to enhance athlete safety in contact sports.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70010","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144773777","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":"Decoding the Tackle: Using a Machine Learning Approach to Understand Direct Head Contact Events in Elite Women's Rugby","authors":"Kathryn Dane,&nbsp;Ellen Rushe,&nbsp;Will Connors,&nbsp;Stephen W. West,&nbsp;Sharief Hendricks,&nbsp;Thomas Laurent,&nbsp;Ciaran Simms,&nbsp;Fiona Wilson,&nbsp;Anthony Ventresque","doi":"10.1002/ejsc.70018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.70018","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Concerns about the cumulative effects of head acceleration events in rugby are growing, but how tackle events lead to direct head contact in women's rugby remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study aimed to develop and evaluate a machine learning model to identify characteristics associated with direct head contact and incorrect tackler head placement in elite women's rugby. Match situational and precontact technical characteristics (<i>n</i> = 31) from 1500 randomly selected tackle events were coded visually and retrospectively analyzed from the 2022–23 Women's Six Nations Championship. A machine learning model was developed and evaluated using a grid search with 5-fold cross-validations and F₁ scores (i.e., a measure of predictive performance). The top modifiable characteristics associated with the target outcomes across 100 test sets were identified by mutual importance and decision tree modeling. The top modifiable characteristics linked to direct head contact to the tackler were incorrect head placement, coming to balance, and foot placement. Tackle direction, point of contact on the tackler, and multiplayer tackles were key characteristics for incorrect tackler head placement. Tackler drop height, front/oblique tackle direction, and multiplayer tackles were strongly associated with direct head contact to the ball-carrier. Incorrect tackler head placement, the direction of tackle, tackler drop height, and multiplayer tackles are key characteristics in direct head contact events in elite women's rugby. Addressing these characteristics should be prioritized in contact training practices, education resources, and law enforcement to enhance player safety and direct head contact events in the women's game.</p>","PeriodicalId":93999,"journal":{"name":"European journal of sport science","volume":"25 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsc.70018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144767593","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}