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Sport Physiology and Physical Performance

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A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 16660

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Dr. Ryland Morgans

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Guest Editor

Institute of Coaching and Performance, Football Performance Hub, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
Interests: training load; injury risk; conditioning; performance; performance monitoring; training load monitoring and performance analysis football; soccer; strength and conditioning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Dave Rhodes

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Guest Editor

Institute of Coaching and Performance, Football Performance Hub, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
Interests: injury risk; conditioning; performance; leadership; performance monitoring; football

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the most often mentioned research areas in recent decades in the scientific community has been sport physiology and physical performance. Indeed, research into how the body functions during physical activity, exercise and sports still sparks much curiosity, innovation and doubt. This knowledge area is applicable to biochemistry, biomechanics, physiology and biology, all of which have been confronting the growing influence of big data, computational, and automated modelling, in order to give practical significance to the data that influence sport and health. Sport Physiology and Physical Performance is intended to extend to the fields of sports science and health science, including health and well-being, sports medicine and rehabilitation, training load monitoring, performance analysis, and strength and conditioning.

Furthermore, in several elite sports, load quantification (e.g. external load by micro electromechanical devices and internal load by physiological measures, such as perceived exertion and heart rate), wellness monitoring (e.g., muscle soreness, stress, fatigue, mood and sleep quality) and physical/physiological testing (agility, sprint, balance, VO_2max, strength, body composition, etc.) have been assessed over the years. Such research and practical applications aid coaches and their staff in their attempts to avoid high injury rates and the risk of illness, improve levels of recovery, and, consequently, provide an appropriate training load. This Special Issue also intends to develop such studies in order to collect relevant information for coaches in order to provide advanced approaches to load management, exercise testing and, consequently, the prevention of injury risk and performance.

Therefore, the present special issue will accept original research and systematic reviews from all sports.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Sports.

Dr. Ryland Morgans
Dr. Dave Rhodes
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

exercise physiology
sports medicine
rehabilitation
performance analysis
fitness
injury
match
sports training
sports performance
training load
wellness
well-being
physical demands
testing

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between Perceived Psychological Stress and Exercise Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the Survey of National Physical Fitness

by Eun Sun Yoon, Wi-Young So and Seyong Jang

Life 2023, 13(10), 2059; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13102059 - 14 Oct 2023

Viewed by 4730

Abstract

Background: Perceived psychological stress and exercise are bidirectionally related, and the effects of exercise on stress relief are well documented. However, research on the influence of stress on exercise remains scarce. This study examined the association between perceived psychological stress and exercise participation among Korean adults and older adults as well as the relationship between exercise frequency and perceived stress. Methods: Data on 3440 participants (2813 adults aged 19–64 and 627 older adults aged 65 or more) were collected from the Survey of National Physical Fitness conducted by the Korea Institute of Sport Science and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2015. We compared the participants’ health-related behaviors, including exercise, regular breakfast consumption, and smoking, according to their perceived psychological stress levels. Results: Those who perceived a higher level of psychological stress reported lower levels of exercise participation, regular breakfast consumption, and smoking, with the exception of older male participants. The study also found that a higher frequency of exercise participation corresponded with a lower perceived level of psychological stress (β = −0.080, p < 0.001) and that engaging in physical activity even once a week yields a substantial reduction in stress levels. Conclusions: In a large sample of Koreans, high levels of perceived psychological stress were significantly associated with less physical activity and infrequent weekly exercise. This study found a dose–response relationship between exercise frequency and reduced stress and suggested that psychological stress should be considered crucial in promoting physical activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Physiology and Physical Performance)

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12 pages, 973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Body Composition Relationship to Performance, Cardiorespiratory Profile, and Tether Force in Youth Trained Swimmers

by Mário C. Espada, Cátia C. Ferreira, José M. Gamonales, Víctor Hernández-Beltrán, Danilo A. Massini, Anderson G. Macedo, Tiago A. F. Almeida, Eliane A. Castro and Dalton M. Pessôa Filho

Life 2023, 13(9), 1806; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13091806 - 24 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1552

Abstract

This study sought to analyze the relationship between regional body composition, swimming performance, and aerobic and force profile determined through tethered swimming in well-trained swimmers. Eleven male and five female swimmers were involved in the study and underwent the following evaluations: (1) body composition, assessed by the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry method (DXA); (2) swimming performance, determined for 200, 400, 800, and 1.500 m front-crawl swimming; (3) a tethered swimming force test to determine maximum and mean force (F_max and F_mean); and (4) an incremental tethered swimming test for the aerobic profile determination of the swimmers. Oxygen uptake (VO₂) was directly measured by an automatic and portable system (K4b² Cosmed, Italy). The fat-free mass (lean mass + bone mineral content, LM+BMC) in lower and upper limbs (UL_LM+BMC: 6.74 ± 1.57 kg and LL_LM+BMC: 20.15 ± 3.84 kg) positively correlated with all indexes of aerobic conditioning level, showing higher coefficients to the indexes representing the ability to perform at high aerobic intensities (VO_2max: 49.2 ± 5.9 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ and respiratory compensation point (RCP): 43.8 ± 6.0 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹), which attained 0.82 and 0.81 (with VO_2max), 0.81 and 0.80 (with RCP). The S₂₀₀ (1.48 ± 0.13 m·s⁻¹) was significantly correlated to Trunk_LM+BMC (r = 0.74), UL_LM+BMC (r = 0.72), Total_LM+BMC (r = 0.71), and LL_LM+BMC (r = 0.64). This study highlights that regional body composition plays an important role in swimming, and body segment analysis should be considered instead of the total body. Tethered swimming may represent a useful method for force and aerobic assessment, aiming at training control and performance enhancement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Physiology and Physical Performance)

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19 pages, 1502 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is It Necessary to Adapt Training According to the Menstrual Cycle? Influence of Contraception and Physical Fitness Variables

by Paula Recacha-Ponce, Eladio Collado-Boira, Pilar Suarez-Alcazar, Macarena Montesinos-Ruiz and Carlos Hernando-Domingo

Life 2023, 13(8), 1764; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13081764 - 17 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1671

Abstract

(1) Background: The influence of the menstrual cycle on physical fitness in athletes is controversial in the scientific literature. There is a marked fluctuation of sex hormones at three key points of the menstrual cycle, where estrogen and progesterone vary significantly. Hormonal contraception induces hormonal levels different from the natural menstrual cycle, requiring specific study in relation to physical fitness. (2) Method: Women aged 18 to 40 years with regular natural menstrual cycles and women using hormonal contraception were recruited, creating two study groups. All participants needed to be athletes classified as level II–III, based on training volume/physical activity metrics, among other variables. To assess their physical fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness (measured by

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O₂max), high-speed strength, hand grip strength, and flexibility were evaluated. Blood samples were taken to determine the menstrual cycle phase through analysis of sex hormone levels. Additionally, urine tests for ovulation detection were performed for the natural menstrual cycle group. Neurosensory stimulation tests were incorporated to measure sensory thresholds and pain thresholds in each phase. Body composition in each phase and its relationship with the other variables were also taken into account. (3) Results: Athletes in the natural cycling group showed differences in

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O₂max (mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) (phase I = 41.75 vs. phase II = 43.85 and (p = 0.004) and phase I vs. phase III = 43.25 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ (p = 0.043)), as well as in body weight (phase I = 63.23 vs. phase III = 62.48 kg; p = 0.006), first pain threshold (phase I = 1.34 vs. phase II = 1.69 (p = 0.027) and phase III = 1.59 mA (p = 0.011)), and sensitive threshold (phase I = 0.64 vs. phase II = 0.76 mA (p = 0.017)). The pain threshold was found to be an important covariate in relation to

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O₂max, explaining 31.9% of the variance in phase I (p = 0.006). These findings were not observed between the two phases of contraceptive cycling. (4) Conclusion: The natural menstrual cycle will cause significant changes in the physical fitness of athletes. The use of hormonal contraception is not innocuous. Women with natural cycles show an increase in cardiorespiratory fitness in phases II and III, which is a factor to be considered in relation to training level and workload. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Physiology and Physical Performance)

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17 pages, 1197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Environmental Disasters on Endocrine Status, Hematology Parameters, Body Composition, and Physical Performance in Young Soccer Players: A Case Study of the Aral Sea Region

by Valerii O. Erkudov, Kenjabek U. Rozumbetov, Francisco Tomás González-Fernández, Andrey P. Pugovkin, Ilal I. Nazhimov, Azat T. Matchanov and Halil İbrahim Ceylan

Life 2023, 13(7), 1503; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13071503 - 3 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1446

Abstract

The Aral Sea region (Uzbekistan) is infamous because of the ecological disaster characterized by the disappearance of the Aral Sea due to excessive uncontrolled water intake for agriculture needs. A new desert occurrence, soil and climate aridization led to pesticide and toxic metals environment pollution. The impact of environmental conditions in some areas of Uzbekistan on the health of soccer players is not as noticeable as, for example, the effectiveness of training, so it is not widely discussed in scientific papers. The aim of the present study was to study the features of endocrine status, hematology parameters (e.g., red blood cells (RBC) and hemoglobin (Hb)), and their influence on body composition and physical fitness performance in local young soccer players of the Aral Sea region as the territory of ecological disaster. The study involved 60 male soccer players aged from 18 to 22 years. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG), which consisted of 30 soccer players living on the territory of the Aral ecological disaster region, and the control group (CG), which included 30 soccer players, natives of the ecologically favorable region of Uzbekistan. All volunteers had anthropometric measurements, concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), cortisol (C), RBC, and Hb count. Moreover, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRT1) and professional skills tests such as dribbling shuttle test (DSt) and goal accuracy test (GAt) were assessed. When comparing the CG group to the EG group, it was observed that the EG group exhibited statistically significantly reduced levels of TT and E2 (p < 0.05). No significant statistical difference was observed between the two groups in terms of IGF-1 and C (p > 0.05). Regarding hematological parameters, Hb, Ht, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were found to be significantly lower in the EG compared with the CG (p < 0.05). Moreover, the distance covered in the YYIR1 test was found to be significantly lower in soccer players within the EG compared with the CG (p < 0.05). Additionally, it was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of DSt and GAt values (p > 0.05). Lastly, significant differences were observed between the EG and CG in terms of anthropometric characteristics (diameters, skinfold, and somatotype profile) (p < 0.05). The present study showed that the changes in evaluated characteristics might result from the complex influence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, the content of which is high in the environment of the Aral Sea region. The results obtained may help monitor the health of athletes living in an environmentally unfriendly environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Physiology and Physical Performance)

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15 pages, 612 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Bone Mineral Density in Field Hockey Players: A Systematic Review

by David Oteo-Gómez, Carlos Castellar-Otín, Alejandro Moreno-Azze and Francisco Pradas de la Fuente

Life 2024, 14(4), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14040455 - 29 Mar 2024

Viewed by 548

Abstract

The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review to compare and analyse the bone mineral density of field hockey players of both sexes and of different ages, with other sports and with a sedentary population. The search process was carried out using the PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science and Scopus databases. The search ended on 18 March 2024. We selected articles in which a comparison was made of bone mineral density of the whole body, lumbar spine, femoral neck, arms and legs, among field hockey players, and/or with other sports and/or with a sedentary population. The systematic review followed the guidelines described in the 2020 PRISMA statement. The initial search identified 220 articles. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the search was narrowed down to seven articles in total. It was observed that the field hockey group had better bone mineral density values than sedentary population and the low-impact sports population. Basketball players had better whole body and leg bone mineral density values than field hockey players. Causality could not be established due to the cross-sectional nature of the included studies. The better bone mineral density values in field hockey players compared to the sedentary population may be because people who participate in impact sports have a better bone mineral density. The differences in bone mineral density between field hockey and low-impact sports could be related to a lower impact during their practice in these disciplines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Physiology and Physical Performance)

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18 pages, 582 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Iron Status and Physical Performance in Athletes

by Andrea Solberg and Håkon Reikvam

Life 2023, 13(10), 2007; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13102007 - 2 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5405

Abstract

Iron is an important mineral in the body, essential for muscle function and oxygen transport. Adequate levels of iron in the blood are necessary for athletes, as iron-deficiency anemia can reduce physical performance. Several studies have investigated iron status and supplementation in iron-deficient athletes, and determined how physical strain can change iron balance and markers related to iron status. The question of how to influence and optimize iron status, as well as other markers that can affect iron metabolism, has been less thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the aim of this review is to take a closer look at the importance of iron values, iron markers, and factors that can change iron metabolism for physical performance and the extent to which physical performance can be influenced in a positive or negative way. A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed, with the use of « iron» or «iron deficiency» or «hemoglobin» AND «athletes» AND «athletic performance» as a strategy of the search. After the search, 11 articles were included in the review after the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Major findings include that iron supplementation had the best effect in athletes with the lowest iron status, and effects on physical performance were mostly achieved in those who were originally in a deficit. Iron supplementation could be beneficial for optimal erythropoietic response during altitude training, even in athletes with normal iron stores at baseline, but should be performed with caution. Alteration of the hepcidin response can affect the use of existing iron stores for erythropoiesis. Energy intake, and the amount of carbohydrates available, may have an impact on the post-exercise hepcidin response. Optimal vitamin D and B12 levels can possibly contribute to improved iron status and, hence, the avoidance of anemia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport Physiology and Physical Performance)

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