Advances in Sports Medicine: Exercise and Training for Injury Prevention

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 5602

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Depertment of Sport and Health Science, Tokai-Gakuen University, Aichi 470-0207, Japan
Interests: strength training; velocity based training; rate of force development and power; detraining and retraining; sports and aging; injury prevention; health promotion; muscle contractile properties; electromyography and mechanomyography; motion analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sports science and sports medicine provide scientific assessment of sports performance and bridge the gap between science and practice. Sports science and sports medicine aim to improve sports performance and prevent sports injuries. By measuring and analyzing the physiological and biomechanical data, it is possible to increase the efficiency of exercise and improve the performance of athletes. It is believed that there are scientific methods to recover after injury safely and effectively. This Special Issue aims to foster a multidisciplinary discussion on up-to-date scientific data in this area, and therefore, we invite authors to submit original research or specific reviews that can improve the understanding of sports science and sports medicine. The scope of the Special Issue includes basic or applied sports sciences related to keywords below, such as exercise and training for improvement of sports performance and injury prevention. We invite original research or specific reviews on sports science and sports medicine that bridges the gap between theory and practice. Given a sufficient sample size, even negative results about exercise and training for injury prevention are considered worthy of the publication in this Special Issue.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Dr. Norihiro Shima
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • exercise and training
  • strength and conditioning
  • sports injury prevention
  • rehabilitation
  • health promotion
  • sports performance

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 854 KiB  
Article
Injuries and Persistent Pain in Elite Adolescent Archery Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Study
by Nikolaos Vasilis, Athanasios Kyriakides, George Vasilopoulos, Maria Chatzitimotheou, Grigorios Gonidakis, Athanasios Kotsakis, Eleftherios Paraskevopoulos and Eleni Kapreli
Sports 2024, 12(4), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12040101 - 02 Apr 2024
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Abstract
This cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of injuries among young archers engaged in high-intensity training during the European Youth Championship. A total of 200 participants (104 males/96 females) from 34 countries were included, with a mean age of 16.9 years [...] Read more.
This cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of injuries among young archers engaged in high-intensity training during the European Youth Championship. A total of 200 participants (104 males/96 females) from 34 countries were included, with a mean age of 16.9 years and average competitive experience of 6.5 years. Structured questionnaires, administered by four physiotherapist interviewers, gathered comprehensive data. Results revealed that 43.5% of participants experienced shoulder pain during training, highlighting the vulnerability of upper limbs in archers. Additionally, 30% required medications to facilitate training, underscoring the impact of injuries on continued participation. Physiotherapy was utilized by 52.3% of participants, emphasizing the need for therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, 31.8% had to cease training due to injuries, indicating a substantial hindrance to athletic progression. The mean pain duration was 3.9 months, with an average intensity of 5.94, and 8% exhibited symptoms of central sensitization. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a noteworthy prevalence of injuries, particularly in the upper limbs, among young archers undergoing intensive training. The findings underscore the importance of targeted injury prevention strategies and comprehensive rehabilitation approaches to ensure the well-being and sustained participation of young athletes in competitive archery. Full article
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12 pages, 1024 KiB  
Article
Body Part Pain Affects Subjective and Objective Handball Performance in Japanese Male National Athletes—Results of Short-Term Practical Monitoring of Athletes’ Conditions
by Issei Ogasawara, Daichi Shindo, Kazuki Fujiwara, Haruka Suzuki, Yuki Ueno, Hiroyuki Kato, Michihiro Takada, Yusuke Adachi, Manabu Todoroki, Susumu Iwasaki, Nobukazu Okimoto and Ken Nakata
Sports 2024, 12(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12030065 - 21 Feb 2024
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Abstract
This short-term survey examined the effect of body part pain on subjective and objective handball performance in Japanese male national handball athletes. Fourteen athletes participated in this study. Assessments of pain in 10 body parts and subjective performance (concentration and satisfaction with [...] Read more.
This short-term survey examined the effect of body part pain on subjective and objective handball performance in Japanese male national handball athletes. Fourteen athletes participated in this study. Assessments of pain in 10 body parts and subjective performance (concentration and satisfaction with body movement) were performed using a visual analog scale from 0 to 10 over four consecutive training days. Monitoring of heart rate and body acceleration during training was also performed to quantify the objective performance. Path analysis and linear mixed modeling were employed to assess the relationship between body pain scores and subjective/objective handball performance. Over the four days of the study period, the body part in which most athletes reported pain was the dominant shoulder (6 of 14 athletes), followed by the dominant knee, the dominant elbow, the dominant ankle joint, and the non-dominant ankle joint (3 of 14 athletes). The path analysis revealed that pain in the dominant elbow negatively correlated with concentration (standardized path coefficient = −0.644, p = 0.00), which was associated with satisfaction with body movement (standardized path coefficient = 0.704, p = 0.00). No significant effect of body pain on objective performance (heart rate and body acceleration) was found among the athletes in this study. The results suggested that the elite athletes were practicing with pain. Even if pain does not physically affect athletes’ objective performance, pain in the upper extremities, associated with the primary handball movement of throwing, may reduce the quality of practice by lowering athletes’ subjective performance. Full article
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10 pages, 562 KiB  
Article
A Randomized Pilot Study Comparing the Impact of Strengthening-Based Running Training with Only Running on the Incidence of Running-Related Injuries among Novice Runners
by Anh Phong Nguyen, Noé Abeels, Romain Van Brussel and Benoit Pairot de Fontenay
Sports 2024, 12(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12010025 - 09 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Background: Running-related injuries (RRI) are common in novice runners. Reducing early training running volume with strengthening activities may improve RRI without impeding running performance. Objectives: 1. Gather feasibility data for a randomized, controlled trial comparing a strengthening-based program to a conventional running program; [...] Read more.
Background: Running-related injuries (RRI) are common in novice runners. Reducing early training running volume with strengthening activities may improve RRI without impeding running performance. Objectives: 1. Gather feasibility data for a randomized, controlled trial comparing a strengthening-based program to a conventional running program; 2. Assess RRI; and 3. Assess running performance. Methods: Seventy-four university students (38 females, 21 ± 2.3 years, 68.2 ± 10.8 kg, BMI: 22.6 ± 2.97), all novice runners, were randomized in two groups, i.e., a strengthening and running group (INT) and a running group (CON). The completed sessions, RRI, dropout, and maximal aerobic speed were recorded through an online application. Results: The INT group had 52.6% attrition, while the CON group had 41.7%. The INT group had 56.6% adherence, while the CON group had 45.7%. The Chi-square test showed no significant difference in RRI incidence across groups (CHI2 = 2.958, p value = 0.08). A two-way ANOVA showed no significant difference in maximal aerobic speed across groups (p = 0.822) or before and after training (p = 0.304). Conclusions: This pilot study confirmed the feasibility of this randomized, controlled trial with a needed sample size of 194. However, novice runners had greater attrition rates when starting. Based on those limited data, strengthening activities that replaced running volume did not improve RRI or maximal aerobic speed. Full article
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11 pages, 1917 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Contrast Water Therapy on Dehydration during Endurance Training Camps in Moderate-Altitude Environments
by Takayuki Inami, Shota Yamaguchi, Takuya Nishioka, Kenta Chida, Kosaku Hoshina, Osamu Ito, Takeshi Hashimoto and Mitsuyoshi Murayama
Sports 2023, 11(12), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11120232 - 22 Nov 2023
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Abstract
The effects of contrast water therapy (CWT) on dehydration at moderate altitudes during training camps remain unknown. We hypothesized that CWT reduces dehydration resulting from training at moderate altitudes and improves performance, akin to conditions at sea level. A 13-day endurance training camp [...] Read more.
The effects of contrast water therapy (CWT) on dehydration at moderate altitudes during training camps remain unknown. We hypothesized that CWT reduces dehydration resulting from training at moderate altitudes and improves performance, akin to conditions at sea level. A 13-day endurance training camp was held at a moderate altitude of 1100 m and included 22 university athletes, who were divided into two groups (CWT group, n = 12; control (CON) group, n = 10). The sample size was calculated based on an α level of 0.05, power (1 β) of 0.8, and effect size of 0.25 based on two-way ANOVA. Longitudinal changes over 13 days were compared using a two-group comparison model. Additionally, 16 athletes participated in an additional performance verification analysis. Subjective fatigue, body mass, and water content (total body water (TBW), extracellular water (ECW), and intracellular water) were measured using bioimpedance analysis every morning, and the titin N-terminal fragment in urine (UTF) was measured as an index of muscle damage. For performance verification, 10 consecutive jump performances (with the reactive strength index (RSI) as an indicator) were evaluated as neuromuscular function indices. The results indicated that the UTF did not significantly differ between the two groups. Moreover, the ECW/TBW values, indicative of dehydration, on days 4 and 5 in the CWT group were significantly lower than those in the CON group. However, there was no significant difference in RSI between the two groups. Therefore, although CWT reduces dehydration in the early stages of the training camp, it may not affect performance. Full article
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