Sports Medicine

The aim of the present study was to examine an adapted integrated psycho-social model to predict sport injury rehabilitation adherence. A longitudinal prospective design was used whereby 70 patients attending private physiotherapy clinics completed a battery of questionnaires both pre- and post-rehabilitation treatment based on the adapted framework. All participants were receiving treatment for tendonitis-related injuries. Adherence was monitored prospectively over the entire rehabilitation program using an observational measure of clinic adherence, a self-report measure of home-based adherence, in addition to monitoring attendance at rehabilitation sessions. In the initial phase of rehabilitation learning goal orientation, attitudes and perceived severity were found to predict rehabilitation intention. Intentions were also found to mediate the relationship between the aforementioned variables and clinic rehabilitation. Self-efficacy and self-motivation were predictors of clinic rehabilitation and attendance but not home rehabilitation. During the maintenance phase of rehabilitation coping ability and social support were predictors regarding all three measures of adherence. Implications for practitioners rehabilitating injured athletes are discussed.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of the four-week two strength training program on the skin fold thickness and body fat percentage (BFP) characteristics according to the maximal strength and strength endurance principles. Sixteen male volunteers participated in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups as the maximal strength group (MSG, n=8, Age=24.00±3.78 year, Height=172.25±2.19 cm, Weight=75.13±6.60 kg) and the strength endurance group (SEG, n=8, Age=25.13±3.09 year, Height=173.38±2.62 cm, Weight=77.00±7.54 kg). 4 weeks training program was applied to maximal strength group according to maximal strength training principles and applied to strength endurance group according to strength endurance training principles. In both groups, body weight, body mass index (BMI), skin fold thickness (triceps, biceps, pectoral, subscapula, abdominal, suprailiac, femur anterior and posterior, calf) and body fat percentage measurements were taken one day before and after the 4 week period. Between pre-test and post-test of SEG group, significant change was showed in triceps, biceps, pectoral, subscapula, abdominal, suprailiac, femur anterior and posterior skin fold thickness measurements and VFM parameters (p < 0.05). Significant change was determined in pre-test and post-test of MSG group in triceps, pectoral, subscapula, abdominal, suprailiac, femur anterior skin fold thickness measurements and VFM parameters (p < 0.05). When the pre-post test differences of the groups were compared, no difference was found between MSG and SEG groups (p > 0.05). As a result, it can be said that 4-week maximal strength training and strength endurance training have positive effects on the skin fold thickness and body fat percentage parameters.

Prospective studies on overuse injuries and their impact on athletic training among youth team sports are scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, severity and player related risk factors of overuse injuries among young (12–20 years) basketball and floorball players. A total of 387 players participated in a 3-year prospective study. Each player completed a baseline questionnaire regarding their background information. Overuse injuries that prevented players to fully or partly participate in their regular training were collected. In all, 204 overuse injuries were registered (injury incidence 1.51 injuries/1 000 h of exposure; 95% CI 1.35–1.78). Most of the injuries involved the knee (35%) and lower back (21%), and were classified as severe (44%). Injury incidence was 1.51 (95% CI 1.2–1.82) and 1.61 (95% CI 1.32–1.91) in basketball and floorball, respectively. Incidence was significantly higher among female compared with male players (incidence rate ratio 1....

Greater insight into sports and work performance of athletes with patellar tendinopathy (PT) will help establish the severity of this common overuse injury. Primary aim of this study is to investigate the impact of PT on sports and work performance. Seventy seven active athletes with PT (50 males; age 28.1 ± 8.2 years; Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment Patella 56.4 ± 12.3) participated in this survey. Sports performance, work ability and work productivity were assessed using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center overuse injury questionnaire, the single-item Work Ability Index and the Quantity and Quality questionnaire, respectively. Reduced sports performance was reported by 55% of the participants; 16% reported reduced work ability and 36% decreased work productivity, with 23% and 58%, respectively, for physically demanding work. This study shows that the impact of PT on sports and work performance is substantial and stresses the importance of developing preventive measures.

There has been recent interest in the ergogenic effects of caffeine delivered in low doses (~ 200 mg or ~ 3 mg/kg body mass) and administered in forms other than capsules, coffee and sports drinks, including chewing gum, bars, gels, mouth rinses, energy drinks and aerosols. Caffeinated chewing gum is absorbed quicker through the buccal mucosa compared with capsule delivery and absorption in the gut, although total caffeine absorption over time is not different. Rapid absorption may be important in many sporting situations. Caffeinated chewing gum improved endurance cycling performance, and there is limited evidence that repeated sprint cycling and power production may also be improved. Mouth rinsing with caffeine may stimulate nerves with direct links to the brain, in addition to caffeine absorption in the mouth. However, caffeine mouth rinsing has not been shown to have significant effects on cognitive performance. Delivering caffeine with mouth rinsing improved short-duration, hig...

This pilot study compared the energy expenditure required to climb an indoor rock wall, in amputees utilizing five prosthetic configurations. Three experienced climbers (1M age 21 yr, 2F ages 30 and 49 yr) with unilateral transfemoral amputation climbed a 9.14 m indoor rock wall, 5.9 Yosemite Decimal Scale rating, using the following prosthetic configurations: 1. no prosthesis; 2. stubby prosthesis-foot forward; 3. stubby prosthesis-foot backward; 4. articulated prosthesis-knee unlocked; 5. articulated prosthesis-knee locked. Subjects climbed three times with each configuration resulting in 15 climbs per subject. Metabolic data was collected using the COSMED K4b(2) system. VO(2) was 15, 18 and 20% greater in the articulated unlocked condition (mean+/-SE: 20.5+/-0.8 ml.kg (-1).min (-1)), and 11, 13 and 15% greater in the articulated locked condition (19.7+/-0.9 ml.kg (-1).min (-1)), compared to the no prosthesis (17.8+/-0.7 ml.kg (-1).min (-1)), stubby backward (17.4+/-0.7 ml.kg (-1).min (-1)) and stubby forward (17.1+/-0.9 ml.kg (-1).min (-1)) conditions. Participants expended 11-20% more energy using the articulated prostheses than with the stubby and no prosthesis conditions. In persons with transfemoral amputation, use of an articulated prosthesis in indoor rock climbing may be a disadvantage in many aspects including competition, training, rehabilitation and satisfaction with the activity.

Background: Cardio respiratory fitness in childhood is an important predictor of morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Overweight and Obesity are the major health concerns that the adolescents are facing globally. Obesity is the root cause for various cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal disorders that are life threatening ailments. There are no studies that have documented the cardio respiratory fitness in adolescent girls of Hyderabad. The objective of this study is to know the Cardio respiratory endurance (VO2max) among normal, overweight and obese adolescent girls of Hyderabad. To find the changes in VO2max with increase in body fat mass. Materials & Methodology: This is a cross sectional study involving 60 girls with an age group of 14-16 years and were categorized into 3 groups (n=20) based on their BMI and WHR. All three groups were assessed for Cardio respiratory fitness using 20m shuttle run test. Results: The data was analyzed using ANOVA and (P< 0.05) in all the 3 groups. This suggests the significant difference of VO2max in all the 3 groups. Conclusion: VO2 max was higher in normal group which suggests a good cardio vascular profile. VO2 max in overweight was better than obese group and less than in control group. VO2 max was poor in obese group indicating that increase in fat mass has a negative relationship with cardio respiratory fitness and the low VO2max is associated with many cardiovascular risk factors in later life.

Perfectionism in sports has been shown to be associated with burnout in athletes. Whether perfectionism predicts longitudinal changes in athlete burnout, however, is still unclear. Using a two-wave cross-lagged panel design, the present study examined perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, and athlete burnout in 101 junior athletes (mean age 17.7 years) over 3 months of active training. When structural equation modeling was employed to test a series of competing models, the best-fitting model showed opposite patterns for perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. Whereas perfectionistic concerns predicted increases in athlete burnout over the 3 months, perfectionistic strivings predicted decreases. The present findings suggest that perfectionistic concerns are a risk factor for junior athletes contributing to the development of athlete burnout whereas perfectionistic strivings appear to be a protective factor.

Many sports are associated with a variety of peripheral nervous system (PNS) injuries specific to that sport. A systematic review of sport-specific PNS injuries has not been attempted previously, and will assist in the understanding of morbidities and mortality associated with particular sporting activities, either professional or amateur. A systematic review of the literature using PubMed (1965-2003) was performed examining all known sports and a range of possible PNS injuries attributable to that sport. Numerous sporting activities (53) were found to have associated PNS injuries. The sports most commonly reported with injuries were football, hockey, soccer, baseball and winter activities. There are a number of sporting activities with injuries unique to the individual sport. This review should be of assistance for the neurologist, neurosurgeon, orthopaedic surgeon, physiatrist, sports medicine doctor, athletic trainer and general physician in contact with athletes possessing neuro...