Quadriceps Muscle Geometry and Strength Throughout Maturation in National-Level Male Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: Adolescent soccer players experience distinct physiological changes due to chronological and biological maturation, impacting their soccer performance. Here, we explored age-related variations and associations between quadriceps geometry and strength in male national-level adolescent soccer players.

Patients And Methods: We used ultrasonography to examine the regional architecture and morphology of the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, and we assessed knee extension strength by isometric and isokinetic dynamometry.

Intensity or volume: the role of physical activity in longevity.

Aims: To investigate how physical activity (PA) volume, intensity, duration, and fragmentation are associated with the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. To produce centile curves for PA volume and intensity representative of US adults.

Methods: This study is based on the observational 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Muscle Activity and Kinematics During Three Hamstring Strengthening Exercises Compared to Sprinting: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: During sprinting, the biceps femoris long head predominantly gets injured, while hamstring strengthening exercises predominantly activate the semitendinosus more effectively. Understanding how joint dominance influences hamstring activity may offer clarity on appropriate exercise selection in strengthening programs.

Purpose: This study compared three hip-dominant hamstring exercises: the rocker, perpetuum mobile fast and slow (PMfast and PMslow) and the Nordic Hamstring exercise (NHE) on their potential to simulate sprint-like activity and kinematics.

Foam rolling and stretching do not provide superior acute flexibility and stiffness improvements compared to any other warm-up intervention: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Acute improvement in range of motion (ROM) is a widely reported effect of stretching and foam rolling, which is commonly explained by changes in pain threshold and/or musculotendinous stiffness. Interestingly, these effects were also reported in response to various other active and passive interventions that induce responses such as enhanced muscle temperature. Therefore, we hypothesized that acute ROM enhancements could be induced by a wide variety of interventions other than stretching or foam rolling that promote an increase in muscle temperature.

Agility training to integratively promote neuromuscular, cardiorespiratory and cognitive function in healthy older adults: a one-year randomized-controlled trial.

Background: Exercise training recommendations for seniors include the targeted training of strength, balance, endurance and flexibility domains. Agility training (AT) is conceptualized as a multi-component and time-efficient training framework for older adults to improve physical, functional and cognitive health domains that are relevant for maintaining activities of daily living. The aim of this one-year trial was to comparatively evaluate the effects of agility training on physical and cognitive function.

Cardiorespiratory fitness and development of childhood cardiovascular risk: The EXAMIN YOUTH follow-up study.

Obesity- and hypertension-related cardiovascular (CV) risk has been shown to originate in childhood. Higher body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) have been associated with increased large artery stiffness and a lower microvascular arteriolar-to-venular diameter ratio (AVR) in children. This study aimed to investigate the association of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with development of BMI, BP and vascular health during childhood.

Balance Training Under Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Fatigue on Adaptations to Balance Training.

Keller, M, Lichtenstein, E, Roth, R, and Faude, O. Balance training under fatigue: a randomized controlled trial on the effect of fatigue on adaptations to balance training. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): 297-305, 2024-Balance training is an effective means for injury prevention in sports.

Secular change in selected motor performance parameters and BMI in Swiss primary school children from 2014-2021: The Sportcheck+ study.

It is important to monitor secular trends in children's motor performance, as healthy and physically active children are more likely to become healthy and physically active adults. However, studies with regular and standardized monitoring of motor performance in childhood are scarce. Additionally, the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on secular trends is unknown.

Norm Values of Muscular Strength Across the Life Span in a Healthy Swiss Population: The COmPLETE Study.

Background: Grip strength is used to estimate whole-body strength for health surveillance purposes. Explosive strength is considered important, yet economic measures able to detect early deterioration of neuromuscular capabilities are lacking. Whether handgrip maximum rate of force development (GRFD) or whole-body strength tests are better predictors of lower body power than handgrip maximum strength (GF) and their trajectories throughout the life span are unknown.

Physical Performance, Cardiovascular Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Older Adults Compared to Oldest-Old Residential Seniors.

Background: This study analyzed physical, cardiovascular, and psychosocial health in different age groups at the far end of the lifespan.

Methods: Sixty-two residential seniors participated in this cross-sectional study and were assigned according to age to either the older adults ( = 27; age: 74.8 (3.

M. Biceps Femoris Long Head Architecture and Sprint Ability in Youth Soccer Players.

Purpose: Hamstring muscle architecture may be associated with sprint performance and the risk of sustaining a muscle injury, both of which increase during puberty. In this study, we investigated the m. biceps femoris long head (BFlh) cross-sectional area (ACSA), fascicle length (FL) and pennation angle (PA), and sprint performance as well as their relationship in under 13 to 15 youth soccer players.

Composite Measures of Physical Fitness to Discriminate Between Healthy Aging and Heart Failure: The COmPLETE Study.

Background: Aging and changing age demographics represent critical problems of our time. Physiological functions decline with age, often ending in a systemic process that contributes to numerous impairments and age-related diseases including heart failure (HF). We aimed to analyze whether differences in composite measures of physiological function [health distance (HD)], specifically physical fitness, between healthy individuals and patients with HF, can be observed.

Agility-based exercise training compared to traditional strength and balance training in older adults: a pilot randomized trial.

Background: In addition to generally high levels of physical activity, multi-component exercise training is recommended for the maintenance of health and fitness in older adults, including the prevention of falls and frailty. This training often encompasses serial sequencing of balance, strength, endurance and other types of exercise. Exercise training featuring integrative training of these components (i.

Validity and Reliability of a Novel Integrative Motor Performance Testing Course for Seniors: The "Agility Challenge for the Elderly (ACE)".

Assessing traditional neuromuscular fall risk factors (i.e., balance, gait, strength) in the elderly has so far mainly been done independently.

Effects of the '11+ Kids' injury prevention programme on severe injuries in children's football: a secondary analysis of data from a multicentre cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Background: To assess the effects of the injury prevention programme '11+ Kids' on reducing severe injuries in 7 to 13 year old football (soccer) players.

Methods: Football clubs (under-9, under-11 and under-13 age groups) from the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland were cluster-randomised (clubs) into an intervention (INT) and a control group (CON). INT replaced their usual warm-up by '11+ Kids' two times a week.

Comparison of the '11+ Kids' injury prevention programme and a regular warmup in children's football (soccer): a cost effectiveness analysis.

Objective: To evaluate a potential reduction in injury related healthcare costs when using the '11+ Kids' injury prevention programme compared with a usual warmup in children's football.

Methods: This cost effectiveness analysis was based on data collected in a cluster randomised controlled trial over one season from football teams (under-9 to under-13 age groups) in Switzerland. The intervention group (INT) replaced their usual warmup with '11+ Kids', while the control group (CON) warmed up as usual.

Moderating Effects of Exercise Duration and Intensity in Neuromuscular vs. Endurance Exercise Interventions for the Treatment of Depression: A Meta-Analytical Review.

Exercise training is a beneficial treatment strategy for depression. Previous meta-analytical reviews mainly examined the effect of aerobic exercise on depressive symptoms neglecting comparisons with neuromuscular training and meta-regression considering relevant exercise training prescriptors such as exercise duration, intensity, number of exercise sessions (volume) and frequency. A structured literature search was conducted in biomedical and psychological databases and study selection was conducted following the PICOS approach.

A Multinational Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial to Assess the Efficacy of '11+ Kids': A Warm-Up Programme to Prevent Injuries in Children's Football.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a newly developed warm-up programme ('11+ Kids') regarding its potential to reduce injuries in children's football.

Methods: Children's football teams (under 9 years, under 11 years, and under 13 years age groups) from Switzerland, Germany, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands were invited. Clubs were randomised to an intervention group and a control group, and followed for one season.

Mobile inertial sensor based gait analysis: Validity and reliability of spatiotemporal gait characteristics in healthy seniors.

Gait analysis is commonly used to identify gait changes and fall risk in clinical populations and seniors. Body-worn inertial sensor based gait analyses provide a feasible alternative to optometric and pressure based measurements of spatiotemporal gait characteristics. We assessed validity and relative and absolute reliability of a body-worn inertial sensor system (RehaGait(®)) for measuring spatiotemporal gait characteristics compared to a standard stationary treadmill (Zebris(®)).

Validity and reliability of a portable gait analysis system for measuring spatiotemporal gait characteristics: comparison to an instrumented treadmill.

Background: Gait analysis serves as an important tool for clinicians and other health professionals to assess gait patterns related to functional limitations due to neurological or orthopedic conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of a body-worn inertial sensor system (RehaGait®) for measuring spatiotemporal gait characteristics compared to a stationary treadmill (Zebris) and the reliability of both systems at different walking speeds and slopes.

Methods: Gait analysis was performed during treadmill walking at different speeds (habitual walking speed (normal speed); 15 % above normal walking speed; 15 % below normal walking speed) and slopes (0 % slope; 15 % slope) in 22 healthy participants twice 1 week apart.