Rugby Players Exhibit Stiffer Biceps Femoris, Lower Biceps Femoris Fascicle Length to Knee Extensors, and Knee Flexors to Extensors Muscle Volume Ratios Than Active Controls.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine if hamstring-strain-injury risk factors related to muscle structure and morphology differed between rugby union players and controls.

Methods: The biceps femoris long head (BFlh) fascicle length and passive muscle stiffness and relative and absolute muscle volume of knee flexors (KF) and extensors (KE) were measured in 21 male subelite rugby players and 21 male physically active nonathletes.

Results: BFlh fascicle length was significantly longer (mean difference [MD] = 1.

Alterations in biceps femoris long head fascicle length, Eccentric hamstring strength qualities and single-leg hop distance throughout the ninety minutes of TSAFT90 simulated football match.

Introduction: Football matches show higher hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) than football training. The occurrence of HSIs increases in the last fifteen minutes of both halves of football matches and shows an incremental trend towards the end of the ninety minutes.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine football-specific fatigue-induced alterations in risk factors of the HSIs, including biceps femoris long head fascicle length via ultrasonography (BFlh FL), single-leg hop distance, hamstrings' maximal eccentric strength, and single-leg hamstring bridge test (SLHB) performance.

Noncontact Injury Distribution and Relationship With Preseason Training Load and Nonmodifiable Risk Factors in Rugby Union Players Across Multiple Seasons.

Evans, SL, Whittaker, G, Elphinstone Davis, E, Jones, ES, Hardy, J, and Owen, JA. Noncontact injury distribution and relationship with preseason training load and non-modifiable risk factors in Rugby Union players across multiple seasons. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): 1456-1462, 2023-This study examined the distribution of noncontact injury during phases of the competitive season and the association between preseason training load (TL) and nonmodifiable risk factors on injury risk during these phases.

Pre-competitive anxiety and autonomic responses in professional U-20 futsal players: Effect of the competition phase and game location.

The study examined whether pre-competition anxiety and autonomic responses in elite futsal players change across the playoffs at away vs home venues. Heart rate variability, somatic and cognitive anxiety and self-confidence (by CSAI-2R questionnaire) were evaluated in nine male futsal players from a professional U-20 team, before competitive matches at the quarter-final, semi-final and final stages played at home and away venues. Two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used, considering factor one the game location and factor two the playoff stage, with significance set at p<0.

Match and training injury risk in semi-professional rugby union: A four-year study.

Objectives: Describe medical-attention and time-loss injuries during matches and training in a Welsh Premiership Rugby Union team.

Design: Prospective cohort observational study.

Methods: Injury incidence, severity, burden, location, type, and cause were determined in sixty-nine players from one semi-professional Rugby Union team.

An exploratory study to investigate the association between age, physical activity, femoral trochlear cartilage thickness and biomarkers of tissue metabolism in adult males.

Purpose: To investigate the association between age, physical activity, femoral trochlear cartilage thickness and biomarkers of tissue metabolism in a cross-sectional sample of adult males. This study utilizes several emerging biomarkers that have been associated with early joint degenerative changes; serum COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein), HA (hyaluronan) and lubricin.

Methods: Eighty-one males (age: mean (range): 43(18-70) years; body mass index: 25.

The impact of menstrual-cycle phase on basal and exercise-induced hormones, mood, anxiety and exercise performance in physically active women.

Background: The influence of menstrual cycle phase on perceptual responses and exercise performance is still unclear in the literature. Therefore, this study investigated salivary estradiol (sal-E2) and cortisol (sal-C) concentrations, mood, anxiety and exercise (aerobic, anaerobic) performance in physically-active women across two menstrual-cycle phases.

Methods: Twelve women (mean age 24.

Hydration Marker Diagnostic Accuracy to Identify Mild Intracellular and Extracellular Dehydration.

Identifying mild dehydration (≤2% of body mass) is important to prevent the negative effects of more severe dehydration on human health and performance. It is unknown whether a single hydration marker can identify both mild intracellular dehydration (ID) and extracellular dehydration (ED) with adequate diagnostic accuracy (≥0.7 receiver-operating characteristic-area under the curve [ROC-AUC]).

Validity and Reliability of a Non-invasive Test to Assess Quadriceps and Hamstrings Strength in Athletes.

Modifiable risk factors for hamstring injury include lack of strength, fatigue and muscle strength asymmetry. Assessing lower body strength in the field is problematic as "gold standard assessment" are expensive, non-portable and assessment is time-consuming. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of an adapted aneroid sphygmomanometer test of hamstring and quadricep strength.

Is this elderly patient dehydrated? Diagnostic accuracy of hydration assessment using physical signs, urine, and saliva markers.

Objectives: Dehydration in older adults contributes to increased morbidity and mortality during hospitalization. As such, early diagnosis of dehydration may improve patient outcome and reduce the burden on healthcare. This prospective study investigated the diagnostic accuracy of routinely used physical signs, and noninvasive markers of hydration in urine and saliva.

Influence of fluid intake on soccer performance in a temperate environment.

The study aim was to examine the effect of fluid intake and dehydration on soccer-skill and high-intensity, intermittent-running performance after 90-minutes intermittent exercise (Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test). Thirteen semi-professional, men soccer-players completed, the 90-minute intermittent exercise on three fluid trials: prescribed fluid equal to sweat loss (1.65 ± 0.