Publications by authors named "Martyn J Matthews"

Exposure to high temperatures can have detrimental effects on cognitive processing and this is concerning for firefighters who routinely work in extreme temperatures. Whilst past research has studied the effects of heat on firefighter cognition, findings are mixed, and no work has measured the time course of cognitive recovery. This study compared working memory, vigilance, and cognitive flexibility of 37 firefighters before and after they engaged in a live-fire training exercise with temperatures exceeding 115 °C.

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Research shows that exposure to high environmental temperatures can affect task performance. Theoretical explanations outline that heat is a source of stress that competes for limited-capacity resources, therefore if a task is resource-intensive, and/or if heat stress is extreme, performance will suffer. One occupation in which individuals complete demanding tasks and make difficult decisions, often in temperatures exceeding 200°C, is firefighting.

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Background: Firefighters may experience high environmental temperatures or carry out intensive physical tasks, or both, which leads to increased core body temperature and risk of fatalities. Hence there is a need to remotely and non-invasively monitor core body temperature.

Methods: Estimated (heart rate algorithm) and actual core body temperature (ingested telemetric pill) measures were collected simultaneously for comparison during training exercises on 44 firefighter volunteers.

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Hamstring strains are the most common injury in multiple sprint sports, with inadequate eccentric hamstring strength and fatigue identified as important risk factors. Resistance training interventions aimed at reducing injury risk typically focus on the development of maximum strength, while little is known about the impact of training on hamstring fatigue resistance. The present study compared the effects of strength endurance (SE) with a strength intervention (S) on the eccentric hamstring strength decline induced by a simulated soccer match.

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Objectives: To investigate the effect of two hamstring training protocols on eccentric peak torque before and after soccer specific fatigue.

Participants: Twenty-two university male soccer players.

Design: Isokinetic strength tests were performed at 60°/s pre and post fatigue, before and after 2 different training interventions.

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Purpose: To investigate the effects of training induced fatigue on shoulder strength, ROM, joint position sense, and stroke length in elite competitive swimmers.

Methods: Seventeen national level swimmers performed maximum isometric strength (internal and external rotation), ROM, and joint position sense tests before and after a fatiguing 8 × 100 m training set. Stroke length, heart rate, blood lactate and blood glucose levels were recorded throughout.

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Introduction: Exercise, and in particular balance and coordination related activities such as dance, appear to have positive effects on cognitive function, as well as neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia and Parkinson's disease. Quadrupedal gait training is a movement system requiring coordination of all four limbs that has previously been associated with cognitive development in children. There is currently little research into the effect of complex QDP movements on cognitive function in adults.

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Researchers have demonstrated that increases in strength result in increases in athletic performance, although the development of strength is still neglected in some sports. Our aim was to determine whether a simple in-season strength training program would result in increases in maximal squat strength and short sprint performance, in professional soccer players. Professional soccer players (n = 17, age = 18.

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Purpose: To evaluate the effect of simulated soccer on the hamstrings eccentric torque-angle profile and angle of peak torque (APTeccH), and on the hamstrings:quadriceps torque ratio at specific joint angles (ASHecc:Qcon).

Methods: The authors assessed dominant-limb isokinetic concentric and eccentric knee flexion and concentric knee extension at 120°/s in 9 semiprofessional male soccer players immediately before and after they completed the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST).

Results: The LIST resulted in significant decreases in eccentric hamstrings torque at 60°, 50°, and 10° and a significant (21.

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Because previous research has shown a relationship between maximal squat strength and sprint performance, this study aimed to determine if changes in maximal squat strength were reflected in sprint performance. Nineteen professional rugby league players (height = 1.84 ± 0.

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The aim of this article is to present data on the strength and power characteristics of forwards and backs in a squad of elite English rugby league players and compare these findings to previously published literature from Australia. Participants were elite English rugby league players (n = 18; height 184.16 ± 5.

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The aim of the study was to investigate the acute effect of a heavy resisted sprint when used as a preload exercise to enhance subsequent 25-m on-ice sprint performance. Eleven competitive ice-hockey players (mean ± SD: Age = 22.09 ± 3.

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