Symptom cluster is associated with prolonged return-to-play in symptomatic athletes with acute respiratory illness (including COVID-19): a cross-sectional study-AWARE study I.

Background: There are no data relating symptoms of an acute respiratory illness (ARI) in general, and COVID-19 specifically, to return to play (RTP).

Objective: To determine if ARI symptoms are associated with more prolonged RTP, and if days to RTP and symptoms (number, type, duration and severity) differ in athletes with COVID-19 versus athletes with other ARI.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Effect of Mixed Basic Military Training on the Physical Fitness of Male and Female Soldiers.

Introduction: Mixed gender basic military training (BMT) is adopted to integrate the female South African soldier into the military. This study aimed to assess gender differences before, during (12 weeks), and after a 20-week mixed BMT course and determine if BMT significantly reduced these differences.

Methods: A total of 186 soldiers (114 male: mean age = 21.

The Difference Between Exercise-Induced Autonomic and Fitness Changes Measured After 12 and 20 Weeks of Medium-to-High Intensity Military Training.

Grant, CC, Mongwe, L, Janse van Rensburg, DC, Fletcher, L, Wood, PS, Terblanche, E, and du Toit, PJ. The difference between exercise-induced autonomic and fitness changes measured after 12 and 20 weeks of medium-to-high intensity military training. J Strength Cond Res 30(9): 2453-2459, 2016-The aim of this study was to compare the physical fitness, based on VO2max and exercise-induced cardiac autonomic changes, measured by heart rate variability (HRV) of 12 weeks with 20 weeks of training in the South African National Defence Force.

Heart rate variability assessment of the effect of physical training on autonomic cardiac control.

Background: The effect of exercise interventions on autonomic nervous system (ANS) control of the heart by heart rate variability (HRV) is often investigated in just one position. It was hypothesized that results of exercise-induced changes on ANS are dependent on body position and that it is possible to distinguish between exercise induced changes in vagal and sympathetic influence by taking measurements in different body positions.

Methods: One hundred eighty-three (male = 100, female = 83) healthy volunteers, between 18 and 22 years, participated in a prospective twelve week medium to high intensity exercise intervention study with a self-control design.

DEXA-assessed regional body composition changes in young female military soldiers following 12-weeks of periodised training.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to assess whole body and regional soft tissue mass, fat mass and lean body mass compositional changes in 68 female recruits (age 20.8 +/- 1.14 years; body mass 59.