Influenza Vaccination Practices and Perceptions Among Young Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece.

Background: Influenza vaccination among athletes is a crucial area in sports medicine. This descriptive, cross-sectional study aims to explore the vaccination practices and intentions regarding influenza vaccines among young athletes.

Methods: A structured, questionnaire-based study was conducted among students from the National School of Sports in Greece.

The Method but Not the Protocol Affects Lactate-Threshold Determination in Competitive Swimmers.

Purpose: The study validated variables corresponding to lactate threshold (LT) in swimming. Speed (sLT), blood lactate concentration (BLLT), oxygen uptake (VO2LT), and heart rate (HRLT) corresponding to LT were calculated by 2 different incremental protocols and validated in comparison with maximal lactate steady state (MLSS).

Methods: Ten competitive swimmers performed a 7 × 200-m front-crawl incremental "step test" with 2 protocols: (1) with 30-second rests between repetitions (short-rest incremental protocols) and (2) on a 5-minute cycle (swim + rest time, long-rest incremental protocols).

Habitual Nocturnal Sleep, Napping Behavior, and Recovery Following Training and Competition in Elite Water Polo: Sex-Related Effects.

Purpose: To examine nocturnal sleep patterns, napping behaviors, and subjective wellness responses of elite water polo players within an in-season week and to identify whether sleeping patterns differ between men and women.

Methods: Sleep characteristics of 10 male and 17 female professional water polo players were objectively assessed during 1 week of the in-season period, including 5 training days, 1 match day, and 1 day of rest. Internal load (rating of perceived exertion × duration of training or match) was assessed 30 minutes posttraining or postmatch, and the total quality of recovery was recorded every morning.

In-Season Training Load Variation - Heart Rate Recovery, Perceived Recovery Status, and Performance in Elite Male Water Polo Players: A Pilot Study.

Background: Increased training and competition demands of the in-season period may disturb athlete fatigue and recovery balance. The aim of this study was to describe the training load distribution applied in a competitive period and the training adaptations and fatigue/recovery status of elite water polo players.

Hypothesis: Effective workload management during tapering (TAP) would restore player recovery and enhance performance.

Intensified Olympic Preparation: Sleep and Training-Related Hormonal and Immune Responses in Water Polo.

Purpose: To investigate whether sleeping activity, hormonal responses, and wellness are altered in elite water polo players during their preparation toward the Tokyo Olympics.

Methods: Eight elite-level water polo players participated in 3 consecutive training phases: (1) before the commencement of a residential-based conditioning camp (PRE-CAMP; 3 d), (2) residential-based conditioning camp (5 d), and (3) a congested period of training and competition (POST-CAMP; 8 d). Nocturnal sleep was monitored for 14 consecutive days in PRE-CAMP (2 d), CAMP (5 d), and POST-CAMP (7 d).

Evaluation of the Perceptions, Attitudes and Practices among Greek Non-Professional Athletes Visiting a Public Hospital during March 2022, towards COVID-19 Vaccination and Its Consequences on Sports Training and Sports Activity.

Sports have been majorly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After the lockdown period, vaccination and protocols were implemented to return to normality. We aimed to assess the attitudes and practices related to COVID-19 vaccination among athletes, and to record adverse effects of vaccination, if any.

The impact of daytime napping on athletic performance - A narrative review.

Mid-day napping has been recommended as a countermeasure against sleep debt and an effective method for recovery, regardless of nocturnal sleep duration. Herein, we summarize the available evidence regarding the influence of napping on exercise and cognitive performance as well as the effects of napping on athletes' perceptual responses prior to or during exercise. The existing studies investigating the influence of napping on athletic performance have revealed equivocal results.

Supercompensation in Elite Water Polo: Heart Rate Variability and Perceived Recovery.

We examined the association of heart rate variability assessed with the logarithm of the root mean square of successive differences (LnRMSSD) and perceived recovery status of nine elite water polo players with the fluctuations of the internal training load (ITL). ITL, post-wakening LnRMSSD, and measures of perceived recovery were obtained across one regeneration week, during two mesocycles of intensified preseason training (PR1, PR2) and during two mesocycles of in-season training (IN1, IN2). ITL at PR1 and PR2 was increased by 60-70% compared to regeneration week (p<0.

Short-term sleep deprivation and human thermoregulatory function during thermal challenges.

New Findings: What is the topic of this review? It is generally accepted that sleep deprivation constitutes a predisposing factor to the development of thermal injury. This review summarizes the available human-based evidence on the impact of sleep loss on autonomic and behavioural thermoeffectors during acute exposure to low and high ambient temperatures. What advances does it highlight? Limited to moderate evidence suggests that sleep deprivation per se impairs thermoregulatory defence mechanisms during exposure to thermal extremes.

Effects of an International Tournament on Heart Rate Variability and Perceived Recovery in Elite Water Polo Players.

Botonis, PG, Smilios, I, Platanou, TI, and Toubekis, AG. Effects of an international tournament on heart rate variability and perceived recovery in elite water polo players. J Strength Cond Res 36(8): 2313-2317, 2022-The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of an international tournament participation in vagal-related heart rate variability and perceived recovery among elite water polo players.

Verifying Physiological and Biomechanical Parameters during Continuous Swimming at Speed Corresponding to Lactate Threshold.

The purpose of this study was to verify the physiological responses and biomechanical parameters measured during 30 min of continuous swimming (T30) at intensity corresponding to lactate threshold previously calculated by an intermittent progressively increasing speed test (7 × 200 m). Fourteen competitive swimmers (18.0 (2.

Heart rate recovery responses after acute training load changes in top-class water polo players.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of acute training load changes of elite water polo players on heart rate recovery (HRR) responses after a standardized swimming test. Nine water polo players were tested after a two-day light-load and two-day heavy-load training. Preliminarily, critical swimming speed was calculated.

Validating Physiological and Biomechanical Parameters during Intermittent Swimming at Speed Corresponding to Lactate Concentration of 4 mmol·L.

Background: Physiological and biomechanical parameters obtained during testing need validation in a training setting. The purpose of this study was to compare parameters calculated by a 5 × 200-m test with those measured during an intermittent swimming training set performed at constant speed corresponding to blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol∙L (V4).

Methods: Twelve competitive swimmers performed a 5 × 200-m progressively increasing speed front crawl test.

The effect of menstrual cycle on maximal breath-hold time.

This study investigated the effect of menstrual cycle phase on breath-hold time (BHT). Twelve healthy females, aged 18-30 yrs, with regular menstrual cycles, without breath-hold (BH) experience, performed a BH protocol which included eight repeated maximal efforts with face immersion in cool water separated by 2-min intervals in two different phases of menstrual cycle; early follicular (EF) phase and midluteal (ML) phase. Respiratory, cardiovascular and hematological responses were studied before, during and after BH efforts.

Thermoregulatory and cardiovasculareffects of capsaicin application on human skin during dynamic exercise to temperate and warm conditions.

Thermoregulatory and cardiovascular responses during cycling in temperate and warm environments without and with application of capsaicin on the skin were investigated. We hypothesized that regardless of environmental temperature, capsaicin application would activate heat loss mechanisms attenuating exercise-induced rectal temperature (Tre) and blood pressure increase. Eight males cycled at 55% of their maximal aerobic power so long as to reach 38.

Training Loads, Wellness and Performance Before and During Tapering for a Water-Polo Tournament.

We investigated the effectiveness of a short-duration training period including an overloaded (weeks 1 and 2) and a reduced training load period (weeks 3 and 4) on wellness, swimming performance and a perceived internal training load in eight high-level water-polo players preparing for play-offs. The internal training load was estimated daily using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and session duration (session-RPE). Perceived ratings of wellness (fatigue, muscle soreness, sleep quality, stress level and mood) were assessed daily.

Evaluation of Physical Fitness in Water Polo Players According to Playing Level and Positional Role.

Background: We aimed to investigate whether water polo players of different playing levels and positions differ in fitness parameters (i.e., strength, aerobic endurance, and anaerobic potential).

Effects of capsaicin application on the skin during resting exposure to temperate and warm conditions.

We investigated thermoregulatory and cardiovascular responses at rest in a temperate (20°C) and in a warm (30°C) environment (40% RH) without and with the application of capsaicin on the skin. We hypothesized that regardless of environmental temperature, capsaicin application would stimulate heat loss and concomitantly deactivate heat conservation mechanisms, thus resulting in rectal temperature (Tre) and mean blood pressure decline due to excitation of heat-sensitive TRPV1. Ten male subjects were exposed, while seated, for 30 minutes to 20.

Physical Performance During Water-Polo Matches: The Effect of the Players' Competitive Level.

The purpose of the study was to compare playing intensity and performance changes within a water-polo match in players of different competitive levels. High-level (n = 7) and lower-level (n = 7) players performed a progressively increasing speed test of 5 x 200 m swimming and speed corresponding to lactate concentration of 4.0, 5.