The English Performance Lifestyle (PL) service is a Career Assistance Program that aims to support British elite athletes in their holistic development throughout their time in elite sport to support their mental health and career prospects during and following their careers as athletes. Yet, despite the widespread existence and significant funding dedicated to this service, researchers have identified how it is often not fully embedded or used by sport organizations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to extend previous research by understanding the barriers to the provision of the PL service. Underpinned by ontological relativism and epistemological constructivism, 25 Performance Lifestyle Practitioners (PLPs) working in elite sport participated in a qualitative survey and focus groups. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were developed: There's a Mountain to Climb, It's a Crowded Train, You Need an Elevator Pitch and A Seat at the Performance Table. These themes highlight the barriers PLPs face in supporting athletes with their growth and development during their athletic career. The results offer unique insight into PLPs' roles and the challenges they encounter. As such, we offer practical implications including the importance of organizational support, encouraging athletes to develop a multidimensional identity and a variety of narratives that would offer athletes and practitioners another way to be in elite sport. We also offer recommendations for future research aimed at advancing the practice of PLPs to optimize support for elite athletes, such as including diverse perspectives and including both athlete and practitioner voice in the development of Career Assistance Programs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102779 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Squash in Los Angeles: Heat Strain and Performance Considerations at the 2028 Olympic Games.
Int J Sports Physiol Perform
January 2025
Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
Background: The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will mark the debut of squash, a high-intensity sport characterized by repeated efforts, posing potential thermoregulatory challenges. The demanding nature of squash results in substantial metabolic heat production, with consequential heat strain exacerbated by the indoor environment of squash courts, where low to moderate evaporative potential limits effective cooling. Players often experience increased body-heat storage and thermal strain, with muscle cramps (an early warning sign of more severe heat-related illnesses) commonly observed during tournaments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPitch Types and Their Influence on Elbow Varus Torque and Spin Rate in Professional Baseball Pitchers.
Am J Sports Med
January 2025
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Background: Elbow injuries are prevalent among professional baseball pitchers as nearly 25% undergo ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Pitch type, ball velocity, and spin rate have been previously hypothesized to influence elbow varus torque and subsequent risk of injury, but existing research is inconclusive.
Purpose: To examine elbow varus torque, cumulative torque, and loading rate within professional pitchers throwing fastball, curveball, change-up, and slider pitches, as well as to identify potential influences of ball spin on the elbow.
Return to Sport After Distal Biceps Tendon Repair: A Systematic Review.
Am J Sports Med
January 2025
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Background: Ruptures of the distal biceps tendon (DBT) can affect the range of motion and strength of the elbow, raising concerns for patients seeking to restore normal function and engage in their regular activities, particularly returning to previous levels of sport participation.
Purpose: To characterize and assess the rate and timing of return to sport (RTS) after DBT repair.
Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.
Measurement of the Vaginal Pressure Profile with the Femfit® and Leakage Events Using a Newly Developed Pad Test during Selected Sports Activities: A Pilot Study.
Int Urogynecol J
January 2025
Department of Urology, Institution - Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University Bratislava, Martin, Slovak Republic.
Introduction And Hypothesis: Measuring changes in the vaginal pressure profile (VPP) with the Femfit® by JUNOFEM during various sports will help improve understanding of the magnitude of pressures generated during such activities and the pelvic floor's response to those pressures. This could aid in selecting safe exercises for women with pelvic floor dysfunction. The primary aim of this study was to measure intravaginal pressure changes using a novel pressure sensor array (Femfit®) during high-risk sports activities in elite female athletes with and without stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPulmonary function in swimmers exposed to disinfection by-products: a narrative review.
Front Physiol
January 2025
Department of Sport Medicine and Traumatology, Poznan Univeristy of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland.
Swimming produces many psychophysiological effects, including blood, hormonal, enzymatic, pulmonary, cardiovascular and energetic adaptations. However, asthma and allergies are becoming increasingly prevalent medical issues among elite endurance-trained swimmers, where exercise-induced asthma or bronchospasm is frequently reported. Heavy endurance swimming training, especially under adverse conditions, stresses the airway mucosa, leading to inflammatory changes, as observed in induced sputum in competitive swimmers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!