Injury incidence in a Premier League youth soccer academy using the consensus statement: a prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Renshaw, Andrew

2016-01-01

Background There is an established risk of injury to young athletes exposed to high training loads. Identifying and monitoring injury risk is essential to aid prevention. The aim of this study was to use the consensus statement to determine the incidence and pattern of injury in 1 English Premier League soccer academy during 1 season. Methods A prospective cohort study included 181 elite academy soccer players during the 2012–2013 season. Players were divided into 5 age groups between 9 and 18 years. The number, type and incidence of injuries were recorded during matches and training. Incidence was calculated per 1000 hours of exposure. Results 127 injuries occurred during 29 346 hours of soccer exposure. 72% of injuries were non-contact related. Under (U)18 players sustained the highest number of match injuries. U12–14 players sustained the highest number of training injuries and injuries overall. U16 players sustained the highest number of severe injuries, and U18 players sustained the highest number of moderate injuries. U18 players sustained the highest number of injuries/1000 hours of training and overall. U15 players sustained the highest number of injuries/1000 hours of matches, the highest number of recurrent injuries and the highest incidence of recurrence. The most common injuries were muscle injuries in U15 and U18 players. The most common injury location was the anterior thigh, with the majority of these occurring in training. Conclusions Using the consensus statement, this study used a repeatable method to identify the injury profile of elite academy-level soccer players. PMID:27900186

Premier League academy soccer players' experiences of competing in a tournament bio-banded for biological maturation.

PubMed

Cumming, Sean P; Brown, Daniel J; Mitchell, Siobhan; Bunce, James; Hunt, Dan; Hedges, Chris; Crane, Gregory; Gross, Aleks; Scott, Sam; Franklin, Ed; Breakspear, Dave; Dennison, Luke; White, Paul; Cain, Andrew; Eisenmann, Joey C; Malina, Robert M

2018-04-01

Individual differences in the growth and maturation have been shown to impact player performance and development in youth soccer. This study investigated Premier League academy players' experiences of participating in a tournament bio-banded for biological maturation. Players (N = 66) from four professional soccer clubs aged 11 and 14 years and between 85-90% of adult stature participated in a tournament. Players competed in three 11 vs 11 games on a full size pitch with 25-min halves. Sixteen players participated in four 15-min focus groups and were asked to describe their experiences of participating in the bio-banded tournament in comparison to age group competition. All players described their experience as positive and recommended the Premier League integrate bio-banding into the existing games programme. In comparison to age-group competitions, early maturing players described the bio-banded games more physically challenging, and found that they had to adapt their style of play placing a greater emphasis on technique and tactics. Late maturing players considered the games to be less physically challenging, yet appreciated the having more opportunity to use, develop and demonstrate their technical, physical, and psychological competencies. Bio-banding strategies appear to contribute positively towards the holistic development of young soccer players.

Hitting the Goalpost: Calculating the Fine Line Between Winning and Losing a Penalty Shootout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widenhorn, Ralf

2016-01-01

The Portland Timbers won their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Championship in December 2015. However, if it had not been for a kind double goalpost miss during a penalty shootout a few weeks earlier, the Timbers would never have been in the finals. On Oct. 30th, after what has been called "the greatest penalty kick shootout in MLS…

Concussions and Their Effects on Performance Measures of Major League Soccer Players: A Teaching Tool for Physical Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Richard; Jordan, Torri; Wolf, Allison; Johnson, Matteus; Brand, Jefferson

2017-01-01

Concussions are a brain injury that affects the athlete on and off the playing field. The aim of our investigation was to give PE teachers another strategy to use in addition to the recommended approaches set forth by national organizations to convey the message to adolescents regarding the negative effects of concussion. Using the website…

Hidden power law patterns in the top European football leagues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Da Silva, Sergio; Matsushita, Raul; Silveira, Eliza

2013-11-01

Because sports are stylized combat, sports may follow power laws similar to those found for wars, individual clashes, and acts of terrorism. We show this fact for football (soccer) by adjusting power laws that show a close relationship between rank and points won by the clubs participating in the latest seasons of the top fifteen European football leagues. In addition, we use Shannon entropy for gauging league competitive balance. As a result, we are able to rank the leagues according to competitiveness.

On the mathematical modeling of soccer dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machado, J. A. Tenreiro; Lopes, António M.

2017-12-01

This paper addresses the modeling and dynamical analysis of soccer teams. Two modeling perspectives based on the concepts of fractional calculus are adopted. In the first, the power law behavior and fractional-order integration are explored. In the second, a league season is interpreted in the light of a system where the teams are represented by objects (particles) that evolve in time and interact (collide) at successive rounds with dynamics driven by the outcomes of the matches. The two proposed models embed implicitly details of players and coaches, or strategical and tactical maneuvers during the matches. Therefore, the scale of observation focuses on the teams behavior in the scope of the observed variables. Data characterizing two European soccer leagues in the season 2015-2016 are adopted and processed. The model leads to the emergence of patterns that are analyzed and interpreted.

Analysis of age, stature, body mass, BMI and quality of elite soccer players from 4 European Leagues.

PubMed

Bloomfield, J; Polman, R; Butterly, R; O'Donoghue, P

2005-03-01

The aim was to identify which league (English Premier League, Spanish La Liga Division, Italian Serie A and German Bundesliga) contained the highest quality players and whether differences in age, stature, body mass and BMI existed between the different positions in different leagues. Data were collected concerning 2,085 professional soccer players playing in these 4 leagues during the 2001-2002 season. Player quality was determined by the leagues' number of international players and their nations' FIFA World Ranking (FWR). The La Liga Division contained the highest quality players (mean FWR) (11.5+/-13.8), followed by the Serie A (13.3+/-21.3), the Premier League (30.6+/-27.3) and the Bundesliga (30.7+/-27.1), respectively. Also, differences were found between the age, stature, body mass and BMI of players in different positions and in the different leagues. Age had a significant influence on position with goalkeepers (years) (27.4+/-5.3) being older than midfielders (26.2+/-4.3) and forwards (25.8+/-4.2) and defenders (26.8+/-4.3) being older than forwards. Players from the Bundesliga had the greatest stature (m) (1.83+/-0.06), body mass (kg) (77.5+/-6.4) and BMI (kg x m(-2)) (23.2+/-1.1) of the 4 leagues. In reflection, La Liga's players had the shortest stature (1.80+/-0.06) and the Serie A players had the least body mass (74.3+/-5.4) and BMI (22.8+/-1.1). The differences discovered suggest either differences in playing style and physical demands of the different leagues, different physical conditioning methods or, alternatively, that there are desirable characteristics of players with teams in all 4 leagues seeking such players.

The perceptions of professional soccer players on the risk of injury from competition and training on natural grass and 3rd generation artificial turf

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to describe professional soccer players’ perceptions towards injuries, physical recovery and the effect of surface related factors on injury resulting from soccer participation on 3rd generation artificial turf (FT) compared to natural grass (NG). Methods Information was collected through a questionnaire that was completed by 99 professional soccer players from 6 teams competing in Major League Soccer (MLS) during the 2011 season. Results The majority (93% and 95%) of the players reported that playing surface type and quality influenced the risk of sustaining an injury. Players believed that playing and training on FT increased the risk of sustaining a non-contact injury as opposed to a contact injury. The players identified three surface related risk factors on FT, which they related to injuries and greater recovery times: 1) Greater surface stiffness 2) Greater surface friction 3) Larger metabolic cost to playing on artificial grounds. Overall, 94% of the players chose FT as the surface most likely to increase the risk of sustaining an injury. Conclusions Players believe that the risk of injury differs according to surface type, and that FT is associated with an increased risk of non-contact injury. Future studies should be designed prospectively to systematically track the perceptions of groups of professional players training and competing on FT and NG. PMID:24581229

The effect of carbohydrate ingestion on performance during a simulated soccer match.

PubMed

Goedecke, Julia H; White, Nicholas J; Chicktay, Waheed; Mahomed, Hafsa; Durandt, Justin; Lambert, Michael I

2013-12-16

This study investigated how performance was affected after soccer players, in a postprandial state, ingested a 7% carbohydrate (CHO) solution compared to a placebo (0% CHO) during a simulated soccer match. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 22 trained male league soccer players (age: 24 ± 7 years, wt: 73.4 ± 12.0 kg, VO2max: 51.8 ± 4.3 mL O2/kg/min) completed two trials, separated by 7 days, during which they ingested, in random order, 700 mL of either a 7% CHO or placebo drink during a simulated soccer match. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), agility, timed and run to fatigue were measured during the trials. Change in agility times was not altered by CHO vs. placebo ingestion (0.57 ± 1.48 vs. 0.66 ± 1.00, p = 0.81). Timed runs to fatigue were 381 ± 267 s vs. 294 ± 159 s for the CHO and placebo drinks, respectively (p = 0.11). Body mass modified the relationship between time to fatigue and drink ingestion (p = 0.02 for drink × body mass), such that lower body mass was associated with increased time to fatigue when the players ingested CHO, but not placebo. RPE values for the final stage of the simulated soccer match were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 8.6 ± 1.5 for the CHO and placebo drinks respectively (p = 0.87). The group data showed that the 7% CHO solution (49 g CHO) did not significantly improve performance during a simulated soccer match in league soccer players who had normal pre-match nutrition. However, when adjusting for body mass, increasing CHO intake was associated with improved time to fatigue during the simulated soccer match.

The Effect of Carbohydrate Ingestion on Performance during a Simulated Soccer Match

PubMed Central

Goedecke, Julia H.; White, Nicholas J.; Chicktay, Waheed; Mahomed, Hafsa; Durandt, Justin; Lambert, Michael I.

2013-01-01

Aim: This study investigated how performance was affected after soccer players, in a postprandial state, ingested a 7% carbohydrate (CHO) solution compared to a placebo (0% CHO) during a simulated soccer match. Methods: Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, 22 trained male league soccer players (age: 24 ± 7 years, wt: 73.4 ± 12.0 kg, VO2max: 51.8 ± 4.3 mL O2/kg/min) completed two trials, separated by 7 days, during which they ingested, in random order, 700 mL of either a 7% CHO or placebo drink during a simulated soccer match. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), agility, timed and run to fatigue were measured during the trials. Results: Change in agility times was not altered by CHO vs. placebo ingestion (0.57 ± 1.48 vs. 0.66 ± 1.00, p = 0.81). Timed runs to fatigue were 381 ± 267 s vs. 294 ± 159 s for the CHO and placebo drinks, respectively (p = 0.11). Body mass modified the relationship between time to fatigue and drink ingestion (p = 0.02 for drink × body mass), such that lower body mass was associated with increased time to fatigue when the players ingested CHO, but not placebo. RPE values for the final stage of the simulated soccer match were 8.5 ± 1.7 and 8.6 ± 1.5 for the CHO and placebo drinks respectively (p = 0.87). Conclusions: The group data showed that the 7% CHO solution (49 g CHO) did not significantly improve performance during a simulated soccer match in league soccer players who had normal pre-match nutrition. However, when adjusting for body mass, increasing CHO intake was associated with improved time to fatigue during the simulated soccer match. PMID:24352094

Role Strain, Part 2: Perceptions Among Athletic Trainers Employed in the Professional Practice Setting.

PubMed

Romero, Manuel G; Pitney, William A; Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Brumels, Kirk

2018-02-01

  Athletic trainers (ATs) employed in the professional sport setting (ATPSSs) demonstrate moderate to high degrees of role strain. The experiences and perceptions of these ATs provide insight regarding the sources of role strain as well as ways to reduce it.   To investigate the perceptions of ATPSSs regarding role strain.   Qualitative study.   From a purposeful sampling of 389 ATs employed in the 5 major sport leagues (Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, National Basketball Association, National Football League, and National Hockey League), we identified 34 participants willing to participate in phone interviews. Data Collection and Procedures:  Semistructured phone interviews. Inductive data analysis was based on a grounded theory approach. Credibility was addressed with member checks and a peer debriefing.   Three first-order emergent themes materialized from the data: (1) sources of role strain, (2) consequences of role strain, and (3) strategies to alleviate role strain in ATPSSs. Participants described the antecedents of role strain as emerging from the competing expectations of the professional athlete, the organization, and the sport league. Consequences of role strain included effects on direct patient care and work-life imbalance. Improving organizational factors such as inadequate staffing and poor communication within the organization were strategies described by participants for decreasing role strain in the professional sports setting.   Our participants discussed experiencing role strain, which was facilitated by trying to meet the competing demands placed on them with limited time and often with an inadequate support staff. Participant role strain affected health care and contributed to work-life imbalance. Participants described changing the organizational factors that contributed to role strain as a strategy to alleviate the perceived stress.

Alpha-amylase serum levels in professional soccer players are not related with physical fitness.

PubMed

Sanchis-Gomar, Fabian; Alis, Rafael; Rampinini, Ermanno; Bosio, Andrea; Romagnoli, Marco; Lombardi, Giovanni; Lippi, Giuseppe

2017-03-01

Recent evidence has showed that serum or salivary values of α-amylase predict endurance running performance. In this study we investigate whether serum α-amylase concentration may be associated with training status during a competitive season and after a detraining period in professional soccer players. The study population consisted in 15 male professional soccer players from an Italian major league team (age [mean±SD] 27±5 years, weight 76.9±4.1 kg, height 1.82±0.05 m). Serum α-amylase levels were measured 3 times during the last part of a competitive season (January, March and May) and just before preseason training (July). Metabolic and cardiovascular fitness of soccer players was improved during the last part of the season. The levels of α-amylase did not change significantly throughout the study period (χ2=7.331, P=0.062), nor they were found to be associated with variation of physical fitness and training status. The α-amylase fluctuations throughout a competitive season and after vacation time were meaningless in professional soccer players. No significant associations with physical fitness variations could be observed. These results suggest that α-amylase concentration may be a useful parameter for identifying individual inclination to endurance exercise, but not for predicting actual training status.

Change of direction ability test differentiates higher level and lower level soccer referees

PubMed Central

Los, Arcos A; Grande, I; Casajús, JA

2016-01-01

This report examines the agility and level of acceleration capacity of Spanish soccer referees and investigates the possible differences between field referees of different categories. The speed test consisted of 3 maximum acceleration stretches of 15 metres. The change of direction ability (CODA) test used in this study was a modification of the Modified Agility Test (MAT). The study included a sample of 41 Spanish soccer field referees from the Navarre Committee of Soccer Referees divided into two groups: i) the higher level group (G1, n = 20): 2ndA, 2ndB and 3rd division referees from the Spanish National Soccer League (28.43 ± 1.39 years); and ii) the lower level group (G2, n = 21): Navarre Provincial League soccer referees (29.54 ± 1.87 years). Significant differences were found with respect to the CODA between G1 (5.72 ± 0.13 s) and G2 (6.06 ± 0.30 s), while no differences were encountered between groups in acceleration ability. No significant correlations were obtained in G1 between agility and the capacity to accelerate. Significant correlations were found between sprint and agility times in the G2 and in the total group. The results of this study showed that agility can be used as a discriminating factor for differentiating between national and regional field referees; however, no observable differences were found over the 5 and 15 m sprint tests. PMID:27274111

No better moment to score a goal than just before half time? A soccer myth statistically tested

PubMed Central

Amez, Simon

2018-01-01

We test the soccer myth suggesting that a particularly good moment to score a goal is just before half time. To this end, rich data on 1,179 games played in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League are analysed. In contrast to the myth, we find that, conditional on the goal difference and other game characteristics at half time, the final goal difference at the advantage of the home team is 0.520 goals lower in case of a goal just before half time by this team. We show that this finding relates to this team’s lower probability of scoring a goal during the second half. PMID:29518165

Prophylactic training in asymptomatic soccer players with ultrasonographic abnormalities in Achilles and patellar tendons: the Danish Super League Study.

PubMed

Fredberg, Ulrich; Bolvig, Lars; Andersen, Niels T

2008-03-01

A recent study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine showed that asymptomatic soccer players with an increased risk of developing Achilles and patellar tendon injuries within the next 12 months can be identified with use of ultrasonography. Prophylactic eccentric training and stretching can reduce both the frequency of asymptomatic ultrasonographic changes in Achilles and patellar tendons in soccer players and the risk of these asymptomatic intratendinous changes becoming symptomatic. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Two hundred and nine Danish professional soccer players from the best national league (Super League) were followed over 12 months with use of ultrasonography and injury registration. Half the teams were randomized to an intervention group with prophylactic eccentric training and stretching of the Achilles and patellar tendons during the soccer season. The eccentric training and stretching did not reduce the injury risk, and, contrary to all expectations, the injury risk during the season was increased in players with abnormal patellar tendons at the beginning of the study in January. Eccentric training and stretching in players with normal patellar tendons significantly reduced the proportion of players with ultrasonographic changes in the patellar tendons at the end of the season (risk difference [RD] = 12%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2%-22%; P = .02), but the training had no effect on the Achilles tendons (RD = 1%; 95% CI, -7% to 9%; P = .75). The presence of preseason ultrasonographic abnormalities in the tendons significantly increased the risk of developing tendon symptoms during the season (relative risk = 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.1; P = .009). This study demonstrates that with the use of ultrasonography, tendon changes in soccer players can be diagnosed before they become symptomatic. The prophylactic eccentric training and stretching program reduces the risk of developing ultrasonographic abnormalities in the patellar tendons but has no positive effects on the risk of injury. On the contrary, in asymptomatic players with ultrasonographically abnormal patellar tendons, prophylactic eccentric training and stretching increased the injury risk.

Heart Rate Variability Discriminates Competitive Levels in Professional Soccer Players.

PubMed

Proietti, Riccardo; di Fronso, Selenia; Pereira, Lucas A; Bortoli, Laura; Robazza, Claudio; Nakamura, Fabio Y; Bertollo, Maurizio

2017-06-01

Heart rate variability (HRV) has been increasingly used to monitor team sports athletes. Besides the traditional time domain indices (i.e., the SD of successive RR intervals [SDNN] and the root mean square difference of successive normal RR intervals [RMSSD]), recently the use of the stress score (SS), which is an inverse function of the SD2 index derived from the Poincaré plot, and the sympathetic/parasympathetic ratio (S/PS) to monitor soccer players has been proposed. However, the reliability of these new indices and the ability of HRV to differentiate between soccer competitive levels are unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability of the different HRV-derived indices in professional soccer players during the competitive period and to compare HRV of professional soccer players from 3 teams of distinct competitive levels (i.e., Italian Second Division [2D], European League [EL], and Champions League [CL]). Fifty-four male professional soccer players from 3 different teams of 2 European countries (Italy and Germany) participated in the study. The intraclass correlation coefficient values of the HRV indices varied from 0.78 (very large) to 0.90 (near perfect). The coefficient of variation (CV) values for RMSSD and SDNN were all <5.00%, although the CV for SS was 6.13% and for S/PS, it was 21.33%. Both the CL and EL groups, assumed to be internationally qualified, presented higher lnRMSSD and lnSDNN and lower lnSS and S/PS than the 2D. Therefore, the HRV can be considered reliable in professional soccer players and is able to differentiate between international- and national-level players.

Injury profile of a professional soccer team in the premier league of iran.

PubMed

Hassabi, Mohammad; Mohammad-Javad Mortazavi, Seyed; Giti, Mohammad-Reza; Hassabi, Majid; Mansournia, Mohammad-Ali; Shapouran, Sara

2010-12-01

Despite numerous studies which have been done regarding soccer injuries worldwide, there is lack of available data considering the epidemiology of injuries in the Iranian soccer premier league, although it is the most popular sport in the country. The main goal of this research was to determine the incidence of physical injuries in the studied population, considering other characteristics such as site, type and mechanism as well. Twenty one adult male professional soccer players (age 24±3), members of a team (Tehran-Pas) participating in Iranian premier league, were followed during a 4-month period. The injury characteristics and exposure times were recorded by the team physician during all the matches and training sessions. The total exposure time was 2610 playing hours (2352 h of training versus 258 h of competition). Eighty six percent of the injuries were acute. Incidence of acute injuries was 16.5 (95% CI: 12-22) per 1000 hours of playing (11.5 per 1000 hrs of training and 62 per 1000 hrs of competition). The most common types of injuries were strains followed by contusions, each of which constituted 30% of acute injuries. More than 80% of injuries occurred in lower limbs, especially in thigh and groin regions. Nearly 60% of acute injuries occurred in dominant side of the body, and collision was the reason of about half of the acute injuries. Severity of more than 70% of the injuries was minor. On average each injury had led the player being off the field for about 10 days. The incidence of injury in this research is in range of numbers obtained in important international tournaments but the rate of injuries during training sessions is higher than comparable studies.

An examination of the migratory transition of elite young European soccer players to the English Premier League.

PubMed

Richardson, David; Littlewood, Martin; Nesti, Mark; Benstead, Luke

2012-01-01

The migration of soccer players has increased in recent years. In this study, we examined the experiences of elite young soccer players as they engaged in a migratory transition from their home country to an English Premier League (EPL) club. Five young players, who made the migratory transition between the ages of 16 and 24, were interviewed. Data were analysed using the principles of content analysis. Verbatim text was then aligned to the emergent themes. Results indicate that young migratory players face the initial frenzy that is associated with an approach from an EPL club before going through a "decision" phase, followed by a period of "migration" and "acculturation" before establishing (or not) their "home from home". The challenges of leaving home and family while trying to establish themselves as a professional player in an environment that (still) appears to be beset with (traditional) English soccer culture (i.e. high tempo, ruthless, macho, and aggressive) are recounted. While the player's family was a significant source of social support, there is still a need for qualified personnel (e.g. sports psychologists) and/or appropriately trained international recruitment staff and football agents (i.e. in areas of social, psychological, and/or performance lifestyle) to support young players through their migratory transition.

Brief report: Behavioral risk factors for youth soccer (football) injury.

PubMed

Schwebel, David C; Banaszek, Mark M; McDaniel, McCall

2007-05-01

By most reports, soccer (football) is among the most played and most popular sports in the world. This study prospectively examined behavioral risk factors for youth soccer injury. Sixty 11- and 12-year-old boys who played on six teams in a suburban recreational soccer league were followed over the course of a season. Six predictors were assessed prior to the start of the season via self-report measures from coaches, parents, and the players themselves: inhibition, aggression, risk-taking, skill, experience playing soccer, and physical size. All games were videotaped, and tapes were reviewed to record players' collisions with other players, fouls, falls during the course of play, and injuries. Greater skill and less experience playing soccer best predicted injury risk. Inhibition, aggression, and risk-taking did not emerge as predictors. Results are discussed with respect to previous research in youth sport and general pediatric injury risk.

An Examination of Coach and Player Relationships According to the Adapted LMX 7 Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caliskan, Gokhan

2015-01-01

The current study aims to test the reliability and validity of the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX 7) scale with regard to coach--player relationships in sports settings. A total of 330 professional soccer players from the Turkish Super League as well as from the First and Second Leagues participated in this study. Factor analyses were performed to…

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia in an Elite Female Soccer Player; What Sports Medicine Clinicians Should Know about This?

PubMed

Angoorani, Hooman; Haratian, Zohreh; Halabchi, Farzin

2012-09-01

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) refers to a group of congenital conditions characterized by disordered cortisol synthesis. The correlation between CAH and sports performance has been less studied before and there is very limited information regarding the impacts of this congenital disease on sports performance. Probably, there are some limitations for patients who suffer from CAH in sports, but at the same time, they may enjoy some advantage due to the probable effect of endogenous hyperandrogenism on their exercise performance. The case is a 14 - year old girl with male phenotype who is a known case of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. She plays in the women's national soccer team of under 16. She has been in the first division league of indoor soccer for 4 years and was also selected in the preparation training camp of women's football team for Singapore's youth Olympic Games. Her illness and dependence on corticosteroid have caused some concerns for her participation in the international competitions of women. However, following consultations with the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Committee of games organization, she received TUE to use corticosteroid only within the games period. Despite all her problems, she is now playing in the Second Division League of indoor soccer. A female adolescent with CAH may compete at the high level of outdoor and indoor soccer. However, there are many questions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of this congenital disorder and its treatment on sports related issues.

Analysis of Reaction Times and Aerobic Capacities of Soccer Players According to Their Playing Positions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taskin, Cengiz; Karakoc, Onder; Taskin, Mine; Dural, Murat

2016-01-01

70 soccer players in Gaziantep amateur league voluntarily participated in this study, (average of their ages 19,17±1,34years, average of their heights 181,28±5,06 cm, average of their body weights 76,75±4,43 kg and average of their sports experiences 3,78±0,95 years) to analyze visual and auditory reaction times and aerobic capacities of amateur…

AN OFFSET FOR AFSOF: COMBINING ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS WITH SWARM EMPLOYMENT

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

teams composed of autonomous robot players compete in games of soccer .58 Strongly coordinated centralized systems are similar to the distributed...goal in a dynamically changing environment. This is a very active area of research and exemplified by the robot soccer league, a competition where...University, 2013, 23. 63 Massie, Andrew. “Autonomy and the Future Force” Strategic Studies Quarterly, Summer 2016, 146. 64 Zacharias, Greg. "Autonomus

Reliability and factorial validity of flexibility tests for team sports.

PubMed

Sporis, Goran; Vucetic, Vlatko; Jovanovic, Mario; Jukic, Igor; Omrcen, Darija

2011-04-01

The main goal of this method paper was to evaluate the reliability and factorial validity of flexibility tests used in soccer, and to do crossvalidation study on 2 other team sports using handball and basketball players. The second aim was to compare the validity of the different tests and evaluate the flexibility of soccer players; the third was to determine the positional differences between attackers, defenders, and midfielders in all flexibility tests. One hundred and fifty (n = 150) elite male junior soccer players, members of the First Croatian Junior League Teams, and 60 (n = 60) handball and 60 (n = 60) basketball players also members of the First Croatian Junior League Teams volunteered to participate in the study, tested for the purpose of crossvalidation. The SAR and V-SAR had the greatest AVR and ICC. The within-subjects variation ranged from between 0.3 and 3.8%. The lowest value of CV was found between the LSPL and LSPR. Low to moderate statistically significant correlation coefficients were found among all the measured flexibility tests. It was observed that the greatest correlations existed between the SAR and V-SAR (r = 0.65) and between the LLSR and LLSL (r = 0.56). Statistically significant correlations were also observed between the BLPL and BLPR (r = 0.62). The principal components factor analysis of 9 flexibility tests resulted in the extraction of 3 significant components. The results of this study have the following implications for the assessment of flexibility in soccer: (a) all flexibility tests used in this study have the acceptable between and within-subjects reliability and they can be used to estimate the flexibility of soccer players; (b) the LSPL and LSPR tests are the most reliable and valid flexibility tests for the estimation of flexibility of professional soccer players.

Injury risk factors, screening tests and preventative strategies: a systematic review of the evidence that underpins the perceptions and practices of 44 football (soccer) teams from various premier leagues

PubMed Central

McCall, Alan; Carling, Chris; Davison, Michael; Nedelec, Mathieu; Le Gall, Franck; Berthoin, Serge; Dupont, Gregory

2015-01-01

Purpose To systematically review the scientific level of evidence for the ‘Top 3’ risk factors, screening tests and preventative exercises identified by a previously published survey of 44 premier league football (soccer) teams. Also, to provide an overall scientific level of evidence and graded recommendation based on the current research literature. Methods A systematic literature search (Pubmed [MEDLINE], SportDiscus, PEDRO and Cochrane databases). The quality of the articles was assessed and a level of evidence (1++ to 4) was assigned. Level 1++ corresponded to the highest level of evidence available and 4, the lowest. A graded recommendation (A: strong, B: moderate, C: weak, D: insufficient evidence to assign a specific recommendation) for use in the practical setting was given. Results Fourteen studies were analysed. The overall level of evidence for the risk factors previous injury, fatigue and muscle imbalance were 2++, 4 and ‘inconclusive’, respectively. The graded recommendation for functional movement screen, psychological questionnaire and isokinetic muscle testing were all ‘D’. Hamstring eccentric had a weak graded ‘C’ recommendation, and eccentric exercise for other body parts was ‘D’. Balance/proprioception exercise to reduce ankle and knee sprain injury was assigned a graded recommendation ‘D’. Conclusions The majority of perceptions and practices of premier league teams have a low level of evidence and low graded recommendation. This does not imply that these perceptions and practices are not important or not valid, as it may simply be that they are yet to be sufficiently validated or refuted by research. PMID:25576530

Groin pain and soccer players: male versus female occurrence.

PubMed

Karlsson, M K; Dahan, R; Magnusson, H; Nyquist, F; Rosengren, B E

2014-08-01

Groin pain is common in soccer players. Comparison of results from different studies, especially between genders, is difficult as studies use different definitions and data collection procedures. Therefore we conducted a study of both male and female soccer players enabling direct gender comparison. The study enrolled 479 male soccer players aged 25 years (17-43) (mean with range) and 144 female soccer players aged 23 years (16-47), who answered a mailed questionnaire that included specific questions on groin pain and sports history. Data are presented as proportions (%) or as mean with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Groin pain was experienced by 55% of male soccer players and 28% of female soccer players, resulting in an odds ratio (OR) of 2.9 (95% CI 1.9, 4.5). Groin pain occurred more often in the preseason, than during the rest of the season in both male and female players (both P<0.001). Playing position in the team or playing league did not seem to influence the risk of suffering groin pain. In soccer players, male gender and preseasonal training appear to be risk factors for developing groin pain.

A simple non-Markovian computational model of the statistics of soccer leagues: Emergence and scaling effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Roberto; Vainstein, Mendeli H.; Lamb, Luis C.; Prado, Sandra D.

2013-03-01

We propose a novel probabilistic model that outputs the final standings of a soccer league, based on a simple dynamics that mimics a soccer tournament. In our model, a team is created with a defined potential (ability) which is updated during the tournament according to the results of previous games. The updated potential modifies a team future winning/losing probabilities. We show that this evolutionary game is able to reproduce the statistical properties of final standings of actual editions of the Brazilian tournament (Brasileirão) if the starting potential is the same for all teams. Other leagues such as the Italian (Calcio) and the Spanish (La Liga) tournaments have notoriously non-Gaussian traces and cannot be straightforwardly reproduced by this evolutionary non-Markovian model with simple initial conditions. However, we show that by setting the initial abilities based on data from previous tournaments, our model is able to capture the stylized statistical features of double round robin system (DRRS) tournaments in general. A complete understanding of these phenomena deserves much more attention, but we suggest a simple explanation based on data collected in Brazil: here several teams have been crowned champion in previous editions corroborating that the champion typically emerges from random fluctuations that partly preserve the Gaussian traces during the tournament. On the other hand, in the Italian and Spanish cases, only a few teams in recent history have won their league tournaments. These leagues are based on more robust and hierarchical structures established even before the beginning of the tournament. For the sake of completeness, we also elaborate a totally Gaussian model (which equalizes the winning, drawing, and losing probabilities) and we show that the scores of the Brazilian tournament “Brasileirão” cannot be reproduced. This shows that the evolutionary aspects are not superfluous and play an important role which must be considered in other alternative models. Finally, we analyze the distortions of our model in situations where a large number of teams is considered, showing the existence of a transition from a single to a double peaked histogram of the final classification scores. An interesting scaling is presented for different sized tournaments.

"It's just everywhere!" Children and parents discuss the marketing of sports wagering in Australia.

PubMed

Pitt, Hannah; Thomas, Samantha L; Bestman, Amy; Stoneham, Melissa; Daube, Mike

2016-10-01

To investigate how children and adults recall the content and promotional channels for sports wagering marketing. A mixed methods study of 152 parent/child (8-16 years) dyads was conducted at AFL (Australian Football League), NRL (National Rugby League), and soccer sporting sites in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. Questions related to the frequency of viewing AFL and NRL matches, sports wagering promotions and perceptions of the normalisation of wagering in sport. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyse data. Children recruited from NRL (n=75, 96.2%) and AFL (n=46, 92.0%) sites were significantly more likely to have recalled having ever seen a promotion for sports wagering as compared to children from Soccer sites (n=18, 75.0%) (p<0.05). Children and adults identified seeing sports wagering promotions in similar environments, most commonly on television, and at stadiums. Three-quarters of children (75.0%) and the majority of adults (90.0%) perceived that sports wagering was becoming a normal part of sport. This research shows that children engaged in particular sports have high awareness of wagering marketing, particularly as seen on television or at sporting matches. Regulation should comprehensively address the placement, quantity and content of wagering marketing aligned with sport to prevent current and/or future gambling harm. © 2016 Public Health Association of Australia.

Perceptions of the Coach–Athlete Relationship Predict the Attainment of Mastery Achievement Goals Six Months Later: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study among F. A. Premier League Academy Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Nicholls, Adam R.; Earle, Keith; Earle, Fiona; Madigan, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

All football teams that compete within the F. A. Premier League possess an academy, whose objective is to produce more and better home-grown players that are capable of playing professionally. These young players spend a large amount of time with their coach, but little is known about player’s perception of the coach–athlete relationship within F. A. Premier League Academies. The objectives of this study were to examine whether perceptions of the coach–athlete relationship changed over six months and if the coach–athlete relationship predicted self-reported goal achievement among F. A. Premier League academy players. This study included cross-sectional (n = 104) and longitudinal (n = 52) assessments, in which academy soccer players completed a measure of the coach–athlete relationship and goal achievement across either one or two time periods. The cross-sectional data were subjected to bivariate correlations, whereas the longitudinal data were analyzed using multiple regressions. Perceptions of the coach–athlete relationship remained stable over time. The coach–athlete relationship predicted the achievement of mastery goals six months later. Enhancing the quality of the coach–athlete relationship among elite adolescent athletes appears to be a suitable way of maximizing mastery achievement goals, particularly among developmental athletes who participate in team sports. PMID:28572775

Home advantage in Turkish professional soccer.

PubMed

Seçkin, Aylin; Pollard, Richard

2008-08-01

Home advantage is known to play an important role in the outcome of professional soccer games and to vary considerably worldwide. In the Turkish Super League over the last 12 years, 61.5% of the total points gained have been won by the home team, a figure similar to the worldwide average and to the Premier League in England. It is lower (57.7%) for games played between teams from Istanbul and especially high for games involving teams from cities in the more remote and ethnically distinct parts of Turkey (Van and Diyarbakir). Match performance data show that although home teams in Turkey take 26% more shots at goal than away teams, the success rates for shots do not differ. For fouls and disciplinary cards, home and away teams do not differ significantly in Turkey, a finding that differs from games in England, perhaps due to less referee bias.

Prevalence of tinea pedis in professional and college soccer players versus non-athletes.

PubMed

Pickup, Tiffany L; Adams, Brian B

2007-01-01

To assess and compare the prevalence of tinea pedis among professional soccer players, college soccer players, and non-athletes. We sought to assess the prevalence of various risk factors and their association with tinea pedis among these different groups. Survey study. United States. Members of a United Soccer League (USL) professional team (N = 16), male (N = 16) and female (N = 14) NCAA soccer teams at a local college, and male (N = 15) and female (N = 15) non-athletes from a local medical school. All participants anonymously answered questions on their risk factors for tinea pedis and underwent physical and mycological examinations. Clinical exam, potassium hydroxide solution (KOH), and culture. Tinea pedis infected 69% professional soccer players (11 of 16) compared with 69% of male college soccer players (11 of 16) and 43% of female college soccer players (6 of 14), whereas non-athletes demonstrated significantly less tinea pedis (P < 0.001), including 20% of male non-athletes (3 of 15) and 0% of female non-athletes (0 of 15). These results indicate a need for improved primary prevention of tinea pedis among athletes. A preventive program involving education and coach participation is needed to target these individuals.

Neuromuscular Training Availability and Efficacy in Preventing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in High School Sports: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Murray, Jared J; Renier, Colleen M; Ahern, Jenny J; Elliott, Barbara A

2017-11-01

To document neuromuscular training (NMT) availability and its relationship to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in 4 major high school sports by gender, sport, and rural/urban geography, with the hypothesis that increased exposure to NMT would be associated with fewer ACL injuries. A retrospective cohort study. All Minnesota high schools identified in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) database for fall 2014 boys' football and soccer, and girls' volleyball and soccer. All high school athletic directors were surveyed to report their school's fall 2014 experience; 53.5% returned the survey reporting experience with one or more of the sports. Athletic directors documented each sport's preseason and in-season exposure to NMT (plyometric exercises, proximal/core muscle strengthening, education and feedback regarding proper body mechanics, and aerobics) and licensed athletic trainers. Reported ACL injuries by sport, gender and rural/urban. More than two-thirds of teams incorporated facets of NMT into their sport. Among male athletes, soccer players exposed to licensed athletic trainers experienced significantly fewer ACL injuries (P < 0.005), and NMT was associated with significantly fewer ACL injuries in football (P < 0.05) and soccer (P < 0.05). Female athletes did not demonstrate similar associated improvements, with volleyball injuries associated with increased NMT (P < 0.001), and soccer injuries not associated with NMT. However, girl soccer players in rural settings reported fewer ACL injures compared with urban teams (P < 0.001). Most fall high school sports teams were exposed to NMT, which was associated with fewer ACL injuries for male, but not for female athletes. Improved gender- and sport-specific preventive training programs are indicated.

Oral iron treatment has a positive effect on iron metabolism in elite soccer players.

PubMed

Villanueva, Jesús; Soria, Marisol; González-Haro, Carlos; Ezquerra, Laura; Nieto, José L; Escanero, Jesús F

2011-09-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of oral iron supplementation on hematological and iron metabolism in elite soccer players. Thirty-five members of the Real Zaragoza SAD soccer team took part in this study: group A (GA, n = 24; Spanish Premier League) took an oral iron supplement of 80 mg day(-1) for 3 weeks, and group B (GB, n = 11; Spanish Third Division League) did not receive any supplementation. In GA, the parameters were measured before and after giving the iron supplements, while in GB, measurements were only made at the time of collecting the second set of data from GA. After supplementation, GA showed an increase in serum iron (SI) (P < 0.05), serum ferritin (Ftn) (P < 0.01), and transferrin saturation (Sat) (P < 0.01) with respect to the basal values. In addition, GA showed higher values of hematocrit (P < 0.01), mean corpuscular volume (P < 0.01), Ftn (P < 0.01), and Sat (P < 0.01) than GB. No significant differences were found in any other parameters. More specifically, a higher percentage of players had Ftn levels above upper limits in GA vs. GB (P < 0.05), and GB had a higher incidence of Ftn below lower limits with respect to subjects in GA (P < 0.01). Further, after treatment, 58.3% of GA had >800 mg of SI, while all players in GB presented levels below the lower limits. In conclusion, iron supplementation with 80 mg·day(-1) for 3 weeks, before the start of the soccer season, can be recommended for elite soccer players.

Developing Talented Soccer Players: An Analysis of Socio-Spatial Factors as Possible Key Constraints

PubMed Central

Pastor-Vicedo, Juan C.; González-Víllora, Sixto; Teoldo da Costa, Israel

2016-01-01

Abstract Most studies on the identification and development of soccer talent have been one-dimensional in nature. Although some multi-dimensional analyses have been conducted, few research studies have assessed in any depth the socio-spatial factors influencing talent development. The aim of this particular study was to analyse variations in the international representation of clubs (n = 821) and countries (n = 59) in the development of players who took part in the 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup. Clubs and countries were ranked and divided into quartiles according to the number of players developed between the ages of 15 and 21 (clubs and countries that developed players for at least three years between these ages) and the number of official league matches played by these players up to the age of 23. Significant variations were observed between clubs in terms of the number of developed players who took part in the World Cup and the number of official league matches played by these players up to the age of 23 (p < .05), and also between countries (p < .05). The findings reveal the need to carry out more in-depth studies into the type of training and competition engaged in by elite players in the period of development between the ages of 15 and 21. It may be the case that these factors are potentially decisive socio-spatial constraints in the development of soccer talent. PMID:28031773

Competing with lower level opponents decreases intra-team movement synchronization and time-motion demands during pre-season soccer matches.

PubMed

Folgado, Hugo; Duarte, Ricardo; Fernandes, Orlando; Sampaio, Jaime

2014-01-01

This study aimed to quantify the time-motion demands and intra-team movement synchronization during the pre-season matches of a professional soccer team according to the opposition level. Positional data from 20 players were captured during the first half of six pre-season matches of a Portuguese first league team. Time-motion demands were measured by the total distance covered and distance covered at different speed categories. Intra-team coordination was measured by calculating the relative phase of all pairs of outfield players. Afterwards, the percentage of time spent in the -30° to 30° bin (near-in-phase mode of coordination) was calculated for each dyad as a measure of space-time movement synchronization. Movement synchronization data were analyzed for the whole team, according to each dyad average speed and by groups of similar dyadic synchronization tendencies. Then, these data were compared according to the opponent team level (first league; second league; amateurs). Time-motion demands showed no differences in total distance covered per opposition levels, while matches opposing teams of superior level revealed more distance covered at very high intensity. Competing against superior level teams implied more time in synchronized behavior for the overall displacements and displacements at higher intensities. These findings suggest that playing against higher-level opponents (1st league teams) increased time-motion demands at high intensities in tandem with intra-team movement synchronization tendencies.

THE HOME ADVANTAGE IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

PubMed

Jones, Marshall B

2015-12-01

Home advantage is smaller in baseball than in other major professional sports for men, specifically football, basketball, or soccer. This paper advances an explanation. It begins by reviewing the main observations to support the view that there is little or no home advantage in individual sports. It then presents the case that home advantage originates in impaired teamwork among the away players. The need for teamwork and the extent of it vary from sport to sport. To the extent that a sport requires little teamwork it is more like an individual sport, and the home team would be expected to enjoy only a small advantage. Interactions among players on the same side (teamwork) are much less common in baseball than in the other sports considered.

Relation between social cohesion and team performance in soccer teams.

PubMed

Tziner, Aharon; Nicola, Nicola; Rizac, Anis

2003-02-01

Investigations of the influence on team performance of team composition, in terms of task-related attributes, e.g., personality traits, cognitive abilities, often assumes this relation to be mediated by the strength (intensity) of the interpersonal relations (social cohesion) among team members. However, there has been little empirical examination of how much social cohesion actually affects team outcomes. This preliminary study sought to examine this issue using soccer teams, which have been held to resemble workplace teams. Perceptions of team cohesion were collected from 198 Israeli soccer players (comprising 36 national league teams) during the week preceding their weekly games. A significant correlation was found between the perceptions of social cohesion and the results of the soccer matches, indicating a link between team social cohesion and team performance. Implications of the results, as well as the study's limitations, are discussed, and avenues for research are suggested.

Seasonal Changes in Soccer Players' Body Composition and Dietary Intake Practices.

PubMed

Devlin, Brooke L; Kingsley, Michael; Leveritt, Michael D; Belski, Regina

2017-12-01

Devlin, BL, Kingsley, M, Leveritt, MD, and Belski, R. Seasonal changes in soccer players' body composition and dietary intake practices. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3319-3326, 2017-The aims of this study were 2-fold: to determine seasonal changes in dietary intake and body composition in elite soccer players and to evaluate the influence of self-determined individual body composition goals on dietary intake and body composition. This longitudinal, observational study assessed body composition (total mass, fat-free soft tissue mass, and fat mass) using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and dietary intake (energy and macronutrients) via multiple-pass 24-hour recalls, at 4 time points over a competitive season in elite soccer players from one professional club in the Australian A-League competition. Self-reported body composition goals were also recorded. Eighteen elite male soccer players took part (25 ± 5 years, 180.5 ± 7.4 cm, 75.6 ± 6.5 kg). Majority (≥67%) reported the goal to maintain weight. Fat-free soft tissue mass increased from the start of preseason (55,278 ± 5,475 g) to the start of competitive season (56,784 ± 5,168 g; p < 0.001), and these gains were maintained until the end of the season. Fat mass decreased over the preseason period (10,072 ± 2,493 g to 8,712 ± 1,432 g; p < 0.001), but increased during the latter part of the competitive season. Dietary intake practices on training days were consistent over time and low compared with sport nutrition recommendations. The self-reported body composition goals did not strongly influence dietary intake practices or changes in body composition. This study has demonstrated that body composition changes over the course of a soccer season are subtle in elite soccer players despite relatively low self-reported intake of energy and carbohydrate.

Comparison of home advantage in men's and women's football leagues in Europe.

PubMed

Pollard, Richard; Gómez, Miguel A

2014-01-01

Most research into home advantage is based on men's sports. This article analyses home advantage in the women's domestic football leagues of Europe and makes a comparison with the corresponding men's football leagues. A total of 47,042 games were included. From 2004 to 2010, home advantage existed in the domestic women's soccer leagues of all 26 European countries analysed, ranging from 51.0% to 58.8% and averaging 54.2%. In every country, this was less than the corresponding men's home advantage which averaged 60.0%. Crowd effects, both on players and referees, and different gender perceptions of territorial protection are plausible reasons for the differences found. Using a regression model that controlled for the competitive balance of each league, as well as for crowd size, the Gender Gap Index, which quantifies the status of women in each country, was a significant predictor of the difference between men's and women's home advantage. As the status of women becomes closer to that of men within a country, the difference in home advantage is less between the men's and women's football leagues.

A 15-year prospective epidemiological account of acute traumatic injuries during official professional soccer league matches in Japan.

PubMed

Aoki, Haruhito; O'Hata, Nozomu; Kohno, Terushige; Morikawa, Tsuguo; Seki, Jun

2012-05-01

Few prospective epidemiological studies on soccer match injuries have collected continuous data using subjects from the same group. To investigate long-term injury-induced changes during official matches in the professional Japanese soccer league. Descriptive epidemiological study. Acute injuries during official matches among top-division Japanese professional soccer leaguers were prospectively collected from 1993 to 2007. Injuries preventing player participation for 7 days or more were defined as a reportable injury. Interseasonal variations of injury rate (IR: injuries/1000/player hours) and injury pattern (type, location, circumstances, severity, injury time, positional role, and relationship to weather) were analyzed. Throughout the study period, 2947 injuries from 3984 matches occurred. Mean annual IR was 21.77/1000 player hours, and annual variance showed gradual decrement throughout the study period. The proportion of injury type and location were not significantly changed. Sprain and contusion as injury type and thigh and ankle joint as location were the most common in every season. Contact-related injuries comprised 73.3% on average and were observed to occur more frequently during the last 15 minutes and extra time of match play. The proportion of foul play-related injuries showed a clear declining trend. The proportion of severe injury showed a sporadic increase from 2001 to 2004. The second, fifth, and sixth 15-minute match segments showed a higher IR. Goalkeepers had a lower IR versus other field players. Matches on rainy days resulted in a lower IR than did those held under other weather conditions. Long-term surveillance and statistical feedback of injury characteristics to organization members were considered effective in improving safer play awareness among players and for referees to reduce injury incidence, particularly foul play-related injuries.

Visualization of air flow around soccer ball using a particle image velocimetry

PubMed Central

Hong, Sungchan; Asai, Takeshi; Seo, Kazuya

2015-01-01

A traditional soccer ball is constructed using 32 pentagonal and hexagonal panels. In recent years, however, the likes of the Teamgeist and Jabulani balls, constructed from 14 and 8 panels, respectively, have entered the field, marking a significant departure from conventionality in terms of shape and design. Moreover, the recently introduced Brazuca ball features a new 6-panel design and has already been adopted by many soccer leagues. However, the shapes of the constituent panels of these balls differ substantially from those of conventional balls. Therefore, this study set out to investigate the flight and aerodynamic characteristics of different orientations of the soccer ball, which is constructed from panels of different shapes. A wind tunnel test showed substantial differences in the aerodynamic forces acting on the ball, depending on its orientation. Substantial differences were also observed in the aerodynamic forces acting on the ball in different directions, corresponding to its orientation and rotation. Moreover, two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (2D-PIV) measurements showed that the boundary separation varies depending on the orientation of the ball. Based on these results, we can conclude that the shape of the panels of a soccer ball substantially affects its flight trajectory. PMID:26446616

Visualization of air flow around soccer ball using a particle image velocimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Sungchan; Asai, Takeshi; Seo, Kazuya

2015-10-01

A traditional soccer ball is constructed using 32 pentagonal and hexagonal panels. In recent years, however, the likes of the Teamgeist and Jabulani balls, constructed from 14 and 8 panels, respectively, have entered the field, marking a significant departure from conventionality in terms of shape and design. Moreover, the recently introduced Brazuca ball features a new 6-panel design and has already been adopted by many soccer leagues. However, the shapes of the constituent panels of these balls differ substantially from those of conventional balls. Therefore, this study set out to investigate the flight and aerodynamic characteristics of different orientations of the soccer ball, which is constructed from panels of different shapes. A wind tunnel test showed substantial differences in the aerodynamic forces acting on the ball, depending on its orientation. Substantial differences were also observed in the aerodynamic forces acting on the ball in different directions, corresponding to its orientation and rotation. Moreover, two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (2D-PIV) measurements showed that the boundary separation varies depending on the orientation of the ball. Based on these results, we can conclude that the shape of the panels of a soccer ball substantially affects its flight trajectory.

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-31

anecdote. My son is 18 and a goalie for a B-League soccer team. In a recent game his team was losing 3 to nothing. In the stands they started yelling...recover. This is so not only because "the low level traps of a lack of balance" would constantly pull us down. It will not be easy to find a clear

Condom Use among Heterosexual Immigrant Latino Men in the Southeastern United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knipper, Emily; Rhodes, Scott D.; Lindstrom, Kristen; Bloom, Fred R.; Leichliter, Jami S.; Montano, Jaime

2007-01-01

Latinos in the United States have been disproportionately affected by the intersecting epidemics of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We examined correlates of condom use among adult heterosexual Latino men who are members of a large multicounty soccer league in rural North Carolina. Of 222 participants, the mean (plus or minus SD) age…

Coach mid-season replacement and team performance in professional soccer.

PubMed

Lago-Peñas, Carlos

2011-06-01

The coaching carousel or turnover is an extreme but frequently occurring phenomenon in soccer. Among the reasons for firing a coach, the most common is the existence of a shock-effect: a new coach would be able to motivate the players better and therefore to improve results. Using data from the Spanish Soccer League during the seasons from 1997-1998 to 2006-2007, this paper investigates the relationship between team performance and coach change over time. The empirical analysis shows that the shock effect of a turnover has a positive impact on team performance in the short term. Results reveal no impact of coach turnover in the long term. The favourable short-term impact on team performance of a coach turnover is followed by continued gradual worsening of results. The turnover effect is nonexistent when the comparison between the new coach and the old coach is done over 10, 15 or 20 matches before and after termination.

More Than the Win: The Relation between Appetitive Competition Motivation, Socialization, and Gender Role Orientation in Women's Football.

PubMed

Meyer-Parlapanis, Danie; Siefert, Sabrina; Weierstall, Roland

2017-01-01

The ability to produce peak performance plays a decisive role in the success of athletes in competitive contest situations. Levels of appetitive competition motivation (ACM), i.e., the desire to defeat an opponent independent of secondary reinforcing factors, were assessed in professional female football/soccer players in the premier and regional leagues, using club level as the measurement of sport success. Furthermore, the influence of social environments predominantly encouraging masculine and competitive play behavior and the players' perceptions of their own gender role orientations were investigated. Ninety female football players from the German premier league (44) and regional leagues (46) participated (age: M = 24, SD = 5 years). Questionnaires ascertaining ACM and self-perceptions of gender via gender-role stereotypes, childhood play behavior and style of upbringing were utilized. Premier league athletes showed a significantly greater inclination toward direct sporting confrontations. Almost 50% of the variance in ACM between the premier and regional league athletes was determined by modern upbringing style and the development of gender roles not corresponding to classic female gender stereotypes. The results emphasize the significance of ACM as an important facet in competitive sports and illustrate the influence of socialization on athletic performance.

Short-Term High Intensity Plyometric Training Program Improves Strength, Power and Agility in Male Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Váczi, Márk; Tollár, József; Meszler, Balázs; Juhász, Ivett; Karsai, István

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a short-term in-season plyometric training program on power, agility and knee extensor strength. Male soccer players from a third league team were assigned into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group, beside its regular soccer training sessions, performed a periodized plyometric training program for six weeks. The program included two training sessions per week, and maximal intensity unilateral and bilateral plyometric exercises (total of 40 – 100 foot contacts/session) were executed. Controls participated only in the same soccer training routine, and did not perform plyometrics. Depth vertical jump height, agility (Illinois Agility Test, T Agility Test) and maximal voluntary isometric torque in knee extensors using Multicont II dynamometer were evaluated before and after the experiment. In the experimental group small but significant improvements were found in both agility tests, while depth jump height and isometric torque increments were greater. The control group did not improve in any of the measures. Results of the study indicate that plyometric training consisting of high impact unilateral and bilateral exercises induced remarkable improvements in lower extremity power and maximal knee extensor strength, and smaller improvements in soccer-specific agility. Therefore, it is concluded that short-term plyometric training should be incorporated in the in-season preparation of lower level players to improve specific performance in soccer. PMID:23717351

Short-term high intensity plyometric training program improves strength, power and agility in male soccer players.

PubMed

Váczi, Márk; Tollár, József; Meszler, Balázs; Juhász, Ivett; Karsai, István

2013-03-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a short-term in-season plyometric training program on power, agility and knee extensor strength. Male soccer players from a third league team were assigned into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group, beside its regular soccer training sessions, performed a periodized plyometric training program for six weeks. The program included two training sessions per week, and maximal intensity unilateral and bilateral plyometric exercises (total of 40 - 100 foot contacts/session) were executed. Controls participated only in the same soccer training routine, and did not perform plyometrics. Depth vertical jump height, agility (Illinois Agility Test, T Agility Test) and maximal voluntary isometric torque in knee extensors using Multicont II dynamometer were evaluated before and after the experiment. In the experimental group small but significant improvements were found in both agility tests, while depth jump height and isometric torque increments were greater. The control group did not improve in any of the measures. Results of the study indicate that plyometric training consisting of high impact unilateral and bilateral exercises induced remarkable improvements in lower extremity power and maximal knee extensor strength, and smaller improvements in soccer-specific agility. Therefore, it is concluded that short-term plyometric training should be incorporated in the in-season preparation of lower level players to improve specific performance in soccer.

Organizing a Girls' Sport Expo for an Elementary or Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jisha, Jay; Mozen, Diana; Talbot, Kristin

2004-01-01

Today there are more opportunities for girls to compete in sports than ever before. Title IX has increased participation of girls and women in sports, including women at the college level, and this has led to the creation of women's professional leagues in basketball, softball, Volleyball and soccer. Female stars in individual sports such as golf,…

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-22

certain interactions exist here—principally in poetry. Interac- tions among artists and among their works. Obviously, as long as we present...energy, particularly with regard to fats and carbohydrates . Many cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, dia- betes, and not just a few...factory clinic costs is funded by half a million marks a year. The Heckert company finances several athletic groups ranging from league soccer to

Headache and soccer: a survey in professional soccer players of the Italian "Serie A".

PubMed

Mainardi, Federico; Alicicco, Ernesto; Maggioni, Ferdinando; Devetag, Flavio; Lisotto, Carlo; Zanchin, Giorgio

2009-02-01

The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence and the clinical features of primary headaches in a sample of players of the Italian Soccer League first division. The design of the study allowed a retrospective and prospective diagnosis of primary headaches according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders-II edition (ICHD-II), using anonymous questionnaires, which had to be filled out at regular times during the playing season. A total of 83 athletes playing in four different clubs were involved; four of them changed football team during the season and so did not complete the study. During the championship three soccer players reported headache (3.6%) with features fulfilling ICHD-II criteria for episodic tension-type headache. Important and prolonged physical effort was reported as aggravating factor in one case, but no attacks occurred during competitive matches. The same athletes had reported a personal history of episodic tension-type headache. In conclusion, the occurrence of primary headaches among professional soccer players of Italian first division championship appear to be strikingly lower, as compared to that found in the general population. A possible explanation could be given by the selection operated by a career which is not compatible with unpredictable, disabling attacks.

Proportionate mortality of Italian soccer players: is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis an occupational disease?

PubMed

Belli, Stefano; Vanacore, Nicola

2005-01-01

The objective of the study is to investigate the mortality experience of Italian soccer players and to discuss the findings in the light of possible long term effects of doping. Standardized proportionate mortality ratio (SPMR) and standardized proportionate cancer mortality ratio (SPCMR) were computed for 350 deceased subjects deriving from a list of about 24,000 active Italian soccer players from 1960 to 1996 in the three top leagues (A, B and C). When considering SPMRs, there is a substantial adherence of observed to expected mortality, with the only exception of mortality for diseases of the nervous system (13 obs. vs. 6 exp.) mainly explained by an excess of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (8 obs. vs 0.69 exp.). As far as SPCMRs are concerned, some digestive cancers (namely: colon cancer, liver cancer and pancreas cancer) show a doubled risk. A high risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is observed among Italian soccer players. Epidemiological data on association between sport and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are contrasting. On the basis of the overall available evidence we suggest a possible connection between dietary supplements or drugs used to enhance sporting performance and ALS pathogenesis. Further epidemiological studies are needed to confirm these specific mortality risks among soccer players.

Quantification of training load during one-, two- and three-game week schedules in professional soccer players from the English Premier League: implications for carbohydrate periodisation.

PubMed

Anderson, Liam; Orme, Patrick; Di Michele, Rocco; Close, Graeme L; Morgans, Ryland; Drust, Barry; Morton, James P

2016-01-01

Muscle glycogen is the predominant energy source for soccer match play, though its importance for soccer training (where lower loads are observed) is not well known. In an attempt to better inform carbohydrate (CHO) guidelines, we quantified training load in English Premier League soccer players (n = 12) during a one-, two- and three-game week schedule (weekly training frequency was four, four and two, respectively). In a one-game week, training load was progressively reduced (P < 0.05) in 3 days prior to match day (total distance = 5223 ± 406, 3097 ± 149 and 2912 ± 192 m for day 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Whilst daily training load and periodisation was similar in the one- and two-game weeks, total accumulative distance (inclusive of both match and training load) was higher in a two-game week (32.5 ± 4.1 km) versus one-game week (25.9 ± 2 km). In contrast, daily training total distance was lower in the three-game week (2422 ± 251 m) versus the one- and two-game weeks, though accumulative weekly distance was highest in this week (35.5 ± 2.4 km) and more time (P < 0.05) was spent in speed zones >14.4 km · h(-1) (14%, 18% and 23% in the one-, two- and three-game weeks, respectively). Considering that high CHO availability improves physical match performance but high CHO availability attenuates molecular pathways regulating training adaptation (especially considering the low daily customary loads reported here, e.g., 3-5 km per day), we suggest daily CHO intake should be periodised according to weekly training and match schedules.

THE "X" FACTOR: Why Female Athletes Have a Higher Rate of ACL Injury than Their Male Counterparts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, James

2012-01-01

Sports have become an integral part of the developmental experience of many of today's youth. Since the implementation of Title IX, more young girls and women have begun to play sports and see those sports as a possible career path. Tennis, basketball and soccer all have professional sports leagues for women, and many more sports offer women the…

More Than the Win: The Relation between Appetitive Competition Motivation, Socialization, and Gender Role Orientation in Women's Football

PubMed Central

Meyer-Parlapanis, Danie; Siefert, Sabrina; Weierstall, Roland

2017-01-01

The ability to produce peak performance plays a decisive role in the success of athletes in competitive contest situations. Levels of appetitive competition motivation (ACM), i.e., the desire to defeat an opponent independent of secondary reinforcing factors, were assessed in professional female football/soccer players in the premier and regional leagues, using club level as the measurement of sport success. Furthermore, the influence of social environments predominantly encouraging masculine and competitive play behavior and the players' perceptions of their own gender role orientations were investigated. Ninety female football players from the German premier league (44) and regional leagues (46) participated (age: M = 24, SD = 5 years). Questionnaires ascertaining ACM and self-perceptions of gender via gender-role stereotypes, childhood play behavior and style of upbringing were utilized. Premier league athletes showed a significantly greater inclination toward direct sporting confrontations. Almost 50% of the variance in ACM between the premier and regional league athletes was determined by modern upbringing style and the development of gender roles not corresponding to classic female gender stereotypes. The results emphasize the significance of ACM as an important facet in competitive sports and illustrate the influence of socialization on athletic performance. PMID:28450840

Static stretching does not enhance recovery in elite youth soccer players

PubMed Central

Pooley, Sam; Spendiff, Owen; Allen, Matt; Moir, Hannah J

2017-01-01

Background Static stretching (SS) is a recovery intervention used for the reduction of muscle soreness postexercise. The effects of SS on elite young footballers have received little attention, and therefore the aim of this study was to assess the effects of SS on muscle recovery following competitive soccer matches in elite young footballers. Methods Ten male participants (16±1 years) were recruited from an English Premier League professional soccer academy. Using a controlled crossover design, participants followed one of two recovery interventions (SS or passive recovery (PR)) immediately following completion of competitive soccer matches. Muscle oedema, creatine kinase (CK), countermovement jump with arms (CMJA) performance and perceived muscle soreness were assessed before, immediately after and 48 hours postmatch. Results Competitive soccer matches significantly induced muscle damage, with time intervals of perceived soreness and CK showing significant increases (p<0.05), and CMJA showing significant decreases between prematch, postmatch and 48 hours postmatch for both SS and PR (p<0.05). Comparisons of the absolute effects of SS with PR only revealed significant decreases for CK 48 hours postmatch (p<0.05) as a result of SS intervention. Conclusion The current study demonstrated competitive soccer matches induced muscle damage, which may have detrimental effects on future performance within 24–48 hours postmatch. Furthermore, there was limited evidence to suggest SS would assist in the reduction of muscle soreness postexercise. Therefore, it can be argued that SS is not a beneficial recovery option for elite youth soccer players. PMID:28761702

Why the Three-Point Rule Failed to Sufficiently Reduce the Number of Draws in Soccer: An Application of Prospect Theory.

PubMed

Riedl, Dennis; Heuer, Andreas; Strauss, Bernd

2015-06-01

Incentives guide human behavior by altering the level of external motivation. We apply the idea of loss aversion from prospect theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979) to the point reward systems in soccer and investigate the controversial impact of the three-point rule on reducing the fraction of draws in this sport. Making use of the Poisson nature of goal scoring, we compared empirical results with theoretically deduced draw ratios from 24 countries encompassing 20 seasons each (N = 118.148 matches). The rule change yielded a slight reduction in the ratio of draws, but despite adverse incentives, still 18% more matches ended drawn than expected, t(23) = 11.04, p < .001, d = 2.25, consistent with prospect theory assertions. Alternative point systems that manipulated incentives for losses yielded reductions at or below statistical expectation. This provides support for the deduced concept of how arbitrary aims, such as the reduction of draws in the world's soccer leagues, could be more effectively accomplished than currently attempted.

Coach Mid-Season Replacement and Team Performance in Professional Soccer

PubMed Central

Lago-Peñas, Carlos

2011-01-01

The coaching carousel or turnover is an extreme but frequently occurring phenomenon in soccer. Among the reasons for firing a coach, the most common is the existence of a shock-effect: a new coach would be able to motivate the players better and therefore to improve results. Using data from the Spanish Soccer League during the seasons from 1997–1998 to 2006–2007, this paper investigates the relationship between team performance and coach change over time. The empirical analysis shows that the shock effect of a turnover has a positive impact on team performance in the short term. Results reveal no impact of coach turnover in the long term. The favourable short-term impact on team performance of a coach turnover is followed by continued gradual worsening of results. The turnover effect is nonexistent when the comparison between the new coach and the old coach is done over 10, 15 or 20 matches before and after termination. PMID:23487177

Comparison of Home Advantage in College and Professional Team Sports in the United States.

PubMed

Pollard, Richard; Gómez, Miguel A

2015-09-01

Home advantage in seven American college team sports (baseball, basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer and women's basketball) was compared with professional leagues in the United States for the same sports and for the same time period. A total of 81,063 college games and 22,477 professional games were analyzed for the four seasons 2006-07 to 2009-10. There was a significant home advantage, as measured by home winning percentage, in all sports, both college and professional. The overall home advantage in college sports was significantly greater than in professional sports (p<0.015). The mean difference was 3.73 home winning percentage points, being greatest for baseball, basketball, and hockey (all p<0.001). Plausible explanations for these results include differences in college and professional competition in terms of familiarity with local conditions, referee bias, territoriality and psychological factors. However, the influence of travel fatigue was inconclusive. Only for soccer was the home advantage greater for professionals. This was the only sport where crowd size appeared to be having an effect. In addition the rules of college soccer allow more substitution and hence greater coach intervention than in professional soccer, a factor that could also be reducing home advantage.

Physical and technical performances are not associated with tactical prominence in U14 soccer matches.

PubMed

Clemente, Filipe Manuel; Figueiredo, António José; Martins, Fernando Manuel Lourenço; Mendes, Rui Sousa; Wong, Del P

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the association between physical/technical variables and the tactical prominence variables in U14 soccer matches. Twenty-two young amateur soccer players (13.5 [Formula: see text] 0.5 years old, 5.4 [Formula: see text] 0.5 years of practice, 163.3 [Formula: see text] 9.8 cm in body height) from two teams of the Portuguese regional league volunteered for the study. Our results showed positive and moderate correlation between dribbling test and betweenness centrality (r = 0.324; p = 0.142), and negative moderate correlation between %fatigue index and betweenness centrality (r = -0.390; p = 0.073). Physical and technical variables had no statistical differences among tactical positions. Nevertheless, when tactical prominence of players from four tactical positions were compared, significant differences were found in terms of degree prestige (p = 0.001) and degree centrality (p = 0.002). This pilot study did not find strong correlations between physical/technical levels and tactical prominence in soccer matches.

Analysis of Cohesion and Collective Efficacy Profiles for the Performance of Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Leo, Francisco M.; Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro A.; Sánchez-Oliva, David; Amado, Diana; García-Calvo, Tomás

2013-01-01

The principal aims of the study were to define different profiles of cohesion and perceived efficacy in soccer players and to measure their differences in performance. The subjects were 235 soccer players in the under-18 category who played in the National League in Spain and 15 coaches whose ages ranged from 29 to 45 years. Diverse instruments to assess cohesion, perceived efficacy, and expectations of success were used in the study. Moreover, we measured playing time and performance. The results of the study proved the existence of four cohesion and efficacy profiles that presented significant differences in expectations of success, playing time, and performance. Furthermore, significant differences were found in the distribution of players in the teams as a function of performance. The main conclusion of this study is that soccer players with higher cohesion and collective efficacy levels belonged to teams that completed the season at the top-level classification. In contrast, athletes with low cohesion and collective efficacy usually played in unsuccessful teams. Coaches and sports psychologists are encouraged to promote both social and task cohesion and collective efficacy to enhance team performance. PMID:24511358

Football match spectator sound exposure and effect on hearing: a pretest-post-test study.

PubMed

Swanepoel, De Wet; Hall, James W

2010-03-30

To determine (i) noise exposure levels of spectators at a FIFA 2010 designated training stadium during a premier soccer league match; and (ii) changes in auditory functioning after the match. This was a one-group pretest-post-test design of football spectators attending a premier soccer league match at a designated FIFA 2010 training stadium in Gauteng, South Africa. Individual spectator noise exposure for the duration of the football match and post-match changes in hearing thresholds were measured with pure-tone audiometry, and cochlear functioning was measured with distortion product oto-acoustic emissions (DPOAEs). The average sound exposure level during the match was 100.5 LAeq (dBA), with peak intensities averaging 140.4 dB(C). A significant (p=0.005) deterioration of post-match hearing thresholds was evident at 2 000 Hz, and post-match DPOAE amplitudes were significantly reduced at 1,266, 3,163 and 5,063 Hz (p=0.011, 0.019, 0.013, respectively). Exposure levels exceeded limits of permissible average and peak sound levels. Significant changes in post-match hearing thresholds and cochlear responsiveness highlight the possible risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Public awareness and personal hearing protection should be prioritized as preventive measures.

Injuries of the obturator muscles in professional soccer players.

PubMed

Wong-On, Manuel; Turmo-Garuz, Antonio; Arriaza, Rafael; Gonzalez de Suso, Jose Manuel; Til-Perez, Luis; Yanguas-Leite, Xavier; Diaz-Cueli, David; Gasol-Santa, Xavier

2017-02-10

Obturator externus and internus muscular tears are uncommon injuries. Only a few case reports exist, mainly in high-level athletes. Our aim is to describe a series of obturator externus and internus muscular tears in professional soccer players. Injury data from four teams from the First Division of the Spanish Soccer League were collected over a total of four seasons. Any soccer player who sustained an injury to either the obturator externus or internus identified on magnetic resonance (MRI) was included. All injured players were treated non-operatively with a goal of returning to play as fast as possible. Sixteen players sustained injuries to the obturator externus and internus during matches or training sessions. The main complaint was anterior hip pain with a physical examination showing pain during internal rotation or external rotation of the flexed hip. The MRI documented 12 muscular tears of the obturator externus, and 4 muscular tears of the obturator internus. All injuries were treated conservatively based on physical therapy, analgesic medications, and underwent a symptoms-based rehabilitation protocol. Mean return to play was 11.5  ±  8.8 days. Although uncommon, tears of the obturator externus and internus occur in professional soccer players. The MRI scan was essential to the location, classification, and evaluation of the injury size. The clinical relevance of our investigation is based on the relatively benign prognosis of these injuries. IV.

Home advantage and referee bias in European football.

PubMed

Goumas, Chris

2014-01-01

Home advantage is well documented in a wide range of team sports including association football (soccer). Home team crowd support has been shown to be a likely causal factor and its influence on referee decision-making appears to play a significant role. Match data from the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 seasons of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League and Europa League were used to investigate referee bias in terms of the association between match location (home vs. away) and disciplinary sanctions used by football referees. The adjusted mean number of yellow cards received by home and away teams and the ratios of these means were estimated from Poisson regression models. After controlling for within-match measures of attacking dominance referees in the Champions League and Europa League issued 25% (p<0.001) and 10% (p=0.002) more yellow cards, respectively, to away teams than to home teams. The higher level of home team bias in the Champions League appeared to be mainly due to higher crowd densities. In a combined analysis of both UEFA leagues the magnitude of referee bias increased with increasing crowd density (p<0.001). Crowd size and crowd proximity were not associated with referee bias after controlling for crowd density. These results provide further evidence that crowd support influences referee decisions. Failure to control for within-match team performance may over-estimate the extent of referee bias in terms of the number of disciplinary sanctions used.

Gender differences in match performance characteristics of soccer players competing in the UEFA Champions League.

PubMed

Bradley, Paul S; Dellal, Alexandre; Mohr, Magni; Castellano, Julen; Wilkie, Anna

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to examine gender differences in match performance characteristics of elite soccer players. Fifty-four male and fifty-nine female soccer players were tracked during UEFA Champions League matches using a multi-camera system (Amisco, Nice, France). Male players covered more (P<.01) distance than female players in total during a match (Effect Size [ES]: 0.5) and at higher speed thresholds (>15, >18, 18-21, 21-23, 23-25 and >27kmh(-1); ES: 0.7-1.4). Decrements in the second versus first half (P<.01) were only evident in female players for the distance covered in total and at selected speed thresholds (12-15, >12 and >15kmh(-1); ES: 0.6). Male central midfielders covered more (P<.01) total distance during a match than female central midfielders and at selected speed thresholds (15-23kmh(-1); ES: 1.3-2.2). Male full-backs and wide midfielders covered a greater distance (P<.01) than female players in the same positions at higher speed thresholds (>15, 21-23, 23-25, 25-27 and >27kmh(-1); ES: 1.5-3.1). The distance covered during the most intense 5min period of the match (>15kmh(-1)) was higher (P<.01) in male compared to female players (ES: 1.0) but no distance deficit in the next versus the average 5min period was observed for either gender (ES: 0.1-0.2). No gender differences were found for technical events such as the number of ball touches, time in possession of the ball or total duels won during both halves and the entire match (ES: 0.1-0.3). However, female players lost the ball more often (P<.05) and displayed lower pass completion rates than male players during both halves and the entire match (ES: 0.5-0.9). The data demonstrate that large gender differences exist for match performance characteristics of players competing at the highest competitive standard of European soccer. Such detailed analyses could be useful for gender-specific training information for optimal preparation. However, more research is warranted to establish gender-specific speed thresholds for elite soccer players. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in Acceleration and Deceleration Capacity Throughout Professional Soccer Match-Play.

PubMed

Russell, Mark; Sparkes, William; Northeast, Jonny; Cook, Christian J; Love, Tom D; Bracken, Richard M; Kilduff, Liam P

2016-10-01

Russell, M, Sparkes, W, Northeast, J, Cook, CJ, Love, TD, Bracken, RM, and Kilduff, LP. Changes in acceleration and deceleration capacity throughout professional soccer match-play. J Strength Cond Res 30(10): 2839-2844, 2016-As the acceleration and deceleration demands of soccer are currently not well understood, this study aimed to profile markers of acceleration and deceleration capacity during professional soccer match-play. This within-player observational study required reserve team players from a Premier League club to wear 10-Hz Global Positioning System units throughout competitive matches played in the 2013-14 competitive season. Data are presented for players who completed 4 or more games during the season (n = 11), and variables are presented according to six 15-minute intervals (I1-6: 00:00-14:59 minutes, 15:00-29:59 minutes, 30:00-44:59 minutes, 45:00-59:59 minutes, 60:00-74:59 minutes, and 75:00-89:59 minutes, respectively). During I6, the distance covered (total, per minute, and at high intensity), number of sprints, accelerations (total and high intensity), decelerations (total and high intensity), and impacts were reduced compared with I1 (all p ≤ 0.05). The number of high-intensity impacts remained unchanged throughout match-play (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that high-intensity actions and markers of acceleration and deceleration capacity are reduced in the last 15 minutes of the normal duration of match-play. Such information can be used to increase the specificity of training programs designed for soccer players while also giving further insight in to the effects of 90 minutes of soccer-specific exercise. Interventions that seek to maintain the acceleration and deceleration capacity of players throughout the full duration of a soccer match warrant investigation.

Is China’s Engagement with Brazil, an Opportunity or Threat?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

Distribution: A 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Brazil’s aspiration to become a member of the global elite has led to increased...States and Latin America, National Interests, BRIC CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified Brazil’s aspiration to become a member of the global elite has...WITH BRAZIL, AN OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT? Brazil Aspires to Big League in More Than Soccer —New York Times1 Brazil’s aspiration to become a member

Prevalence of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Surgery in Professional Baseball Players.

PubMed

Conte, Stan A; Fleisig, Glenn S; Dines, Joshua S; Wilk, Kevin E; Aune, Kyle T; Patterson-Flynn, Nancy; ElAttrache, Neal

2015-07-01

While the high rate of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries in professional baseball is widely discussed in the media and medical literature, the actual prevalence of UCL reconstruction has not been documented. The prevalence of UCL reconstruction will be higher among pitchers than nonpitchers, and Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers will have a higher prevalence than will minor league pitchers. Descriptive epidemiology study. An online questionnaire was distributed to all 30 MLB organizations. Certified athletic trainers from each team administered the questionnaire to all players in the organization, including major league players and 6 levels of minor league players. Demographic data were compared between major and minor league players. Continuous variables (age, years of professional baseball, country of origin, etc) were compared with Student t tests (P < .05). Categorical variables (level, position, etc) were compared using chi-square analysis (P < .05). A total of 5088 professional baseball players (722 major league and 4366 minor league) participated in the survey. Pitchers represented 53% of all players, and 497 players reported at least 1 UCL reconstruction, demonstrating a prevalence rate of 10% (497 of 5088). Pitchers reported a significantly higher prevalence of UCL reconstruction (16%; 437 of 2706) than nonpitchers (3%; 60 of 2382; P < .001). Among major league pitchers, 25% (96 of 382) had a history of UCL reconstruction, while minor league pitchers showed a 15% (341 of 2324) prevalence (P < .001). Major league pitchers were also significantly older (28.8 ± 3.9 years) than minor league pitchers (22.8 ± 3.0; P < .001). The majority of major leaguers (86%) had their UCL reconstruction as professional pitchers, whereas the majority of minor league pitchers (61%) underwent their UCL reconstruction during high school and college (P < .001). The rates of UCL revision, prior elbow surgery, prior shoulder surgery, and types of UCL graft were similar between the major league and minor league pitchers. No difference in prevalence was shown between pitchers born in the United States versus Latin American countries. Pitchers have a high prevalence of UCL reconstruction in professional baseball, with 25% of major league pitchers and 15% of minor league pitchers having a history of the surgery. © 2015 The Author(s).

Soccer Player Characteristics in English Lower-League Development Programmes: The Relationships between Relative Age, Maturation, Anthropometry and Physical Fitness.

PubMed

Lovell, Ric; Towlson, Chris; Parkin, Guy; Portas, Matt; Vaeyens, Roel; Cobley, Stephen

2015-01-01

The relative age effect (RAE) and its relationships with maturation, anthropometry, and physical performance characteristics were examined across a representative sample of English youth soccer development programmes. Birth dates of 1,212 players, chronologically age-grouped (i.e., U9's-U18's), representing 17 professional clubs (i.e., playing in Leagues 1 & 2) were obtained and categorised into relative age quartiles from the start of the selection year (Q1 = Sep-Nov; Q2 = Dec-Feb; Q3 = Mar-May; Q4 = Jun-Aug). Players were measured for somatic maturation and performed a battery of physical tests to determine aerobic fitness (Multi-Stage Fitness Test [MSFT]), Maximal Vertical Jump (MVJ), sprint (10 & 20m), and agility (T-Test) performance capabilities. Odds ratio's (OR) revealed Q1 players were 5.3 times (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 4.08-6.83) more likely to be selected than Q4's, with a particularly strong RAE bias observed in U9 (OR: 5.56) and U13-U16 squads (OR: 5.45-6.13). Multivariate statistical models identified few between quartile differences in anthropometric and fitness characteristics, and confirmed chronological age-group and estimated age at peak height velocity (APHV) as covariates. Assessment of practical significance using magnitude-based inferences demonstrated body size advantages in relatively older players (Q1 vs. Q4) that were very-likely small (Effect Size [ES]: 0.53-0.57), and likely to very-likely moderate (ES: 0.62-0.72) in U12 and U14 squads, respectively. Relatively older U12-U14 players also demonstrated small advantages in 10m (ES: 0.31-0.45) and 20m sprint performance (ES: 0.36-0.46). The data identify a strong RAE bias at the entry-point to English soccer developmental programmes. RAE was also stronger circa-PHV, and relatively older players demonstrated anaerobic performance advantages during the pubescent period. Talent selectors should consider motor function and maturation status assessments to avoid premature and unwarranted drop-out of soccer players within youth development programmes.

Soccer Player Characteristics in English Lower-League Development Programmes: The Relationships between Relative Age, Maturation, Anthropometry and Physical Fitness

PubMed Central

Lovell, Ric; Towlson, Chris; Parkin, Guy; Portas, Matt; Vaeyens, Roel; Cobley, Stephen

2015-01-01

The relative age effect (RAE) and its relationships with maturation, anthropometry, and physical performance characteristics were examined across a representative sample of English youth soccer development programmes. Birth dates of 1,212 players, chronologically age-grouped (i.e., U9’s-U18’s), representing 17 professional clubs (i.e., playing in Leagues 1 & 2) were obtained and categorised into relative age quartiles from the start of the selection year (Q1 = Sep-Nov; Q2 = Dec-Feb; Q3 = Mar-May; Q4 = Jun-Aug). Players were measured for somatic maturation and performed a battery of physical tests to determine aerobic fitness (Multi-Stage Fitness Test [MSFT]), Maximal Vertical Jump (MVJ), sprint (10 & 20m), and agility (T-Test) performance capabilities. Odds ratio’s (OR) revealed Q1 players were 5.3 times (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 4.08–6.83) more likely to be selected than Q4’s, with a particularly strong RAE bias observed in U9 (OR: 5.56) and U13-U16 squads (OR: 5.45–6.13). Multivariate statistical models identified few between quartile differences in anthropometric and fitness characteristics, and confirmed chronological age-group and estimated age at peak height velocity (APHV) as covariates. Assessment of practical significance using magnitude-based inferences demonstrated body size advantages in relatively older players (Q1 vs. Q4) that were very-likely small (Effect Size [ES]: 0.53–0.57), and likely to very-likely moderate (ES: 0.62–0.72) in U12 and U14 squads, respectively. Relatively older U12-U14 players also demonstrated small advantages in 10m (ES: 0.31–0.45) and 20m sprint performance (ES: 0.36–0.46). The data identify a strong RAE bias at the entry-point to English soccer developmental programmes. RAE was also stronger circa-PHV, and relatively older players demonstrated anaerobic performance advantages during the pubescent period. Talent selectors should consider motor function and maturation status assessments to avoid premature and unwarranted drop-out of soccer players within youth development programmes. PMID:26331852

A comparison of the physiological profiles of elite Gaelic footballers, hurlers, and soccer players

PubMed Central

McIntyre, M

2005-01-01

Background: Gaelic football, soccer, and hurling are prominent field games in Ireland and involve participants undertaking a variety of playing tasks and skills which place various physiological demands on the participants. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the mid-season physiological profiles of elite players. Methods: Physiological assessment was carried out on 29 inter-county Gaelic footballers, 30 inter-county hurlers, and 21 League of Ireland soccer players. Results: Significant differences were reported for % body fat (p<0.05), aerobic capacity (p<0.05), flexibility (p<0.05), upper body strength (p<0.05), upper body strength endurance (p<0.05), abdominal endurance (p<0.05), and speed endurance (p<0.05), while there were no differences recorded for height, weight, or speed levels. A relatively heterogeneous body size is evident for all three sports. Soccer players had lower body fat levels, greater aerobic capacity, greater strength endurance, and greater flexibility compared to both Gaelic footballers and hurlers, possibly due to specific training and conditioning programmes or physical adaptation to match play The greater strength of both Gaelic footballers and hurlers and the superior speed endurance levels of Gaelic footballers also reflect the physical nature of the sports. Similar speed levels amongst all three sports reflect the importance of speed for performance. Conclusions: The various physiological attributes for Gaelic football, soccer, and hurling reflect the physical requirements for success and participation in each of these field games. PMID:15976166

Testosterone Concentration and Lower Limb Power Over an Entire Competitive Season in Elite Young Soccer Players.

PubMed

Arruda, Ademir F S; Aoki, Marcelo S; Freitas, Camila G; Spigolon, Leandro M P; Franciscon, Clovis; Moreira, Alexandre

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate salivary T changes and its relationship with power performance over a 1-year competitive season in elite under 15 (U15) and under 17 (U17) soccer players. Soccer players were recruited from 1 soccer club that has been participated in the main state and national leagues for these age groups. The soccer players were divided into 2 age categories (U15, n = 16 and U17, n = 23). A resting saliva sample was taken to determine T level, and power was assessed using the countermovement jump test with a bar of 30% of body mass on the athletes' shoulders on 3 occasions (T1: beginning of the competitive season, T2: end of the regular season, and T3: end of the playoffs). There was a decrease in T concentration at the end of the competitive season (T3) as compared with the beginning of the season (T1) for both age categories (p ≤ 0.05). Conversely, power performance parameters were increased for both age groups (U15: mean power and relative mean power and U17: peak power, mean power, relative peak power, and relative mean power; p ≤ 0.05). No significant correlation was identified between the relative changes in T concentration and power performance in both groups. The findings of this study suggest that T changes and power changes are not related.

Daily Distribution of Macronutrient Intakes of Professional Soccer Players From the English Premier League.

PubMed

Anderson, Liam; Naughton, Robert J; Close, Graeme L; Di Michele, Rocco; Morgans, Ryland; Drust, Barry; Morton, James P

2017-12-01

The daily distribution of macronutrient intake can modulate aspects of training adaptations, performance and recovery. We therefore assessed the daily distribution of macronutrient intake (as assessed using food diaries supported by the remote food photographic method and 24-hr recalls) of professional soccer players (n = 6) of the English Premier League during a 7-day period consisting of two match days and five training days. On match days, average carbohydrate (CHO) content of the prematch (<1.5 g·kg -1 body mass) and postmatch (1 g·kg -1 body mass) meals (in recovery from an evening kick-off) were similar (p > .05) though such intakes were lower than contemporary guidelines considered optimal for prematch CHO intake and postmatch recovery. On training days, we observed a skewed and hierarchical approach (p < .05 for all comparisons) to protein feeding such that dinner (0.8 g·kg -1 )>lunch (0.6 g·kg -1 )>breakfast (0.3 g·kg -1 )>evening snacks (0.1 g·kg -1 ). We conclude players may benefit from consuming greater amounts of CHO in both the prematch and postmatch meals so as to increase CHO availability and maximize rates of muscle glycogen resynthesis, respectively. Furthermore, attention should also be given to ensuring even daily distribution of protein intake so as to potentially promote components of training adaptation.

Just how important is a good season start? Overall team performance and financial budget of elite soccer clubs.

PubMed

Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Sampaio, Jaime

2015-01-01

The aim of the current study was (i) to identify how important is a good season start on elite soccer teams' performance and (ii) to examine whether this impact is related to the clubs' financial budget. The match performances and annual budgets of all teams were collected from the English FA Premier League, French Ligue 1, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and German Bundesliga for three consecutive seasons (2010-2011 to 2012-2013). A k-means cluster analysis classified the clubs according to their budget as High Range Budget Clubs, Upper-Mid Range Budget Clubs, Lower-Mid Range Budget Clubs and Low Range Budget Clubs. Data were examined through linear regression models. Overall, the results suggested that the better the team performance at the beginning of the season, the better the ranking at the end of the season. However, the impact of the effect depended on the clubs' annual budget, with lower budgets being associated with a greater importance of having a good season start (P < 0.01). Moreover, there were differences in trends across the different leagues. These variables can be used to develop accurate models to estimate final rankings. Conversely, Lower-Mid and Lower Range Budget Clubs can benefit from fine-tuning preseason planning in order to accelerate the acquisition of optimal performances.

Is there a relationship between the playing position of soccer players and their food and macronutrient intake?

PubMed

Iglesias-Gutiérrez, Eduardo; García, Angela; García-Zapico, Pedro; Pérez-Landaluce, Javier; Patterson, Angeles M; García-Rovés, Pablo Miguel

2012-04-01

Many authors have proposed the necessity of the design and implementation of dietary and nutrition education programs for soccer players, although little information is available about the determinants of food selection and nutrient intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional intake and eating patterns of soccer players according to their playing position in the team. Eighty-seven young male soccer players (aged 16-21 years) were recruited from the junior teams of a Spanish First Division Soccer League Club and divided into 6 positional categories (goalkeepers, full-backs, centre-backs, midfielders, wingers, and forwards). Body composition (height, weight, and body fat), performance in soccer-specific tests (jumping, sprinting, and intermittent endurance), and dietary intake (weighed food intake method) were assessed. A spontaneous higher carbohydrate intake was observed for full-backs, midfielders, and wingers (g·kg(-1) body mass: 4.9 ± 1.0, 4.9 ± 1.3, 4.9 ± 0.8; % of energy intake: 47 ± 5, 46 ± 6, 46 ± 4), compared with goalkeepers and centre-backs (g·kg(-1) of body mass: 3.9 ± 1.0, 4.3 ± 1.1; % of energy intake: 44 ± 3, 42 ± 4). These differences were related to food selection patterns, and a higher contribution to daily energy intake of cereals, derivatives, and potatoes was observed between full-backs compared with goalkeepers and centre-backs (33% vs. 27% and 25%). The magnitude of these differences is limited considering the whole diet, and an inadequate nutrient intake were observed in most individuals of every group. The design and implementation of nutrition intervention programs, taking into consideration positional differences in nutritional intake, would be useful for these players.

Physiological and performance effects of carbohydrate gels consumed prior to the extra-time period of prolonged simulated soccer match-play.

PubMed

Harper, Liam D; Briggs, Marc A; McNamee, Ged; West, Daniel J; Kilduff, Liam P; Stevenson, Emma; Russell, Mark

2016-06-01

The physiological and performance effects of carbohydrate-electrolyte gels consumed before the 30min extra-time period of prolonged soccer-specific exercise were investigated. Randomised, double-blind, crossover. Eight English Premier League academy soccer players performed 120min of soccer-specific exercise on two occasions while consuming fluid-electrolyte beverages before exercise, at half-time and 90min. Carbohydrate-electrolyte (0.7±0.1gkg(-1) BM) or energy-free placebo gels were consumed ∼5min before extra-time. Blood samples were taken before exercise, at half-time and every 15min during exercise. Physical (15-m and 30-m sprint speed, 30-m sprint maintenance and countermovement jump height) and technical (soccer dribbling) performance was assessed throughout each trial. Carbohydrate-electrolyte gels improved dribbling precision (+29±20%) and raised blood glucose concentrations by 0.7±0.8mmoll(-1) during extra-time (both p<0.01). Supplementation did not affect sprint velocities (15m and 30m), 30-m sprint maintenance or dribbling speed as reductions compared to 0-15min values occurred at 105-120min irrespective of trial (all p<0.05). Plasma osmolality and blood sodium concentrations increased post-exercise vs. the opening 15min (p<0.05) but no effect of supplementation existed. Selected markers of physical performance (jump height, 30-m sprint velocity and 30-m repeated sprint maintenance) also reduced by >3% during half-time (all p<0.05). Carbohydrate-electrolyte gel ingestion raised blood glucose concentrations and improved dribbling performance during the extra-time period of simulated soccer match-play. Supplementation did not attenuate reductions in physical performance and hydration status that occurred during extra-time. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survey on the occurrence of dental trauma and preventive strategies among Brazilian professional soccer players

PubMed Central

CORREA, Marcos Britto; SCHUCH, Helena Silveira; COLLARES, Kauê; TORRIANI, Dione Dias; HALLAL, Pedro Curi; DEMARCO, Flavio Fernando

2010-01-01

Objectives The aims of this study were to verify the occurrence of dental injuries in professional Brazilian soccer players, the level of knowledge of the teams' medical departments about mouthguards, and the conducts adopted in cases of dental trauma during the match. Material and methods Closed questionnaires were sent to the physicians in charge of the medical departments of the 40 teams enrolled in the first and second divisions of the Brazilian professional soccer league in 2007. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive analysis to determine absolute and relative frequencies of answers for each one of the questions. Results Physicians from 38 (95%) of the 40 teams in the first and second divisions answered the questionnaires and 71.1% reported the occurrence of some type of dental injury during soccer practice, dental fractures (74.1%) and avulsions (59.3%) being the most prevalent ones. Regarding emergency conducts, approximately 50% answered that a successful replantation could be obtained in periods from 6 to 24 h after injury, and 27.8% were not able to answer this question. Regarding mouthguard use, 48.6% of the physicians did not know about mouthguards, and only 21.6% usually recommended their use by the soccer players. Among the physicians who do not recommend the use of mouthguards, 50% justified that it was not necessary. Almost 50% of the medical departments do not have a dentist as part of the health professional staff. Conclusions It was possible to conclude that dental injuries are common during professional soccer practice and that there is a lack of information in the medical departments related to the emergency conducts and prevention of dental trauma. PMID:21308287

NUTRITIONAL INTAKE AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN ELITE MEXICAN TEENAGERS SOCCER PLAYERS OF DIFFERENT AGES.

PubMed

Hidalgo y Teran Elizondo, Roberto; Martín Bermudo, Francisco Manuel; Peñaloza Mendez, Ricardo; Berná Amorós, Genoveva; Lara Padilla, Eleazar; Berral de la Rosa, Francisco José

2015-10-01

nutritional intake and status of soccer players has attracted not much research attention. Many soccer players follow an inadequate nutritional intake and have a poor nutritional status. This is relevant in youngsters soccer players, in order to improve performance and promote healthy dietary practices. analyze anthropometric characterizes, evaluate nutritional intake and status, dietary habits and pre- and post-exercise meals in elite teenagers soccer players. seventy-two young male soccer players (15-20 years) from four junior teams of a soccer Club from the Mexican National Soccer League were measured for height, seat height, weight, 6 skinfolds, 6 diameters and 7 circumferences, height-for-age and BMI-for-age values. Skin, adipose, muscle, bone and residual tissue masses were calculated with the Ross and Kerr equation. Resting energy expenditure and intake was also measured. Daily dietary intake was self-recorded for 4 consecutive days (excluding the match day) using a digital food-weighing scale and a food record questionnaire. Dietary analysis was performed using the NutriBase 7 Clinical software. Several biochemical values were determined. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc testing was performed using t-tests with a Bonferroni correction. all soccer players were within the normal range values for anthropometric parameters studies, when compared with other adolescent elite soccer teams. Values of plasma glucose, urea, creatinine, uric acid, lipid profile and total proteins were within normal range for young adult population, although albumin levels were high. Moreover, 14% and 20% of soccer players presented hyperuricemia and elevated total cholesterol levels respectively. Energy expenditure and intake were within normal range for all teenager elite soccer players. However, two teams shower significant lower intakes than demands. All macronutrient intakes were within recommendations, except protein that was higher. Micronutrient intake exceeded the recommendations for general population. Soccer players had pre- and post-exercise meals with an appropriate range of carbohydrates. Food intake was mainly based on cereals, derivatives and potatoes; meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and eggs and biscuits and confectionery and poor in fruit, vegetables and milk and dairy products. the population of soccer players did not have optimal nutritional habits. However, their nutritional intake and status was better than in other published studies. The main problems of these teams were that they had a high protein diet and that in some teams the nutritional intake was not enough to cover the demands. Finally, nutritional intake was found to be of poor quality. Thus, we recommend nutritional education for soccer players of these teams. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Composition of Soccer Referees; Do These Correlate With Proper Performance?

PubMed

Mazaheri, Reza; Halabchi, Farzin; Seif Barghi, Tohid; Mansournia, Mohammad Ali

2016-03-01

The elite-level referee is exposed to similar physical demands to those placed on a midfield soccer player. They have an important responsibility to implement the rules of the game. So, good health and performance of soccer referees have a great importance. The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition of all 78 soccer referees officiating at the Iranian Premier League and determine the correlation between these parameters and performance. In a cross-sectional study, all referees selected for the competitions were enrolled. Participants underwent exercise stress test, pulmonary function test and body composition assessment. Then the weekly scores of each referee, assessed by qualified supervisors of national federation were obtained using the FIFA standard form throughout the season (34 weeks) and registered. Among 78 participants (including 32 center and 46 side referees), mean and standard deviation of age, body mass index, percent of body fat, VO2max and performance scores were 37 ± 3.8, 23.6 ± 2.1, 20.7 ± 3.9, 59.9 ± 7.1 and 85.8 ± 0.25, respectively. No significant correlation between referees' mean score and selected parameters were found. It seems that the acquired scores of top-class referees may be influenced by multiple factors other than the laboratory findings of cardiopulmonary fitness and body composition.

Assessing the Energy Expenditure of Elite Female Soccer Players: A Preliminary Study.

PubMed

Mara, Jocelyn K; Thompson, Kevin G; Pumpa, Kate L

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to assess the total and exercise energy expenditure of elite female soccer players during a training week. Eight elite female soccer players wore SenseWear Mini Armbands (SWAs) for 7 consecutive days during the preseason phase of a national league competition. In addition, players wore 15-Hz GPSports tracking devices during 4 training sessions and a friendly game. Total energy expenditure, exercise energy expenditure, and training and game demands were collected from the SWA and GPSports devices. Mean daily energy expenditure for the game day, training days, and rest days were 12,242 kJ (SD = 603 kJ), 11,692 (SD = 274 kJ), and 9,516 (SD = 369 kJ), respectively, with significant differences shown between activities (p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.357), as well as between individual days (p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.517). Mean values for energy expenditure during the friendly game (mean = 2,695 kJ, SD = 301 kJ) and training sessions (mean = 2,538 kJ, SD = 316 kJ) were similar (p = 0.278, Cohen's d = 0.5). However, there were significant differences found between individual training sessions (p = 0.001-0.035). Total and exercise energy expenditure differs throughout the week in female soccer players. Nutritional intake should be adjusted accordingly to avoid energy imbalances for optimal performance and recovery.

Comparison of Lateral Abdominal Muscle Thickness and Cross Sectional Area of Multifidus in Adolescent Soccer Players with and without Low Back Pain: A Case Control Study.

PubMed

Noormohammadpour, Pardis; Hosseini Khezri, Alireza; Linek, Paweł; Mansournia, Mohammad Ali; Hassannejad, Alireza; Younesian, Ali; Farahbakhsh, Farzin; Kordi, Ramin

2016-12-01

Low back pain (LBP) is a common complaint amongst adolescent athletes. While different studies have shown association between LBP and trunk muscle thickness in the general population, few articles have studied it in adolescent athletes. The aim of this study is to compare lateral abdominal muscle thickness and function, and cross sectional area (CSA) of lumbar multifidus (LM) in adolescent soccer players with and without LBP. In total, 28 adolescent soccer players with and without LBP, from the premier league participated in this study. The thickness of external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis and the CSA of the LM muscles at L4 level on both sides were measured at rest and contraction via ultrasound imaging (USI). In addition, leg length discrepancy, hamstring flexibility, active lumbar forward flexion, and isometric muscle endurance of trunk extensors were measured in both groups. (study design/setting: case control study). The mean (SD) age in LBP group and non-LBP group were 14.0 (1.1) and 14.1 (0.9) years, respectively. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics of participants between groups. Findings showed no significant difference between LBP and non-LBP groups comparing all measured variables. The data obtained support that there is not a correlation between abdominal muscle thickness and CSA of the lumbar multifidi and LBP in adolescent soccer players. These findings suggest that other factors rather than the thickness of deep trunk muscles may play a more significant role in the etiology of LBP in adolescent soccer players.

Internal and External Match Loads of University-Level Soccer Players: A Comparison Between Methods.

PubMed

Sparks, Martinique; Coetzee, Ben; Gabbett, Tim J

2017-04-01

Sparks, M, Coetzee, B, and Gabbett, TJ. Internal and external match loads of university-level soccer players: a comparison between methods. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 1072-7077, 2017-The aim of this study was to use individualized intensity zones to compare the external (velocity and player load, PL) and internal loads (heart rate, HR) of a cohort of university-level soccer players. Thirteen soccer players completed a 40-m maximum speed test and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) to determine individualized velocity and HR thresholds. Heart rate values and global positioning system (GPS) data of each player were recorded during 5 league matches. A large (r = 0.46; p ≤ 0.01) correlation was found between time spent in the low-intensity (LI) velocity zone (LIVZ) and the LI HR zone. Similarly, there were moderate (r = 0.25; p ≤ 0.01) to large (r = 0.57; p ≤ 0.01) correlations between the relative and absolute time spent in the moderate-intensity (MI) velocity zone (MIVZ) and the MI HR zone. No significant correlations (p ≤ 0.01) existed between the high-intensity (HI) velocity zones (HIVZ) and the HI HR zone. On the other hand, PL showed significant correlations with all velocity and HR (absolute and relative) variables, with the exception of a nonsignificant correlation between the HI HR variables and PL. To conclude, PL showed good correlations with both velocity and HR zones and therefore may have the potential to serve as a good indicator of both external and internal soccer match loads.

Mental Fatigue: Impairment of Technical Performance in Small-Sided Soccer Games.

PubMed

Badin, Oliver O; Smith, Mitchell R; Conte, Daniele; Coutts, Aaron J

2016-11-01

To assess the effects of mental fatigue on physical and technical performance in small-sided soccer games. Twenty soccer players (age 17.8 ± 1.0 y, height 179 ± 5 cm, body mass 72.4 ± 6.8 kg, playing experience 8.3 ± 1.4 y) from an Australian National Premier League soccer club volunteered to participate in this randomized crossover investigation. Participants played 15-min 5-vs-5 small-sided games (SSGs) without goalkeepers on 2 occasions separated by 1 wk. Before the SSG, 1 team watched a 30-min emotionally neutral documentary (control), while the other performed 30 min of a computer-based Stroop task (mental fatigue). Subjective ratings of mental and physical fatigue were recorded before and after treatment and after the SSG. Motivation was assessed before treatment and SSG; mental effort was assessed after treatment and SSG. Player activity profiles and heart rate (HR) were measured throughout the SSG, whereas ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs) were recorded before the SSG and immediately after each half. Video recordings of the SSG allowed for notational analysis of technical variables. Subjective ratings of mental fatigue and effort were higher after the Stroop task, whereas motivation for the upcoming SSG was similar between conditions. HR during the SSG was possibly higher in the control condition, whereas RPE was likely higher in the mental-fatigue condition. Mental fatigue had an unclear effect on most physical-performance variables but impaired most technical-performance variables. Mental fatigue impairs technical but not physical performance in small-sided soccer games.

Game management, context effects, and calibration: the case of yellow cards in soccer.

PubMed

Unkelbach, Christian; Memmert, Daniel

2008-02-01

Referees in German first-league soccer games do not award as many yellow cards in the beginning of a game as should be statistically expected. One explanation for this effect is the concept of game management (Mascarenhas, Collins, & Mortimer, 2002). Alternatively, the consistency model (Haubensak, 1992) explains the effect as a necessity of the judgment situation: Referees need to calibrate a judgment scale, and, to preserve degrees of freedom in that scale, they need to avoid extreme category judgments in the beginning (i.e., yellow cards). Experiment 1 shows that referees who judge scenes in the context of a game award fewer yellow cards than referees who see the same scenes in random order. Experiment 2 shows the combined influence of game management (by explicitly providing information about the game situation) and calibration (early vs. late scenes in the time course of a game). Theoretical implications for expert refereeing and referee training are discussed.

Usefulness of Dismissing and Changing the Coach in Professional Soccer

PubMed Central

Heuer, Andreas; Müller, Christian; Rubner, Oliver; Hagemann, Norbert; Strauss, Bernd

2011-01-01

Whether a coach dismissal during the mid-season has an impact on the subsequent team performance has long been a subject of controversial scientific discussion. Here we find a clear-cut answer to this question by using a recently developed statistical framework for the team fitness and by analyzing the first two moments of the effect of a coach dismissal. We can show with an unprecedented small statistical error for the German soccer league that dismissing the coach within the season has basically no effect on the subsequent performance of a team. Changing the coach between two seasons has no effect either. Furthermore, an upper bound for the actual influence of the coach on the team fitness can be estimated. Beyond the immediate relevance of this result, this study may lead the way to analogous studies for exploring the effect of managerial changes, e.g., in economic terms. PMID:21445335

Relative age effect in elite soccer: More early-born players, but no better valued, and no paragon clubs or countries

PubMed Central

Doyle, John R.

2018-01-01

The paper analyses two datasets of elite soccer players (top 1000 professionals and UEFA Under-19 Youth League). In both, we find a Relative Age Effect (RAE) for frequency, but not for value. That is, while there are more players born at the start of the competition year, their transfer values are no higher, nor are they given more game time. We use Poisson regression to derive a transparent index of the discrimination present in RAE. Also, because Poisson is valid for small frequency counts, it supports analysis at the disaggregated levels of country and club. From this, we conclude there are no paragon clubs or countries immune to RAE; that is clubs and countries do not differ systematically in the RAE they experience; also, that Poisson regression is a powerful and flexible method of analysing RAE data. PMID:29420576

Energy and macronutrient intakes of professional football (soccer) players.

PubMed

Maughan, R J

1997-03-01

To examine the dietary habits of professional soccer players at two Scottish Premier League clubs during the competitive season. A study of the dietary intake of 51 professional soccer players with two different clubs was carried out by the seven day weighed intake method. Physical characteristics of the two groups of players were similar, with only small differences in age and body mass but no difference in height and body fat. Mean (SD) daily energy intake for club A was 11.0 (2.6) MJ, and for club B 12.8 (2.2) MJ. The higher energy intake at club B was largely accounted for by a higher (P < 0.005) fat intake (118 v 93 g d-1): there was no difference in the absolute amounts of protein, carbohydrate, or alcohol consumed. When expressed as a fraction of total energy intake, mean protein intake was higher (P < 0.05) and fat intake lower (P < 0.01) at club A. The mean energy intake of these players was not high compared with athletes in endurance sports. Fractional contribution of the macronutrients to total energy intake was broadly similar to that of the general population.

Energy and macronutrient intakes of professional football (soccer) players.

PubMed Central

Maughan, R J

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the dietary habits of professional soccer players at two Scottish Premier League clubs during the competitive season. METHODS: A study of the dietary intake of 51 professional soccer players with two different clubs was carried out by the seven day weighed intake method. RESULTS: Physical characteristics of the two groups of players were similar, with only small differences in age and body mass but no difference in height and body fat. Mean (SD) daily energy intake for club A was 11.0 (2.6) MJ, and for club B 12.8 (2.2) MJ. The higher energy intake at club B was largely accounted for by a higher (P < 0.005) fat intake (118 v 93 g d-1): there was no difference in the absolute amounts of protein, carbohydrate, or alcohol consumed. When expressed as a fraction of total energy intake, mean protein intake was higher (P < 0.05) and fat intake lower (P < 0.01) at club A. CONCLUSIONS: The mean energy intake of these players was not high compared with athletes in endurance sports. Fractional contribution of the macronutrients to total energy intake was broadly similar to that of the general population. PMID:9132211

Effect of playing tactics on goal scoring in Norwegian professional soccer.

PubMed

Tenga, Albin; Holme, Ingar; Ronglan, Lars Tore; Bahr, Roald

2010-02-01

Methods that include an assessment of opponent interactions are thought to provide a more valid analysis of team match performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of playing tactics on goal scoring by assessing opponent interactions in Norwegian elite soccer. The sample included 203 team possessions leading to goals (cases) and 1688 random team possessions (control group) from 163 of 182 (90%) matches played in the men's professional league during the 2004 season. Multidimensional qualitative data using ten ordered categorical variables were obtained to characterize each team possession. The proportion of goals scored during counterattacks (52%) was higher than during elaborate attacks (48%), while for the control group the proportion using elaborate attacks (59%) was higher than when using counterattacks (41%) (P = 0.002). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that, for the main variable "team possession type", counterattacks were more effective than elaborate attacks when playing against an imbalanced defence (OR = 1.64; 95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 2.61; P = 0.038). Assessment of opponent interactions is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of offensive playing tactics on the probability of scoring goals, and improves the validity of team match-performance analysis in soccer.

Risk factors for lower extremity injuries in elite female soccer players.

PubMed

Nilstad, Agnethe; Andersen, Thor Einar; Bahr, Roald; Holme, Ingar; Steffen, Kathrin

2014-04-01

The incidence of lower extremity injuries in female soccer players is high, but the risk factors for injuries are unknown. To investigate risk factors for lower extremity injuries in elite female soccer players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Players in the Norwegian elite female soccer league (N = 12 teams) participated in baseline screening tests before the 2009 competitive soccer season. The screening included tests assessing maximal lower extremity strength, dynamic balance, knee valgus angles in a drop-jump landing, knee joint laxity, generalized joint laxity, and foot pronation. Also included was a questionnaire to collect information on demographic data, elite-level experience, and injury history. Time-loss injuries and exposure in training and matches were recorded prospectively in the subsequent soccer season using weekly text messaging. Players reporting an injury were contacted to collect data regarding injury circumstances. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ±1 standard deviation of change. In total, 173 players underwent complete screening tests and registration of injuries and exposure throughout the season. A total of 171 injuries in 107 players (62%) were recorded; ligament and muscle injuries were the most frequent. Multivariate analyses showed that a greater body mass index (BMI) (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.21-1.90; P = .001) was the only factor significantly associated with new lower extremity injuries. A greater BMI was associated with new thigh injuries (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.08-2.11; P = .01), a lower knee valgus angle in a drop-jump landing was associated with new ankle injuries (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.41-1.00; P = .04), and a previous knee injury was associated with new lower leg and foot injuries (OR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.27-9.99; P = .02), whereas none of the factors investigated influenced the risk of new knee injuries. A greater BMI was associated with lower extremity injuries in elite female soccer players. Increased knowledge on risk factors for lower extremity injuries enables more targeted prevention strategies with the aim of reducing injury rates in female soccer players.

POPLITEUS STRAIN WITH CONCURRENT DELTOID LIGAMENT SPRAIN IN AN ELITE SOCCER ATHLETE: A CASE REPORT

PubMed Central

Beaumont, Josh; Tarnay, Lorena; Silvers, Holly

2013-01-01

Study Design: Case Report (Differential diagnosis) Background and Purpose: Differential diagnosis of knee pathology after trauma may be difficult when diagnosing an isolated popliteus strain and concurrent medial deltoid ligament sprain. Upon a thorough search of the published literature, the authors found no reports delineating a popliteus strain in professional soccer in the United States. The joints most affected by injury in soccer players are the knee and ankle joints. The purpose of this case report is to describe the presentation of and difficulties encountered in diagnosing a popliteus strain in a Major League Soccer athlete. Case Description: During an in-season away game, an outside defender was slide-tackled from behind when his right shank was caught in an externally rotated position underneath himself and the opposing player. The initial point of contact was made to the proximal third of the posterior right shank with an anteromedially directed force. The medial longitudinal arch of the foot was forced into a more midfoot pronated position and the subtalar joint was forced into eversion. Diagnosis: The athlete was diagnosed with a moderate strain of the right popliteus muscle with a concurrent medial deltoid ligament sprain of the right ankle. This mechanism of injury, pain with passive knee flexion and internal rotation during McMurray's test, pain with Garrick's Test and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study confirmed the diagnosis. The athlete returned to full ninety-minute game participation after an intensive 15-day rehabilitation program. Discussion: This case is unique because the injury manifested itself at multiple joints and specifically involved the popliteus muscle. The mechanism of injury can be associated with many other soft tissue injuries to the knee, and thus, may not lead the clinician initially to consider the diagnosis of a popliteus strain. Diagnosis of this entity may be difficult due to the possible shared attachment of the popliteus muscle to the lateral meniscus, and the lack of available testing methods to assess damage to the popliteus muscle. Level of Evidence: Level 5 PMID:24175131

Importance of physical qualities for speed and change of direction ability in elite female soccer players.

PubMed

Emmonds, Stacey; Nicholson, G; Beggs, C; Jones, B; Bissas, A

2017-07-17

The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of physical qualities for speed and change of direction (CoD) ability in female soccer players. Data were collected on 10 female soccer players who were part of a professional English Women's Super League team. Player assessments included anthropometric (stature and body mass), body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), speed (10m, 30m sprint), CoD ability (505 agility), aerobic (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test), lower-body strength (bilateral knee extensions) and power (countermovement jump [CMJ], squat jump [SJ], 30cm drop jump [DJ]) measures. The relationships between the variables were evaluated using eigenvector analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. Multiple linear regression revealed that the performance variables (10 and 20m speed, mean 505, and CoD deficit mean) can be predicted with almost 100% accuracy (i.e. adjusted R > 0.999) using various combinations of the predictor variables (DJ height, CMJ height, SJ height, lean body mass). An increase of one standard deviation (SD) in DJ height was associated with reductions of -5.636 and -9.082 SD in 10 m and 20 m sprint times. A one SD increase in CMJ also results in a reduction of -3.317 and -0.922 SD respectively in mean 505 and CoD deficit mean values. This study provides comparative data for professional English female soccer players that can be used by strength and conditioning coaches when monitoring player development and assessing the effectiveness of training programmes. Findings highlight the importance of developing reactive strength to improve speed and CoD ability in female soccer players.

The effect of 8-week plyometric training on leg power, jump and sprint performance in female soccer players.

PubMed

Ozbar, Nurper; Ates, Seda; Agopyan, Ani

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 8-week plyometric training (PT) on the leg power and jump and sprint performance in female soccer players. Eighteen female soccer players from Women Second League (age = 18.2 ± 2.3 years, height = 161.3 ± 5.4 cm, body mass = 56.6 ± 7.2 kg) were randomly assigned to control (n = 9) and plyometric (n = 9) groups. Both groups continued together with regular technical and tactical soccer training for 4 days a week. Additionally, the plyometric group underwent PT for 8 weeks, 1 day per week, 60-minute session duration. During the 8-week period, the control group was hindered from any additional conditioning training. All players' jumps (triple hop, countermovement jump, and standing broad jump), running speed (20 m), and peak power were evaluated before and after 8 weeks. No significant difference was found between the groups at pretest variables (p > 0.05). Significant improvements were found in the posttest of both the groups (p ≤ 0.05), except for 20-m sprint test in the control group (p > 0.05). Triple hop distance, countermovement jump, standing broad jump, peak power, and 20-m sprint test values were all significantly improved in the plyometric group, compared with the control group (p ≤ 0.05). We concluded that short duration PT is an improved important component of athletic performance in female soccer players. The results indicate that safe, effective, and alternative PT can be useful to strength and conditioning coaches, especially during competition season where less time is available for training.

Cryotherapy Reinvented: Application of Phase Change Material for Recovery in Elite Soccer.

PubMed

Clifford, Tom; Abbott, Will; Kwiecien, Susan Y; Howatson, Glyn; McHugh, Malachy P

2018-05-01

To examine whether donning lower-body garments fitted with cooled phase change material (PCM) would enhance recovery after a soccer match. In a randomized, crossover design, 11 elite soccer players from the reserve squad of a team in the second-highest league in England wore PCM cooled to 15°C (PCM cold ) or left at ambient temperature (PCM amb ; sham control) for 3 h after a soccer match. To assess recovery, countermovement jump height, maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC), muscle soreness, and the adapted Brief Assessment of Mood Questionnaire (BAM+) were measured before 12, 36, and 60 h after each match. A belief questionnaire was completed preintervention and postintervention to determine the perceived effectiveness of each garment. Results are comparisons between the 2 conditions at each time point postmatch. MIVC at 36 h postmatch was greater with PCM cold versus PCM warm (P = .01; ES = 1.59; 95% CI, 3.9-17.1%). MIVC also tended to be higher at 60 h postmatch (P = .05; ES = 0.85; 95% CI, -0.4% to 11.1%). Muscle soreness was 26.5% lower in PCM cold versus PCM warm at 36 h (P = .02; ES = 1.7; 95% CI, -50.4 to -16.1 mm) and 24.3% lower at 60 h (P = .04; ES = 1.1; 95% CI, -26.9 to -0.874 mm). There were no between-conditions differences in postmatch countermovement jump height or BAM+ (P > .05). The belief questionnaire revealed that players felt the PCM cold was more effective than the PCM amb after the intervention (P = .004). PCM cooling garments provide a practical means of delivering prolonged postexercise cooling and thereby accelerate recovery in elite soccer players.

Intra-articular injections of HYADD4-G in male professional soccer players with traumatic or degenerative knee chondropathy. A pilot, prospective study.

PubMed

Tamburrino, Pasquale; Castellacci, Enrico

2016-12-01

Knee injuries are very common in some sports and particularly in soccer due to the highly repetitive loading of the mechanical stress involved in this practice. Knee-joint injuries account for 40% of all different kinds of lesions. Traumatic or degenerative patellofemoral or tibialfemoral chondropaties of knee cause disabling symptoms, joint pain and/or dysfunctions. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of HYADD4-G, a hydrogel based on a hyaluronic acid derivative, in professional soccer players affected by traumatic or degenerative knee chondropathy. Thirty male professional soccer players participants in the Italian League 2014-2015, affected by traumatic or degenerative knee patellofemoral (N.=12) or tibiofemoral (N.=18) chondropathy assessed through MRI and/or arthroscopy of knee joints and the ICRS staging (International Cartilage Repair Society ≤3a), were enrolled in this pilot prospective study. Patients underwent 2 intra-articular (IA) injections of HYADD4-G (3 mL of 8 mg/mL) at one week interval. Patients were prospectively evaluated at baseline and then at 1, 3 and 6 months after the treatment by the Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Score (main outcome) and by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to evaluate pain. A significant improvement in all clinical endpoints from pretreatment to different times of evaluation was found in all patients. ANOVA with repeated measure using the SPSS has showed significantly better results in term of KOOS and VAS scores at 1, 3 and 6 months compared to the pre-injection value (P<0.05). IA HYADD4-G is highly effective to improve resting and walking pain in professional male soccer players with traumatic or degenerative knee chondropathy.

Can you treat the cheat in sports?

PubMed

Glick, Ira D; Begel, Dan

2015-07-01

This editorial examines the issue of "cheating" (broadly defined) in sports from youth through professional sports. We describe possible underlying causes focusing on the development of a "personality disorder" and psychiatric/psychodynamic needs (e.g. a pathological need to be the best). We detail treatment and management from a medical-psychiatric perspective as well as implications for coaches, teams, leagues and professional organizations (e.g. soccer, bicycling, etc). Cheating behavior exists in other fields, for example, politics, law among others and some of the management principles mentioned here may apply there.

Psychological predictors of injury occurrence: a prospective investigation of professional Swedish soccer players.

PubMed

Ivarsson, Andreas; Johnson, Urban; Podlog, Leslie

2013-02-01

Athletes participating in sport are exposed to a high injury risk. Previous research has found a great number of risk factors (both physiological and psychological) that could increase injury risk. One limitation in previous studies is that few have considered the complex interaction between psychological factors in their research design. To study whether personality, stress, and coping predicted injury occurrence in an elite soccer population based on a hypothesized model. Prospective. 56 (n = 38 male, n = 18 female) Swedish Premiere League soccer players were selected based on convenience sampling. Participants completed 4 questionnaires including the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality, Life Events Survey for Collegiate Athletes, and Brief COPE during the initial questionnaire administration. Subsequent to the first meeting, participants also completed the Hassle and Uplift Scale5 once per wk for a 13-wk period throughout the competitive season. A path analysis was conducted examining the influence of personality traits (ie, trait anxiety), state-level stressors (ie, negative-life-event stress and daily hassles), and coping on injury frequency. Results of the path analysis indicated that trait anxiety, negative-life-event stress, and daily hassle were significant predictors of injury among professional soccer players, accounting for 24% of the variance. The findings highlight the need for athletes, coaches, and medical practitioners to attempt to reduce state-level stressors, especially daily hassles, in minimizing injury risk. Educating and training athletes and coaches in proactive stress-management techniques appears warranted.

Return to competition after an Achilles tendon rupture using both on and off the field load monitoring as guidance: A case report of a top-level soccer player.

PubMed

Fanchini, Maurizio; Impellizzeri, Franco M; Silbernagel, Karin Grävare; Combi, Franco; Benazzo, Franco; Bizzini, Mario

2018-01-01

To describe the Return to competition after Achilles Tendon rupture (ATR) in an elite soccer player. Case report. Return to sport (RTS) of a professional soccer player who suffered an ATR during a match. The RTS phase started 15 weeks after surgery and specific on-field activities were gradually introduced. Criteria used to monitor the transition through the different phases were strength and endurance of the calf muscle and ability to sustain specific on-field training loads (TL) monitored with Global Positioning System and heart-rate system. TLs were weekly compared to pre-injury values to evaluate recovery and to prescribe future sessions. A 39-year-old (height 178 cm, weight 75 kg) elite soccer defender player, playing in Italian Serie-A league. Days of absence were lower compared to a cohort presented in UEFA study (119 versus 161 ± 65 days, respectively). External-TL and Internal-TL were organized to gradually increase during RTS and resulted in higher values prior to return to competition compared to pre-injury values. Concentric plantar flexion peak torque increased till 9th months after surgery. Monitoring of the field activities allowed comparison with pre-injury values and provided a useful and functional criteria to pass return to team activity and competition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A physiological evaluation of professional soccer players.

PubMed

Raven, P B; Gettman, L R; Pollock, M L; Cooper, K H

1976-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological functions of a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Eighteen players were evaluated on cardiorespiratory function, endurance performance, body composition, blood chemistry, and motor fitness measures near the end of their competitive season. The following means were observed: age, 26 yrs; height, 176 cm; weight 75.5 kg; resting heart rate, 50 beats/min; maximum heart rate (MHR), 188 beats/min; maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max), 58.4 ml/kg-min-1; maximum ventilation (VEmax BTPS), 154 L/min; body fat, 9.59%; 12-min run, 1.86 miles; and Illinois agility run, 15.6 secs. Results on resting blood pressure, serum lipids, vital capacity, flexibility, upper body strength, and vertical jump tests were comparable to values found for the sedentary population. Comparing the results with previously collected data on professional American Football backs indicated that the soccer players were shorter; lighter in body weight; higher in VO2 max (4 ml/kg-min-1) and body fat (1.8%); and similar in MHR, VE max, and VC. The 12-min run scores were similar to the initial values observed for the 1970 Brazilian World Cup Team. The agility run results were superior to data collected from other groups. Their endurance capabilities, agility, and low percent of body fat clearly differentiate them from the sedentary population and show them to be similar to that of professional American football backs.

A physiological evaluation of professional soccer players.

PubMed Central

Raven, P. B.; Gettman, L. R.; Pollock, M. L.; Cooper, K. H.

1976-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physiological functions of a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Eighteen players were evaluated on cardiorespiratory function, endurance performance, body composition, blood chemistry, and motor fitness measures near the end of their competitive season. The following means were observed: age, 26 yrs; height, 176 cm; weight 75.5 kg; resting heart rate, 50 beats/min; maximum heart rate (MHR), 188 beats/min; maximum oxygen intake (VO2 max), 58.4 ml/kg-min-1; maximum ventilation (VEmax BTPS), 154 L/min; body fat, 9.59%; 12-min run, 1.86 miles; and Illinois agility run, 15.6 secs. Results on resting blood pressure, serum lipids, vital capacity, flexibility, upper body strength, and vertical jump tests were comparable to values found for the sedentary population. Comparing the results with previously collected data on professional American Football backs indicated that the soccer players were shorter; lighter in body weight; higher in VO2 max (4 ml/kg-min-1) and body fat (1.8%); and similar in MHR, VE max, and VC. The 12-min run scores were similar to the initial values observed for the 1970 Brazilian World Cup Team. The agility run results were superior to data collected from other groups. Their endurance capabilities, agility, and low percent of body fat clearly differentiate them from the sedentary population and show them to be similar to that of professional American football backs. PMID:1009297

Thin Slices of Athletes' Nonverbal Behavior Give Away Game Location: Testing the Territoriality Hypothesis of the Home Game Advantage.

PubMed

Furley, Philip; Schweizer, Geoffrey; Memmert, Daniel

2018-01-01

The present research investigated whether perceivers could detect who is playing at home or away in soccer matches based on thin slices of professional (Experiment 1) and amateur (Experiment 3) athletes' nonverbal behavior prior to the match and whether perceivers rated athletes playing at home relatively higher on behavioral dimensions (Experiments 2 and 3) linked to territoriality. In Experiment 1 ( N = 80), participants watched short videos depicting soccer players prior to a UEFA Champions League match and rated whether athletes were more likely to be playing at home or away. In Experiment 2 (two groups N = 102 and N = 101), perceivers rated these videos in terms of assertiveness, dominance, and aggression. In Experiment 3, we replicated the procedure of Experiments 1 and 2 with different stimulus material from amateur soccer ( N = 112). Participants could significantly differentiate between home playing and away playing athletes (Experiment 1: d = 0.44 and Experiment 3: d = 1.07). Experiments 2 and 3 showed that perceivers rated professional and amateur soccer players higher on assertiveness ( d = 0.34-0.63), dominance ( d = 0.20-0.55), and aggression ( d = 0.16-0.49) when playing at home compared to playing away. Findings are supportive of evolutionary accounts of nonverbal behavior, ecological approaches to person perception, and the thin slices of behavior hypothesis by demonstrating that humans change their nonverbal behavior depending on game location. We discuss the relevance of the present findings for the home advantage in sports.

Physical fitness, injuries, and team performance in soccer.

PubMed

Arnason, Arni; Sigurdsson, Stefan B; Gudmundsson, Arni; Holme, Ingar; Engebretsen, Lars; Bahr, Roald

2004-02-01

To investigate the relationship between physical fitness and team success in soccer, and to test for differences in physical fitness between different player positions. Participants were 306 male soccer players from 17 teams in the two highest divisions in Iceland. Just before the start of the 1999 soccer season, the following variables were tested: height and weight, body composition, flexibility, leg extension power, jump height, and peak O2 uptake. Injuries and player participation in matches and training were recorded through the 4-month competitive season. Team average physical fitness was compared with team success (final league standing) using a linear regression model. Physical fitness was also compared between players in different playing positions. A significant relationship was found between team average jump height (countermovement jump and standing jump) and team success (P = 0.009 and P = 0.012, respectively). The same trend was also found for leg extension power (P = 0.097), body composition (% body fat, P = 0.07), and the total number of injury days per team (P = 0.09). Goalkeepers demonstrated different fitness characteristics from outfield players. They were taller and heavier, more flexible in hip extension and knee flexion, and had higher leg extension power and a lower peak O2 uptake. However, only minor differences were observed between defenders, midfield players, and attackers. Coaches and medical support teams should pay more attention to jump and power training, as well as preventive measures and adequate rehabilitation of previous injuries to increase team success.

Effect of 2 soccer matches in a week on physical performance and injury rate.

PubMed

Dupont, Gregory; Nedelec, Mathieu; McCall, Alan; McCormack, Derek; Berthoin, Serge; Wisløff, Ulrik

2010-09-01

Recovery duration may be too short during the congested fixtures of professional soccer players with regard to maintaining physical performance and a low injury rate. To analyze the effects of 2 matches per week on physical performance and injury rate in male elite soccer players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Match results, match-related physical performance, and injuries were monitored during 2 seasons (2007-2008 and 2008-2009) for 32 professional soccer players in a top-level team participating in the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League. Total distance, high-intensity distance, sprint distance, and number of sprints were collected for 52 home matches. Injuries and player participation in matches and training were recorded throughout the full season. Physical performance, as characterized by total distance covered, high-intensity distance, sprint distance, and number of sprints, was not significantly affected by the number of matches per week (1 versus 2), whereas the injury rate was significantly higher when players played 2 matches per week versus 1 match per week (25.6 versus 4.1 injuries per 1000 hours of exposure; P < .001). The recovery time between 2 matches, 72 to 96 hours, appears sufficient to maintain the level of physical performance tested but is not long enough to maintain a low injury rate. The present data highlight the need for player rotation and for improved recovery strategies to maintain a low injury rate among athletes during periods with congested match fixtures.

Major and Minor League Baseball Hamstring Injuries: Epidemiologic Findings From the Major League Baseball Injury Surveillance System.

PubMed

Ahmad, Christopher S; Dick, Randall W; Snell, Edward; Kenney, Nick D; Curriero, Frank C; Pollack, Keshia; Albright, John P; Mandelbaum, Bert R

2014-06-01

Hamstring strains are a recognized cause of disability for athletes in many sports, but no study exists that reports the incidence and circumstances surrounding these injuries in professional baseball. Professional baseball players have a high incidence of hamstring strains, and these injuries are influenced by multiple factors including history of hamstring injury, time period within the season, and activity of base running. Descriptive epidemiologic study. For the 2011 season, injury data were prospectively collected for every Major League Baseball (MLB) major and minor league team and recorded in the MLB's Injury Surveillance System. Data collected for this study included date of injury, activity in which the player was engaged at the time of injury, and time loss. Injury rates were reported in injuries per athlete-exposure (A-E). Athlete-exposures were defined as the average number of players on a team who were participating in a game multiplied by the number of games. In the major leagues, 50 hamstring strains were reported for an injury rate (IR) of 0.7 per 1000 A-Es and averaged 24 days missed. In the minor leagues, 218 hamstring strains were reported for an IR of 0.7 per 1000 A-Es and averaged 27 days missed. Base running, specifically running to first base, was the top activity for sustaining a hamstring strain in both major and minor leagues, associated with almost two-thirds of hamstring strains. Approximately two-thirds of these injuries in both the major and minor leagues resulted in more than 7 days of time loss. Approximately 25% of these injuries kept the player out for 1 month or longer. History of a previous hamstring strain in the prior year, 2010, was found in 20% of the major league players and 8% of the minor league players. In the major leagues, the month of May had a statistically significant higher frequency of hamstring injuries than any other month in the season (P = .0153). Hamstring strains are a considerable cause of disability in professional baseball and are affected by history of hamstring strain, seasonal timing, and running to first base. © 2014 The Author(s).

Kinetic Post-match Fatigue in Professional and Youth Soccer Players During the Competitive Period

PubMed Central

Djaoui, Leo; Diaz-Cidoncha Garcia, Jorge; Hautier, Christophe; Dellal, Alexandre

2016-01-01

Background No previous research has analysed kinetic fatigue of elite adult players and elite youth players during the competitive period. Objectives The aim of the present study was to analyse kinetic post-match fatigue in professional and youth soccer players during the competitive period. Materials and Methods resting heart rate (HRrest), post-effort recovery heart rate (HRrecovery), rate of perceived exertion fatigue (RPEf), muscle soreness and blood samples with creatine kinase (CK) and resting lactate (La) from nine professional soccer players were measured immediately before, 24 hour and 48 hour after two official French first league matches (Ligue 1) whereas RPEf, HRrest, and 20m speed performance (speed-20 m) were measured in ten U-17 elite players immediately before, 24 hour and 48h after a friendly match. Results for professionals, a soccer match elevated all physiological markers during the next 24 hours (P < 0.05); only HRrecovery remained significantly different 48 hours after the match (P < 0.05) whereas there was no variation of HRrest, RPEf, and speed-20m, which were elevated until 24h and got back to reference values 48 hours after the match (P < 0.05) for the U17 players. Comparing the two groups, HRrest results remained lower all the time for professionals, and RPEf was lower for U-17, 24 hours after the match (P < 0.05). Conclusions Independent of their level, professional soccer players, need 48 hours to recover after an official match. Professionals gain more fatigue than young players after a match, but recover as fast. Thus, they recover more efficiently especially due to a better physical condition and fitness training. It is expected that the results showed in the study help elite soccer and fitness coaches to manage the training load of the team according to the match. PMID:27217927

Vitamin D and Exercise Performance in Professional Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Koundourakis, Nikolaos E.; Androulakis, Nikolaos E.; Malliaraki, Niki; Margioris, Andrew N.

2014-01-01

Aim The current study had two aims. The primary purpose was to examine the association between serum vitamin D levels and the ergometric evaluation of muscle strength, aerobic capacity, and speed in professional soccer players. The secondary aim was to evaluate the effects of the soccer off-season period on serum vitamin D levels. Methods Sixty-seven Caucasian male soccer players (age 25.6±6.2 and height 1.81±0.08 m), members of two Greek Superleague Soccer teams and one Football-league championship team participated in this study. Exercise performance testing for the determination of squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), 10 (10 m) and 20 meters (20 m) sprint performance, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), anthropometry, and blood sampling were performed before (pre) and after (post) the six-week off-season period. Results Analysis of our results showed the following: (a) a significant correlations between serum vitamin D levels and performance parameters in both pre (SJ; P<0.001, CMJ; P<0.001, VO2max; P<0.001, 10 m; P<0.001, and 20 m; P<0.001) and post (SJ; P<0.001, CMJ; P<0.001, VO2max; P = 0.006, 10 m; P<0.001, and 20 m; P<0.001) experimental sessions. (b) Vitamin D concentration increased significantly (P<0.001) following the six-week off-season period compared to baseline, while at the same time all measured performance parameters decreased (SJ; P<0.001, CMJ; P<0.001, 10 m; P<0.001, 20 m; P<0.001, VO2max; P<0.001). Discussion Our findings suggest that vitamin D levels are associated with the ergometric evaluation of muscle strength, as expressed by SJ and CMJ, sprinting capacity, and VO2max in professional soccer players, irrespective the levels of performance. Furthermore, our data reaffirm the importance of UVB on serum vitamin D levels. Moreover, reductions in exercise training stress may also have beneficial effects on vitamin D levels, suggesting a possible association of its levels and the training-induced stress. Our results indicate a possibly bidirectional interaction between soccer performance indices and vitamin D levels. PMID:24992690

The effects of an increased calorie breakfast consumed prior to simulated match-play in Academy soccer players.

PubMed

Briggs, Marc A; Harper, Liam D; McNamee, Ged; Cockburn, Emma; Rumbold, Penny L S; Stevenson, Emma J; Russell, Mark

2017-08-01

Dietary analysis of Academy soccer players highlights that total energy and carbohydrate intakes are less than optimal, especially, on match-days. As UK Academy matches predominantly kick-off at ∼11:00 h, breakfast is likely the last pre-exercise meal and thus may provide an intervention opportunity on match-day. Accordingly, the physiological and performance effects of an increased calorie breakfast consumed ∼135-min before soccer-specific exercise was investigated. English Premier League Academy soccer players (n = 7) repeated a 90-min soccer match simulation on two occasions after consumption of habitual (B hab ; ∼1100 kJ) or increased (B inc ; ∼2100 kJ) energy breakfasts standardised for macronutrient contributions (∼60% carbohydrates, ∼15% proteins and ∼25% fats). Countermovement jump height, sprint velocities (15-m and 30-m), 30-m repeated sprint maintenance, gut fullness, abdominal discomfort and soccer dribbling performances were measured. Blood samples were taken at rest, pre-exercise, half-time and every 15-min during exercise. Although dribbling precision (P = .522; 29.9 ± 5.5 cm) and success (P = .505; 94 ± 8%) were unchanged throughout all time-points, mean dribbling speed was faster (4.3 ± 5.7%) in B inc relative to B hab (P = .023; 2.84 vs 2.75 m s -1 ). Greater feelings of gut fullness (67 ± 17%, P = .001) were observed in B inc without changes in abdominal discomfort (P = .595). All other physical performance measures and blood lactate and glucose concentrations were comparable between trials (all P > .05). Findings demonstrate that Academy soccer players were able to increase pre-match energy intake without experiencing abdominal discomfort; thus, likely contributing to the amelioration of energy deficits on match-days. Furthermore, whilst B inc produced limited benefits to physical performance, increased dribbling speed was identified, which may be of benefit to match-play.

Effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possessions in a random series of team possessions from Norwegian professional soccer matches.

PubMed

Tenga, Albin; Holme, Ingar; Ronglan, Lars Tore; Bahr, Roald

2010-02-01

Methods of analysis that include an assessment of opponent interactions are thought to provide a more valid means of team match performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possession by assessing opponent interactions in Norwegian elite soccer matches. We analysed a random series of 1703 team possessions from 163 of 182 (90%) matches played in the professional men's league during the 2004 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from ten ordered categorical variables were used. Offensive tactics were more effective in producing score-box possessions when playing against an imbalanced defence (28.5%) than against a balanced defence (6.5%) (P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression found that, for the main variable "team possession type", counterattacks were more effective than elaborate attacks when playing against an imbalanced defence (odds ratio: 2.69; 95% confidence interval: 1.64 to 4.43) but not against a balanced defence (odds ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 0.47 to 2.76). Assessment of opponent interactions is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of offensive playing tactics on producing score-box possessions, and improves the validity of team match-performance analysis in soccer.

Hitting the Goalpost: Calculating the Fine Line Between Winning and Losing a Penalty Shootout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widenhorn, Ralf

2016-10-01

The Portland Timbers won their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup Championship in December 2015. However, if it had not been for a kind double goalpost miss during a penalty shootout a few weeks earlier, the Timbers would never have been in the finals. On Oct. 30th, after what has been called "the greatest penalty kick shootout in MLS history," featuring a combined 22 penalties that included penalties by both goalkeepers, the Timbers won their first-round playoff against Sporting Kansas City. During the thrilling shootout, which can be watched, for example, for example on the MLS website, Sporting had two potentially game-winning penalties miss by the smallest of margins. One penalty bounced off the goalpost back into the field and another was an improbable double post miss. For a physicist, this prompts an interesting research question. Could we find an estimate by what distance the double post penalty shown in Fig. 1 failed to be the game winning shot?

Game-Related Statistics that Discriminated Winning, Drawing and Losing Teams from the Spanish Soccer League

PubMed Central

Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Lago-Ballesteros, Joaquín; Dellal, Alexandre; Gómez, Maite

2010-01-01

The aim of the present study was to analyze men’s football competitions, trying to identify which game-related statistics allow to discriminate winning, drawing and losing teams. The sample used corresponded to 380 games from the 2008-2009 season of the Spanish Men’s Professional League. The game-related statistics gathered were: total shots, shots on goal, effectiveness, assists, crosses, offsides commited and received, corners, ball possession, crosses against, fouls committed and received, corners against, yellow and red cards, and venue. An univariate (t-test) and multivariate (discriminant) analysis of data was done. The results showed that winning teams had averages that were significantly higher for the following game statistics: total shots (p < 0.001), shots on goal (p < 0.01), effectiveness (p < 0.01), assists (p < 0.01), offsides committed (p < 0.01) and crosses against (p < 0.01). Losing teams had significantly higher averages in the variable crosses (p < 0.01), offsides received (p < 0. 01) and red cards (p < 0.01). Discriminant analysis allowed to conclude the following: the variables that discriminate between winning, drawing and losing teams were the total shots, shots on goal, crosses, crosses against, ball possession and venue. Coaches and players should be aware for these different profiles in order to increase knowledge about game cognitive and motor solicitation and, therefore, to evaluate specificity at the time of practice and game planning. Key points This paper increases the knowledge about soccer match analysis. Give normative values to establish practice and match objectives. Give applications ideas to connect research with coaches’ practice. PMID:24149698

From fan to fat? Vicarious losing increases unhealthy eating, but self-affirmation is an effective remedy.

PubMed

Cornil, Yann; Chandon, Pierre

2013-10-01

Using archival and experimental data, we showed that vicarious defeats experienced by fans when their favorite football team loses lead them to consume less healthy food. On the Mondays following a Sunday National Football League (NFL) game, saturated-fat and food-calorie intake increase significantly in cities with losing teams, decrease in cities with winning teams, and remain at their usual levels in comparable cities without an NFL team or with an NFL team that did not play. These effects are greater in cities with the most committed fans, when the opponents are more evenly matched, and when the defeats are narrow. We found similar results when measuring the actual or intended food consumption of French soccer fans who had previously been asked to write about or watch highlights from victories or defeats of soccer teams. However, these unhealthy consequences of vicarious defeats disappear when supporters spontaneously self-affirm or are given the opportunity to do so.

Key team physical and technical performance indicators indicative of team quality in the soccer Chinese super league.

PubMed

Yang, Gai; Leicht, Anthony S; Lago, Carlos; Gómez, Miguel-Ángel

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the key physical and technical performance variables related to team quality in the Chinese Super League (CSL). Teams' performance variables were collected from 240 matches and analysed via analysis of variance between end-of-season-ranked groups and multinomial logistic regression. Significant physical performance differences between groups were identified for sprinting (top-ranked group vs. upper-middle-ranked group) and total distance covered without possession (upper and upper-middle-ranked groups and lower-ranked group). For technical performance, teams in the top-ranked group exhibited a significantly greater amount of possession in opponent's half, number of entry passes in the final 1/3 of the field and the Penalty Area, and 50-50 challenges than lower-ranked teams. Finally, time of possession increased the probability of a win compared with a draw. The current study identified key performance indicators that differentiated end-season team quality within the CSL.

The within-participant correlation between perception of effort and heart rate-based estimations of training load in elite soccer players.

PubMed

Kelly, David M; Strudwick, Anthony J; Atkinson, Greg; Drust, Barry; Gregson, Warren

2016-07-01

The measurement of relative physiological stress during training is important because this is the stimulus for the long-term adaptive response. Measurements of perceived exertion (RPE) have been reported to correlate with the heart rate during field-based training sessions. Nevertheless, there are few studies on how well RPE tracks with the heart rate over repeated training sessions in elite soccer players. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the within-participant correlations between variability in session-RPE (sRPE) and the heart rate in elite male soccer players, and to determine whether the playing position moderated these correlations. The field-based training of four central defenders, four wide defenders, six central midfielders, two wide midfielders and three attackers from an elite English Premier League squad were monitored over an entire in-season competitive period, giving a total of 1010 individual training sessions for study. Correlations between session-RPE and heart rates were quantified using a within-participant model. The correlation between changes in sRPE and heart rates was r = 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71-0.78). This correlation remained high across the various player positions (wide-defender, r = 0.81; central-defender, r = 0.74; wide midfielder, r = 0.70; central midfielder, r = 0.70; attacker, r = 0.84; P < 0.001). The correlation between changes in RPE and heart rates, measured during a season-long period of field-based training, is high in a sample of elite soccer players.

The effect of ocular dominance on the performance of professional baseball players.

PubMed

Laby, D M; Kirschen, D G; Rosenbaum, A L; Mellman, M F

1998-05-01

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a performance difference exists between baseball players with "same" (right-right) and "crossed" (right-left) hand-ocular dominance. A cohort study design was used. Four hundred and ten major and minor league members of the Los Angeles Dodgers professional baseball team. Measurement of ocular dominance. Batting average and earned run average (ERA). Same/crossed dominance (with P values in parentheses) are as follows: Batting averages: major league-0.271/0.251 (0.20); minor league-0.274/0.270 (0.57); ERA: major league-3.34/3.56 (0.66); minor league-4.00/4.20 (0.54). Hand-ocular dominance patterns do not have an effect on batting average or ERA.

Game Location and Team Quality Effects on Performance Profiles in Professional Soccer

PubMed Central

Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Lago-Ballesteros, Joaquin

2011-01-01

Home advantage in team sports has an important role in determining the outcome of a game. The aim of the present study was to identify the soccer game- related statistics that best discriminate home and visiting teams according to the team quality. The sample included all 380 games of the Spanish professional men’s league. The independent variables were game location (home or away) and the team quality. Teams were classified into four groups according to their final ranking at the end of the league. The game-related statistics registered were divided into three groups: (i) variables related to goals scored; (ii) variables related to offense and (iii) variables related to defense. A univariate (t-test and Mann-Whitney U) and multivariate (discriminant analysis) analysis of data was done. Results showed that home teams have significantly higher means for goal scored, total shots, shots on goal, attacking moves, box moves, crosses, offsides committed, assists, passes made, successful passes, dribbles made, successful dribbles, ball possession, and gains of possession, while visiting teams presented higher means for losses of possession and yellow cards. In addition, the findings of the current study confirm that game location and team quality are important in determining technical and tactical performances in matches. Teams described as superior and those described as inferior did not experience the same home advantage. Future research should consider the influence of other confounding variables such as weather conditions, game status and team form. Key points Home teams have significantly higher figures for attack indicators probably due to facilities familiarity and crowd effects. The teams’ game-related statistics profile varied according to game location and team quality. Teams described as superior and those described as inferior did not experience the same home advantage. PMID:24150619

Energy Intake and Expenditure of Professional Soccer Players of the English Premier League: Evidence of Carbohydrate Periodization.

PubMed

Anderson, Liam; Orme, Patrick; Naughton, Robert J; Close, Graeme L; Milsom, Jordan; Rydings, David; O'Boyle, Andy; Di Michele, Rocco; Louis, Julien; Hambly, Catherine; Speakman, John Roger; Morgans, Ryland; Drust, Barry; Morton, James P

2017-06-01

In an attempt to better identify and inform the energy requirements of elite soccer players, we quantified the energy expenditure (EE) of players from the English Premier League (n = 6) via the doubly labeled water method (DLW) over a 7-day in-season period. Energy intake (EI) was also assessed using food diaries, supported by the remote food photographic method and 24 hr recalls. The 7-day period consisted of 5 training days (TD) and 2 match days (MD). Although mean daily EI (3186 ± 367 kcals) was not different from (p > .05) daily EE (3566 ± 585 kcals), EI was greater (p < .05) on MD (3789 ± 532 kcal; 61.1 ± 11.4 kcal.kg -1 LBM) compared with TD (2956 ± 374 kcal; 45.2 ± 9.3 kcal.kg -1 LBM, respectively). Differences in EI were reflective of greater (p < .05) daily CHO intake on MD (6.4 ± 2.2 g.kg -1 ) compared with TD (4.2 ± 1.4 g.kg -1 ). Exogenous CHO intake was also different (p < .01) during training sessions (3.1 ± 4.4 g.h -1 ) versus matches (32.3 ± 21.9 g.h -1 ). In contrast, daily protein (205 ± 30 g.kg -1 , p = .29) and fat intake (101 ± 20 g, p = .16) did not display any evidence of daily periodization as opposed to g.kg -1 , Although players readily achieve current guidelines for daily protein and fat intake, data suggest that CHO intake on the day before and in recovery from match play was not in accordance with guidelines to promote muscle glycogen storage.

Squad management, injury and match performance in a professional soccer team over a championship-winning season.

PubMed

Carling, Christopher; Le Gall, Franck; McCall, Alan; Nédélec, Mathieu; Dupont, Gregory

2015-01-01

Squad management, injury and physical, tactical and technical match performance were investigated in a professional soccer team across five consecutive league seasons (2008-2013, 190 league games) with specific focus on a championship-winning season (2010/11). For each player, match participation and time-loss injuries were recorded, the latter prospectively diagnosed by the team's physician. Defending and attacking tactical and technical performance indicators investigated included ball possession and possession in opponents' half, passes, forward passes, completed passes and forward passes, crosses and completed crosses, goal attempts and goal attempts on target, successful final third entries, free-kicks and 50/50 duels won/lost. Physical performance measures included total distance and distance covered at high-speeds (≥19.1 km/h). Results showed that during the 2010/11 season, squad utilisation was lowest potentially owing to the observed lower match injury occurrence and working days lost to injury thereby increasing player availability. In 2010/11, the team won both its highest number of points and conceded its lowest number of goals especially over the second half of this season. The team also won its highest number of games directly via a goal from a substitute and scored and conceded a goal first on the highest and lowest number of occasions, respectively. While multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) detected a significant difference in some attacking and defensive performance indicators across the five seasons, these were generally not distinguishing factors in 2010/11. Similarly, univariate ANOVAs showed a significant difference in running distances covered across seasons, but the trend was for less activity in 2010/11.

Ethnic Differences in Bony Hip Morphology in a Cohort of 445 Professional Male Soccer Players.

PubMed

Mosler, Andrea B; Crossley, Kay M; Waarsing, Jan H; Jomaah, Nabil; Weir, Adam; Hölmich, Per; Agricola, Rintje

2016-11-01

Participation in high-impact athletic activities has recently been associated with a higher prevalence of cam deformity. Bony hip morphology has also emerged as an important factor in the development of hip osteoarthritis. However, it is unknown whether bony morphology differs between ethnicities in athletes participating in high-impact sports. To investigate whether the prevalence of specific bony hip morphological abnormalities differed between professional male soccer players of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Professional male soccer players from an entire league attending preparticipation screening were invited to participate in this study. Ethnicity was registered, and standardized radiographs of anteroposterior pelvic and Dunn views were obtained. Cam and pincer deformity, and acetabular dysplasia were quantified using the alpha angle, triangular index, and lateral center-edge angle (LCEA). Regression analyses with generalized estimating equations were used to determine prevalence differences in bony hip morphology. A total of 445 male soccer players (890 hips; mean age ± SD, 25 ± 4.9 years) participated in the study, representing the following ethnic groups: Arabic (59%), black (24%), Persian (7%), white (6%), East Asian (2%), and other (2%). The prevalence of cam deformity (alpha angle >60°) ranged from 57.5% to 71.7% across 4 of the groups, but East Asians had a significantly lower prevalence (18.8%; P ≤ .032). A large cam deformity (alpha angle >78°) was more prevalent in white (33.3%) compared with black soccer players (17.8%; P = .041) and was absent in East Asian players. Pincer deformity (LCEA >40°) was uncommon (3%) in all ethnicities. The prevalence of acetabular dysplasia (LCEA <20°) ranged from 8.0% to 16.7%, apart from the white group, in which prevalence was only 1.9% (P = .03). The prevalence of a cam deformity and acetabular dysplasia differed between ethnicities in this cohort of professional male soccer players. These findings suggest that there may be ethnic differences in both acetabular morphology and femoral bony response to athletic load. © 2016 The Author(s).

Free-sugar, total-sugar, fibre, and micronutrient intake within elite youth British soccer players: a nutritional transition from schoolboy to fulltime soccer player.

PubMed

Naughton, Robert J; Drust, Barry; O'Boyle, Andy; Abayomi, Julie; Mahon, Elizabeth; Morton, James P; Davies, Ian G

2017-05-01

It is recommended that soccer players consume a high carbohydrate diet to augment performance. However, growing evidence suggests that there is a link between high free-sugar (FS) intake (>5% total energy intake; TEI) and metabolic diseases. Furthermore, foods that are often high in sugar, such as processed foods, are typically lacking in nutrient quality. We therefore analysed total-sugar, FS, dietary fibre, and micronutrient intake of players from an English Premier League academy under (U) 18 (n = 13), U15/16 (n = 25), and U13/14 (n = 21) using a 7-day food diary. Data were compared with current United Kingdom (UK) dietary reference value (DRV) for FS via a t test. The U13/14s (10% ± 18%) and U15/16s (11% ± 30%) both consumed higher amounts of FS in comparison with the UK DRV of 5% TEI (P < 0.01); conversely, the U18s did not exceed the DRV (5% ± 13%). Furthermore, FS intake of the U18s was significantly lower than the U13/14s and U15/16s (P < 0.01). Dietary fibre was below the DRV (25 g/day for U13/14 and U15/16s; 30 g/day for U18s) for all squads (19.0 ± 4.7, 19.6 ± 8.3, 17.1 ± 4.2 g/day, respectively), but not different between squads. Additionally, micronutrient reference intakes were generally met. In conclusion, we provide novel data on dietary sugar, fibre, and micronutrient intake within elite youth soccer players. We report an apparent "nutritional transition" from schoolboy to fulltime soccer player, with U18s showing a significantly lower intake of sugar in comparison with younger squads, and a similar intake of FS to the UK DRVs. Practitioners should target improving player education around sugar and fibre consumption.

Return to Training and Playing After Acute Lisfranc Injuries in Elite Professional Soccer and Rugby Players.

PubMed

Deol, Rupinderbir Singh; Roche, Andrew; Calder, James D F

2016-01-01

Lisfranc joint injuries are increasingly recognized in elite soccer and rugby players. Currently, no evidence-based guidelines exist on time frames for return to training and competition after surgical treatment. To assess the time to return to training and playing after Lisfranc joint injuries. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A consecutive series of 17 professional soccer and rugby players in the English Premier/Championship leagues was assessed using prospectively collected data. All were isolated injuries sustained during training or competitive matches. Each player had clinical and radiological evidence of an unstable Lisfranc injury and required surgical treatment. A standardized postoperative regimen was used. The minimum follow-up time was 2 years. Clinical and radiological follow-up was obtained in all 17 players. Seven players had primarily ligamentous injuries, and 10 had bony injuries. The time from injury to fixation ranged from 8 to 31 days, and hardware was removed at 16 weeks postoperatively. One athlete retired after a ligamentous injury; the remaining 16 players returned to training and full competition. Excluding the retired player, the mean time to return to training was 20.1 weeks (range, 18-24 weeks) and to full competition was 25.3 weeks (range, 21-31 weeks). There was a significant difference between the mean time to return to competition for rugby (27.8 weeks) and soccer players (24.1 weeks; P = .02) and for ligamentous (22.5 weeks) compared with bony injuries (26.9 weeks; P = .003). Three patients suffered deep peroneal nerve sensation loss, from which 1 patient did not fully recover. Return to competitive elite-level soccer and rugby is possible after surgically treated Lisfranc injuries. Return to training can take up to 24 weeks and return to playing up to 31 weeks, with bony injuries taking longer. © 2015 The Author(s).

Soccer and sexual health education: a promising approach for reducing adolescent births in Haiti.

PubMed

Kaplan, Kathryn C; Lewis, Judy; Gebrian, Bette; Theall, Katherine

2015-05-01

To explore the effect of an innovative, integrative program in female sexual reproductive health (SRH) and soccer (or fútbol, in Haitian Creole) in rural Haiti by measuring the rate of births among program participants 15-19 years old and their nonparticipant peers. A retrospective cohort study using 2006-2009 data from the computerized data-tracking system of the Haitian Health Foundation (HHF), a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization serving urban and rural populations in Haiti, was used to assess births among girls 15-19 years old who participated in HHF's GenNext program, a combination education-soccer program for youth, based on SRH classes HHF nurses and community workers had been conducting in Haiti for mothers, fathers, and youth; girl-centered health screenings; and an all-female summer soccer league, during 2006-2009 (n = 4 251). Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to assess differences in the rate of births among program participants according to their level of participation (SRH component only ("EDU") versus both the SRH and soccer components ("SO") compared to their village peers who did not participate. Hazard ratios (HRs) of birth rates were estimated using Cox regression analysis of childbearing data for the three different groups. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, only the girls in the "EDU" group had significantly fewer births than the nonparticipants after adjusting for confounders (odds ratio = 0.535; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.304, 0.940). The Cox regression analysis demonstrated that those in the EDU group (HR = 0.893; 95% CI = 0.802, 0.994) and to a greater degree those in the SO group (HR = 0.631; 95% CI = 0.558, 0.714) were significantly protected against childbearing between the ages of 15 and 19 years. HHF's GenNext program demonstrates the effectiveness of utilizing nurse educators, community mobilization, and youth participation in sports, education, and structured youth groups to promote and sustain health for adolescent girls and young women.

Yo-Yo IR2 testing of elite and sub-elite soccer players: performance, heart rate response and correlations to other interval tests.

PubMed

Ingebrigtsen, Jørgen; Bendiksen, Mads; Randers, Morten Bredsgaard; Castagna, Carlo; Krustrup, Peter; Holtermann, Andreas

2012-01-01

We examined performance, heart rate response and construct validity of the Yo-Yo IR2 test by testing 111 elite and 92 sub-elite soccer players from Norway and Denmark. VO₂max, Yo-Yo IR1 and repeated sprint tests (RSA) (n = 51) and match-analyses (n = 39) were also performed. Yo-Yo IR2 and Yo-Yo IR1 performance was 41 and 25% better (P < 0.01) for elite than sub-elite players, respectively, and heart rate after 2 and 4 min of the Yo-Yo IR2 test was 20 and 15 bpm (9 and 6% HRmax), respectively, lower (P < 0.01) for elite players. RSA performance and VO₂max was not different between competitive levels (P > 0.05). For top-teams, Yo-Yo IR2 performance (28%) and sprinting distance (25%) during match were greater (P < 0.05) than for bottom-teams. For elite and sub-elite players, Yo-Yo IR2 performance was correlated (P < 0.05) with Yo-Yo IR1 performance (r = 0.74 and 0.76) and mean RSA time (r = -0.74 and -0.34). We conclude that the Yo-Yo IR2 test has a high discriminant and concurrent validity, as it discriminates between players of different within- and between-league competitive levels and is correlated to other frequently used intermittent elite soccer tests.

The effect of playing tactics and situational variables on achieving score-box possessions in a professional soccer team.

PubMed

Lago-Ballesteros, Joaquin; Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Rey, Ezequiel

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of playing tactics, opponent interaction and situational variables on achieving score-box possessions in professional soccer. The sample was constituted by 908 possessions obtained by a team from the Spanish soccer league in 12 matches played during the 2009-2010 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from 12 ordered categorical variables were used. Sampled matches were registered by the AMISCO PRO system. Data were analysed using chi-square analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. Of 908 possessions, 303 (33.4%) produced score-box possessions, 477 (52.5%) achieved progression and 128 (14.1%) failed to reach any sort of progression. Multiple logistic regression showed that, for the main variable "team possession type", direct attacks and counterattacks were three times more effective than elaborate attacks for producing a score-box possession (P < 0.05). Team possession originating from the middle zones and playing against less than six defending players (P < 0.001) registered a higher success than those started in the defensive zone with a balanced defence. When the team was drawing or winning, the probability of reaching the score-box decreased by 43 and 53 percent, respectively, compared with the losing situation (P < 0.05). Accounting for opponent interactions and situational variables is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of offensive playing tactics on producing score-box possessions.

The effects of neuromuscular training on knee joint motor control during sidecutting in female elite soccer and handball players.

PubMed

Zebis, Mette K; Bencke, Jesper; Andersen, Lars L; Døssing, Simon; Alkjaer, Tine; Magnusson, S Peter; Kjaer, Michael; Aagaard, Per

2008-07-01

The project aimed to implement neuromuscular training during a full soccer and handball league season and to experimentally analyze the neuromuscular adaptation mechanisms elicited by this training during a standardized sidecutting maneuver known to be associated with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The players were tested before and after 1 season without implementation of the prophylactic training and subsequently before and after a full season with the implementation of prophylactic training. A total of 12 female elite soccer players and 8 female elite team handball players aged 26 +/- 3 years at the start of the study. The subjects participated in a specific neuromuscular training program previously shown to reduce non-contact ACL injury. Neuromuscular activity at the knee joint, joint angles at the hip and knee, and ground reaction forces were recorded during a sidecutting maneuver. Neuromuscular activity in the prelanding phase was obtained 10 and 50 ms before foot strike on a force plate and at 10 and 50 ms after foot strike on a force plate. Neuromuscular training markedly increased before activity and landing activity electromyography (EMG) of the semitendinosus (P < 0.05), while quadriceps EMG activity remained unchanged. Neuromuscular training increased EMG activity for the medial hamstring muscles, thereby decreasing the risk of dynamic valgus. This observed neuromuscular adaptation during sidecutting could potentially reduce the risk for non-contact ACL injury.

Periodization and physical performance in elite female soccer players.

PubMed

Mara, Jocelyn K; Thompson, Kevin G; Pumpa, Kate L; Ball, Nick B

2015-07-01

To investigate the variation in training demands, physical performance, and player well-being across a women's soccer season. Seventeen elite female players wore GPS tracking devices during every training session (N=90) throughout 1 national-league season. Intermittent high-speed-running capacity and 5-, 15-, and 25-m-sprint testing were conducted at the beginning of preseason, end of preseason, midseason, and end of season. In addition, subjective well-being measures were self-reported daily by players over the course of the season. Time over 5 m was lowest at the end of preseason (mean 1.148 s, SE 0.017 s) but then progressively deteriorated to the end of the season (P<.001). Sprint performance over 15 m improved by 2.8% (P=.013) after preseason training, while 25-m-sprint performance peaked at midseason, with a 3.1% (P=.05) improvement from the start of preseason, before declining at the end of season (P=.023). Training demands varied between phases, with total distance and high-speed distance greatest during preseason before decreasing (P<.001) during the early- and late-season phases. Endurance capacity and well-being measures did not change across training phases. Monitoring training demands and subsequent physical performance in elite female soccer players allow coaches to ensure that training periodization goals are being met and related positive training adaptations are being elicited.

Testosterone and cortisol responses in male soccer players: The effect of home and away venues.

PubMed

Fothergill, Melissa; Wolfson, Sandy; Neave, Nick

2017-08-01

The present studies examined the influence of playing venue on psychobiological responses in male soccer players. Many studies have demonstrated the existence of a home advantage, wherein teams perform better at home than away. A recent focus has attempted to explain this advantage from a psychobiological perspective, with studies showing hormonal differences with regard to venue, game outcome, dominance and perceived stress. Two studies investigated testosterone and cortisol responses in relation to home and away venues. In an initial study of 18 male elite Premier League academy soccer players (age, 17.47, SD, 64), salivary cortisol levels were monitored in two competitive matches, both at home and away. Higher post-game cortisol levels were observed at home (p=0.002), with the team winning all its games. In a second study involving a 12 semi-professional group of players (age, 23.17, SD, 3.8), the same post-game cortisol findings at home were replicated (p=0.001), with this team losing all its games. No effects were observed for testosterone in either study. The results extend earlier research findings on the complex relationship which surrounds the psychobiological impact on the home advantage. The findings suggest that higher levels of stress are experienced by home players in their home matches. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variability of soccer referees' match performances.

PubMed

Weston, M; Drust, B; Atkinson, G; Gregson, W

2011-03-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the between-match variability in soccer referees' match performances. 1 269 individual match observations were undertaken on 59 referees (range 2-79 games per referee) officiating in the English Premier League and Championship from 2003/2004 to 2007/2008 using a computerised tracking system (Prozone (®), Leeds, England). Between-match coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated for all games and then compared between referee age and experience groups. High mean CVs were observed for high-speed running distance (25.9±10.1%), recovery time (32.7±13.8%), explosive sprints (34.3±16.6%), total number of sprints (54.0±20.7%) and number of match fouls (28±4.6%). Smaller CVs were observed for total distance covered (3.8±1.5%), top sprinting speed (5.6±10.9%), distance from the ball (4.2±1.9%) and the distance from fouls (9.9±4.3%). Variability in match activities was not influenced by referee age or experience. The present study's findings demonstrate that variability in soccer referees' match performances is high in some variables and not dependent on referee age or experience. Such variability means that research requires large sample sizes to detect real systematic changes in a number of performance characteristics when studied during matches. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Game-induced fatigue patterns in elite female soccer.

PubMed

Krustrup, Peter; Zebis, Mette; Jensen, Jack M; Mohr, Magni

2010-02-01

The purpose was to examine the fatigue pattern of elite female soccer players after competitive games. Soccer players (n = 23) from the Danish women Premier League performed a countermovement vertical jump test, a repeated 30-m sprint test, and the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 (Yo-Yo IE2) test at rested state and after a competitive game. Average heart rate during the game was 86 +/- 1% of maximal heart rate with no differences between halves. Blood lactate was 5.1 +/- 0.5 mmol.L after the first half, which was higher (p < 0.05) than after the second half (2.7 +/- 0.4 mmol.L). Yo-Yo IE2 performance was 484 +/- 50 m after the game, which was 62% lower (p < 0.05) than at rested state (1,265 +/- 133 m). Average sprinting time of three 30-m sprints was 5.06 +/- 0.06 seconds after the game, which was 4% slower (p < 0.05) than at rest (4.86 +/- 0.06 seconds). No game-induced effect was observed on vertical jump performance. Significant inverse correlations were observed between Yo-Yo IE2 test performance and fatigue index during the repeated sprint test both at rest (r = -0.76, p < 0.05) and after the game (r = -0.66, p < 0.05). The study demonstrates that the type of fatigue that occurs after a female soccer game does cause marked impairment in intense intermittent exercise and repeated sprint performance but does not affect vertical jump performance. These findings support the notion that decrements in distance covered by sprinting and high-speed running toward the end of elite female games are caused by fatigue.

The Effect of Body Mass on Eccentric Knee-Flexor Strength Assessed With an Instrumented Nordic Hamstring Device (Nordbord) in Football Players.

PubMed

Buchheit, Martin; Cholley, Yannick; Nagel, Mark; Poulos, Nicholas

2016-09-01

To examine the effect of body mass (BM) on eccentric knee-flexor strength using the Nordbord and offer simple guidelines to control for the effect of BM on knee-flexor strength. Data from 81 soccer players (U17, U19, U21, senior 4th French division, and professionals) and 41 Australian Football League (AFL) players were used for analysis. They all performed 1 set of 3 maximal repetitions of the bilateral Nordic hamstring exercise, with the greatest strength measure used for analysis. The main regression equation obtained from the overall sample was used to predict eccentric knee-flexor strength from a given BM (moderate TEE, 22%). Individual deviations from the BM-predicted score were used as a BM-free index of eccentric knee- flexor strength. There was a large (r = .55, 90% confidence limits .42;.64) correlation between eccentric knee-flexor strength and BM. Heavier and older players (professionals, 4th French division, and AFL) outperformed their lighter and younger (U17-U21) counterparts, with the soccer professionals presenting the highest absolute strength. Professional soccer players were the only ones to show strength values likely slightly greater than those expected for their BM. Eccentric knee-flexor strength, as assessed with the Nordbord, is largely BM-dependent. To control for this effect, practitioners may compare actual test performances with the expected strength for a given BM, using the following predictive equation: Eccentric strength (N) = 4 × BM (kg) + 26.1. Professional soccer players with specific knee-flexor-training history and enhanced neuromuscular performance may show higher than expected values.

DHA- Rich Fish Oil Improves Complex Reaction Time in Female Elite Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Guzmán, José F.; Esteve, Hector; Pablos, Carlos; Pablos, Ana; Blasco, Cristina; Villegas, José A.

2011-01-01

Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3) has shown to improve neuromotor function. This study examined the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on complex reaction time, precision and efficiency, in female elite soccer players. 24 players from two Spanish female soccer Super League teams were randomly selected and assigned to two experimental groups, then administered, in a double-blind manner, 3.5 g·day-1 of either DHA-rich fish oil (FO =12) or olive oil (OO = 12) over 4 weeks of training. Two measurements (pre- and post-treatment) of complex reaction time and precision were taken. Participants had to press different buttons and pedals with left and right hands and feet, or stop responding, according to visual and auditory stimuli. Multivariate analysis of variance displayed an interaction between supplement administration (pre/post) and experimental group (FO/OO) on complex reaction time (FO pre = 0.713 ± 0.142 ms, FO post = 0.623 ± 0.109 ms, OO pre = 0.682 ± 1.132 ms, OO post = 0.715 ± 0.159 ms; p = 0.004) and efficiency (FO pre = 40.88 ± 17.41, FO post = 57.12 ± 11.05, OO pre = 49.52 ± 14.63, OO post = 49. 50 ± 11.01; p = 0.003). It was concluded that after 4 weeks of supplementation with FO, there was a significant improvement in the neuromotor function of female elite soccer players. Key points The results obtained from the study suggest that supplementation with DHA produced perceptual-motor benefits in female elite athletes. DHA could be a beneficial supplement in sports where decision making and reaction time efficiency are of importance. PMID:24149875

Assessment of Energy Intake and Energy Expenditure of Male Adolescent Academy-Level Soccer Players during a Competitive Week.

PubMed

Briggs, Marc A; Cockburn, Emma; Rumbold, Penny L S; Rae, Glen; Stevenson, Emma J; Russell, Mark

2015-10-02

This study investigated the energy intake and expenditure of professional adolescent academy-level soccer players during a competitive week. Over a seven day period that included four training days, two rest days and a match day, energy intake (self-reported weighed food diary and 24-h recall) and expenditure (tri-axial accelerometry) were recorded in 10 male players from a professional English Premier League club. The mean macronutrient composition of the dietary intake was 318 ± 24 g·day(-1) (5.6 ± 0.4 g·kg(-1) BM) carbohydrate, 86 ± 10 g·day(-1) (1.5 ± 0.2 g·kg(-1) BM) protein and 70 ± 7 g·day(-1) (1.2 ± 0.1 g·kg(-1) BM) fats, representing 55% ± 3%, 16% ± 1%, and 29% ± 2% of mean daily energy intake respectively. A mean daily energy deficit of -1302 ± 1662 kJ (p = 0.035) was observed between energy intake (9395 ± 1344 kJ) and energy expenditure (10679 ± 1026 kJ). Match days (-2278 ± 2307 kJ, p = 0.012) and heavy training days (-2114 ± 2257 kJ, p = 0.016) elicited the greatest deficits between intake and expenditure. In conclusion, the mean daily energy intake of professional adolescent academy-level soccer players was lower than the energy expended during a competitive week. The magnitudes of these deficits were greatest on match and heavy training days. These findings may have both short and long term implications on the performance and physical development of adolescent soccer players.

Beetroot Juice Supplementation Improves High-Intensity Intermittent Type Exercise Performance in Trained Soccer Players.

PubMed

Nyakayiru, Jean; Jonvik, Kristin L; Trommelen, Jorn; Pinckaers, Philippe J M; Senden, Joan M; van Loon, Luc J C; Verdijk, Lex B

2017-03-22

It has been shown that nitrate supplementation can enhance endurance exercise performance. Recent work suggests that nitrate ingestion can also increase intermittent type exercise performance in recreational athletes. We hypothesized that six days of nitrate supplementation can improve high-intensity intermittent type exercise performance in trained soccer players. Thirty-two male soccer players (age: 23 ± 1 years, height: 181 ± 1 m, weight: 77 ± 1 kg, playing experience: 15.2 ± 0.5 years, playing in the first team of a 2nd or 3rd Dutch amateur league club) participated in this randomized, double-blind cross-over study. All subjects participated in two test days in which high-intensity intermittent running performance was assessed using the Yo-Yo IR1 test. Subjects ingested nitrate-rich (140 mL; ~800 mg nitrate/day; BR) or a nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (PLA) for six subsequent days, with at least eight days of wash-out between trials. The distance covered during the Yo-Yo IR1 was the primary outcome measure, while heart rate (HR) was measured continuously throughout the test, and a single blood and saliva sample were collected just prior to the test. Six days of BR ingestion increased plasma and salivary nitrate and nitrite concentrations in comparison to PLA ( p < 0.001), and enhanced Yo-Yo IR1 test performance by 3.4 ± 1.3% (from 1574 ± 47 to 1623 ± 48 m; p = 0.027). Mean HR was lower in the BR (172 ± 2) vs. PLA trial (175 ± 2; p = 0.014). Six days of BR ingestion effectively improves high-intensity intermittent type exercise performance in trained soccer players.

Beetroot Juice Supplementation Improves High-Intensity Intermittent Type Exercise Performance in Trained Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Nyakayiru, Jean; Jonvik, Kristin L.; Trommelen, Jorn; Pinckaers, Philippe J. M.; Senden, Joan M.; van Loon, Luc J. C.; Verdijk, Lex B.

2017-01-01

It has been shown that nitrate supplementation can enhance endurance exercise performance. Recent work suggests that nitrate ingestion can also increase intermittent type exercise performance in recreational athletes. We hypothesized that six days of nitrate supplementation can improve high-intensity intermittent type exercise performance in trained soccer players. Thirty-two male soccer players (age: 23 ± 1 years, height: 181 ± 1 m, weight: 77 ± 1 kg, playing experience: 15.2 ± 0.5 years, playing in the first team of a 2nd or 3rd Dutch amateur league club) participated in this randomized, double-blind cross-over study. All subjects participated in two test days in which high-intensity intermittent running performance was assessed using the Yo-Yo IR1 test. Subjects ingested nitrate-rich (140 mL; ~800 mg nitrate/day; BR) or a nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (PLA) for six subsequent days, with at least eight days of wash-out between trials. The distance covered during the Yo-Yo IR1 was the primary outcome measure, while heart rate (HR) was measured continuously throughout the test, and a single blood and saliva sample were collected just prior to the test. Six days of BR ingestion increased plasma and salivary nitrate and nitrite concentrations in comparison to PLA (p < 0.001), and enhanced Yo-Yo IR1 test performance by 3.4 ± 1.3% (from 1574 ± 47 to 1623 ± 48 m; p = 0.027). Mean HR was lower in the BR (172 ± 2) vs. PLA trial (175 ± 2; p = 0.014). Six days of BR ingestion effectively improves high-intensity intermittent type exercise performance in trained soccer players. PMID:28327503

Assessment of Energy Intake and Energy Expenditure of Male Adolescent Academy-Level Soccer Players during a Competitive Week

PubMed Central

Briggs, Marc A.; Cockburn, Emma; Rumbold, Penny L. S.; Rae, Glen; Stevenson, Emma J.; Russell, Mark

2015-01-01

This study investigated the energy intake and expenditure of professional adolescent academy-level soccer players during a competitive week. Over a seven day period that included four training days, two rest days and a match day, energy intake (self-reported weighed food diary and 24-h recall) and expenditure (tri-axial accelerometry) were recorded in 10 male players from a professional English Premier League club. The mean macronutrient composition of the dietary intake was 318 ± 24 g·day−1 (5.6 ± 0.4 g·kg−1 BM) carbohydrate, 86 ± 10 g·day−1 (1.5 ± 0.2 g·kg−1 BM) protein and 70 ± 7 g·day−1 (1.2 ± 0.1 g·kg−1 BM) fats, representing 55% ± 3%, 16% ± 1%, and 29% ± 2% of mean daily energy intake respectively. A mean daily energy deficit of −1302 ± 1662 kJ (p = 0.035) was observed between energy intake (9395 ± 1344 kJ) and energy expenditure (10679 ± 1026 kJ). Match days (−2278 ± 2307 kJ, p = 0.012) and heavy training days (−2114 ± 2257 kJ, p = 0.016) elicited the greatest deficits between intake and expenditure. In conclusion, the mean daily energy intake of professional adolescent academy-level soccer players was lower than the energy expended during a competitive week. The magnitudes of these deficits were greatest on match and heavy training days. These findings may have both short and long term implications on the performance and physical development of adolescent soccer players. PMID:26445059

Maturational effect on Functional Movement Screen™ score in adolescent soccer players.

PubMed

Portas, Matthew David; Parkin, Guy; Roberts, James; Batterham, Alan Mark

2016-10-01

The effect of maturity on Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores in elite, adolescent soccer players was examined. A cross-sectional observational study was completed. Participants were 1163 male English Football League soccer players (age 8-18 years). Players were mid-foundation phase (MF) (U9); late foundation phase (LF) (U10 and U11); early youth development phase (EYD) (U12 and U13); mid-youth development (MYD) phase (U14-U15); Late Youth Development Phase (LYD) (U16) and early professional development phase (EPD) (U18). Age from peak height velocity was estimated and players were categorized as pre- or post-peak height velocity (PHV). To analyse where differences in FMStotal score existed we separated the screen into FMSmove (3 movement tests); FMSflex (2 mobility tests) and FMSstab (2 stability tests). FMStotal median score ranged from 11 at MF to 14 for EPD. There was a substantial increase (10%) in those able to achieve a score of ≥14 on FMStotal in those who were post-PHV compared to pre-PHV. This was explained by a substantial increase in those achieving a score of ≥4 on FMSstab (21%). There was a substantial increase in the proportion of players who achieved the FMStotal threshold of ≥14 with an increase of 47.5 (41.4-53.6)% from the MF phase to the EPD phase due to improvements in FMSmove and FMSstab. PHV and maturity have substantial effects on FMS performance. FMS assessment appears to be invalid for very young players. Findings are relevant to those analyzing movement in soccer players. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A snapshot of how Latino heterosexual men promote sexual health within their social networks: Process evaluation findings from an efficacious community-level intervention

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Scott D.; Daniel, Jason; Alonzo, Jorge; Vissman, Aaron T.; Duck, Stacy; Downs, Mario; Gilbert, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Background HoMBReS was a community-level social network intervention designed to increase sexual health among Latino heterosexual men who were members of a multi-county soccer league. Methods We used process data collected each month during 18 months of intervention implementation from each of 15 trained Latino male lay health advisors (known as Navegantes) to explore the activities that Navegantes conducted to increase condom and HIV testing among their social network members. Results The Navegantes reported conducting 2,364 activities, for a mean of 8.8 activities per Navegante per month. The most common activity was condom distribution. Most activities were conducted with men; about 2% were conducted with women. Among activities conducted with men, half were conducted with soccer teammates and half with non-teammates. Conclusions Latino men’s social networks can be leveraged to promote sexual health within the community. Innovative methods that reach large numbers of community members are needed given the lack of prevention resources for populations disproportionately impacted by HIV and STDs. PMID:23206201

A snapshot of how latino heterosexual men promote sexual health within their social networks: process evaluation findings from an efficacious community-level intervention.

PubMed

Rhodes, Scott D; Daniel, Jason; Alonzo, Jorge; Vissman, Aaron T; Duck, Stacy; Downs, Mario; Gilbert, Paul A

2012-12-01

Hombres Manteniendo Bienestar y Relaciones Saludables (HoMBReS) was a community-level social network intervention designed to increase sexual health among Latino heterosexual men who were members of a multicounty soccer league. Process data were collected each month during 18 months of intervention implementation from each of 15 trained Latino male lay health advisors (known as Navegantes) to explore the activities that Navegantes conducted to increase condom and HIV testing among their social network members. The Navegantes reported conducting 2,364 activities, for a mean of 8.8 activities per Navegante per month. The most common activity was condom distribution. Most activities were conducted with men; about 2% were conducted with women. Among activities conducted with men, half were conducted with soccer teammates and half with nonteammates. Results suggest that Latino men's social networks can be leveraged to promote sexual health within the community. Innovative methods that reach large numbers of community members are needed given the lack of prevention resources for populations disproportionately impacted by HIV and STDs.

Concussion surveillance: do low concussion rates in the Qatar Professional Football League reflect a true difference or emphasize challenges in knowledge translation?

PubMed

Eirale, Cristiano; Tol, Johannes L; Targett, Steve; Holmich, Per; Chalabi, Hakim

2015-01-01

To investigate concussion epidemiology in the first football (soccer) division of Qatar. Prospective cohort study. Professional First Division Football League of Qatar. All first team players were included at the beginning of each season. Daily collection of training and match exposure from August 2008 until April 2012 by club medical staff. Head injuries during training and match play were recorded on standardized injury cards. Injury incidence was calculated as number of injuries per hour exposed to risk and expressed as rate per 1000 hours. The incidence of concussions in professional club football in Qatar is 0.016 (0.000-0.033) per 1000 hours of exposure. The concussion incidence is only 25% of that in the previous European studies using the same time loss injury definition. This raises the possibility that concussions are underreported. Further research is necessary. In the meantime, concussion education of players, club medical, and support staff is warranted, in keeping with the Zurich concussion consensus call for the need for an increase in knowledge translation.

Effectiveness of a stress management pilot program aimed at reducing the incidence of sports injuries in young football (soccer) players.

PubMed

Olmedilla-Zafra, Aurelio; Rubio, Victor J; Ortega, Enrique; García-Mas, Alexandre

2017-03-01

Several attempts to reduce the incidence of sport injuries using psychosocial interventions produced fruitful, although inconclusive results. This paper presents the effectiveness and implementation issues of a pilot 3-month stress-management and muscle relaxation program aimed at reducing sport injury incidence. Pre-post treatment-non treatment group comparison. The program was administered by a trained psychologist on a once-a-week, 1-h session basis. Seventy-four male soccer players from four National Youth league teams voluntarily participated. Teams were randomly assigned to either treatment/non-treatment group. Injury protocol, Self-monitoring cards, Athletes' satisfaction and commitment survey, Coaches' interview. Group main effect and Time-Group interaction effect were both statistically significant, F(1,60) = 8.30, p = 0.005, η 2 p  = 0.121, with the average number of injuries larger in the post-treatment phase of non-treatment group (p = 0.005, η 2 p  = 0.077). There was a significant decrease in the average number of injuries for the intervention group before and after implementing the program (p < 0.001, η 2 p  = 0.309). A controlled implementation of a psychosocial program was effective in reducing youth soccer sport injuries, with a high level of satisfaction and commitment from the athletes, as well as high acceptance from the coaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delving Deeper: Studying Baseball's Wild-Card Team Using Probability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auer, Richard E.; Knapp, Michael P.

2013-01-01

The modern era of professional baseball playoffs began in 1903, when the champions of the American League and the National League played the first World Series. Except for one year, 1904, this playoff system was maintained until 1969. Beginning in 1969, each of the two leagues in Major League Baseball (MLB) was divided into two divisions to…

Leadership Styles and Creativity: An Examination of the Four Female Ivy League Presidents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson-Graves, Winifert E.

2012-01-01

Increasingly, females are taking the helm as president of colleges and universities in the United States, yet men still hold the majority of presidential positions (ACE, 2012). The Ivy League is an exception. In the Ivy League, the presidency is held by an equal number of females and males. For three of four Ivy League institutions where females…

Injuries to young professional baseball pitchers cannot be prevented solely by restricting number of innings pitched.

PubMed

Karakolis, Thomas; Bhan, Shivam; Crotin, Ryan L

2016-05-01

The Major League Baseball schedule is longer and more intensive than minor and amateur leagues. As a result, major league pitchers endure a considerably higher cumulative workload throughout the season. Ligament, tendon, muscle, and bone tissues in young pitchers need time to adapt to the workload a major league pitcher must endure. To mitigate the risk of overuse injury, and allow time for tissue adaptation to occur, most teams limit the number of innings a young pitcher may throw. This study examined the relationship between innings pitched and future injury in young professional baseball pitchers. All pitchers under 25 years of age that pitched at least one third of an inning in Major League Baseball during the 2002-2007 seasons were included in this study. Total innings pitched were accumulated for each season across three levels of professional baseball (Major League Baseball, and two levels of Minor Leagues). Regression analyses were preformed comparing innings pitched during a single season and difference in innings pitched over consecutive seasons to future injury, as measured by time spent on the disabled list. No significant correlation was found between innings pitched and future injury or consecutive season innings pitched difference and future injury. No significant differences were found when pitchers were split into groups based upon consecutive season innings pitched difference cutoffs. Based upon the evidence presented, strength and conditioning coaches, sports medicine specialists, and team trainers cannot rely solely on inning counts to accurately measure the tissue demands of professional baseball pitching. Therefore, inning limits alone cannot be used to protect young professional pitchers against the threat of injury.

Comparison of the Kinematic Patterns of Kick Between Brazilian and Japanese Young Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Pereira Santiago, Paulo Roberto; Palucci Vieira, Luiz Henrique; Barbieri, Fabio Augusto; Moura, Felipe Arruda; Exel Santana, Juliana; de Andrade, Vitor Luiz; de Souza Bedo, Bruno Luiz; Cunha, Sergio Augusto

2016-01-01

Background Kicking performance is the most studied technical action in soccer and lower limbs kinematics is closely related to success in kicking, mainly because they are essential in imparting high velocity to the ball. Previous studies demonstrated that soccer leagues in different countries exhibit different physical demands and technical requirements during the matches. However, evidencewhether nationality has any influence in the kinematics of soccer-related skills has not yet been reported. The nationality of the players is an aspect that might be also relevant to the performance in kicking. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the lower limbs kinematic patterns during kicking, between Brazilian and Japanese young top soccer players. Patients and Methods Seven Brazilian (GA) and seven Japanese (GB) U-17 players performed 15 side-foot kicks each, with a distance of 20 m away from the goal, aiming a target of 1 × 1 m in upper corner, constrained by a defensive wall (1.8 × 2 m). Four digital video cameras (120 Hz) recorded the performance for further 3D reconstruction of thigh, shank and foot segments of both kicking and support limbs. The selected kicking cycle was characterized by the toe-off of the kicking limb to the end of the kicking foot when it came in contact with the ball. Stereographical projection of each segment was applied to obtain the representative curves of kicking as function of time for each participant in each trial. Cluster analysis was performed to identify the mean GA and GB curves for each segment. Silhouette coefficient (SC) was calculated, in order to determine the degree of separation between the two groups’ curves. Results Comparison between the median confidence intervals of the SC showed no differences between groups as regards lower limb patterns of movements. Task accuracy was determined by the relative frequency that the ball reached the target for all attempts and no differences were found (GA: 10.48 ± 14.33%; GB: 9.52 ± 6.51%; P = 0.88). Conclusions We conclude that lower limb kinematic patterns, in support and ball contact phases, are similar in young Brazilian and Japanese soccer players during free kicks when adopting the side-foot kick style. PMID:27625761

The Effects of a Single Whole-Body Cryotherapy Exposure on Physiological, Performance, and Perceptual Responses of Professional Academy Soccer Players After Repeated Sprint Exercise.

PubMed

Russell, Mark; Birch, Jack; Love, Thomas; Cook, Christian J; Bracken, Richard M; Taylor, Tom; Swift, Eamon; Cockburn, Emma; Finn, Charlie; Cunningham, Daniel; Wilson, Laura; Kilduff, Liam P

2017-02-01

Russell, M, Birch, J, Love, T, Cook, CJ, Bracken, RM, Taylor, T, Swift, E, Cockburn, E, Finn, C, Cunningham, D, Wilson, L, and Kilduff, LP. The effects of a single whole-body cryotherapy exposure on physiological, performance, and perceptual responses of professional academy soccer players after repeated sprint exercise. J Strength Cond Res 31(2): 415-421, 2017-In professional youth soccer players, the physiological, performance, and perceptual effects of a single whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) session performed shortly after repeated sprint exercise were investigated. In a randomized, counterbalanced, and crossover design, 14 habituated English Premier League academy soccer players performed 15 × 30 m sprints (each followed by a 10 m forced deceleration) on 2 occasions. Within 20 minutes of exercise cessation, players entered a WBC chamber (Cryo: 30 seconds at -60° C, 120 seconds at -135° C) or remained seated (Con) indoors in temperate conditions (∼25° C). Blood and saliva samples, peak power output (countermovement jump), and perceptual indices of recovery and soreness were assessed pre-exercise and immediately, 2-hour and 24-hour postexercise. When compared with Con, a greater testosterone response was observed at 2-hour (+32.5 ± 32.3 pg·ml, +21%) and 24-hour (+50.4 ± 48.9 pg·ml, +28%) postexercise (both P = 0.002) in Cryo (trial × treatment interaction: P = 0.001). No between-trial differences were observed for other salivary (cortisol and testosterone/cortisol ratio), blood (lactate and creatine kinase), performance (peak power output), or perceptual (recovery or soreness) markers (all trial × treatment interactions: P > 0.05); all of which were influenced by exercise (time effects: all P ≤ 0.05). A single session of WBC performed within 20 minutes of repeated sprint exercise elevated testosterone concentrations for 24 hours but did not affect any other performance, physiological, or perceptual measurements taken. Although unclear, WBC may be efficacious for professional soccer players during congested fixture periods.

What Do Children Most Enjoy about Summer Soccer Camp? Gender and Group Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Rhys

2005-01-01

One hundred children attending a summer soccer camp in NE Ohio provided written data on what they most enjoyed about the camp. Findings indicated that, overall, they ranked "soccer games and skills" and "camp related activities" as the two leading major categories. In terms of gender group analysis (females = 49; males = 51)…

Reclamation of sanitary landfills: A case study in Shelby County, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riddick, P.M.; Kirsch, S.; Kung, Hsiang-Te

1992-07-01

Approximately 30,000 sanitary landfills were in operation in the United States in 1976; today, there are <7,000. The remaining 23,000 closed sites can be reclaimed to actually enhance the surrounding community; cost is the only limiting factor. Abandoned sanitary landfill sites do have problems, namely leachates, methane build-up, and subsidence. However, with modern techniques and planning, these problems can be overcome. Across the nation, old landfills have been converted into golf courses, parks, ski resorts, libraries, and even methane power plants. In some cases, a community's property value has actually increased after reclamation of the local landfill. Shelby County, inmore » southwestern Tennessee, currently has four closed sanitary landfills. Only one site has been fully utilized as a recreational facility. At this site, four soccer fields are home to over 150 league soccer teams. Two sites are home to airplane radio-control clubs, although most land at these sites is currently unused. The fourth site is completely unused and up for sale. All of these closed sanitary landfills have potential use as recreation areas, but, as is often the case, lack of money and initiative is preventing development. 7 refs.« less

The Trouble with the Other N-Word

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, D. Quentin

2012-01-01

When Jackie Robinson broke through to the (white) major leagues, "Negro" was the agreed-upon term to designate African-Americans. In fact, he broke through from "the Negro leagues." It would be a historical distortion to say that Robinson had once played in the "black baseball leagues" or the "African-American…

Match analysis of U9 and U10 english premier league academy soccer players using a global positioning system: relevance for talent identification and development.

PubMed

Goto, Heita; Morris, John G; Nevill, Mary E

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the match activity profile of U9 and U10 elite soccer players and to establish if there were any differences between players who were subsequently retained or released by their clubs. Such information should prove valuable in the design of training programs for these very young players and in the talent identification and development process. A Global Positioning System was used to analyze 2-4 interacademy 6-a-side matches of English Premier League Academy players (U9: N = 22 and U10: N = 12) who trained 3 times a week (4.5 hours). Speed zones were created based on 5 and 10-m sprint times, and an independent sample t-test was employed for a statistical analysis. Both squads covered ∼4,000 m in total or ∼4,700 m·h during a match (p = NS between squads), with the U10 squad tending to cover a greater distance at moderate (p = 0.10) and high speeds (p = 0.08) than the U9 squad. Retained group covered a greater distance than released group (retained vs. released: 4,478 ± 513 m vs. 4,091 ± 462 m, p < 0.05) during a match and covered a greater distance during low-speed running in absolute (1,226 ± 259 m vs. 1,005 ± 221 m, p < 0.05) and relative (1,325 ± 235 m·h vs. 1,132 ± 210 m·h, p < 0.05) terms. Thus, U9 and U10 players cover over 4000 m in match play, and those players who are retained by academies cover a greater distance in total and at low speeds (2.1-3.1 m·s). This information may support the preparation of squad training programs and the talent identification and development process.

Room for Improvement in Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Intake of Male Football (Soccer) Players in Australia.

PubMed

Andrews, Michael C; Itsiopoulos, Catherine

2016-02-01

Athletes require sufficient nutrition knowledge and skills to enable appropriate selection and consumption of food and fluids to meet their health, body composition, and performance needs. This article reports the nutrition knowledge and dietary habits of male football (soccer) players in Australia. Players age 18 years and older were recruited from 1 A-League club (professional) and 4 National Premier League clubs (semiprofessional). No significant difference in general nutrition knowledge (GNK; 54.1% ± 13.4%; 56.8% ± 11.7%; M ± SD), t(71) = -0.91, p = .37, or sports nutrition knowledge (SNK; 56.9% ± 15.5%; 61.3% ± 15.9%), t(71) = -1.16, p = .25) were noted between professional (n = 29) and semiprofessional (n = 44) players. In general, players lacked knowledge in regard to food sources and types of fat. Although nutrition knowledge varied widely among players (24.6-82.8% correct responses), those who had recently studied nutrition answered significantly more items correctly than those who reported no recent formal nutrition education (62.6% ± 11.9%; 54.0% ± 11.4%), t(67) = 2.88, p = .005). Analysis of 3-day estimated food diaries revealed both professionals (n = 10) and semiprofessionals (n = 31) consumed on average less carbohydrate (3.5 ± 0.8 gC/kg; 3.9 ± 1.8 gC/kg) per day than football-specific recommendations (FIFA Medical and Assessment Research Centre [F-MARC]: 5-10 gC/kg). There was a moderate, positive correlation between SNK and carbohydrate intake (n = 41, ρ = 0.32, p = .04), indicating that players who exhibited greater SNK had higher carbohydrate intakes. On the basis of these findings, male football players in Australia would benefit from nutrition education targeting carbohydrate and fat in an attempt to improve nutrition knowledge and dietary practices.

Forearm Flexor Injuries Among Major League Baseball Players: Epidemiology, Performance, and Associated Injuries.

PubMed

Hodgins, Justin L; Trofa, David P; Donohue, Steve; Littlefield, Mark; Schuk, Michael; Ahmad, Christopher S

2018-06-01

Despite evidence highlighting the importance of the forearm flexor muscles of elite baseball players, no studies have reported on the epidemiology of flexor strains and their associated outcomes. To examine the incidence, associated injuries, and outcomes associated with forearm flexor injuries among major and minor league baseball players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Injury data attributed to forearm flexor injuries among Major League Baseball (MLB) and minor league teams between 2010 and 2014 were obtained from the professional baseball Health and Injury Tracking System. This analysis included the number of players injured, seasonal timing of injury, days spent on the disabled list (DL), preinjury performance data, and subsequent injuries. A total of 134 and 629 forearm flexor injuries occurred in MLB and the minor leagues, respectively. The mean player age was 28.6 and 22.8 years in the MLB and minor leagues, respectively. The mean time spent on the DL for MLB players was 117.0 days, as opposed to 93.9 days in the minor leagues ( P = .272). Interestingly, pitcher performance declined in all categories examined leading up to the season of injury, with significant differences in walks plus hits per inning pitched ( P = .04) and strike percentage ( P = .036). Of MLB players with a forearm injury, subsequent injuries included 50 (37.3%) shoulder, 48 (35.8%) elbow, and 24 (17.9%) forearm injuries. Among injured minor league players, subsequent injuries included 170 (27.0%) shoulder, 156 (24.8%) elbow, and 83 (13.2%) forearm injuries. These rates of subsequent injuries were significantly higher compared with the rates of injuries sustained among players without forearm injuries in both leagues ( P < .001). Finally, 26 (19.4%) MLB and 56 (8.9%) minor league players required an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, rates that were significantly higher compared with players without a flexor strain ( P < .001). Flexor-pronator injuries are responsible for considerable time spent on the DL for elite players in MLB and the minor leagues. The most significant findings of this investigation illustrate that a flexor strain may be a significant risk factor for subsequent upper extremity injuries, including an ulnar collateral ligament tear.

Rating competitors before tournament starts: How it's affecting team progression in a soccer tournament

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusof, Muhammad Mat; Sulaiman, Tajularipin; Khalid, Ruzelan; Hamid, Mohamad Shukri Abdul; Mansor, Rosnalini

2014-12-01

In professional sporting events, rating competitors before tournament start is a well-known approach to distinguish the favorite team and the weaker teams. Various methodologies are used to rate competitors. In this paper, we explore four ways to rate competitors; least squares rating, maximum likelihood strength ratio, standing points in large round robin simulation and previous league rank position. The tournament metric we used to evaluate different types of rating approach is tournament outcome characteristics measure. The tournament outcome characteristics measure is defined by the probability that a particular team in the top 100q pre-tournament rank percentile progress beyond round R, for all q and R. Based on simulation result, we found that different rating approach produces different effect to the team. Our simulation result shows that from eight teams participate in knockout standard seeding, Perak has highest probability to win for tournament that use the least squares rating approach, PKNS has highest probability to win using the maximum likelihood strength ratio and the large round robin simulation approach, while Perak has the highest probability to win a tournament using previous league season approach.

High and mighty: height increases authority in professional refereeing.

PubMed

Stulp, Gert; Buunk, Abraham P; Verhulst, Simon; Pollet, Thomas V

2012-08-24

Throughout the animal kingdom, larger males are more likely to attain social dominance. Several lines of evidence suggest that this relationship extends to humans, as height is positively related to dominance, status and authority. We hypothesized that height is also a determinant of authority in professional refereeing. According to the International Football Association Board, FIFA, football ("soccer") referees have full authority to enforce the laws of the game and should use their body language to show authority and to help control the match. We show that height is indeed positively related to authority status: referees were taller than their assistants (who merely have an advisory role) in both a national (French League) and an international (World Cup 2010) tournament. Furthermore, using data from the German League, we found that height was positively associated with authoritative behavior. Taller referees were better able to maintain control of the game by giving fewer fouls, thereby increasing the "flow of the game". Referee height was also positively associated with perceived referee competence, as taller referees were assigned to matches in which the visiting team had a higher ranking. Thus, height appears to be positively related to authority in professional refereeing.

Dynamic knee stability and ballistic knee movement after ACL reconstruction: an application on instep soccer kick.

PubMed

Cordeiro, Nuno; Cortes, Nelson; Fernandes, Orlando; Diniz, Ana; Pezarat-Correia, Pedro

2015-04-01

The instep soccer kick is a pre-programmed ballistic movement with a typical agonist-antagonist coordination pattern. The coordination pattern of the kick can provide insight into deficient neuromuscular control. The purpose of this study was to investigate knee kinematics and hamstrings/quadriceps coordination pattern during the knee ballistic extension phase of the instep kick in soccer players after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL reconstruction). Seventeen players from the Portuguese Soccer League participated in this study. Eight ACL-reconstructed athletes (experimental group) and 9 healthy individuals (control group) performed three instep kicks. Knee kinematics (flexion and extension angles at football contact and maximum velocity instants) were calculated during the kicks. Rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoralis, and semitendinosus muscle activations were quantified during the knee extension phase. The ACL-reconstructed group had significantly lower knee extension angle (-1.2 ± 1.6, p < 0.021) and increased variability (1.1 ± 1.2, p < 0.012) when compared with the control group. Within the EMG variables, the RF had a significantly greater activity in the ACL-reconstructed group than in the control group (79.9 ± 27.7 % MVC vs. 49.2 ± 20.8 % MVC, respectively, p < 0.034). No other statistically significant differences were found. The findings of this study demonstrate that changes in ACL-reconstructed individuals were observed on knee extension angle and RF muscle activation while performing an instep kick. These findings are in accordance with the knee stability recovery process after ACL reconstruction. No differences were observed in the ballistic control movement pattern between normal and ACL-reconstructed subjects. Performing open kinetic chain exercises using ballistic movements can be beneficial when recovering from ACL reconstruction. The exercises should focus on achieving multi-joint coordination and full knee extension (range of motion). III.

Extensive monitoring through multiple blood samples in professional soccer players.

PubMed

Heisterberg, Mette F; Fahrenkrug, Jan; Krustrup, Peter; Storskov, Anders; Kjær, Michael; Andersen, Jesper L

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to make a comprehensive gathering of consecutive detailed blood samples from professional soccer players and to analyze different blood parameters in relation to seasonal changes in training and match exposure. Blood samples were collected 5 times during a 6-month period and analyzed for 37 variables in 27 professional soccer players from the best Danish league. Additionally, the players were tested for body composition, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max and physical performance by the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance submax test (IE2). Multiple variations in blood parameters occurred during the observation period, including a decrease in hemoglobin and an increase in hematocrit as the competitive season progressed. Iron and transferrin were stable, whereas ferritin showed a decrease at the end of the season. The immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgM increased in the period with basal physical training and at the end of the season. Leucocytes decreased with increased physical training. Lymphocytes decreased at the end of the season. The V[Combining Dot Above]O2max decreased toward the end of the season, whereas no significant changes were observed in the IE2 test. The regular blood samples from elite soccer players reveal significant changes that may be related to changes in training pattern, match exposure, or length of the match season. Especially the end of the preparation season and at the end of the competitive season seem to be time points were the blood-derived values indicate that the players are under excessive physical strain and might be more subjected to a possible overreaching-overtraining conditions. We suggest that regular analyses of blood samples could be an important initiative to optimize training adaptation, training load, and game participation, but sampling has to be regular, and a database has to be built for each individual player.

Assessing the Effectiveness of the Functional Movement Screen in Predicting Noncontact Injury Rates in Soccer Players.

PubMed

Smith, Paul D; Hanlon, Michael P

2017-12-01

Smith, PD, and Hanlon, D. Assessing the effectiveness of the functional movement screen in predicting noncontact injury rates in soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 31(12): 3327-3332, 2017-This study assessed if the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) can accurately predict noncontact injury in adult soccer players when normalizing noncontact injury occurrence against match exposure levels. Senior male players (n = 89) from 5 League of Ireland semiprofessional clubs participated in the study (mean age = 23.2 ± 4.4 years; mean height = 179.5 ± 6.6 cm; mean body mass = 77.5 ± 7.8 kg). Participants performed the FMS during preseason, and their injury occurrence rates and match minutes were tracked throughout 1 season. In total, 66 noncontact injuries were recorded. No significant difference was found in FMS composite scores between players receiving noncontact injuries and players not suffering a noncontact injury (p = 0.96). There was no significant difference in exposure-normalized noncontact injury incidence between those scoring 14 or below and those scoring above 14 on the FMS (0.36 vs. 0.29 non-contact injuries per player per 1,000 match minutes). Players scoring 14 or below on the FMS had an odds ratio of 0.63 (p = 0.45; 95% CI = 0.19-2.07) of receiving a noncontact injury. Despite previous research showing links between low FMS composite scores and subsequent injury, these results suggest that the FMS cannot accurately predict a male soccer player's likelihood of receiving a noncontact injury and that a lower FMS composite score does not significantly increase their noncontact injury incidence rate per 1,000 match minutes. Caution should therefore be used when using the FMS as a predictor of noncontact injury, and pain prevalence during the FMS, previous injuries, and training/match exposure levels should also be taken into account.

Soccer and stock market risk: empirical evidence from the Istanbul Stock Exchange.

PubMed

Berument, M Hakan; Ceylan, Nildag Basak

2013-06-01

There is an emerging but important literature on the effects of sport events such as soccer on stock market returns. After a soccer team's win, agents discount future events more favorably and increase risk tolerance. Similarly, after a loss, risk tolerance decreases. This paper directly assesses risk tolerance after a sports event by using daily data from the three major soccer teams in Turkey (Beşiktaşç Fenerbahge and Galatasaray). Results provide evidence that risk tolerance increases after a win, but similar patterns were not found after a loss.

Endogenous nandrolone metabolites in human urine. Two-year monitoring of male professional soccer players.

PubMed

Le, Bizec Bruno; Bryand, Fabrice; Gaudin, Isabelle; Monteau, Fabrice; Poulain, Frédéric; Andre, François

2002-01-01

19-Norandrosterone (19-NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone (19-NE) are the two main indicators used to prove the illegal use of nandrolone by humans. Recent studies showed that 19-NA and 19-NE can be endogenously produced in some individuals. The mediated cases observed over the last three years generated some questions about the appropriateness of the official International Olympic Committee cutoff level, which is 2 ng/mL of 19-NA in male urine samples. In the present study, professional soccer players belonging to the French First League were studied over a period of 19 months. In total, 385 urine samples were taken immediately before and after soccer competitions and were coupled with 200 blood samples for testosterone and LH determination. Results of the study showed that the mean values for 19-NA and 19-NE were 0.097 ng/mL and 0.033 ng/mL, respectively. For 19-NA, 70% of the samples proved to be below 0.1 ng/mL, whereas less than 20% were found to be between 0.1 and 0.2 ng/mL, and 7% were between 0.2 and 0.3 ng/mL. Only four urine samples were above 1.0 ng/mL; the maximal value was 1.79 ng/mL. For 19-NE, only one sample was above 1.0 ng/mL; the value was 1.42 ng/mL. Concentrations of these compounds after games were generally significantly higher than those before games.

Global Mindedness as the "Goal": Soccer as a Pedagogical Tool in the Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busey, Christopher L.; Waring, Scott M.

2012-01-01

As evidenced by the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the World Cup, sports is a major part of global society, as millions of people throughout the world tune in to view renowned sporting events each and every week. This is especially true for soccer, which is the world's most popular and global sport. Because soccer is played in nearly every country…

Greater circadian disadvantage during evening games for the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and National Football League (NFL) teams travelling westward.

PubMed

Roy, Jonathan; Forest, Geneviève

2018-02-01

We investigated the effects of a circadian disadvantage (i.e. playing in a different time zone) on the winning percentages in three major sport leagues in North America: the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and the National Football League. We reviewed 5 years of regular season games in the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and National Football League, and noted the winning percentage of the visiting team depending on the direction of travel (west, east, and same time zone) and game time (day and evening games). T-tests and analysis of variance were performed to evaluate the effects of the circadian disadvantage, its direction, the number of time zones travelled, and the game time on winning percentages in each major league. The results showed an association between the winning percentages and the number of time zones traveled for the away evening games, with a clear disadvantage for the teams travelling westward. There was a significant difference in the teams' winning percentages depending on the travelling direction in the National Basketball Association (F 2,5908  = 16.12, P < 0.0001) and the National Hockey League (F 2,5639  = 4.48, P = 0.011), and a trend was found in the National Football League (F 2,1279  = 2.86, P = 0.058). The effect of the circadian disadvantage transcends the type of sport and needs to be addressed for greater equity among the western and eastern teams in professional sports. These results also highlight the importance of circadian rhythms in sport performance and athletic competitions. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

Soccer injuries in children.

PubMed

Paterson, Anne

2009-12-01

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, with FIFA recognising more than 265 million amateur players. Despite the fact that soccer is a contact sport, it is perceived to be relatively safe to play, a factor that has contributed to its status as the fastest growing team sport in the USA. Acute and minor injuries predominate in the statistics, with contusions and abrasions being the most commonly recorded. As would be expected, the majority of soccer injuries are to the lower limbs, with serious truncal and spinal trauma being rare. This article examines the type and anatomic location of injuries sustained by children and adolescents who play soccer, and the main mechanisms whereby such injuries occur. The risk factors underpinning injury occurrence are considered, along with injury avoidance tactics.

An echocardiographic assessment of cardiac morphology and common ECG findings in teenage professional soccer players: reference ranges for use in screening

PubMed Central

Somauroo, J; Pyatt, J; Jackson, M; Perry, R; Ramsdale, D

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To assess physiological cardiac adaptation in adolescent professional soccer players.
SUBJECTS AND DESIGN—Over a 32 month period 172 teenage soccer players were screened by echocardiography and ECG at a tertiary referral cardiothoracic centre. They were from six professional soccer teams in the north west of England, competing in the English Football League. One was excluded because of an atrial septal defect. The median age of the 171 players assessed was 16.7 years (5th to 95th centile range: 14-19) and median body surface area 1.68 m2 (1.39-2.06 m2).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Standard echocardiographic measurements were compared with predicted mean, lower, and upper limits in a cohort of normal controls after matching for age and surface area. Univariate regression analysis was used to assess the correlation between echocardiographic variables and the age and surface area of the soccer player cohort. ECG findings were also assessed.
RESULTS—All mean echocardiographic variables were greater than predicted for age and surface area matched controls (p < 0.001). All variables except left ventricular septal and posterior wall thickness showed a modest linear correlation with surface area (r = 0.2 to 0.4, p < 0.001); however, left ventricular mass was the only variable that was significantly correlated with age (r = 0.2, p < 0.01). Only six players (3.5%) had structural anomalies, none of which required further evaluation. All had normal left ventricular systolic function. Sinus bradycardia was found in 65 (39%). The Solokow-Lyon voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were present in 85 (50%) and the Romhilt-Estes points score (five or more) in 29 (17%). Repolarisation changes were present in 19 (11%), mainly in the inferior leads.
CONCLUSIONS—Chamber dimensions, left ventricular wall thickness and mass, and aortic root size were all greater than predicted for controls after matching for age and surface area. Sinus bradycardia and the ECG criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy were common but there was poor correlation with echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy. The type of hypertrophy found reflected the combined endurance and strength based training undertaken.


Keywords: cardiac morphology; professional soccer players; echocardiography; ECG findings PMID:11359746

Higher Drop in Speed during a Repeated Sprint Test in Soccer Players Reporting Former Hamstring Strain Injury

PubMed Central

Røksund, Ola D.; Kristoffersen, Morten; Bogen, Bård E.; Wisnes, Alexander; Engeseth, Merete S.; Nilsen, Ann-Kristin; Iversen, Vegard V.; Mæland, Silje; Gundersen, Hilde

2017-01-01

Aim: Hamstring strain injury is common in soccer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical capacity of players who have and have not suffered from hamstring strain injury in a sample of semi-professional and professional Norwegian soccer players in order to evaluate characteristics and to identify possible indications of insufficient rehabilitation. Method: Seventy-five semi-professional and professional soccer players (19 ± 3 years) playing at the second and third level in the Norwegian league participated in the study. All players answered a questionnaire, including one question about hamstring strain injury (yes/no) during the previous 2 years. They also performed a 40 m maximal sprint test, a repeated sprint test (8 × 20 m), a countermovement jump, a maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) test, strength tests and flexibility tests. Independent sample t-tests were used to evaluate differences in the physical capacity of the players who had suffered from hamstring strain injury and those who had not. Mixed between-within subject's analyses of variance was used to compare changes in speed during the repeated sprint test between groups. Results: Players who reported hamstring strain injury during the previous two years (16%) had a significantly higher drop in speed (0.07 vs. 0.02 s, p = 0.007) during the repeated sprint test, compared to players reporting no previous hamstring strain injury. In addition, there was a significant interaction (groups × time) (F = 3.22, p = 0.002), showing that speed in the two groups changed differently during the repeated sprint test. There were no significant differences in relations to age, weight, height, body fat, linear speed, countermovement jump height, leg strength, VO2max, or hamstring flexibility between the groups. Conclusion: Soccer players who reported hamstring strain injury during the previous 2 years showed significant higher drop in speed during the repeated sprint test compared to players with no hamstring strain injury. The maximal speed, leg strength, ability to produce maximal power, endurance capacity, and hamstring flexibility was similar for both groups. Thus, a repeated sprint test consisting of 8 × 20 m could be used as a field-based diagnostic tool to identify players in need of reconditioning programs to ensure complete post-injury rehabilitation. PMID:28190999

New York Newspaper Coverage of Jackie Robinson in His First Major League Season.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washburn, Pat

Sports articles appearing in three New York City newspapers in Jackie Robinson's first season as a major league baseball player were examined to determine if there was biased reporting based on racial prejudice. The sports pages of the New York "Times," the "Herald Tribune," and the "Daily News" for 44 days in 1947…

Attacking and defensive styles of play in soccer: analysis of Spanish and English elite teams.

PubMed

Fernandez-Navarro, Javier; Fradua, Luis; Zubillaga, Asier; Ford, Paul R; McRobert, Allistair P

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to define and categorise different styles of play in elite soccer and associated performance indicators by using factor analysis. Furthermore, the observed teams were categorised using all factor scores. Data were collected from 97 matches from the Spanish La Liga and the English Premier League from the seasons 2006-2007 and 2010-2011 using the Amisco® system. A total of 19 performance indicators, 14 describing aspects of attacking play and five describing aspects of defensive play, were included in the factor analysis. Six factors, representing 12 different styles of play (eight attacking and four defensive), had eigenvalues greater than 1 and explained 87.54% of the total variance. Direct and possession styles of play, defined by factor 1, were the most apparent styles. Factor analysis used the performance indicators to cluster each team's style of play. Findings showed that a team's style of play was defined by specific performance indicators and, consequently, teams can be classified to create a playing style profile. For practical implications, playing styles profiling can be used to compare different teams and prepare for opponents in competition. Moreover, teams could use specific training drills directed to improve their styles of play.

Intercollegiate soccer: saliva cortisol and testosterone are elevated during competition, and testosterone is related to status and social connectedness with team mates.

PubMed

Edwards, David A; Wetzel, Karen; Wyner, Dana R

2006-01-30

Men and women from a southern university's intercollegiate varsity soccer teams gave saliva samples before and after league matches. For the men, samples were collected for a single game ending in victory. For the women, samples were collected for two games, one of which ended in victory and the other in defeat. For both men and women, match competition substantially increased saliva cortisol (C) and testosterone (T). For women, play-related increases in saliva C and T were similar in victory and defeat. For both men and women, saliva T (but not C) was highly correlated with teammate ratings of playing abilities--one measure of status with teammates--and self-ratings of social connectedness with teammates, but the nature of the relationship was different according to sex. For men, play-related changes in T were positively correlated with these variables, but before-game T was not. For women, before-game T was positively related to each of these variables, but play-related changes in T were not. Status and social connectedness are pertinent to understanding interpersonal dynamics in most social groups, and these results--which link T and these variables in an athletic context--may have relevance for understanding social relationships in other settings.

Mild traumatic brain injury in major and Minor League Baseball players.

PubMed

Green, Gary A; Pollack, Keshia M; D'Angelo, John; Schickendantz, Mark S; Caplinger, Roger; Weber, Kathleen; Valadka, Alex; McAllister, Thomas W; Dick, Randall W; Mandelbaum, Bert; Curriero, Frank C

2015-05-01

Although mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) is not as common in professional baseball as in collision sports, it does occur and frequently results in significant loss of time away from the sport. To date, no study has investigated MTBI among an entire cohort of professional baseball players. To investigate MTBIs in major and minor league baseball players to determine the most common mechanisms of injury, activity at time of injury, position, level of play, and time lost, as well as ultimately inform prevention efforts. A secondary objective was to document the association between MTBI and return to play using several different measures. Descriptive epidemiologic study. Data were captured from a newly implemented league-wide injury surveillance system that records injuries among all professional baseball players as entered by certified athletic trainers and physicians. The MTBIs were identified with respect to level of play, activity, field location, and mechanism of injury. Time loss was assessed by 3 measures of return to play, and MTBI game rates were reported as injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures. Data were combined over the 2011-2012 seasons for analysis, and results were presented separately for minor and major league players. Chi-square tests were used to test the hypothesis of equal proportions between the various categories of MTBI injury characteristics. There were 41 reported MTBIs in the major leagues and 266 in the minor leagues over the 2-year period under study. The overall MTBI game rate across both major and minor league ball clubs was 0.42 per 1000 athlete-exposures. The median time lost was 9 days. Mild traumatic brain injury accounted for 1% of all injuries resulting in time lost from play. For MTBIs that occurred while fielding, catchers were significantly overrepresented. No differences were noted among the 3 measures of time lost. Mild traumatic brain injury is an important problem in professional baseball players, especially for catchers. This study provides a foundation for future inquiry to reduce the incidence of MTBI in those positions at greatest risk and to provide a baseline as rules and equipment evolve. © 2015 The Author(s).

Aerobic Fitness of Starter and Non-Starter Soccer Players in the Champion’s League

PubMed Central

Paraskevas, Giorgos; Hadjicharalambous, Marios

2018-01-01

Abstract To identify individual response patterns in selected aerobic fitness variables of regular starters (ST; N = 7) and non-starters (Non-ST; N = 10), top level professional soccer players were tested for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), velocity at 4 mM of lactate (V4), velocity at maximal oxygen uptake (νVO2max) and oxygen pulse (O2-pulse) in July and December following consecutive periods of fixture congestion. V4 was the only variable that increased significantly in December compared to July (15.1 ± 0.5 vs. 14.6 ± 0.5, p = 0.001). There was an almost certain beneficial large mean team change for V4 (ES = 1.2 (0.67; 1.57), 100/0/0), while beneficial mean team changes were less likely for νVO2max and O2-pulse [ES = 0.31 (-0.08; 0.70), 68/30/2 and ES = 0.24 (0.01; 0.49), 64/36/0, respectively] and unclear for VO2max (ES = 0.02 (-0.31; 0.70), 18/69/13). With the exception of V4 where 10 out of 17 players (7 ST and 3 Non-ST) showed positive changes higher than the biological variability, all other variables were characterized by a substantial proportion of changes lower than the biological variability. The present study demonstrated that aerobic fitness variables that require maximal effort may be characterized by greater variability of the individual response pattern compared to that of submaximal aerobic fitness variables irrespective of the accumulated game time. Submaximal aerobic fitness variables appear to be more informative in the physiological evaluation of top level soccer players and this may be an advantage during exposure to periods of consecutive games. PMID:29599863

Case Study: Nutritional and Lifestyle Support to Reduce Infection Incidence in an International-Standard Premier League Soccer Player.

PubMed

Ranchordas, Mayur K; Bannock, Laurent; Robinson, Scott L

2016-04-01

Professional soccer players are exposed to large amounts of physiological and psychological stress, which can increase infection risk and threaten availability for training and competition. Accordingly, it is important for practitioners to implement strategies that support player well-being and prevent illness. This case study demonstrates how a scientifically supported and practically applicable nutrition and lifestyle strategy can reduce infection incidence in an illness-prone professional soccer player. In the 3 months before the intervention, the player had 3 upper-respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and subsequently missed 3 competitive matches and 2 weeks' training. He routinely commenced morning training sessions in the fasted state and was estimated to be in a large daily energy deficit. Throughout the 12-week intervention, the amount, composition, and timing of energy intake was altered, quercetin and vitamin D were supplemented, and the player was provided with a daily sleep and hygiene protocol. There was a positive increase in serum vitamin D 25(OH) concentration from baseline to Week 12 (53 n·mol-1 to 120 n·mol-1) and salivary immunoglobulin-A (98 mg·dl-1 to 135 mg·dl-1), as well as a decline in the number of URTI symptoms (1.8 ± 2.0 vs. 0.25 ± 0.5 for Weeks 0-4 and Weeks 8-12, respectively). More important, he maintained availability for all training and matches over the 12-week period. We offer this case study as a real-world applied example for other players and practitioners seeking to deploy nutrition and lifestyle strategies to reduce risk of illness and maximize player availability.

The Physiological Profile of Junior Soccer Players at SSBB Surabaya Bhakti

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nashirudin, M.; Kusnanik, N. W.

2018-01-01

Soccer players are required to have good physical fitness in order to achieve optimum accomplishment; physical fitness stands as the foundation of technical and tactical proficiency as well as the mental maturity during the matches. The purpose of this study was to identify the physiological profile of junior soccer players of SSB Surabaya Bhakti age 16-17. The research was conducted at 20 junior soccer players. This research was quantitative with descriptive analysis. Data were collected by testing of physiological (anaerobic power and capacity including explosive leg power, speed, agility; aerobic capacity: cardiovascular endurance). Data was analyzed using percentage. The result showed that the percentage of explosive leg power of junior soccer players were 30% (good category), speed was 85% (average category), right agility was 90% (average category), left agility was 75% (average category). On the other hand, the aerobic power and capacity of the junior soccer players in this study was 50% (average category). The conclusion of this research is that the physiological profile of junior soccer players at SSB Surabaya Bhakti age 16-17 was majority in average category.

[Football as risk factor for a non-injury-related knee osteoarthritis - results from a systematic review and metaanalysis].

PubMed

Spahn, G; Grosser, V; Schiltenwolf, M; Schröter, F; Grifka, J

2015-03-01

Aim and Hyopthesis: This systematic review and the metanalysis were performed to investigate the relation between football activity and the potential risk of knee osteoarthritis (possible occupational disease). It was hypothesised that soccer players suffer more than controls from knee osteoarthritis also in cases with an absence of documented major injuries. The review and the metaanalysis were performed accordingly to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. On 2014.02.01 a search was conducted within the medical databases PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE und Web-of-Science. A total of 4,649 papers underwent a "Title-Abstract-Review". Finally 6 publications were included in the metaanaylsis. There were no longitudinal community-based studies as well as no Cochrane Reviews regarding the risk of knee osteoarthritis in soccer players. After adjustment of major injuries of the knee, soccer players have a slightly increased risk for knee osteoarthritis: relative risk 1.3 (95 % CI 1.0 - 1.7); I(2) = 37.4 %; p = 0.002. In contrast, in studies without differentiation of injured and non-injured knees, the relative risk was significantly increased: 2.9 (95 % CI 2.0 - 4.1); I(2) = 56.3 %; p < 0.001. Soccer players are a very heterogeneous group. The soccer player's knee undergoes different loadings including minor and major injuries. But the individual load also strongly depends on the player's status, his position within the football field and many other factors. In the absence of a major trauma the soccer player has only a slightly increased risk for the development of osteoarthritis. Thus we conclude that an injury in professional football does not fulfil the characteristics of an occupational disease. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Does Education Matter? Major League Baseball Players and Longevity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalist, David E.; Peng, Yingwei

2007-01-01

The authors used duration analysis to examine the longevity of Major League Baseball players. Using data on players who were born between 1945 and 1964, the authors found that the hazard rate of death for players who only attended high school was almost 2.0 times higher than those players who attended a 4-year university, evidence that the…

A study of wood baseball bat breakage

Treesearch

Patrick Drane; James Sherwood; Renzo Colosimo; David Kretschmann

2012-01-01

Over the span of three months in 2008, 2232 baseball bats broke while being used during Major League Baseball (MLB) games; of which 756 were classified as Multi Piece Failures (MPFs). This rate of failure motivated Major League Baseball to explore options for potential changes in the bat regulations to reduce the rate. After a study of the information that could be...

Universality in the distance between two teams in a football tournament

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Roberto; Dahmen, Silvio R.

2014-03-01

Is football (soccer) a universal sport? Beyond the question of geographical distribution, where the answer is most certainly yes, when looked at from a mathematical viewpoint the scoring process during a match can be thought of, in a first approximation, as being modeled by a Poisson distribution. Recently, it was shown that the scoring of real tournaments can be reproduced by means of an agent-based model (da Silva et al. (2013) [24]) based on two simple hypotheses: (i) the ability of a team to win a match is given by the rate of a Poisson distribution that governs its scoring during a match; and (ii) such ability evolves over time according to results of previous matches. In this article we are interested in the question of whether the time series represented by the scores of teams have universal properties. For this purpose we define a distance between two teams as the square root of the sum of squares of the score differences between teams over all rounds in a double-round-robin-system and study how this distance evolves over time. Our results suggest a universal distance distribution of tournaments of different major leagues which is better characterized by an exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG). This result is corroborated by our agent-based model.

The effects of medial ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction on Major League pitching performance.

PubMed

Keller, Robert A; Steffes, Matthew J; Zhuo, David; Bey, Michael J; Moutzouros, Vasilios

2014-11-01

Medial ulnar collateral ligament (MUCL) reconstruction is commonly performed on Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. Previous studies have reported that most pitchers return to presurgical statistical performance levels after MUCL reconstruction. Pitching performance data--specifically, earned run average (ERA), walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP), winning percentage, and innings pitched--were acquired for 168 MLB pitchers who had undergone MUCL reconstruction. These data were averaged over the 3 years before surgery and the 3 years after surgery and also acquired from 178 age-matched, uninjured MLB pitchers. Of the pitchers who had MUCL reconstruction surgery, 87% returned to MLB pitching. However, compared with presurgical data, pitching performance declined in terms of ERA (P = .001), WHIP (P = .011), and innings pitched (P = .026). Pitching performance also declined in the season before the surgery compared with previous years (ERA, P = .014; WHIP, P = .036; innings pitched, P < .001; winning percentage, P = .004). Compared with age-matched control pitchers, the MUCL reconstruction pitchers had significantly more major league experience at the same age (P < .001). MUCL reconstruction allows most players to return to pitching at the major league level. However, after MUCL reconstruction, there is a statistically significant decline in pitching performance. There appears to be a statistically significant decline in pitching performance the year before reconstructive surgery, and this decline is also a risk factor for requiring surgery. In addition, there is an increased risk of MUCL reconstruction for pitchers who enter the major leagues at a younger age. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Injury risk associated with playing actions during competitive soccer

PubMed Central

Rahnama, N; Reilly, T; Lees, A

2002-01-01

Objective: To assess the exposure of players to injury risk during English Premier League soccer matches in relation to selected factors. Methods: Injury risk was assessed by rating the injury potential of playing actions during competition with respect to (a) type of playing action, (b) period of the game, (c) zone of the pitch, and (d) playing either at home or away. In all, 10 games from the English Premier League 1999–2000 were chosen for analysis. A notation system was used whereby 16 soccer specific playing actions were classified into three categories: those inducing actual injury, those with a potential for injury (graded as mild, moderate, or high), and those deemed to have no potential for injury. The pitch was divided into 18 zones, and the position of each event was recorded along with time elapsed in the game, enabling six 15 minute periods to be defined. Results: Close to 18 000 actions were notated. On average (mean (SD)), 1788 (73) events (one every three seconds), 767 (99) events with injury potential (one every six seconds), and 2 (1) injuries (one every 45 minutes) per game were recorded. An overall injury incidence of 53 per 1000 playing hours was calculated. Receiving a tackle, receiving a "charge", and making a tackle were categorised as having a substantial injury risk, and goal catch, goal punch, kicking the ball, shot on goal, set kick, and heading the ball were all categorised as having a significant injury risk. All other actions were deemed low in risk. The first 15 minutes of each half contained the highest number of actions with mild injury potential, the last 15 minutes having the highest number of actions with moderate injury potential (p<0.01). The first and last 15 minutes of the game had the highest number of actions with high injury potential, although not significant. More actions with mild injury potential occurred in the goal area, and more actions with moderate and high injury potential occurred in the zone adjacent to the goal area (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between home and away with regard to injury potential. Conclusions: Playing actions with high injury risk were linked to contesting possession. Injury risk was highest in the first and last 15 minutes of the game, reflecting the intense engagements in the opening period and the possible effect of fatigue in the closing period. Injury risk was concentrated in the areas of the pitch where possession of the ball is most vigorously contested, which were specific attacking and defending zones close to the goal. Injury potential was no greater in away matches than at home. PMID:12351333

Hamstring Muscle Injuries, a Rehabilitation Protocol Purpose.

PubMed

Valle, Xavier; L Tol, Johannes; Hamilton, Bruce; Rodas, Gil; Malliaras, Peter; Malliaropoulos, Nikos; Rizo, Vicenc; Moreno, Marcel; Jardi, Jaume

2015-12-01

Hamstring acute muscle injuries are prevalent in several sports including AFL football (Australian Football League), sprinting and soccer, and are often associated with prolonged time away from sport. In response to this, research into prevention and management of hamstring injury has increased, but epidemiological data shows no decline in injury and re-injury rates, suggesting that rehabilitation programs and return to play (RTP) criteria have to be improved. There continues to be a lack of consensus regarding how to assess performance, recovery and readiness to RTP, following hamstring strain injury. The aim of this paper was to propose rehabilitation protocol for hamstring muscle injuries based on current basic science and research knowledge regarding injury demographics and management options. Criteria-based (subjective and objective) progression through the rehabilitation program will be outlined along with exercises for each phase, from initial injury to RTP.

The Long Shadow of Rivalry: Rivalry Motivates Performance Today and Tomorrow.

PubMed

Pike, Brian E; Kilduff, Gavin J; Galinsky, Adam D

2018-05-01

Research has established that competing head to head against a rival boosts motivation and performance. The present research investigated whether rivalry can affect performance over time and in contests without rivals. We examined the long-term effects of rivalry through archival analyses of postseason performance in multiple high-stakes sports contexts: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Men's Basketball and the major U.S. professional sports leagues: National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL). Econometric analyses revealed that postseason performance of a focal team's rival in year N predicted that focal team's postseason performance in year N + 1. Follow-up analyses suggested that the performance boost was especially pronounced when one's rival won the previous tournament. These results establish that rivalry has a long shadow: A rival team's success exerts such a powerful motivational force that it drives performance outside of direct competition with one's rival and even after a significant delay.

Use of the RSA/RCOD Index to Identify Training Priority in Soccer Players.

PubMed

Wong, Del P; Hjelde, Geir H; Cheng, Ching-Feng; Ngo, Jake K

2015-10-01

The use of RSA/RCOD index indicates the repeated change-of-direction (RCOD) performance relative to the repeated-sprint ability (RSA) and provides a standardized approach to prioritize training needs for RSA and RCOD. To compare the RSA/RCOD index among different age groups, RSA and RCOD were measured from 20 under-16 players (U16), 20 under-19 players (U19), and 17 first-team professional players (PRO) from a football (soccer) club that has regular participation in the UEFA Champions League. Each player performed the RSA and RCOD tests, during which the fastest time (FT), average time (AT), total time (TT), and percentage decrement score (%Dec) were recorded. No significant differences were found in RSA/RCOD index-FT, AT, TT, and %Dec among the 3 groups (p > 0.05) and between U19 and PRO in all RSA and RCOD measures (p > 0.05). Most values of RSA/RCOD index were 0.51 among the U16, U19, and PRO groups. Moreover, we concluded that the RSA/RCOD index might not be further changed after 16 years of age unless specific training programs for RSA and RCOD are prescribed. Therefore, this study provides an empirical case, and coaches can establish the RSA/RCOD index value relevant to their training system and monitor players' training needs of RSA and RCOD in a longer term.

Nutritional intake evolution in adolescent sporting boys over the last two decades.

PubMed

Van Biervliet, S; Van Biervliet, J P; De Neve, J; Watteyne, R; D'Hooghe, M

2011-01-01

The AIM of the study was to evaluate the nutritional trends in young elite male soccer players, attending national soccer league at RFC Bruges over the last two decades. At the start of each season, players and parents are instructed about normal healthy nutrition and fluid intake by dieticians. Since 1983, dieticians perform dietary habit surveys in the adolescent player groups. They instruct players and parents how to record all food and fluid intake during 3 days, a training-day, a match-day and an off -day. It is asked to do the recordings when players and parents are together and parents are asked to supervise the recording. Intakes are calculated using the Becel institute nutrition software (BINS), Becel, 2003. A significant decrease of energy intake/m2 is observed over the last 20 years. Body composition, measured as age-matched body mass index remained at median levels for the population during this period. An important modification of dietary content towards the recommended daily intakes is observed. Fat, saturated fat and cholesterol intake decreased dramatically. Carbohydrate intake increased. A positive evolution towards the recommended dietary composition is observed over the years. However, the decrease in caloric intake without influence on the body mass index could suggest that these elite male footballers have a decreased physical activity as compared to 20 years ago.

A resolution recognizing Major League Baseball as an important part of the cultural history of American society, celebrating the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and honoring Kansas City, Missouri, as the host city of the 83rd All-Star Game.

THOMAS, 112th Congress

Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO

2012-06-26

Senate - 06/26/2012 Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Agreed to in SenateHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Cardiac Parasympathetic Reactivation in Elite Soccer Players During Different Types of Traditional High-Intensity Training Exercise Modes and Specific Tests: Interests and Limits

PubMed Central

Dellal, Alexandre; Casamichana, David; Castellano, Julen; Haddad, Monoem; Moalla, Wassim; Chamari, Karim

2015-01-01

Background: The cardiac parasympathetic reactivation is currently used in soccer with a daily or weekly monitoring. However, previous studies have not investigated how this cardiac parasympathetic reactivation is in elite soccer players along different types of traditional high-intensity training exercise and specific tests. In this context, the present study aim to analyse it and to determine the interests and limits of this type of physiological information. Objectives: The present study aims to examine how different traditional training exercise modes affect the cardiac parasympathetic reactivation function in elite soccer players. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two international soccer players participating in UEFA Champion’s League took part in this study (age: 24.3 ± 4.2 years; height: 178.1 ± 6.2 cm; body mass: 80.3 ± 5.7 kg). Players performed different training methods including: short-duration intermittent exercises (INT) in-line and with changes of direction (COD) (10 - 10 seconds, 15 - 15 seconds, 30 - 30 seconds, e.g. an alternance of 10 - 10 seconds is 10 seconds of running according to the maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and 10-sec of recovery), INT including agility and technical skills (8 - 24-seconds), small-sided-games (SSGs) with and without goalkeepers (2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3, 4 vs. 4), and repeated sprint ability (RSA) efforts (10 × 20 m, 10 × 30 m, 15 × 20 m). Heart rate (HR) decline was recorded 3 minutes after each exercise. Results: HR declines were greater after the RSA compared to SSGs (P < 0.001) and INT (P < 0.01), especially at 1 min post-exercise. In addition, when the analysis focused on each type of exercise, greater HR declines were observed in on-field players at 1 minute when there was: inclusion of goalkeepers in SSGs (for 2 vs. 2 and 3 vs. 3, P < 0.01); increase of sprint distances or number of sprint repetitions in RSA (P < 0.01); increase of intensity (% of maximal aerobic speed), and the use of COD or inclusion of technical skills during INT, especially for the 30 - 30-seconds. Conclusions: This study revealed that cardiac parasympathetic reactivation function varied after INT, RSA and SSG, but also according to the rules manipulation. Therefore, this study provides interesting information for the training monitoring and players’ recovery profile, with the aim of facilitating a more efficient planning and manipulation of training recovery strategies according to their fitness markers. PMID:26715972

Parental safety concerns--a barrier to sport and physical activity in children?

PubMed

Boufous, Soufiane; Finch, Caroline; Bauman, Adrian

2004-10-01

To examine the extent to which parents and carers perceive injury and safety risks as serious enough to prevent or discourage their children, aged 5-12 years, from participating in sports/physical activity and to identify factors that influence these perceptions. An analysis of the 2001 New South Wales Child Health Survey. More than one-quarter of parents/ carers of active children aged 5-12 years reported discouraging or preventing children from playing a particular sport (34.7% for boys and 16.6% for girls) because of injury and safety concerns. In boys, the most frequently discouraged sport was rugby league (23.2%), followed by rugby union (7.5%) and Australian rules football (2.8%). Among girls, the most frequently discouraged activities were rollerblading (2.7%), rugby league (2.3%) and soccer (2.1%). Multivariate analysis shows that factors independently associated with parents' decision to prevent/discourage their child from engaging in sport/physical activity include their child's age and gender, language spoken at home, presence of disability, and the respondent's relation to the child. Efforts need to be made to modify some sports/ activities, such as football codes, in order to minimise injury and to ensure that children continue enjoying their favourite activity well into adulthood. Guidelines designed to promote physical activity among children and young adolescents need to take into account parental concerns regarding the associated risk of injury.

Effect of Team Size in Soccer on Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnett, Mark G.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the percentages of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in soccer games with different team sizes. Twenty-two university physical education majors evenly divided between males and females volunteered for the study. Students were blind to the purpose of the study. Data were collected over three…

Snuffing Out Smokeless Tobacco Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wichmann, Susan; Martin, D. R.

1994-01-01

Major League Baseball's ban on players using tobacco during minor league games may provide physicians with a timely excuse to discuss smokeless tobacco with young patients. Chewing and dipping remain a significant health problem, especially among young men, many of whom view it as a secret ingredient in sports success. (SM)

Increased injury rates after the restructure of Germany's national second league of team handball.

PubMed

Luig, Patrick; Krutsch, Werner; Nerlich, Michael; Henke, Thomas; Klein, Christian; Bloch, Hendrik; Platen, Petra; Achenbach, Leonard

2018-02-05

Scientific injury data in men's professional team handball injuries are rare and even less scientific information exists on injury prevention. In 2011, Germany's national second team handball league was restructured by merging the existing two regional leagues into one league. This study evaluates the injury patterns in professional team handball and compares the injury rates between the first and second league before and after the restructure. All players of Germany's national first and second men's team handball leagues have mandatory trauma insurance with the same insurance company. This retrospective cohort study analysed the injury data of three consecutive seasons 2010-2013 using standardized injury definitions. 1194 professional team handball players were included in this study. The majority of severe injuries affected the lower extremities, shoulders, and hands. The average injury incidence significantly differed between the first (4.9 injuries per 1000 h) and the second league (3.9 per 1000 h, p < 0.01). The injury incidence in the restructured second league had increased from 3.7 to 4.1 per 1000 h (p < 0.01) and prevalence from 67.1 to 79.3% (p < 0.001), thus almost to the same levels of the first league. The second league showed more time-loss injuries at all severity levels. This study yielded a high injury incidence after the restructure of the national second team handball league and presents details on prevalence, incidence, and patterns of injury in professional men's team handball. This study is an important basis for developing injury prevention strategies that should focus on the shoulders, hands, and lower extremities and on reducing the number of matches and travel burden. III.

Head Impact Biomechanics in Women's College Soccer.

PubMed

Lynall, Robert C; Clark, Michael D; Grand, Erin E; Stucker, Jaclyn C; Littleton, Ashley C; Aguilar, Alain J; Petschauer, Meredith A; Teel, Elizabeth F; Mihalik, Jason P

2016-09-01

There are limited nonlaboratory soccer head impact biomechanics data. This is surprising given soccer's global popularity. Epidemiological data suggest that female college soccer players are at a greater concussion injury risk than their male counterparts. Therefore, the purposes of our study were to quantify head impact frequency and magnitude during women's soccer practices and games in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and to characterize these data across event type, playing position, year on the team, and segment of game (first and second halves). Head impact biomechanics were collected from female college soccer players (n = 22; mean ± SD age = 19.1 ± 0.1 yr, height = 168.0 ± 3.5 cm, mass = 63.7 ± 6.0 kg). We employed a helmetless head impact measurement device (X2 Biosystems xPatch) before each competition and practice across a single season. Peak linear and rotational accelerations were categorized based on impact magnitude and subsequently analyzed using appropriate nonparametric analyses. Overall, women's college soccer players experience approximately seven impacts per 90 min of game play. The overwhelming majority (~90%) of all head impacts were categorized into our mildest linear acceleration impact classification (10g-20g). Interestingly, a higher percentage of practice impacts in the 20g-40g range compared with games (11% vs 7%) was observed. Head impact biomechanics studies have provided valuable insights into understanding collision sports and for informing evidence-based rule and policy changes. These have included changing the football kickoff, ice hockey body checking ages, and head-to-head hits in both sports. Given soccer's global popularity, and the growing public concern for the potential long-term neurological implications of collision and contact sports, studying soccer has the potential to impact many athletes and the sports medicine professionals caring for them.

Effects of Varying Team Sizes on Physical Activity Levels of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaudreault, Karen Lux; Cluphf, David; Russell, Jared; Lecheminant, James

2014-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine physical activity levels among various team sizes for basketball and soccer in a C/UIPAP setting. Twenty-eight university physical education majors participated in the study. Participants engaged in three-on-three and five-on-five basketball and five-on-five and 11-on-11 soccer games. All games…

The 1984 ARI Survey of Army Recruits: Tabular Description of NPS Army Reserve Accessions. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

12 PROB. 0.1867 I 186 T261 — NATCH TV PROG’NBA BASKETBALL NARK ONE LETTER FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS OR PROGRAMMING TYPES ON TV: NBA ...Major league baseball — regular seaaon games 105. Major league baaaball playoffs 106. World Series 107. NBA baaketball 106. College basketball 109...BASEBALL PLAYOFFS HATCH TV PROG:WORLD SERIES HATCH TV PROG:NBA BASKETBALL HATCH TV PROG:COLLEGE BASKETBALL HATCH TV PROG:NHL HOCKEY HATCH TV

Risk Factors for Groin Injury and Symptoms in Elite Level Soccer Players: A Cohort Study in the Dutch Professional Leagues.

PubMed

Langhout, Rob; Tak, Igor; van Beijsterveldt, Anne-Marie; Ricken, Martijn; Weir, Adam; Barendrecht, Maarten; Kerkhoffs, Gino; Stubbe, Janine

2018-05-23

Study Design Cohort study with prospective and retrospective elements. Background Groin injury and symptoms are common in soccer players. Their relationship with reduced hip range of motion (ROM) and previous injury is unclear. Objectives To conduct a retrospective assessment of associations between previous injury and pre-season hip ROM and pre-season prevalence of severe groin symptoms; and prospective identification of risk factors for within-season groin injury. Methods During 2015-2016, 190 players from 9 Dutch professional soccer clubs participated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to predict pre-season severe groin symptoms, identified using the Copenhagen Hip And Groin Outcome Score, from a history of previous groin injury, general injury (minimum 1 week duration) in previous season, and hip ROM. Cox regression was used to predict within-season groin injury. Results Point-prevalence of severe groin symptoms was 24% and within-season incidence of groin injury 11%. Total/training/match groin injury incidence was 0.5/0.2/2.6 injuries/1000 playing hours. A history of more than 1 previous groin injury was associated with current severe groin symptoms (Odds Ratio=3.0; 95% CI=1.0, 8.3; P=.038). General injury sustained in the previous season (ankle, knee, thigh, shoulder; median 9 weeks time-loss) was a risk factor for groin injury (Hazard Ratio=5.1; 95% CI=1.1, 14.6; P=.003). Conclusion Severe injuries in the previous season to locations other than the groin increase the risk of groin injury the next season. A history of groin injury is associated with current severe groin symptoms. Pre-season hip ROM does not identify players at risk for groin injury. Level of Evidence Prevention, level 2b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 23 May 2018. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.7990.

Fantasy Baseball with a Statistical Twist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koban, Lori; McNelis, Erin

2008-01-01

Fantasy baseball, a game invented in 1980, allows baseball fans to become managers of pretend baseball teams. In most fantasy baseball leagues, participants choose teams consisting of major league players who they believe will do well in five offensive categories (batting average, home runs, runs batted in, stolen bases, and runs scored) or in…

Hamstring Muscle Injuries, a Rehabilitation Protocol Purpose

PubMed Central

Valle, Xavier; L.Tol, Johannes; Hamilton, Bruce; Rodas, Gil; Malliaras, Peter; Malliaropoulos, Nikos; Rizo, Vicenc; Moreno, Marcel; Jardi, Jaume

2015-01-01

Context: Hamstring acute muscle injuries are prevalent in several sports including AFL football (Australian Football League), sprinting and soccer, and are often associated with prolonged time away from sport. Evidence Acquisition: In response to this, research into prevention and management of hamstring injury has increased, but epidemiological data shows no decline in injury and re-injury rates, suggesting that rehabilitation programs and return to play (RTP) criteria have to be improved. There continues to be a lack of consensus regarding how to assess performance, recovery and readiness to RTP, following hamstring strain injury. Results: The aim of this paper was to propose rehabilitation protocol for hamstring muscle injuries based on current basic science and research knowledge regarding injury demographics and management options. Conclusions: Criteria-based (subjective and objective) progression through the rehabilitation program will be outlined along with exercises for each phase, from initial injury to RTP. PMID:26715969

Continuity, change and complexity in the performance of masculinity among elite young footballers in England.

PubMed

Roberts, Steven; Anderson, Eric; Magrath, Rory

2017-06-01

Following recent research evidencing that young men are redefining the essential components of what it is to be a man, this paper draws on qualitative interviews with 22 elite-level, English Premier League academy level football (soccer) players to investigate their performances and understandings of masculinity in relation to decreasing homohysteria. Even in this gender-segregated, near-total institution, these working-class, non-educationally aspiring adolescents evidence an attenuated performance of 'maleness' and improved attitudinal disposition toward homosexuality. Congruent with insights developed by inclusive masculinity scholars, respondents maintained emotional closeness and physical tactility with male teammates and friends. These more inclusive attitudes and homosocial behaviours were, however, slightly more conservative than in other recent research. We close by explaining this variation with reference to theoretical apparatus' provided by Goffman and Bourdieu to advance theoretical debates about social class and masculinities. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2016.

Pay dispersion and performance in teams.

PubMed

Bucciol, Alessandro; Foss, Nicolai J; Piovesan, Marco

2014-01-01

Extant research offers conflicting predictions about the effect of pay dispersion on team performance. We collected a unique dataset from the Italian soccer league to study the effect of intra-firm pay dispersion on team performance, under different definitions of what constitutes a "team". This peculiarity of our dataset can explain the conflicting evidence. Indeed, we also find positive, null, and negative effects of pay dispersion on team performance, using the same data but different definitions of team. Our results show that when the team is considered to consist of only the members who directly contribute to the outcome, high pay dispersion has a detrimental impact on team performance. Enlarging the definition of the team causes this effect to disappear or even change direction. Finally, we find that the detrimental effect of pay dispersion is due to worse individual performance, rather than a reduction of team cooperation.

Pay Dispersion and Performance in Teams

PubMed Central

Bucciol, Alessandro; Foss, Nicolai J.; Piovesan, Marco

2014-01-01

Extant research offers conflicting predictions about the effect of pay dispersion on team performance. We collected a unique dataset from the Italian soccer league to study the effect of intra-firm pay dispersion on team performance, under different definitions of what constitutes a “team”. This peculiarity of our dataset can explain the conflicting evidence. Indeed, we also find positive, null, and negative effects of pay dispersion on team performance, using the same data but different definitions of team. Our results show that when the team is considered to consist of only the members who directly contribute to the outcome, high pay dispersion has a detrimental impact on team performance. Enlarging the definition of the team causes this effect to disappear or even change direction. Finally, we find that the detrimental effect of pay dispersion is due to worse individual performance, rather than a reduction of team cooperation. PMID:25397615

Exceeding Pitch Count Recommendations in Little League Baseball Increases the Chance of Requiring Tommy John Surgery as a Professional Baseball Pitcher

PubMed Central

Erickson, Brandon J.; Chalmers, Peter N.; Axe, Michael J.; Romeo, Anthony A.

2017-01-01

Background: Empirical evidence has suggested a connection between youth pitch counts and subsequent elbow injury. For players within the Little League World Series (LLWS), detailed historical player data are available. Some of these players progress to both professional play and require an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR). Purpose: To determine the percentage of LLWS pitchers who proceed to play professional (major or minor league) baseball, the rate of UCLR in former LLWS pitchers who played professional baseball, and the risk to those who exceeded current pitch count recommendations while playing in the LLWS. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: All LLWS pitchers from 2001 through 2009 from all teams and countries were identified, and all performance data were extracted. A professional (major and minor league) baseball database was then searched to determine whether each former LLWS pitcher played professional baseball. These professional players were then searched for using publicly available databases to determine whether they underwent UCLR. Results: Overall, 638 adolescents pitched in the LLWS between 2001 and 2009; 62 (10%) progressed to professional play. Of the 56 minor league players, 25 (45%) pitched. Of the 6 Major League Baseball players, 3 (50%) pitched. Three former LLWS pitchers (5%) who played professionally underwent UCLR. In former LLWS pitchers who exceeded pitch counts and played professionally, 50% (2/4) required UCLR, while only 1.7% (1/58) of those who did not exceed pitch count recommendations required UCLR (P = .009). Similarly, among former LLWS pitchers who subsequently played professionally, 23.1% of those who played as a pitcher required UCLR while 0% of those who also played other positions required UCLR (P = .008). Conclusion: Progression from LLWS pitching to professional baseball is uncommon. Among youth players, both diversification (playing other positions besides pitcher) as well as following current pitch limit regulations may protect against UCLR. PMID:28451602

The effect of concurrent training organisation in youth elite soccer players.

PubMed

Enright, Kevin; Morton, James; Iga, John; Drust, Barry

2015-11-01

This study compared the adaptive responses to two concurrent training programmes frequently used in professional soccer. Fifteen youth soccer players (17.3 ± 1.6 years, 1.82 ± 0.06 m, 77.0 ± 7.3 kg; VO2 peak, 62.0 ± 4.7 ml(-1) kg(-1) min(-1)) who compete in the English Premier League volunteered for this study. In addition to completing their habitual training practices, the participants were asked to alter the organisation concurrent training by performing strength (S) training either prior to (S + E, n = 8) or after (E + S, n = 7) soccer-specific endurance training (E) 2d wk(-1) for 5 wk(-1). With the exception of 30 m sprint, IMVC PF, quadriceps strength (60°/s(CON), 180°/s(CON), 120°/s(ECC)) pooled data revealed training effects across all other performances measures (P < 0.05). Whilst ANCOVA indicated no significant interaction effects for training condition, the difference between the means divided by the pooled standard deviation demonstrated large effect sizes in the E + S condition for in HBS 1-RM [S + E vs E + S; -0.54 (9.6 %) vs -1.79 (19.6 %)], AoP-M [-0.72 (7.9 %) vs -1.76 (14.4 %)], SJ [-0.56, (4.4 %), vs -1.08, (8.1 %)], IMVC-LR; [-0.50, (20.3 %) vs -1.05 (27.3 %)], isokinetic hamstring strength 60°/s (CON) [-0.64, (12.2 %) vs -0.95 (19.2 %)], 120°/s(ECC) [-0.78 (27.9 %) vs -1.55 (23.3 %)] and isokinetic quadriceps strength 180°/s (CON) [-0.23 (2.5 %) vs -1.52 (13.2 %)]. Results suggest the organisation of concurrent training, recovery time allocated between training bouts and the availability nutrition may be able to modulate small but clinically significant changes in physical performance parameters associated with match-play. This may have practical implications for practitioners who prescribe same day concurrent training protocols.

Self-confidence and affect responses to short-term sprint interval training.

PubMed

Selmi, Walid; Rebai, Haithem; Chtara, Mokhtar; Naceur, Abdelmajid; Sahli, Sonia

2018-05-01

The study aimed to investigate the effects of repeated sprint (RS) training on somatic anxiety (SA), cognitive anxiety (CA), self-confidence (SC), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and repeated sprint ability (RSA) indicators in elite young soccer players. Thirty elite soccer players in the first football league (age: 17.8±0.9years) volunteered to participate in this study. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a repeated sprint training group (RST-G; n=15) and a control group (CON-G; n=15). RST-G participated in 6weeks of intensive training based on RS (6×(20+20m) runs, with 20s passive recovery interval between sprints, 3 times/week). Before and after the 6-week intervention, all participants performed a RSA test and completed a Competitive Scale Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2) and the RPE. After training RST-G showed a very significant (p<0.000) increase in RSA total time performance relative to controls. Despite the faster sprint pace, the RPE also decreased significantly (p<0.005) in RST-G, and their self confidence was significantly greater (p<0.01), while the cognitive (p<0.01) and somatic (p<0.000) components of their anxiety state decreased. When practiced regularly, short bouts of sprint exercises improve anaerobic performance associated with a reduction in anxiety state and an increase in SC which may probably boost competitive performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sports chronobiology consultation: from the lab to the arena.

PubMed

Postolache, Teodor T; Hung, Tsung-Min; Rosenthal, Richard N; Soriano, Joseph J; Montes, Fernando; Stiller, John W

2005-04-01

This final article, coauthored by a chronobiology consultant, a sports psychologist who applied a chronobiology-based program to an Olympic national team, a clinical neurologist, a performance data analyst, a training-conditioning coach from a major league baseball team who applied chronobiology principles to major league pitchers, and a substance abuse expert, discusses practical aspects of a sports chronobiology consultation, including the goals and current arsenal of available interventions. Short vignettes of actual cases are presented for edification, and references are made to appropriate reviews found elsewhere in this issue.

Heart Rate and Motion Analysis by GPS in Beach Soccer

PubMed Central

Castellano, Julen; Casamichana, David

2010-01-01

Although beach soccer has become increasingly popular in recent years very little scientific research has been conducted into the sport. A pilot study was carried out with the aim of examining the physiological (heart rate) and physical (motion analysis) responses of beach soccer players during competitive matches. Ten players (age 25.5 ± 0.5 years; height 1.80 ± 0.08 m; weight 78.2 ± 5.6 kg.) were studied over five beach soccer matches. The physiological demands were analysed by measuring heart rate (HR) using telemetric devices, while the physical profile was evaluated by recording motion and speed by means of GPS devices. During competitive matches, players obtained a HRmean of 165.2 bpm (86.5% HRmax), with 59.3% of the time participating (TP) corresponding to values above 90% of the HRmax. The distance covered per minute of participation was 97.7 m, with 9.5% of this distance corresponding to high-intensity running and 2.5% to sprint; the work:rest ratio was 1.4:1 and the maximum speed 21.7 km·h-1. These results showed that beach soccer is an intermittent physical activity of greater intensity than other team games. It requires a major contribution from the anaerobic system as emphasis is placed on players making quick bursts of high-intensity activity separated by brief rest periods. Key points The distance covered per minute of play is around 100 m. Beach soccer is an intermittent sport with a work:rest ratio of 1.4:1. The playing surface in beach soccer is an important handicap to obtain maximum speeds. Beach soccer has a high physiological intensity, with more than half of the game is spent at intensities above 90 % of the HRmax. PMID:24149392

The health profile of professional soccer players: future opportunities for injury prevention.

PubMed

Volpi, Piero; Taioli, Emanuela

2012-12-01

Injuries are a major adverse event during a soccer player's career; they require medical and surgical treatment and rehabilitation and thus may interrupt the player's activity, often with severe physical and psychological sequel. Specialists have tried to identify the risk factors for injuries, in an attempt to discover predictors that could be prevented and or eliminated before the injury occurs, but the results are scarce. This article reviews the epidemiology of the frequency and occurrence of injuries in Italian soccer players, reports a list of preventable risk factors that are associated with injuries, and identifies preventable risk factors. We have identified personal factors (age, previous traumatic events, physical and biological characteristics of the player, life style habits such as smoking, alcohol, and diet, changes in physical-athletic aspects of the players, such as increased muscle strength, and use of medications) as possible risk factors for injuries. However, environmental factors such as changes in training techniques, field composition, and shoes structure may also have a major influence. This summary indicates that appropriate preventive measures can be undertaken to prevent injuries in professional soccer players. Professionals who are in close contacts with the players should be informed of the predictors of injuries and should be trained to intervene and plan appropriate preventive measures.

Strike one! Aluminum. Strike two! Maple. Will EAB be strike three?

Treesearch

Brian Boltz; Jan Wiedenbeck

2010-01-01

Baseball bats made out of white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) have been the standard for professional baseball since the beginning of the game in 1849. Until the mid- to late-1970s, ash was the principal material used for all baseball (and softball) bats -- major league, minor league, adult, and youth. The market share of baseball bats made from wood...

Higher Education Ranking and Leagues Tables: Lessons Learned from Benchmarking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proulx, Roland

2007-01-01

The paper intends to contribute to the debate on ranking and league tables by adopting a critical approach to ranking methodologies from the point of view of a university benchmarking exercise. The absence of a strict benchmarking exercise in the ranking process has been, in the opinion of the author, one of the major problems encountered in the…

Final Report of the Evaluation of the Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy, ESEA Title I 1969-1970.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teaching and Learning Research Corp., New York, NY.

The purpose of the Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy Program is to help students stay in school, help dropouts to return to school, or help students enter the job market. The program was evaluated in three categories: East Side Cluster Service, summer enrichment, and educational programs. The major evaluation objectives were to…

Risk of injury in basketball, football, and soccer players, ages 15 years and older, 2003-2007.

PubMed

Carter, Elizabeth A; Westerman, Beverly J; Hunting, Katherine L

2011-01-01

A major challenge in the field of sports injury epidemiology is identifying the appropriate denominators for injury rates. To characterize risk of injury from participation in basketball, football, and soccer in the United States, using hours of participation as the measure of exposure, and to compare these rates with those derived using population estimates in the denominator. Descriptive epidemiology study. United States, 2003-2007. People ages 15 years and older who experienced an emergency department-treated injury while playing basketball, football, or soccer. Rates of emergency department-treated injuries resulting from participation in basketball, football, or soccer. Injury rates were calculated for people ages 15 and older for the years 2003-2007 using the U.S. population and hours of participation as the denominators. The risk of injury associated with each of these sports was compared for all participants and by sex. From 2003 through 2007, annual injury rates per 1000 U.S. population were as follows: 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30, 1.67) in basketball, 0.93 (95% CI = 0.82, 1.04) in football, and 0.43 (95% CI = 0.33, 0.53) in soccer. When the denominator was hours of participation, the injury rate in football (5.08 [95% CI = 4.46, 5.69]/10 000 hours) was almost twice as high as that for basketball (2.69 [95% CI = 2.35, 3.02]/10 000 hours) and soccer (2.69 [95% CI = 2.07, 3.30]/10 000 hours). Depending on the choice of denominator, interpretation of the risk of an emergency department-treated injury in basketball, football, or soccer varies greatly. Using the U.S. population as the denominator produced rates that were highest in basketball and lowest in soccer. However, using hours of participation as a more accurate measure of exposure demonstrated that football had a higher rate of injury than basketball or soccer for both males and females.

World soccer cup as a trigger of cardiovascular events.

PubMed

Borges, Daniel Guilherme Suzuki; Monteiro, Rosane Aparecida; Schmidt, André; Pazin-Filho, Antonio

2013-06-01

Acute coronary syndromes are the major cause of death in Brazil and in the world. External stimuli, known also as triggers, such as emotional state and activity, may generate physiopathological changes that can trigger acute coronary syndromes. Among the studied triggers, the impact of stressful events, such as soccer championships, are controversial in literature and there is no effective data on the Brazilian population. To evaluate the acute effects of environmental stress induced by soccer games of the World Soccer Cup on increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Brazil. Public data were obtained from the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde), regarding hospital admissions that had the International Code Disease of acute coronary syndromes from May to August, in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 (155,992 admissions). Analysis was restricted to patients older than 35 years and admitted by clinical specialties. The incidence of myocardial infarction, angina and mortality were compared among days without World Cup soccer games (Group I: 144,166; 61.7 ± 12.3; 59.4% males); on days when there were no Brazil's soccer team matches (Group II: 9,768; 61.8 ± 12.3; 60.0% males); and days when there were Brazil's soccer team matches (Group III; 2,058; 61.6 ± 12.6; 57.8% males). Logistic regression was used to adjust to age, gender, population density and number of medical assistance units. The incidence of myocardial infarction increased during the period of World Cup soccer games (1.09; 95%CI = 1.05-1.15) and days when there were Brazil's matches (1.16; 95%CI = 1.06-1.27). There was no impact on mortality during the Cup (1.00; CI 95% = 0.93-1.08) and Brazil's matches (1.04; 95%CI = 0.93-1.22). World Cup soccer games and, specially, Brazil's matches have an impact on the incidence of myocardial infarction, but not on in-hospital mortality.

No Relationship Between Hamstring Flexibility and Hamstring Injuries in Male Amateur Soccer Players: A Prospective Study.

PubMed

van Doormaal, Mitchell C M; van der Horst, Nick; Backx, Frank J G; Smits, Dirk-Wouter; Huisstede, Bionka M A

2017-01-01

In soccer, although hamstring flexibility is thought to play a major role in preventing hamstring injuries, the relationship between hamstring flexibility and hamstring injuries remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between hamstring flexibility and hamstring injuries in male amateur soccer players. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. This study included 450 male first-class amateur soccer players (mean age, 24.5 years). Hamstring flexibility was measured by performing the sit-and-reach test (SRT). The relationship between hamstring flexibility and the occurrence of hamstring injuries in the following year, while adjusting for the possible confounding effects of age and previous hamstring injuries, was determined with a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Of the 450 soccer players, 21.8% reported a hamstring injury in the previous year. The mean (±SD) baseline score for the SRT was 21.2 ± 9.2 cm. During the 1-year follow-up period, 23 participants (5.1%) suffered a hamstring injury. In the multivariate analysis, while adjusting for age and previous injuries, no significant relationship was found between hamstring flexibility and hamstring injuries ( P = .493). In this group of soccer players, hamstring flexibility (measured with the SRT) was not related to hamstring injuries. Age and previous hamstring injuries as possible confounders did not appear to influence this relationship. Other etiological factors need to be examined to further elucidate the mechanism of hamstring injuries.

Hand Blisters in Major League Baseball Pitchers: Current Concepts and Management.

PubMed

McNamara, Andrew R; Ensell, Scott; Farley, Timothy D

2016-01-01

Friction blisters are a common sequela of many athletic activities. Their significance can range from minor annoyance to major performance disruptions. The latter is particularly true in baseball pitchers, who sustain repeated trauma between the baseball seams and the fingers of the pitching hand, predominately at the tips of the index and long fingers. Since 2010, 6 Major League Baseball (MLB) players accounted for 7 stints on the disabled list (DL) due to blisters. These injuries resulted in a total of 151 days spent on the DL. Since 2012, 8 minor league players spent time on the DL due to blisters. Moreover, there have been several documented and publicized instances of professional baseball pitchers suffering blisters that did not require placement on the DL but did result in injury time and missed starts. The purpose of this article is to review the etiology and pathophysiology of friction blisters with particular reference to baseball pitchers; provide an overview of past and current prevention methods; and discuss our experience in treating friction blisters in MLB pitchers.

Coalitional Physical Competition : Acute Salivary Steroid Hormone Responses among Juvenile Male Soccer Players in Hong Kong.

PubMed

McHale, Timothy S; Chee, Wai-Chi; Chan, Ka-Chun; Zava, David T; Gray, Peter B

2018-06-16

A large body of research links testosterone and cortisol to male-male competition. Yet, little work has explored acute steroid hormone responses to coalitional, physical competition during middle childhood. Here, we investigate testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, and cortisol release among ethnically Chinese boys in Hong Kong (N = 102), aged 8-11 years, during a soccer match (n = 84) and an intrasquad soccer scrimmage (n = 81), with 63 participants competing in both treatments. The soccer match and intrasquad soccer scrimmage represented out-group and in-group treatments, respectively. Results revealed that testosterone showed no measurable change. DHEA increased during both treatments in the majority of participants and the degree of change had no relation to independent variables (e.g., performance, age, treatment, outcome) or covariate measures (Body Mass Index, Pubertal Development Scale). Most boys experienced androstenedione increases during match play, but no significant differences during the intrasquad soccer scrimmage competitions. The magnitude of change differed significantly between treatments and was positively associated with age. These latter findings suggest boys' androstenedione responses may be sensitive to competitor type (i.e., unknown competitors vs. peers). For most subjects, cortisol significantly increased during match play, decreased during the intrasquad soccer scrimmage, and differed significantly between treatments, suggesting each treatment promoted a different psychological state among competitors. Cortisol/DHEA molar ratio decreased during the intrasquad scrimmage, suggestive of a more relaxed mental state. These data shed new light on potential proximate mechanisms associated with coalitional competition among prepubescent boys, with relevance to adrenarche and life history theory.

Patellar tendinopathy in young elite soccer- clinical and sonographical analysis of a German elite soccer academy.

PubMed

Bode, Gerrit; Hammer, Thorsten; Karvouniaris, N; Feucht, M J; Konstantinidis, L; Südkamp, N P; Hirschmüller, A

2017-08-08

The prevalence of patellar tendinopathy is elevated in elite soccer compared to less explosive sports. While the burden of training hours and load is comparably high in youth elite players (age < 23 years), little is known about the prevalence of patellar tendinopathy at this age. There is only little data available on the influence of age, the amount of training, the position on the field, as well as muscular strength, range of motion, or sonographical findings in this age group. The purpose of the present study was to examine the above-mentioned parameters in all age groups of a German youth elite soccer academy. One hundred nineteen male youth soccer players (age 15,97 ± 2,24 years, height 174, 60 ± 10,16 cm, BMI 21, 24 ± 2,65) of the U-13 to U-23 teams were part of the study. Data acquisition included sport specific parameters such as footwear, amount of training hours, leg dominance, history of tendon pathologies, and clinical examination for palpatory pain, indurations, muscular circumference, and range of motion. Subjective complaints were measured with the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment Patellar (VISA-P) Score. Furthermore, sonographical examinations (Aplio SSA-770A/80; Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan) with 12-MHz multifrequency linear transducers (8-14 MHz) of both patellar tendons were performed with special emphasis on hyper- and hypo echogenic areas, diameter and neovascularization. The prevalence of patellar tendinopathies was 13.4%. Seventy-five percent of the players complained of pain of their dominant leg with onset of pain at training in 87.5%. The injured players showed a medium amount of 10.34 ± 3.85 training hours and a medium duration of symptoms of 11.94 ± 18.75 weeks. Two thirds of players with patellar tendinopathy were at the age of 15-17 (Odds ratio 1.89) while no differences between players of the national or regional league were observed. In case of patellar tendinopathy, VISA-P was significantly lower in comparison to healthy players (mean ± SD 76.80 ± 28.56 points vs. 95.85 ± 10.37). The clinical examination revealed local pain at the distal patella, pain at stretching, and thickening of the patellar tendon (p = 0.02). The mean tendon diameter measured 2 cm distally to the patella was 4.10 ± 0.68 mm with a significantly increased diameter of 0.15 mm in case of an underlying tendinopathy (p = 0.00). The incidence of hypo-echogenic areas and neovascularizations was significantly elevated in players with patellar tendon syndrome (PTS) (p = 0.05). The prevalence of patellar tendinopathy in youth elite soccer is relatively high in comparison to available data of adult players. Especially players at the age of 15 to 17 are at considerable risk. Tendon thickening, hypo-echogenic areas, and neovascularization are more common in tendons affected by PTS.

Accuracy of professional sports drafts in predicting career potential.

PubMed

Koz, D; Fraser-Thomas, J; Baker, J

2012-08-01

The forecasting of talented players is a crucial aspect of building a successful sports franchise and professional sports invest significant resources in making player choices in sport drafts. The current study examined the relationship between career performance (i.e. games played) and draft round for the National Football League, National Hockey League, National Basketball League, and Major League Baseball for players drafted from 1980 to 1989 (n = 4874) against the assumption of a linear relationship between performance and draft round (i.e. that players with the most potential will be selected before players of lower potential). A two-step analysis revealed significant differences in games played across draft rounds (step 1) and a significant negative relationship between draft round and games played (step 2); however, the amount of variance accounted for was relatively low (less than 17%). Results highlight the challenges of accurately evaluating amateur talent. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Public Health, Safety, and Security for Mass Gatherings

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

National youth organizations,12 music festivals,13 and sporting events such as those hosted by NASCAR, the NCAA,14 the National Basketball Association... NBA ), Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Football League (NFL)15 (aside from those Super Bowl events that have been declared NSSEs...credible threat of a terror attack aimed at college basketball arenas or other sports stadiums, but acknowledged alerting law enforcement to a

Final Report of the Evaluation of the 1970-71 Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy. ESEA Title I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Edsel; Wortham, James

The objective of the Benjamin Franklin Urban League Street Academy, funded under Title I of the Elementary Secondary Education Act of 1965, is to help students to stay in school or to help dropouts to return to school, or enter the world of work prepared and motivated to adjust and achieve satisfactorily. The major evaluation objectives of this…

Shoe and Field Surface Risk Factors for Acute Lower Extremity Injuries Among Female Youth Soccer Players.

PubMed

OʼKane, John W; Gray, Kristen E; Levy, Marni R; Neradilek, Moni; Tencer, Allan F; Polissar, Nayak L; Schiff, Melissa A

2016-05-01

To describe acute lower extremity injuries and evaluate extrinsic risk factors in female youth soccer. Nested case-control study. Youth soccer clubs in Seattle, WA. Female soccer players (n = 351) ages 11 to 15 years randomly selected from 4 soccer clubs from which 83% of their players were enrolled with complete follow-up for 92% of players. Injured players were interviewed regarding injury, field surface, shoe type, and position. Uninjured controls, matched on game or practice session, were also interviewed. The association between risk factors and acute lower extremity injury using logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). One hundred seventy-three acute lower extremity injuries occurred involving primarily the ankle (39.3%), knee (24.9%), and thigh (11.0%). Over half (52.9%) recovered within 1 week, whereas 30.2% lasted beyond 2 weeks. During practices, those injured were approximately 3-fold (OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.49-5.31) more likely to play on grass than artificial turf and 2.4-fold (95% CI, 1.03-5.96) more likely to wear cleats on grass than other shoe and surface combinations. During games, injured players were 89% (95% CI, 1.03-4.17) more likely to play defender compared with forward. Half of the acute lower extremity injuries affected the ankle or knee. Grass surface and wearing cleats on grass increased training injuries. The majority, 64%, of female youth soccer players' acute injuries involve the ankle and knee and injury prevention strategies in this age group should target these areas. When considering playing surfaces for training, communities and soccer organizations should consider the third-generation artificial turf a safe alternative to grass.

Positional interchanges influence the physical and technical match performance variables of elite soccer players.

PubMed

Schuth, G; Carr, G; Barnes, C; Carling, C; Bradley, P S

2016-01-01

Positional variation in match performance is well established in elite soccer but no information exists on players switching positions. This study investigated the influence of elite players interchanging from one position to another on physical and technical match performance. Data were collected from multiple English Premier League (EPL) seasons using a computerised tracking system. After adhering to stringent inclusion criteria, players were examined across several interchanges: central-defender to fullback (CD-FB, n = 11, 312 observations), central-midfielder to wide-midfielder (CM-WM, n = 7, 171 observations), wide-midfielder to central-midfielder (WM-CM, n = 7, 197 observations) and attacker to wide-midfielder (AT-WM, n = 4, 81 observations). Players interchanging from CD-FB covered markedly more high-intensity running and sprinting distance (effect size [ES]: -1.56 and -1.26), lost more possessions but made more final third entries (ES: -1.23 and -1.55). Interchanging from CM-WM and WM-CM resulted in trivial to moderate differences in both physical (ES: -0.14-0.59 and -0.21-0.39) and technical performances (ES: -0.48-0.64 and -0.36-0.54). Players interchanging from AT-WM demonstrated a moderate difference in high-intensity running without possession (ES: -0.98) and moderate-to-large differences in the number of clearances, tackles and possessions won (ES: -0.77, -1.16 and -1.41). The data demonstrate that the physical and technical demands vary greatly from one interchange to another but utility players seem able to adapt to these positional switches.

The influence of genetic polymorphisms on performance and cardiac and hemodynamic parameters among Brazilian soccer players.

PubMed

Dionísio, Thiago José; Thiengo, Carlos Rogério; Brozoski, Daniel Thomas; Dionísio, Evandro José; Talamoni, Guilherme Augusto; Silva, Roberto Braga; Garlet, Gustavo Pompermaier; Santos, Carlos Ferreira; Amaral, Sandra Lia

2017-06-01

This study investigated whether ACTN3 R577X, AMPD1 C34T, I/D ACE, and M235T AGT polymorphisms can affect performance tests such as jumping, sprinting, and endurance in 220 young male athletes from professional minor league soccer team from São Paulo Futebol Clube, Brazil. I/D ACE and M235T AGT polymorphisms were also analyzed according to cardiac and hemodynamic parameters. Athletes were grouped or not by age. DNA from saliva and Taqman assays were used for genotyping 220 athletes and the results were associated with performance tests. Ventricle mass, ventricle end-diastolic diameter, end-diastolic volume, and ejection fraction were assessed by echocardiogram. Arterial pressure, heart rate, and oximetry were assessed by a cardioscope. The main results of this study were that athletes who carried RR/RX (ACTN3) and DD (ACE) genotypes presented better performance during jump and sprint tests. On the other hand, athletes with ID/II genotype presented better results during endurance test, while AGT genotypes did not seem to favor the athletes during the evaluated physical tests. CC genotype (AMPD1) only favored the athletes during 10-m sprint test. Although there are environmental interactions influencing performance, the present results suggest that RR/RX ACTN3 and ACE DD genotypes may benefit athletes in activities that require strength and speed, while II ACE genotype may benefit athletes in endurance activities. This information could help coaches to plan the training session to improve the athletes' performance.

Comparison of injury incidences between football teams playing in different climatic regions

PubMed Central

Orchard, John W; Waldén, Markus; Hägglund, Martin; Orchard, Jessica J; Chivers, Ian; Seward, Hugh; Ekstrand, Jan

2013-01-01

Australian Football League (AFL) teams in northern (warmer) areas generally have higher rates of injury than those in southern (cooler) areas. Conversely, in soccer (football) in Europe, teams in northern (cooler) areas have higher rates of injury than those in southern (warmer) areas, with an exception being knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, which are more common in the southern (warmer) parts of Europe. This study examined relative injury incidence in the AFL comparing 9,477 injuries over 229,827 player-weeks from 1999–2012. There was a slightly higher injury incidence for teams from warmer parts of Australia (relative risk [RR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.10) with quadriceps strains (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10–1.58), knee cartilage injuries (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.16–1.74), and ankle sprains (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.00–1.37) all being more likely in warmer region teams. Achilles injuries followed a reverse pattern, tending to be more common in cooler region teams (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.47–1.03). In conclusion, common findings from the AFL and European soccer are that ankle sprains and ACL injuries are generally more likely in teams playing in warmer climate zones, whereas Achilles tendinopathy may be more likely in teams playing in cooler zones. These injuries may have climate or surface risk factors (possibly related to types and structure of grass and shoe-surface traction) that are universal across different football codes. PMID:24379731

Injury Prevention Exercise Programs for Professional Soccer: Understanding the Perceptions of the End-Users.

PubMed

OʼBrien, James; Finch, Caroline F

2017-01-01

To evaluate the perceptions of professional soccer players and staff members toward injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs). Self-report survey. Four professional soccer teams in 4 different countries. 126 players, coaches, physiotherapists, and fitness coaches were invited to participate, with 72 respondents. Web-based survey detailing perceptions of lower limb (LL) injury susceptibility and seriousness, the value of IPEPs in general, and more specifically the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) 11+. The vast majority of the respondents believed that professional soccer players are at high risk of LL injuries (93%) and that players should perform evidence-based injury prevention exercises (98%). They also agreed that LL injuries can shorten a player's career (85%), cause physical problems later in life (82%), and negatively impact on team performance (77%). However, perceptions varied across teams regarding which types of injury prevention exercises are effective, who holds responsibility for injury prevention, and when IPEPs should be performed. Specific knowledge of the FIFA 11+ was very low and 47% of respondents believed the program would need modification for use in their team. Players and staff members in professional soccer teams strongly support the use of evidence-based IPEPs. However, perceptions vary considerably between teams regarding which exercises can prevent injuries, who holds the responsibility for injury prevention, and when preventive exercises should be performed. Enhancing the ultimate impact of IPEPs in professional soccer requires a detailed understanding of each team's specific implementation context.

An interval kicking progression for return to soccer following lower extremity injury.

PubMed

Arundale, Amelia; Silvers, Holly; Logerstedt, David; Rojas, Jaime; Snyder-Mackler, Lynn

2015-02-01

The majority of all soccer injuries affect the lower extremities. Regardless of whether the injured limb is an athlete's preferred kicking or stance leg, a lower extremity injury may affect their ability to impact the ball. Sport-specific biomechanical progressions to augment loading and gradually reintroduce a player to the demands of sport have been developed for upper extremity sports such as baseball, softball, tennis, and golf. Generalized return to soccer progressions have also been published in order to assist clinicians in safely returning athletes to sport; however, there are no specific progressions for the early stages of kicking designed to introduce stance leg loading and kicking leg impact. Thus, the purpose of this clinical commentary was to review the existing literature elucidating the biomechanics of kicking a soccer ball and propose a progressive kicking program to support clinicians in safely returning their soccer athletes to the demands of sport. The interval kicking program (IKP) describes clinical guidelines for readiness to begin a kicking program as well as possible readiness to return to sport measures. The program is performed on alternate days integrating therapeutic exercise and cardiovascular fitness. The IKP gradually introduces a player to the loading and impact of kicking. The progression increases kicking distance (using the markings of a soccer field as a guide), volume, and intensity and uses proposed soreness rules, effusion guidelines, and player feedback in order to assist clinicians in determining readiness for advancement though the stages. The IKP also recommends utility of specific tests and measures to determine readiness for return to sport. Gradual reintroduction to sport specific demands is essential for a safe return to soccer. This return to sport progression provides a framework integrating injury specific therapeutic exercise, cardiovascular fitness, and the return to kicking progression, to assist clinicians in initiating an athletes' return to soccer. Level 5.

Cerebrovascular reactivity changes in asymptomatic female athletes attributable to high school soccer participation.

PubMed

Svaldi, Diana O; McCuen, Emily C; Joshi, Chetas; Robinson, Meghan E; Nho, Yeseul; Hannemann, Robert; Nauman, Eric A; Leverenz, Larry J; Talavage, Thomas M

2017-02-01

As participation in women's soccer continues to grow and the longevity of female athletes' careers continues to increase, prevention and care for mTBI in women's soccer has become a major concern for female athletes since the long-term risks associated with a history of mTBI are well documented. Among women's sports, soccer exhibits among the highest concussion rates, on par with those of men's football at the collegiate level. Head impact monitoring technology has revealed that "concussive hits" occurring directly before symptomatic injury are not predictive of mTBI, suggesting that the cumulative effect of repetitive head impacts experienced by collision sport athletes should be assessed. Neuroimaging biomarkers have proven to be valuable in detecting brain changes that occur before neurocognitive symptoms in collision sport athletes. Quantifying the relationship between changes in these biomarkers and head impacts experienced by female soccer athletes may prove valuable to developing preventative measures for mTBI. This study paired functional magnetic resonance imaging with head impact monitoring to track cerebrovascular reactivity changes throughout a season and to test whether the observed changes could be attributed to mechanical loading experienced by female athletes participating in high school soccer. Marked cerebrovascular reactivity changes were observed in female soccer athletes, relative both to non-collision sport control measures and pre-season measures and were localized to fronto-temporal aspects of the brain. These changes persisted 4-5 months after the season ended and recovered by 8 months after the season. Segregation of the total soccer cohort into cumulative loading groups revealed that population-level changes were driven by athletes experiencing high cumulative loads, although athletes experiencing lower cumulative loads still contributed to group changes. The results of this study imply a non-linear relationship between cumulative loading and cerebrovascular changes with a threshold, above which the risk, of injury likely increases significantly.

Risk of Injury in Basketball, Football, and Soccer Players, Ages 15 Years and Older, 2003–2007

PubMed Central

Carter, Elizabeth A.; Westerman, Beverly J.; Hunting, Katherine L.

2011-01-01

Context: A major challenge in the field of sports injury epidemiology is identifying the appropriate denominators for injury rates. Objective: To characterize risk of injury from participation in basketball, football, and soccer in the United States, using hours of participation as the measure of exposure, and to compare these rates with those derived using population estimates in the denominator. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: United States, 2003–2007. Participants: People ages 15 years and older who experienced an emergency department–treated injury while playing basketball, football, or soccer. Main Outcome Measure(s): Rates of emergency department–treated injuries resulting from participation in basketball, football, or soccer. Injury rates were calculated for people ages 15 and older for the years 2003–2007 using the U.S. population and hours of participation as the denominators. The risk of injury associated with each of these sports was compared for all participants and by sex. Results: From 2003 through 2007, annual injury rates per 1000 U.S. population were as follows: 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30, 1.67) in basketball, 0.93 (95% CI = 0.82, 1.04) in football, and 0.43 (95% CI = 0.33, 0.53) in soccer. When the denominator was hours of participation, the injury rate in football (5.08 [95% CI = 4.46, 5.69]/10 000 hours) was almost twice as high as that for basketball (2.69 [95% CI = 2.35, 3.02]/10 000 hours) and soccer (2.69 [95% CI = 2.07, 3.30]/10 000 hours). Conclusions: Depending on the choice of denominator, interpretation of the risk of an emergency department–treated injury in basketball, football, or soccer varies greatly. Using the U.S. population as the denominator produced rates that were highest in basketball and lowest in soccer. However, using hours of participation as a more accurate measure of exposure demonstrated that football had a higher rate of injury than basketball or soccer for both males and females. PMID:22488135

Hip Strength Testing of Soccer Players With Long-Standing Hip and Groin Pain: What are the Clinical Implications of Pain During Testing?

PubMed

Rafn, Bolette S; Tang, Lars; Nielsen, Martin P; Branci, Sonia; Hölmich, Per; Thorborg, Kristian

2016-05-01

To investigate whether self-reported pain during hip strength testing correlates to a large degree with hip muscle strength in soccer players with long-standing unilateral hip and groin pain. Cross-sectional study. Clinical assessments at Sports Orthopaedic Research Center-Copenhagen (SORC-C), Arthroscopic Centre Amager, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark. Twenty-four male soccer players with unilateral long-standing hip and groin pain. The soccer players performed 5 reliable hip muscle strength tests (isometric hip flexion, adduction, abduction, isometric hip flexion-modified Thomas test, and eccentric hip adduction). Muscle strength was measured with a hand-held dynamometer, and the players rated the pain during testing on a numerical rating scale (0-10). In 4 tests (isometric hip adduction, abduction, flexion, and eccentric adduction), no significant correlations were found between pain during testing and hip muscle strength (Spearman rho = -0.28 to 0.06, P = 0.09-0.39). Isometric hip flexion (modified Thomas test position) showed a moderate negative correlation between pain and hip muscle strength (Spearman rho = -0.44, P = 0.016). Self-reported pain during testing does not seem to correlate with the majority of hip muscle strength tests used in soccer players with long-standing hip and groin pain.

Violence in television commercials during nonviolent programming. The 1996 Major League Baseball playoffs.

PubMed

Anderson, C

1997-10-01

To identify the frequency of violent television commercials aired during major league baseball playoffs, traditionally thought to be a family-oriented viewing time. All 6 World Series games televised on the Fox Television Network (Fox), all 5 American League Championship Series playoff games televised by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), and 4 first-round playoff games televised by ESPN Sports Television Network (ESPN) were videotaped in October 1996. During the 15 televised games reviewed, 104 (6.8%) of the 1528 commercials contained violent content. Sixty-one commercials (10 per game) that included violent interactions were noted during the World Series, 30 (6 per game) during the American League Championship Series, and 13 (3 per game) during the 4 first-round playoff games for a total of 104. In these 104 violent commercials, 69 contained at least 1 violent act, 90 contained at least 1 violent threat, and 27 contained evidence of at least 1 violent consequence. Seventy (67.3%) of the violent commercials were promotions for television programs, 7 (6.7%) were cable television program advertisements, and 20 (19.2%) were big-screen movie promotions. Twenty (71.4%) of 28 big-screen movie promotions were violent. Twenty-two (21.2%) of the 104 violent commercials and 7 "nonviolent" commercials contained blood or other graphic content, all of which were televised during the Fox presentation of the World Series. Fox also accounted for all 24 violent commercials that used a knife. Guns were involved in 25 violent commercials on NBC (5.0 per game), in 20 on Fox (3.33 per game), and in 7 on ESPN (1.75 per game). Overt violent content in commercials during the 1996 major league playoffs was common and consisted mainly of promotions for television programs and big-screen movies. It is counterintuitive to find such commercials in nonviolent programming and makes it difficult for parents to avoid exposing their children to this form of violence.

What do men who serve as lay health advisors really do?: Immigrant Latino men share their experiences as Navegantes to prevent HIV

PubMed Central

Vissman, Aaron T.; Eng, Eugenia; Aronson, Robert E.; Bloom, Fred R.; Leichliter, Jami S.; Montaño, Jaime; Rhodes, Scott D.

2018-01-01

Background HoMBReS was a lay health advisor (LHA) intervention designed to reduce sexual risk among recently-arrived, non-English-speaking Latino men who were members of a multi-county soccer league in central NC. Methods Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership collected, analyzed, and interpreted qualitative life-story narratives to characterize the roles of male LHAs known as Navegantes. Results Nine Navegantes were interviewed. Their mean age was 39 years (range 26–62 years); 6 were from Mexico and 3 from El Salvador. Navegantes described the function and facilitators of serving as LHAs and identified leverage points for future HIV and STD prevention strategies. They highlighted psychosocial and sociocultural influences on HIV risk, settings for risky behavior, and personal changes from serving as Navegantes. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence that an LHA approach is feasible and appropriate for Latino men, and can be effective in reaching men who might otherwise be difficult to reach. PMID:19519237

Implementation of the 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement in contact and collision sports: a joint position statement from 11 national and international sports organisations

PubMed Central

Patricios, Jon S; Hislop, Michael David; Aubry, Mark; Bloomfield, Paul; Broderick, Carolyn; Clifton, Patrick; Ellenbogen, Richard G; Falvey, Éanna Cian; Grand, Julie; Hack, Dallas; Harcourt, Peter Rex; Hughes, David; McGuirk, Nathan; Meeuwisse, Willem; Miller, Jeffrey; Parsons, John T; Richiger, Simona; Sills, Allen; Moran, Kevin B; Shute, Jenny; Raftery, Martin

2018-01-01

The 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement provides a global summary of best practice in concussion prevention, diagnosis and management, underpinned by systematic reviews and expert consensus. Due to their different settings and rules, individual sports need to adapt concussion guidelines according to their specific regulatory environment. At the same time, consistent application of the Berlin Consensus Statement’s themes across sporting codes is likely to facilitate superior and uniform diagnosis and management, improve concussion education and highlight collaborative research opportunities. This document summarises the approaches discussed by medical representatives from the governing bodies of 10 different contact and collision sports in Dublin, Ireland in July 2017. Those sports are: American football, Australian football, basketball, cricket, equestrian sports, football/soccer, ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and skiing. This document had been endorsed by 11 sport governing bodies/national federations at the time of being published. PMID:29500252

Hypernetworks Reveal Compound Variables That Capture Cooperative and Competitive Interactions in a Soccer Match.

PubMed

Ramos, João; Lopes, Rui J; Marques, Pedro; Araújo, Duarte

2017-01-01

The combination of sports sciences theorization and social networks analysis (SNA) has offered useful new insights for addressing team behavior. However, SNA typically represents the dynamics of team behavior during a match in dyadic interactions and in a single cumulative snapshot. This study aims to overcome these limitations by using hypernetworks to describe illustrative cases of team behavior dynamics at various other levels of analyses. Hypernetworks simultaneously access cooperative and competitive interactions between teammates and opponents across space and time during a match. Moreover, hypernetworks are not limited to dyadic relations, which are typically represented by edges in other types of networks. In a hypernetwork, n-ary relations (with n > 2) and their properties are represented with hyperedges connecting more than two players simultaneously (the so-called simplex -plural, simplices ). Simplices can capture the interactions of sets of players that may include an arbitrary number of teammates and opponents. In this qualitative study, we first used the mathematical formalisms of hypernetworks to represent a multilevel team behavior dynamics, including micro (interactions between players), meso (dynamics of a given critical event, e.g., an attack interaction), and macro (interactions between sets of players) levels. Second, we investigated different features that could potentially explain the occurrence of critical events, such as, aggregation or disaggregation of simplices relative to goal proximity. Finally, we applied hypernetworks analysis to soccer games from the English premier league (season 2010-2011) by using two-dimensional player displacement coordinates obtained with a multiple-camera match analysis system provided by STATS (formerly Prozone). Our results show that (i) at micro level the most frequently occurring simplices configuration is 1vs.1 (one attacker vs. one defender); (ii) at meso level, the dynamics of simplices transformations near the goal depends on significant changes in the players' speed and direction; (iii) at macro level, simplices are connected to one another, forming "simplices of simplices" including the goalkeeper and the goal. These results validate qualitatively that hypernetworks and related compound variables can capture and be used in the analysis of the cooperative and competitive interactions between players and sets of players in soccer matches.

Daily Distribution of Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat Intake in Elite Youth Academy Soccer Players Over a 7-Day Training Period.

PubMed

Naughton, Robert J; Drust, Barry; O'Boyle, Andy; Morgans, Ryland; Abayomi, Julie; Davies, Ian G; Morton, James P; Mahon, Elizabeth

2016-10-01

While traditional approaches to dietary analysis in athletes have focused on total daily energy and macronutrient intake, it is now thought that daily distribution of these parameters can also influence training adaptations. Using 7-day food diaries, we quantified the total daily macronutrient intake and distribution in elite youth soccer players from the English Premier League in U18 (n = 13), U15/16 (n = 25) and U13/14 squads (n = 21). Total energy (43.1 ± 10.3, 32.6 ± 7.9, 28.1 ± 6.8 kcal·kg -1 ·day -1 ), CHO (6 ± 1.2, 4.7 ± 1.4, 3.2 ± 1.3 g·kg - 1 ·day -1 ) and fat (1.3 ± 0.5, 0.9 ± 0.3, 0.9 ± 0.3 g·kg- 1 ·day -1 ) intake exhibited hierarchical differences (p < .05) such that U13/14 > U15/16 > U18. In addition, CHO intake in U18s was lower (p < .05) at breakfast, dinner and snacks when compared with both squads but no differences were apparent at lunch. Furthermore, the U15/16s reported lower relative daily protein intake than the U13/14s and U18s (1.6 ± 0.3 vs. 2.2 ± 0.5, 2.0 ± 0.3 g·kg -1 ). A skewed distribution (p < .05) of daily protein intake was observed in all squads, with a hierarchical order of dinner (~0.6 g·kg -1 ) > lunch (~0.5 g·kg -1 ) > breakfast (~0.3 g·kg -1 ). We conclude elite youth soccer players do not meet current CHO guidelines. Although daily protein targets are achieved, we report a skewed daily distribution in all ages such that dinner > lunch > breakfast. Our data suggest that dietary advice for elite youth players should focus on both total daily macronutrient intake and optimal daily distribution patterns.

Performance, Return to Competition, and Reinjury After Tommy John Surgery in Major League Baseball Pitchers: A Review of 147 Cases.

PubMed

Makhni, Eric C; Lee, Randall W; Morrow, Zachary S; Gualtieri, Anthony P; Gorroochurn, Prakash; Ahmad, Christopher S

2014-06-01

Pitching performance metrics, durability, and reinjury after Tommy John surgery in professional baseball players have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to determine the likelihood of return to professional competition, reinjury rate, and change in performance after Tommy John surgery in Major League Baseball pitchers. The hypothesis was that performance metrics and durability will decline after surgery. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Publicly available records were accessed to generate a list of all Major League Baseball pitchers from 1999 to 2011 who had undergone ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction at any point in their careers; those with multiple reconstructive procedures were excluded. Return to active (≥1 game) or established (≥10 games) competition and/or placement on the disabled list was documented for each player. Among established players, pitching performance was compared pre- and postoperatively, as well as with age-matched control pitchers. Of 147 pitchers included, 80% returned to pitch in at least 1 Major League Baseball game. Only 67% of established pitchers returned to the same level of competition postoperatively, and 57% of established players returned to the disabled list because of injuries to the throwing arm. Finally, performance declined across several metrics after surgery compared with preinjury levels, such as earned run average, batting average against, walks plus hits per inning pitched, percentage of pitches thrown in the strike zone, innings pitched, percentage fastballs thrown, and average fastball velocity (P < .05 for all). However, these declines were not statistically different from similar declines found in age-matched controls who did not undergo Tommy John surgery. Return to the disabled list after Tommy John surgery is common among professional pitchers (>50%), and performance declines across several major metrics after surgery. Patients undergoing Tommy John surgery should be counseled appropriately regarding the likelihood of return to preinjury levels of competition and performance. © 2014 The Author(s).

The Use of an Orthopaedic Rating System in Major League Baseball

PubMed Central

McGahan, Patrick J.; Fronek, Jan; Hoenecke, Heinz R.; Keefe, Daniel

2014-01-01

Background: Although the majority of Major League Baseball teams use an orthopaedic rating system to evaluate draft picks, little has been published on the topic. Hypothesis: Our goal was to assess the attitudes among Major League Baseball physicians regarding 3 common diagnoses in pitching prospects, through the use of an orthopaedic rating system. Our hypothesis was that the assigned orthopaedic grades would vary among physicians, diagnoses, and operative-versus-nonoperative and recent-versus-past treatment. Study Design: Survey. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: A survey in the form of 12 clinical vignettes was used to query Major League Baseball physicians regarding ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries, type II superior labrum anterior posterior (SLAP) tears, and internal impingement. Respondents graded draft picks using an orthopaedic rating system. The vignettes covered both operative and nonoperative and recent and past treatment (successful return to pitching for 1 year). Results: The orthopaedic grades assigned by respondents were as follows (minimal, moderate, severe risk): past UCL reconstruction (73%, 27%, 0%), recent UCL reconstruction (19%, 77%, 4%), past UCL strain (28%, 60%, 12%), recent UCL strain (0%, 48%, 52%), past SLAP repair (52%, 48%, 0%), recent SLAP repair (4%, 64%, 32%), past SLAP nonoperative (28%, 60%, 12%), recent SLAP nonoperative (0%, 36%, 64%), past internal impingement operative (24%, 68%, 8%), recent internal impingement operative (8%, 32%, 60%), past internal impingement nonoperative (24%, 68%, 8%), and recent internal impingement nonoperative (4%, 48%, 44%). Conclusion: Team physicians are optimistic regarding the outcome of UCL reconstruction. In contrast, UCL strains, type II SLAP lesions, and internal impingement carry a guarded prognosis. For all diagnoses, regardless of treatment, the prognosis improved if a player returned to pitching for 1 full season. Clinical Relevance: This study represents a first step toward developing a standardized orthopaedic rating system that will facilitate more accurate player assessment and clearer communication among physicians. PMID:25177423

CyberHunt.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truby, Dana

2001-01-01

Using a soccer cyberhunt, elementary school students can learn all about the game of soccer while practicing computer skills. The cyberhunt teaches about: the history of soccer; soccer's name in other countries; number of players on the field; women's World Cup soccer; soccer rules; soccer legend, Pele; soccer moves; and the soccer ball. A…

Match and training injuries in rugby league: a review of published studies.

PubMed

King, Doug A; Hume, Patria A; Milburn, Peter D; Guttenbeil, Dain

2010-02-01

Rugby league is an international collision sport played by junior, amateur, semiprofessional and professional players. The game requires participants to be involved in physically demanding activities such as running, tackling, passing and sprinting, and musculoskeletal injuries are common. A review of injuries in junior and senior rugby league players published in Sports Medicine in 2004 reported that injuries to the head and neck and muscular injuries were common in senior rugby league players, while fractures and injuries to the knee were common in junior players. This current review updates the descriptive data on rugby league epidemiology and adds information for semiprofessional, amateur and junior levels of participation in both match and training environments using studies identified through searches of PubMed, CINHAL, Ovid, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and SportDiscus databases. This review also discusses the issues surrounding the definitions of injury exposure, injury rate, injury severity and classification of injury site and type for rugby league injuries. Studies on the incidence of injuries in rugby league have suffered from inconsistencies in the injury definitions utilized. Some studies on rugby league injuries have utilized a criterion of a missed matchas an injury definition, total injury incidences or a combination of both time-loss and non-time-loss injuries, while other studies have incorporated a medical treatment injury definition. Efforts to establish a standard definition for rugby league injuries have been difficult, especially as some researchers were not in favour of a definition that was all-encompassing and enabled non-time-loss injuries to be recorded. A definition of rugby league injury has been suggested based on agreement by a group of international researchers. The majority of injuries occur in the match environment, with rates typically increasing as the playing level increases. However, professional level injury rates were reportedly less than semiprofessional participation. Only a few studies have reported training injuries in rugby league, where injury rates were reported to be less than match injuries. Approximately 16-30% of all rugby league injuries have been reported as severe, which places demands upon other team members and, if the player returns to playing too early, places them at an increased risk of further injuries. Early research in rugby league identified that ligament and joint injuries were the common injuries, occurring primarily to the knee. More recently, studies have shown a change in anatomical injury sites at all levels of participation. Although the lower limb was the frequent injury region reported previously, the shoulder has now been reported to be the most common injury site. Changes in injury site and type could be used to prompt further research and development of injury reduction programmes to readdress the issue of injuries that occur as a result of participation in rugby league activities. Further research is warranted at all participation levels of rugby league in both the match and training environments to confirm the strongest risk factors for injury.

So You Want to Be an Advisor

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

Football League’s kickers on the sidelines, practicing and practicing kicks into a net. On summer days in Major League baseball , throw- ing “on the side... case the new iraqi armed Forces, that has proven to be tremendously challenging and rewarding. My role was a very small one. i was a little cog...doesn’t look each private in the eye. Though the iraqis inherited a similar approach during the British League of nations Mandate era of 1920-1932

The 1984 ARI Survey of Army Recruits: Tabular Description of NPS (active) Army Accessions. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

YOU WATCH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS OR PROGRAMMING TYPES ON TV? - NBA BASKETBALL 1 - REGULARLY TURN ON THE TV TO WATCH IT 2 - SOMETIMES WATCH IT...league baseball — regular season games 105. Major league baseball playoffs 106. World Series 107. NBA basketball 108. College basketball 109...LAG BASEBALL PLAYOFFS WORLD SERIES MBA BASKETBALL COLLEGE BASKETBALL NHL HOCKEY PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING CAR RACES 154 156 158- 160 162- 164

Early death in active professional athletes: Trends and causes.

PubMed

Lemez, S; Wattie, N; Baker, J

2016-05-01

The objective of the study was to examine mortality trends and causes of death among professional athletes from the four major sports in North America who died during their playing careers. 205 deceased athletes who were registered as active when they died from the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Baseball (MLB) were examined. Results were compared with the Canadian and U.S. general population. The leading causes of death in players reflected the leading causes of death in the Canadian and U.S. general population (i.e., car accidents). Descriptively, NFL and NBA players had a higher likelihood of dying in a car accident (OR 1.75, 95% CI: 0.91-3.36) compared with NHL and MLB players. In addition, NFL and NBA players had a significantly higher likelihood of dying from a cardiac-related illness (OR 4.44, 95% CI: 1.59-12.43). Mortality trends were disproportionate to team size. Overall, death in active athletes is low. Out of 53 400 athletes who have historically played in the four leagues, only 205 died while active (0.38%). Future examinations into the trends and causes of mortality in elite athlete populations will create a better understanding of health-related risks in elite sport. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pre-season dietary intake of professional soccer players.

PubMed

Raizel, Raquel; da Mata Godois, Allan; Coqueiro, Audrey Yule; Voltarelli, Fabrício Azevedo; Fett, Carlos Alexandre; Tirapegui, Julio; de Paula Ravagnani, Fabricio Cesar; de Faria Coelho-Ravagnani, Christianne

2017-12-01

Despite the well-documented importance of nutrition in optimizing performance and health, the dietary intake of soccer players has attracted little attention. We aimed to assess the pre-season dietary intake of professional soccer players and its adequacy in macro and micronutrients. The pre-season dietary intake of 19 male athletes was assessed using a semi-structured 3-day food record. To determine dietary adequacy and excess, energy and macronutrient intake were compared with the Brazilian dietary reference values for athletes, and micronutrients were compared with the Estimated Average Requirement - EAR (minimum recommendation) and Tolerable Upper Intake Level - UL (maximum recommendation). Mean daily energy intake (40.74±12.81 kcal/kg) was adequate. However, there was a low carbohydrate intake (5.44±1.86 g/kg/day) and a high amount of protein and fat (1.91±0.75 and 1.27±0.50 g/kg/day, respectively). Sodium intake (3141.77±939.76 mg/day) was higher than UL (2300 mg/day), while the majority of players showed daily intake of vitamin A (74%), vitamin D (100%), folate (58%), calcium and magnesium (68%) below the EAR (625, 10 and 320 µg/day, 800 and 330 mg/day, respectively). The dietary intake of professional soccer players was adequate in energy, but inadequate in macro and micronutrients, which suggests the need to improve nutritional practices to sustain the physical demands of soccer during pre-season.

Groin Problems in Male Soccer Players Are More Common Than Previously Reported.

PubMed

Harøy, Joar; Clarsen, Ben; Thorborg, Kristian; Hölmich, Per; Bahr, Roald; Andersen, Thor Einar

2017-05-01

The majority of surveillance studies in soccer have used a time-loss injury definition, and many groin problems result from overuse, leading to gradually increasing pain and/or reduced performance without necessarily causing an absence from soccer training or match play. Thus, the magnitude of groin problems in soccer has probably been underestimated in previous studies based on traditional injury surveillance methods. To investigate the prevalence of groin problems among soccer players of both sexes and among male soccer players at different levels of play through a new surveillance method developed to capture acute and overuse problems. Descriptive epidemiology study. We registered groin problems during a 6-week period of match congestion using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire. A total of 240 players from 15 teams across different levels of play and from both sexes were included, and they responded to the weekly questionnaire. We calculated the average weekly prevalence of all groin problems and substantial groin problems. Of the 240 players, 112 male players (59%) and 20 female players (45%) reported at least 1 episode of groin problems. The average weekly prevalence of any groin problem and substantial groin problem for all male players was 29% (range, 23%-32% across different levels) and 10% (7%-13%), respectively. Elite male players had an increased risk of experiencing groin problems (odds ratio: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.5-6.4, P = .03) compared with elite female players. There was no difference in the risk of experiencing groin problems among elite, subelite, and amateur male players. For substantial problems, there was no difference between elite male and elite female players or among levels of play for senior male soccer players. We found a high prevalence of groin problems among male soccer players during a period with match congestion. Time-loss definition as used in previous injury surveillance studies captured only one-third of the male groin problems registered with the new method. Elite male players had 3 times' higher risk of reporting groin problems as compared with elite female players, while playing level did not influence the risk of reporting a groin problem among males.

Lead us not into tanktation: a simulation modelling approach to gain insights into incentives for sporting teams to tank.

PubMed

Tuck, Geoffrey N; Whitten, Athol R

2013-01-01

Annual draft systems are the principal method used by teams in major sporting leagues to recruit amateur players. These draft systems frequently take one of three forms: a lottery style draft, a weighted draft, or a reverse-order draft. Reverse-order drafts can create incentives for teams to deliberately under-perform, or tank, due to the perceived gain from obtaining quality players at higher draft picks. This paper uses a dynamic simulation model that captures the key components of a win-maximising sporting league, including the amateur player draft, draft choice error, player productivity, and between-team competition, to explore how competitive balance and incentives to under-perform vary according to league characteristics. We find reverse-order drafts can lead to some teams cycling between success and failure and to other teams being stuck in mid-ranking positions for extended periods of time. We also find that an incentive for teams to tank exists, but that this incentive decreases (i) as uncertainty in the ability to determine quality players in the draft increases, (ii) as the number of teams in the league reduces, (iii) as team size decreases, and (iv) as the number of teams adopting a tanking strategy increases. Simulation models can be used to explore complex stochastic dynamic systems such as sports leagues, where managers face difficult decisions regarding the structure of their league and the desire to maintain competitive balance.

Lead Us Not into Tanktation: A Simulation Modelling Approach to Gain Insights into Incentives for Sporting Teams to Tank

PubMed Central

Tuck, Geoffrey N.; Whitten, Athol R.

2013-01-01

Annual draft systems are the principal method used by teams in major sporting leagues to recruit amateur players. These draft systems frequently take one of three forms: a lottery style draft, a weighted draft, or a reverse-order draft. Reverse-order drafts can create incentives for teams to deliberately under-perform, or tank, due to the perceived gain from obtaining quality players at higher draft picks. This paper uses a dynamic simulation model that captures the key components of a win-maximising sporting league, including the amateur player draft, draft choice error, player productivity, and between-team competition, to explore how competitive balance and incentives to under-perform vary according to league characteristics. We find reverse-order drafts can lead to some teams cycling between success and failure and to other teams being stuck in mid-ranking positions for extended periods of time. We also find that an incentive for teams to tank exists, but that this incentive decreases (i) as uncertainty in the ability to determine quality players in the draft increases, (ii) as the number of teams in the league reduces, (iii) as team size decreases, and (iv) as the number of teams adopting a tanking strategy increases. Simulation models can be used to explore complex stochastic dynamic systems such as sports leagues, where managers face difficult decisions regarding the structure of their league and the desire to maintain competitive balance. PMID:24312243

[Profile of the Emergency demand and influence of televised soccer games on an extra-hospital center in the Tafalla health care district. Navarre, Spain].

PubMed

Pérez-Ciordia, Ignacio; Catalán Fabo, Francisca; Zalacain Nicolay, Fernando; Barriendo Antoñanzas, Maite; Solaegui Diaz de Guereñu, Ramón; Guillén Grima, Francisco

2003-01-01

The demand placed on both hospital as well as extrahospital emergency care units currently continues to increase at a growing rate. This study has a twofold objective: the quantification and study of the personal characteristics of the users who are demanding emergency care and assessing whether televised soccer games have any bearing on the utilization of emergency care services. A longitudinal descriptive study (9,723 users demanding care) and study of cases and controls (1,284 users demanding care) according to whether or not a soccer game was being televised by means of a logistic regression model. The associations were quantified by means of the odds ratio (OR). Those dealt with by telephone or in infirmaries were not included in the study. A total 10.6% of the demand involved home visits, 4.8% of this total having been sent to hospital. A total 13.3% of the demand corresponds to individuals visiting from other healthcare districts, a total of 65 being overusers of emergency care (8 or more visits). The month of August (32.3%). Sundays (44.56%) and the 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. timeframe (8.38%) are the times when the greatest demand for care occurs, the differences being statistically significant. Televised soccer games were associated to a 19.8% (p < 0.001) rise in demand as compared to the control period. A high degree of use of the extrahospital emergency care units has been found to exist, a major part of the demand being concentrated at highly specific points in time. A major degree of care is provided to those visiting from outside their own healthcare districts. Television soccer game broadcasts is associated with the greater utilization of the emergency care services.

Concussion in youth rugby union and rugby league: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kirkwood, Graham; Parekh, Nikesh; Ofori-Asenso, Richard; Pollock, Allyson M

2015-04-01

Children and adolescents who play rugby are at increased risk of concussion and its effects. Competitive rugby union and rugby league feature as major sports in the school sport curriculum in the UK. There is a need for a thorough understanding of the epidemiology of concussion in youth rugby, the mechanisms involved in injuries and predisposing risk factors. The publication databases Pubmed, Embase and SportDISCUS were searched in April 2014 for primary research studies of child and adolescent rugby union and rugby league (under 20 years) in English language with data on concussion injuries. The review was conducted within a larger all injury systematic review on rugby union and rugby league where key words used in the search included rugby, injury and concussion with child, adolescent, paediatric and youth. There were 25 studies retrieved with data on child or adolescent rugby and concussion, 20 were on rugby union, three on rugby league and in two the code of rugby was unspecified. There was significant heterogeneity in the definitions of injuries and of concussion. The incidence of child and adolescent match concussion ranged from 0.2 to 6.9 concussions per 1000 player-hours for rugby union and was 4.6 and 14.7 concussions per 1000 player-hours for rugby league, equivalent to a probability of between 0.3% and 11.4% for rugby union and of 7.7% and 22.7% for rugby league. There is a significant risk of concussion in children and adolescents playing rugby union and rugby league evident from the studies included in this systematic review. There is a need for reliable data through routine monitoring and reporting in schools and clubs and in hospital emergency departments in order to inform prevention. Concussion protocols should be implemented and tested. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Why do English players fail in soccer penalty shootouts? A study of team status, self-regulation, and choking under pressure.

PubMed

Jordet, Geir

2009-01-15

I examine why players from some nations appear always to choke in major international soccer penalty shootouts. Based on a model on choking under pressure as a type of self-defeating behaviour (Baumeister, 1997), I hypothesized that highly favourable public appraisals of a team would be linked to displays of escapist self-regulation strategies and inferior performance. I selected the eight most merited European nations, obtained videos from penalty shootouts in two major international tournaments (World Cup and European Championships), and analysed all 200 shots taken by players representing these teams. The results showed significant relationships between team status, self-regulation strategies, and performance. Players from countries that, at the time of the penalty shootout, either had many international club titles or featured many internationally decorated players, spent less time preparing their shots and were less successful from the penalty spot than players from countries with lower public status. England and Spain are used to illustrate these effects, as the data suggest that players from these two countries may have underperformed in previous international soccer tournaments because of high public status and misguided self-regulation strategies.

Equal Opportunity Employers: The Department of Defense and Major League Baseball

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

indication of the black athlete’s presence in American sports: Of the more than 1,300 players in the NFL, about 60 percent are Black. In the NBA , black...enabled today’s successes to manifest themselves. The Nearo Leacue Although, black players were forbidden from playing within the white league, this...actuality as opposing player had spit in his face. ’I don’t know any other player that could have gone through2 what he did and been successful

Serious shoulder injuries in professional soccer: return to participation after surgery.

PubMed

Hart, David; Funk, Lennard

2015-07-01

An evidence base for the management and prevention of shoulder injuries in soccer is lacking. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the type, mechanism and recovery time after surgery associated with serious shoulder injuries sustained in professional soccer to build an evidence base foundation. Fifty-two professional soccer players underwent shoulder surgery for injuries sustained during match play. Of these, 25 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Data were collected for injury mechanism and type; clinical, radiological and surgical findings and procedures; and return to full participation. Subjects were all managed by the same surgeon. Labral injuries represented the most common injury type affecting 21 (84 %) subjects; two rotator cuff (8 %) and two combined labral/rotator cuff (8 %) injuries were less common. Fourteen (56 %) subjects sustained a high-energy trauma injury in a combined abduction and external rotation position. Six (24 %) subjects sustained a low-energy trauma mechanism in variable positions, while five (20 %) had a gradual onset of symptoms. Twenty-two (88 %) subjects reported a dislocation as a feature of their presentation. All of the subjects with high- and low-energy trauma mechanisms reported a dislocation occurring at the time of injury. Eight (32 %) subjects had sustained a previous significant shoulder injury to the ipsilateral side. Goalkeepers did not sustain low-energy trauma injuries. Outfield players returned to full participation in a mean time of 11.6 weeks, while goalkeepers did so in 11.1 weeks post-surgery. Return to participation time ranged from 7 to 24 weeks with a median of 11 weeks. Professional soccer players can expect a return to participation within 12 weeks post-surgery. The majority of serious shoulder injuries in soccer occur at a positional extreme of external rotation and abduction in high-energy situations, while a significant number occur in low-energy situations away from this position. Most serious shoulder injuries in professional soccer are dislocations. Previous shoulder injury is considered a risk factor. IV.

Concurrent validation of an inertial measurement system to quantify kicking biomechanics in four football codes.

PubMed

Blair, Stephanie; Duthie, Grant; Robertson, Sam; Hopkins, William; Ball, Kevin

2018-05-17

Wearable inertial measurement systems (IMS) allow for three-dimensional analysis of human movements in a sport-specific setting. This study examined the concurrent validity of a IMS (Xsens MVN system) for measuring lower extremity and pelvis kinematics in comparison to a Vicon motion analysis system (MAS) during kicking. Thirty footballers from Australian football (n = 10), soccer (n = 10), rugby league and rugby union (n = 10) clubs completed 20 kicks across four conditions. Concurrent validity was assessed using a linear mixed-modelling approach, which allowed the partition of between and within-subject variance from the device measurement error. Results were expressed in raw and standardised units for assessments of differences in means and measurement error, and interpreted via non-clinical magnitude-based inferences. Trivial to small differences were found in linear velocities (foot and pelvis), angular velocities (knee, shank and thigh), sagittal joint (knee and hip) and segment angle (shank and pelvis) means (mean difference: 0.2-5.8%) between the IMS and MAS in Australian football, soccer and the rugby codes. Trivial to small measurement errors (from 0.1 to 5.8%) were found between the IMS and MAS in all kinematic parameters. The IMS demonstrated acceptable levels of concurrent validity compared to a MAS when measuring kicking biomechanics across the four football codes. Wearable IMS offers various benefits over MAS, such as, out-of-laboratory testing, larger measurement range and quick data output, to help improve the ecological validity of biomechanical testing and the timing of feedback. The results advocate the use of IMS to quantify biomechanics of high-velocity movements in sport-specific settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spinal cord injuries in Australian footballers 1997-2002.

PubMed

Carmody, David J; Taylor, Thomas K F; Parker, David A; Coolican, Myles R J; Cumming, Robert G

2005-06-06

To review acute spinal cord injuries (ASCIs) in all Australian codes of football (rugby union [RU], rugby league [RL], Australian Rules football [ARF] and soccer) for 1997-2002 and to compare data with those of a 1986-1996 survey. Retrospective review of hospital records, and structured interviews with injured players. Patients admitted to any of the six Australian spinal cord injury units with a documented football-related ASCI over the period 1997-2002. Average annual incidence of ASCIs per 100,000 players in the different codes, final Frankel grading of injuries, and wheelchair status. Fifty-two footballers (45 adult men and seven schoolboys) suffered ASCIs between 1997 and 2002. The average annual incidence of ASCIs per 100,000 players was 3.2 for RU, 1.5 for RL, 0.5 for ARF and 0.2 for soccer. While there has been little change in incidence since the 1986-1996 survey, there has been a trend towards less severe injuries in RU and RL, but not in ARF. There have been no scrum injuries in RL since 1996, when the scrum stopped being contested. Seven injuries occurred in RU scrums, six at the moment of engagement of the opposing teams. The incidence of 2-on-1 and "gang" tackles (involving multiple tacklers) in RL is disturbing. Overall, 39% of injured players became permanently wheelchair-dependent. There continues to be good reason to revise the laws of scrum engagement in RU. The laws relating to multiple tacklers in RL should be examined. The insurance cover for injured players is grossly inadequate. The longstanding need for a registry of spinal cord injuries for all football codes regrettably remains unmet.

Elbow Injuries in Professional Baseball: Epidemiological Findings From the Major League Baseball Injury Surveillance System.

PubMed

Ciccotti, Michael G; Pollack, Keisha M; Ciccotti, Michael C; D'Angelo, John; Ahmad, Christopher S; Altchek, David; Andrews, James; Curriero, Frank C

2017-08-01

Elbow injuries cause significant disability for the throwing athlete. Scant data are available on the distribution and characteristics of these injuries in elite baseball players. No study exists that focuses solely on the epidemiological characteristics of elbow injuries in professional baseball players using a comprehensive injury surveillance system. Professional baseball players have a high occurrence of elbow injuries influenced by factors including length of time playing, time period within the annual baseball season, and specific position played. Descriptive epidemiological study. Data on elbow injuries occurring during the 2011-2014 seasons were collected from Major League Baseball's Health Injury and Tracking System, a comprehensive injury surveillance system. Each specific type of elbow injury was evaluated with respect to overall injury rate, years as a professional player, mechanism of injury, treatment, average time lost, and return to play. During the study period, 3185 elbow injuries (n = 430 Major League; n = 2755 Minor League) occurred. The mean number of days missed and percentage requiring surgery were similar between Major and Minor League players. Overall, 20.0% (650/3185) of the injuries required surgical treatment. Pitchers were the most likely to incur an elbow injury (40.0% of injured athletes were pitchers), were the most likely to require surgery (34.2% of injured pitchers required surgery), and had the greatest mean number of days missed when treated nonsurgically (33.2 days). Medial injuries composed 42.1% (1342/3185) of all elbow injuries. Of all elbow surgeries performed during the study period, the highest percentage involved ligaments (372/650; 57.2%). Elbow injuries are a considerable source of disability in professional baseball players. Pitchers are most likely to incur these injuries, are most likely to require surgery, and have the highest mean number of days missed when treated nonsurgically. The most common injuries involve the medial elbow, with ligament injuries most often requiring surgery. This study represents the only investigation to date using a comprehensive injury surveillance system to examine elbow injuries in professional baseball players. It provides a basis for injury prevention and treatment recommendations, establishes the most thorough framework for determining elbow injury risk, and focuses continued research on elbow injury prevention in the elite baseball player.

Perceived exercise benefits and barriers among power wheelchair soccer players.

PubMed

Barfield, J P; Malone, Laurie A

2013-01-01

Lack of exercise is a major risk factor for secondary conditions among persons dependent upon motorized wheelchairs. Power wheelchair soccer is a unique exercise opportunity for this population, and understanding factors that influence exercise decision-making is necessary for clinicians to help those in motorized chairs reduce their secondary risk. Therefore, this study examined differences in perceived benefits and barriers to exercise among power wheelchair soccer players using a mixed-methods analysis. The most common perceived benefit to exercise was "Exercising lets me have contact with friends and persons I enjoy." Post hoc comparisons of quantitative data indicated that persons with muscular dystrophy perceived exercise to be significantly less important than did other disability groups (p < 0.05). "Exercise is hard work for me," "Exercise tires me," and "There are too few places for me to exercise" were the most common perceived barriers. These findings can assist with development of exercise opportunities for power wheelchair users.

Effects of age on the soccer-specific cognitive-motor performance of elite young soccer players: Comparison between objective measurements and coaches’ evaluation

PubMed Central

Chauvin, Alan; Chassot, Steve; Chenevière, Xavier; Taube, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

The cognitive-motor performance (CMP), defined here as the capacity to rapidly use sensory information and transfer it into efficient motor output, represents a major contributor to performance in almost all sports, including soccer. Here, we used a high-technology system (COGNIFOOT) which combines a visual environment simulator fully synchronized with a motion capture system. This system allowed us to measure objective real-time CMP parameters (passing accuracy/speed and response times) in a large turf-artificial grass playfield. Forty-six (46) young elite soccer players (including 2 female players) aged between 11 and 16 years who belonged to the same youth soccer academy were tested. Each player had to pass the ball as fast and as accurately as possible towards visual targets projected onto a large screen located 5.32 meters in front of him (a short pass situation). We observed a linear age-related increase in the CMP: the passing accuracy, speed and reactiveness of players improved by 4 centimeters, 2.3 km/h and 30 milliseconds per year of age, respectively. These data were converted into 5 point-scales and compared to the judgement of expert coaches, who also used a 5 point-scale to evaluate the same CMP parameters but based on their experience with the players during games and training. The objectively-measured age-related CMP changes were also observed in expert coaches’ judgments although these were more variable across coaches and age categories. This demonstrates that high-technology systems like COGNIFOOT can be used in complement to traditional approaches of talent identification and to objectively monitor the progress of soccer players throughout a cognitive-motor training cycle. PMID:28953958

Effects of age on the soccer-specific cognitive-motor performance of elite young soccer players: Comparison between objective measurements and coaches' evaluation.

PubMed

Hicheur, Halim; Chauvin, Alan; Chassot, Steve; Chenevière, Xavier; Taube, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

The cognitive-motor performance (CMP), defined here as the capacity to rapidly use sensory information and transfer it into efficient motor output, represents a major contributor to performance in almost all sports, including soccer. Here, we used a high-technology system (COGNIFOOT) which combines a visual environment simulator fully synchronized with a motion capture system. This system allowed us to measure objective real-time CMP parameters (passing accuracy/speed and response times) in a large turf-artificial grass playfield. Forty-six (46) young elite soccer players (including 2 female players) aged between 11 and 16 years who belonged to the same youth soccer academy were tested. Each player had to pass the ball as fast and as accurately as possible towards visual targets projected onto a large screen located 5.32 meters in front of him (a short pass situation). We observed a linear age-related increase in the CMP: the passing accuracy, speed and reactiveness of players improved by 4 centimeters, 2.3 km/h and 30 milliseconds per year of age, respectively. These data were converted into 5 point-scales and compared to the judgement of expert coaches, who also used a 5 point-scale to evaluate the same CMP parameters but based on their experience with the players during games and training. The objectively-measured age-related CMP changes were also observed in expert coaches' judgments although these were more variable across coaches and age categories. This demonstrates that high-technology systems like COGNIFOOT can be used in complement to traditional approaches of talent identification and to objectively monitor the progress of soccer players throughout a cognitive-motor training cycle.

Comparison of tensiomyographic neuromuscular characteristics between muscles of the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity in male soccer players.

PubMed

Alvarez-Diaz, Pedro; Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Ramon, Silvia; Marin, Miguel; Steinbacher, Gilbert; Rius, Marta; Seijas, Roberto; Ballester, Jordi; Cugat, Ramon

2016-07-01

Tensiomyography (TMG) has been used to assess neuromuscular characteristics of muscles of the lower extremity in soccer players. However, the effects of lower extremity dominance on TMG characteristics in this population have not been reported to date. The purpose of this study was to compare the TMG neuromuscular characteristics between the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity in male soccer players. Thirty-eight consecutive healthy male soccer players underwent resting TMG assessment of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) in both lower extremities. The maximal displacement, delay time, contraction time, sustained time, and half-relaxation time were obtained and compared between both sides. There were no significant differences in the vast majority of the TMG parameters between both lower extremities. The dominant side demonstrated higher VM contraction time (p = 0.008), RF sustained time (p = 0.009), RF half-relaxation time (p = 0.01), and BF sustained time (p = 0.04), but lower VL contraction time (p = 0.03) and VL delay time (p = 0.02) compared to the non-dominant side. In general, TMG-assessed neuromuscular characteristics of the VM, VL, RF, ST, BF, GM, and GL were not affected by lower extremity dominance in male soccer players. Therefore, there is no need to assess both sides when using TMG to monitor the response to training or muscles at risk of injury in soccer players unless there is a specific reason. Prognostic study, Level II.

Pediatric emergency department census during major sporting events.

PubMed

Kim, Tommy Y; Barcega, Besh B; Denmark, T Kent

2012-11-01

Our study attempted to evaluate the effects of major sporting events on the census of a pediatric emergency department (ED) in the United States specifically related to the National Football League Super Bowl, National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, and Major League Baseball World Series. We performed a retrospective data analysis of our pediatric ED census on the number of visits during major sporting events over a 5-year period. Data during the same period 1 week after the major sporting event were collected for comparison as the control. We evaluated the medians of 2-hour increments around the event start time. Subgroup analysis was performed for games involving the local sporting teams. Our results showed no significant difference in ED census during the sporting events, except in the post 6 to 8 hours of the NBA finals. Subgroup analysis of the Los Angeles Lakers showed the same significant findings in the post 6 to 8 hours of the NBA finals. No major difference in pediatric ED census is observed during the most major sporting events in the United States.

Kicks from the penalty mark in soccer: the roles of stress, skill, and fatigue for kick outcomes.

PubMed

Jordet, Geir; Hartman, Esther; Visscher, Chris; Lemmink, Koen A P M

2007-01-15

The soccer "penalty shootout" in the knock-out phase of major international tournaments is one of the most dramatic events in international soccer. The outcome of these kicks is typically attributed to factors such as psychology (e.g. coping with stress), skill (e.g. kicking technique), physiology (e.g. overcoming the fatigue of 120 min play), and chance (e.g. in what direction the goalkeeper moves). The purpose of this study was to use internet game record data to estimate the relative importance of these performance components for the outcome of penalty kicks in international matches. Data were collected from soccer statistics internet sites on all 41 penalty shootouts and 409 kicks taken in the World Cup, European Championships, and Copa America between 1976 and 2004. The results showed that the importance of the kicks (indicative of stress) was negatively related to the outcomes of the kicks, whereas skill and fatigue were less, or not, related to outcome. It was concluded that psychological components are most influential for the outcome of penalty kicks. We recommend that practitioners work with players to reduce the perceived importance of each kick.

Analysis of physical match performance in English Premier League soccer referees with particular reference to first half and player work rates.

PubMed

Weston, Matthew; Castagna, Carlo; Impellizzeri, Franco M; Rampinini, Ermanno; Abt, Grant

2007-12-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of first half activity, overall match intensity and seasonal variation on the physical match performances of English Premier League football referees. Match analysis data was collected using the Prozone match analysis system from 19 full-time professional referees during a total of 254 matches in the 2004-2005 season. Physical match performances were classified into three separate categories: 1, total distance covered (TD); 2, high-intensity running distance (running speed>5.5m/s, HIR); 3, average distance from infringements (DI). Using these match activity variables the influence of first half TD and HIR distances on second half activities and also the influence of players' match activities upon the referees' physical match performances were examined. The main finding of the present study was that the physical match performances of the referees were partly related to those of the players, in that the referees' HIR correlated with players' HIR (r=0.43, p<0.0001, n=212). Furthermore, first half TD and HIR distances were found to be related to second half coverage in referees (r=0.47 and r=0.52, respectively, p<0.001, n=254). These results demonstrate a need to assess the overall match intensity prior to examining the physical match performance of the referee. Further examination is required as to whether reduced physical performances in the second half of matches are a consequence of referee fatigue, tactical strategies on behalf of the referee or reduced player match activities resulting in a slower tempo of match.

High Speed Running and Sprinting Profiles of Elite Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Miñano-Espin, Javier; Casáis, Luis; Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Gómez-Ruano, Miguel Ángel

2017-01-01

Abstract Real Madrid was named as the best club of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. The aim of this study was to compare if players from Real Madrid covered shorter distances than players from the opposing team. One hundred and forty-nine matches including league, cup and UEFA Champions League matches played by the Real Madrid were monitored during the 2001-2002 to the 2006-2007 seasons. Data from both teams (Real Madrid and the opponent) were recorded. Altogether, 2082 physical performance profiles were examined, 1052 from the Real Madrid and 1031 from the opposing team (Central Defenders (CD) = 536, External Defenders (ED) = 491, Central Midfielders (CM) = 544, External Midfielders (EM) = 233, and Forwards (F) = 278). Match performance data were collected using a computerized multiple-camera tracking system (Amisco Pro®, Nice, France). A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for distances covered at different intensities (sprinting (>24.0 km/h) and high-speed running (21.1-24.0 km/h) and the number of sprints (21.1-24.0 km/h and >24.0 km/h) during games for each player sectioned under their positional roles. Players from Real Madrid covered shorter distances in high-speed running and sprint than players from the opposing team (p < 0.01). While ED did not show differences in their physical performance, CD (p < 0.05), CM (p < 0.01), EM (p < 0.01) and F (p > 0.01) from Real Madrid covered shorter distances in high-intensity running and sprint and performed less sprints than their counterparts. Finally, no differences were found in the high-intensity running and sprint distances performed by players from Real Madrid depending on the quality of the opposition. PMID:28828087

Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Glenoid in a Major League Baseball Prospect: A Case Report.

PubMed

Grau, Luis Carlos; Jose, Jean; Sama, Andrew Joseph; Baraga, Michael Gerald

2016-01-01

A 16-year-old Major League Baseball prospect presented with persistent shoulder pain associated with throwing. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a large osteochondritis dissecans lesion in the posterosuperior aspect of the glenoid. The patient was restricted from throwing and underwent therapy to improve range of motion and throwing mechanics. Eight months after initiating nonoperative treatment, an MRI arthrogram demonstrated a healed lesion. At follow-up 2 years after treatment, full relief of symptoms had persisted. Osteochondritis dissecans lesions of the glenoid are extremely rare, but have the potential to heal in overhead-throwing athletes. To our knowledge, this is the only case reported in the literature that demonstrates a healed osteochondritis dissecans lesion of the glenoid following nonoperative treatment.

Leadership Power Perceptions of Soccer Coaches and Soccer Players According to Their Education

PubMed Central

Konter, Erkut

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the leadership power perceptions of soccer coaches and soccer players according to their educational levels. Data were collected from 165 male soccer coaches and 870 male soccer players. Adapted versions of the “Power in Soccer Questionnaire-Other”, the “Power in Soccer Questionnaire-Self” and an “information form” were used for data collection, and collected data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney Tests. Analysis of the Power in Soccer Questionnaire-Other revealed significant differences between soccer players’ level of education and their perception of Coercive Power (p<.003), and no significant differences related to Referent Power, Legitimate Power and Expert Power. Analysis of the Power in Soccer Questionnaire-Self also revealed the only significant difference between coaches’ level of education and their perception of Legitimate Power (p<.001), and no significant differences with regard to others. Different perception of leadership powers between coaches and players might create communication and performance problems in soccer. PMID:23486640

Global positioning systems (GPS) and microtechnology sensors in team sports: a systematic review.

PubMed

Cummins, Cloe; Orr, Rhonda; O'Connor, Helen; West, Cameron

2013-10-01

Use of Global positioning system (GPS) technology in team sport permits measurement of player position, velocity, and movement patterns. GPS provides scope for better understanding of the specific and positional physiological demands of team sport and can be used to design training programs that adequately prepare athletes for competition with the aim of optimizing on-field performance. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the depth and scope of reported GPS and microtechnology measures used within individual sports in order to present the contemporary and emerging themes of GPS application within team sports. A systematic review of the application of GPS technology in team sports was conducted. We systematically searched electronic databases from earliest record to June 2012. Permutations of key words included GPS; male and female; age 12-50 years; able-bodied; and recreational to elite competitive team sports. The 35 manuscripts meeting the eligibility criteria included 1,276 participants (age 11.2-31.5 years; 95 % males; 53.8 % elite adult athletes). The majority of manuscripts reported on GPS use in various football codes: Australian football league (AFL; n = 8), soccer (n = 7), rugby union (n = 6), and rugby league (n = 6), with limited representation in other team sports: cricket (n = 3), hockey (n = 3), lacrosse (n = 1), and netball (n = 1). Of the included manuscripts, 34 (97 %) detailed work rate patterns such as distance, relative distance, speed, and accelerations, with only five (14.3 %) reporting on impact variables. Activity profiles characterizing positional play and competitive levels were also described. Work rate patterns were typically categorized into six speed zones, ranging from 0 to 36.0 km·h⁻¹, with descriptors ranging from walking to sprinting used to identify the type of activity mainly performed in each zone. With the exception of cricket, no standardized speed zones or definitions were observed within or between sports. Furthermore, speed zone criteria often varied widely within (e.g. zone 3 of AFL ranged from 7 to 16 km·h⁻¹) and between sports (e.g. zone 3 of soccer ranged from 3.0 to <13 km·h⁻¹ code). Activity descriptors for a zone also varied widely between sports (e.g. zone 4 definitions ranged from jog, run, high velocity, to high-intensity run). Most manuscripts focused on the demands of higher intensity efforts (running and sprint) required by players. Body loads and impacts, also summarized into six zones, showed small variations in descriptions, with zone criteria based upon grading systems provided by GPS manufacturers. This systematic review highlights that GPS technology has been used more often across a range of football codes than across other team sports. Work rate pattern activities are most often reported, whilst impact data, which require the use of microtechnology sensors such as accelerometers, are least reported. There is a lack of consistency in the definition of speed zones and activity descriptors, both within and across team sports, thus underscoring the difficulties encountered in meaningful comparisons of the physiological demands both within and between team sports. A consensus on definitions of speed zones and activity descriptors within sports would facilitate direct comparison of the demands within the same sport. Meta-analysis from systematic review would also be supported. Standardization of speed zones between sports may not be feasible due to disparities in work rate pattern activities.

Tails of the Travelling Gaussian model and the relative age effect: Tales of age discrimination and wasted talent

PubMed Central

Doyle, John R.; Angell, Rob

2017-01-01

The Relative Age Effect (RAE) documents the inherent disadvantages of being younger rather than older in an age-banded cohort, typically a school- or competition-year, to the detriment of career-progression, earnings and wellbeing into adulthood. We develop the Tails of the Travelling Gaussian (TTG) to model the mechanisms behind RAE. TTG has notable advantages over existing approaches, which have been largely descriptive, potentially confounded, and non-comparable across contexts. In Study 1, using data from the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study, we investigate the different levels of RAE bias across school-level academic subjects and “personality” traits. Study 2 concerns biased admissions to elite English Premier League soccer academies, and shows the model can still be used with minimal data. We also develop two practical metrics: the discrimination index (ID), to quantify the disadvantages facing cohort-younger children; and the wastage metric (W), to quantify the loss through untapped potential. TTG is sufficiently well-specified to simulate the consequences of ID and W for policy change. PMID:28426748

Performance after rotator cuff tear and operative treatment: a case-control study of major league baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Namdari, Surena; Baldwin, Keith; Ahn, Albert; Huffman, G Russell; Sennett, Brian J

2011-01-01

Little is known about pitching performance or lack of it among Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers who undergo operative treatment of rotator cuff tears. To assess pitching performance outcomes in MLB players who needed operative treatment of rotator cuff tears and to compare performance in these athletes with that in a control group of MLB players. Case-control study. Publicly available player profiles, press releases, and team injury reports. Thirty-three MLB pitchers with documented surgery to treat rotator cuff tears and 117 control pitchers who did not have documented rotator cuff tears were identified. Major League Baseball pitching attrition and performance variables. Players who underwent rotator cuff surgery were no more likely not to play than control players. Performance variables of players who underwent surgery improved after surgery but never returned to baseline preoperative status. Players who needed rotator cuff surgery typically were more experienced and had better earned run averages than control players. Pitchers who had symptomatic rotator cuff tears that necessitated operative treatment tended to decline gradually in performance leading up to their operations and to improve gradually over the next 3 seasons. In contrast to what we expected, they did not have a greater attrition rate than their control counterparts; however, their performances did not return to preoperative levels over the course of the study.

Estimated metabolic and mechanical demands during different small-sided games in elite soccer players.

PubMed

Gaudino, Paolo; Alberti, Giampietro; Iaia, F Marcello

2014-08-01

The present study examined the extent to which game format (possession play, SSG-P and game with regular goals and goalkeepers, SSG-G) and the number of players (5, 7 and 10 a-side) influence the physical demands of small-sided soccer games (SSGs) in elite soccer players. Training data were collected during the in-season period from 26 English Premier League outfield players using global positioning system technology. Total distance covered, distance at different speed categories and maximal speed were calculated. In addition, we focused on changes in velocity by reporting the number of accelerations and decelerations carried out during the SSGs (divided in two categories: moderate and high) and the absolute maximal values of acceleration and deceleration achieved. By taking into account these parameters besides speed and distance values, estimated energy expenditure and average metabolic power and distance covered at different metabolic power categories were calculated. All variables were normalized by time (i.e., 4min). The main findings were that the total distance, distances run at high speed (>14.4kmh(-1)) as well as absolute maximum velocity, maximum acceleration and maximum deceleration increased with pitch size (10v10>7v7>5v5; p<.05). Furthermore, total distance, very high (19.8-25.2kmh(-1)) and maximal (>25.2kmh(-1)) speed distances, absolute maximal velocity and maximum acceleration and deceleration were higher in SSG-G than in SSG-P (p<.001). On the other hand, the number of moderate (2-3ms(-2)) accelerations and decelerations as well as the total number of changes in velocity were greater as the pitch dimensions decreased (i.e., 5v5>7v7>10v10; p<.001) in both SSG-G and SSG-P. In addition, predicted energy cost, average metabolic power and distance covered at every metabolic power categories were higher in SSG-P compared to SSG-G and in big than in small pitch areas (p<.05). A detailed analysis of these drills is pivotal in contemporary football as it enables an in depth understanding of the workload imposed on each player which consequently has practical implications for the prescription of the adequate type and amount of stimulus during exercise training. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Cardiac arrest in spectators in German football stadiums. Precautionary measures, frequency and short-term outcome].

PubMed

Luiz, T; Preisegger, T; Rombach, D; Madler, C

2014-09-01

Provision of medical care is an important element of safety precautions for visitors of sports arenas. The organizational requirements are especially high if cardiac arrest occurs; how this scenario is managed may thus serve as the ultimate indicator of the quality of stadium medical care. The objectives of this study were to analyze the structures and the resources available for the medical care of spectators in German professional soccer stadiums and to identify the frequency and the primary resuscitation success of cardiac arrest. In 2011 a questionnaire-based survey was performed among the clubs of the first and second German soccer leagues regarding medical care of spectators during the seasons 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. The focus was on the qualifications of emergency teams, the equipment and the incidence of cardiac arrest. A total of 15 stadiums were included (38%) in the survey. The mean number of physicians and emergency medical technicians on site was 0.6/10,000 seats and 16/10,000 seats, respectively. Of the latter, a mean of 82% (minimum 20% and maximum 100%) had received training with automatic external defibrillators. In 87% of the stadiums regular advanced life support training (ALS) was required. The mean number of defibrillators per stadium was 2.8/10,000 seats (minimum 1.3 and maximum 3.8) including 1.7 automatic defibrillators (minimum 0.4 and maximum 2.8). For patient transport, a mean of 0.65 ALS ambulance vehicles per 10,000 seats (minimum 0.14 and maximum 1.46) were available on site. In all stadiums staff members were connected via mobile radio communication with the stadium medical control room. A total of 52 cardiac arrests (=0.25/100,000 spectators) were recorded of which 96% of the patients were transported to hospitals with spontaneous circulation. Cardiac arrests are not a rare occurrence in German soccer stadiums. The participating stadiums are overall well prepared for such incidents in terms of organization, staff and technology and due to short response times, the resuscitation success by far surpasses that of the standard emergency medical services. These findings may in addition serve as a motivational example to start resuscitation early in public information campaigns.

Effects of 12-week on-field combined strength and power training on physical performance among U-14 young soccer players.

PubMed

Wong, Pui-lam; Chamari, Karim; Wisløff, Ulrik

2010-03-01

This study examined the effects of on-field combined strength and power training (CSPT) on physical performance among U-14 young soccer players. Players were assigned to experimental (EG, n = 28) and control groups (CG, n = 23). Both groups underwent preseason soccer training for 12 weeks. EG performed CSPT twice a week, which consisted of strength and power exercises that trained the major muscles of the core, upper, and lower body. CSPT significantly (p < 0.05) improved vertical jump height, ball-shooting speed, 10 m and 30 m sprint times, Yo-Yo intermittent endurance run (YYIER), and reduced submaximal running cost (RC). CSPT had moderate effect on vertical jump, ball-shooting, 30 m sprint, and YYIER, small effect on 10 m sprint, RC, and maximal oxygen uptake. YYIER had significant (p < 0.05) correlations with 10 m (r = -0.47) and 30 m (r = -0.43) sprint times, ball-shooting speed (r = 0.51), and vertical jump (r = 0.34). The CSPT can be performed together with soccer training with no concomitant interference on aerobic capacity and with improved explosive performances. In addition, it is suggested that CSPT be performed during the preseason period rather than in-season to avoid insufficient recovery/rest or overtraining.

Repeated change-of-direction test for collegiate male soccer players.

PubMed

Mizuguchi, S; Gray, H; Calabrese, L S; Haff, G G; Sands, W A; Ramsey, M W; Cardinale, M; Stone, M H

2014-08-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the applicability of a repeated change-of-direction (RCoD) test for NCAA Division-I male soccer players. The RCoD test consisted of 5 diagonal direction changes per repetition with a soccer ball to be struck at the end. Each player performed 15 repetitions with approximately 10 seconds to jog back between repetitions. Data were collected in two sessions. In the first session, 13 players were examined for heart rate responses and blood lactate concentrations. In the second session, 22 players were examined for the test's ability to discriminate the primary from secondary players (78.0±16.1 and 10.4±13.3 minutes per match, respectively). Heart rate data were available only from 9 players due to artifacts. The peak heart rate (200.2±6.6 beats∙min-1: 99.9±3.0% maximum) and blood lactate concentration (14.8±2.4 mmol∙L-1 immediately after) resulted in approximately 3.5 and 6.4-fold increases from the resting values, respectively. These values appear comparable to those during intense periods of soccer matches. In addition, the average repetition time of the test was found to discriminate the primary (4.85±0.23 s) from the secondary players (5.10±0.24 s) (P=0.02). The RCoD test appears to induce physiological responses similar to intense periods of soccer matches with respect to heart rate and blood lactate concentration. Players with better average repetition times tend to be those who play major minutes.

Injury and illness epidemiology in soccer – effects of global geographical differences – a call for standardized and consistent research studies

PubMed Central

Gillogly, Scott; Singh, Gurcharan; Chamari, Karim

2017-01-01

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. While injuries and illnesses can affect the players’ health and performance, they can also have a major economic impact on teams. Moreover, several studies have shown the favourable association between higher player availability and team success. Therefore, injury prevention could directly impact clubs’ financial balance and teams’ performance via increased player availability. To be able to develop effective methods of injury prevention, it is vital to first determine the scope and the degree of the problem: the mechanisms and types of injuries, their frequency and severity, etc. According to the most widely known prevention model, systematic injury surveillance is the first and most fundamental step towards injury prevention. Since epidemiological studies have shown that injuries and illnesses in soccer players differ from region to region, it is important to establish a specific injuries and illness database in order to guide specific preventive actions. Since Asia is the largest continent, with the highest number of soccer players, and in the light of the long-term research on injuries performed in UEFA clubs, the authors of the present article present the AFC surveillance. Some methodological issues related to this prospective design study are discussed. The definition of injury and illness and the methods to track players’ exposure are described along with the potential challenges related to such a vast scale study. This article is also a call for action to have consistent and standardized epidemiological studies on soccer injuries and illnesses, with the aim to improve their prevention. PMID:29158618

Soccer-related Facial Trauma: Multicenter Experience in 2 Brazilian University Hospitals

PubMed Central

Dini, Gal M.; Pereira, Max D.; Gurgel, Augusto; Bastos, Endrigo O.; Nagarkar, Purushottam; Gemperli, Rolf; Ferreira, Lydia M.

2014-01-01

Background: Soccer is the most popular sport in Brazil and a high incidence of related trauma is reported. Maxillofacial trauma can be quite common, sometimes requiring prolonged hospitalization and invasive procedures. To characterize soccer-related facial fractures needing surgery in 2 major Brazilian Centers. Methods: A retrospective review of trauma medical records from the Plastic Surgery Divisions at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo–Escola Paulista de Medicina and the Hospital das Clinicas–Universidade de São Paulo was carried out to identify patients who underwent invasive surgical procedures due to acute soccer-related facial fractures. Data points reviewed included gender, date of injury, type of fracture, date of surgery, and procedure performed. Results: A total of 45 patients (31 from Escola Paulista de Medicina and 14 from Universidade de São Paulo) underwent surgical procedures to address facial fractures between March 2000 and September 2013. Forty-four patients were men, and mean age was 28 years. The fracture patterns seen were nasal bones (16 patients, 35%), orbitozygomatic (16 patients, 35%), mandibular (7 patients, 16%), orbital (6 patients, 13%), frontal (1 patient, 2%), and naso-orbito-ethmoid (1 patient, 2%). Mechanisms of injury included collisions with another player (n = 39) and being struck by the ball (n = 6). Conclusions: Although it is less common than orthopedic injuries, soccer players do sustain maxillofacial trauma. Knowledge of its frequency is important to first responders, nurses, and physicians who have initial contact with patients. Missed diagnosis or delayed treatment can lead to facial deformities and functional problems in the physiological actions of breathing, vision, and chewing. PMID:25289361

Results of 2 decades of injury surveillance and public release of data in the Australian Football League.

PubMed

Orchard, John W; Seward, Hugh; Orchard, Jessica J

2013-04-01

Injuries are common in all professional football codes (including soccer, rugby league and union, American football, Gaelic football, and Australian football). To report the epidemiology of injuries in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 1992-2012 and to identify changes in injury patterns during that period. Descriptive epidemiology study. The AFL commenced surveying injuries in 1992, with all teams and players included since 1996. An injury was defined as "any physical or medical condition that causes a player to miss a match in the regular season or finals (playoffs)." Administrative records of injury payments (which are compulsory as part of salary cap compliance) to players who do not play matches determined the occurrence of an injury. The seasonal incidence was measured in units of new injuries per club (of 40 players) per season (of 22 matches). There were 4492 players listed over the 21-year period who suffered 13,606 new injuries/illnesses and 1965 recurrent injuries/illnesses, which caused 51,919 matches to be missed. The lowest seasonal incidence was 30.3 new injuries per club per season recorded in 1993, and the highest was 40.3 recorded in 1998. The injury prevalence (missed matches through injury per club per season) varied from a low of 116.3 in 1994 to a high of 157.1 in 2011. The recurrence rate of injuries was highest at 25% in 1992 and lowest at 9% in 2012 and has steadily fallen across the 21 years (P < .01). The most frequent and prevalent injury was hamstring strain (average of 6 injuries per club per season, resulting in 20 missed matches per club per season; recurrence rate, 26%), although the rate of hamstring injuries has fallen in the past 2 seasons after a change to the structure of the interchange bench (P < .05). The rate of knee posterior cruciate ligament injuries fell in the years after a rule change to prevent knee-to-knee collisions in ruckmen (P < .01). Annual public reporting (by way of media release and reports available freely online) of injury rates, using units easily understood by laypeople, has been well received. It has also paved the way for rule changes with the primary goal of improving player safety.

Executive Functioning in Highly Talented Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Verburgh, Lot; Scherder, Erik J. A.; van Lange, Paul A.M.; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2014-01-01

Executive functions might be important for successful performance in sports, particularly in team sports requiring quick anticipation and adaptation to continuously changing situations in the field. The executive functions motor inhibition, attention and visuospatial working memory were examined in highly talented soccer players. Eighty-four highly talented youth soccer players (mean age 11.9), and forty-two age-matched amateur soccer players (mean age 11.8) in the age range 8 to 16 years performed a Stop Signal task (motor inhibition), the Attention Network Test (alerting, orienting, and executive attention) and a visuospatial working memory task. The highly talented soccer players followed the talent development program of the youth academy of a professional soccer club and played at the highest national soccer competition for their age. The amateur soccer players played at a regular soccer club in the same geographical region as the highly talented soccer players and play in a regular regional soccer competition. Group differences were tested using analyses of variance. The highly talented group showed superior motor inhibition as measured by stop signal reaction time (SSRT) on the Stop Signal task and a larger alerting effect on the Attention Network Test, indicating an enhanced ability to attain and maintain an alert state. No group differences were found for orienting and executive attention and visuospatial working memory. A logistic regression model with group (highly talented or amateur) as dependent variable and executive function measures that significantly distinguished between groups as predictors showed that these measures differentiated highly talented soccer players from amateur soccer players with 89% accuracy. Highly talented youth soccer players outperform youth amateur players on suppressing ongoing motor responses and on the ability to attain and maintain an alert state; both may be essential for success in soccer. PMID:24632735

MRI findings in soccer players with long-standing adductor-related groin pain and asymptomatic controls.

PubMed

Branci, Sonia; Thorborg, Kristian; Bech, Birthe Højlund; Boesen, Mikael; Nielsen, Michael Bachmann; Hölmich, Per

2015-05-01

Soccer players are commonly affected by long-standing adductor-related groin pain (ARGP), but the clinical significance of MRI findings in these athletes is largely unknown. Our aims were (1) to evaluate whether MRI findings are associated with long-standing ARGP in soccer players, (2) to assess MRI findings in asymptomatic soccer players and non-soccer playing controls. This cross-sectional study included 28 male soccer players with long-standing ARGP, 17 male asymptomatic soccer players and 20 male asymptomatic non-soccer playing athletes of matching age and athletic exposure. Participants underwent identical standardised and reliable clinical examination, and MRI scans (3 T) of the pelvis performed by a blinded observer. Images were consensus rated by three blinded radiologists according to a standardised MRI evaluation protocol. The associations between clinical adductor-related findings and pathological MRI findings were investigated with χ(2) statistics and OR. Central disc protrusion (p=0.027) and higher grades of pubic bone marrow oedema (BMO; p=0.027) were significantly more present in symptomatic players than asymptomatic players. However, up to 71% of asymptomatic soccer players displayed different positive MRI findings, and asymptomatic soccer players had significantly higher odds (OR ranging from 6.3 to 13.3) for BMO, adductor tendinopathy and degenerative changes than non-soccer players. ARGP in soccer players was associated with central disc protrusion and higher grades of pubic BMO. Moreover, positive MRI findings were significantly more frequent in soccer players compared with non-soccer players irrespective of symptoms, suggesting that these MRI changes may be associated with soccer play itself rather than clinical symptoms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Practitioners' Perceptions of the Soccer Extra-Time Period: Implications for Future Research.

PubMed

Harper, Liam D; Fothergill, Melissa; West, Daniel J; Stevenson, Emma; Russell, Mark

2016-01-01

Qualitative research investigating soccer practitioners' perceptions can allow researchers to create practical research investigations. The extra-time period of soccer is understudied compared to other areas of soccer research. Using an open-ended online survey containing eleven main and nine sub questions, we gathered the perceptions of extra-time from 46 soccer practitioners, all working for different professional soccer clubs. Questions related to current practices, views on extra-time regulations, and ideas for future research. Using inductive content analysis, the following general dimensions were identified: 'importance of extra-time', 'rule changes', 'efficacy of extra-time hydro-nutritional provision', 'nutritional timing', 'future research directions', 'preparatory modulations' and 'recovery'. The majority of practitioners (63%) either agreed or strongly agreed that extra-time is an important period for determining success in knockout football match-play. When asked if a fourth substitution should be permitted in extra-time, 67% agreed. The use of hydro-nutritional strategies prior to extra-time was predominately considered important or very important. However; only 41% of practitioners felt that it was the most important time point for the use of nutritional products. A similar number of practitioners account (50%) and do not (50%) account for the potential of extra-time when training and preparing players and 89% of practitioners stated that extra-time influences recovery practices following matches. In the five minute break prior to extra-time, the following practices (in order of priority) were advocated to players: hydration, energy provision, massage, and tactical preparations. Additionally, 87% of practitioners advocate a particular nutritional supplementation strategy prior to extra-time. In order of importance, practitioners see the following as future research areas: nutritional interventions, fatigue responses, acute injury risk, recovery modalities, training paradigms, injury epidemiology, and environmental considerations. This study presents novel insight into the practitioner perceptions of extra-time and provides information to readers about current applied practices and potential future research opportunities.

Practitioners' Perceptions of the Soccer Extra-Time Period: Implications for Future Research

PubMed Central

Harper, Liam D.; Fothergill, Melissa; West, Daniel J.; Stevenson, Emma; Russell, Mark

2016-01-01

Qualitative research investigating soccer practitioners’ perceptions can allow researchers to create practical research investigations. The extra-time period of soccer is understudied compared to other areas of soccer research. Using an open-ended online survey containing eleven main and nine sub questions, we gathered the perceptions of extra-time from 46 soccer practitioners, all working for different professional soccer clubs. Questions related to current practices, views on extra-time regulations, and ideas for future research. Using inductive content analysis, the following general dimensions were identified: ‘importance of extra-time’, ‘rule changes’, ‘efficacy of extra-time hydro-nutritional provision’, ‘nutritional timing’, ‘future research directions’, ‘preparatory modulations’ and ‘recovery’. The majority of practitioners (63%) either agreed or strongly agreed that extra-time is an important period for determining success in knockout football match-play. When asked if a fourth substitution should be permitted in extra-time, 67% agreed. The use of hydro-nutritional strategies prior to extra-time was predominately considered important or very important. However; only 41% of practitioners felt that it was the most important time point for the use of nutritional products. A similar number of practitioners account (50%) and do not (50%) account for the potential of extra-time when training and preparing players and 89% of practitioners stated that extra-time influences recovery practices following matches. In the five minute break prior to extra-time, the following practices (in order of priority) were advocated to players: hydration, energy provision, massage, and tactical preparations. Additionally, 87% of practitioners advocate a particular nutritional supplementation strategy prior to extra-time. In order of importance, practitioners see the following as future research areas: nutritional interventions, fatigue responses, acute injury risk, recovery modalities, training paradigms, injury epidemiology, and environmental considerations. This study presents novel insight into the practitioner perceptions of extra-time and provides information to readers about current applied practices and potential future research opportunities. PMID:27384693

Team history and choking under pressure in major soccer penalty shootouts.

PubMed

Jordet, Geir; Hartman, Esther; Vuijk, Pieter Jelle

2012-05-01

This study examined the links between historical team results and individual players' subsequent performances in a high-pressure real-world sport situation. Videos were obtained from all soccer penalty shootouts held in two major international tournaments (World Cup and European Championships) between 1976 and 2006 (n=260 players/309 kicks), and we controlled for team ability and country. The results showed that players on teams with preceding losses performed worse and generally took their shots more quickly than players on teams with preceding wins. These differences were also found with players who took no personal part in the preceding games. In conclusion, the results support the existence of historical dependency effects for performance on important and dramatic high-pressure tasks and they are in part consistent with a view of choking under pressure as a function of threatened egotism and self-regulation failure. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN STRENGTH TESTS USING ISOKINETIC DYNAMOMETRY BETWEEN FIELD AND INDOOR PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS?

PubMed Central

de Aguiar Leonardi, Adriano Barros; Martinelli, Mauro Olivio; Junior, Aires Duarte

2015-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis on isokinetic strength assessments between field and indoor male professional soccer players and correlate the findings with the higher levels of injury risk described in the literature. Methods: We analyzed 16 field soccer players and 15 indoor soccer players. All these professionals were male. Isokinetic muscle strength assessments were made on their knees. Results: The mean weight was 81.81 kg for field soccer and 80.33 kg for indoor soccer. The right and left peak extensor torque left and right for field soccer and indoor soccer were, respectively, 302.50 and 313.31 Nm and 265.20 and 279.80 Nm, and for flexors, 178 and 184.88 Nm and 158.27 and 154 Nm. The peak torque rates according to body weight for the left and right extensors for field soccer and indoor soccer were, respectively, 3.84 and 3.7 Nm/kg and 3.32 and 3.52 Nm/kg, and for flexors, 2.17 and 2.26 Nm/kg and 1.98 and 1.93 Nm/kg. The balance relationships between flexors and extensors on the right and left sides for field soccer and indoor soccer were, respectively, 59.81 and 59.44% and 60.47% and 54.80%. The relationships for extensors between the right and left sides for field soccer and indoor soccer were, respectively, 11.44 and 9.20%, and for the flexors, 7.31 and 8.80%. Conclusions: In accordance with international parameters, comparative analysis on isokinetic strength assessments between field and indoor male professional soccer players before the season showed that there was muscle balance and low probability of injury. There were no statistically significant differences in the parameters analyzed between the players of the two types of soccer. PMID:27042649

ISOKINETIC KNEE MUSCLE STRENGTH PROFILE IN BRAZILIAN MALE SOCCER, FUTSAL, AND BEACH SOCCER PLAYERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

PubMed Central

Mascarin, Naryana C.; Vargas, Valentine Z.; Vancini, Rodrigo L.; Andrade, Marília S.

2017-01-01

Background Anterior cruciate ligament injury is higher in soccer athletes as compared to athletes of other sports. Risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament injury include low knee hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio and bilateral strength deficits. Purpose To investigate isokinetic thigh muscles strength, hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio, and bilateral strength comparisons in athletes who participate in professional soccer, futsal, and beach soccer. Study Design Cross-sectional study. Methods Brazilian professional soccer (n=70), futsal (n=30), and beach soccer (n=12) players were isokinetically assessed to examine strength of knee extensors and flexors at 60 degrees/second in concentric mode, to measure peak torque of dominant and non-dominant limbs. Results In the dominant limb, for extensors muscles, futsal players presented significantly lower peak torque values (223.9 ± 33.4 Nm) than soccer (250.9 ± 43.0 Nm; p=0.02) and beach soccer players (253.1 ± 32.4 Nm; p=0.03). Peak torque for extensor muscles in the non-dominant limb was significantly lower in futsal (224.0 ± 35.8 Nm) than in beach soccer players (256.8 ± 39.8 Nm; p=0.03). Hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio for dominant limbs for futsal (57.6 ± 10.1%), soccer (53.5 ± 8.8%), and beach soccer (56.3 ± 8.4%) players presented no significant differences between groups; however, the mean values were lower than recommended values found in the literature. There were no strength deficits for any of the evaluated groups when compared bilaterally. Conclusions Futsal athletes presented lower values for quadriceps strength than soccer and beach soccer athletes. Futsal, soccer, and beach soccer players presented no strength asymmetries, but they presented with strength imbalance in hamstring/quadriceps strength ratio. Level of Evidence 3 PMID:29234562

Recent Developments in Arab Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selim, M. Saber

1978-01-01

Reports major changes, trends, and dynamics in the development of science education in the Arab states. Emphasis is given to the activities of the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (ALESCO). (SL)

A preliminary examination of neurocognitive performance and symptoms following a bout of soccer heading in athletes wearing protective soccer headbands.

PubMed

Elbin, R J; Beatty, Amanda; Covassin, Tracey; Schatz, Philip; Hydeman, Ana; Kontos, Anthony P

2015-01-01

This study compared changes in neurocognitive performance and symptom reports following an acute bout of soccer heading among athletes with and without protective soccer headgear. A total of 25 participants headed a soccer ball 15 times over a 15-minute period, using a proper linear heading technique. Participants in the experimental group completed the heading exercise while wearing a protective soccer headband and controls performed the heading exercise without wearing the soccer headband. Neurocognitive performance and symptom reports were assessed before and after the acute bout of heading. Participants wearing the headband showed significant decreases on verbal memory (p = 0.02) compared with the no headband group, while the no headband group demonstrated significantly faster reaction time (p = 0.03) than the headband group following the heading exercise. These findings suggest that protective soccer headgear likely does not mitigate the subtle neurocognitive effects of acute soccer heading.

[Volleyball sport school injuries].

PubMed

Knobloch, K; Rossner, D; Gössling, T; Richter, M; Krettek, C

2004-12-01

Ball sport school injuries account for a significant morbidity among children and adolescents. Volleyball is popular in school sport and leads frequent injuries in youth besides basketball and soccer. During a school year 2234 school sport injuries have been reported to the Gemeinde Unfall Versicherung (GUV) from all schools in Niedersachsen, Germany. The major disciplines were ball sport injuries, accounting for 59.5 % (1330 accidents), Gymnastic sport injuries follow at second position accounting for 18 % (403 accidents), followed by athletics with 8.1 %. Regarding the non-gender-specific distribution of the ball sport disciplines, basketball leads with 32.4 % (431 injuries), followed by soccer (23.8 %, 316 injuries), volleyball (17.4 %, 232 injuries), small ball games (11.2 %, 149 injuries), handball (8.3 %, 110 injuries), and hockey (4.9 %, 65 injuries). In boys, volleyball accounts third among the ball sport injuries (10 %, 63 injuries), after soccer (38 %, 245 injuries), and basketball (28.5 %, 185 injuries). In girls, volleyball was the second major ball sport injury discipline (24.8 %, 169 injuries) after basketball (36.1 %, 246 injuries), followed by small ball games (12.9 %, 88 injuries), and soccer at 4 (th) position (10.4 %, 71 injuries). The analysis of the distribution of injury during volleyball accidents dominate upper extremity injuries (71.3 %), with special emphasis on finger injuries in 53 %, followed by lower extremity injuries (21.5 %) and head injuries (4.3 %). Spine injuries were rare (0.9 %). The type of injury during volleyball school sport injuries were predominantly sprains (21 %), ligament distorsions and ruptures (20 %), fractures (17 %), and bruise (16 %). Analyzing the circumstances of the injuries, most injuries during volleyball school sport occurred without a opponent contact during ball contact (59 %), followed during movements (9 %), the landing phase (9 %), and after a strike of the ball (7 %). Volleyball injuries account for a significant number of all school sport related injuries. Upper extremity injuries account for the vast majority of all injuries especially during individual game play. Blunt trauma and fractures are most prevalent among school sport injuries in soccer. Preventive measures such as preservation of a high level of attention when scheduling a sport lesson, safety measures, and awareness of the possible severe injuries and knowledge in basic life support are mandatory to implement in school sports, since ball sport is proven to be very valuable for the physical and psychological development of the children. The role of preventive finger taping in volleyball school sport has to be evaluated in prospective clininal trials.

The Jackie Robinson I Remember.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Roger

1997-01-01

This memoir describes Jackie Robinson's historic career as the first black player in major league baseball, emphasizing his courage and determination in the face of racism, and recounting the background to his entry into baseball. (SLD)

Changes in pitching mechanics after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in major league baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Portney, Daniel A; Lazaroff, Jake M; Buchler, Lucas T; Gryzlo, Stephen M; Saltzman, Matthew D

2017-08-01

Medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction is a common procedure performed on Major League Baseball pitchers. Variations in pitching mechanics before and after UCL reconstructive surgery are not well understood. Publicly available pitch tracking data (PITCHf/x) were compared for all Major League Baseball pitchers who underwent UCL reconstruction between 2008 and 2013. Specific parameters analyzed were fastball percentage, release location, velocity, and movement of each pitch type. These data were compared before and after UCL reconstructive surgery and compared with a randomly selected control cohort. There were no statistically significant changes in pitch selection or pitch accuracy after UCL reconstruction, nor was there a decrease in pitch velocity. The average pitch release location for 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs, curveballs, and changeups is more medial after UCL reconstruction (P < .01). Four-seam fastballs and sliders showed decreased horizontal breaking movement after surgery (P < .05), whereas curveballs showed increased downward breaking movement after surgery (P < .05). Pitch selection, pitch velocity, and pitch accuracy do not significantly change after UCL reconstruction, nor do players who require UCL reconstruction have significantly different pitch selection, velocity, or accuracy than a randomly selected control cohort. Pitch release location is more medial after UCL reconstruction for all pitch types except sliders. Breaking movement of fastballs, sliders, and curveballs changes after UCL reconstruction. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Which pass is better?" Novel approaches to assess passing effectiveness in elite soccer.

PubMed

Rein, Robert; Raabe, Dominik; Memmert, Daniel

2017-10-01

Passing behaviour is a key property of successful performance in team sports. Previous investigations however have mainly focused on notational measurements like total passing frequencies which provide little information about what actually constitutes successful passing behaviour. Consequently, this has hampered the transfer of research findings into applied settings. Here we present two novel approaches to assess passing effectiveness in elite soccer by evaluating their effects on majority situations and space control in front of the goal. Majority situations are assessed by calculating the number of defenders between the ball carrier and the goal. Control of space is estimated using Voronoi-diagrams based on the player's positions on the pitch. Both methods were applied to position data from 103 German First division games from the 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2014/2015 seasons using a big data approach. The results show that both measures are significantly related to successful game play with respect to the number of goals scored and to the probability of winning a game. The results further show that on average passes from the mid-field into the attacking area are most effective. The presented passing efficiency measures thereby offer new opportunities for future applications in soccer and other sports disciplines whilst maintaining practical relevance with respect to tactical training regimes or game performances analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Major League Baseball pace-of-play rules and their influence on predicted muscle fatigue during simulated baseball games.

PubMed

Sonne, Michael W L; Keir, Peter J

2016-11-01

Major League Baseball (MLB) has proposed rule changes to speed up baseball games. Reducing the time between pitches may impair recovery from fatigue. Fatigue is a known precursor to injury and may jeopardise joint stability. This study examined how fatigue accumulated during baseball games and how different pace of play initiatives may influence fatigue. Pitcher data were retrieved from a public database. A predictive model of muscle fatigue estimated muscle fatigue in 8 arm muscles. A self-selected pace (22.7 s), 12 s pace (Rule 8.04 from the MLB) and a 20 s rest (a pitch clock examined in the 2014 Arizona Fall League (AFL)) were examined. Significantly more muscle fatigue existed in both the AFL and Rule 8.04 conditions, when compared to the self-selected pace condition (5.01 ± 1.73%, 3.95 ± 1.20% and 3.70 ± 1.10% MVC force lost, respectively). Elevated levels of muscle fatigue are predicted in the flexor-pronator mass, which is responsible for providing elbow stability. Reduced effectiveness of the flexor-pronator mass may reduce the active contributions to joint rotational stiffness, increasing strain on the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and possibly increasing injury risk.

Correlation of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and total rotational motion to shoulder injuries in professional baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Wilk, Kevin E; Macrina, Leonard C; Fleisig, Glenn S; Porterfield, Ronald; Simpson, Charles D; Harker, Paul; Paparesta, Nick; Andrews, James R

2011-02-01

Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) indicates a 20° or greater loss of internal rotation of the throwing shoulder compared with the nondominant shoulder. To determine whether GIRD and a deficit in total rotational motion (external rotation + internal rotation) compared with the nonthrowing shoulder correlate with shoulder injuries in professional baseball pitchers. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Over 3 competitive seasons (2005 to 2007), passive range of motion measurements were evaluated on the dominant and nondominant shoulders for 170 pitcher-seasons. This included 122 professional pitchers during the 3 seasons of data collection, in which some pitchers were measured during multiple seasons. Ranges of motion were measured with a bubble goniometer during the preseason, by the same examiner each year. External and internal rotation of the glenohumeral joint was assessed with the participant supine and the arm abducted 90° in the plane of the scapula, with the scapula stabilized anteriorly at the coracoid process. The reproducibility of the test methods had an intraclass correlation coefficient of .81. Days in which the player was unable to participate because of injury or surgery were recorded during the season by the medical staff of the team and defined as an injury. Pitchers with GIRD (n = 40) were nearly twice as likely to be injured as those without but without statistical significance (P = .17). Pitchers with total rotational motion deficit greater than 5° had a higher rate of injury. Minor league pitchers were more likely than major league pitchers to be injured. However, when players were injured, major league pitchers missed a significantly greater number of games than minor league pitchers. Compared with pitchers without GIRD, pitchers with GIRD appear to be at a higher risk for injury and shoulder surgery.

Deviating running kinematics and hamstring injury susceptibility in male soccer players: Cause or consequence?

PubMed

Schuermans, Joke; Van Tiggelen, Damien; Palmans, Tanneke; Danneels, Lieven; Witvrouw, Erik

2017-09-01

Although the vast majority of hamstring injuries in male soccer are sustained during high speed running, the association between sprinting kinematics and hamstring injury vulnerability has never been investigated prospectively in a cohort at risk. This study aimed to objectify the importance of lower limb and trunk kinematics during full sprint in hamstring injury susceptibility. Cohort study; level of evidence, 2. At the end of the 2013 soccer season, three-dimensional kinematic data of the lower limb and trunk were collected during sprinting in a cohort consisting of 30 soccer players with a recent history of hamstring injury and 30 matched controls. Subsequently, a 1.5 season follow up was conducted for (re)injury registry. Ultimately, joint and segment motion patterns were submitted to retro- and prospective statistical curve analyses for injury risk prediction. Statistical analysis revealed that index injury occurrence was associated with higher levels of anterior pelvic tilting and thoracic side bending throughout the airborne (swing) phases of sprinting, whereas no kinematic differences during running were found when comparing players with a recent hamstring injury history with their matched controls. Deficient core stability, enabling excessive pelvis and trunk motion during swing, probably increases the primary injury risk. Although sprinting encompasses a relative risk of hamstring muscle failure in every athlete, running coordination demonstrated to be essential in hamstring injury prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do cognitive training strategies improve motor and positive psychological skills development in soccer players? Insights from a systematic review.

PubMed

Slimani, Maamer; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Tod, David; Dellal, Alexandre; Hue, Olivier; Cheour, Foued; Taylor, Lee; Chamari, Karim

2016-12-01

Soccer players are required to have well-developed physical, technical and cognitive abilities. The present systematic review, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, examined the effects of cognitive training strategies on motor and positive psychological skills development in soccer performance and identified the potential moderators of the "cognitive training-soccer performance" relationship. Thirteen databases were systematically searched using keywords related to psychological or cognitive training in soccer players. The review is based on 18 studies, employing 584 soccer players aged 7-39 years. Cognitive strategies, particularly imagery, appear to improve sports performance in soccer players. Regarding imagery, the combination of two different types of cognitive imagery training (i.e., cognitive general and cognitive specific) has a positive influence on soccer performance during training, whereas motivational imagery (i.e., motivational general-arousal, motivational general-mastery and motivational specific) enhance competition performance. Younger soccer players employ cognitive general and cognitive specific imagery techniques to a greater extent than older soccer players. Combined cognitive training strategies were more beneficial than a single cognitive strategy relative to motor skills enhancement in elite (particularly midfielders) and amateur (i.e., when practising complex and specific soccer skills in precompetitive period) soccer players. In conclusion, it appears that there are differences in cognitive/psychological training interventions, and their efficacy, according to whether they are directed towards training or competition, and the age, standard and playing position of the players.

Osteochondral lesions of the ankle joint in professional soccer players: treatment with autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis.

PubMed

Valderrabano, Victor; Barg, Alexej; Alattar, Abdulhameed; Wiewiorski, Martin

2014-12-01

Acute and recurrent ankle sprains and other trauma to the ankle joint are common injuries in soccer and can be accompanied by or result in osteochondral lesions of the ankle joint, majorly of the talus. Conservative treatment frequently fails. Several operative treatment techniques exist; however, the choice of the right procedure is difficult due to lack of literature with a high level of evidence. We present our treatment method for acute and chronic ankle osteochondral lesions with cystic formation approached by a new surgical technique combining bone plasty and a collagen matrix (autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis). Therapeutic, Level IV: Case series. © 2014 The Author(s).

The preventive effect of a soccer-specific ankle brace on acute lateral ankle sprains in girls amateur soccer players: study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Thijs, Karin; Huisstede, Bionka; Goedhart, Edwin; Backx, Frank

2017-07-27

Acute lateral ankle sprains are the single most often diagnosed injury in female soccer players and often result in an inability to play. This highlights the need for effective prevention strategies. Proprioceptive training and/or the use of an external support to decrease inversion of the ankle joint can prevent or reduce the number of acute lateral ankle sprains. The effectiveness of a soccer-specific ankle brace in reducing first-time and recurrent acute lateral ankle sprains has never been investigated in girl soccer players. If effective, ankle braces could be introduced into soccer. Cluster-randomised controlled trial. Girl amateur soccer players (aged 14-18 years) will be allocated to an intervention or control group. The intervention group will be instructed to wear soccer-specific ankle braces on both ankles during soccer training and matches; the control group will continue playing soccer as usual. Primary outcomes are the incidence and severity of acute lateral ankle sprains. Secondary outcomes are the prognostic value of generalised joint hypermobility and functional stability on the risk of acute lateral ankle sprains and compliance with the intervention. The findings from this study may provide evidence to support the use of a soccer-specific ankle brace to prevent lateral ankle sprains during soccer. We hypothesise that this brace will reduce the incidence of ankle sprains among young amateur girl soccer players by 50%. The prevention of such injuries will be beneficial to players, clubs and society. The Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR6045; Pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

An analysis of use of crowd medical services at an English football league club.

PubMed

Leary, Alison; Greenwood, Peter; Hedley, Barry; Agnew, Jim; Thompson, Desmond; Punshon, Geoffrey

2008-07-01

Although crowd medical services in English league football are common, there is little data examining the use of such services. The aim of this study was to provide detailed data by examining the usage of the Crowd Medical Service at a First Division Football Club (Millwall FC) over six Football League seasons. This usage has implications in terms of resources, provision of level of service and training needs of staff. A prospective data collection form was designed and used to capture all episodes of care over the length of six football league seasons, each approximately 9 months in duration which resulted in a census of activity. This included episodes that did not normally require detailed documentation for statutory purposes, such as informal advice. There were 445 episodes of care recorded over 146 home games. Over six years presentation was consistent. This gives a mean of 3.14 episodes per game (2.7-4.1). There is little research in this area and so it is difficult to compare uptake with other clubs. The episodes of care were broadly grouped into medical (67.0%) or injury (33.0%). Most of those presenting did so with non-emergent (pre-existing) medical problems or minor injuries. Staff (for example Stewards) made up 44% of consultations. One hundred and eight people had a primary and secondary reason for presenting. Such episodes are more time consuming and in turn have an impact on resources. Some stated they had presented because of ease of access to the service, they found access to their General Practitioner (GP) difficult or were not registered with a GP at all. The principal focus of a crowd medical service is to manage a major incident and medically emergent spectators. The majority of presentations were minor injuries and pre-existing medical conditions. In addition staff make up a significant proportion of the users. Some re-focussing of guidance is therefore necessary if these results are typical of English League Football. In turn this reflects a need for more education in the management of minor injuries and chronic disease management and recognition in training and service provision.

SoccerStories: a kick-off for visual soccer analysis.

PubMed

Perin, Charles; Vuillemot, Romain; Fekete, Jean-Daniel

2013-12-01

This article presents SoccerStories, a visualization interface to support analysts in exploring soccer data and communicating interesting insights. Currently, most analyses on such data relate to statistics on individual players or teams. However, soccer analysts we collaborated with consider that quantitative analysis alone does not convey the right picture of the game, as context, player positions and phases of player actions are the most relevant aspects. We designed SoccerStories to support the current practice of soccer analysts and to enrich it, both in the analysis and communication stages. Our system provides an overview+detail interface of game phases, and their aggregation into a series of connected visualizations, each visualization being tailored for actions such as a series of passes or a goal attempt. To evaluate our tool, we ran two qualitative user studies on recent games using SoccerStories with data from one of the world's leading live sports data providers. The first study resulted in a series of four articles on soccer tactics, by a tactics analyst, who said he would not have been able to write these otherwise. The second study consisted in an exploratory follow-up to investigate design alternatives for embedding soccer phases into word-sized graphics. For both experiments, we received a very enthusiastic feedback and participants consider further use of SoccerStories to enhance their current workflow.

Effort Thrombosis Presenting as Pulmonary Embolism in a Professional Baseball Pitcher

PubMed Central

Bushnell, Brandon D.; Anz, Adam W.; Dugger, Keith; Sakryd, Gary A.; Noonan, Thomas J.

2009-01-01

Context: Effort thrombosis, or Paget-Schroetter’s syndrome, is a rare subset of thoracic outlet syndrome in which deep venous thrombosis of the upper extremity occurs as the result of repetitive overhead motion. It is occasionally associated with pulmonary embolism. This case of effort thrombosis and pulmonary embolus was in a 25-year-old major league professional baseball pitcher, in which the only presenting complaints involved dizziness and shortness of breath without complaints involving the upper extremity—usually, a hallmark of most cases of this condition. The patient successfully returned to play for 5 subsequent seasons at the major league level after multimodal treatment that included surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Objective: Though rare, effort thrombosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of throwing athletes with traditional extremity-focused symptoms and in cases involving pulmonary or thoracic complaints. Rapid diagnosis is a critical component of successful treatment. PMID:23015912

The relative age effect in youth soccer players from Spain.

PubMed

Gutierrez Diaz Del Campo, David; Pastor Vicedo, Juan Carlos; Gonzalez Villora, Sixto; Contreras Jordan, Onofre Ricardo

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the existence of Relative Age Effect (RAE) at youth level in both elite and amateur Spanish soccer clubs, and also to carry out an analysis providing with information on how this effect has evolved in recent years. We have obtained information on the youth teams of the 20 clubs belonging to the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) in two separate seasons (2005-2006 and 2008-2009) as well as data on five youth academies belonging to amateur clubs. The collected data revealed an over- representation of players born in the first months of the selection year in all groups of analysis (Elite 2005-2006, Elite 2008-2009 and Amateurs), although only the Elite groups showed significant variations in birth-date distribution in relation to the Spanish population. The results showed a reduction in RAE from the 2005-2006 season to the 2008-2009 season. The following variables - playing position, the number of years each player has spent in their specific age group and the category of the team at each club were shown not to have influence on the extent of RAE. Key pointsThere was RAE in all groups analyzed, although only the Elite groups showed significant variations in birth-date distribution in relation to the general population.RAE is more evident in the Elite groups than in the Amateur probably because of the detection process, which is more thorough in the Elite groups.Playing position, number of years in their specific age group and category of the team did not have any influence on the extent of RAE.Any attempts to prevent RAE should be based on a stable sport policy and the implication of all the stakeholders in the system. All of them should think in the development of a player as a long-term project.

Peer relationships in adolescent competitive soccer: associations to perceived motivational climate, achievement goals and perfectionism.

PubMed

Ommundsen, Yngvar; Roberts, Glyn C; Lemyre, Pierre-Nicolas; Miller, Blake W

2005-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the perceived motivational climate, achievement goals, perfectionism and indices of peer relationships in a sample of young male and female Norwegian soccer players. The sample consisted of 1719 experienced soccer players (1231 males, 488 females) aged 12-19 years (mean = 14.9 years) participating in the Norway Cup international youth soccer competition. The players responded to a questionnaire measuring perceived peer acceptance and quality of friendship in soccer, perceived motivational climate, achievement goals and perfectionism in soccer. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that young female players who perceived the motivational climate as predominantly mastery oriented, and who were moderately task oriented and scored negatively on maladaptive perfectionism, reported better relations with their peers in soccer. Constructive peer relations were evident in that they scored positively on companionship with their best friend in soccer; they perceived this friend as being loyal and allowing of free discussion, and they reported being socially accepted by their peers in soccer. Mirroring these findings, young male players who perceived the motivational climate as predominantly performance oriented, who had a moderately negative score on task orientation but a quite strong positive score on maladaptive perfectionism, reported negative relationships with peers in terms of these aspects. They also reported being in conflict with their best soccer friend. The findings suggest that the qualities of motivation have a systematic relationship with peer acceptance and the quality of friendship in male and female youth soccer.

Condom use among heterosexual immigrant Latino men in the southeastern United States.

PubMed

Knipper, Emily; Rhodes, Scott D; Lindstrom, Kristen; Bloom, Fred R; Leichliter, Jami S; Montaño, Jaime

2007-10-01

Latinos in the United States have been disproportionately affected by the intersecting epidemics of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We examined correlates of condom use among adult heterosexual Latino men who are members of a large multicounty soccer league in rural North Carolina. Of 222 participants, the mean (+/-SD) age was 29.8 (+/-8.3) years. Approximately 60% reported Mexico as their country of origin, 60% reported Grade 8 or below as their highest level of education, and 50% reported using condoms during their most recent vaginal intercourse episodes. Adjusting for relationship status, multivariable logistic regression identified four correlates of condom use: having sought health care information from family members (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.48-9.13); greater knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention (AOR = 2.61; CI = 1.23-5.54); greater condom use self-efficacy (AOR = 4.45; 95% CI = 2.12-9.36); and greater adherence to traditional masculine norms (AOR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.02-4.33). Our findings underscore the need for innovative and targeted HIV and STD prevention programming among the emerging Latino community in the southeastern United States.

Implementation of the 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement in contact and collision sports: a joint position statement from 11 national and international sports organisations.

PubMed

Patricios, Jon S; Ardern, Clare L; Hislop, Michael David; Aubry, Mark; Bloomfield, Paul; Broderick, Carolyn; Clifton, Patrick; Echemendia, Ruben J; Ellenbogen, Richard G; Falvey, Éanna Cian; Fuller, Gordon Ward; Grand, Julie; Hack, Dallas; Harcourt, Peter Rex; Hughes, David; McGuirk, Nathan; Meeuwisse, Willem; Miller, Jeffrey; Parsons, John T; Richiger, Simona; Sills, Allen; Moran, Kevin B; Shute, Jenny; Raftery, Martin

2018-05-01

The 2017 Berlin Concussion in Sport Group Consensus Statement provides a global summary of best practice in concussion prevention, diagnosis and management, underpinned by systematic reviews and expert consensus. Due to their different settings and rules, individual sports need to adapt concussion guidelines according to their specific regulatory environment. At the same time, consistent application of the Berlin Consensus Statement's themes across sporting codes is likely to facilitate superior and uniform diagnosis and management, improve concussion education and highlight collaborative research opportunities. This document summarises the approaches discussed by medical representatives from the governing bodies of 10 different contact and collision sports in Dublin, Ireland in July 2017. Those sports are: American football, Australian football, basketball, cricket, equestrian sports, football/soccer, ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and skiing. This document had been endorsed by 11 sport governing bodies/national federations at the time of being published. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Rate of return to pitching and performance after Tommy John surgery in Major League Baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Erickson, Brandon J; Gupta, Anil K; Harris, Joshua D; Bush-Joseph, Charles; Bach, Bernard R; Abrams, Geoffrey D; San Juan, Angielyn M; Cole, Brian J; Romeo, Anthony A

2014-03-01

Medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction is a common procedure performed on Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers in the United States. To determine (1) the rate of return to pitching (RTP) in the MLB after UCL reconstruction, (2) the RTP rate in either the MLB and minor league combined, (3) performance after RTP, and (4) the difference in the RTP rate and performance between pitchers who underwent UCL reconstruction and matched controls without UCL injuries. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Major League Baseball pitchers with symptomatic medial UCL deficiency who underwent UCL reconstruction were evaluated. All player, elbow, and surgical demographic data were analyzed. Controls matched by age, body mass index, position, handedness, and MLB experience and performance were selected from the MLB during the same years as those undergoing UCL reconstruction. An "index year" was designated for controls, analogous to the UCL reconstruction year in cases. Return to pitching and performance measures in the MLB were compared between cases and controls. Student t tests were performed for analysis of within-group and between-group variables, respectively. A total of 179 pitchers with UCL tears who underwent reconstruction met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Of these, 148 pitchers (83%) were able to RTP in the MLB, and 174 pitchers were able to RTP in the MLB and minor league combined (97.2%), while only 5 pitchers (2.8%) were never able to RTP in either the MLB or minor league. Pitchers returned to the MLB at a mean 20.5 ± 9.72 months after UCL reconstruction. The length of career in the MLB after UCL reconstruction was 3.9 ± 2.84 years, although 56 of these patients were still currently actively pitching in the MLB at the start of the 2013 season. The revision rate was 3.9%. In the year before UCL reconstruction, pitching performance declined significantly in the cases versus controls in the number of innings pitched, games played, and wins and the winning percentage (P < .05). After surgery, pitchers showed significantly improved performance versus before surgery (fewer losses, a lower losing percentage, lower earned run average [ERA], threw fewer walks, and allowed fewer hits, runs, and home runs) (P < .05). Comparisons between cases and controls for the time frame after UCL reconstruction (cases) or the index year (controls) demonstrated that cases had significantly (P < .05) fewer losses per season and a lower losing percentage. In addition, cases had a significantly lower ERA and allowed fewer walks and hits per inning pitched. There is a high rate of RTP in professional baseball after UCL reconstruction. Performance declined before surgery and improved after surgery. When compared with demographic-matched controls, patients who underwent UCL reconstruction had better results in multiple performance measures. Reconstruction of the UCL allows for a predictable and successful return to the MLB.

Television commercial violence during nonviolent programming: the 1998 major league baseball playoffs.

PubMed

Anderson, C R

2000-10-01

To identify the frequency of violent commercials during the major league baseball playoffs in 1998 and to compare it with the 1996 playoffs. All 4 World Series games televised on the Fox Television Network (Fox), all 6 National League Championship Series (NLCS) televised by Fox, and 5 of 6 American League Championship Series (ALCS) playoff games televised by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) were videotaped in October 1998. The results were compared with a similar study that analyzed the 1996 playoffs. Forty-four commercials (11.0 per game) that included violent interactions were noted during the World Series, 53 violent commercials (8.8 per game) during the NLCS, and 40 (8.0 per game) during the ALCS for a total of 137. Of these 137 violent commercials, 78 contained at least 1 violent act, 126 contained at least 1 violent threat, and 12 contained evidence of at least 1 violent consequence. One hundred five of the 137 violent commercials (76.6%) were television promotions and 23 (16.8%) were for big-screen movie promotions. Twenty-three of 35 big-screen movie promotions (65.7%) were violent. Ten of the 137 violent commercials (7.3%) contained obvious blood, of which 9 were televised by NBC. There were, however, an additional 20 commercials televised by Fox that contained visible blood if the videotape was slowed or paused. Sixty-three of the 137 violent commercials (46.0%) used fire and explosions, of which 53 were televised by Fox and 10 by NBC. Guns were involved in 86 of 137 violent commercials (62.8%), with Fox accounting for 64 (6.4 per game) and NBC accounting for 22 (4.4 per game). Knives were used in 1 violent commercial on both Fox and NBC. Comparisons that can be made to 1996 include the following: 1) violent commercials during the World Series (both televised by Fox) increased from 10.1 to 11.0 per game; and 2) violent commercials during the ALCS (both televised by NBC) increased from 6.0 to 8.0 per game. Commercials during the 1998 major league playoffs were similar in violent content, compared with 1996. The violent commercials continue to consist primarily of promotions for television programs and big-screen movies. It continues to be counterintuitive to find such commercials in family-oriented programming and makes it difficult for parents to avoid exposing their children to this form of violence.

Return to Play and Future ACL Injury Risk Following ACL Reconstruction In Soccer Athletes From the MOON Group

PubMed Central

Brophy, Robert H.; Schmitz, Leah; Wright, Rick W.; Dunn, Warren R.; Parker, Richard D.; Andrish, Jack T.; McCarty, Eric C.; Spindler, Kurt P.

2013-01-01

Background There is limited information on outcomes and return to play (RTP) after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in soccer athletes. Hypothesis The purpose of this study was to (i) test the hypotheses that player sex, side of injury and graft choice do not influence RTP, and (ii) define the risk for future ACL injury in soccer players after ACLR. Study design Retrospective cohort study, Level II. Methods Soccer players in a prospective cohort were contacted to determine RTP following ACLR. Information regarding if and when they returned to play, their current playing status, the primary reason they stopped playing soccer (if relevant) and incidence of subsequent ACL surgery was recorded. Results Initially, 72% of 100 soccer athletes (55 male, 45 female) with a mean age of 24.2 years at the time of ACL reconstruction returned to soccer. At average follow up of 7.0 years, 36% were still playing, a significant decrease compared to initial RTP (p<0.0001). Based on multivariate analysis, older athletes (p=0.006) and females (p=0.037) were less likely to return to play. Twelve soccer athletes had undergone further ACL surgery, including 9 on the contralateral knee and 3 on the ipsilateral knee. In a univariate analysis, females were more likely to have future ACL surgery (20% v. 5.5%, p=0.03). Soccer athletes who underwent ACLR on their non-dominant limb had a higher future rate of contra-lateral ACLR (16%) than soccer athletes who underwent ACLR on their dominant limb (3.5%) (p=0.03). Conclusion Younger and male soccer players are more likely to return to play after ACL reconstruction. Return to soccer following ACLR declines over time. PMID:23002201

The efficacy of acute nutritional interventions on soccer skill performance.

PubMed

Russell, Mark; Kingsley, Michael

2014-07-01

The use of nutritional ergogenic aids in team sports such as soccer is now commonplace. Aligned with the primary aim of soccer, which is to score more goals than the opposition within the allotted time, the quality of performance of technical actions (i.e., skills) executed during soccer-specific exercise is likely to determine success. However, when seeking to maintain soccer skill performance, information about the efficacy of nutritional interventions is lacking and factors which might modulate the efficacy of such strategies are unclear. This review aimed (i) to systematically evaluate the current research that examines the efficacy of nutritional interventions on soccer skills, and (ii) to provide a qualitative commentary on factors that have the potential to modulate the efficacy of such strategies. Relevant databases (PubMed and SPORTDiscus) were searched up to and including 1 July, 2013 for studies that investigated the efficacy of acute nutritional interventions on soccer skill performances. Overall, 279 records were retrieved. Articles were sequentially excluded from the review based on specific criteria, being: (A) articles that did not report outcomes directly relating to skilled performances in soccer, (B) articles that examined the influence of interventions that were not nutritional in origin and/or were nutritional in origin but provided >3 hours before skill testing commenced, (C) articles that were review papers, and (D) post-acceptance withdrawal of articles methods from database. Articles were independently assessed for the quality of the methods employed based upon the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Records achieving a minimum PEDro score of 5 out of 10 were included in this review. Qualitative appraisal of 13 articles was performed after the application of exclusion criteria and quality assurance processes. The majority (n = 8) of articles examined the influence of carbohydrates on technical performance whereas fewer studies investigated the influence of caffeine ingestion (n = 2) and fluid provision (n = 3). Findings were reported for a total of 171 participants and all but one of the included articles used cross-over study designs. Most participants (94 %) were male, highly trained (reported maximal aerobic capacity range 50-59 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) and exercised in temperate environments (reported temperature range 13-25 °C). Six of the eight studies reported that carbohydrates, consumed in the form of a 6-8 % solution of glucose, sucrose or maltodextrin at rates of 30-60 g·h(-1), enhanced at least one aspect of skilled performance over the duration of exercise (75-90 min). Although some evidence exists to support the consumption of caffeine (6 mg·kg(-1) body mass [BM]) and prescribed fluid to preserve skills performed during soccer-specific exercise, findings from the small number of included studies were inconsistent. The outcome measures and methods used to quantify skilled performance were not consistent across studies; consequently, it was not possible to perform meta-analyses to produce pooled effect sizes in this review. The findings from this systematic review suggest that nutritional interventions, which provide carbohydrate, caffeine and fluid, have potential to preserve skills performed under conditions that induce soccer-specific fatigue. The weight of current evidence supports the consumption of carbohydrate, but is less conclusive with respect to caffeine and fluid provision. It is likely that the efficacy of a nutritional intervention will be modulated by factors including the dose consumed, the mode of administration, individual responsiveness to the intervention and interactions with other physiological changes occurring during soccer-specific exercise. Consequently, these factors should be considered when using carbohydrates, caffeine and fluid provision to maintain skilled performances in soccer. Future research should seek to optimise the nutritional strategies employed to maintain technical performance throughout match-play.

Effects of Sex and Event Type on Head Impact in Collegiate Soccer

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Bryson B.; Patrie, James; Henry, Erich J.; Goodkin, Howard P.; Broshek, Donna K.; Wintermark, Max; Druzgal, T. Jason

2017-01-01

Background: The effects of head impact in sports are of growing interest for clinicians, scientists, and athletes. Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide, but the burden of head impact in collegiate soccer is still unknown. Purpose: To quantify head impact associated with practicing and playing collegiate soccer using wearable accelerometers. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Mastoid patch accelerometers were used to quantify head impact in soccer, examining differences in head impact as a function of sex and event type (practice vs game). Seven female and 14 male collegiate soccer players wore mastoid patch accelerometers that measured head impacts during team events. Data were summarized for each athletic exposure, and statistical analyses evaluated the mean number of impacts, mean peak linear acceleration, mean peak rotational acceleration, and cumulative linear and rotational acceleration, each grouped by sex and event type. Results: There were no differences in the frequency or severity of head impacts between men’s and women’s soccer practices. For men’s soccer, games resulted in 285% more head impacts than practices, but there were no event-type differences in mean impact severity. Men’s soccer games resulted in more head impacts than practices across nearly all measured impact severities, which also resulted in men’s soccer games producing a greater cumulative impact burden. Conclusion: Similar to other sports, men’s soccer games have a greater impact burden when compared with practices, and this effect is driven by the quantity rather than severity of head impacts. In contrast, there were no differences in the quantity or severity of head impacts in men’s and women’s soccer practices. These data could prompt discussions of practical concern to collegiate soccer, such as understanding sex differences in head impact and whether games disproportionately contribute to an athlete’s head impact burden. PMID:28491885

Professional soccer is associated with radiographic cam and pincer hip morphology.

PubMed

Falotico, Guilherme Guadagnini; Arliani, Gustavo Gonçalves; Yamada, André Fukunishi; Fernandes, Artur da Rocha Correa; Ejnisman, Benno; Cohen, Moises

2018-06-06

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is characterized by a triad: symptoms, clinical signs and imaging findings. Some individuals, especially athletes, have only imaging alterations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cam and pincer morphology in professional soccer players compared with a control group of non-athletes and to investigate the association between the age at which players start playing competitive soccer more than three times per week and duration of the soccer career with the prevalence of these radiographic findings. The prevalence of cam and pincer morphology in sixty professional adult male soccer players and thirty-two male controls was determined using pelvic anteroposterior radiography. Data were recorded for all hips and correlated with the age at which the players started competitive soccer practice and with the duration of their soccer career. The prevalence of morphological FAI in the soccer players was 92.5% versus 28.1% in the controls (p < 0.001). The duration of the soccer career was positively correlated with the alpha angle (p = 0.033) and negatively correlated with the retroversion index (p = 0.009). The age at which competitive play began was inversely correlated with the alpha angle (p < 0.001). The study showed a high prevalence of cam and pincer morphology in Brazilian professional soccer players compared with controls. The duration of the soccer career was associated with an increased alpha angle and a decreased retroversion index, and the age at which competitive soccer participation began was negatively associated with alpha angle values. Finally, this manuscript provides data about the association between greater exposure to soccer and cam and pincer morphological changes in the hip; specifically, cam morphology was more common in patients who began participating in sports at earlier ages. This information serves as an alert for coaches of youth teams to manage the training load in youth athletes. III.

Sudden cardiac death in the soccer field: a retrospective study in young soccer players from 2000 to 2013.

PubMed

Davogustto, Giovanni; Higgins, John

2014-11-01

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, with over 200 million active players. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents the most striking as well as the most common cause of death in the soccer field. Underlying cardiovascular pathologies predispose to life threatening ventricular arrhythmias and SCD in soccer players. Up to thousands to hundred thousands players might have an underlying condition that predisposes them for SCD. After several media striking SCD events in soccer players the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has made screening recommendations that are more thorough than the ones recommended for the American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology. We present a retrospective search through Internet databases that resulted in 54 soccer players with SCD events from 2000 until 2013. In this article, we will describe and discuss the conditions of those cases of SCD in order to provide more knowledge of the factors that may precipitate SCD in young soccer players.

BIG PLAY. Hospitals team up with biggest names in pro sports to score brand awareness.

PubMed

Robeznieks, Andis

2016-07-01

Partnering with major league baseball, basketball, hockey, football and even lacrosse teams isn't just about building brand recognition. It's also a way to promote health and fitness in the community.

Complex network study of Brazilian soccer players

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onody, Roberto N.; de Castro, Paulo A.

2004-09-01

Although being a very popular sport in many countries, soccer has not received much attention from the scientific community. In this paper, we study soccer from a complex network point of view. First, we consider a bipartite network with two kinds of vertices or nodes: the soccer players and the clubs. Real data were gathered from the 32 editions of the Brazilian soccer championship, in a total of 13411 soccer players and 127 clubs. We find a lot of interesting and perhaps unsuspected results. The probability that a Brazilian soccer player has worked at N clubs or played M games shows an exponential decay while the probability that he has scored G goals is power law. Now, if two soccer players who have worked at the same club at the same time are connected by an edge, then a new type of network arises (composed exclusively by soccer player nodes). Our analysis shows that for this network the degree distribution decays exponentially. We determine the exact values of the clustering coefficient, the assortativity coefficient and the average shortest path length and compare them with those of the Erdös-Rényi and configuration model. The time evolution of these quantities are calculated and the corresponding results discussed.

JPRS Report, West Europe, Reference Aid, Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations of Italy

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-27

Italiana Naturisti bookseller bookshop Italian League for Divorce International League of Human Rights Italian Naturists League (i.e., nudists ...perpendiculari L.P.S. Lavori, Ponti e Strade l.r. lanciarazzi Italian Navy League National Naturists League (i.e., nudists ) Italian Origins Book

Are Female Soccer Players at an Increased Risk of Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Compared With Their Athletic Peers?

PubMed

Allen, Melissa M; Pareek, Ayoosh; Krych, Aaron J; Hewett, Timothy E; Levy, Bruce A; Stuart, Michael J; Dahm, Diane L

2016-10-01

Female soccer players have a well-known risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, but few studies have reported on second ACL injuries in this population. To (1) report the rates of subsequent ACL injury (ipsilateral graft rupture or contralateral tear) in competitive female soccer players, (2) compare these rates with those of other female athletes of similar competitive level, (3) determine risk factors for second ACL injury, and (4) report clinical outcome scores in this population. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. The medical records at a single institution were reviewed for female patients who were injured during a competitive athletic event and treated with primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) between 1998 and 2013. Patients were followed for a mean of 68.8 months postoperatively (range, 24-115.2 months). Clinical outcome was obtained via Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores. Soccer players were matched 1:1 to non-soccer athletes for age, activity level, and graft type. A total of 180 female ACLR patients with a mean ± SD age of 19.6 ± 6.9 years met the study inclusion and exclusion criteria (90 soccer players and 90 non-soccer players). Soccer players sustained more second ACL injuries, including both graft failures (11% vs 1%; P < .01) and contralateral ACL tears (17% vs 4%; P < .01), compared with non-soccer players. Of the 67 patients who returned to soccer after ACLR (mean age, 17.5 years; range, 13-27 years), significantly more had graft tears compared with those who did not return to soccer (15% vs 0%, respectively; P = .04); however, the difference in contralateral ACL tears (19% for returning players vs 9% for those who did not return; P = .34) was not significant. Relatively older age (odds ratio, 1.5 per year; P = .03) was a significant risk factor for ACL graft tear but not for contralateral ACL injury. Both groups had similar mean Lysholm (96 vs 95) and IKDC scores (95 vs 96) at final follow-up. Twenty-eight percent of all female soccer players and 34% of those players who returned to soccer had a second ACL tear. Soccer players had an increased rate of both graft tear and contralateral ACL injury compared with similar non-soccer athletes. Older age and return to soccer were significant risk factors for graft rupture. © 2016 The Author(s).

Eating and nutrition habits in young competitive athletes: a comparison between soccer players and cyclists.

PubMed

Galanti, Giorgio; Stefani, Laura; Scacciati, Irene; Mascherini, Gabriele; Buti, Gabriella; Maffulli, Nicola

2015-01-01

The study evaluated the dietary habits in two groups of young athletes, practicing two different sports: soccer players and cycling. The dietary habits of 47 athletes were investigated by questionnaire. Body Mass Index, Fat Mass, Free Fat Mass, Total Body, Intracellular, Extracellular Water and Phase Angle were measured by bioimpedance. The t-Student test for unpaired data was used. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Body Mass Index was similar between the groups, while total body water and extracellular water were significantly higher in the soccer player group (soccer players: 63.8±1.96%; cyclists : 59.8 ± 8.7%; and soccer players 43.9±3.1%, cyclists 43.8 ±2.1%, respectively). Fatty mass of the soccer player group (14.5±2.9%) was significantly lower than that of the cyclist group (19.5±3.6%). Daily food intake was similar between the two groups (2844 kCal/die for soccer players /2630 kcal/die for cyclists), and lower than recommended. There was a low intake of Calcium (soccer players 1120±128.9 mg/die, cyclists 718±309 mg/die) for both groups, and a low intake of Potassium for soccer player (2576 mg/die ± 52.4) The caloric intake of adolescent athletes is lower than recommended. Body composition is significantly different between soccer players and cyclists.

Eating and nutrition habits in young competitive athletes: a comparison between soccer players and cyclists.

PubMed Central

Galanti, Giorgio; Stefani, Laura; Scacciati, Irene; Mascherini, Gabriele; Buti, Gabriella; Maffulli, Nicola

2015-01-01

The study evaluated the dietary habits in two groups of young athletes, practicing two different sports: soccer players and cycling. The dietary habits of 47 athletes were investigated by questionnaire. Body Mass Index, Fat Mass, Free Fat Mass, Total Body, Intracellular, Extracellular Water and Phase Angle were measured by bioimpedance. The t-Student test for unpaired data was used. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Body Mass Index was similar between the groups, while total body water and extracellular water were significantly higher in the soccer player group (soccer players: 63.8±1.96%; cyclists : 59.8 ± 8.7%; and soccer players 43.9±3.1%, cyclists 43.8 ±2.1%, respectively). Fatty mass of the soccer player group (14.5±2.9%) was significantly lower than that of the cyclist group (19.5±3.6%). Daily food intake was similar between the two groups (2844 kCal/die for soccer players /2630 kcal/die for cyclists), and lower than recommended. There was a low intake of Calcium (soccer players 1120±128.9 mg/die, cyclists 718±309 mg/die) for both groups, and a low intake of Potassium for soccer player (2576 mg/die ± 52.4) The caloric intake of adolescent athletes is lower than recommended. Body composition is significantly different between soccer players and cyclists. PMID:25674549

Changes in physical size among major league baseball players and its attribution to elite offensive performance.

PubMed

Crotin, Ryan L; Forsythe, Charles M; Bhan, Shivam; Karakolis, Thomas

2014-10-01

Major League Baseball (MLB) players have not been longitudinally examined for changes in physical size. Height, weight, and body mass indices (BMIs) were examined among offensive league leaders (OLL) and MLB reference cohorts at 1970, 1990, and 2010. Anthropometric values were expected to increase successively, where OLL were expected to be larger at each respective time point. A Mixed Model analysis of variance (p ≤ 0.05) examined anthropometric differences over time within and between groups. Mass and BMI increased over successive years with the largest effect seen between 1990 and 2010 (p < 0.001). A significant height reduction was shown for OLL from 1970 to 1990 (p ≤ 0.05), being the only significant decrease in physical size; yet, leaders were heavier and taller compared with the MLB reference population (p < 0.014). Results show that physical size has evolved in MLB, with the OLL being the largest players shown at each year in succession. Professional baseball scouts may have been influenced by greater offensive prowess shown by larger athletes; yet, increased secular anthropometrics must also be factored in greater heights, weights, BMIs shown over time in MLB. It is possible that greater participation in strength and conditioning programs at an earlier age, advances in sport nutrition, and potential abuse of anabolic drugs are factors perpetuating growth rates at present.

The Politics of the League of Women Voters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Naomi

1983-01-01

The League of Women Voters is often regarded as having retarded the participation of women in American electoral politics because of its nonpartisan stance. However, many League members have used the League as an entry into electoral politics, and the League has supported many issues important to women. (IS)

Issues Encountered by Physicians During International Travel With Youth National Soccer Teams

PubMed Central

Rosenbaum, Daryl A.; Davis, Stephen W.

2011-01-01

Background: Little information is available to guide the selection, preparation, and support of a traveling team physician. Purpose: To determine the types of injuries and medical problems, as well as general team health and performance issues, encountered by physicians traveling internationally with youth national soccer teams. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology. Methods: Physicians assigned to travel abroad with the under-17 men’s and women’s US national soccer teams during a 2-year period documented all encounters with team and staff members. Physicians also documented consultations related to team health and performance issues. Results: The 108 cases (5.71 per 10 days) were evenly divided between injuries (n = 54) and noninjuries (n = 54). Players sought care at a higher rate than did staff (2.28 vs 1.09 per 100 person days). Mean severity for all player cases was 5.19 days missed (injuries, 10.48; noninjuries, 0.23). Nearly 69% of injuries involved the lower extremities: strains, sprains, and contusions accounted for 74.1% of injuries. Gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and otolaryngologic complaints accounted for 77.8% of noninjuries. Medications were administered in 71% of cases, with analgesics, cough and cold remedies, antibiotics, and gastrointestinal agents accounting for the majority. The leading team health and performance concerns were nutrition/hydration, conditioning, prevention, and doping control. Conclusion: Physicians traveling internationally with youth soccer teams manage an equal proportion of musculoskeletal and medical problems using simple medications. PMID:23016012

'Thoroughly Good Football': Teachers and the Origins of Elementary School Football.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerrigan, Colm

2000-01-01

Discusses the origins of elementary school soccer (football), addressing topics such as: the role of public schools in organized soccer, soccer in elementary schools, the first schoolboy soccer association, South London Schools' Football Association, the London Schools' Football Association, and the English Schools' Football Association. (CMK)

Student Surveys - "You Don't Think about the Good Things"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutcliffe, Ruth; Linfield, Rachel Sparks; Geldart, Ros

2014-01-01

The National Student Survey (NSS), which is a major source of data for UK league tables, is completed by students in their final year of study at all publically funded Higher Education Institutions in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the majority in Scotland. It asks for twenty-two statements to be considered. An apparent lack of definition of…

How jet lag impairs Major League Baseball performance.

PubMed

Song, Alex; Severini, Thomas; Allada, Ravi

2017-02-07

Laboratory studies have demonstrated that circadian clocks align physiology and behavior to 24-h environmental cycles. Examination of athletic performance has been used to discern the functions of these clocks in humans outside of controlled settings. Here, we examined the effects of jet lag, that is, travel that shifts the alignment of 24-h environmental cycles relative to the endogenous circadian clock, on specific performance metrics in Major League Baseball. Accounting for potential differences in home and away performance, travel direction, and team confounding variables, we observed that jet-lag effects were largely evident after eastward travel with very limited effects after westward travel, consistent with the >24-h period length of the human circadian clock. Surprisingly, we found that jet lag impaired major parameters of home-team offensive performance, for example, slugging percentage, but did not similarly affect away-team offensive performance. On the other hand, jet lag impacted both home and away defensive performance. Remarkably, the vast majority of these effects for both home and away teams could be explained by a single measure, home runs allowed. Rather than uniform effects, these results reveal surprisingly specific effects of circadian misalignment on athletic performance under natural conditions.

How jet lag impairs Major League Baseball performance

PubMed Central

Song, Alex; Severini, Thomas; Allada, Ravi

2017-01-01

Laboratory studies have demonstrated that circadian clocks align physiology and behavior to 24-h environmental cycles. Examination of athletic performance has been used to discern the functions of these clocks in humans outside of controlled settings. Here, we examined the effects of jet lag, that is, travel that shifts the alignment of 24-h environmental cycles relative to the endogenous circadian clock, on specific performance metrics in Major League Baseball. Accounting for potential differences in home and away performance, travel direction, and team confounding variables, we observed that jet-lag effects were largely evident after eastward travel with very limited effects after westward travel, consistent with the >24-h period length of the human circadian clock. Surprisingly, we found that jet lag impaired major parameters of home-team offensive performance, for example, slugging percentage, but did not similarly affect away-team offensive performance. On the other hand, jet lag impacted both home and away defensive performance. Remarkably, the vast majority of these effects for both home and away teams could be explained by a single measure, home runs allowed. Rather than uniform effects, these results reveal surprisingly specific effects of circadian misalignment on athletic performance under natural conditions. PMID:28115724

P-Soccer: Soccer Games Application using Kinect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasir, Mohamad Fahim Mohamed; Suparjoh, Suriawati; Razali, Nazim; Mustapha, Aida

2018-05-01

This paper presents a soccer game application called P-Soccer that uses Kinect as the interaction medium between users and the game characters. P-Soccer focuses on training penalty kicks with one character who is taking the kick. This game is developed based on the Game Development Life Cycle (GDLC) methodology. Results for alpha and beta testing showed that the target users are satisfied with overall game design and theme as well as the interactivity with the main character in the game.

Emergency response facilities including primary and secondary prevention strategies across 79 professional football clubs in England.

PubMed

Malhotra, Aneil; Dhutia, Harshil; Gati, Sabiha; Yeo, Tee-Joo; Finocchiaro, Gherardo; Keteepe-Arachi, Tracey; Richards, Thomas; Walker, Mike; Birt, Robin; Stuckey, David; Robinson, Laurence; Tome, Maite; Beasley, Ian; Papadakis, Michael; Sharma, Sanjay

2017-06-14

To assess the emergency response planning and prevention strategies for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) across a wide range of professional football clubs in England. A written survey was sent to all professional clubs in the English football league, namely the Premiership, Championship, League 1 and League 2. Outcomes included: (1) number of clubs performing cardiac screening and frequency of screening; (2) emergency planning and documentation; (3) automated external defibrillator (AED) training and availability; and (4) provision of emergency services at sporting venues. 79 clubs (86%) responded to the survey. 100% clubs participated in cardiac screening. All clubs had AEDs available on match days and during training sessions. 100% Premiership clubs provided AED training to designated staff. In contrast, 30% of lower division clubs with AEDs available did not provide formal training. Most clubs (n=66; 83%) reported the existence of an emergency action plan for SCA but formal documentation was variable. All clubs in the Premiership and League 1 provided an ambulance equipped for medical emergencies on match days compared with 75% of clubs in the Championship and 66% in League 2. The majority of football clubs in England have satisfactory prevention strategies and emergency response planning in line with European recommendations. Additional improvements such as increasing awareness of European guidelines for emergency planning, AED training and mentorship with financial support to lower division clubs are necessary to further enhance cardiovascular safety of athletes and spectators and close the gap between the highest and lower divisions. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

User-oriented summary extraction for soccer video based on multimodal analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Huayong; Jiang, Shanshan; He, Tingting

2011-11-01

An advanced user-oriented summary extraction method for soccer video is proposed in this work. Firstly, an algorithm of user-oriented summary extraction for soccer video is introduced. A novel approach that integrates multimodal analysis, such as extraction and analysis of the stadium features, moving object features, audio features and text features is introduced. By these features the semantic of the soccer video and the highlight mode are obtained. Then we can find the highlight position and put them together by highlight degrees to obtain the video summary. The experimental results for sports video of world cup soccer games indicate that multimodal analysis is effective for soccer video browsing and retrieval.

Academic characteristics of orthopedic team physicians affiliated with high school, collegiate, and professional teams.

PubMed

Makhni, Eric C; Buza, John A; Byram, Ian; Ahmad, Christopher S

2015-11-01

We conducted a study to determine the academic involvement and research productivity of orthopedic team physicians at high school, college, and professional levels of sport. Through Internet and telephone queries, we identified 1054 team physicians from 362 institutions, including 120 randomly selected high schools and colleges and 122 professional teams (baseball, basketball, football, hockey). For all physicians included in the study, we performed a comprehensive search of the Internet and of a citation database to determine academic affiliations, number of publications, and h-index values. Of the 1054 physicians, 678 (64%) were orthopedic surgeons. Percentage of orthopedic team physicians affiliated with an academic medical center was highest in professional sports (64%; 173/270) followed by collegiate sports (36%; 98/275) and high school sports (20%; 27/133). Median number of publications per orthopedic team physician was significantly higher in professional sports (30.6) than in collegiate sports (10.7) or high school sports (6). Median number of publications by orthopedic physicians also varied by sport, with the highest number in Major League Baseball (37.9; range, 0-225) followed by the National Basketball Association (32.0; range, 0-227) and the National Football League (30.4; range, 0-460), with the lowest number within the National Hockey League (20.7; range, 0-144). Academic affiliation and research productivity of orthopedic team physicians vary by competition level and professional sporting league.

The Creative Soccer Platform: New Strategies for Stimulating Creativity in Organized Youth Soccer Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasmussen, Ludvig Johan Torp; Østergaard, Lars Domino

2016-01-01

Creativity is essential in soccer due to the unpredictable and complex situations occurring in the game, where stereotypical play gradually loses its efficiency. Further, creativity is an important psychological factor for the development of soccer expertise, and valuing creativity increases satisfaction and well-being. Although creative players…

The Effects of in-Season Repeated Sprint Training Compared to Regular Soccer Training.

PubMed

Nedrehagen, Eirik Solberg; Saeterbakken, Atle Hole

2015-12-22

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of repeated sprints (RSA) training and regular soccer training on Yo-Yo IR-1 and RSA performance (6 x 40 m shuttle sprints). Thirteen semi-professional female soccer players and nine amateur male soccer players were randomised into a repeated sprint group (RSG; n = 12) or a regular soccer training group (STG; n = 10). The RSG soccer players executed 3-4 sets of 4-6 repeated sprints (30 m with 180° directional changes) weekly during the last eight weeks of the in-season. In parallel, the STG soccer players performed low- to moderate intensity soccer training in form of technical or tactical skills. The RSG showed 15% improvement in Yo-Yo IR-1 (p = 0.04; ES = 1.83) and their mean RSA times were reduced by 1.5% (p = 0.02; ES = 0.89). No significant changes were found for the STG (Yo-Yo IR-1, p = 0.13; RSA, p = 0.49). Comparing the groups, greater improvements were observed in Yo-Yo IR-1 for the RSG (p = 0.02; ES = 1.15), but not for the RSA (p = 0.23; ES = -0.33). Similar training volumes and intensities (% of HFmax) were observed between the groups (p = 0.22 and p = 0.79). In conclusion, a weekly RSA session integrated into a regular soccer regime improved in-season RSA and Yo-Yo IR-1 performance compared to regular soccer training.

Effects of Plyometric and Sprint Training on Physical and Technical Skill Performance in Adolescent Soccer Players.

PubMed

Sáez de Villarreal, Eduardo; Suarez-Arrones, Luis; Requena, Bernardo; Haff, Gregory G; Ferrete, Carlos

2015-07-01

To determine the influence of a short-term combined plyometric and sprint training (9 weeks) within regular soccer practice on explosive and technical actions of pubertal soccer players during the in-season. Twenty-six players were randomly assigned to 2 groups: control group (CG) (soccer training only) and combined group (CombG) (plyometric + acceleration + dribbling + shooting). All players trained soccer 4 times per week and the experimental groups supplemented the soccer training with a proposed plyometric-sprint training program for 40 minutes (2 days per weeks). Ten-meter sprint, 10-m agility with and without ball, CMJ and Abalakov vertical jump, ball-shooting speed, and Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test were measured before and after training. The experimental group followed a 9-week plyometric and sprint program (i.e., jumping, hurdling, bouncing, skipping, and footwork) implemented before the soccer training. Baseline-training results showed no significant differences between the groups in any of the variables tested. No improvement was found in the CG; however, meaningful improvement was found in all variables in the experimental group: CMJ (effect size [ES] = 0.9), Abalakov vertical jump (ES = 1.3), 10-m sprint (ES = 0.7-0.9), 10-m agility (ES = 0.8-1.2), and ball-shooting speed (ES = 0.7-0.8). A specific combined plyometric and sprint training within regular soccer practice improved explosive actions compared with conventional soccer training only. Therefore, the short-term combined program had a beneficial impact on explosive actions, such as sprinting, change of direction, jumping, and ball-shooting speed which are important determinants of match-winning actions in soccer performance. Therefore, we propose modifications to current training methodology for pubertal soccer players to include combined plyometric and speed training for athlete preparation in this sport.

Return to sports after arthroscopic capsulolabral repair using knotless suture anchors for anterior shoulder instability in soccer players: minimum 5-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Álvarez-Díaz, Pedro; Doblas, Jesús; Steinbacher, Gilbert; Seijas, Roberto; Ares, Oscar; Boffa, Juan José; Cuscó, Xavier; Cugat, Ramón

2016-02-01

To report the return to sports and recurrence rates in competitive soccer players after arthroscopic capsulolabral repair using knotless suture anchors at a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. All competitive soccer players with anterior glenohumeral instability treated by arthroscopic capsulolabral repair using knotless suture anchors between 2002 and 2009 were retrospectively identified through the medical records. Inclusion criteria were: no previous surgical treatment of the involved shoulder, absence of glenoid or tuberosity fractures, absence of large Hill-Sachs or glenoid bone defect, minimum follow-up of 5 years, instability during soccer practice or games, and failure of non-surgical treatment. The charts of included players were reviewed, and a phone call was performed in a cross-sectional manner to obtain information on: current soccer, return to soccer, recurrence of instability, shoulder function (Rowe score), and disability [Quick-Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score and Quick-DASH Sports/Performing Arts Module]. Fifty-seven young male soccer players were finally included with a median (range) follow-up of 8 (5-10) years. Forty-nine (86 %) of the soccer players were able to return to soccer and 36 of them (73 %) at the same pre-injury level. There were 6 (10.5 %) re-dislocations in the 57 players, all of them of traumatic origin produced during soccer and other unrelated activities. The main reasons to not return to soccer were: knee injuries (two players), changes in personal life (two players), and job-related (three players). None of the players quit playing soccer because of their shoulder instability injury. The median (range) Rowe score, Quick-DASH score, and Quick-DASH sports score were 80 (25-100), 2.3 (0-12.5), and 0 (0-18.8), respectively. Competitive soccer players undergoing arthroscopic capsulolabral repair with knotless suture anchors for shoulder instability without significant bone loss demonstrate excellent return to play at mid-to-long-term follow-up, with a 10.5 % chances of re-dislocating. IV.

The development of aerobic and skill assessment in soccer.

PubMed

O'Reilly, John; Wong, Stephen H S

2012-12-01

Methods of assessing soccer players' performance have developed significantly in recent times. The fitness profiles and skill levels of a prospective elite soccer player is a valuable resource for coaches in the process of identifying talent. Traditional means to measure aerobic fitness have centred on the 'aerobic capacity' or '&OV0312;O(2max)' test (also known as the maximal oxygen consumption test) but, over time, this has been shown not to be a sensitive measure for specific aspects of soccer in a match situation. Therefore, numerous soccer-specific simulations have been designed to re-create exercise patterns similar to those experienced during a match. Some of these studies have yet to be validated, while others have been shown to result in a similar physiological load to that encountered during regular match play. Further developments have led to specifically designed intermittent sprint tests, which are used as a sensitive tool to accurately measure the fluctuations in players' ability both between and within soccer seasons. Testing procedures have also been developed that incorporate elements of both skill and physical ability. Soccer-specific field tests have been designed, incorporating skill and dynamic movements, and this opens up the possibility of teams testing the aerobic capacity of their elite players using soccer-specific movements. Valid studies assessing soccer-specific skills in an ecologically sound environment have been quite rare until recently. Some test protocols have been deemed largely irrelevant to soccer match play, while others have had limited impact on scientific literature. More recently, skill tests have been developed and shown to be valid and reliable methods of assessing soccer skill performance. Many new skill tests continue to be developed, and some have been shown to be highly reliable, but further study of these relatively novel concepts is required before a more solid recommendation can be made. Overall, while significant work has been completed to date, there is still a need for further focused investigations, which can more closely assess the physiological demands of an elite soccer player, with a particular emphasis on sport-specific exercises during the execution of soccer skills. In this regard, more reliable and specific performance tests can be designed to more efficiently assess soccer players in the future.

Nutritional Intake of Young Italian High-Level Soccer Players: Under-Reporting is the Essential Outcome

PubMed Central

Caccialanza, Riccardo; Cameletti, Barbara; Cavallaro, Gianfranco

2007-01-01

It is recognized that much of the dietary data on adolescents and athletes is prone to reporting error, mostly through under-reporting. Nevertheless, in the majority of studies assessing the nutritional intake of young soccer players under-reporting has not been taken into consideration. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary intake of a sample of young male Italian high-level soccer players on two time points to evaluate the degree of under- reporting. Seventy-five male high level soccer players (age range: 15-17 years) completed 4-day food records on two separate occasions (T0; T1, 3 months after T0). Under-reporting was assessed by the ratio of reported estimated energy intake (EEI) to estimated energy expenditure (EEE). Forty- three subjects, whose food records were judged accurate enough both at T0 and T1, were included in the data analysis (inclusion rate 57.3%). No significant weight changes were documented between T0 and T1 and in the two weeks preceding both T0 and T1. Reported mean daily energy intake was significantly lower than mean estimated daily energy expenditure both at T0 and T1 (p < 0.001). The average EEI/EEE ratio was 0.75 + 0.2 both at T0 and T1. It was ≤ 80% in 27 subjects (62.8%) at T0 and in 23 (53.4%) at T1; it reached 50% in 4 subjects both at T0 and T1. The degree of under- reporting of the young soccer players was in line with the available data on this age group. This study emphasizes that under-reporting is a critical issue in the evaluation of young athletes dietary intake, which should be considered in the interpretation of data, particularly when energy inadequacies are reported. Further studies with uniformed methods are needed, in order to reduce the degree of under-reporting, obtain reliable data on the dietary intake of young soccer players and evaluate the efficacy of targeted nutrition education programs. Key pointsUnder-reporting is a critical issue in the evaluation of young athletes’ dietary intake, which should be always considered in the interpretation of data.The young athletes’ motivation and parents’ co-operation are key points that should be enhanced in this kind of studies.The nutritional intakes of young Italian high-level soccer players are likely to be qualitative inadequate, due to excessive cholesterol and very poor fiber intakes. PMID:24149489

Heading in Soccer: Integral Skill or Grounds for Cognitive Dysfunction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkendall, Donald T.; Garrett, William E., Jr.

2001-01-01

Discusses how purposeful heading of soccer balls and head injuries affect soccer players' cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive deficits may occur for many reasons. Heading cannot be blamed when details of the actual event and impact are unknown. Concussions are the most common head injury in soccer and a factor in cognitive deficits and are probably…

Youth Sport Development through Soccer: An Evaluation of an After-School Program Using the TPSR Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cryan, Mark; Martinek, Thomas

2017-01-01

The Soccer Coaching Club program used the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model in an after-school soccer program for sixth grade boys between 11 and 12 years old in a local middle school. Soccer, as the featured physical activity, provided the "hook" for regular attendance. Desired outcomes included improved…

[Doping practices and behaviours among Ivorian soccer players].

PubMed

Dah, Cyrille; Bogui, Pascal; Yavo, Jean-Claude; Gourouza, Issa; Ouattara, Soualiho; Keita, Mustapha

2002-01-01

We have conducted a survey of doping among soccer players in Côte d'Ivoire with a representative sample of 150 soccer players who filled out an anonymous questionnaire. The aim of this survey was to get a clearer picture of doping in Ivorian soccer in order to suggest preventive actions against doping. The results of this study showed that doping was known by the Ivorian soccer players; about 18.7% admitted to the use of doping substances, 42% recognised that they felt tempted by doping, while 38% knew another soccer player who had already used a doping substance. Government and sports organisations should recognize the importance of education and information in the antidoping campaign and agree on effective preventive as well as repressive strategies.

Using Statcast to lift the discussion of projectile motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegel, P. B.

2017-04-01

Home run data from Major League Baseball's Statcast can be described by adding a lift force to the equations of projectile motion commonly used in undergraduate computational physics courses. We discuss how the Statcast data can be implemented in the classroom.

Validity of Soccer Injury Data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Injury Surveillance System

PubMed Central

Kucera, Kristen L.; Marshall, Stephen W.; Bell, David R.; DiStefano, Michael J.; Goerger, Candice P.; Oyama, Sakiko

2011-01-01

Context: Few validation studies of sport injury-surveillance systems are available. Objective: To determine the validity of a Web-based system for surveillance of collegiate sport injuries, the Injury Surveillance System (ISS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA). Design: Validation study comparing NCAA ISS data from 2 fall collegiate sports (men's and women's soccer) with other types of clinical records maintained by certified athletic trainers. Setting: A purposive sample of 15 NCAA colleges and universities that provided NCAA ISS data on both men's and women's soccer for at least 2 years during 2005–2007, stratified by playing division. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 737 men's and women's soccer athletes and 37 athletic trainers at these 15 institutions. Main Outcome Measure(s): The proportion of injuries captured by the NCAA ISS (capture rate) was estimated by comparing NCAA ISS data with the other clinical records on the same athletes maintained by the athletic trainers. We reviewed all athletic injury events resulting from participation in NCAA collegiate sports that resulted in 1 day or more of restricted activity in games or practices and necessitated medical care. A capture-recapture analysis estimated the proportion of injury events captured by the NCAA ISS. Agreement for key data fields was also measured. Results: We analyzed 664 injury events. The NCAA ISS captured 88.3% (95% confidence interval = 85.9%, 90.8%) of all time-lost medical-attention injury events. The proportion of injury events captured by the NCAA ISS was higher in Division I (93.8%) and Division II (89.6%) than in Division III (82.3%) schools. Agreement between the NCAA ISS data and the non–NCAA ISS data was good for the majority of data fields but low for date of full return and days lost from sport participation. Conclusions: The overall capture rate of the NCAA ISS was very good (88%) in men's and women's soccer for this period. PMID:22488136

Assessment of neuromuscular risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament injury through tensiomyography in male soccer players.

PubMed

Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Alvarez-Diaz, Pedro; Ramon, Silvia; Marin, Miguel; Steinbacher, Gilbert; Boffa, Juan José; Cuscó, Xavier; Ballester, Jordi; Cugat, Ramon

2015-09-01

To investigate the role of mechanical and contractile properties of skeletal muscles of the thigh, assessed through tensiomyography (TMG), as risk factors for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in male soccer players. Male soccer players with confirmed ACL tear included in this study underwent resting TMG assessment of thigh muscles of the uninjured side. The same values were obtained from a sex-, sports level-matched control group in both sides. The maximal displacement (Dm), delay time (Td), contraction time (Tc), sustained time (Ts), and half-relaxation time (Tr) were obtained for the following muscles in all subjects: vastus medialis (VM), vastus laterals (VL), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), and biceps femoris (BF). TMG values of the uninjured side in ACL-injured group were compared to mean values between both sides in the control subjects. There were 40 ACL-injured and 38 control individuals. The vast majority of TMG parameters were higher in the uninjured side of ACL-injured individuals compared to the control group. The VL-Tr, RF-Tc, RF-Ts, RF-Tr, and BF-Dm values were significantly higher in the uninjured side compared to the control group. Quadriceps muscles demonstrated more significant between-group differences than hamstring muscles. Specifically, RF was the muscle where most significant between-group differences were found. Resistance to fatigue and muscle stiffness in the hamstring muscles may be risk factors for ACL injury in male soccer players. In addition, a predominant impairment in TMG characteristics of the quadriceps over hamstrings may indicate an altered muscular co-contraction (imbalance) between both muscle groups, which might be another risk factor for ACL injury in this population. These findings should be taken into account when screening athletes at high risk of ACL injury and also to design adequate prevention programs for ACL injury in male soccer players.

The University of the National Football League: How Technology, Injury Surveillance, and Health Care Have Improved the Safety of America's Game.

PubMed

Matava, Matthew J; Görtz, Simon

2016-07-01

American football has become one of the most popular sports in the United States. Despite the millions of players at all levels of competition who gain the physical, social, and psychological rewards that football provides, many interested stakeholders continue to ask, "Is football safe?" Although there are only approximately 1,700 players on National Football League (NFL) rosters, the injuries they sustain have garnered the most attention-and criticism-from the national media. Increased public awareness of the injury potential football possesses has led to an open debate and a major shift in public sentiment over the past 5 years. Although no sport is perfectly safe, the question is whether it can be made relatively safe and if the long-term consequences are worth the risk. This article reviews the methods by which one sports league-the NFL-has used advances in medical technology and injury surveillance to improve the health and safety of its players. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Outcomes in revision Tommy John surgery in Major League Baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Liu, Joseph N; Garcia, Grant H; Conte, Stan; ElAttrache, Neal; Altchek, David W; Dines, Joshua S

2016-01-01

With the recent rise in the number of Tommy John surgeries, a proportionate rise in revisions is expected. However, much is unknown regarding the current revision rate of Tommy John surgery, return to play, and change in performance in Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers. Publicly available databases were used to obtain a list of all MLB pitchers who underwent primary and revision Tommy John surgery. Pitching performance preoperatively and postoperatively for pitchers who returned to 1 or more MLB games after revision surgery was compared with controls matched for age and position. Since 1999, 235 MLB pitchers have undergone Tommy John surgeries; 31 pitchers (13.2%) underwent revision surgery, and 37% underwent revision within 3 years of the index procedure. Twenty-six revisions had more than 2 years of follow-up; 17 pitchers (65.4%) returned to pitch at least 1 major league game, whereas only 11 (42.3%) returned to pitch 10 or more games. Of those who returned to MLB competition, the average length of recovery was 20.76 months. Compared with controls matched for age and position, MLB pitchers undergoing revision surgery had a statistically shorter career after revision surgery (4.9 vs 2.6 seasons, P = .002), pitched fewer innings, and had fewer total pitches per season. The rate of revision Tommy John surgery is substantially higher than previously reported. For MLB pitchers, return to play after revision surgery is much lower than after primary reconstruction. The overall durability of MLB pitchers after revision ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction decreases significantly compared with controls matched for age and matched controls. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is Heading in Youth Soccer Dangerous Play?

PubMed

O'Kane, John W

2016-01-01

Soccer is among the most popular youth sports with over 3 million youth players registered in the U.S. Soccer is unique in that players intentionally use their head to strike the ball, leading to concerns that heading could cause acute or chronic brain injury, especially in the immature brains of children. Pub Med search without date restriction was conducted in November 2014 and August 2015 using the terms soccer and concussion, heading and concussion, and youth soccer and concussion. 310 articles were identified and reviewed for applicable content specifically relating to youth athletes, heading, and/or acute or chronic brain injury from soccer. Soccer is a low-risk sport for catastrophic head injury, but concussions are relatively common and heading often plays a role. At all levels of play, concussions are more likely to occur in the act of heading than with other facets of the game. While concussion from heading the ball without other contact to the head appears rare in adult players, some data suggests children are more susceptible to concussion from heading primarily in game situations. Contributing factors include biomechanical forces, less developed technique, and the immature brain's susceptibility to injury. There is no evidence that heading in youth soccer causes any permanent brain injury and there is limited evidence that heading in youth soccer can cause concussion. A reasonable approach based on U.S. Youth Soccer recommendations is to teach heading after age 10 in controlled settings, and heading in games should be delayed until skill acquisition and physical maturity allow the youth player to head correctly with confidence.

Venous Thromboembolism Within Professional American Sport Leagues.

PubMed

Bishop, Meghan; Astolfi, Matthew; Padegimas, Eric; DeLuca, Peter; Hammoud, Sommer

2017-12-01

Numerous reports have described players in professional American sports leagues who have been sidelined with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE), but little is known about the clinical implications of these events in professional athletes. To conduct a retrospective review of injury reports from the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Football League (NFL) to take a closer look at the incidence of DVT/PE, current treatment approaches, and estimated time to return to play in professional athletes. Descriptive epidemiology study. An online search of all team injury and media reports of DVT/PE in NHL, MLB, NBA, and NFL players available for public record was conducted by use of Google, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. Searches were conducted using the professional team name combined with blood clot , pulmonary embolism , and deep vein thrombosis . A total of 55 venous thromboembolism (VTE) events were identified from 1999 through 2016 (NHL, n = 22; MLB, n = 16; NFL, n = 12; NBA, n = 5). Nineteen athletes were reported to have an upper extremity DVT, 15 had a lower extremity DVT, 15 had a PE, and 6 had DVT with PE. Six athletes sustained more than 1 VTE. The mean age at time of VTE was 29.3 years (range, 19-42 years). Mean (±SD) time lost from play was 6.7 ± 4.9 months (range, 3 days to career end). Seven athletes did not return to play. Players with upper extremity DVT had a faster return to play (mean ± SD, 4.3 ± 2.7 months) than those with lower extremity DVT (5.9 ± 3.8 months), PE (10.8 ± 6.8 months), or DVT with PE (8.2 ± 2.6 months) ( F = 5.69, P = .002). No significant difference was found regarding time of return to play between sports. VTE in professional athletes led to an average of 6.7 months lost from play. The majority of athletes were able to return to play after a period of anticoagulation or surgery. Those with an upper extremity DVT returned to play faster than those with other types of VTE. Further study is needed to look into modifiable risk factors for these events and to establish treatment and return-to-play guidelines to ensure the safety of these athletes.

Nutrient intake and blood iron status of male collegiate soccer players.

PubMed

Noda, Yuka; Iide, Kazuhide; Masuda, Reika; Kishida, Reina; Nagata, Atsumi; Hirakawa, Fumiko; Yoshimura, Yoshitaka; Imamura, Hiroyuki

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was: 1) to collect baseline data on nutrient intake in order to advise athletes about nutrition practices that might enhance performance, and 2) to evaluate the dietary iron intake and blood iron status of Japanese collegiate soccer players. The subjects were 31 soccer players and 15 controls. Dietary information was obtained with a food frequency questionnaire. The mean carbohydrate (6.9 g.kg-1 BW) and protein (1.3 g/kg) intakes of the soccer players were marginal in comparisons with recommended targets. The mean intakes of calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, B1, B2, and C were lower than the respective Japanese recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) or adequate dietary intakes in the soccer players. The mean intakes of green and other vegetables, milk and dairy products, fruits, and eggs were lower than the recommended targets. Thus, we recommended athletes to increase the intake of these foodstuffs along with slight increase in carbohydrate and lean meat. The mean intake of iron was higher than the respective RDA in the soccer players. A high prevalence of hemolysis (71%) in the soccer players was found. None of the soccer players and controls had anemia. Two soccer players had iron depletion, while none was found in the controls. In those players who had iron deficiency, the training load need to be lowered and/or iron intake may be increased.

A multilateral modelling of Youth Soccer Performance Index (YSPI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisyri Husin Musawi Maliki, Ahmad; Razali Abdullah, Mohamad; Juahir, Hafizan; Abdullah, Farhana; Ain Shahirah Abdullah, Nurul; Muazu Musa, Rabiu; Musliha Mat-Rasid, Siti; Adnan, Aleesha; Azura Kosni, Norlaila; Muhamad, Wan Siti Amalina Wan; Afiqah Mohamad Nasir, Nur

2018-04-01

This study aims to identify the most dominant factors that influencing performance of soccer player and to predict group performance for soccer players. A total of 184 of youth soccer players from Malaysia sport school and six soccer academy encompasses as respondence of the study. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were computed to identify the most dominant factors whereas reducing the initial 26 parameters with recommended >0.5 of factor loading. Meanwhile, prediction of the soccer performance was predicted by regression model. CFA revealed that sit and reach, vertical jump, VO2max, age, weight, height, sitting height, calf circumference (cc), medial upper arm circumference (muac), maturation, bicep, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac, 5M, 10M, and 20M speed were the most dominant factors. Further index analysis forming Youth Soccer Performance Index (YSPI) resulting by categorizing three groups namely, high, moderate, and low. The regression model for this study was significant set as p < 0.001 and R2 is 0.8222 which explained that the model contributed a total of 82% prediction ability to predict the whole set of the variables. The significant parameters in contributing prediction of YSPI are discussed. As a conclusion, the precision of the prediction models by integrating a multilateral factor reflecting for predicting potential soccer player and hopefully can create a competitive soccer games.

Effect of Core Training on 16 Year-Old Soccer Players

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afyon, Yakup Akif

2014-01-01

Core trainings have been widely used by trainers recently in order to improve performance of soccer players. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the effect of core training on some motoric capabilities of 16 years old soccer players. Thirty certified soccer players who were 16 years old from B.B. Bodrumspor Club in 2013-2014…

Ankle Injuries: Reduce the Risk by Using a Soccer-Specific Warm-up Routine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Steven; Ellis, Margery; Combs, Sue; Hunt Long, Lynn

2015-01-01

Injuries to the ankle are among the most common injuries for soccer players at any age. Soccer coaches should be aware of current research and best practices that suggest it is possible to decrease the incidence of soccer players' ankle injuries by providing an appropriate warm-up to utilize prior to practices and games. This article introduces…

Nutrient intake and food habits of soccer players: analyzing the correlates of eating practice.

PubMed

García-Rovés, Pablo M; García-Zapico, Pedro; Patterson, Angeles M; Iglesias-Gutiérrez, Eduardo

2014-07-18

Despite the impact and popularity of soccer, and the growing field of soccer-related scientific research, little attention has been devoted to the nutritional intake and eating habits of soccer players. Moreover, the few studies that have addressed this issue suggest that the nutritional intake of soccer players is inadequate, underscoring the need for better adherence to nutritional recommendations and the development and implementation of nutrition education programs. The objective of these programs would be to promote healthy eating habits for male and female soccer players of all ages to optimize performance and provide health benefits that last beyond the end of a player's career. To date, no well-designed nutrition education program has been implemented for soccer players. The design and implementation of such an intervention requires a priori knowledge of nutritional intake and other correlates of food selection, such as food preferences and the influence of field position on nutrient intake, as well as detailed analysis of nutritional intake on match days, on which little data is available. Our aim is to provide an up-to-date overview of the nutritional intake, eating habits, and correlates of eating practice of soccer players.

Soccer-Related Facial Trauma: A Nationwide Perspective.

PubMed

Bobian, Michael R; Hanba, Curtis J; Svider, Peter F; Hojjat, Houmehr; Folbe, Adam J; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Shkoukani, Mahdi A

2016-12-01

Soccer participation continues to increase among all ages in the US. Our objective was to analyze trends in soccer-related facial injury epidemiology, demographics, and mechanisms of injury. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was evaluated for soccer-related facial injuries from 2010 through 2014. Results for product code "soccer" were filtered for injures to the face. Number of injuries was extrapolated, and data were analyzed for age, sex, specific injury diagnoses, locations, and mechanisms. In all, 2054 soccer-related facial trauma entries were analyzed. During this time, the number of injures remained relatively stable. Lacerations were the most common diagnosis (44.2%), followed by contusions and fractures. The most common sites of fracture were the nose (75.1%). Of fractures with a reported mechanism of injury, the most common was head-to-head collisions (39.0%). Patients <19 years accounted for 66.9% of injuries, and athletes over 18 years old had a higher risk of fractures. The incidence of soccer-related facial trauma has remained stable, but the severity of such injuries remain a danger. Facial protection in soccer is virtually absent, and our findings reinforce the need to educate athletes, families, and physicians on injury awareness and prevention. © The Author(s) 2016.

Nutrient Intake and Food Habits of Soccer Players: Analyzing the Correlates of Eating Practice

PubMed Central

García-Rovés, Pablo M.; García-Zapico, Pedro; Patterson, Ángeles M.; Iglesias-Gutiérrez, Eduardo

2014-01-01

Despite the impact and popularity of soccer, and the growing field of soccer-related scientific research, little attention has been devoted to the nutritional intake and eating habits of soccer players. Moreover, the few studies that have addressed this issue suggest that the nutritional intake of soccer players is inadequate, underscoring the need for better adherence to nutritional recommendations and the development and implementation of nutrition education programs. The objective of these programs would be to promote healthy eating habits for male and female soccer players of all ages to optimize performance and provide health benefits that last beyond the end of a player’s career. To date, no well-designed nutrition education program has been implemented for soccer players. The design and implementation of such an intervention requires a priori knowledge of nutritional intake and other correlates of food selection, such as food preferences and the influence of field position on nutrient intake, as well as detailed analysis of nutritional intake on match days, on which little data is available. Our aim is to provide an up-to-date overview of the nutritional intake, eating habits, and correlates of eating practice of soccer players. PMID:25045939

Relative risk for concussions in young female soccer players.

PubMed

Strand, Sarah; Lechuga, David; Zachariah, Thomas; Beaulieu, Kathryn

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the relative risk and reported symptoms of concussions in 11- to 13-year-old, female soccer players. For this, a survey to compare the reported incidence of concussion in age-matched female soccer players to nonsoccer players was performed. The survey included 342 girls between the ages of 11 and 13: 195 were involved in an organized soccer team and 147 were not involved in organized soccer but were allowed to participate in any other sport or activity. A total of 94 of the 195 soccer players, or 48%, reported at least one symptom consistent with a concussion. The most prevalent symptom for these girls was headache (84%). A total of 34 of the 147 nonsoccer players, or 23%, reported at least one symptom consistent with a concussion in the previous six months. These results determined that the relative risk of probable concussions among 11- to 13-year-old, female soccer players is 2.09 (p < .001, α = .05, CI = 95%). This demonstrates that the relative risk of probable concussions in young female soccer players is significantly higher than in a control group of nonsoccer players of the same sex and age.

A four year prospective study of injuries in elite Ontario youth provincial and national soccer players during training and matchplay

PubMed Central

Mohib, Milad; Moser, Nicholas; Kim, Richard; Thillai, Maathavan; Gringmuth, Robert

2014-01-01

Introduction: With over 200 million amateur players worldwide, soccer is one of the most popular and internationally recognized sports today. By understanding how and why soccer injuries occur we hope to reduce prevalent injuries amongst elite soccer athletes. Methods: Via a prospective cohort, we examined both male and female soccer players eligible to train with the Ontario Soccer Association provincial program between the ages of 13 to 17 during the period of October 10, 2008 and April 20, 2012. Data collection occurred during all player exposures to potential injury. Exposures occurred at the Soccer Centre, Ontario Training grounds and various other venues on multiple playing surfaces. Results: A total number of 733 injuries were recorded. Muscle strain, pull or tightness was responsible for 45.6% of all injuries and ranked as the most prevalent injury. Discussion: As anticipated, the highest injury reported was muscular strain, which warrants more suitable preventive programs aimed at strengthening and properly warming up the players’ muscles. PMID:25550661

Influence of ball type on home advantage in French professional soccer.

PubMed

Dosseville, Fabrice E M

2007-04-01

The home advantage has been consistently found in soccer matches, but conclusive evidence of the origin of this home advantage has yet to be identified. One factor often thought to contribute is familiarity with a local facility. The present study examined home advantage in the French professional soccer male championships (20 teams in each Ligue 1 and 2) and explored the influence of soccer ball type on this phenomenon. Whether it is knowing how a soccer ball rolls on a particular grass surface or some other aspect, the home team can react to the situation better if they know from experience what is likely to happen. The results suggest that type of soccer ball may have an influence on home advantage. Confounding factors are discussed.

Assisted reproductive technologies and fertility "tourism": examples from global Dubai and the Ivy League.

PubMed

Inhorn, Marcia C; Shrivastav, Pankaj; Patrizio, Pasquale

2012-01-01

What motivates the global movements of infertile people searching for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs)? In this article, we attempt to answer this question by exploring infertile patients' practices of so-called "fertility tourism." Based on ethnographic research carried out with nearly 300 infertile travelers in two major ART centers--one in the global hub of the United Arab Emirates and the other at a major East Coast Ivy League university--we examine a diverse set of reasons for reproductive travel. We argue that reproductive "tourism" should be reconceptualized as reproductive "exile" in that infertile couples feel barred from accessing ARTs in their home countries. Listening to reproductive travel stories is key to understanding infertile couples' transnational "quests for conception." Stories of two couples, one from Lebanon and one from Italy, demonstrate the poignancy of these quests and begin to shed light on the complex calculus of factors governing this global movement of reproductive actors.

Self-controlled video feedback on tactical skills for soccer teams results in more active involvement of players.

PubMed

van Maarseveen, Mariëtte J J; Oudejans, Raôul R D; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

2018-02-01

Many studies have shown that self-controlled feedback is beneficial for learning motor tasks, and that learners prefer to receive feedback after supposedly good trials. However, to date all studies conducted on self-controlled learning have used individual tasks and mainly relatively simple skills. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine self-controlled feedback on tactical skills in small-sided soccer games. Highly talented youth soccer players were assigned to a self-control or yoked group and received video feedback on their offensive performance in 3 vs. 2 small-sided games. The results showed that the self-control group requested feedback mostly after good trials, that is, after they scored a goal. In addition, the perceived performance of the self-control group was higher on feedback than on no-feedback trials. Analyses of the conversations around the video feedback revealed that the players and coach discussed good and poor elements of performance and how to improve it. Although the coach had a major role in these conversations, the players of the self-control group spoke more and showed more initiative compared to the yoked group. The results revealed no significant beneficial effect of self-controlled feedback on performance as judged by the coach. Overall, the findings suggest that in such a complex situation as small-sided soccer games, self-controlled feedback is used both to confirm correct performance elements and to determine and correct errors, and that self-controlled learning stimulates the involvement of the learner in the learning process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Evidence-Based Discussion of Heading the Ball and Concussions in High School Soccer.

PubMed

Comstock, R Dawn; Currie, Dustin W; Pierpoint, Lauren A; Grubenhoff, Joseph A; Fields, Sarah K

2015-09-01

Soccer, originally introduced as a safer sport for children and adolescents, has seen a rapid increase in popularity in the United States over the past 3 decades. Recently, concerns have been raised regarding the safety of soccer ball heading (when an athlete attempts to play the ball in the air with his or her head) given the rise in concussion rates, with some calling for a ban on heading among soccer players younger than 14 years. To evaluate trends over time in boys' and girls' soccer concussions, to identify injury mechanisms commonly leading to concussions, to delineate soccer-specific activities during which most concussions occur, to detail heading-related soccer concussion mechanisms, and to compare concussion symptom patterns by injury mechanism. Retrospective analysis of longitudinal surveillance data collected from 2005-2006 through 2013-2014 in a large, nationally representative sample of US high schools. Participants were boys and girls who were high school soccer players. Concussions sustained during high school-sanctioned soccer games and practices. Mechanism and sport-specific activity of concussion. Overall, 627 concussions were sustained during 1,393,753 athlete exposures (AEs) among girls (4.50 concussions per 10,000 AEs), and 442 concussions were sustained during 1,592,238 AEs among boys (2.78 concussions per 10,000 AEs). For boys (68.8%) and girls (51.3%), contact with another player was the most common concussion mechanism. Heading was the most common soccer-specific activity, responsible for 30.6% of boys' concussions and 25.3% of girls' concussions. Contact with another player was the most common mechanism of injury in heading-related concussions among boys (78.1%) and girls (61.9%). There were few differences in concussion symptom patterns by injury mechanism. Although heading is the most common activity associated with concussions, the most frequent mechanism was athlete-athlete contact. Such information is needed to drive evidence-based, targeted prevention efforts to effectively reduce soccer-related concussions. Although banning heading from youth soccer would likely prevent some concussions, reducing athlete-athlete contact across all phases of play would likely be a more effective way to prevent concussions as well as other injuries.

Comprehensive Coach Education Reduces Head Impact Exposure in American Youth Football.

PubMed

Kerr, Zachary Y; Yeargin, Susan W; Valovich McLeod, Tamara C; Mensch, James; Hayden, Ross; Dompier, Thomas P

2015-10-01

Despite little evidence that defines a threshold of head impact exposure or that participation in youth sports leads to long-term cognitive impairments, it is prudent to identify methods of reducing the frequency of head impacts. To compare the mean number of head impacts between youth football players in practice and games between leagues that implemented the Heads Up Football (HUF) educational program and those that did not (NHUF). Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. During the 2014 season, head impact exposure was measured using xPatch accelerometers from 70 youth football players aged 8 to 15 years from 5 leagues. Data were collected during both games and practices. The NHUF group comprised 32 players from 8 teams within 3 leagues. The HUF group comprised 38 players from 7 teams within 2 leagues. Independent-sample t tests evaluated differences in head impact exposure across groups (ie, HUF and NHUF). Players (mean ± SD: age, 11.7 ± 1.4 years; height, 152.2 ± 10.5 cm; weight, 51.6 ± 9.6 kg) experienced a total of 7478 impacts over 10g, of which 4250 (56.8%) and 3228 (43.2%) occurred in practices and games, respectively. The majority of impacts occurred within the NHUF group (62.0%), followed by the HUF group (38.0%). With a 10g impact threshold, the mean number of impacts during practice per individual event was lower in the HUF group (mean ± SD, 5.6 ± 2.9) than in the NHUF group (mean ± SD, 8.9 ± 3.1; difference, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.9-3.9). This difference was attenuated when the threshold was changed to 20g but remained significant (difference, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.7-1.3). At both the 10g and 20g impact thresholds, no differences were found in games. Players who participated in HUF leagues accumulated fewer head impacts per practice at both the 10g and 20g thresholds. Youth football leagues should consider the HUF educational program, while exploring additional interventions, to help reduce the number of head impacts in players.

Comprehensive Coach Education Reduces Head Impact Exposure in American Youth Football

PubMed Central

Kerr, Zachary Y.; Yeargin, Susan W.; Valovich McLeod, Tamara C.; Mensch, James; Hayden, Ross; Dompier, Thomas P.

2015-01-01

Background: Despite little evidence that defines a threshold of head impact exposure or that participation in youth sports leads to long-term cognitive impairments, it is prudent to identify methods of reducing the frequency of head impacts. Purpose: To compare the mean number of head impacts between youth football players in practice and games between leagues that implemented the Heads Up Football (HUF) educational program and those that did not (NHUF). Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: During the 2014 season, head impact exposure was measured using xPatch accelerometers from 70 youth football players aged 8 to 15 years from 5 leagues. Data were collected during both games and practices. The NHUF group comprised 32 players from 8 teams within 3 leagues. The HUF group comprised 38 players from 7 teams within 2 leagues. Independent-sample t tests evaluated differences in head impact exposure across groups (ie, HUF and NHUF). Results: Players (mean ± SD: age, 11.7 ± 1.4 years; height, 152.2 ± 10.5 cm; weight, 51.6 ± 9.6 kg) experienced a total of 7478 impacts over 10g, of which 4250 (56.8%) and 3228 (43.2%) occurred in practices and games, respectively. The majority of impacts occurred within the NHUF group (62.0%), followed by the HUF group (38.0%). With a 10g impact threshold, the mean number of impacts during practice per individual event was lower in the HUF group (mean ± SD, 5.6 ± 2.9) than in the NHUF group (mean ± SD, 8.9 ± 3.1; difference, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.9-3.9). This difference was attenuated when the threshold was changed to 20g but remained significant (difference, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.7-1.3). At both the 10g and 20g impact thresholds, no differences were found in games. Conclusion: Players who participated in HUF leagues accumulated fewer head impacts per practice at both the 10g and 20g thresholds. Youth football leagues should consider the HUF educational program, while exploring additional interventions, to help reduce the number of head impacts in players. PMID:26779546

Risk Factors for Reoperation and Performance-Based Outcomes After Operative Fixation of Foot Fractures in the Professional Athlete: A Cross-Sport Analysis.

PubMed

Singh, Sameer K; Larkin, Kevin E; Kadakia, Anish R; Hsu, Wellington K

Professional athletes are predisposed to fractures of the foot due to large stresses placed on the lower extremity. These players are concerned with efficiently returning to play at a high level. Return-to-play rates after operative treatment have been previously reported, yet performance outcomes after such treatment are generally unknown in this population. Overall, professional athletes sustaining a foot fracture would return to play at high rates with little impact on postoperative performance or league participation. However, National Football League (NFL) athletes would have a significantly greater decline in performance due to the high-impact nature of the sport. Case series. Level 4. Athletes in the National Basketball League (NBA), NFL, Major League Baseball (MLB), and National Hockey League (NHL) undergoing operative fixation of a foot fracture were identified through a well-established protocol confirmed by multiple sources of the public record. Return-to-play rate and time to return were collected for each sport. League participation and game performance data were collected before and after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed, with significance accepted as P ≤ 0.05. A total of 77 players undergoing 84 procedures met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 98.7% (76/77) of players were able to return to play, with a median time to return across all sports of 137 days. Players returned to preoperative performance levels within 1 season of surgery. Six players (7.8%) sustained refracture requiring reoperation, all of whom were in the NBA. Percentage of games started during the season after primary operative treatment was a predictive factor for reinjury (99% vs 40%, P = 0.001). Athletes returned to play at a high rate after foot fracture fixation, with excellent postoperative performance levels, regardless of sport and fracture location. NBA athletes sustaining fifth metatarsal and navicular fractures are at greater risk of reinjury compared with other athletes. Returning to high levels of athletic participation soon after surgery may predispose athletes to refracture and subsequent reoperation. Players, coaches, and team physicians should be aware of the impact of foot fractures on career performance and longevity to best guide therapy.

The end game: Mortality outcomes in North American professional athletes.

PubMed

Lemez, S; Wattie, N; Baker, J

2018-06-01

Comprehensive investigations into the mortality outcomes of elite athletes can assist in decoding risk factors for premature mortality and provide avenues for exploring human health through engagement in sport. As such, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine lifespan trends of athletes from the 4 major sports in North America: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL). We hypothesized that proportional death rates would be similar across the 4 sports, when standardizing the data by debut years. Overall, 17 523 of 50 515 (34.7%) athletes were deceased as of the respective data collection cutoff date for their sport, with MLB players having the highest risk of imminent mortality. Professional basketball players generally had the highest relative proportion of death when standardizing data by debut year, although NHL and NFL players who debuted after 2005 had the highest proportion of death. In addition, a 1-year increase in career length significantly decreased the risk of death (HR: 0.982, 95% CI: 0.978-0.985), even after adjusting for sport type (HR: 0.977, 95% CI: 0.974-0.980). Meaningful significance should be considered given the historical and unique nature of the sample. Nevertheless, investigating risk of death differences through different occupational and biological variables can help highlight aversive trends to lifespan that permeate throughout high-performance athlete populations. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Strength and Jump Biomechanics of Elite and Recreational Female Youth Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Chrisman, Sara P.; O'Kane, John W.; Polissar, Nayak L.; Tencer, Allan F.; Mack, Christopher D.; Levy, Marni R.; Schiff, Melissa A.

2012-01-01

Context Most researchers investigating soccer injuries have studied elite athletes because they have greater athletic-exposure hours than other athletes, but most youth participate at the recreational level. If risk factors for injury vary by soccer level, then recommendations generated using research with elite youth soccer players might not generalize to recreational players. Objective To examine injury risk factors of strength and jump biomechanics by soccer level in female youth athletes and to determine whether research recommendations based on elite youth athletes could be generalized to recreational players. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Seattle Youth Soccer Association. Patients or Other Participants Female soccer players (N = 92) aged 11 to 14 years were recruited from 4 randomly selected elite (n = 50; age = 12.5 years, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]) = 12.3, 12.8 years; height = 157.8 cm, 95% CI = 155.2, 160.3 cm; mass = 49.9 kg, 95% CI = 47.3, 52.6 kg) and 4 randomly selected recreational (n = 42; age = 13.2 years, 95% CI = 13.0, 13.5 years; height = 161.1 cm, 95% CI = 159.2, 163.1 cm; mass = 50.6 kg, 95% CI = 48.3, 53.0 kg) soccer teams. Main Outcome Measure(s) Players completed a questionnaire about demographics, history of previous injury, and soccer experience. Physical therapists used dynamometry to measure hip strength (abduction, adduction, extension, flexion) and knee strength (flexion, extension) and Sportsmetrics to measure vertical jump height and jump biomechanics. We compared all measurements by soccer level using linear regression to adjust for age and mass. Results Elite players were similar to recreational players in all measures of hip and knee strength, vertical jump height, and normalized knee separation (a valgus estimate generated using Sportsmetrics). Conclusions Female elite youth players and recreational players had similar lower extremity strength and jump biomechanics. This suggests that recommendations generated from research with elite youth soccer players could be generalized to recreational players. PMID:23182007

Soccer helps build strong bones during growth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lozano-Berges, Gabriel; Matute-Llorente, Ángel; González-Agüero, Alejandro; Gómez-Bruton, Alejandro; Gómez-Cabello, Alba; Vicente-Rodríguez, Germán; Casajús, José A

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of soccer practice on bone in male and female children and adolescents. MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases were searched for scientific articles published up to and including October 2016. Twenty-seven studies were included in this systematic review (13 in the meta-analysis). The meta-analysis was performed by using OpenMeta[Analyst] software. It is well documented that soccer practice during childhood provides positive effects on bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) compared to sedentary behaviors and other sports, such as tennis, weightlifting, or swimming. Furthermore, soccer players present higher BMC and BMD in most weight-bearing sites such as the whole body, lumbar spine, hip, and legs. Moreover, bone differences were minimized between groups during prepuberty. Therefore, the maturity status should be considered when evaluating bone. According to meta-analysis results, soccer practice was positively associated with whole-body BMD either in males (mean difference 0.061; 95%CI, 0.042-0.079) or in females (mean difference 0.063; 95%CI, 0.026-0.099). Soccer may be considered a sport that positively affects bone mass during growth. Pubertal soccer players presented increased bone mass compared to controls or other athletes; however, these bone differences are minimized during the prepubertal stage. What is known: • It has been described that childhood and adolescence are important periods for bone mass and structure. • Previous studies have demonstrated that soccer participation improves bone mass in male and female children and adolescents. What is new: • The differences between soccer players and controls are more marked during puberty than prepuberty. • Weight-bearing sites such as lumbar spine, hip, femoral neck, trochanter, intertrochanteric region and both legs are particularly sensitive to soccer actions.

Injuries in youth amateur soccer and rugby players--comparison of incidence and characteristics.

PubMed

Junge, A; Cheung, K; Edwards, T; Dvorak, J

2004-04-01

In reviewing the literature on sports injuries, few studies could be found in which exposure related incidences of injury in different types of sport were compared. These studies indicated that ice hockey, handball, basketball, soccer, and rugby are popular team sports with a relatively high risk of injury. The aim of the study was to compare the characteristics and incidence of injuries in male youth amateur soccer and rugby players. This prospective cohort study comprised an initial baseline examination to ascertain the characteristics of the players and their level of performance, and a one season observation period during which a physician visited the team weekly and documented all occurring injuries. Twelve soccer and 10 rugby school teams with male amateur players aged 14-18 years were selected for the study. 145 soccer and 123 rugby players could be followed up over one season. Comparison of the incidence of soccer and rugby injuries indicated that rugby union football was associated with a significantly higher rate of injury than soccer. The differences were pronounced for contact injuries, injuries of the head, neck, shoulder, and upper extremity, as well as for concussion, fractures, dislocations, and strains. Rugby players incurred 1.5 times more overuse and training injuries in relation to exposure time, and 2.7 times more match injuries than soccer players. Three rugby players but no soccer players had to stop their participation in sport because of severe injury. The incidence of injury in New Zealand school teams playing soccer or rugby union is high, probably in part because of the low ratio of hours spent in training relative to hours spent playing matches. The development and implementation of preventive interventions to reduce the rate and severity of injury is recommended.

Injuries in youth amateur soccer and rugby players—comparison of incidence and characteristics

PubMed Central

Junge, A; Cheung, K; Edwards, T; Dvorak, J

2004-01-01

Objectives: In reviewing the literature on sports injuries, few studies could be found in which exposure related incidences of injury in different types of sport were compared. These studies indicated that ice hockey, handball, basketball, soccer, and rugby are popular team sports with a relatively high risk of injury. The aim of the study was to compare the characteristics and incidence of injuries in male youth amateur soccer and rugby players. Methods: This prospective cohort study comprised an initial baseline examination to ascertain the characteristics of the players and their level of performance, and a one season observation period during which a physician visited the team weekly and documented all occurring injuries. Twelve soccer and 10 rugby school teams with male amateur players aged 14–18 years were selected for the study. 145 soccer and 123 rugby players could be followed up over one season. Results: Comparison of the incidence of soccer and rugby injuries indicated that rugby union football was associated with a significantly higher rate of injury than soccer. The differences were pronounced for contact injuries, injuries of the head, neck, shoulder, and upper extremity, as well as for concussion, fractures, dislocations, and strains. Rugby players incurred 1.5 times more overuse and training injuries in relation to exposure time, and 2.7 times more match injuries than soccer players. Three rugby players but no soccer players had to stop their participation in sport because of severe injury. Conclusion: The incidence of injury in New Zealand school teams playing soccer or rugby union is high, probably in part because of the low ratio of hours spent in training relative to hours spent playing matches. The development and implementation of preventive interventions to reduce the rate and severity of injury is recommended. PMID:15039253

Influence of oxygen uptake kinetics on physical performance in youth soccer.

PubMed

Doncaster, Greg; Marwood, Simon; Iga, John; Unnithan, Viswanath

2016-09-01

To examine the relationship between oxygen uptake kinetics (VO2 kinetics) and physical measures associated with soccer match play, within a group of highly trained youth soccer players. Seventeen highly trained youth soccer players (age: 13.3 ± 0.4 year, self-assessed Tanner stage: 3 ± 1) volunteered for the study. Players initially completed an incremental treadmill protocol to exhaustion, to establish gaseous exchange threshold (GET) and VO2max (59.1 ± 5.4 mL kg(-1) min(-1)). On subsequent visits, players completed a step transition protocol from rest-moderate-intensity exercise, followed by an immediate transition, and from moderate- to severe-intensity exercise (moderate: 95 % GET, severe: 60 %∆), during which VO2 kinetics were determined. Physical soccer-based performance was assessed using a maximal Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) and via GPS-derived measures of physical soccer performance during soccer match play, three 2 × 20 min, 11 v 11 matches, to gain measures of physical performance during soccer match play. Partial correlations revealed significant inverse relationships between the unloaded-to-moderate transition time constant (tau) and: Yo-Yo IR1 performance (r = -0.58, P = 0.02) and GPS variables [total distance (TD): r = -0.64, P = 0.007, high-speed running (HSR): r = -0.64, P = 0.008 and high-speed running efforts (HSReff): r = -0.66, P = 0.005]. Measures of VO2 kinetics are related to physical measures associated with soccer match play and could potentially be used to distinguish between those of superior physical performance, within a group of highly trained youth soccer players.

Soccer Attenuates the Asymmetry of Rectus Abdominis Muscle Observed in Non-Athletes

PubMed Central

Idoate, Fernando; Calbet, Jose A. L.; Izquierdo, Mikel; Sanchis-Moysi, Joaquin

2011-01-01

Purpose To determine the volume and degree of asymmetry of the rectus abdominis muscle (RA) in professional soccer players. Methods The volume of the RA was determined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 15 professional male soccer players and 6 non-active male control subjects. Results Soccer players had 26% greater RA volume than controls (P<0.05), due to hypertrophy of both the dominant (28% greater volume, P<0.05) and non-dominant (25% greater volume, P<0.01) sides, after adjusting for age, length of the RA muscle and body mass index (BMI) as covariates. Total volume of the dominant side was similar to the contralateral in soccer players (P = 0.42) and in controls (P = 0.75) (Dominant/non-dominant = 0.99, in both groups). Segmental analysis showed a progressive increase in the degree of side-to-side asymmetry from the first lumbar disc to the pubic symphysis in soccer players (r = 0.80, P<0.05) and in controls (r = 0.75, P<0.05). The slope of the relationship was lower in soccer players, although this trend was not statistically significant (P = 0.14). Conclusions Professional soccer is associated with marked hypertrophy of the rectus abdominis muscle, which achieves a volume that is 26% greater than in non-active controls. Soccer induces the hypertrophy of the non-dominant side in proximal regions and the dominant side in regions closer to pubic symphysis, which attenuates the pattern of asymmetry of rectus abdominis observed in non-active population. It remains to be determined whether the hypertrophy of rectus abdominis in soccer players modifies the risk of injury. PMID:21541351

Bridging the gap between empirical results, actual strategies, and developmental programs in soccer.

PubMed

Figueiredo, António J; Gonçalves, Carlos E; Tessitore, Antonio

2014-05-01

Being one of the most prominent globalized sports, soccer played at club, national, and continental levels has a relevant societal role. At present, the specific competencies, interests, and languages of the different actors involved in the selection, development, and support of long-lasting careers of players might limit opportunities for potential talented players. Unless the cultural environment of soccer resolves the gaps between empirical results and actual soccer strategies, scientific discussion relating to the effectiveness of talent selection and development remains limited. This commentary is intended to highlight the need for developmental programs to prepare soccer personnel for a transdisciplinary dialogue, which could foster a future development of this sport. Finally, in considering the wide soccer-related employment opportunities at local, national, and international levels, the need for a clear qualification framework is crucial.

Mechanisms of injury for concussions in university football, ice hockey, and soccer.

PubMed

Delaney, J Scott; Al-Kashmiri, Ammar; Correa, José A

2014-05-01

To examine the mechanisms of injury for concussions in university football, ice hockey, and soccer. Prospective cohort design. McGill University Sport Medicine Clinic. Male and female athletes participating in varsity football, ice hockey, and soccer. Athletes were followed prospectively over a 10-year period to determine the mechanisms of injury for concussions and whether contact with certain areas of the body or individual variables predisposed to longer recovery from concussions. For soccer, data were collected on whether concussions occurred while attempting to head the ball. There were 226 concussions in 170 athletes over the study period. The side/temporal area of the head or helmet was the most common area to be struck resulting in concussion in all 3 sports. Contact from another player's head or helmet was the most probable mechanism in football and soccer. In hockey, concussion impacts were more likely to occur from contact with another body part or object rather than another head/helmet. Differences in mechanisms of injuries were found between males and females in soccer and ice hockey. Athletes with multiple concussions took longer to return to play with each subsequent concussion. Half of the concussions in soccer were related to attempting to head the soccer ball. The side of the head or helmet was the most common area to be struck resulting in concussion in all 3 sports. In ice hockey and soccer, there are differences in the mechanisms of injury for males and females within the same sport.

Level of functional capacities following soccer-specific warm-up methods among elite collegiate soccer players.

PubMed

Vazini Taher, Amir; Parnow, Abdolhossein

2017-05-01

Different methods of warm-up may have implications in improving various aspects of soccer performance. The present study aimed to investigate acute effects of soccer specific warm-up protocols on functional performance tests. This study using randomized within-subject design, investigated the performance of 22 collegiate elite soccer player following soccer specific warm-ups using dynamic stretching, static stretching, and FIFA 11+ program. Post warm-up examinations consisted: 1) Illinois Agility Test; 2) vertical jump; 3) 30 meter sprint; 4) consecutive turns; 5) flexibility of knee. Vertical jump performance was significantly lower following static stretching, as compared to dynamic stretching (P=0.005). Sprint performance declined significantly following static stretching as compared to FIFA 11+ (P=0.023). Agility time was significantly faster following dynamic stretching as compared to FIFA 11+ (P=0.001) and static stretching (P=0.001). Knee flexibility scores were significantly improved following the static stretching as compared to dynamic stretching (P=016). No significant difference was observed for consecutive turns between three warm-up protocol. The present finding showed that a soccer specific warm-up protocol relied on dynamic stretching is preferable in enhancing performance as compared to protocols relying on static stretches and FIFA 11+ program. Investigators suggest that while different soccer specific warm-up protocols have varied types of effects on performance, acute effects of dynamic stretching on performance in elite soccer players are assured, however application of static stretching in reducing muscle stiffness is demonstrated.

Soccer injuries and recovery in Dutch male amateur soccer players: results of a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

van Beijsterveldt, Anne-Marie; Steffen, Kathrin; Stubbe, Janine H; Frederiks, Janet E; van de Port, Ingrid G L; Backx, Frank J G

2014-07-01

To describe characteristics of outdoor soccer injury and recovery among Dutch soccer players. Prospective cohort study. The 2009-2010 competitive season (33 weeks). Four hundred fifty-six Dutch male soccer players of 23 amateur teams. Coaches recorded individual exposure to all soccer activities. Paramedics or sports trainers collected information on the occurrence (e.g., location, type, circumstances) and consequences (eg, absenteeism, medical treatment) of injuries. In total, 424 time-loss injuries were sustained by 60% (n = 274) of the players, with 23% (n = 105) having more than 1 injury. This corresponds to an overall density of 9.6 (8.7-10.5) injuries per 1000 player hours; 3.9 (3.3-4.7) in training sessions and 20.4 (18.1-23.1) in soccer matches. Almost 30% (n = 123) of the injuries lasted for more than 1 month, 14% (n = 58) were reinjuries (causing longer absence than new injuries), and 54% (n = 230) of the injuries were given medical treatment. The most common diagnoses were muscle/tendon (38%) or joint/ligament injuries (23%) of the lower extremities. After regaining the ability to fully take part in soccer training or matches, 27.4% of the players (n = 116) still reported complaints. Two recommendations based on the above-mentioned results are (1) prevention should primarily focus on these most common diagnoses and (2) players resuming soccer activities after an injury should be given special attention to resolve the remaining complaints and to prevent reinjuries.

Hormonal (Cortical-Gonadotropic Axis) and Physical Changes With Two Years Intense Exercise Training in Elite Young Soccer Players.

PubMed

Hammami, Mohamed Ali; Ben Abderrahman, Abderraouf; Hackney, Anthony C; Kebsi, Wiem; Owen, Adam L; Nebigh, Amar; Racil, Ghazi; Tabka, Zouhair; Zouhal, Hassane

2017-09-01

Hammami, MA, Ben Abderrahman, A, Hackney, AC, Kebsi, W, Owen, AL, Nebigh, A, Racil, G, Tabka, Z, and Zouhal, H. Hormonal (cortical-gonadotropic axis) and physical changes with two years intense exercise training in elite young soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2388-2397, 2017-The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 2 soccer-training seasons on physical fitness and hormone concentrations in elite youth soccer players. Twenty male elite soccer players (SP, age 14.5 ± 0.4 years) and 20 male control subjects (CS, age 14.3 ± 0.3 years) participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements, aerobic (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 [YYIRT1]) and anaerobic soccer relevant performances (jump and sprint tests), blood testosterone (T), cortisol (C), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and T/C ratio were assessed 5 times (from T0 to T4) during 2 competitive seasons. Significant differences from basal values (Δ) of T, SHBG, and C between SP and CS were observed (p < 0.01). Additionally, T and T/C ratio changes were positively correlated with physical performance (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, as expected, higher T concentration and greater power performance were observed in the soccer players group compared with controls. Our findings also show that the T concentrations and power performance outcomes co-vary positively over the 2 soccer seasons in soccer players.

The Investigation of the Motor Skills of "U" Kategories Soccer Players Who Have Recreative Involvement in Other Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Göksu, Ömer Can; Yüksek, Selami; Ölmez, Cengiz

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to examine the effects of sports activities other than soccer on 10-15-year-old soccer players' motor skills. The sample included 146 registered soccer players in the U category (U10-U15) of the Turkish Football Federation's Aslantepe, Çeliktepe and Seyrantepe clubs. The players participated in this study on a voluntary…

Pectoralis major ruptures in professional American football players.

PubMed

Tarity, T David; Garrigues, Grant E; Ciccotti, Michael G; Zooker, Chad C; Cohen, Steven B; Frederick, Robert W; Williams, Gerald R; DeLuca, Peter F; Dodson, Christopher C

2014-09-01

Pectoralis major injuries are an infrequent shoulder injury that can result in pain, weakness, and deformity. These injuries may occur during the course of an athletic competition, including football. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of pectoralis major ruptures in professional football players and time lost from the sport following injury. We hypothesized that ruptures most frequently occur during bench-press strength training. The National Football League Injury Surveillance System was reviewed for all pectoralis major injuries in all players from 2000 to 2010. Details regarding injury setting, player demographics, method of treatment, and time lost were recorded. A total of 10 injuries-complete ruptures-were identified during this period. Five of the 10 were sustained in defensive players, generally while tackling. Nine occurred during game situations, and 1 occurred during practice. Specific data pertinent to the practice injury was not available. No rupture occurred during weight lifting. Eight ruptures were treated operatively, and 2 cases did not report the method of definitive treatment. The average days lost was 111 days (range, 42-189). The incidence was 0.004 pectoralis major ruptures during the 11-year study period. Pectoralis major injuries are uncommon while playing football. In the National Football League, these injuries primarily occur not during practice or while bench pressing but rather during games. When pectoralis major ruptures do occur, they are successfully treated operatively. Surgery may allow for return to full sports participation. IV, case series.

Active control stabilization of pelvic position in the transverse plane: an evaluation of soccer players' performance.

PubMed

Santos, Thiago Ribeiro Teles; Andrade, Juliana Alves de; Silva, Bárbara Lopes da; Garcia, Alysson Francisco Alves; Persichini Filho, José Gaspar Wild; Ocarino, Juliana de Melo; Silva, Paula Lanna

2014-08-01

To describe the capability of soccer players to stabilize pelvic position actively in the transverse plane; and, to evaluate the influence of lower limb dominance, length of exposure to soccer practice, and field position on pelvic stabilization capability. Cross-sectional. Sixty-eight soccer players from under-15 (U-15) and professional categories. Magnitude and asymmetry of pelvic tilt in the transverse plane, evaluated using the bridge test with unilateral knee extension. The magnitude of pelvic tilt did not differ between dominant and non-dominant sides, suggesting absence of relative asymmetry. However, there was difference between the sides of greater and lesser magnitude of pelvic tilt, indicating presence of absolute asymmetry. Players with shorter length of exposure to soccer practice (U-15 group) had greater pelvic tilt than players with longer length of exposure (professional group). There was no association of field position with the magnitude and asymmetry of pelvic tilt. Soccer players showed asymmetry in pelvic stabilization capability that was unrelated to lower limb dominance or field position. Athletes with longer length of exposure to soccer practice present better capability to stabilize the pelvis in the transverse plane than those with shorter length of exposure to soccer practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The hypertrophy of the lateral abdominal wall and quadratus lumborum is sport-specific: an MRI segmental study in professional tennis and soccer players.

PubMed

Sanchis-Moysi, Joaquin; Idoate, Fernando; Izquierdo, Mikel; Calbet, Jose A; Dorado, Cecilia

2013-03-01

The aim was to determine the volume and degree of asymmetry of quadratus lumborum (QL), obliques, and transversus abdominis; the last two considered conjointly (OT), in tennis and soccer players. The volume of QL and OT was determined using magnetic resonance imaging in professional tennis and soccer players, and in non-active controls (n = 8, 14, and 6, respectively). In tennis players the hypertrophy of OT was limited to proximal segments (cephalic segments), while in soccer players it was similar along longitudinal axis. In tennis players the hypertrophy was asymmetric (18% greater volume in the non-dominant than in the dominant OT, p = 0.001), while in soccer players and controls both sides had similar volumes (p > 0.05). In controls, the non-dominant QL was 15% greater than that of the dominant (p = 0.049). Tennis and soccer players had similar volumes in both sides of QL. Tennis alters the dominant-to-non-dominant balance in the muscle volume of the lateral abdominal wall. In tennis the hypertrophy is limited to proximal segments and is greater in the non-dominant side. Soccer, however, is associated to a symmetric hypertrophy of the lateral abdominal wall. Tennis and soccer elicit an asymmetric hypertrophy of QL.

Hydration status and fluid intake of urban, underprivileged South African male adolescent soccer players during training.

PubMed

Gordon, Reno Eron; Kassier, Susanna Maria; Biggs, Chara

2015-01-01

Poor hydration compromises performance and heightens the risk of heat stress which adolescents are particularly susceptible to as they produce comparatively larger amount of metabolic heat during exercise. This study determined the hydration status and fluid intake of socio-economically disadvantaged, male adolescent soccer players during training. A pilot study was conducted among 79 soccer players (mean age 15.9 ± 0.8 years; mean BMI 20.2 ± 2.1 kg/m(2)). Hydration status was determined before and after two training sessions, using both urine specific gravity and percent loss of body weight. The type and amount of fluid consumed was assessed during training. A self-administered questionnaire was used to determine the players' knowledge regarding fluid and carbohydrate requirements for soccer training. Players were at risk of developing heat illness during six of the 14 training sessions (60 - 90 minutes in length). Although on average players were slightly dehydrated (1.023 ± 0.006 g/ml) before and after (1.024 ± 0.007 g/ml) training, some were extremely dehydrated before (24%) and after (27%) training. Conversely some were extremely hyperhydrated before (3%) and after training (6%). The mean percent loss of body weight was 0.7 ± 0.7%. The majority did not consume fluid during the first (57.0%) and second (70.9%) training sessions. An average of 216.0 ± 140.0 ml of fluid was consumed during both training sessions. The majority (41.8%) consumed water, while a few (5.1%) consumed pure fruit juice. More than 90% stated that water was the most appropriate fluid to consume before, during and after training. Very few (5.0%) correctly stated that carbohydrate should be consumed before, during and after training. Approximately a quarter were severely dehydrated. Many did not drink or drank insufficient amounts. The players' beliefs regarding the importance of fluid and carbohydrate consumption did not correspond with their practices. A nutrition education programme is needed to educate players on the importance of fluid and carbohydrate to prevent dehydration and ensure appropriate carbohydrate intake.

The Leadership Alliance: Twenty Years of Developing a Diverse Research Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghee, Medeva; Collins, Deborah; Wilson, Valerie; Pearson, Willie, Jr.

2014-01-01

The Leadership Alliance is a national academic consortium currently comprising 32 academic institutions including Ivy League and major-research and minority-serving institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). For 2 decades these institutions have worked collaboratively to train, mentor, and support…

The performance environment of the England youth soccer teams.

PubMed

Pain, Matthew A; Harwood, Chris

2007-10-01

In the present study, we examined the performance environment of the England youth soccer teams. Using a semi-structured protocol with a prospective sample, national coaches (n = 6), sport scientists (n = 3), and players (n = 4) were interviewed directly following international tournaments about the factors that positively and negatively influenced performance. Qualitative content analysis revealed the following factors as major positive influences on performance: adhering to a consistent tournament strategy, player understanding, strong team cohesion, organized entertainment activities, detailed knowledge of opposition, an effective physical rest/recovery strategy, and previous tournament experience. Major factors perceived to have negatively influenced performance included: over-coaching, player boredom, player anxiety, physical superiority of the opposition, physical fatigue over the tournament, problems sleeping, and lack of information on the opposition. Eight overall dimensions emerged to describe the performance environment: planning and organization, physical environment, tactical factors, development and performance philosophy, psychological factors, physical factors, social factors, and coaching. The findings support recent work that suggests the performance environment is multifaceted, with performance being contingent upon a broad range of interacting factors that go beyond the traditional psychosocial and physical domains.

On the distribution of career longevity and the evolution of home-run prowess in professional baseball

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, Alexander M.; Jung, Woo-Sung; Stanley, H. Eugene

2008-09-01

Statistical analysis is a major aspect of baseball, from player averages to historical benchmarks and records. Much of baseball fanfare is based around players exceeding the norm, some in a single game and others over a long career. Career statistics serve as a metric for classifying players and establishing their historical legacy. However, the concept of records and benchmarks assumes that the level of competition in baseball is stationary in time. Here we show that power law probability density functions, a hallmark of many complex systems that are driven by competition, govern career longevity in baseball. We also find similar power laws in the density functions of all major performance metrics for pitchers and batters. The use of performance-enhancing drugs has a dark history, emerging as a problem for both amateur and professional sports. We find statistical evidence consistent with performance-enhancing drugs in the analysis of home runs hit by players in the last 25 years. This is corroborated by the findings of the Mitchell Report (2007), a two-year investigation into the use of illegal steroids in Major League Baseball, which recently revealed that over 5 percent of Major League Baseball players tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in an anonymous 2003 survey.

Cognitive representations and cognitive processing of team-specific tactics in soccer.

PubMed

Lex, Heiko; Essig, Kai; Knoblauch, Andreas; Schack, Thomas

2015-01-01

Two core elements for the coordination of different actions in sport are tactical information and knowledge about tactical situations. The current study describes two experiments to learn about the memory structure and the cognitive processing of tactical information. Experiment 1 investigated the storage and structuring of team-specific tactics in humans' long-term memory with regard to different expertise levels. Experiment 2 investigated tactical decision-making skills and the corresponding gaze behavior, in presenting participants the identical match situations in a reaction time task. The results showed that more experienced soccer players, in contrast to less experienced soccer players, possess a functionally organized cognitive representation of team-specific tactics in soccer. Moreover, the more experienced soccer players reacted faster in tactical decisions, because they needed less fixations of similar duration as compared to less experienced soccer players. Combined, these experiments offer evidence that a functionally organized memory structure leads to a reaction time and a perceptual advantage in tactical decision-making in soccer. The discussion emphasizes theoretical and applied implications of the current results of the study.

Body image and body composition: comparisons of young male elite soccer players and controls.

PubMed

Arroyo, Marta; Gonzalez-de-Suso, Jose Manuel; Sanchez, Celia; Ansotegui, Laura; Rocandio, Ana M

2008-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate body composition and body image (perception and satisfaction) in a group of young elite soccer players and to compare the data with those of a control group (age and BMI matched). Participants were 56 volunteer males whose mean age and BMI were 19.6 (SD 1.3) years and 23.3 (SD 1.1) kg/m2, respectively. Results showed that soccer players have a higher lean mass and lower fat mass than controls. Moreover, body perception (difference between current and actual image) was more accurate in controls than in soccer players, and the results suggest a tendency for soccer players to aspire to have more muscle mass and body fat. Soccer players perceived an ideal image with significantly higher body-fat percentage than their current and actual images. There were no body-dissatisfaction differences between groups, however. Although the results are necessarily limited by the small sample size, the findings should be of interest to coaches of young elite soccer teams.

Soccer and Sudden Cardiac Death in Young Competitive Athletes: A Review

PubMed Central

Higgins, John P.; Andino, Aldo

2013-01-01

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young competitive athletes (<35 years old) is a tragic event that has been brought to public attention in the past few decades. The incidence of SCD is reported to be 1-2/100,000 per year, with athletes at a 2.5 times higher risk. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, played by people of all ages. However, unfortunately it is cardiovascular diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy that have subtly missed screening and claimed the lives of soccer stars such as Marc Vivien Foe and Antonio Puerta during live action on the field and on an internationally televised stage. This paper covers the physiological demands of soccer and the relationship between soccer and SCD. It also reviews the most common causes of SCD in young athletes, discusses the current guidelines in place by The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for screening among professional soccer players, and the precautions that have been put in place to prevent SCD on the field in professional soccer. PMID:26464886

Cognitive Representations and Cognitive Processing of Team-Specific Tactics in Soccer

PubMed Central

Lex, Heiko; Essig, Kai; Knoblauch, Andreas; Schack, Thomas

2015-01-01

Two core elements for the coordination of different actions in sport are tactical information and knowledge about tactical situations. The current study describes two experiments to learn about the memory structure and the cognitive processing of tactical information. Experiment 1 investigated the storage and structuring of team-specific tactics in humans’ long-term memory with regard to different expertise levels. Experiment 2 investigated tactical decision-making skills and the corresponding gaze behavior, in presenting participants the identical match situations in a reaction time task. The results showed that more experienced soccer players, in contrast to less experienced soccer players, possess a functionally organized cognitive representation of team-specific tactics in soccer. Moreover, the more experienced soccer players reacted faster in tactical decisions, because they needed less fixations of similar duration as compared to less experienced soccer players. Combined, these experiments offer evidence that a functionally organized memory structure leads to a reaction time and a perceptual advantage in tactical decision-making in soccer. The discussion emphasizes theoretical and applied implications of the current results of the study. PMID:25714486

Association Between MCT1 A1470T Polymorphism and Fat-Free Mass in Well-Trained Young Soccer Players.

PubMed

Massidda, Myosotis; Eynon, Nir; Bachis, Valeria; Corrias, Laura; Culigioni, Claudia; Cugia, Paolo; Scorcu, Marco; Calò, Carla M

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the MCT1 A1470T polymorphism and fat-free mass in young Italian elite soccer players. Participants were 128 Italian male soccer players. Fat-free mass was estimated for each of the soccer player using age- and gender-specific formulas with plicometry. Genotyping for the MCT1 A1470T polymorphism was performed using polymerase chain reaction. The MCT1 A1470T genotypes were in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium distribution. The percentage of fat-free mass was significantly higher in soccer players with the TT genotype and in the T-allele-dominant model group (TT + AT) compared with the soccer players with the AA genotype. The MCT1 T allele is associated with the percentage of fat-free mass in young elite male soccer players. Elucidating the genetic basis of body composition in athletes could potentially be used as an additional tool for strength and conditioning professionals in planning and adjusting training. However, these results are preliminary and need to be replicated in more cohorts.

Sport-specific trunk muscle profiles in soccer players of different skill levels.

PubMed

Krutsch, Werner; Weishaupt, Philipp; Zeman, Florian; Loibl, Markus; Neumann, Carsten; Nerlich, Michael; Angele, Peter

2015-05-01

Physical fitness and trunk stability are essential factors for successful soccer competition. We investigated the impact of soccer exposure on the trunk muscle profile of players of different skill levels. Professional and amateur soccer players were examined for trunk flexibility and maximum isometric muscle strength in the midseason period 2011. 24 professional soccer players who had not participated in any specific trunk muscle training programmes had significantly higher isometric trunk muscle strength in the sagittal plane (Ext: p = 0.003, Flex: p = 0.014), the frontal plane (Lat. right: p = 0.001, left: p = 0.003) and the transverse plane (Rotation right and left: p < 0.001) than 83 amateur soccer players. Professional players also had higher trunk flexibility in the sagittal plane (Flex: p = 0.001) and the transverse plane (Rotation right: p = 0.02, left: p = 0.002) than amateur players. The side of the dominant kicking leg had no influence on muscle strength and flexibility of the trunk. Trunk flexibility and stability as necessary factors for avoiding physical overstress and injuries are differently trained in player of different soccer skill levels.

The Effects of a Special Olympics Unified Sports Soccer Training Program on Anthropometry, Physical Fitness and Skilled Performance in Special Olympics Soccer Athletes and Non-Disabled Partners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baran, Funda; Aktop, Abdurrahman; Ozer, Dilara; Nalbant, Sibel; Aglamis, Ece; Barak, Sharon; Hutzler, Yeshayahu

2013-01-01

The study investigated the effects of a Special Olympics (SO) Unified Sport (UNS) soccer program on anthropometry, physical fitness and soccer skills of male youth athletes with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) who participated in a training group (TRG) and in a comparison group (CG) without specific training. Youth with ID (WID) were…

Do achievement goals mediate stereotype threat?: an investigation on females' soccer performance.

PubMed

Chalabaev, Aina; Sarrazinr, Philippe; Stone, Jeff; Cury, François

2008-04-01

This research investigated stereotype threat effects on women's performance in sports and examined the mediation of this effect by achievement goals. The influence of two stereotypes-relative to the poor athletic ability and the poor technical soccer ability of women-were studied. Fifty-one female soccer players were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, introducing the task as diagnostic of athletic ability, technical soccer ability, or sports psychology. Next, they filled out a questionnaire measuring achievement goals and performed a soccer dribbling task. Results showed that compared with the control condition, females' performance significantly decreased in the athletic ability condition and tended to decrease in the technical soccer ability condition. Moreover, participants endorsed a performance-avoidance (relative to performance-approach) goal when the stereotypes were activated. However, this goal endorsement was not related to performance. The implications of these results for understanding the role of stereotypes in gender inequalities in sports are discussed.

Epidemiology, Treatment, and Prevention of Lumbar Spine Injuries in Major League Baseball Players.

PubMed

Camp, Christopher L; Conti, Matthew S; Sgroi, Terrance; Cammisa, Frank P; Dines, Joshua S

2016-01-01

In recent years, increased attention has been paid to injuries occurring in Major League Baseball (MLB) players. Although most of the current orthopedic literature regarding baseball injuries pertains to the shoulder and elbow, lumbar spine injuries are another common reason for time out of play. Back and core injuries may represent as many as 12% of all injuries that result in time out of play from MLB. This high rate of injury is likely related to the critical role that the spine plays in every major baseball-related movement. Linking the upper extremities to the hips and lower extremities, a healthy, strong, and stable spine and core is a prerequisite for performance in all levels of baseball. It has been well documented that baseball players with poor spinal control and stabilization are at increased risk for future injury. Common etiologies of lumbar injuries include stress fractures, muscle injury, annular tears with or without disc herniation, facet joint pain, sacroiliac joint pain, and stenosis. This review discusses the epidemiology of spinal injuries in baseball. Special attention is paid to the role of the spine in baseball-related activities, common injuries, tips for making the correct diagnosis, treatment options, outcomes, rehabilitation, and injury prevention.

Effects of Soccer Training on Anthropometry, Body Composition, and Physical Fitness during a Soccer Season in Female Elite Young Athletes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lesinski, Melanie; Prieske, Olaf; Helm, Norman; Granacher, Urs

2017-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (i) describe soccer training (e.g., volume, types), anthropometry, body composition, and physical fitness and (ii) compute associations between soccer training data and relative changes of anthropometry, body composition, and physical fitness during a soccer season in female elite young athletes. Seasonal training (i.e., day-to-day training volume/types) as well as variations in anthropometry (e.g., body height/mass), body composition (e.g., lean body/fat mass), and physical fitness (e.g., muscle strength/power, speed, balance) were collected from 17 female elite young soccer players (15.3 ± 0.5 years) over the training periods (i.e., preparation, competition, transition) of a soccer season that resulted in the German championship title in under-17 female soccer. Training volume/types, anthropometrics, body composition, and physical fitness significantly varied over a soccer season. During the two preparation periods, higher volumes in resistance and endurance training were performed (2.00 ≤ d ≤ 18.15; p < 0.05), while higher sprint and tactical training volumes were applied during the two competition periods (2.22 ≤ d ≤ 11.18; p < 0.05). Body height and lean body mass increased over the season (2.50 ≤ d ≤ 3.39; p < 0.01). In terms of physical fitness, significant performance improvements were found over the soccer season in measures of balance, endurance, and sport-specific performance (2.52 ≤ d ≤ 3.95; p < 0.05). In contrast, no statistically significant changes were observed for measures of muscle power/endurance, speed, and change-of-direction speed. Of note, variables of muscle strength (i.e., leg extensors) significantly decreased ( d = 2.39; p < 0.01) over the entire season. Our period-specific sub-analyses revealed significant performance improvements during the first round of the season for measures of muscle power/endurance, and balance (0.89 ≤ d ≤ 4.01; p < 0.05). Moreover, change-of-direction speed significantly declined after the first round of the season, i.e., transition period ( d = 2.83; p < 0.01). Additionally, significant medium-to-large associations were observed between training and anthropometrics/body composition/physical fitness (-0.541 ≤ r ≤ 0.505). Soccer training and/or growth/maturation contributed to significant variations in anthropometry, body composition, and physical fitness outcomes throughout the different training periods over the course of a soccer season in female elite young soccer players. However, changes in components of fitness were inconsistent (e.g., power, speed, strength). Thus, training volume and/or types should be carefully considered in order to develop power-, speed- or strength-related fitness measures more efficiently throughout the soccer season.

Effects of Soccer Training on Anthropometry, Body Composition, and Physical Fitness during a Soccer Season in Female Elite Young Athletes: A Prospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Lesinski, Melanie; Prieske, Olaf; Helm, Norman; Granacher, Urs

2017-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (i) describe soccer training (e.g., volume, types), anthropometry, body composition, and physical fitness and (ii) compute associations between soccer training data and relative changes of anthropometry, body composition, and physical fitness during a soccer season in female elite young athletes. Seasonal training (i.e., day-to-day training volume/types) as well as variations in anthropometry (e.g., body height/mass), body composition (e.g., lean body/fat mass), and physical fitness (e.g., muscle strength/power, speed, balance) were collected from 17 female elite young soccer players (15.3 ± 0.5 years) over the training periods (i.e., preparation, competition, transition) of a soccer season that resulted in the German championship title in under-17 female soccer. Training volume/types, anthropometrics, body composition, and physical fitness significantly varied over a soccer season. During the two preparation periods, higher volumes in resistance and endurance training were performed (2.00 ≤ d ≤ 18.15; p < 0.05), while higher sprint and tactical training volumes were applied during the two competition periods (2.22 ≤ d ≤ 11.18; p < 0.05). Body height and lean body mass increased over the season (2.50 ≤ d ≤ 3.39; p < 0.01). In terms of physical fitness, significant performance improvements were found over the soccer season in measures of balance, endurance, and sport-specific performance (2.52 ≤ d ≤ 3.95; p < 0.05). In contrast, no statistically significant changes were observed for measures of muscle power/endurance, speed, and change-of-direction speed. Of note, variables of muscle strength (i.e., leg extensors) significantly decreased (d = 2.39; p < 0.01) over the entire season. Our period-specific sub-analyses revealed significant performance improvements during the first round of the season for measures of muscle power/endurance, and balance (0.89 ≤ d ≤ 4.01; p < 0.05). Moreover, change-of-direction speed significantly declined after the first round of the season, i.e., transition period (d = 2.83; p < 0.01). Additionally, significant medium-to-large associations were observed between training and anthropometrics/body composition/physical fitness (−0.541 ≤ r ≤ 0.505). Soccer training and/or growth/maturation contributed to significant variations in anthropometry, body composition, and physical fitness outcomes throughout the different training periods over the course of a soccer season in female elite young soccer players. However, changes in components of fitness were inconsistent (e.g., power, speed, strength). Thus, training volume and/or types should be carefully considered in order to develop power-, speed- or strength-related fitness measures more efficiently throughout the soccer season. PMID:29375392

48 CFR 652.225-70 - Arab League Boycott of Israel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Arab League Boycott of... AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 652.225-70 Arab League Boycott of Israel. As prescribed in 625.7002(a), insert the following provision: Arab League...

48 CFR 652.225-70 - Arab League Boycott of Israel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Arab League Boycott of... AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 652.225-70 Arab League Boycott of Israel. As prescribed in 625.7002(a), insert the following provision: Arab League...

48 CFR 652.225-70 - Arab League Boycott of Israel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Arab League Boycott of... AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 652.225-70 Arab League Boycott of Israel. As prescribed in 625.7002(a), insert the following provision: Arab League...

48 CFR 652.225-70 - Arab League Boycott of Israel.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Arab League Boycott of... AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Texts of Provisions and Clauses 652.225-70 Arab League Boycott of Israel. As prescribed in 625.7002(a), insert the following provision: Arab League...

Exercise physiology and nutritional perspectives of elite soccer refereeing.

PubMed

Schenk, K; Bizzini, M; Gatterer, H

2018-03-01

Referees are an integral part of soccer, and their performance is fundamental for regular match flow, irrespective of the competition level or age classes. So far, scientific interest was mainly limited to aspects of exercise physiology and match performance of soccer referees, whereas recommendations for nutrition were adopted from active professional soccer. In contrast to elite soccer players, most referees are non-professional and engaged in different occupations. Furthermore, elite referees and soccer players differ in regard to age, body composition, aerobic capacity, and training load. Thus, referees' caloric needs and recommended daily carbohydrate intake may generally be lower compared to active soccer players, with higher intakes limited to periods of increased training load and match days or for referees engaged in physical demanding occupations. With respect to fluid intake, pre-match and in-match hydration strategies generally valid in sports are recommended also for referees to avoid cognitive and physical performance loss, especially when officiating in extreme climates and altitude. In contrast to elite soccer, professional assistance concerning nutrition and training is rarely available for national elite referees of most countries. Therefore, special attention on education about adequate nutrition and fluid intake, about the dietary prevention of deficiencies (iron in female referees, vitamin D irrespective of sex and age), and basic precautions for travels abroad is warranted. In conclusion, the simple adoption of nutritional considerations from active soccer for referees may not be appropriate. Recommendations should respect gender differences, population-specific physical characteristics, and demands just as well as individual characteristics and special needs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Parental perceptions regarding mandatory mouthguard use in competitive youth soccer.

PubMed

Pribble, J M; Maio, R F; Freed, G L

2004-06-01

To understand factors that influence parental perceptions regarding mandatory mouthguard use in competitive youth soccer. A web based survey of parents whose 8-14 year old children participated in outdoor competitive youth soccer during the fall of 2002. Questions focused on: previous injury, education provided, dentist/physician recommendations, and parental perceptions of mouthguard use. The outcome variable was parental agreement with the statement "mouthguards should be mandatory for competitive youth soccer". Logistic regression and chi(2) were performed using STATA 8.0. Altogether 120 parents participated. The children had a mean (SD) age of 11.8 (1.5) years and 48% were female; 14% wore mouthguards and 11% suffered orofacial injuries. Nineteen percent of parents reported receiving educational material from the youth soccer organization. Although 92% of parents believed that mouthguards were effective in reducing orofacial injuries, only one half agreed that mouthguards should be mandatory. Thirty percent of respondents reported that their dentist/physician recommended mouthguards for competitive youth soccer. Logistic regression showed that dentist/physician recommendation and parental female gender were independently associated with parental agreement for mandatory mouthguard use (odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 7.3; odds ratio 3.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.5). Few athletes wear mouthguards during competitive youth soccer. Health care professionals in this study did not capitalize on the apparent influence they have on parental beliefs regarding mouthguard use. Efforts are needed by both health professionals and soccer organizations to educate parents about orofacial injuries and mouthguard use in competitive youth soccer.

Football gambling three arm-controlled study: gamblers, amateurs and laypersons.

PubMed

Huberfeld, Ronen; Gersner, Roman; Rosenberg, Oded; Kotler, Moshe; Dannon, Pinhas N

2013-01-01

Football (soccer) betting, as a strategic form of betting, became one of the favorite wagers for pathological gamblers. Previous studies demonstrated the psychological and biological significance of the 'illusion of control' (personal control) and 'near miss' results in gambling. In our study, we explored whether knowledge and expertise of pathological sports gamblers can ensure a successful bet. Participants were divided into three groups of individuals - pathological gamblers, amateurs and laypersons - and were asked to predict in advance the general result and the exact result of football matches in the European Champions League Round of 16. The 165 participants included 53 pathological sports gamblers (52 males and 1 female), 78 laypersons (45 females and 33 males) and 34 amateurs (all males). After a thorough statistical analysis, we found no significant differences between the groups, no matter what kind of previous knowledge they had acquired. This study demonstrates that the 'illusion of control' of pathological gamblers, attained by knowledge of the game and its latest data and information (especially in a strategic gamble as football betting), has no factual background. Moreover, our study demonstrates without a doubt that there is no significant difference between the male pathological sports gamblers group and the male/female laypersons group. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Understanding Measures of Effectiveness in Counterinsurgency Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

Measure of Success.” The article explained how the Moneyball math of Major League Baseball (MLB) has come to the National Basketball Association ( NBA ...An excerpt from the article stated, “Armed with dazzling equations, NBA front offices are finding entirely new ways to quantify a player’s talent

38 CFR 51.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES General § 51.2 Definitions. For purposes of this part: Clinical nurse specialist means a licensed professional nurse who has a Master's degree in nursing with a major in a clinical nursing specialty from an academic program accredited by the National League for...

38 CFR 51.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES General § 51.2 Definitions. For purposes of this part: Clinical nurse specialist means a licensed professional nurse who has a Master's degree in nursing with a major in a clinical nursing specialty from an academic program accredited by the National League for...

38 CFR 51.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES General § 51.2 Definitions. For purposes of this part: Clinical nurse specialist means a licensed professional nurse who has a Master's degree in nursing with a major in a clinical nursing specialty from an academic program accredited by the National League for...

38 CFR 51.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES General § 51.2 Definitions. For purposes of this part: Clinical nurse specialist means a licensed professional nurse who has a Master's degree in nursing with a major in a clinical nursing specialty from an academic program accredited by the National League for...

38 CFR 51.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES General § 51.2 Definitions. For purposes of this part: Clinical nurse specialist means a licensed professional nurse who has a Master's degree in nursing with a major in a clinical nursing specialty from an academic program accredited by the National League for...

Effects of Static Stretching and Playing Soccer on Knee Laxity.

PubMed

Baumgart, Christian; Gokeler, Alli; Donath, Lars; Hoppe, Matthias W; Freiwald, Jürgen

2015-11-01

This study investigated exercise-induced effects of static stretching and playing soccer on anterior tibial translation (ATT) of the knee joint. Randomized controlled trial. University biomechanics laboratory. Thirty-one athletes were randomly assigned into a stretching (26.9 ± 6.2 years, 1.77 ± 0.09 m, 67.9 ± 10.7 kg) and a control group (27.9 ± 7.4 years, 1.75 ± 0.08 m, 72.0 ± 14.9 kg). Thirty-one amateur soccer players in an additional soccer group (25.1 ± 5.6 years, 1.74 ± 0.10 m, 71.8 ± 14.8 kg). All participants had no history of knee injury requiring surgery and any previous knee ligament or cartilage injury. The stretching group performed 4 different static stretching exercises with a duration of 2 × 20 seconds interspersed with breaks of 10 seconds. The soccer group completed a 90-minute soccer-specific training program. The control group did not perform any physical activity for approximately 30 minutes. Anterior tibial translation was measured with the KT-1000 knee arthrometer at forces of 67 N, 89 N, and maximal manual force (Max) before and after the intervention. There was a significant increase in ATT after static stretching and playing soccer at all applied forces. Maximal manual testing revealed a mean increase of ATT after static stretching of 2.1 ± 1.6 mm (P < 0.0005) and after playing soccer of 1.0 ± 1.5 mm (P = 0.001). The ATT increase after static stretching at 67 and 89 N is significantly higher than in controls. At maximum manual testing, significant differences were evident between all groups. Static stretching and playing soccer increase ATT and may consequently influence mechanical factors of the anterior cruciate ligament. The ATT increase after static stretching was greater than after playing soccer. The observed increase in ATT after static stretching and playing soccer may be associated with changes in kinesthetic perception and sensorimotor control, activation of muscles, joint stability, overall performance, and higher injury risk.

Semi-Professional Rugby League Players have Higher Concussion Risk than Professional or Amateur Participants: A Pooled Analysis.

PubMed

King, Doug; Hume, Patria; Gissane, Conor; Clark, Trevor

2017-02-01

A combined estimate of injuries within a specific sport through pooled analysis provides more precise evidence and meaningful information about the sport, whilst controlling for between-study variation due to individual sub-cohort characteristics. The objective of this analysis was to review all published rugby league studies reporting injuries from match and training participation and report the pooled data estimates for rugby league concussion injury epidemiology. A systematic literature analysis of concussion in rugby league was performed on published studies from January 1990 to October 2015. Data were extracted and pooled from 25 studies that reported the number and incidence of concussions in rugby league match and training activities. Amateur rugby league players had the highest incidence of concussive injuries in match activities (19.1 per 1000 match hours) while semi-professional players had the highest incidence of concussive injuries in training activities (3.1 per 1000 training hours). This pooled analysis showed that, during match participation activities, amateur rugby league participants had a higher reported concussion injury rate than professional and semi-professional participants. Semi-professional participants had nearly a threefold greater concussion injury risk than amateur rugby league participants during match participation. They also had nearly a 600-fold greater concussion injury risk than professional rugby league participants during training participation.

A developmental and psychoeducational approach to reducing conflict and abuse in little league and youth sports. The sport psychiatrist's role.

PubMed

Kamm, R L

1998-10-01

To stress a point made earlier, whether backyard or Little League, the tone of the youth sports experience is greatly influenced by the player and team selection process. All possible steps should therefore be taken to ensure that the draft is held on high moral ground, and that the adult participants, even on the Major Little League level, behave cooperatively rather than competitively. If it is the community's hope that Little League will "build character, and not characters," it must embrace Shields and Bredemeier's work and flood the Draft Room with the four virtues of compassion, fairness, sportspersonship, and integrity. In one attempt to achieve fairness and balance, some leagues enter player evaluations into a data base and allow a properly programmed computer to project equal teams. It might be best, however, to borrow a page from backyard baseball, and make team selection a more cooperative venture. Wolff has proposed such a draft model. He recommends that each child's name be placed on a big blackboard at the beginning of the draft. All assembled give their assessment of each child's baseball ability, and a consensus skill-level number (one through five) is entered next to each player's name. If there are 72 names, and the league wishes to form six teams of 12 players each, dividing up the rated players so that the skill levels balance would assure everyone (coaches, parents, the league, and by extension, the community) that the teams were of relatively equal strength. No coach at this point would know to which team he or she was being assigned, so there would be no motive for "stacking" a given team. Each team would be designated by a letter of the alphabet, and the six letters would be thrown into a hat. The six coaches would then blindly pick a team from the hat. If a coach desired that his or her child play on his or her team, fair adjustments (trades) could be made subject to majority agreement. The three draft models can be summarized as follows: Draft Model 1 Public tryouts Previous year rating Coach makes selections Can be very competitive, lacking in "character" Can result in very unequal teams Draft Model 2 Player evaluations placed into a data base Properly programmed computer projects equal teams Draft Model 3 All names placed on a blackboard Relative merits of players discussed Equal team drawn up and placed into a hat Adjustments can be made for coach's child If practical, this author suggests that coaches not pick a name for the team until the first team meeting or practice, when that task can be given to the children. In a symbolic way, this returns some of the sport to them while encouraging social interaction among new teammates, and helping the coach detect who the leaders are. Names of professional teams in the major sports, especially baseball, are to be avoided, as they fuel longstanding unconscious associations and fantasies, and may subtly tilt all participants toward the professional "win at all costs" mentality. No one draft model is perfect for every town, and even the most ethical attempt to achieve balance among teams can be severely tested by parents who request that their athlete be placed on the same team as another child for social or car pool reasons. Such requests are not inviolate, however. For example, they do not usually dictate placement in school classes, and car pools are frequently disrupted when children, in individual sports such as Tae Kwan Do, reach different ability levels, and so attend practices at different times. Baseball is no longer the national pasttime and, as we approach the millennium, American children have too many other attractive, competing interests and time demands to spontaneously organize a pick-up game. One coach shared with the author that his saddest moment in CAP League came when he arrived at 6 PM at a field that had been "reserved" for his team, and found a group of boys who were playing a pick-up game. The coach's impulse was to set his boys fre

Nutritional knowledge and eating habits of professional rugby league players: does knowledge translate into practice?

PubMed

Alaunyte, Ieva; Perry, John L; Aubrey, Tony

2015-01-01

Adequate nutrient intake is important to support training and to optimise performance of elite athletes. Nutritional knowledge has been shown to play an important role in adopting optimal nutrition practices. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the level of nutritional knowledge and dietary habits in elite English rugby league players using the eatwell plate food categories. General nutritional knowledge questionnaires were collected during the Super League competitive season in the first team squad of 21 professional Rugby league players (mean age 25 ± 5 yrs, BMI 27 ± 2.4 kg/m2, experience in game 6 ± 4 yrs). According to their nutritional knowledge scores, the players were assigned to either good or poor nutritional knowledge group (n = 11, n = 10, respectively). Their dietary habits were assessment using a food frequency questionnaire. The findings revealed that nutritional knowledge was adequate (mean 72.82%) in this group of athletes with the highest scores in dietary advice section (85.71%), followed by food groups (71.24%) and food choice (69.52%). The majority of athletes were not aware of current carbohydrate recommendations. This translated into their dietary habits as many starchy and fibrous foods were consumed only occasionally by poor nutritional knowledge group. In terms of their eating habits, the good nutritional knowledge group consumed significantly more fruit and vegetables, and starchy foods (p <.05). Nutritional knowledge was positively correlated to fruit and vegetables consumption (rs = .52, p <.05) but not to any other eatwell plate categories. The study identified adequate general nutritional knowledge in professional rugby league players with the exception of recommendation for starchy and fibrous foods. Players who scored higher in nutritional knowledge test were more likely to consume more fruits, vegetables and carbohydrate-rich foods.

Eccentric and Isometric Hip Adduction Strength in Male Soccer Players With and Without Adductor-Related Groin Pain: An Assessor-Blinded Comparison.

PubMed

Thorborg, Kristian; Branci, Sonia; Nielsen, Martin Peter; Tang, Lars; Nielsen, Michael Bachmann; Hölmich, Per

2014-02-01

Adductor-related pain is the most common clinical finding in soccer players with groin pain and can be a long-standing problem affecting physical function and performance. Hip adductor weakness has been suggested to be associated with this clinical entity, although it has never been investigated. To investigate whether isometric and eccentric hip strength are decreased in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain compared with asymptomatic soccer controls. The hypothesis was that players with adductor-related groin pain would have lower isometric and eccentric hip adduction strength than players without adductor-related groin pain. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Male elite and subelite players from 40 teams were contacted. In total, 28 soccer players with adductor-related groin pain and 16 soccer players without adductor-related groin pain (asymptomatic controls) were included in the study. In primary analysis, the dominant legs of 21 soccer players with adductor-related groin pain (≥4 weeks duration) were compared with the dominant legs of 16 asymptomatic controls using a cross-sectional design. The mean age of the symptomatic players was 24.5 ± 2.5 years, and the mean age of the asymptomatic controls was 22.9 ± 2.4 years. Isometric hip strength (adduction, abduction, and flexion) and eccentric hip strength (adduction) were assessed with a handheld dynamometer using reliable test procedures and a blinded assessor. Eccentric hip adduction strength was lower in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain in the dominant leg (n = 21) compared with asymptomatic controls (n = 16), namely 2.47 ± 0.49 versus 3.12 ± 0.43 N·m/kg, respectively (P < .001). No other hip strength differences were observed between symptomatic players and asymptomatic controls for the dominant leg (P = .35-.84). Large eccentric hip adduction strength deficits were found in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain compared with asymptomatic soccer players, while no isometric strength differences were observed between the groups.

Soccer-Related Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments: 1990-2014.

PubMed

Smith, Nicholas A; Chounthirath, Thiphalak; Xiang, Huiyun

2016-10-01

To investigate the epidemiology of youth soccer-related injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States. A retrospective analysis was conducted of soccer-related injuries among children 7 through 17 years of age from 1990 through 2014 with data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Injury rates were calculated from soccer participation data. An estimated 2 995 765 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2 309 112-3 682 418) children 7 through 17 years old were treated in US emergency departments for soccer-related injuries during the 25-year study period, averaging 119 831 (95% CI, 92 364-147 297) annually. The annual injury rate per 10 000 soccer participants increased significantly, by 111.4%, from 1990 to 2014. Patients 12 to 17 years old accounted for 72.7% of injuries, 55.5% of patients were male, and most injuries occurred in a place of sport or recreation (68.5%) or school (25.7%). Struck by (38.5%) and fell (28.7%) were the leading mechanisms of injury. Injuries most commonly were diagnosed as sprain or strain (34.6%), fracture (23.2%), and soft tissue injury (21.9%), and occurred to the upper extremity (20.7%), ankle (17.8%), and head or neck (17.7%). Concussions or other closed head injuries accounted for 7.3% of the injuries, but the annual rate of concussions/closed head injuries per 10 000 participants increased significantly, by 1595.6%, from 1990 to 2014. This study is the first to comprehensively investigate soccer-related injuries and calculate injury rates based on soccer participation data among children at the national level. The increasing number and rate of pediatric soccer-related injuries, especially soccer-related concussions/closed head injuries, underscore the need for increased efforts to prevent these injuries. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cognitive Functions in Elite and Sub-Elite Youth Soccer Players Aged 13 to 17 Years.

PubMed

Huijgen, Barbara C H; Leemhuis, Sander; Kok, Niels M; Verburgh, Lot; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Visscher, Chris

2015-01-01

Soccer players are required to anticipate and react continuously in a changing, relatively unpredictable situation in the field. Cognitive functions might be important to be successful in soccer. The current study investigated the relationship between cognitive functions and performance level in elite and sub-elite youth soccer players aged 13-17 years. A total of 47 elite youth soccer players (mean age 15.5 years, SD = 0.9) and 41 sub-elite youth soccer players (mean age 15.2 years, SD = 1.2) performed tasks for "higher-level" cognitive functions measuring working memory (i.e., Visual Memory Span), inhibitory control (i.e., Stop-Signal Task), cognitive flexibility (i.e., Trail Making Test), and metacognition (i.e., Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Design Fluency Test). "Lower-level" cognitive processes, i.e., reaction time and visuo-perceptual abilities, were also measured with the previous tasks. ANOVA's showed that elite players outscored sub-elite players at the "higher-level" cognitive tasks only, especially on metacognition (p < .05). Using stepwise discriminant analysis, 62.5% of subjects was correctly assigned to one of the groups based on their metacognition, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility performance. Controlling for training hours and academic level, MANCOVA's showed differences in favor of the elite youth soccer players on inhibitory control (p = .001), and cognitive flexibility (p = .042), but not on metacognition (p = .27). No differences were found concerning working memory nor the "lower-level" cognitive processes (p > .05). In conclusion, elite youth soccer players have better inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and especially metacognition than their sub-elite counterparts. However, when training hours are taken into account, differences between elite and sub-elite youth soccer players remain apparent on inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility in contrast to metacognition. This highlights the need for longitudinal studies to further investigate the importance of "higher-level" cognitive functions for talent identification, talent development and performance in soccer.

Cognitive Functions in Elite and Sub-Elite Youth Soccer Players Aged 13 to 17 Years

PubMed Central

Huijgen, Barbara C. H.; Leemhuis, Sander; Kok, Niels M.; Verburgh, Lot; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T.; Visscher, Chris

2015-01-01

Soccer players are required to anticipate and react continuously in a changing, relatively unpredictable situation in the field. Cognitive functions might be important to be successful in soccer. The current study investigated the relationship between cognitive functions and performance level in elite and sub-elite youth soccer players aged 13–17 years. A total of 47 elite youth soccer players (mean age 15.5 years, SD = 0.9) and 41 sub-elite youth soccer players (mean age 15.2 years, SD = 1.2) performed tasks for “higher-level” cognitive functions measuring working memory (i.e., Visual Memory Span), inhibitory control (i.e., Stop-Signal Task), cognitive flexibility (i.e., Trail Making Test), and metacognition (i.e., Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Design Fluency Test). “Lower-level” cognitive processes, i.e., reaction time and visuo-perceptual abilities, were also measured with the previous tasks. ANOVA’s showed that elite players outscored sub-elite players at the “higher-level” cognitive tasks only, especially on metacognition (p < .05). Using stepwise discriminant analysis, 62.5% of subjects was correctly assigned to one of the groups based on their metacognition, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility performance. Controlling for training hours and academic level, MANCOVA’s showed differences in favor of the elite youth soccer players on inhibitory control (p = .001), and cognitive flexibility (p = .042), but not on metacognition (p = .27). No differences were found concerning working memory nor the “lower-level” cognitive processes (p > .05). In conclusion, elite youth soccer players have better inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and especially metacognition than their sub-elite counterparts. However, when training hours are taken into account, differences between elite and sub-elite youth soccer players remain apparent on inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility in contrast to metacognition. This highlights the need for longitudinal studies to further investigate the importance of “higher-level” cognitive functions for talent identification, talent development and performance in soccer. PMID:26657073

Leg Stiffness in Female Soccer Players: Intersession Reliability and the Fatiguing Effects of Soccer-Specific Exercise.

PubMed

De Ste Croix, Mark B A; Hughes, Jonathan D; Lloyd, Rhodri S; Oliver, Jon L; Read, Paul J

2017-11-01

De Ste Croix, MBA, Hughes, JD, Lloyd, RS, Oliver, JL, and Read, PJ. Leg stiffness in female soccer players: intersession reliability and the fatiguing effects of soccer-specific exercise. J Strength Cond Res 31(11): 3052-3058, 2016-Low levels of leg stiffness and reduced leg stiffness when fatigue is present compromise physical performance and increase injury risk. The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the reliability of leg stiffness measures obtained from contact mat data and (b) explore age-related differences in leg stiffness after exposure to a soccer-specific fatigue protocol in young female soccer players. Thirty-seven uninjured female youth soccer players divided into 3 subgroups based on chronological age (under 13 [U13], under 15 [U15], and under 17 [U17] year-olds) volunteered to participate in the study. After baseline data collection, during which relative leg stiffness, contact time, and flight time were collected, participants completed an age-appropriate soccer-specific fatigue protocol (SAFT). Upon completion of the fatigue protocol, subjects were immediately retested. Intersession reliability was acceptable and could be considered capable of detecting worthwhile changes in performance. Results showed that leg stiffness decreased in the U13 year-olds, was maintained in the U15 age group, and increased in the U17 players. Contact times and flight times did not change in the U13 and U15 year-olds, but significantly decreased and increased, respectively, in the U17 age group. The data suggest that age-related changes in the neuromuscular control of leg stiffness are present in youth female soccer players. Practitioners should be aware of these discrepancies in neuromuscular responses to soccer-specific fatigue, and should tailor training programs to meet the needs of individuals, which may subsequently enhance performance and reduce injury risk.

Talent identification in youth soccer.

PubMed

Unnithan, Viswanath; White, Jordan; Georgiou, Andreas; Iga, John; Drust, Barry

2012-01-01

The purpose of this review article was firstly to evaluate the traditional approach to talent identification in youth soccer and secondly present pilot data on a more holistic method for talent identification. Research evidence exists to suggest that talent identification mechanisms that are predicated upon the physical (anthropometric) attributes of the early maturing individual only serve to identify current performance levels. Greater body mass and stature have both been related to faster ball shooting speed and vertical jump capacity respectively in elite youth soccer players. This approach, however, may prematurely exclude those late maturing individuals. Multiple physiological measures have also been used in an effort to determine key predictors of performance; with agility and sprint times, being identified as variables that could discriminate between elite and sub-elite groups of adolescent soccer players. Successful soccer performance is the product of multiple systems interacting with one another. Consequently, a more holistic approach to talent identification should be considered. Recent work, with elite youth soccer players, has considered whether multiple small-sided games could act as a talent identification tool in this population. The results demonstrated that there was a moderate agreement between the more technically gifted soccer player and success during multiple small-sided games.

An evaluation of the impact of FIFA World Cup on soccer emergency department injuries among Montreal adolescents.

PubMed

Keays, Glenn; Friedman, Debbie; Beaudin, Marianne; Gagnon, Isabelle

2018-05-01

The 'trickle-down effect', or how major sports events have a positive impact on sports participation, has been the subject of many studies, but none produced conclusive results. We took a different approach and rather than look at sports participation, we used injuries as a proxy and see if injuries increased, or remained the same, after the International Federation of Association Football World Cup. Using a retrospective cohort design, we looked at the injuries suffered by males and females (13-16 years old) while playing team sports in Montreal, that occurred in May to July, from 1999 to 2014. Information reported by the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting Prevention Program (CHIRPP) was limited to the two CHIRPP centres in Montreal: the Montreal Children's Hospital and Hopital Sainte-Justine. In females, no significant trends were noticed. In males who played non-organised soccer, the percent changes between FIFA World Cup (WC) (June) and pre-FIFA WC (May) was always highest during FIFA WC years: 17.2% more injuries in years when FIFA WC was held compared to 1.3% less injuries during non-FIFA WC years. In non-organised soccer, male players suffered less strains/sprains (11.9% vs. 30.1%; P = 0.015), suffered more severe injuries (59.7% vs. 43.1%; P = 0.049) and more of their injuries were the results of direct contact with another player (26.8% vs. 13.3%; P = 0.028) during FIFA WC. FIFA WC seems to have an impact on the injuries of teenage boys when playing non-organised soccer. The impact was short-lived, only lasting during the FIFA WC event. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Self-localization for an autonomous mobile robot based on an omni-directional vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiang, Shu-Yin; Lin, Kuang-Yu; Chia, Tsorng-Lin

2013-12-01

In this study, we designed an autonomous mobile robot based on the rules of the Federation of International Robotsoccer Association (FIRA) RoboSot category, integrating the techniques of computer vision, real-time image processing, dynamic target tracking, wireless communication, self-localization, motion control, path planning, and control strategy to achieve the contest goal. The self-localization scheme of the mobile robot is based on the algorithms featured in the images from its omni-directional vision system. In previous works, we used the image colors of the field goals as reference points, combining either dual-circle or trilateration positioning of the reference points to achieve selflocalization of the autonomous mobile robot. However, because the image of the game field is easily affected by ambient light, positioning systems exclusively based on color model algorithms cause errors. To reduce environmental effects and achieve the self-localization of the robot, the proposed algorithm is applied in assessing the corners of field lines by using an omni-directional vision system. Particularly in the mid-size league of the RobotCup soccer competition, selflocalization algorithms based on extracting white lines from the soccer field have become increasingly popular. Moreover, white lines are less influenced by light than are the color model of the goals. Therefore, we propose an algorithm that transforms the omni-directional image into an unwrapped transformed image, enhancing the extraction features. The process is described as follows: First, radical scan-lines were used to process omni-directional images, reducing the computational load and improving system efficiency. The lines were radically arranged around the center of the omni-directional camera image, resulting in a shorter computational time compared with the traditional Cartesian coordinate system. However, the omni-directional image is a distorted image, which makes it difficult to recognize the position of the robot. Therefore, image transformation was required to implement self-localization. Second, we used an approach to transform the omni-directional images into panoramic images. Hence, the distortion of the white line can be fixed through the transformation. The interest points that form the corners of the landmark were then located using the features from accelerated segment test (FAST) algorithm. In this algorithm, a circle of sixteen pixels surrounding the corner candidate is considered and is a high-speed feature detector in real-time frame rate applications. Finally, the dual-circle, trilateration, and cross-ratio projection algorithms were implemented in choosing the corners obtained from the FAST algorithm and localizing the position of the robot. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is accurate, exhibiting a 2-cm position error in the soccer field measuring 600 cm2 x 400 cm2.

Opening Up the Pandora's Box of Sustainability League Tables of Universities: A Kafkaesque Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, David R.

2017-01-01

The aim of this paper is to explore the institutional impact of sustainability league tables on current university agendas. It focuses on a narrative critique of one such league table, the UK's "Green League Table", compiled and reported by the student campaigning NGO, "People & Planet" annually between 2007 and 2013.…

LeagueTLC: Transformational Learning Connections. Connecting Community Colleges with Innovative Solutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Stella

This document describes LeagueTLC: Transformational Learning Connections (http://www.league.org/leaguetlc/index.htm), a Web site created by the League for Innovation in the Community College with funding from the Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE). This Web site serves as a resource for community colleges by disseminating…

League Bilong Laif: Rugby, Education and Sport-for-Development Partnerships in Papua New Guinea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherry, Emma; Schulenkorf, Nico

2016-01-01

League Bilong Laif (LBL) is a sport-for-development (SFD) programme that was established in 2013 as a three-way partnership between the Australian Government, the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government (Department of Education) and the Australian Rugby League Commission (National Rugby League). As a contribution to addressing low rates of school…

Association of Soccer and Genu Varum in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Asadi, Kamran; Mirbolook, Ahmadreza; Heidarzadeh, Abtin; Mardani Kivi, Mohsen; Emami Meybodi, Mohammad Kazem; Rouhi Rad, Melina

2015-01-01

Background: Genu varum is a physical deformity marked by bowing of the leg. One of the risk factors of this musculoskeletal alignment is stress on the knee joint such as with exercise. Objectives: Since the evaluation of genu varum has not been widely studies, this study was conducted to examine the association between genu varum and playing soccer. Materials and Methods: Between Septembers 2010-2012, 750 soccer players and 750 non-soccer players 10-18 years of age were included in the study. A questionnaire of data including age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), years of soccer participation, the average time of playing soccer per week, previous trauma to the lower limbs, history of any fractures of the knee, previous hospitalizations, and the distance of joint lines between the knees was assessed for all subjects. Chi-square, student t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis by SPSS v.19.0 software. In all tests, a P value of less than 0.05 was construed as statistically significant. Results: Both soccer players and controls had genu varum. However, the incidence of genu varum was higher in the soccer players (P = 0.0001) and it was more prevalent in the 16-18 year age group (P = 0.0001). The results revealed a statistically significant association between the degree of practices and the prevalence of genu varum (P = 0.0001). Moreover, previous trauma to the knees and practicing in load-bearing sports led to an increase in the degree of genu varum (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: There was a higher incidence of genu varum in soccer players than in control adolescents; the stress and load imposed on the knee joint led to more severe genu varum. PMID:26290852

Parental perceptions regarding mandatory mouthguard use in competitive youth soccer

PubMed Central

Pribble, J; Maio, R; Freed, G

2004-01-01

Objective: To understand factors that influence parental perceptions regarding mandatory mouthguard use in competitive youth soccer. Setting and subjects: A web based survey of parents whose 8–14 year old children participated in outdoor competitive youth soccer during the fall of 2002. Questions focused on: previous injury, education provided, dentist/physician recommendations, and parental perceptions of mouthguard use. Main outcome measure: The outcome variable was parental agreement with the statement "mouthguards should be mandatory for competitive youth soccer". Logistic regression and χ2 were performed using STATA 8.0. Results: Altogether 120 parents participated. The children had a mean (SD) age of 11.8 (1.5) years and 48% were female; 14% wore mouthguards and 11% suffered orofacial injuries. Nineteen percent of parents reported receiving educational material from the youth soccer organization. Although 92% of parents believed that mouthguards were effective in reducing orofacial injuries, only one half agreed that mouthguards should be mandatory. Thirty percent of respondents reported that their dentist/physician recommended mouthguards for competitive youth soccer. Logistic regression showed that dentist/physician recommendation and parental female gender were independently associated with parental agreement for mandatory mouthguard use (odds ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 7.3; odds ratio 3.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.5). Conclusions: Few athletes wear mouthguards during competitive youth soccer. Health care professionals in this study did not capitalize on the apparent influence they have on parental beliefs regarding mouthguard use. Efforts are needed by both health professionals and soccer organizations to educate parents about orofacial injuries and mouthguard use in competitive youth soccer. PMID:15178672

The Effects of a 6-Week Strength Training on Critical Velocity, Anaerobic Running Distance, 30-M Sprint and Yo-Yo Intermittent Running Test Performances in Male Soccer Players.

PubMed

Karsten, Bettina; Larumbe-Zabala, Eneko; Kandemir, Gokhan; Hazir, Tahir; Klose, Andreas; Naclerio, Fernando

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of a moderate intensity strength training on changes in critical velocity (CV), anaerobic running distance (D'), sprint performance and Yo-Yo intermittent running test (Yo-Yo IR1) performances. two recreational soccer teams were divided in a soccer training only group (SO; n = 13) and a strength and soccer training group (ST; n = 13). Both groups were tested for values of CV, D', Yo-Yo IR1 distance and 30-m sprint time on two separate occasions (pre and post intervention). The ST group performed a concurrent 6-week upper and lower body strength and soccer training, whilst the SO group performed a soccer only training. after the re-test of all variables, the ST demonstrated significant improvements for both, YoYo IR1 distance (p = 0.002) and CV values (p<0.001) with no significant changes in the SO group. 30-m sprint performance were slightly improved in the ST group with significantly decreased performance times identified in the SO group (p<0.001). Values for D' were slightly reduced in both groups (ST -44.5 m, 95% CI = -90.6 to 1.6; SO -42.6 m, 95% CI = -88.7 to 3.5). combining a 6-week moderate strength training with soccer training significantly improves CV, Yo-Yo IR1 whilst moderately improving 30-m sprint performances in non-previously resistance trained male soccer players. Critical Velocity can be recommended to coaches as an additional valid testing tool in soccer.

The Effects of a 6-Week Strength Training on Critical Velocity, Anaerobic Running Distance, 30-M Sprint and Yo-Yo Intermittent Running Test Performances in Male Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Karsten, Bettina; Larumbe-Zabala, Eneko; Kandemir, Gokhan; Hazir, Tahir; Klose, Andreas; Naclerio, Fernando

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of a moderate intensity strength training on changes in critical velocity (CV), anaerobic running distance (D'), sprint performance and Yo-Yo intermittent running test (Yo-Yo IR1) performances. Methods: two recreational soccer teams were divided in a soccer training only group (SO; n = 13) and a strength and soccer training group (ST; n = 13). Both groups were tested for values of CV, D', Yo-Yo IR1 distance and 30-m sprint time on two separate occasions (pre and post intervention). The ST group performed a concurrent 6-week upper and lower body strength and soccer training, whilst the SO group performed a soccer only training. Results: after the re-test of all variables, the ST demonstrated significant improvements for both, YoYo IR1 distance (p = 0.002) and CV values (p<0.001) with no significant changes in the SO group. 30-m sprint performance were slightly improved in the ST group with significantly decreased performance times identified in the SO group (p<0.001). Values for D' were slightly reduced in both groups (ST -44.5 m, 95% CI = -90.6 to 1.6; SO -42.6 m, 95% CI = -88.7 to 3.5). Conclusions: combining a 6-week moderate strength training with soccer training significantly improves CV, Yo-Yo IR1 whilst moderately improving 30-m sprint performances in non-previously resistance trained male soccer players. Critical Velocity can be recommended to coaches as an additional valid testing tool in soccer. PMID:27015418

Biomechanical and functional indicators in male semiprofessional soccer players with increased hip alpha angles vs. amateur soccer players.

PubMed

Lahner, Matthias; von Schulze Pellengahr, Christoph; Walter, Philipp Alexander; Lukas, Carsten; Falarzik, Andreas; Daniilidis, Kiriakos; von Engelhardt, Lars Victor; Abraham, Christoph; Hennig, Ewald M; Hagen, Marco

2014-03-16

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is predominant in young male athletes, but not much is known about gait differences in cases of increased hip alpha angles. In our study, the hip alpha angle of Nötzli of soccer players was quantified on the basis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with axial oblique sequences. The aim of the current study was to compare the rearfoot motion and plantar pressure in male semiprofessional soccer players with increased alpha angles to age-matched amateur soccer players. In a prospective analysis, male semiprofessional and amateur soccer players had an MRI of the right hip to measure the alpha angle of Nötzli. In a biomechanical laboratory setting, 14 of these participants in each group ran in two shoe conditions. Simultaneously in-shoe pressure distribution, tibial acceleration, and rearfoot motion measurements of the right foot were performed. In the semiprofessional soccer group, the mean value of the alpha angle of group was 55.1 ± 6.58° (range 43.2-76.6°) and 51.6 ± 4.43° (range 41.9-58.8°) in the amateur group. In both shoe conditions, we found a significant difference between the two groups concerning the ground reaction forces, tibial acceleration, rearfoot motion and plantar pressure parameters (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P = 0.04). Maximum rearfoot motion is about 22% lower in the semiprofessional group compared to the amateur group in both shoe conditions. This study confirmed that semiprofessional soccer players with increased alpha angles showed differences in gait kinematics compared to the amateur group. These findings support the need for a screening program for competitive soccer players. In cases of a conspicuous gait analysis and symptomatic hip pain, FAI must be ruled out by further diagnostic tests.

The preventive effect of the Nordic hamstring exercise on hamstring injuries in amateur soccer players: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

van der Horst, Nick; Smits, Dirk Wouter; Petersen, Jesper; Goedhart, Edwin A; Backx, Frank J G

2014-08-01

Hamstring injuries are the most common muscle injury in male amateur soccer players and have a high rate of recurrence, often despite extensive treatment and long rehabilitation periods. Eccentric strength and flexibility are recognised as important modifiable risk factors, which have led to the development of eccentric hamstring exercises, such as the Nordic hamstring exercise. As the effectiveness of the Nordic hamstring exercise in reducing hamstring injuries has never been investigated in amateur soccer players, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of this exercise on the incidence and severity of hamstring injuries in male amateur soccer players. An additional aim is to determine whether flexibility is associated with hamstring injuries. Cluster-randomised controlled trial with soccer teams as the unit of cluster. Dutch male amateur soccer players, aged 18-40 years, were allocated to an intervention or control group. Both study groups continued regular soccer training during 2013, but the intervention group additionally performed the Nordic hamstring exercise (25 sessions over 13 weeks). Primary outcomes are the incidence of initial and recurrent hamstring injury and injury severity. Secondary outcomes are hamstring-and-lower-back flexibility and compliance. Compliance to the intervention protocol was also monitored. Eccentric hamstring strength exercises are hypothesised to reduce the incidence of hamstring injury among male amateur soccer players by 70%. The prevention of such injuries will be beneficial to soccer players, clubs, football associations, health insurance companies and society. NTR3664. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Analysis of Injury Incidences in Male Professional Adult and Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Pfirrmann, Daniel; Herbst, Mark; Ingelfinger, Patrick; Simon, Perikles; Tug, Suzan

2016-05-01

The incidence of injury for elite youth and professional adult soccer players is an important concern, but the risk factors for these groups are different. To summarize and compare the injury incidences and injury characteristics of male professional adult and elite youth soccer players. We searched MEDLINE and Web of Science using the search terms elite, international, European, soccer, football, injury, injuries, epidemiology, incidence, prevalence, not female, not American football, and not rugby. We also used the search terms professional for studies on professional adult soccer players and high-level, soccer academy, youth, adolescent, and young for studies on elite youth soccer players. Eligible studies were published in English, had a prospective cohort design, and had a minimum study period of 6 months. To ensure that injury data were assessed in relationship to the athlete's individual exposure, we included only studies that reported on injuries and documented exposure volume. Two independent reviewers applied the selection criteria and assessed the quality of the studies. A total of 676 studies were retrieved from the literature search. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria: 6 for elite youth and 12 for professional adult soccer players. Injury rates were higher for matches than for training for both youth and adult players. Youth players had a higher incidence of training injuries than professionals. Efforts must be made to reduce the overall injury rate in matches. Therefore, preventive interventions, such as adequately enforcing rules and focusing on fair play, must be analyzed and developed to reduce match-related injury incidences. Reducing training injuries should be a particular focus for youth soccer players.

Technical and physical determinants of soccer match-play performance in elite youth soccer players.

PubMed

Rowat, Owain; Fenner, Jonathan; Unnithan, Viswanath

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether physical performance characteristics could be a better predictor than technical skills in determining the technical level of county soccer players in a match situation. With institutional ethics approval, 25 male youth soccer players aged 16-18.5 years from a professional soccer academy in South East Asia were selected and height and body mass were recorded. Players were tested for sexual maturity (pubertal development scale [PDS] self-assessment), aerobic capacity (yo-yo intermittent recovery test level 1 [YYIR1]), repeated sprint ability (7 x 35 m sprints) acceleration (15 m sprint) and four soccer skills tests (dribble with pass, dribbling speed, passing and shooting accuracy). Players' technical ability during match play was assessed in small-sided games of soccer (5 v 5) using a novel game technical scoring chart (scoring chart completed by coaches to assess technical performance in a match situation) developed from criteria (e.g., first touch, dribbling and two footedness) used by youth soccer coaches for talent identification. A Spearman's rank correlation showed the YYIR1 test and 15 m sprint test were limited in predicting technical match performance (r=0.03, P=0.88, r=-0.23, P=0.32 respectively). A Pearson product moment correlation showed that the repeated sprint test was also limited in predicting technical match performance (r=-0.34, P=0.14). A dribbling skill with a pass was found to be the best determinant of a player's technical ability in a match (r=-0.57, P=0.00). Talent identification and selection programs in Asian youth soccer should include a dribbling skill performed with a pass.

No Effect of Generalized Joint Hypermobility on Injury Risk in Elite Female Soccer Players: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Blokland, Donna; Thijs, Karin M; Backx, Frank J G; Goedhart, Edwin A; Huisstede, Bionka M A

2017-02-01

Although it has been suggested that generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) is a risk factor for injury in soccer players, it remains unclear whether this applies to elite female soccer players. To investigate whether GJH is a risk factor for injury in elite female soccer players. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Elite female soccer players in the Netherlands were screened at the start of the 2014-2015 competitive season. GJH was assessed using the Beighton score. Soccer injuries and soccer exposure were registered throughout the entire season. Poisson regression was performed to calculate incidence risk ratios (IRRs) using different cutoff points of the Beighton score (≥3, ≥4, and ≥5) to indicate GJH. Of the 114 players included in the study, 20 were classified as hypermobile (Beighton score ≥4). The mean (±SD) injury incidence per player was 8.40 ± 9.17 injuries/1000 hours of soccer, with no significant difference between hypermobile and nonhypermobile players. GJH was not a risk factor for injuries when using Beighton score cutoff points of ≥3 (IRR = 1.06 [95% CI, 0.74-1.50]; P = .762), ≥4 (IRR = 1.10 [95% CI, 0.72-1.68]; P = .662), or ≥5 (IRR = 1.15 [95% CI, 0.68-1.95]; P = .602). Similarly, GJH was not a significant risk factor for thigh, knee, or ankle injuries evaluated separately. This study indicates that GJH is not a risk factor for injuries in elite female soccer players, irrespective of Beighton score cutoff point. Hypermobile players at this elite level might have improved their active stability and/or used braces to compensate for joint laxity.

Analysis of Injury Incidences in Male Professional Adult and Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Pfirrmann, Daniel; Herbst, Mark; Ingelfinger, Patrick; Simon, Perikles; Tug, Suzan

2016-01-01

Context:  The incidence of injury for elite youth and professional adult soccer players is an important concern, but the risk factors for these groups are different. Objective:  To summarize and compare the injury incidences and injury characteristics of male professional adult and elite youth soccer players. Data Sources:  We searched MEDLINE and Web of Science using the search terms elite, international, European, soccer, football, injury, injuries, epidemiology, incidence, prevalence, not female, not American football, and not rugby. We also used the search terms professional for studies on professional adult soccer players and high-level, soccer academy, youth, adolescent, and young for studies on elite youth soccer players. Study Selection:  Eligible studies were published in English, had a prospective cohort design, and had a minimum study period of 6 months. To ensure that injury data were assessed in relationship to the athlete's individual exposure, we included only studies that reported on injuries and documented exposure volume. Data Extraction:  Two independent reviewers applied the selection criteria and assessed the quality of the studies. Data Synthesis:  A total of 676 studies were retrieved from the literature search. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria: 6 for elite youth and 12 for professional adult soccer players. Conclusions:  Injury rates were higher for matches than for training for both youth and adult players. Youth players had a higher incidence of training injuries than professionals. Efforts must be made to reduce the overall injury rate in matches. Therefore, preventive interventions, such as adequately enforcing rules and focusing on fair play, must be analyzed and developed to reduce match-related injury incidences. Reducing training injuries should be a particular focus for youth soccer players. PMID:27244125

Iron deficiency and anemia: a common problem in female elite soccer players.

PubMed

Landahl, Göran; Adolfsson, Peter; Börjesson, Mats; Mannheimer, Clas; Rödjer, Stig

2005-12-01

The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia among elite women soccer players. Hemoglobin, serum iron, serum total iron binding capacity, and ferritin were determined in 28 female soccer players called up for the national team. Of the investigated female soccer players, 57% had iron deficiency and 29% iron deficiency anemia 6 months before the FIFA Women's World Cup. It is concluded that iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia is common in female soccer players at the top international level. Some might suffer from relative anemia and measurement of hemoglobin alone is not sufficient to reveal relative anemia. Regular monitoring of hemoglobin concentration and iron status is necessary to institute iron supplementation when indicated.

Fly-through viewpoint video system for multi-view soccer movie using viewpoint interpolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inamoto, Naho; Saito, Hideo

2003-06-01

This paper presents a novel method for virtual view generation that allows viewers to fly through in a real soccer scene. A soccer match is captured by multiple cameras at a stadium and images of arbitrary viewpoints are synthesized by view-interpolation of two real camera images near the given viewpoint. In the proposed method, cameras do not need to be strongly calibrated, but epipolar geometry between the cameras is sufficient for the view-interpolation. Therefore, it can easily be applied to a dynamic event even in a large space, because the efforts for camera calibration can be reduced. A soccer scene is classified into several regions and virtual view images are generated based on the epipolar geometry in each region. Superimposition of the images completes virtual views for the whole soccer scene. An application for fly-through observation of a soccer match is introduced as well as the algorithm of the view-synthesis and experimental results..

Study on the intelligent decision making of soccer robot side-wall behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaochuan; Shao, Guifang; Tan, Zhi; Li, Zushu

2007-12-01

Side-wall is the static obstacle in soccer robot game, reasonably making use of the Side-wall can improve soccer robot competitive ability. As a kind of artificial life, the Side-wall processing strategy of soccer robot is influenced by many factors, such as game state, field region, attacking and defending situation and so on, each factor also has different influence degree, so, the Side-wall behavior selection is an intelligent selecting process. From the view point of human simulated, based on the idea of Side-wall processing priority[1], this paper builds the priority function for Side-wall processing, constructs the action predicative model for Side-wall obstacle, puts forward the Side-wall processing strategy, and forms the Side-wall behavior selection mechanism. Through the contrasting experiment between the strategy applied and none, proves that this strategy can improve the soccer robot capacity, it is feasible and effective, and has positive meaning for soccer robot stepped study.

Nonverbal behavior in soccer: the influence of dominant and submissive body language on the impression formation and expectancy of success of soccer players.

PubMed

Furley, Philip; Dicks, Matt; Memmert, Daniel

2012-02-01

In the present article, we investigate the effects of specific nonverbal behaviors signaling dominance and submissiveness on impression formation and outcome expectation in the soccer penalty kick situation. In Experiment 1, results indicated that penalty takers with dominant body language are perceived more positively by soccer goalkeepers and players and are expected to perform better than players with a submissive body language. This effect was similar for both video and point-light displays. Moreover, in contrast to previous studies, we found no effect of clothing (red vs. white) in the video condition. In Experiment 2, we used the implicit association test to demonstrate that dominant body language is implicitly associated with a positive soccer player schema whereas submissive body language is implicitly associated with a negative soccer player schema. The implications of our findings are discussed with reference to future implications for theory and research in the study of person perception in sport.

Robot soccer anywhere: achieving persistent autonomous navigation, mapping, and object vision tracking in dynamic environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dragone, Mauro; O'Donoghue, Ruadhan; Leonard, John J.; O'Hare, Gregory; Duffy, Brian; Patrikalakis, Andrew; Leederkerken, Jacques

2005-06-01

The paper describes an ongoing effort to enable autonomous mobile robots to play soccer in unstructured, everyday environments. Unlike conventional robot soccer competitions that are usually held on purpose-built robot soccer "fields", in our work we seek to develop the capability for robots to demonstrate aspects of soccer-playing in more diverse environments, such as schools, hospitals, or shopping malls, with static obstacles (furniture) and dynamic natural obstacles (people). This problem of "Soccer Anywhere" presents numerous research challenges including: (1) Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) in dynamic, unstructured environments, (2) software control architectures for decentralized, distributed control of mobile agents, (3) integration of vision-based object tracking with dynamic control, and (4) social interaction with human participants. In addition to the intrinsic research merit of these topics, we believe that this capability would prove useful for outreach activities, in demonstrating robotics technology to primary and secondary school students, to motivate them to pursue careers in science and engineering.

Plantar pressure asymmetry and risk of stress injuries in the foot of young soccer players.

PubMed

Azevedo, Renato R; da Rocha, Emmanuel S; Franco, Pedro S; Carpes, Felipe P

2017-03-01

Asymmetries in the magnitude of plantar pressure are considered a risk factor for stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal in soccer athletes. To investigate the presence of plantar pressure asymmetries among young soccer athletes. Observational. Laboratory. Thirty young adolescents divided into a soccer player group (n = 15) or a matched control group (n = 15). Mean plantar pressure was determined for seven different regions of the foot. Data were compared between the preferred and non-preferred foot, and between the groups, during barefoot standing on a pressure mat system. Higher pressure was found in the hallux, 5th metatarsal and medial rearfoot of the non-preferred foot in the young soccer players. These asymmetries were not observed in the control group. Magnitudes of plantar pressure did not differ between the groups. Young soccer players present asymmetries in plantar pressure in the hallux, 5th metatarsal and medial rearfoot, with higher pressure observed in the non-preferred foot. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinesiology tape mediates soccer-simulated and local peroneal fatigue in soccer players.

PubMed

Farquharson, Claire; Greig, Matt

2017-01-01

To investigate the efficacy of kinesiology taping in mediating the influence of fatigue on ankle sprain risk, 12 male soccer players completed single-leg dynamic balance trials pre- and post-exercise (soccer-specific protocol, isokinetic ankle inversion/eversion protocol) in each of three counter-balanced taping conditions (no tape, zinc oxide tape ZO, kinesiology tape KT). Balance was quantified as the overall stability index (OSI) and directional stability indices of platform deflection. Soccer-specific fatigue only increased OSI in the no tape condition (p = 0.03), with ZO and KT trials negating a fatigue affect. Localized fatigue increased OSI in the no tape (p = 0.01) and ZO (p = 0.05) trials, with no increase in the KT trial. A similar pattern was observed in medio-lateral and anterio-posterior balance indices. KT mediates soccer-simulated and local peroneal fatigue, with practical implications for epidemiological observations of increased injury risk during the latter stages of match play.

Venous Thromboembolism Within Professional American Sport Leagues

PubMed Central

Bishop, Meghan; Astolfi, Matthew; Padegimas, Eric; DeLuca, Peter; Hammoud, Sommer

2017-01-01

Background: Numerous reports have described players in professional American sports leagues who have been sidelined with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE), but little is known about the clinical implications of these events in professional athletes. Purpose: To conduct a retrospective review of injury reports from the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Football League (NFL) to take a closer look at the incidence of DVT/PE, current treatment approaches, and estimated time to return to play in professional athletes. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: An online search of all team injury and media reports of DVT/PE in NHL, MLB, NBA, and NFL players available for public record was conducted by use of Google, PubMed, and SPORTDiscus. Searches were conducted using the professional team name combined with blood clot, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis. Results: A total of 55 venous thromboembolism (VTE) events were identified from 1999 through 2016 (NHL, n = 22; MLB, n = 16; NFL, n = 12; NBA, n = 5). Nineteen athletes were reported to have an upper extremity DVT, 15 had a lower extremity DVT, 15 had a PE, and 6 had DVT with PE. Six athletes sustained more than 1 VTE. The mean age at time of VTE was 29.3 years (range, 19-42 years). Mean (±SD) time lost from play was 6.7 ± 4.9 months (range, 3 days to career end). Seven athletes did not return to play. Players with upper extremity DVT had a faster return to play (mean ± SD, 4.3 ± 2.7 months) than those with lower extremity DVT (5.9 ± 3.8 months), PE (10.8 ± 6.8 months), or DVT with PE (8.2 ± 2.6 months) (F = 5.69, P = .002). No significant difference was found regarding time of return to play between sports. Conclusion: VTE in professional athletes led to an average of 6.7 months lost from play. The majority of athletes were able to return to play after a period of anticoagulation or surgery. Those with an upper extremity DVT returned to play faster than those with other types of VTE. Further study is needed to look into modifiable risk factors for these events and to establish treatment and return-to-play guidelines to ensure the safety of these athletes. PMID:29318176

A comparison of paediatric soccer, gaelic football and rugby injuries presenting to an emergency department in Ireland.

PubMed

O'Rourke, K P; Quinn, F; Mun, S; Browne, M; Sheehan, J; Cusack, S; Molloy, M

2007-01-01

Children presenting with sport related injuries (SRIs) as a result of soccer, rugby and gaelic football are frequently seen in an emergency medicine (EM) setting in Ireland. A comparison of the demographics of injuries in these three sports has however not previously been performed. The purpose of this study was to provide up-to-date data on the nature of these SRIs. Data was collected retrospectively on all children (<17 years of age), injured in these three sports, presenting to an emergency medicine department over 6 months, and was entered into a database for analysis. Retrospective analysis was performed on 23,000 charts, and 409 SRIs were identified over a 6-month period. None of the children reported using any form of protective gear, and 27% reported a previous presentation to the emergency department with a SRI. Most injuries were as a result of soccer (56%), with 24% occurring in gaelic football, and 20% occurring in rugby. The predominant mechanism of injury was different in each sport, in soccer-falls (38%), in gaelic football-collisions with objects (balls) (37%), and in rugby-collision with persons (55%). Although the predominant type of injury in soccer and gaelic football was a fracture, accounting for 50% and 42% of injuries, respectively, in rugby however, skin/soft tissue injuries presented more commonly, accounting for 44% of injuries. When the general site of injury was investigated, the upper limb accounted for the majority of SRIs in each sport. In the management of SRIs, oral analgesics were prescribed in 50%, however, it was observed that no use was made of topical, intramuscular or rectal analgesic routes of administration. In addition it was observed that RICE/general injury advice was given in only 27%, physiotherapy was requested in 2%, and no injury prevention advice was given to any child. Overall, 8% required admission. The data provided from this study may raise awareness of the nature of SRIs affecting children in each of these three sports, and may be useful in formulating much needed injury prevention strategies.

Psychological profiles of gender and personality traces of Brazilian professional athletes of futsal, and their influence on physiological parameters

PubMed Central

do Nascimento, Marcelo Guimarães Boia; Gomes, Sérgio Adriano; Mota, Márcio Rabelo; Aparecida, Renata; de Melo, Gislane Ferreira

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to identify the psychological profiles of professional futsal players in terms of the gender schema and to evaluate the physiological parameters (speed, acceleration, strength, and power) and fatigue index of these athletes according to their gender profiles and relative to their positions on the court. The Masculine Inventory of the Self-concept Gender Schemas was used to classify the sample into typological groups, and the Running Anaerobic Sprint Test was used to measure the physiological parameters (speed, acceleration, strength, and power) and the fatigue index. The study sample was composed of 64 male professional futsal players who competed in the National Indoor Soccer league in 2013; the subjects had an average weight of 76.00±6.7 kg. Among the athletes studied, 23 (35.9%) were classified as heteroschematic female, 22 (34.4%) as heteroschematic male, and 19 (29.7%) as isoschematic. Regarding their positions on the court, eleven were goalkeepers (17.2%), 13 (20.3%) were defenders, 28 (43.8%) were midfielders, and 12 (18.8%) were attackers. The players had similar weights even when belonging to different typological groups and having different positions in the court. However, it is worth noting that male heteroschematic players had a greater mean weight (77.11±5.93 kg) and that the goalkeeper was, on average, the heaviest player (79.36±8.14 kg). The results of the physiological parameter analysis relative to typological group showed that, on average, high-level soccer players presented similar performance profiles in different rounds, as statistically significant differences were not found in any of the studied physiological variables (weight, distance, speed, acceleration, strength, power, and fatigue index). Although the results of this research did not reveal statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of the assessed variables, we observed that some results related to personality traits associated with both the male and female components could help to clarify and establish relationships with some strategic aspects inherent to futsal. PMID:27069373

Agreement between Two Methods of Dietary Data Collection in Male Adolescent Academy-Level Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Briggs, Marc A.; Rumbold, Penny L. S.; Cockburn, Emma; Russell, Mark; Stevenson, Emma J.

2015-01-01

Collecting accurate and reliable nutritional data from adolescent populations is challenging, with current methods providing significant under-reporting. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of a combined dietary data collection method (self-reported weighed food diary, supplemented with a 24-h recall) when compared to researcher observed energy intake in male adolescent soccer players. Twelve Academy players from an English Football League club participated in the study. Players attended a 12 h period in the laboratory (08:00 h–20:00 h), during which food and drink items were available and were consumed ad libitum. Food was also provided to consume at home between 20:00 h and 08:00 h the following morning under free-living conditions. To calculate the participant reported energy intake, food and drink items were weighed and recorded in a food diary by each participant, which was supplemented with information provided through a 24-h recall interview the following morning. Linear regression, limits of agreement (LOA) and typical error (coefficient of variation; CV) were used to quantify agreement between observer and participant reported 24-h energy intake. Difference between methods was assessed using a paired samples t-test. Participants systematically under-reported energy intake in comparison to that observed (p < 0.01) but the magnitude of this bias was small and consistent (mean bias = −88 kcal·day−1, 95% CI for bias = −146 to −29 kcal·day−1). For random error, the 95% LOA between methods ranged between −1.11 to 0.37 MJ·day−1 (−256 to 88 kcal·day−1). The standard error of the estimate was low, with a typical error between measurements of 3.1%. These data suggest that the combined dietary data collection method could be used interchangeably with the gold standard observed food intake technique in the population studied providing that appropriate adjustment is made for the systematic under-reporting common to such methods. PMID:26193315

Injuries in Rugby and Association Football

PubMed Central

Weightman, Doris; Browne, R. C.

1974-01-01

The number, site, severity and rate of accidents and the medical attention received has been measured for association and rugby football in the four northern counties of England during the 1970-1971 season. 696 out of 1601 (43%) association and 117 out of 232 (50%) rugby football clubs replied to the questionnaires. If all the clubs had replied an estimated 14078 injuries would have occurred in association and 3888 in rugby football. For soccer, the accident rate was 36.5 per 10,000 man-hours of play and for rugger 30.5. In soccer 65% of all injuries were to the lower limbs, but only 36% in rugger, which had a higher proportion of injuries to other sites compared with soccer. Fractures and dislocations were twice as common in rugger as in soccer. Concussion was also more common. In rugby football, the players are injured less often than in association football, but more seriously, as is shown by the fact that hospital treatment was needed by 29.8% of the soccer injuries, but 52.8% of those in rugby football. Similarly, a rugger injury needed on average 12 days off play, whereas one in soccer needed only 6 days off play. A bigger proportion of soccer injuries (73.8%) received rapid first aid than did rugger injuries (45.8%). Better first aid cover at matches and simple protective clothing for the legs of soccer players and shoulders of rugby players are suggested.

Neck injuries presenting to emergency departments in the United States from 1990 to 1999 for ice hockey, soccer, and American football

PubMed Central

Delaney, J; Al-Kashmiri, A

2005-01-01

Objective: To examine the number and rate of neck injuries in the community as a whole for ice hockey, soccer, and American football by analysing data from patients presenting to emergency departments in the United States from 1990 to 1999. Methods: Data compiled for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission were used to generate estimates for the total number of neck injuries and the more specific diagnoses of neck fractures, dislocations, contusions, sprains, strains, and lacerations occurring nationally from 1990 to 1999. These data were combined with yearly participation figures to generate rates of injury presenting to emergency departments for each sport. Results: There were an estimated 5038 neck injuries from ice hockey, 19 341 from soccer, and 114 706 from American football. These could be broken down as follows: 4964 contusions, sprains, or strains from ice hockey, 17 927 from soccer, and 104 483 from football; 105 neck fractures or dislocations from ice hockey, 214 from soccer, and 1588 from football; 199 neck lacerations for ice hockey, 0 for soccer, and 621 for football. The rates for total neck injuries and combined neck contusions, sprains, or strains were higher for football than for ice hockey or soccer in all years for which data were available. Conclusion: The rate of neck injury in the United States was higher in football than in ice hockey or soccer in the time period studied. PMID:15793079

Neck injuries presenting to emergency departments in the United States from 1990 to 1999 for ice hockey, soccer, and American football.

PubMed

Delaney, J S; Al-Kashmiri, A

2005-04-01

To examine the number and rate of neck injuries in the community as a whole for ice hockey, soccer, and American football by analysing data from patients presenting to emergency departments in the United States from 1990 to 1999. Data compiled for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission were used to generate estimates for the total number of neck injuries and the more specific diagnoses of neck fractures, dislocations, contusions, sprains, strains, and lacerations occurring nationally from 1990 to 1999. These data were combined with yearly participation figures to generate rates of injury presenting to emergency departments for each sport. There were an estimated 5038 neck injuries from ice hockey, 19,341 from soccer, and 114 706 from American football. These could be broken down as follows: 4964 contusions, sprains, or strains from ice hockey, 17,927 from soccer, and 104 483 from football; 105 neck fractures or dislocations from ice hockey, 214 from soccer, and 1588 from football; 199 neck lacerations for ice hockey, 0 for soccer, and 621 for football. The rates for total neck injuries and combined neck contusions, sprains, or strains were higher for football than for ice hockey or soccer in all years for which data were available. The rate of neck injury in the United States was higher in football than in ice hockey or soccer in the time period studied.

The reliability and validity of a soccer-specific nonmotorised treadmill simulation (intermittent soccer performance test).

PubMed

Aldous, Jeffrey W F; Akubat, Ibrahim; Chrismas, Bryna C R; Watkins, Samuel L; Mauger, Alexis R; Midgley, Adrian W; Abt, Grant; Taylor, Lee

2014-07-01

This study investigated the reliability and validity of a novel nonmotorised treadmill (NMT)-based soccer simulation using a novel activity category called a "variable run" to quantify fatigue during high-speed running. Twelve male University soccer players completed 3 familiarization sessions and 1 peak speed assessment before completing the intermittent soccer performance test (iSPT) twice. The 2 iSPTs were separated by 6-10 days. The total distance, sprint distance, and high-speed running distance (HSD) were 8,968 ± 430 m, 980 ± 75 m and 2,122 ± 140 m, respectively. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between repeated trials of the iSPT for all physiological and performance variables. Reliability measures between iSPT1 and iSPT2 showed good agreement (coefficient of variation: <4.6%; intraclass correlation coefficient: >0.80). Furthermore, the variable run phase showed HSD significantly decreased (p ≤ 0.05) in the last 15 minutes (89 ± 6 m) compared with the first 15 minutes (85 ± 7 m), quantifying decrements in high-speed exercise compared with the previous literature. This study validates the iSPT as a NMT-based soccer simulation compared with the previous match-play data and is a reliable tool for assessing and monitoring physiological and performance variables in soccer players. The iSPT could be used in a number of ways including player rehabilitation, understanding the efficacy of nutritional interventions, and also the quantification of environmentally mediated decrements on soccer-specific performance.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an injury prevention programme for adult male amateur soccer players: design of a cluster-randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Krist, Mark R; Schmikli, Sandor L; Stubbe, Janine H; de Wit, G Ardine; Inklaar, Han; van de Port, Ingrid G L; Backx, Frank J G

2010-01-01

Background and aims Approximately 16% of all sports injuries in the Netherlands are caused by outdoor soccer. A cluster-randomised controlled trial has been designed to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an injury prevention programme (‘The11’) for male amateur soccer players. The injury prevention programme The11, developed with the support of the World Football Association FIFA, aims to reduce the impact of intrinsic injury risk factors in soccer. Methods Teams playing at first-class amateur level in two districts in the Netherlands are participating in the study. Teams in the intervention group were instructed to apply The11 during each practice session throughout the 2009–10 season. All participants of the control group continued their practice sessions as usual. All soccer-related injuries and related costs for each team were systematically reported online by a member of the medical staff. Player exposure to practice sessions and matches was reported weekly by the coaches. Also the use of The11 during the season after the intervention season will be monitored. Discussion Our hypothesis is that integrating the The11 exercises in the warm-up for each practice session is effective in terms of injury incidence, injury severity, healthcare use, and its associated costs and/or absenteeism. Prevention of soccer injuries is expected to be beneficial to adult soccer players, soccer clubs, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), health insurance companies and society. PMID:21177664

Cortical thinning in former professional soccer players.

PubMed

Koerte, Inga K; Mayinger, Michael; Muehlmann, Marc; Kaufmann, David; Lin, Alexander P; Steffinger, Denise; Fisch, Barbara; Rauchmann, Boris-Stephan; Immler, Stefanie; Karch, Susanne; Heinen, Florian R; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Reiser, Maximilian; Stern, Robert A; Zafonte, Ross; Shenton, Martha E

2016-09-01

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Soccer players are at high risk for repetitive subconcussive head impact when heading the ball. Whether this leads to long-term alterations of the brain's structure associated with cognitive decline remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate cortical thickness in former professional soccer players using high-resolution structural MR imaging. Fifteen former male professional soccer players (mean age 49.3 [SD 5.1] years) underwent high-resolution structural 3 T MR imaging, as well as cognitive testing. Fifteen male, age-matched former professional non-contact sport athletes (mean age 49.6 [SD 6.4] years) served as controls. Group analyses of cortical thickness were performed using voxel-based statistics. Soccer players demonstrated greater cortical thinning with increasing age compared to controls in the right inferolateral-parietal, temporal, and occipital cortex. Cortical thinning was associated with lower cognitive performance as well as with estimated exposure to repetitive subconcussive head impact. Neurocognitive evaluation revealed decreased memory performance in the soccer players compared to controls. The association of cortical thinning and decreased cognitive performance, as well as exposure to repetitive subconcussive head impact, further supports the hypothesis that repetitive subconcussive head impact may play a role in early cognitive decline in soccer players. Future studies are needed to elucidate the time course of changes in cortical thickness as well as their association with impaired cognitive function and possible underlying neurodegenerative process.

Hamstring muscle strains in professional football players: a 10-year review.

PubMed

Elliott, Marcus C C W; Zarins, Bertram; Powell, John W; Kenyon, Charles D

2011-04-01

Investigations into hamstring strain injuries at the elite level exist in sports such as Australian Rules football, rugby, and soccer, but no large-scale study exists on the incidence and circumstances surrounding these injuries in the National Football League (NFL). Injury rates will vary between different player positions, times in the season, and across different playing situations. Descriptive epidemiology study. Between 1989 and 1998, injury data were prospectively collected by athletic trainers for every NFL team and recorded in the NFL's Injury Surveillance System. Data collected included team, date of injury, activity the player was engaged in at the time of injury, injury severity, position played, mechanism of injury, and history of previous injury. Injury rates were reported in injuries per athlete-exposure (A-E). An athlete-exposure was defined as 1 athlete participating in either 1 practice or 1 game. Over the 10-year study period 1716 hamstring strains were reported for an injury rate (IR) of 0.77 per 1000 A-E. More than half (51.3%) of hamstring strains occurred during the 7-week preseason. The preseason practice IR was significantly elevated compared with the regular-season practice IR (0.82/1000 A-E and 0.18/1000 A-E, respectively). The most commonly injured positions were the defensive secondary, accounting for 23.1% of the injuries; the wide receivers, accounting for 20.8%; and special teams, constituting 13.0% of the injuries in the study. Hamstring strains are a considerable cause of disability in football, with the majority of injuries occurring during the short preseason. In particular, the speed position players, such as the wide receivers and defensive secondary, as well as players on the special teams units, are at elevated risk for injury. These positions and situations with a higher risk of injury provide foci for preventative interventions.

The Ledger: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's Economic Education Newsletter, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabaily, Bob, Ed.

2001-01-01

The spring 2001 issue of "The Ledger" looks at economics and sports from the bicycle boom to the failure of the Xtreme Football League (XFL) today. Articles include: "The XFL and the WWF: Win Some, Lose Some" (Robert Wedge); "Major Taylor, Colonel Pope, and the General Commotion over Bicycles" (Robert Jabaily); and…

Breaking Bat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguilar, Isaac-Cesar; Kagan, David

2013-01-01

The sight of a broken bat in Major League Baseball can produce anything from a humorous dribbler in the infield to a frightening pointed projectile headed for the stands. Bats usually break at the weakest point, typically in the handle. Breaking happens because the wood gets bent beyond the breaking point due to the wave sent down the bat created…

Stolen Base Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kagan, David

2013-01-01

Few plays in baseball are as consistently close and exciting as the stolen base. While there are several studies of sprinting, the art of base stealing is much more nuanced. This article describes the motion of the base-stealing runner using a very basic kinematic model. The model will be compared to some data from a Major League game. The…

A Capitol Idea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Laura B.

2007-01-01

Dominated by street after street of granite federal office buildings, the DC was a place that just couldn't jump-start itself into world-class status. Of course, it offered free, topnotch museums, but everyone lived and breathed politics and the town was sorely lacking a throbbing urban pulse. The absence of a major league baseball team said it…

"Sports Illustrated": Is Every Team Treated Equally?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shields, Carin K.

A study examined whether "Sports Illustrated" offers a biased view of the sports world by focusing primarily on the eastern teams. The units of analysis were articles about Major League baseball appearing in the "Sports Illustrated" issues from late April to early October in the years 1975 to 1984. The teams were divided into…

Data as the Driver

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bechler, Kent L.

2013-01-01

In the book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game," author Michael Lewis describes how the Oakland Athletics, one of the poorest teams in Major League Baseball, became one of the most successful teams by using simple analytical methods that had existed for years but had been largely ignored by the baseball executives. "Moneyball"…

Peacekeeping: Problems and Possibilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraenkel, Jack R.; And Others

This material is suitable for students at secondary and college levels, and as adults. Chapter 1, War, Peace, and Survival, provides an historical view of war and makes a convincing case for the necessity of peace. Chapters 2 through 5 examine more closely two of the world's major efforts at peacekeeping during the 20th century--the League of…

The utility of the KJOC score in professional baseball in the United States.

PubMed

Franz, Justin O; McCulloch, Patrick C; Kneip, Chris J; Noble, Philip C; Lintner, David M

2013-09-01

The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) Shoulder and Elbow questionnaire has been shown by previous studies to be more sensitive than other validated subjective measurement tools in the detection of upper extremity dysfunction in overhead-throwing athletes. The primary objective was to establish normative data for KJOC scores in professional baseball players in the United States. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the effect of player age, playing position, professional competition level, history of injury, history of surgery, and time point of administration on the KJOC score. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. From 2011 to 2012, a total of 203 major league and minor league baseball players within the Houston Astros professional baseball organization completed the KJOC questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered at 3 time points: spring training 2011, end of season 2011, and spring training 2012. The KJOC scores were analyzed for significant differences based on player age, injury history, surgery history, fielding position, competition level, self-reported playing status, and time point of KJOC administration. The average KJOC score among healthy players with no history of injury was 97.1 for major league players and 96.8 for minor league players. The time point of administration did not significantly affect the final KJOC score (P = .224), and KJOC outcomes did not vary with player age (r = -0.012; P = .867). Significantly lower average KJOC scores were reported by players with a history of upper extremity injury (86.7; P < .001) and upper extremity surgery (75.4; P < .0001). The KJOC results did vary with playing position (P = .0313), with the lowest average scores being reported by pitchers (90.9) and infielders (91.3). This study establishes a quantitative baseline for the future evaluation of professional baseball players with the KJOC score. Age and time of administration had no significant effect on the outcome of the KJOC score. Missed practices or games within the previous year because of injury were the most significant demographic predictors of lower KJOC scores. The KJOC score was shown to be a sensitive measurement tool for detecting subtle changes in the upper extremity performance of the professional baseball population studied.

Motivational Traits of Elite Young Soccer Players

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Craig; Meyers, Michael C.

2004-01-01

Among the most overlooked aspects in the development of elite young soccer players is that of specific psychological traits. Of those traits, motivation has important implications for programs whose objectives are identification and cultivation of young, skilled performers. The growth in popularity of soccer by youth and the successes experienced…

What Research Tells the Coach About Soccer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Thomas

A complete profile of the average (male) soccer player is established through the study of ten topflight soccer teams in the United States and abroad. Statistical averages for team age, strength and muscular power, body size and composition, agility and flexibility, lung capacity, and various other physical and physiological characteristics are…

Soccer players have a better standing balance in nondominant one-legged stance

PubMed Central

Barone, Rosario; Macaluso, Filippo; Traina, Marcello; Leonardi, Vincenza; Farina, Felicia; Di Felice, Valentina

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in standing balance during dominant and nondominant one-legged stance among athletes of different sports and sedentary subjects. The right-footed subjects of four groups (sedentary, n = 20; soccer, n = 20; basketball, n = 20; windsurfer n = 20) underwent 5-sec unipedal (left and right foot) stabilometric analysis with open eyes and closed eyes to measure center of pressure (COP) sway path and COP velocity (mean value, anteroposterior, and laterolateral in millimeters per second). The soccer group showed better standing balance on the left leg than the sedentary group (P < 0.05). No other significant differences were observed within and amongst groups. The soccer players have a better standing balance on the nondominant leg because of soccer activity. PMID:24198563

Differences in game reading between selected and non-selected youth soccer players.

PubMed

Den Hartigh, Ruud J R; Van Der Steen, Steffie; Hakvoort, Bas; Frencken, Wouter G P; Lemmink, Koen A P M

2018-02-01

Applying an established theory of cognitive development-Skill Theory-the current study compares the game-reading skills of youth players selected for a soccer school of a professional soccer club (n = 49) and their non-selected peers (n = 38). Participants described the actions taking place in videos of soccer game plays, and their verbalisations were coded using Skill Theory. Compared to the non-selected players, the selected players generally demonstrated higher levels of complexity in their game-reading, and structured the information of game elements-primarily the player, teammate and field-at higher complexity levels. These results demonstrate how Skill Theory can be used to assess, and distinguish game-reading of youth players with different expertise, a skill important for soccer, but also for other sports.

Detection of goal events in soccer videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyoung-Gook; Roeber, Steffen; Samour, Amjad; Sikora, Thomas

2005-01-01

In this paper, we present an automatic extraction of goal events in soccer videos by using audio track features alone without relying on expensive-to-compute video track features. The extracted goal events can be used for high-level indexing and selective browsing of soccer videos. The detection of soccer video highlights using audio contents comprises three steps: 1) extraction of audio features from a video sequence, 2) event candidate detection of highlight events based on the information provided by the feature extraction Methods and the Hidden Markov Model (HMM), 3) goal event selection to finally determine the video intervals to be included in the summary. For this purpose we compared the performance of the well known Mel-scale Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) feature extraction method vs. MPEG-7 Audio Spectrum Projection feature (ASP) extraction method based on three different decomposition methods namely Principal Component Analysis( PCA), Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF). To evaluate our system we collected five soccer game videos from various sources. In total we have seven hours of soccer games consisting of eight gigabytes of data. One of five soccer games is used as the training data (e.g., announcers' excited speech, audience ambient speech noise, audience clapping, environmental sounds). Our goal event detection results are encouraging.

Altered Neurochemistry in Former Professional Soccer Players without a History of Concussion

PubMed Central

Lin, Alexander P.; Muehlmann, Marc; Merugumala, Sai; Liao, Huijun; Starr, Tyler; Kaufmann, David; Mayinger, Michael; Steffinger, Denise; Fisch, Barbara; Karch, Susanne; Heinen, Florian; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Reiser, Maximilian; Stern, Robert A.; Zafonte, Ross; Shenton, Martha E.

2015-01-01

Abstract Soccer is played by more than 250 million people worldwide. Repeatedly heading the ball may place soccer players at high risk for repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI). This study evaluates the long-term effects of RSHI on neurochemistry in athletes without a history of clinically diagnosed concussion, but with a high exposure to RSHI. Eleven former professional soccer players (mean age 52.0±6.8 years) and a comparison cohort of 14 age- and gender-matched, former non-contact sport athletes (mean age 46.9±7.9 years) underwent 3T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and neurocognitive evaluation. In the soccer players a significant increase was observed in both choline (Cho), a membrane marker, and myo-inositol (ml), a marker of glial activation, compared with control athletes. Additionally, ml and glutathione (GSH) were significantly correlated with lifetime estimate of RSHI within the soccer group. There was no significant difference in neurocognitive tests between groups. Results of this study suggest an association between RSHI in soccer players and MRS markers of neuroinflammation, suggesting that even subconcussive head impacts affect the neurochemistry of the brain and may precede neurocognitive changes. Future studies will need to determine the role of neuroinflammation in RSHI and the effect on neurocognitive function. PMID:25843317

Comparison of Two Kinds of Endurance Training Programs on the Effects of the Ability to Recover in Amateur Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Rogan, Slavko

2015-01-01

Background: High intensity intermittent aerobic exercise is an elementary endurance training exercise to build soccer endurance. Many studies exist with professional soccer players. But limited research has been conducted with amateur soccer players. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare and assess the effects of the shuttle-run method and the Hoff-track method on the ability to recover in amateur soccer players within three weeks. Patients and Methods: Two amateur soccer teams were randomly assigned to shuttle-run group (n = 24; SRG) (SRG: shuttle-run group) or Hoff-track group (n = 18; HTG) (HTG: hoff-track group). They performed 2 times/week over three weeks their program. SRG performed a 20 m high speed shuttle-run until exhaustion and HTG covered at their highest speed level an obstacle track. Before and after training the yo-yo intermittent recovery test level 2 (YYIRTL2) was conducted. Results: Significant differences were observed within (P < 0.05) and between the groups (P = 0.06; ES = 0.50) in distance covering during YYIRTL2. Conclusions: Both training methods seem to improve the ability to recover in amateur soccer players within a short time period during the competition season. PMID:26448831

Effect of Practicing Soccer Juggling With Different Sized Balls Upon Performance, Retention, and Transfer to Ball Reception.

PubMed

Raastad, Olav; Aune, Tore Kristian; van den Tillaar, Roland

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate if making the skill acquisition phase more difficult or easier would enhance performance in soccer juggling, and if this practice has a positive intertask transfer effect to ball reception performance. Twenty-two adolescent soccer players were tested in juggling a soccer ball and in the control of an approaching ball at a pre, post and retention test. The participants were randomly divided in a small ball size and bigger ball size training group that both trained four times per week for 6 weeks. At the post and retention test both groups enhanced performance in soccer juggling test with no difference between groups and no increase in ball reception performance at these tests. It was concluded that about intra task transfer and retention of soccer juggling skills, it does not matter if you increase (small balls) or decrease the difficulty (larger balls) when using the same amount of practice time within the skill acquisition phase in soccer juggling. In addition that for ball juggling and ball reception (inter task) these two tasks differ too much in afferent information and movement characteristics that no positive transfer between these two skills no positive intertask transfer can be expected.

Validation of Field Methods to Assess Body Fat Percentage in Elite Youth Soccer Players.

PubMed

Munguia-Izquierdo, Diego; Suarez-Arrones, Luis; Di Salvo, Valter; Paredes-Hernandez, Victor; Alcazar, Julian; Ara, Ignacio; Kreider, Richard; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2018-05-01

This study determined the most effective field method for quantifying body fat percentage in male elite youth soccer players and developed prediction equations based on anthropometric variables. Forty-four male elite-standard youth soccer players aged 16.3-18.0 years underwent body fat percentage assessments, including bioelectrical impedance analysis and the calculation of various skinfold-based prediction equations. Dual X-ray absorptiometry provided a criterion measure of body fat percentage. Correlation coefficients, bias, limits of agreement, and differences were used as validity measures, and regression analyses were used to develop soccer-specific prediction equations. The equations from Sarria et al. (1998) and Durnin & Rahaman (1967) reached very large correlations and the lowest biases, and they reached neither the practically worthwhile difference nor the substantial difference between methods. The new youth soccer-specific skinfold equation included a combination of triceps and supraspinale skinfolds. None of the practical methods compared in this study are adequate for estimating body fat percentage in male elite youth soccer players, except for the equations from Sarria et al. (1998) and Durnin & Rahaman (1967). The new youth soccer-specific equation calculated in this investigation is the only field method specifically developed and validated in elite male players, and it shows potentially good predictive power. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Altered Neurochemistry in Former Professional Soccer Players without a History of Concussion.

PubMed

Koerte, Inga K; Lin, Alexander P; Muehlmann, Marc; Merugumala, Sai; Liao, Huijun; Starr, Tyler; Kaufmann, David; Mayinger, Michael; Steffinger, Denise; Fisch, Barbara; Karch, Susanne; Heinen, Florian; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Reiser, Maximilian; Stern, Robert A; Zafonte, Ross; Shenton, Martha E

2015-09-01

Soccer is played by more than 250 million people worldwide. Repeatedly heading the ball may place soccer players at high risk for repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI). This study evaluates the long-term effects of RSHI on neurochemistry in athletes without a history of clinically diagnosed concussion, but with a high exposure to RSHI. Eleven former professional soccer players (mean age 52.0±6.8 years) and a comparison cohort of 14 age- and gender-matched, former non-contact sport athletes (mean age 46.9±7.9 years) underwent 3T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and neurocognitive evaluation. In the soccer players a significant increase was observed in both choline (Cho), a membrane marker, and myo-inositol (ml), a marker of glial activation, compared with control athletes. Additionally, ml and glutathione (GSH) were significantly correlated with lifetime estimate of RSHI within the soccer group. There was no significant difference in neurocognitive tests between groups. Results of this study suggest an association between RSHI in soccer players and MRS markers of neuroinflammation, suggesting that even subconcussive head impacts affect the neurochemistry of the brain and may precede neurocognitive changes. Future studies will need to determine the role of neuroinflammation in RSHI and the effect on neurocognitive function.

High injury incidence in adolescent female soccer.

PubMed

Clausen, Mikkel Bek; Zebis, Mette Kreutzfeldt; Møller, Merete; Krustrup, Peter; Hölmich, Per; Wedderkopp, Niels; Andersen, Lars Louis; Christensen, Karl Bang; Thorborg, Kristian

2014-10-01

Previous studies report varying rates of time-loss injuries in adolescent female soccer, ranging from 2.4 to 5.3 per 1000 athlete-exposures or 2.5 to 3.7 per 1000 hours of exposure. However, these studies collected data using traditional injury reports from coaches or medical staff, with methods that significantly underestimate injury rates compared with players' self-reports. The primary aim was to investigate the injury incidence in adolescent female soccer using self-reports via mobile telephone text messaging. The secondary aim was to explore the association between soccer exposure, playing level, and injury risk. Descriptive epidemiology study and cohort study; Level of evidence, 2 and 3. During a full adolescent female soccer season in Denmark (February-June 2012), a population-based sample of 498 girls aged 15 to 18 years was included in the prospective registration of injuries. All players were enrolled on a team participating in Danish Football Association series. Soccer injuries and exposure were reported weekly by answers to standardized text message questions, followed by individual injury interviews. Soccer exposure and playing levels were chosen a priori as the only independent variables of interest in the risk factor analyses. Injury rates and relative risks were estimated using Poisson regression. Generalized estimation equations were used to take into account that players were clustered within teams. There were 498 players who sustained a total of 424 soccer injuries. The incidence of injuries was 15.3 (95% CI, 13.1-17.8), the incidence of time-loss injuries was 9.7 (95% CI, 8.2-11.4), and the incidence of severe injuries was 1.1 (95% CI, 0.7-1.6) per 1000 hours of soccer exposure. Higher average exposure in injury-free weeks was associated with a lower injury risk (P value for trend <.001), and players with low exposure (≤1 h/wk) were 3 to 10 times more likely to sustain a time-loss injury compared with other players (P < .01). Playing level was not associated with the risk of time-loss injuries (P = .18). The injury incidence in adolescent female soccer is high, and this includes many severe injuries. Players with low soccer participation (≤1 h/wk) have a significantly higher injury risk compared with players participating more frequently. © 2014 The Author(s).

Angular Deformities of the Lower Limb in Children

PubMed Central

Espandar, Ramin; Mortazavi, Seyed Mohammad-Javad; Baghdadi, Taghi

2010-01-01

Angular deformities of the lower limbs are common during childhood. In most cases this represents a variation in the normal growth pattern and is an entirely benign condition. Presence of symmetrical deformities and absence of symptoms, joint stiffness, systemic disorders or syndromes indicates a benign condition with excellent long-term outcome. In contrast, deformities which are asymmetrical and associated with pain, joint stiffness, systemic disorders or syndromes may indicate a serious underlying cause and require treatment. Little is known about the relationship between sport participation and body adaptations during growth. Intense soccer participation increases the degree of genu varum in males from the age of 16. Since, according to some investigations, genu varum predisposes individuals to more injuries, efforts to reduce the development of genu varum in soccer players are warranted. In this article major topics of angular deformities of the knees in pediatric population are practically reviewed. PMID:22375192

Analysis of pitching velocity in major league baseball players before and after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.

PubMed

Jiang, Jimmy J; Leland, J Martin

2014-04-01

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstructions are relatively common among professional pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB). To the authors' knowledge, there has not been a study specifically analyzing pitching velocity after UCL surgery. These measurements were examined in a cohort of MLB pitchers before and after UCL reconstruction. There is no significant loss in pitch velocity after UCL reconstruction in MLB pitchers. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Between the years 2008 to 2010, a total of 41 MLB pitchers were identified as players who underwent UCL reconstruction. Inclusion criteria for this study consisted of a minimum of 1 year of preinjury and 2 years of postinjury pitch velocity data. After implementing exclusion criteria, performance data were analyzed from 28 of the 41 pitchers over a minimum of 4 MLB seasons for each player. A pair-matched control group of pitchers who did not have a known UCL injury were analyzed for comparison. Of the initial 41 players, 3 were excluded for revision UCL reconstruction. Eight of the 38 players who underwent primary UCL reconstruction did not return to pitching at the major league level, and 2 players who met the exclusion criteria were omitted, leaving data on 28 players available for final velocity analysis. The mean percentage change in the velocity of pitches thrown by players who underwent UCL reconstruction was not significantly different compared with that of players in the control group. The mean innings pitched was statistically different only for the year of injury and the first postinjury year. There were also no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups with regard to commonly used statistical performance measurements, including earned run average, batting average against, walks per 9 innings, strikeouts per 9 innings, and walks plus hits per inning pitched. There were no significant differences in pitch velocity and common performance measurements between players who returned to MLB after UCL reconstruction and pair-matched controls.

Eccentric and Isometric Hip Adduction Strength in Male Soccer Players With and Without Adductor-Related Groin Pain

PubMed Central

Thorborg, Kristian; Branci, Sonia; Nielsen, Martin Peter; Tang, Lars; Nielsen, Michael Bachmann; Hölmich, Per

2014-01-01

Background: Adductor-related pain is the most common clinical finding in soccer players with groin pain and can be a long-standing problem affecting physical function and performance. Hip adductor weakness has been suggested to be associated with this clinical entity, although it has never been investigated. Purpose: To investigate whether isometric and eccentric hip strength are decreased in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain compared with asymptomatic soccer controls. The hypothesis was that players with adductor-related groin pain would have lower isometric and eccentric hip adduction strength than players without adductor-related groin pain. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Male elite and subelite players from 40 teams were contacted. In total, 28 soccer players with adductor-related groin pain and 16 soccer players without adductor-related groin pain (asymptomatic controls) were included in the study. In primary analysis, the dominant legs of 21 soccer players with adductor-related groin pain (≥4 weeks duration) were compared with the dominant legs of 16 asymptomatic controls using a cross-sectional design. The mean age of the symptomatic players was 24.5 ± 2.5 years, and the mean age of the asymptomatic controls was 22.9 ± 2.4 years. Isometric hip strength (adduction, abduction, and flexion) and eccentric hip strength (adduction) were assessed with a handheld dynamometer using reliable test procedures and a blinded assessor. Results: Eccentric hip adduction strength was lower in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain in the dominant leg (n = 21) compared with asymptomatic controls (n = 16), namely 2.47 ± 0.49 versus 3.12 ± 0.43 N·m/kg, respectively (P < .001). No other hip strength differences were observed between symptomatic players and asymptomatic controls for the dominant leg (P = .35-.84). Conclusion: Large eccentric hip adduction strength deficits were found in soccer players with adductor-related groin pain compared with asymptomatic soccer players, while no isometric strength differences were observed between the groups. PMID:26535298

Steroid hormones and psychological responses to soccer matches: Insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Slimani, Maamer; Baker, Julien S; Cheour, Foued; Taylor, Lee; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi

2017-01-01

The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the perturbations in hormonal and psychological homeostasis in response to soccer match-play. These perturbations were explored according to match outcome (i.e., win versus loss), gender, type of contest (i.e., competitive versus non-competitive fixtures) and competitive level (i.e., novice versus high-level). The review was conducted according to the Population/Intervention or Exposure/Comparison/Outcome(s) (PICO) criteria and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Match outcome, type of contest and competitive levels were moderator variables in the examined steroid hormones responses to a soccer match-play. Different testosterone responses were seen between match winners (increase) and losers (decrease) when compared to pre-game or baseline values (p <0.05), whilst no changes could be detected for cortisol relative to match outcome in female soccer players. Males (Δ% = 6.26; ES = 0.28) demonstrated a marginally lower increase in testosterone levels when compared to females (Δ% = 49.16; ES = 1.00), though not statistically significant. Females (Δ% = 162.7; ES = 0.98) did not demonstrate elevated cortisol match response compared to males (Δ% = 34.60; ES = 1.20). Male novice soccer match-play increased cortisol levels compared to high-level soccer match-play (Q = 18.08, p<0.001). Competitive soccer matches increased cortisol levels compared to non-competitive fixtures (i.e., collegiate tournament). Additionally, competitive levels moderate the relationship between a soccer match and testosterone levels (p <0.001), regardless of gender differences. From the presented systematic review and meta-analysis it appears (1) cortisol changes are associated with cognitive anxiety in starter female soccer players, while (2) testosterone changes are associated with changes in mood state in females and social connectedness in male soccer players. This apparent psycho-physiological relationship may proffer the opportunity for targeted intervention(s) by practitioners to favorably influence performance and/or recovery agendas. Further mechanistic and/or applied evidence is required in this regard in addition to further data sets from females.

Comparative study of the femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) prevalence in male semiprofessional and amateur soccer players.

PubMed

Lahner, Matthias; Walter, Philipp Alexander; von Schulze Pellengahr, Christoph; Hagen, Marco; von Engelhardt, Lars Victor; Lukas, Carsten

2014-08-01

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) represents a novel approach to the mechanical etiology of hip osteoarthritis. The cam-type femoroacetabular impingement deformity occurs frequently in young male athletes. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of FAI in male semiprofessional soccer players using clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), compared to amateur soccer players. In MRI, the α angle of Nötzli is determined for quantifying FAI. According to power analysis, a total of 22 asymptomatic semiprofessional soccer players with a median of 23.3 years of age (range 18-30 years) and 22 male amateur soccer players with a median of 22.5 years of age (control group, range 18-29 years) underwent an MRI to measure the hip α angle of Nötzli. The α angle of the kicking legs of the semiprofessional group and the amateur group were analyzed. The study group was moreover evaluated by the Hip Outcome Score (HOS) and a clinical hip examination including range of motion (ROM) and impingement tests. In the semiprofessional group, 19 soccer players had a right kicking leg and 1 soccer player had a left kicking leg. 2 soccer players kicked with two feet. In the semi-professional group, the mean value of the α angle of the kicking leg (57.3 ± 8.2°) was significantly higher than in the amateur group (51.7 ± 4.8°, P = 0.008). In the semi-professional group, 15 (62.5 %) of 24 kicking legs had an increased α angle >55°, while 5 (27.3 %) kicking legs of the amateur group had an α angle >55°. Five semi professional soccer players had findings in clinical examination, whereof 4 had an increased α angle >55°. No participant of the amateur group showed pathological results in the clinical examination (P = 0.0484). Overall, semiprofessional soccer players had a higher proportion of an increased α angle than the amateur group. Semiprofessional players have a higher prevalence of an increased α angle in the kicking leg than the amateur group at the same age. The kicking leg is predisposed for FAI.

Steroid hormones and psychological responses to soccer matches: Insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Baker, Julien S.

2017-01-01

The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the perturbations in hormonal and psychological homeostasis in response to soccer match-play. These perturbations were explored according to match outcome (i.e., win versus loss), gender, type of contest (i.e., competitive versus non-competitive fixtures) and competitive level (i.e., novice versus high-level). The review was conducted according to the Population/Intervention or Exposure/Comparison/Outcome(s) (PICO) criteria and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Match outcome, type of contest and competitive levels were moderator variables in the examined steroid hormones responses to a soccer match-play. Different testosterone responses were seen between match winners (increase) and losers (decrease) when compared to pre-game or baseline values (p <0.05), whilst no changes could be detected for cortisol relative to match outcome in female soccer players. Males (Δ% = 6.26; ES = 0.28) demonstrated a marginally lower increase in testosterone levels when compared to females (Δ% = 49.16; ES = 1.00), though not statistically significant. Females (Δ% = 162.7; ES = 0.98) did not demonstrate elevated cortisol match response compared to males (Δ% = 34.60; ES = 1.20). Male novice soccer match-play increased cortisol levels compared to high-level soccer match-play (Q = 18.08, p<0.001). Competitive soccer matches increased cortisol levels compared to non-competitive fixtures (i.e., collegiate tournament). Additionally, competitive levels moderate the relationship between a soccer match and testosterone levels (p <0.001), regardless of gender differences. From the presented systematic review and meta-analysis it appears (1) cortisol changes are associated with cognitive anxiety in starter female soccer players, while (2) testosterone changes are associated with changes in mood state in females and social connectedness in male soccer players. This apparent psycho-physiological relationship may proffer the opportunity for targeted intervention(s) by practitioners to favorably influence performance and/or recovery agendas. Further mechanistic and/or applied evidence is required in this regard in addition to further data sets from females. PMID:29023546

Effects of a Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Drink on Specific Soccer Tests and Performance

PubMed Central

Ostojic, Sergej M.; Mazic, Sanja

2002-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink on specific soccer tests and performance. Twenty-two professional male soccer players volunteered to participate in the study. The players were allocated to two assigned trials ingesting carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (7% carbohydrates, sodium 24 mmol.l-1, chloride 12 mmol.l-1, potassium 3 mmol.l-1) or placebo during a 90 min on-field soccer match. The trials were matched for subjects’ age, weight, height and maximal oxygen uptake. Immediately after the match, players completed four soccer-specific skill tests. Blood glucose concentration [mean (SD)] was higher at the end of the match-play in the carbohydrate-electrolyte trial than in the placebo trial (4.4 (0.3) vs. 4.0 (0.3) mmol.l-1, P < 0.05). Subjects in the carbohydrate-electrolyte trial finished the specific dribble test faster in comparison with subjects in the placebo trial (12.9 (0.4) vs. 13.6 (0.5) s, P < 0.05). Ratings of the precision test were higher in the carbohydrate-electrolyte trial as compared to the placebo trial (17.2 (4.8) vs. 15.1 (5.2), P < 0.05) but there were no differences in coordination test and power test results between trials. The main finding of the present study indicates that supplementation with carbohydrate-electrolyte solution improved soccer-specific skill performance and recovery after an on-field soccer match compared with ingestion of placebo. This suggests that soccer players should consume carbohydrate-electrolyte fluid throughout a game to help prevent deterioration in specific skill performance. PMID:24688270

Vuvuzela media coverage during the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup tournament: impact on raising awareness of noise-induced hearing loss.

PubMed

Ramma, Lebogang

2011-01-01

Hearing loss, most specifically noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) due to exposure to vuvuzela noise, received extended media coverage before and during the 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) soccer world cup tournament. This study aimed to evaluate the impact that this media coverage had on raising awareness about NIHL due to exposure to vuvuzela noise at soccer matches among South African soccer spectators. A descriptive survey study, using a 24-item, self-administered questionnaire was used for this study. One hundred and forty seven (147) soccer spectators were surveyed before (N1 =73) and after (N2 =74) the tournament. Systematic sampling strategy was used to select the participants. Participants completed the questionnaire before the start of matches. Sixteen percent of the participants surveyed reported having had some media exposure about NIHL due to exposure to vuvuzela noise during soccer matches before the tournament in comparison to 26% of the participants after the tournament. This increase in the level of awareness was not statistically significant. Further, most participants were still not aware of the risk of NIHL to them from exposure to excessive noise during matches and did not consider hearing loss from noise exposure during soccer matches a serious concern both before and after the tournament. The results of this study therefore seem to suggest that vuvuzela media coverage during the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup tournament did not significantly raise the level of awareness about NIHL due to exposure to excessive noise during matches among the spectators surveyed.

A retrospective study on anthropometrical, physical fitness, and motor coordination characteristics that influence dropout, contract status, and first-team playing time in high-level soccer players aged eight to eighteen years.

PubMed

Deprez, Dieter N; Fransen, Job; Lenoir, Matthieu; Philippaerts, Renaat M; Vaeyens, Roel

2015-06-01

The goal of this article was twofold, and a 2-study approach was conducted. The first study aimed to expose the anthropometrical, physical performance, and motor coordination characteristics that influence dropout from a high-level soccer training program in players aged 8-16 years. The mixed-longitudinal sample included 388 Belgian youth soccer players who were assigned to either a "club group" or a "dropout group." In the second study, cross-sectional data of anthropometry, physical performance, and motor coordination were retrospectively explored to investigate which characteristics influence future contract status (contract vs. no contract group) and first-team playing time for 72 high-level youth soccer players (mean age = 16.2 years). Generally, club players outperformed their dropout peers for motor coordination, soccer-specific aerobic endurance, and speed. Anthropometry and estimated maturity status did not discriminate between club and dropout players. Contract players jumped further (p = 0.011) and had faster times for a 5-m sprint (p = 0.041) than no contract players. The following prediction equation explains 16.7% of the variance in future playing minutes in adolescent youth male soccer players: -2,869.3 + 14.6 × standing broad jump. Practitioners should include the evaluation of motor coordination, aerobic endurance, and speed performances to distinguish high-level soccer players further succeeding a talent development program and future dropout players, between 8 and 16 years. From the age of 16 years, measures of explosivity are supportive when selecting players into a future professional soccer career.

Emergency Management Span of Control: Optimizing Organizational Structures to Better Prepare Vermont for the Next Major or Catastrophic Disaster

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

full glare of media and public scrutiny, they are expected to perform flawlessly like a goalie in hockey or soccer, or a conversion kicker in...among all levels of government, not a plan that is pulled off the shelf only during worst- case disasters. The lifecycle of disasters entails a

Soccer Offside Judgments in Laypersons with Different Types of Static Displays

PubMed Central

Wühr, Peter; Fasold, Frowin; Memmert, Daniel

2015-01-01

Four experiments investigated offside decisions in laypersons with different types of static displays. Previous research neglected this group although the majority of assistant referees in soccer games at the amateur level are laypersons. The aims of our research were (a) to investigate the spatial resolution in laypersons’ perception of offside situations, (b) to search for biases in laypersons’ offside judgments, and (c) to develop useful displays for future research. The displays showed the moment when a midfielder passes the ball to a forward moving in the vicinity of a defender. We varied the spatial location of the forward around the defender in eleven steps and participants made their offside decision by pressing a key. Across experiments, displays varied in abstractness (simple shapes, clipart figures, photographs). There were two major findings. Firstly, both accuracy and speed of offside judgments deteriorated when the spatial distance between forward and defender decreased, approaching guessing rate at the smallest distances. Secondly, participants showed a consistent bias in favor of the non-offside response, in contrast to most studies on professional assistant referees. In sum, the results highlight the limited spatial resolution of the visual system and underscore the role of response bias in offside-judgment tasks. PMID:26252653

Impact of coaching certification on coaching attitudes.

PubMed

Graham, R H; Carron, A V

1983-09-01

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the impact of coaching certification upon coaching attitudes toward important social psychological correlates of involvement in sport. Specifically, 249 coaches with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 levels of certification in the National Coaching Certification Program for Hockey were compared on attitudes toward important social psychological correlates of athletic involvement. As a consequence of anomalies in the sample, the six levels of certification were collapsed to form a factorial design comprising 2 levels of certification (coaches with 0.1 and 2 levels versus coaches with 3, 4, and 5 levels) and 2 levels of competition (house league versus competitive league coaches). The results revealed that coaches with greater certification were older and more experienced. Also, coaches in competitive leagues were more experienced, attached more importance to setting realistic objectives and playing well, but less importance to providing a recreational experience for players than house league coaches. Also, with increasing certification, coaches in competitive leagues attached increased importance to beating an opponent and having a winning team while house league coaches showed a decrease. Finally, the emphasis planed upon providing equal ice time for all players remained low over the two levels of certification in the competitive league coaches; it showed a decrease with greater certification in the house league coaches.

Threats and Aggression Directed at Soccer Referees: An Empirical Phenomenological Psychological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friman, Margareta; Nyberg, Claes; Norlander, Torsten

2004-01-01

A descriptive qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews involving seven provincial Soccer Association referees was carried out in order to find out how referees experience threats and aggression directed to soccer referees. The Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method (EPP-method) was used. The analysis resulted in thirty categories which…

Soccer Ball Lift Coefficients via Trajectory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goff, John Eric; Carre, Matt J.

2010-01-01

We performed experiments in which a soccer ball was launched from a machine while two high-speed cameras recorded portions of the trajectory. Using the trajectory data and published drag coefficients, we extracted lift coefficients for a soccer ball. We determined lift coefficients for a wide range of spin parameters, including several spin…

Leg Preference and Interlateral Asymmetry of Balance Stability in Soccer Players

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teixeira, Luis Augusto; de Oliveira, Dalton Lustosa; Romano, Rosangela Guimaraes; Correa, Sonia Cavalcanti

2011-01-01

To examine the effect of long lasting practice on pedal behavior in sport, we compared experienced adult soccer players and nonsoccer players on leg preference in motor tasks requiring general mobilization, soccer related mobilization, and body balance stabilization. We also evaluated performance asymmetry between the right and left legs in static…

Assessment and Accountability in Youth Soccer: How Parents Grade Coaching, Refereeing, and the Soccer Infrastructure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffus, Lee

2012-01-01

The term accountability is used extensively in performance management. In youth soccer, accountability is often discussed in the context of issues such as quality of coaching, officiating, responsiveness to stakeholders, scheduling of games, building parental involvement and support, and philosophical orientation to the sport. As part of the…

Effect of Soccer Foot Pressure on Pressure Distributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzun, Ahmet; Aydos, Latif; Kaya, Metin; Pekel, H. Ahmet; Kanatli, Ulunay

2018-01-01

The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of playing soccer for a long time in for professional soccer players regarding sole pressure. Despite the increasing prevalence of new methods developed in the footpad pressure measurement in recent years, our knowledge about pressure distribution of the footplate is still insufficient,…

Academic performance and self-regulatory skills in elite youth soccer players.

PubMed

Jonker, Laura; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Toering, Tynke T; Lyons, James; Visscher, Chris

2010-12-01

Although elite athletes have been reported to be high academic achievers, many elite soccer players struggle with a stereotype of being low academic achievers. The purpose of this study was to compare the academic level (pre-university or pre-vocational) and self-regulatory skills (planning, self-monitoring, evaluation, reflection, effort, and self-efficacy) of elite youth soccer players aged 12-16 years (n = 128) with those of 164 age-matched controls (typical students). The results demonstrate that the elite youth soccer players are more often enrolled in the pre-university academic system, which means that they are high academic achievers, compared with the typical student. The elite players also report an increased use of self-regulatory skills, in particular self-monitoring, evaluation, reflection, and effort. In addition, control students in the pre-university system had more highly developed self-regulatory skills than those in the pre-vocational system, whereas no difference was observed within the soccer population. This suggests that the relatively stronger self-regulatory skills reported by the elite youth soccer players may be essential for performance at the highest levels of sport competition and in academia.

Strong correlation of maximal squat strength with sprint performance and vertical jump height in elite soccer players

PubMed Central

Wisloff, U; Castagna, C; Helgerud, J; Jones, R; Hoff, J

2004-01-01

Background: A high level of strength is inherent in elite soccer play, but the relation between maximal strength and sprint and jumping performance has not been studied thoroughly. Objective: To determine whether maximal strength correlates with sprint and vertical jump height in elite male soccer players. Methods: Seventeen international male soccer players (mean (SD) age 25.8 (2.9) years, height 177.3 (4.1) cm, weight 76.5 (7.6) kg, and maximal oxygen uptake 65.7 (4.3) ml/kg/min) were tested for maximal strength in half squats and sprinting ability (0–30 m and 10 m shuttle run sprint) and vertical jumping height. Result: There was a strong correlation between maximal strength in half squats and sprint performance and jumping height. Conclusions: Maximal strength in half squats determines sprint performance and jumping height in high level soccer players. High squat strength did not imply reduced maximal oxygen consumption. Elite soccer players should focus on maximal strength training, with emphasis on maximal mobilisation of concentric movements, which may improve their sprinting and jumping performance. PMID:15155427

Epidemiology and Impact of Abdominal Oblique Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball

PubMed Central

Camp, Christopher L.; Conte, Stan; Cohen, Steven B.; Thompson, Matthew; D’ Angelo, John; Nguyen, Joseph T.; Dines, Joshua S.

2017-01-01

Background: Oblique injuries are known to be a common cause of time out of play for professional baseball players, and prior work has suggested that injury rates may be on the rise in Major League Baseball (MLB). Purpose: To better understand the current incidence of oblique injuries, determine their impact based on time out of play, and to identify common injury patterns that may guide future injury prevention programs. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Using the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System, all oblique injuries that resulted in time out of play in MLB and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) during the 2011 to 2015 seasons were identified. Player demographics such as age, position/role, and handedness were included. Injury-specific factors analyzed included the following: date of injury, timing during season, days missed, mechanism, side, treatment, and reinjury status. Results: A total of 996 oblique injuries occurred in 259 (26%) MLB and 737 (74%) MiLB players. Although the injury rate was steady in MiLB, the MLB injury rate declined (P = .037). A total of 22,064 days were missed at a mean rate of 4413 days per season and 22.2 days per injury. The majority of these occurred during batting (n = 455, 46%) or pitching (n = 348, 35%), with pitchers losing 5 days more per injury than batters (P < .001). The leading side was injured in 77% of cases and took 5 days longer to recover from than trailing side injuries (P = .009). Seventy-nine (7.9%) players received either a corticosteroid or platelet-rich plasma injection, and the mean recovery time was 11 days longer compared with those who did not receive an injection (P < .001). Conclusion: Although the rate of abdominal oblique injuries is on the decline in MLB, this is not the case for MiLB, and these injuries continue to represent a significant source of time out of play in professional baseball. The vast majority of injuries occur on the lead side, and these injuries result in the greatest amount time out of play. The benefit of injections for the treatment of oblique injuries remains unknown. PMID:28451598

[PREVALENCE OF DEHYDRATION BEFORE TRAINING IN PROFESIONAL CHILEAN SOCCER PLAYERS].

PubMed

Castro-Sepúlveda, Mauricio; Astudillo, Sebastian; Álvarez, Cristian; Zapata-Lamana, Rafael; Zbinden-Foncea, Hermann; Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Jorquera, Carlos

2015-07-01

there is a lack of studies concerning hydration status before training in professional soccer player. to describe hydration status before regular training practices in professional soccer players. a total of 156 male soccer players (age 25.4 ± 5.2 y) from six professional Chilean clubs were included. No hydration or food intake recommendations were made before experiment, with the aim to assess hydration status under athlete's regular "real" conditions. Body mass, height and urine specific gravity (USG) measurements were performed before training practices. 98% of athletes showed dehydration (between moderate and severe) before regular training practices. dehydration is the most prevalent hydration status in professional Chilean soccer players before training, which may negatively affect athlete's performance and may increase their risk of heat-related injuries. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Neuromuscular Risk Factors for Knee and Ankle Ligament Injuries in Male Youth Soccer Players.

PubMed

Read, Paul J; Oliver, Jon L; De Ste Croix, Mark B A; Myer, Gregory D; Lloyd, Rhodri S

2016-08-01

Injuries reported in male youth soccer players most commonly occur in the lower extremities, and include a high proportion of ligament sprains at the ankle and knee with a lower proportion of overuse injuries. There is currently a paucity of available literature that examines age- and sex-specific injury risk factors for such injuries within youth soccer players. Epidemiological data have reported movements that lead to non-contact ligament injury include running, twisting and turning, over-reaching and landing. Altered neuromuscular control during these actions has been suggested as a key mechanism in females and adult populations; however, data available in male soccer players is sparse. The focus of this article is to review the available literature and elucidate prevalent risk factors pertaining to male youth soccer players which may contribute to their relative risk of injury.

Development and validation of the Perceived Game-Specific Soccer Competence Scale.

PubMed

Forsman, Hannele; Gråstén, Arto; Blomqvist, Minna; Davids, Keith; Liukkonen, Jarmo; Konttinen, Niilo

2016-07-01

The objective of this study was to create a valid, self-reported, game-specific soccer competence scale. A structural model of perceived competence, performance measures and motivation was tested as the basis for the scale. A total of 1321 soccer players (261 females, 1060 males) ranging from 12 to 15 years (13.4 ± 1.0 years) participated in the study. They completed the Perceived Game-Specific Soccer Competence Scale (PGSSCS), self-assessments of tactical skills and motivation, as well as technical and speed and agility tests. Results of factor analyses, tests of internal consistency and correlations between PGSSCS subscales, performance measures and motivation supported the reliability and validity of the PGSSCS. The scale can be considered a suitable instrument to assess perceived game-specific competence among young soccer players.

The effects of concussion legislation one year later--what have we learned: a descriptive pilot survey of youth soccer player associates.

PubMed

Shenouda, Christian; Hendrickson, Peter; Davenport, Kathleen; Barber, Jason; Bell, Kathleen R

2012-06-01

To assess the knowledge of youth soccer athletes' parents, coaches, and soccer officials regarding concussion and return-to-play guidelines contained in the Lystedt Law in Washington State. Survey study. Surveys were distributed via the youth soccer association monthly electronic newsletter in September and October 2010. Links to the survey also were provided via the Washington Youth Soccer Facebook page and Twitter feed. Respondents were 18 years or older and were associated with Washington Youth Soccer. The percentage of correct responses to questions regarding the identification and management of concussion symptoms and return to play guidelines as outlined in the Lystedt Law. A total of 391 adults responded; 63% were exclusively parents, 20% were coaches, and 17% were noncoaches (eg, club officers, referees, or volunteers). A total of 96% knew that concussions were a type of traumatic brain injury, 93% identified concussions as serious, and 93% knew that loss of consciousness is not universal. From the responses, 98% identified neurological manifestations of concussions, 90% chose to delay return to play in the presence of neurological symptoms, 85% were aware of the Lystedt Law, and only 73% knew that players must receive written clearance to return to play. A total of 88% were aware that a parent or legal guardian was not allowed to clear an athlete to return to play if a trained professional was not available. Survey respondents were less sure of soccer association guidelines for reporting medical clearance to club officials. These data suggest that, although general knowledge of parents, coaches, and referees in youth soccer in Washington State is high, gaps in knowledge and practice regarding the prevention of concussion in youth soccer athletes still exist. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heavy episodic drinking and soccer practice among high school students in Brazil: the contextual aspects of this relationship.

PubMed

Bedendo, André; Opaleye, Emérita S; Andrade, André Luiz Monezi; Noto, Ana Regina

2013-03-20

Heavy episodic drinking (HED) (consumption of five or more drinks on the same occasion) among adolescents is related to several problems and partaking in sport or physical activities has been suggested as an option to prevent or reduce alcohol consumption among this population. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between soccer practice and heavy episodic drinking among high school students from Brazil. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study among a representative sample of public and private high school students from all Brazilian state capitals (N=19,132). Only students aged from 14 to 18 who reported having taken part in soccer practice, other team sports or non-practicing sports in the last month were included. Characteristics of sport practice (frequency and motivation) and HED in the last month (type of drink; where and with whom they drank; frequency of HED) were also considered. Regression models were controlled for sociodemographic variables. For all groups studied most of the students reported drinking beer, with friends and at nightclubs or bars. Soccer practice was associated to HED when compared to non-practicing sports and to other team sports. Compared to other team sports, playing soccer for pleasure or profession, but not for keep fit or health reasons, were more associated to HED. Frequency of soccer practice from 1 to 5 days per month and 20 or more days per month, but not from 6 to 19 days per month, were also more associated to HED. The relationship between soccer and HED appears to be particularly stronger than in other team sports among adolescents in Brazil. Induced sociability of team sports practice cannot be assumed as the main reason for HED among soccer players. Possibly these results reflect the importance of a strong cultural association between soccer and beer in Brazil and these findings should be integrated to future prevention or intervention programs.

Soccer-Specific Warm-Up and Lower Extremity Injury Rates in Collegiate Male Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Grooms, Dustin R.; Palmer, Thomas; Onate, James A.; Myer, Gregory D.; Grindstaff, Terry

2013-01-01

Context: A number of comprehensive injury-prevention programs have demonstrated injury risk-reduction effects but have had limited adoption across athletic settings. This may be due to program noncompliance, minimal exercise supervision, lack of exercise progression, and sport specificity. A soccer-specific program described as the F-MARC 11+ was developed by an expert group in association with the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC) to require minimal equipment and implementation as part of regular soccer training. The F-MARC 11+ has been shown to reduce injury risk in youth female soccer players but has not been evaluated in an American male collegiate population. Objective: To investigate the effects of a soccer-specific warm-up program (F-MARC 11+) on lower extremity injury incidence in male collegiate soccer players. Design: Cohort study. Setting: One American collegiate soccer team followed for 2 seasons. Patients or Other Participants: Forty-one male collegiate athletes aged 18–25 years. Intervention(s): The F-MARC 11+ program is a comprehensive warm-up program targeting muscular strength, body kinesthetic awareness, and neuromuscular control during static and dynamic movements. Training sessions and program progression were monitored by a certified athletic trainer. Main Outcome Measure(s): Lower extremity injury risk and time lost to lower extremity injury. Results: The injury rate in the referent season was 8.1 injuries per 1000 exposures with 291 days lost and 2.2 injuries per 1000 exposures and 52 days lost in the intervention season. The intervention season had reductions in the relative risk (RR) of lower extremity injury of 72% (RR = 0.28, 95% confidence interval = 0.09, 0.85) and time lost to lower extremity injury (P < .01). Conclusions: This F-MARC 11+ program reduced overall risk and severity of lower extremity injury compared with controls in collegiate-aged male soccer athletes. PMID:23848519

Importance of Reactive Agility and Change of Direction Speed in Differentiating Performance Levels in Junior Soccer Players: Reliability and Validity of Newly Developed Soccer-Specific Tests

PubMed Central

Pojskic, Haris; Åslin, Erik; Krolo, Ante; Jukic, Ivan; Uljevic, Ognjen; Spasic, Miodrag; Sekulic, Damir

2018-01-01

Agility is a significant determinant of success in soccer; however, studies have rarely presented and evaluated soccer-specific tests of reactive agility (S_RAG) and non-reactive agility (change of direction speed – S_CODS) or their applicability in this sport. The aim of this study was to define the reliability and validity of newly developed tests of the S_RAG and S_CODS to discriminate between the performance levels of junior soccer players. The study consisted of 20 players who were involved at the highest national competitive rank (all males; age: 17.0 ± 0.9 years), divided into three playing positions (defenders, midfielders, and forwards) and two performance levels (U17 and U19). Variables included body mass (BM), body height, body fat percentage, 20-m sprint, squat jump, countermovement jump, reactive-strength-index, unilateral jump, 1RM-back-squat, S_CODS, and three protocols of S_RAG. The reliabilities of the S_RAG and S_CODS were appropriate to high (ICC: 0.70 to 0.92), with the strongest reliability evidenced for the S_CODS. The S_CODS and S_RAG shared 25–40% of the common variance. Playing positions significantly differed in BM (large effect-size differences [ES]; midfielders were lightest) and 1RM-back-squat (large ES; lowest results in midfielders). The performance levels significantly differed in age and experience in soccer; U19 achieved better results in the S_CODS (t-test: 3.61, p < 0.05, large ES) and two S_RAG protocols (t-test: 2.14 and 2.41, p < 0.05, moderate ES). Newly developed tests of soccer-specific agility are applicable to differentiate U17 and U19 players. Coaches who work with young soccer athletes should be informed that the development of soccer-specific CODS and RAG in this age is mostly dependent on training of the specific motor proficiency. PMID:29867552