The association between movement screening and physical fitness testing in athletes is conflicting, and therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between Functional Movement Screen (FMS) performance and physical performance in elite female youth football players. Twenty-two players from the national U16 team of Bosnia and Herzegovina underwent FMS and physical performance tests, including speed, agility, and jump assessments. Jump and speed performance score correlated well with ASLR, while the overall FMS score was not associated with any of the performance variables. These findings suggest that while certain movement patterns may impact athletic performance, the relationship between movement screening and physical performance is delicate. Coaches and practitioners should consider individual variations and sport-specific demands when interpreting FMS results in order to optimize and maximize athlete performance and reduce injury risks.

Purpose The present study aimed to investigate a) the associations between bilateral performance utilizing countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), speed and unilateral CMJ, isokinetic peak torque in knee extension and flexion with angular velocities of 60°/s and 180°/s and tensiomyography (TMG) parameters; b) whether the asymmetries derived from unilateral tests are associated with bilateral CMJ, SJ and speed in elite female soccer players. Methods Thirty-five elite female soccer players (average age: 20 ± 5 years) completed CMJ, SJ, speed, isokinetic muscle strength and TMG tests. Results Compared to the non-dominant leg, the dominant leg demonstrated greater peak torque output in both knee flexion (7.4%) and knee extension (5.6%) isokinetic tasks, as well as m. vastus medialis contraction time (7.6%), and soccer-specific agility test (4.1%). Conversely, the hamstring to quadriceps peak torque ratio at 180°/s (8.5%) was significantly greater in the non-dominant leg. The associations between CMJ, SJ and speed performance were positive and ranged from weak (r = 0.350) to high (r = 0.710). For speed and TMG-derived variables, correlations were negative and ranged from weak (r = −0.345, p = 0.042, for vastus medialis contraction time) to moderate (r = −0.530, p = 0.001, for biceps femoris contraction time). Furthermore, both bilateral CMJ and SJ negatively correlated with TMG-derived variables, ranging from weak (r = −0.350, p = 0.039, for vastus lateralis contraction time) to moderate (r = −0.537, p = 0.003, for rectus femoris contraction time). Conclusion The overall significant, albeit inconsistent, correlations between the diverse performance scores obtained highlight the necessity for a multifaceted and thorough diagnostic strategy in female soccer players.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of lifestyle intervention (LSI) on diagnosed infertility in overweight and obese women. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. A literature search was performed on the following databases from September 2022 to December 2022: PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus. The inclusion criteria were the following: women between 18 and 45 years of age, BMI over 25.0 kg/m2, diagnosed with infertility, a weight loss intervention, and control group part of RCTs. In total, 15 studies were identified and included. The meta-analysis shows a beneficial effect of LSI on reducing weight, waist circumference, and BMI and increasing infertility. A significantly beneficial effect of lifestyle intervention on weight reduction was observed for participants who initially had a higher BMI, while a non-significant effect was observed for individuals with a BMI above 35 kg/m2. The meta-analysis showed a beneficial effect of lifestyle intervention on ovulation incidence and sex hormone-binding globulin. The lifestyle intervention group had 11.23 times more ovulatory incidence than the control group, which in turn increased the ability to conceive. As robust evidence for the effect of lifestyle interventions on infertility in obese and overweight women was found, it is advised to integrate similar interventions into future infertility treatment processes.

Introduction Basketball is a fast-paced intermittent team sport, wherein the players must exhibit different morphologies and fitness levels depending on their position. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in the athleticism of basketball players by playing positions and in its relations with body composition and anthropometric measures. It was hypothesized that calculated athleticism has stronger and better predictive relations with morphology compared to motoric tests alone. Methods 47 basketball players were divided into three groups according to playing position [guards (n = 14), forwards (n = 22), centers (n = 11)]. Body composition and anthropometrical measurements were done for all players. Athleticism was presented in terms of overall (OFS), jumping (JFS) and sprinting (SFS) fitness scores. Results Fitness scores were found to be more strongly related to body composition and anthropometry measurements than motoric tests alone. All three fitness scores were moderate to strongly correlated with skinfold thickness and fat percentage, while body height, fat-free mass, and lean body mass were positively correlated. Significant differences in athleticism fitness scores were found between guards and other groups. Forwards displayed superior athleticism in power and sprint abilities when compared to guards and centers. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that fat percentage, lean muscle mass, skinfold thickness, and arm span exhibited strong predictive capabilities in relation to athleticism scores. Conclusions Coaches and practitioners should be aware that athleticism includes a multitude of components, and they should use athleticism assessments before designing training regimens that are tailored to each position's unique needs.

Abstract Background In the last three decades, both medical and sports science professionals have recognized the considerable potential of digital-based interventions (DBI) to enhance the health-related outcomes of their practitioners. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and potential moderators of DBI on measures of muscular strength. Methods Six databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, SportDiscus, Embase, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials and Google Scholar) were searched for eligible studies up to June 2022. The GRADE, PEDRO, and TIDieR checklists were used to assess the quality of evidence, methodology, and completeness of intervention descriptions, respectively. Results A total of 56 studies were included in the meta-analysis (n = 2346), and participants were classified as healthy (n = 918), stroke survivors (n = 572), diagnosed with other neurological disorders (n = 683), and frail (n = 173). The DBI showed a small effect (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.28, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.31; p < 0.001) on strength, regardless of the type of intervention, control group, or tested body part. More specifically, while splitting the studies into different subgroups, a meta-analysis of 19 studies (n = 918) showed a small effect (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.63; p = 0.003) on strength in the asymptomatic population. Similarly, small but positive effects of DBI were observed for stroke survivors (SMD = 0.34, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.56; p = 0.002), patients diagnosed with other neurological disorders (SMD = 0.17, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.32; p = 0.021), and the frail population (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.5; p = 0.051). Sub-group analysis and meta-regression revealed that neither variable modified the effects of the DBI on measures of strength. Conclusions Overall, DBI may serve as an effective method to improve measures of strength in adults, regardless of their health status as well as the type of digital device, the presence of human-computer interaction, and the age of participants. In addition, the DBI was found to be more effective than traditional training or rehabilitation methods. KEY MESSAGES Digital-based intervention (DBI) is effective in improving measures of muscular strength in adults regardless of participants’ health status DBIs were equally effective for strength improvements in lower and upper limbs Although, DBIs were found to be effective in improving muscular strength, most studies did not follow strength training guidelines when prescribing the interventions

Player performance in an intense sport such as basketball is known to be related to attributes such as speed, agility, and power. This study presents a comparative analysis of associations between anthropometric assessment and physical performance in different age groups of elite youth basketball players, while simultaneously identifying the predictors for speed and agility in these players. U14 (n = 44), U15 (n = 45), and U16 (n = 51) players were tested for anthropometry, lower-body power, speed, and agility. U16 players were found to be taller, heavier, more muscular than U14 and U15 players. In addition, the U16 group showed better performance in all performance tests. Age had a significant positive correlation with countermovement (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) performance in U14 players, and a significant negative correlation with 15m and 20m sprint times in the U15 group. CMJ and DJ emerged as the most significant predictors for sprint and agility variables, respectively. Body fat percentage was found to be a significant predictor for the speed and agility tests in all age groups, but a negative lower-body power predictor. Therefore, besides all sport-specific and fitness tests, it is essential to place emphasis on the percentage of body fat when designing players’ individualized training programs, and during team selection.

The large body of published literature has shown that the effects of strength training can transfer from trained to untrained homologous limb muscles after unilateral training. These effects on strength have been shown to be very specific to the type and speed of training contraction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 4-week unilateral slow and fast velocity isokinetic concentric training, to compare the effects, and thus investigate whether these effects are speed-specific. Forty-four healthy female students allocated to slow training, fast training, or control performed 12 isokinetic concentric-concentric plantar/dorsal flexors training sessions (3 × 4 weeks) using their nondominant leg. Participants in the two experimental groups showed statistically significant gains in strength in both the trained (ranging from 8 to 41%) and untrained leg (5–26%), thus showing cross-education on strength effects. The present study demonstrated that 4 weeks (12 training sessions) of unilateral isokinetic resistance training in the concentric mode improved the strength of contralateral, untrained homologous muscles to the same extent, regardless of the contraction velocity used in females. Furthermore, the amount of concentric overload (50% more than during 60°/s) did not appear to affect the increase in strength gains. Therefore, practitioners are encouraged to use both training speeds when strength gains in the contralateral leg are the primary goal. If the training time is limited, however, training with a higher contraction speed is recommended.

Efficient movements require intact motor and cognitive function. There is a growing literature on motor-cognitive interventions to improve the overall quality of life of healthy or diseased older people. For such interventions, novel technological advances are crucial not only in terms of motivation but also to improve the user experience in a multi-stimuli world, usually offered as a mixture of real and virtual environments. This article provides a classification system for movement-related research dealing with motor-cognitive interventions performed in different extents of a virtual environment. The classification is divided into three categories: (a) type of digital device with the associated degree of immersiveness provided; (b) presence or absence of a human-computer interaction; and (c) activity engagement during training, defined by activity >1.5 Metabolic Equivalent of task. Since virtual reality (VR) often categorizes different technologies under the same term, we propose a taxonomy of digital devices ranging from computer monitors and projectors to head-mounted VR technology. All immersive technologies that have developed rapidly in recent years are grouped under the umbrella term Extended Reality (XR). These include augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and VR, as well as all technologies that have yet to be developed. This technology has potential not only for gaming and entertainment, but also for research, motor-cognitive training programs, rehabilitation, telemedicine, etc. This position paper provides definitions, recommendations, and guidelines for future movement-related interventions based on digital devices, human-computer interactions, and physical engagement to use terms more consistently and contribute to a clearer understanding of their implications.

The aim of the present study was to describe the morphological and performance characteristics of elite handball players using data collected over the last two decades within the talent evaluation program of the Slovenian Handball Federation. A total of 1066 elite male handball players selected for one of the Slovenian national teams (U17, U19, U21 or senior) were recruited. The data were collected from 2007/8 to the 2021/22 season. The main effects were observed for: body height, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). The muscle mass percentage differed only between different age categories (p = 0.003; η2 = 0.015), while the fat mass percentage (FM%) differed between playing positions (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.107). Post-hoc comparisons showed that, within senior handball players, pivot players were 6.46 cm (p = 0.009) taller than wing players and heavier than goalkeepers (12.43 kg, p = 0.004), backcourts (13.30 kg, p < 0.001) and wings (17.83 kg, p < 0.001). Moreover, pivots had a greater BMI than goalkeepers (2.3 kg/m2, p = 0.003), backcourts (2.62 kg/m2, p < 0.001), and wings (3.07 kg/m2, p < 0.001), while FM% was significantly higher in pivots compared to wings (4.32%, p = 0.010). Taking into consideration playing positions and age, the main effects were also observed for squat jump height, countermovement jump height, end-running speed, and VO2max (all p < 0.001; η2 = 0.017 to 0.091). Both morphological and performance characteristics clearly differ across playing positions and age categories, which should be a valuable guide for coaches to develop position-specific talent identification programs and training plans.

Background: The aim of the present randomized, crossover study was to determine the physiological and cognitive function responses while wearing a facemask during a maximal running aerobic fitness test. Methods: Fourteen healthy, nonsmoking physical education students (age = 17.5 years, height = 1.72 m, body mass = 70.4 kg) volunteered to participate in this study. They carried out a 20 m multistage fitness test (MSFT) while wearing or not a cloth facemask on two separate occasions performed in random order. The “Rating of Perceived Exertion” (RPE) and the d2 test for visual attention were administered and assessed before and immediately after the MSFT for both conditions (with or without a facemask). Results: When wearing the facemask, the participants exhibited lower maximal aerobic speed (p = 0.039), VO2max (p = 0.039), distance covered during the MSFT (p = 0.057), and concentration performance (p < 0.001), when compared with the control situation (without facemask). Moreover, they made more errors compared with the control condition (p = 0.021). The use of a cloth facemask during maximal endurance running tests (such as the MSFT) reduced VO2max, and measures of cognitive performance as assessed by the test of focused visual attention (the d2 test). This data suggests avoiding using a cloth facemask during maximal aerobic fitness tests, and before any tasks that require a high level of visual attention.

Abstract Objectives: This study evaluates the effect of post-activation potentiation (PAP) after 5x5s maximal voluntary isometric contractions (activation stimulus, AS) on tensiomyography (TMG) and torque twitch contractile parameters of vastus lateralis (VL) and medialis (VM), respectively. Further, we validated the decomposition of TMG response to separate responses of three fiber types. Methods: 15 healthy individuals participated in this study (40% women; age 19±2.3 years). A decomposition of VL TMG response was done after optimal fitting of three exponential curves. Results: We found main effects in contraction time (Tc) for muscle, method and time. Furthermore, we found interactions between muscle*method, method*time and muscle*method*time. Compared to PRE AS, we found shorter TMG Tc in VL and VM during the first two minutes after AS. Torque Tc remained unchanged in VL, while it increased in VM within 30 seconds after AS. A decomposition of VL TMG response confirmed PAP effects being present only in decomposed type IIb muscle fibers. Conclusion: The TMG is a sensitive method to detect PAP effects with a sensor mounted directly above the muscle belly. After the decomposition of the TMG signal to three separate muscle fiber phenotypes, we provided a non-invasive insight in the contribution of each muscle fiber phenotype to the PAP of the whole muscle.

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to: i) determine the contractile properties of the major lower limb muscles in female soccer players using tensiomyography; ii) investigate inter-limb differences; and iii) compare inter-limb differences between different selections and playing positions. Methods: A total of 52 female soccer players (A team; U19 and U17) were recruited. The vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), lateralis (GL) and tibialis anterior (TA) of both lower limbs were evaluated. Results: When the entire sample was assessed regardless of selection or playing position, there were significant inter-limb differences in all measured muscles except BF. Compared to the non-dominant limb, the dominant limb had higher delay time in VL (p=0.008), while showing lower values in VM (p=0.023), GL (p=0.043) and GM (p=0.006). Contraction time was lower in the RF of the dominant limb (p=0.005) and VM (p=0.047), while showing higher values in VL (p=0.036) and TA (p<0.001) as compared to the non-dominant limb. Conclusion: Given the differences found between the limbs in the whole sample studied, it is necessary to examine both limbs to gather a more in-depth understanding of underlying mechanisms related to neuromuscular functions in female soccer players. Level of evidence: Prognostic study, Level II.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the physiological parameters indicative of cardiorespiratory fitness obtained during the 30-15 intermittent fitness (30-15IFT) test and the multistage laboratory treadmill endurance (TR) test differ. Nineteen elite handball players were recruited for the current study and assigned in a cross-over manner to one of two tests to be performed 48 h apart at each visit to the testing facility. The results showed that VO2max (percentage difference [PC] = 6.1%; p = 0.004) and maximal running velocity (V) (PC = 19.4%; p < 0.001) were significantly higher for the 30-15IFT test than that obtained during the TR test. Furthermore, the onset of blood lactate accumulation was shown to be significantly higher for all measures considered to predict it during 30-15IFT compared to TR as follows: VO2max (PC = 12.6%; p = 0.001), running speed (PC = 33.9%; p < 0.001), and maximal heart rate (PC = 7.5%; p < 0.001). The current study highlights the importance of sport-specific testing, particularly for measuring individual cardiorespiratory fitness in elite handball players, as TR may underestimate crucial variables used for both diagnostics and training prescription.

High relationships between muscle strength and various forms of jumps are usually based on the research samples of professional athletes or students of sports and physical education. However such studies are less known in the case of recreational women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between isokinetic parameters of knee joint muscle strength with the efficiency of performing vertical jumps. The sample represents a group of 16 healthy and physically active women (age=31.04±3.71; height 168.13±8.34; weight 59.80±9.80). Knee extensors and flexors were evaluated by using an isokinetic dynamometer, while the two-foot vertical jump performance was measured using the Opto Jump System. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine correlation magnitude (p<.05). The obtained results indicated high correlations of the knee extension peak torque dominant leg (KEPT D), knee extension peak torque non-dominant leg (KEPT ND) and knee flexion peak torque non-dominant leg (KFPT ND) with counter movement jump free arms (CMJFA) (r=.525; r=.511; r=.594; p<.05). High correlations was also indicated between KFPT ND with counter movement jump (CMJ) (r=.514; p<.05). Given that these are recreational women, we can assume that the countermovement free arm jump type was the most natural form of expressing their explosive potential. It is certainly important that future studies further examine the relationships between muscle strength and performance of primary and specific motor tasks in recreational women.