In studies reporting rugby league injuries, match injuries varied depending upon participation level. To review and update pooled data estimates for rugby league injury epidemiology and add information for participation levels in match and training environments. A systematic review and pooled analysis for published studies reporting rugby league match and training injuries. Searches were performed in the PubMed, CINHAL, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, SpringerLink, and Wiley Online databases. Studies were considered if they reported on rugby league match or training injuries between Jan 1990 to June 2021. Two authors (DK, TC) extracted the study characteristics, numerical data and assessed the article quality, by adhering to the protocol for systematic review of observational studies (MOOSE) and the STrengthening and Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The 46 studies included a combined exposure of 419,037 h and 18,783 injuries incorporating 158,003 match-hr and 15,706 match injuries (99.4 [95%CI: 97.9-101.0] per 1000 match-hr) and 264,033 training-hr and 3077 training injuries (11.8 [95%CI: 11.4-12.2] per 1000 training-hr). Of included studies, 47.9% utilised a medical attention/treatment injury definition. There was a five-fold difference in injuries for the semi-professional participation level (431.6 per 1000 match-hr) compared with professional (RR: 4.92; p < 0.001) and elite (RR: 3.77; p < 0.001) participation levels. The hooker recorded the highest pooled injury incidence (93.1 per 1000 match-hr). Compared to the 2014 analysis there was a 10-fold increase for head-neck region (RR: 10.7; p < 0.001) injury incidence, and more injuries for the ball carrier (RR: 1.1; p = 0.008) and tackler (RR: 1.2; p = 0.001). There was a three-fold decrease in injury incidence in the first half (RR: 2.9; p < 0.001) and a two-fold decrease in the second half (RR: 2.3; p < 0.001) of matches. While rugby league match and training injury incidence had decreased since 2014, the increase in head injuries, and greater injury rate at the semi-professional level, mean further injury prevention interventions are needed.
Previous studies have shown that Taijiquan and Qigong exercise can effectively reduce depression and anxiety in healthy and clinical populations. At present, only a few reviews have elaborated on the premise of different types of interventions, and there is still a lack of studies that systematically summarize the clinical evidence of patients with substance use disorders. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the impact of the Taijiquan and Qigong exercise on the mood of individuals with substance use disorders (SUD); Articles were searched in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI from their inception to the May 24, 2021. All randomized controlled trials (RCT) using Taijiquan and Qigong intervention were included. With the Review Manager software to determine the effect (standardized mean difference, SMD), subgroup analysis was conducted to intervention type, exercise time, and exercise duration. Nine studies totaling 823 participants were included in the study. Overall results indicated that Taijiquan and Qigong exercise had significant benefits in reducing depression (SMD = −0.35, 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.18, Z = 4.00, p < 0.01) and anxiety (SMD = −0.31, 95% CI: −0.50 to −0.11, Z = 3.06, p < 0.01) symptoms in SUD. When depression and anxiety were examined separately, subgroup analysis demonstrated that Taijiquan intervention (SMD = −0.45, 95% CI: −0.71 to −0.19, Z = 3.39, p < 0.01) and Qigong intervention (SMD = −0.28, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.04, Z = 2.33, p = 0.02),30-60 min exercise time (SMD = −0.41, 95% CI: −0.61 to −0.20, Z = 3.82, p < 0.01) and duration of 9-12 weeks (SMD = −0.57, 95% CI: −1.10 to −0.04, Z = 2.10, p = 0.04) more than 12 weeks (SMD = −0.28, 95% CI: −0.50 to −0.07, Z = 2.59, p = 0.01) could effectively alleviate the symptoms of depression. Meanwhile, Qigong intervention (SMD = −0.31, 95% CI: −0.52 to −0.10, Z = 2.85, p < 0.01), 30-60 min exercise time (SMD = −0.29, 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.04, Z = 2.28, p = 0.02), more than 60 min exercise time (SMD = −0.54, 95% CI: −1.06 to −0.02, Z = 2.05, p = 0.04), and duration of less than 9 weeks (SMD = −0.35, 95% CI: −0.68 to −0.02, Z = 2.07, p = 0.04) had positive effects on alleviating anxiety symptoms with SUD. Taijiquan and Qigong exercise could reduce levels of anxiety and depression in those with SUD. Considering the small number of included studies, more reliable RCTs are needed on this topic.
This retrospective cohort study examined the relationship between self-reported participation in flexibility and muscular strengthening activities and the development of functional limitation (i.e., once an individual has difficulty with or becomes unable to perform activities of daily living). Data were obtained from 1318 adults (mean age 49.5 ± 9.7 years; 98.7% Caucasian; 14.9% female) enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study from 1979 to 2004 and free of functional limitation at baseline. Mail-back health surveys were used to prospectively determine incident functional limitation. Participation in muscle-strengthening and flexibility activities was assessed via self-report. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were used to determine the odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals for developing functional limitation during follow-up based on participation in general and specific categories of flexibility (‘Stretching’, ‘Calisthenics’, or ‘Exercise Class’) and muscle-strengthening activities (‘Calisthenics’, ‘Free Weights’, ‘Weight Training Machines’, or ‘Other’). Overall, 42.6% of the sample reported incident functional limitation. After adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., age, sex, cardiometabolic risk factors), those who reported performing muscle-strengthening activities in general (n = 685) were at lower risk of developing functional limitation [OR = 0.79 (0.63-1.00)]. In addition, the specific flexibility activities of stretching (n = 491) and calisthenics (n = 122) were associated with 24% and 38% decreased odds of incident functional limitation, respectively. General muscle-strengthening, stretching, and calisthenics activities are prospectively associated with decreased risk of incident functional limitation in generally healthy, middle-aged and older adults. Thus, both public health and rehabilitation programs should highlight the importance of flexibility and muscle-strengthening activities during adulthood to help preserve functional capacity.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance stability of elite half-marathoners of both sexes. The study was composed of 24 elite athletes (12 female and 12 male), ranked among the Senior World TOP20 half-marathoners, who completed a half-marathon race for at least three consecutive years. Tracking was tested using autocorrelations and Kappa Cohen. Autocorrelation revealed a significant association, but a decrease in correlation among the years in both sexes. The overall weighted kappa showed lower stability in performance for both sexes (K = 0.191 and K = −0.245) than for males. These findings suggest that both female and male elite half-marathoners showed low stability in performance during three events. Besides that, athletes with a better performance tended to present the highest performance stability. It is recommended that coaches track the developmental trajectories of the athletes to comprised the changes in performance across the years, as to provide environmental characteristics that can influence performance.
To understand the association between cardiometabolic risk factor (CMRF) clustering and physical activity (PA) levels, we included 86520 Chinese adults aged 18-64 years having at least one CMRF (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, or obesity) from the China Chronic Disease and Nutrition Surveillance survey in 2015, a nationally and provincially representative investigation with a multistage clustering sampling design. Self-reported PA information was collected with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. In view of the obesity epidemic in CMRF patients, PA energy expenditure (PAEE) per kilogram body weight was used, and was defined into four categories: (i) inactivity: 0 kJ/kg/day; (ii) low activity: 0-5 kJ/kg/day; (iii) moderate activity: 6-11 kJ/kg/day; and (iv) vigorous activity: ≥ 12 kJ/kg/day. The estimated weighted prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of having 1, 2, 3, and 4 CMRFs was 60.57% (59.48%-61.67%), 28.10% (27.40%-28.79%), 9.82% (9.22%-15.42%) and 1.50% (1.37%-1.63%), respectively. The rate (95%CI) of inactivity, low activity, moderate activity, and vigorous activity was 34.52% (32.69%-36.35%), 22.22% (21.37%-23.37%), 15.98% (15.38%-16.58%) and 27.28% (26.02%-28.53%), respectively. For those having 2, 3 and 4 CMRFs (compared to those having 1 CMRF), the adjusted odds ratio (95%CI) for moderate activity and vigorous activity were 0.91 (0.85-0.98) and 0.92 (0.85-0.99), 0.87 (0.80-0.95) and 0.84 (0.77-0.92), and 0.77 (0.67-0.89) and 0.85 (0.72-1.00), respectively. In conclusion, CMRF clustering was a pandemic among Chinese adults in 2015 and was inversely associated with PA level. PAEE (in kJ/kg/day) may be introduced into PA management practice, especially for populations with high body weight.
The introduction of strict quarantine restrictions in many countries initiated a direction in science to study the behavioral characteristics of children and adolescents during the social isolation at the population level. We present our observations during the two lockdowns in Ukraine. The objective of this study was to determine: a) the level of light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) physical activity among school-age children, and b) the impact of the external and internal factors on their physical activity during the lockdown. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) as part of our questionnaire Q-RAPH was used. Parents of 1091 children 6-18 years old (54% boys) filled Q-RAPH at two measurement points in 2020 and 2021. After performing ANCOVA and logistic regression, we found a significant decrease in MVPA by 12.7% in 2021 compared to 2020 (p < 0.001) while LPA was about 1.5 h a day during both periods. The proportion of children who reach the recommended levels of MVPA also decreased by 13.7% in 2021 (p < 0.001). Factors negatively affecting the achievement of 60 min a day of MVPA were female gender, chronic diseases, overweight/obesity, non-participation in organized sports, and a decrease in the average air temperature. This study evidences the insufficient level of preventive measures and requires an intensification of health education among the Ukrainian population. When developing preventive measures, special attention should be paid to groups vulnerable to MVPA reduction as children who have chronic diseases and/or overweight/obesity as well as non-participation in sports.
This study aimed to describe yoga practice and verify its association with depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic among Brazilian practitioners. A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted in all regions of Brazil using a snowball sampling strategy among yoga practitioners. A total of 860 participants (87% female, aged: 19-82 years) completed the survey. Sociodemographic data, lifestyle factors, yoga practice during the pandemic, and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) scores were collected between July 9 and July 15, 2021. Overall, 9.5%, 9.3%, and 5.6% of participants exhibited some traits (mild to severe) of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. Hatha yoga (48%) was the most commonly practiced yoga style. In the adjusted analysis, a higher yoga experience (> 5 years) was associated with better anxiety (odds ratio; bootstrap 95% confidence interval: 2.42; 1.32, 4.49) and stress status (1.80; 1.06, 3.00) than beginners (< 1 year). Practitioners who reported higher time and days of yoga practice during the study period were more likely to show normal levels of depression (odds ratio: 2.56-6.49; p < 0.05), anxiety (odds ratio: 3.68-8.84; p < 0.05), and stress (odds ratio: 2.15-5.21; p < 0.05). Moreover, the maintenance of practice frequency during the pandemic was associated with higher odds of normal levels of depression (2.27; 1.39-3.79), anxiety (1.97; 1.25-3.10), and stress (1.97; 1.32-2.96). In conclusion, our findings indicated that a higher level of yoga practice was associated with better mental health levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study investigated the factors that are associated with sleep disturbances among Chinese athletes. Sleep quality and associated factors were assessed by the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ, n = 394, aged 18-32 years, 47.6% female). Sleep difficulty score (SDS) and level of sleep problem (none, mild, moderate, or severe) were used to classify participants' sleep quality. Categorical variables were analyzed by Chi-square or fisher's exact tests. An ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to explore factors with poor sleep (SDS ≥8).
Approximately 14.2% of participants had moderate to severe sleep problem (SDS ≥8). Fifty-nine percent of the athletes reported sleep disturbance during travel, while 43.3% experienced daytime dysfunction when travelling for competition. No significant difference was found in the SDS category between gender, sports level and events. Athletes with evening chronotype were more likely to report worse sleep than athletes with morning and intermediate chronotype (OR, 2.25; 95%CI, 1.44-3.52; p < 0.001). For each additional year of age, there was an increase of odds ratio for poor sleep quality (OR, 1.15; 95%CI, 1.04-1.26; p = 0.004), while each additional year of training reduced the odds ratio (OR, 0.95; 95%CI, 0.91-0.99; p = 0.044). To improve sleep health in athletes, chronotype, travel-related issues, age and years of training should be taken into consideration.
What is science? While a simple question, the answer is complex. Science is a process involving human behaviour, and due to the human influence, science is often not pursued correctly. In fact, one can argue that we still do not know what the “correct” pursuit of science should entail. This is because science remains a work in progress, differs for different questions, and we often are not aware of the mistakes made until years, or decades, later. Such mistakes are common, regardless of the discipline. Within exercise physiology, mistakes have been frequent and led to eventual corrections; the replacement of the post-exercise rate of oxygen consumption (V̇O2) debt concept with that of excess post-exercise V̇O2; the invalidation of the cellular production of lactic acid; improvements to maximal heart rate estimation; and on-going debate over the Central Governor Model. Improved training and education in the historical development of science and the contributions from scientific philosophy are important in providing an understanding of science, and more importantly, how to pursue “better” vs. “inferior” forms of science. The writings of Popper and Kuhn are core to enhanced understanding of how to improve the quality of science pursued. Unfortunately, quality education and training in the historical and philosophical development of science remain poor in most countries. Until inadequate educational training is overcome, there is sustained risk for the pursuit of science to remain inadequate, which in turn has a potential widespread detriment to humanity and the planet we live on.