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At least 1,189 records · Page 66Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Olympic athletes' transition from sport to workplace.

Research has supported the need for strategies to assist elite athletes with transition from full-time athletic activity to the work place. Early intervention with coaches' and peers' support programs have mediated the problems associated with the termination of athletic careers. The present study is a report about 57 prominent Olympians from 12 disciplines spanning 6 0 years of competitive sports. Analysis of the data suggests that focussed efforts early in the athletes' careers assisted preparation for life after the full athletic activity. Mentors not only assist in the athletes' careers but also offer guidance and counsel during later life.

Achievement↗
PubMed2001

Attribution of athletic expertise by college coaches.

The goals of the study were to identify the factors that college coaches associate with athletic achievement and to test deliberate practice theory predictions for practice relevance, effort, and pleasure. Swimming, tennis, and volleyball coaches from Division I and Division III schools rank ordered 15 attributes that contribute to successful athletic achievement. They also rated the relevance, effort, and pleasure of 7 athletic and 7 everyday events for improving athletic achievement. The rank orders showed that the coaches primarily attributed athletic achievement to innate talent, intrinsic motivation, and effort while factors such as accumulated practice and type of the practice received lower rankings. Findings for practice effort were consistent with deliberate practice theory while the relevance and pleasure findings were mixed. Several explanations for successful athletic achievement, other than talent, are discussed.

Achievement↗
PubMed2003

Athletes' satisfaction among team handball players in Greece.

The aim of this study was to measure the satisfaction of a sample of 234 team handball athletes from the Youth Team Handball Finals Tournament in Greece. 99 men and 135 women completed the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction. Analysis indicated that the athletes were satisfied with their leaders' behavior and their personal outcomes. No differences between the sexes were noted. Also, the more practices per week in which the athletes were engaged, the more satisfied they were. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction is a promising tool for measuring satisfaction of athletes in team handball in Greece.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Development of the sport achievement orientation questionnaire for Japanese athletes by exploratory factor analysis.

In this study, a questionnaire to assess achievement orientation in sport for Japanese athletes was developed. We created the questionnaire by picking items from free descriptions of Japanese athletes and using factor analysis of the responses in a Japanese sport setting. The subjects were 2,415 athletes (M=16.7 yr., SD=2.7) in Japan. Factor analyses in this study identified three factors. Top Level Orientation, Demonstrating Ability Orientation, and Win Orientation, respectively. An examination of the intercorrelations among the three scores showed the subscales were related. There were no correlations between the new measure and the Japanese versions of the Sport Orientation Questionnaire and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire except that the correlation of Win Orientation and the SOQ Athletic Success Orientation was low and negative. These results suggested that the three subscales appeared to be separate but related factors, and that it is an original measurement for only Japanese athletes. The overall factor reliability and validity based on the sample suggested that the Sport Achievement Orientation Questionnaire for Japanese Athletes can be valuable means for the investigation of achievement orientation in Japanese sport and exercise settings.

Achievement↗
PubMed2004

Attributions of athletes on collegiate sports teams.

This study investigated the patterns of attributions for success made by intercollegiate athletes in three categories: more versus less successful teams, men versus women athletes, and individual versus group sport participants. 74 men and 83 women on 17 varsity teams across a number of sports took the Sports Attribution Style Scale, measuring internal, stable, controllable, intentional, and global attributions. It was hypothesized that (a) the athletes on more successful teams would have higher internal, stable, controllable, and intentional attributions, (b) that athletes in individual sports would have lower internal, stable, and controllable attributions, and (c) that women would score higher on all five attributions. Profile analyses of the attributions led to the confirmation of the first hypothesis. For the second hypothesis, the pattern of sport attributions did not differ for individual and team athletes. The third hypothesis was not confirmed. Women athletes scored higher on the attributional dimensions (except globality).

Achievement↗
PubMed1990

Athletic self-concept and mathematics achievement in girls.

Several researchers have suggested that girls' mathematics performance may be mediated by an assertive sex role or "masculine interest." The present study made the assumption that girls' athletic self-confidence reflects "masculine interest" so girls' test scores for perceived athletic competence would be related to their mathematics achievement scores. A total of 207 boys and girls in Grades 4, 5, and 6 were tested for their perceived athletic ability using the Athletic Competence subscale of Harter's 1985 Self-perception Profile, and these scores were correlated with their mathematics achievement as measured on the Metropolitan Achievement Test and term grades. A low but significant correlation with Athletic Competence scores was found for girls on both measures of mathematics achievement. Although boys scored higher on the Athletic Competence subscale, there were no sex differences on either measure of mathematics achievement. Results are discussed in terms of both sex-role theory and cognitive development.

Achievement↗
PubMed1997

The Female Athlete: Evaluation and Treatment of Sports-Related Problems.

Although many of the problems faced by the female athlete affect the male athlete as well, some occur exclusively or more commonly in women. These include spondylolisthesis, stress fractures in the pelvis and hip, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Female athletes are also more likely to have patellofemoral problems, noncontact anterior cruciate ligament tears, and bunions. For many of these conditions, the relative influences of osseous anatomy, ligamentous laxity, and the effect of sex hormones have not yet been established. There are also problems related specifically to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Amenorrhea is present in up to 20% of vigorously exercising women. The term "female athlete triad" has been coined to describe the complex interplay of menstrual irregularity, disordered eating, and premature osteoporosis seen in the female athlete. Many of the concerns related to exercise during pregnancy focus on the safety of the fetus rather than the athlete herself. Musculoskeletal problems in the physically active pregnant woman are related to weight gain, ligamentous relaxation, lordosis, and change in the center of gravity.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

The gastrointestinal system--an essential target organ of the athlete's health and physical performance.

An athlete's ability to reach maximum performance is a direct result of physical and muscular performance, muscular and systemic stress tolerance, control and regulation of immune function, and adaptation to physical stress. In this complex sense, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also part of the system that controls and regulates adaptation and regeneration of the athlete. A well-balanced GI immune system and an optimized immune competence may protect the athlete from harmful pathogens; it may also protect against dietary as well as inhaled antigens. However, under conditions of mechanical and biochemical stress, the integrity of the GI mucosal block, particularly the epithelial hood, can be damaged, leading to a pathological uptake of toxic or immunogenic substrates. This may occur in endurance athletes, since gut symptomatology, nausea, vomiting, pain, bloating, diarrhea, cramping, and bleeding can be observed in up to half of all participants in endurance events. In addition, composition of stool and fecal microflora in endurance athletes has shown that there may be a specific need for nutritional support for mucosal immunity in highly trained but chronically stressed athletes. Proper diet during training and competition is a significant factor in guarding against GI symptoms and exercise-induced gastrointestinal side effects that may compromise immune competence and physical performance. The present review presents some important suggestions on the possible role of the GI tract in human performance and stress tolerance, and offers new insights about the influence of food quality on the immune system of the gut.

Digestive System↗
PubMed1999

[Sudden death (IV). Sudden death in the athlete. The minimal requirements before performing a competitive sport].

In our society, athletes project the ultimate image of well being in the health status spectrum. Though very uncommon, the sudden death of a young athlete has always great impact on the community and the athlete's surroundings (physicians, athletes, coaches, etc.). Due both to this and to the growing number of physical exercise practitioners, there is an increasing demand for more and precise information on the recommendations of participation in certain sports with the minimum possible risk. Together with the most recent and detailed statistics concerning the cardiovascular causes of sudden death in athletes, the objective of the present article is to review the present controversy regarding the preparticipation medical examination as a useful method to identify those athletes with greater potential risk, as well as to propose a few and simple recommendations concerning the tests that should be performed in each case.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of a carbohydrate loading on running performance during a 25-km treadmill time trial by level of aerobic capacity in athletes.

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of a high carbohydrate diet and the level of aerobic capacity on running performance during a 25-km treadmill time trial. The study used a 2*2 design with the factors being training and diet composition. We divided the athletes in 4 groups: 1. Trained athletes with carbohydrate loading (CHO1); 2. Trained athletes without carbohydrate loading (C1); 3. Untrained athletes with carbohydrate loading (CHO2); 4. Untrained athletes without carbohydrate loading (C2). The carbohydrate loading was effected with confectionery. Performance time, running speed, blood glucose and blood lactate concentrations were evaluated during two 25-km treadmill time trial (trial 1 and trial 2) separated by 7 days in which two groups (CHO1 and CHO2) had a carbohydrate loading. The results showed that the athletes with lower level of aerobic capacity had better performance time after carbohydrate loading. They ran faster and had a higher glucose and lactate concentrations in the last 5 km during trial 2. There were no significant differences in the other groups. In conclusion, we can assert that dietary carbohydrate loading can improve running performance and that confectionery can be used as an effective means of supplementing the normal carbohydrate intake in preparation for endurance competitions. But the improvement depends on some factors such as the distance and the level of aerobic capacity.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Mucosal immune responses and risk of respiratory illness in elite athletes.

This review focuses on studies of mucosal immunity in elite athletes and specifically addresses the role of mucosal immunity in respiratory illness and associations with the intensity, volume, and duration of exercise. Habitual exercise at an intense level can cause suppression of mucosal immune parameters. Salivary IgA and IgM concentrations decline immediately after a bout of intense exercise and usually recover within 24 hours. Training at an intense level can result in a chronic suppression of mucosal immunoglobulin levels. The degree of suppression is associated with the intensity of the exercise and the duration or volume of the training. Low levels of salivary IgM and IgA, particularly the IgA1 subclass are associated with an increased risk of respiratory illness. Monitoring mucosal immune parameters during critical training periods and establishing personal profiles for individual athletes may provide an assessment of the risk status of an athlete for URTI and allow effective management by the athlete and coach. The nature of the respiratory illnesses in some elite athletes is still uncertain. Recent data indicate viral reactivation may be a significant cause of the respiratory symptoms. Despite suppression of mucosal immune parameters, elite athletes are capable of normal responses to novel oral vaccinations, indicating that mucosal immune mechanisms are intact.

Exercise↗
PubMed2000

Effect of sexual activity on cycle ergometer stress test parameters, on plasmatic testosterone levels and on concentration capacity. A study in high-level male athletes performed in the laboratory.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sexual activity on cycle ergometer stress test parameters, on plasmatic testosterone levels and on concentration capacity in high-level male athletes. METHODS: Experimental design. Analysis of two days of testing accomplished in a laboratory setting, comparing a day with to a day without sexual activity (control day). Participants. Fifteen high-level male athletes, consisting of 8 team players, 5 endurance athletes and 2 weight-lifters, participated in the study. Measures. Each subject completed the following on each test day: two maximal graded stress tests on a cycle ergometer and a one-hour exercise stress test coupled to an arithmetic mental concentration test. Blood samples of testosterone were obtained and cardiac activity of each athlete was monitored with a 24-hour ECG tape recording over the two test days. RESULTS: Significantly higher differences were achieved for post-effort heart rate (HR) values at 5 minutes (p<0.01) and at 10 minutes (p<0.01) during the recovery phase of the morning stress test 2 hours after sexual activity. These differences disappeared during the recovery phase of the afternoon stress test performed approximately 10 hours after sexual intercourse took place. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that sexual activity had no detrimental influence on the maximal workload achieved and on the athletes' mental concentration. However, the higher posteffort HR values after the maximal stress test on the morning of sexual intercourse suggest that the recovery capacity of an athlete could be affected if he had sexual intercourse approximately 2 hours before a competition event.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Influence of high intensity training on menstrual cycle disorders in athletes.

AIM: To estimate the influence of intensive training on menstrual cycles in female athletes. METHOD: The questionnaire was used to determine the time of menarche, and the prevalence of primary and secondary amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea in 72 active female athletes from Zagreb (10 volleyball players, 18 basketball players, 10 ballet dancers, and 34 runners) aged between 15 and 21. The control group comprised 96 girls of the same age not engaged in any sports activity. RESULTS: The prevalence of secondary amenorrhea was three times higher in athletes than in the control group (p=0.037). The prevalence of primary amenorrhea was substantially higher in athletes than in the control group (6/72 vs. 0/96, p=0.014), whereas the prevalence of dysmenorrhea was twofold lower in athletes than in the control group (p<0.001). The highest prevalence of secondary amenorrhea was recorded in runners (14/31), particularly long-distance runners (11/17), whereas there was only one case of secondary amenorrhea among basketball players. Menarche was significantly delayed in the athletes who started physical activities before the onset of menstruation (13.8+1.4 vs. 12.6+1.0 years, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: High-intensity training before menarche postpones its onset. Type of training may be related to a significantly higher prevalence of secondary amenorrhea in runners than in basketball players.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of chiropractic care on jet lag of Finnish junior elite athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of chiropractic care on jet lag in Finnish junior elite athletes. SUBJECTS: Fifteen Finnish junior elite athletes. METHODS: Through use of a table of random numbers, each athlete was assigned by sex to one of 3 groups: chiropractic adjustment, sham adjustment, or control. As needed, the chiropractic adjustment group athletes (n = 5) were adjusted on a daily basis by licensed chiropractors using a toggle/recoil procedure. The sham adjustment group athletes (n = 5) received sham adjustments on a daily basis by licensed chiropractors. The control group athletes (n = 5) were not adjusted or sham-adjusted but participated in all test protocols. Sleep, jet lag, chiropractic, and mood data (the last acquired through use of the Profile of Mood States) were collected on a daily basis for 18 consecutive days. RESULTS: Repeated-measures analyses of variance (3 x 2) of total mood disturbance scores and heart rate variables indicated that there were no significant (.05 level) between-group differences. Sleep data were analyzed through use of a 3 x 2, repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance. Pillai's trace indicated that there were no between-group differences. Self-assessment of jet lag by participants after traveling to Georgia and after returning to Finland showed no between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that chiropractic care did not reduce the effects of jet lag.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Calcaneal bone mineral and ultrasound attenuation in male athletes exposed to weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing activity. A cross-sectional report.

BACKGROUND: To determine if the expected differences in bone mineral content/density of the calcaneus among male athletic groups that undertake weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing activity are also apparent for bone quality as assessed by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) attenuation. METHODS EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: cross-sectional. SETTING: a University research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: we studied 30 young men: 10 Finnish national level jumpers whose training incorporates repeated impacts to the heel, 10 aquatics athletes whose skeletons are exposed to nonweight-bearing activity, and 10 sedentary men matched for age and body weight. MEASURES: bone mineral content (BMC, g x cm(-1)), areal bone mineral density (BMDa; g x cm(-2)) and presumed volumetric BMD (BMDv, g x cm(-3)) was measured by single energy photon absorption (SPA). Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA using Fourier spectral estimation and UBI-4 using Burg spectral estimation, both in db/MHz) was assessed by a new QUS device (QUS-1TM, Metra Biosystems). RESULTS: There was no difference in years of sport specific training or total training time per week between athlete groups. BMC, BMDa and BMDv were significantly different among groups (p=0.0001) with jumpers being higher than aquatics athletes and controls. BMC of jumpers was 52% and 39% higher than controls and aquatics athletes, respectively, while the corresponding values for BMDv were 34% and 28%. However, BUA values were not significantly different (p=0.10) among groups nor was UBI-4 (p=0.03; jumpers values were 7% and 6% higher than aquatics athletes and controls, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These cross-sectional results indicate that bone mineral content and density of the calcaneus are substantially higher in jumpers than individuals engaged in nonweight-bearing or regular weight-bearing activity. However, parameters assessed by QUS attenuation are not markedly different, which suggests that bone quality properties may not be as responsive as that of bone mineral content/density to habitual skeletal loading.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Knee extension strength and vertical jumping performance in nordic combined athletes.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to measure knee extension strength and vertical jumping performance characteristics in nordic combined athletes. METHODS: Unilateral knee extension isometric maximal force (MF) and rate of force development (RFD) were measured by a special dynamometer, and unilateral isokinetic peak torque (PT) at angular velocities of 60 and 180 deg/sec by a Cybex II dynamometer. Maximal squat (SJ) and counter-movement jumps (CMJ) were performed on force platform. Nine nordic combined athletes as the experimental group and 12 untrained male university students as the control group participated. RESULTS: Nordic combined athletes had a greater (p<0.05) absolute and relative (body mass-related) values of knee extension isometric MF and isokinetic PT, isometric RFD as well as jumping height in SJ and CMJ, than controls. The jumping height in CMJ was greater (p<0.05) compared with SJ only in nordic combined athletes. Jumping height in SJ and CMJ correlated significantly (p<0.05) with knee extension isometric RFD (r=0.62-0.83) and isokinetic PT at angular velocity of 60 deg/sec (r=0.70-0.82) in nordic combined athletes and untrained men. No significant correlation was obtained between unilateral knee extension isometric MF and isokinetic PT or vertical jumping height. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated a markedly higher voluntary maximal and explosive force-generating capacity of the extensor muscles of lower extremities in nordic combined athletes compared with untrained men, which indicates the adaptation to specific explosive type of strength training.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison between the heart of young athletes and of young healthy sedentary subjects: a morphometric and morpho-functional study by echo-color-doppler method.

Morphologic and morpho-functional heart differences between healthy young athletes and healthy young subjects who do not practice agonistic sport have been studied using Color Doppler Echography (CDE). Overall, 68 subjects were enrolled in the study (age range: 19-26 yrs). Of them, 34 subjects (17 men and 17 women) were practicing sport agonistically; the 34 controls (17 men and 17 women) did not practice any sport on a regular basis. In each subject, age, height, weight, body mass index, practiced sport, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded. CDE measures included telediastolic left and right ventricular diameters (LVDd and RVDd, respectively), interventricular septum thickness (IVSd), posterior wall thickness of the left ventricle (PLVWd), left and right atrium diameters during ventricular systole (LAD and RAD respectively), and continence of each heart valve (mitral; tricuspid; aortic; pulmonic). In women, LADd was significantly higher in the athletes than in the controls (35.04+/-4.13 vs 31.81+/-3.34; p<0.02). Physiological regurgitation in at least one heart valve was observed in 15 out of 17 (88.2%) of the athletes; in 12 cases only one valve was involved: the mitral valve presented physiological regurgitation in 8 women, the tricuspid in 4, the aortic in 2 and the pulmonic in 6. In the control female population (17 persons), only 2 women showed evidence of regurgitation. In men, except for RVDd, CDE measurements were all significantly higher in the athletes than in the controls: LVDd (49.4+/-3.13 vs 46.02+/-4.46; p<0.02); IVSd (9.79+/-1.24 vs 8.59+/-0.91; p<0.003); PLVWd (8.63+/-1.29 vs 7.48+/-0.66; p<0.002). Physiological regurgitation through one or more heart valves was demonstrated in all the 17 male athletes studied; in 9 cases (52.9%) only one valve was involved. Mitral regurgitation was ob- served in 8 cases (47%); tricuspid in 6 (35.3%). No physiological regurgitation through the aortic valve was found, while 15 cases (88.2%) presented a pulmonic regurgitation. Among male controls, physiological regurgitation was demonstrated only in 2 persons out of 17 (11.8%), both involving the pulmonic and the aortic valve. In the total population of athletes compared to controls, analyzing men and women jointly, we found that LAD (p<0.001),RAD (p<0.001), LIVD (p<0.01) were significantly larger in cases than in controls, while for RVD, IVSd and PLVWd such a difference did not reach statistical significance. No relationship was fouhd between CDE data and either age, height, weight or blood pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Degree of trait anxiety in a sample of athletes of the Puerto Rican delegation to the XII Pan American Games held in Winnipeg '99].

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine the degree of anxiety generated by athletes of the Puerto Rican delegation to the XII Pan American Games held in Winnipeng'99 to develop support programs that contribute to the enhancement of the athletes' mental skills and the development of sports, psychology, in particular. The sample consisted of 55 athletes that participated in the abovementioned Pan American Games. The athletes represented 16 sorts and made up 40% of the Puerto Rican athletes officially registered to participate. The Sport Competition Anxiety Test-Form A was used to detect trait anxiety during competition. An analysis of the variables was conducted utilizing t-tests to determine whether there were significant (p < or = 0.05) between the quantitative variables under study. The results indicated that the athletes of the Puerto Rican delegation that participated in the XII Pan American Games have a degree of trait anxiety that needs professional attention.

Adult↗