The Influence of Athletic Profile on Acute Neuromuscular Response to a Repeated Sprint Protocol in Youth Females: A Pilot Study
Salter J, Forsdyke D, Dawson Z, Rymer J, Walsh L, Mundy P. The Influence of Athletic Profile on Acute Neuromuscular Response to a Repeated Sprint Protocol in Youth Females: A Pilot Study. J Strength Cond Res. 2025;39(7):760-769. Doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000005125
Abstract
Athletic profiles influence how athletes tolerate exposure to high-intensity activities and training-induced fatigue. Current understanding of athletic profiles has been derived primarily from adult male populations that limits the application of this potentially important training knowledge to women, and in particular youth women. Therefore, this study aimed to address this bias and examine the influence of athletic profiles on acute neuromuscular response in 118 female multisport athletes aged between 8 and 22 years (age: 13.6 ± 2.9; stature: 155.9 ± 13.9; body mass: 50.2 ± 16.1). All subjects completed sprint speed (5, 40 m, and maximal sprint speed [MSS]) and strength characteristics (isometric midthigh pull) immediately before and after a repeated sprint protocol. Anaerobic Speed Reserve was calculated from performance tests (MSS and maximal aerobic speed) with subjects subsequently categorized (slow, hybrid, or fast). Excluding relative peak force, there were significant differences in all sprint speed and strength characteristics between slow and hybrid and significant differences between slow and fast profile athletes before repeated sprinting. Dependent t-tests revealed significant (p = 0.001, d = 0.58) reductions in 40 m performance for fast athletes and a significant decrease in MSS for both hybrid (p = 0.003, d = 0.47) and fast athletes (p = 0.002, d = 0.58). This suggests that female athletes with hybrid and fast athletic profiles may experience greater negative neuromuscular response after repeated sprints. Practitioners should therefore consider individualizing training and monitoring neuromuscular response to training to prevent athletic profile-related performance reductions, overreaching, or injury accumulating over time.
Keywords: anaerobic speed reserve; female athletes; speed and strength; training prescription.
Continue Reading
View Details
Reliability and Sensitivity of Using Isometric Strength and Sprint Speed Measures in Adolescent Female Athletes.
Salter J, Forsdyke D, Dawson Z, Rymer J, Walsh L, Mundy P. Reliability and Sensitivity of Using Isometric Strength and Sprint Speed Measures in Adolescent Female Athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 2025;39(4):418-426. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000005029
Abstract
The aim of this study was to establish the reliability and sensitivity of isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) and sprint speed (5 m, 40 m, and maximal sprint speed) in adolescent women, before exploring the stability of this across maturation to provide maturity-specific benchmarks. A total of 147 female athletes (age: 13.8 ± 2.8 years; stature: 157.1 ± 13.1 cm; body mass: 51.2 ± 15.3 kg; percentage of predicated adult height: 94.3 ± 6.6) performed IMTP and sprint trials on 2 occasions, separated by 7 days. Within- and between-session reliability was determined using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation, and Bland-Altman limits of agreement, with sensitivity detected by signal-to-noise ratios for small (SWC 0.2 ) and moderate (SWC 0.5 ) worthwhile change. A between-group analysis of variance and Cohen’s d -effect sizes determined differences between biological maturity groups (pre-, mid-, and post-peak height velocity [PHV]). All isometric strength and sprint performance markers demonstrated either ” moderate ” or ” acceptabl e” within-session reliability, except for time to peak force (PF) and 40 m sprint. Despite metrics all having ” high ” or above ICC (0.55-0.98), only PF offered a ” good ” sensitivity when using SWC 0.2 , with most offering better sensitivity with SWC 0.5 . Noise was higher between sessions, resulting in ” poor ” signal-noise ratios, likely associated with the bias favoring retest trials. Reliability and sensitivity findings were consistent across maturational stages, demonstrating either ” moderate ” or ” acceptable ” reliability. There were clear differences between maturity groups for all measures, particularly between mid-PHV and post-PHV. Practitioners can be assured that IMTP and sprint performance measures are reliable within this population but require thorough familiarization processes before confidence in interpreting meaningful changes.
Continue Reading
View Details
Differences in physical and technical performance characteristics between 11v11 chronological and bio-banded soccer match-play format in youth soccer
Salter J. Forsdyke D. Arenas L. Dawson Z., et al. Differences in physical and technical performance characteristics between 11v11 chronological and bio-banded soccer match-play format in youth soccer Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2025; Volume 0, Issue 0
Abstract
Objectives
Bio-banding groups athletes by maturity rather than chronological age, to promote more equitable competition and development opportunities. We investigated whether physical and technical performance differed between chronological and bio-banded 11v11 match-play formats in youth soccer. A secondary aim was to examine whether these differences varied by maturity status and timing.
Design
Twelve Junior Premier League teams (N = 139 players) from the U13, U14, and U15 age groups participated. Each team played six, 20-minute matches: three in chronological age and three in bio-banded formats. Bio-banding was based on the percentage of predicted adult height: pre-peak height velocity (<90 %), mid-peak height velocity (90–96 %) and post-peak height velocity (>96 %).
Methods
Players wore foot-mounted inertial measurement units to record physical (distance covered, high-speed running >4 m/s, sprinting >5.5 m/s, and accelerations/decelerations ±2.6 m/s/s) and technical (total touches, possessions, time on ball and one-touch/short/long possession counts) performance characteristics. Data were analysed using t-tests and analysis of variance with Bonferroni correction. Significance was set at p < 0.05, and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated. A multivariate analysis was also conducted.
Results
Whole sample analysis showed significantly more time on the ball per possession (d = 0.17), and fewer one-touch actions (d = 0.25) in bio-banded matches. Post-peak height velocity players covered significantly more high-intensity distance (d = 0.63) but recorded fewer total touches (d = 0.60), total possessions (d = 0.65) and one-touch possessions (d = 0.71) in the bio-banded format. There were significant differences between pre- and mid-peak height velocity players for all physical metrics across both chronological and bio-banded matches (d = 0.48–72), and between maturity groups (pre-post-peak height velocity, mid-post-peak height velocity) for technical actions in chronological format but not mirrored in bio-banding matches.
Conclusions
Bio-banding was associated with altered physical and technical demands, especially for post-peak height velocity players. Findings suggest bio-banding may provide an appropriate competition format, exposing players to different developmental challenges, which may support more equitable and balanced experiences.
Continue Reading
View Details
Towards a holsitic management of injured soccer players: a psychosocial return to performance pathway
Forsdyke D, Gledhill A, Scheider P, Weir A, Mitchell A. Towards a holsitic management of injured soccer players: a psychosocial return to pwerformance pathway. Aspetar Sports Medicine Journal, 2025, Volume 14: 282-289
1 School of Science, Health and Technology York St John University York, United Kingdom
2 School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences Loughborough University Loughborough, UK
3 Medical Department RasenBallsport Leipzig Leipzig, Germany
4 Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Erasmus MC University Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands
5 Sport Medicine and Exercise Clinic Haarlem (SBK) Haarlem, The Netherlands
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Soccer has a large burden of injury with many players reporting poor outcomes following injury1,2. Returning players to their pre-injury level of performance or higher is complicated. While several important recovery pathways have been proposed3,4 most are one-dimensional and do not adequately address the complexity of return-to-performance. This can leave players without the necessary biological (e.g., tissue healing), physical-functional, and psychological readiness to successfully return.
One pathway guiding return-to-performance following injury was suggested by Mitchell and Gimpel5. This uses 11 phases from diagnosis and planning to pitch-based preparation. The previous pathway mainly focuses on physical function. It did recognise a psychological aspect to be considered and profiled but lacked specificity to empower practitioners to address psychosocial factors.
Psychosocial factors have important prognostic value in many sports injuries6,7. They are associated with failure to return to pre-injury competitive sport, reinjury and an inability to achieve full performance8-11. Despite this importance, many practitioners feel underprepared to address psychosocial factors12,13. Adding an explicit psychosocial framework into an existing pathway makes it more holistic. This would help develop biological, physical-functional and psychological readiness. Our article provides a psychosocial framework integrated within the pathway5.
Continue Reading
View Details
Impact on habitual crossfit participant’s exercise behavior, health, and well‐being: A cross‐sectional survey of UK COVID‐19 lockdowns
Athalie Redwood‐Brown1 | Jennifer Wilson2 | Paul Felton1
1 School of Science and Technology: Sport and Exercise Sciences Erasmus Darwin 244, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
2 College of Science and Engineering: Sport and Exercise Science, University of Derby, Derby, UK
Abstract
Date Accepted - 04/05/2023
Abstract
Background and Aims: The period between March 2020 and March 2021 saw an unprecedented change to everyday life due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. This included the closure of businesses in the health and fitness sector. Such closures impacted people in several ways; increasing stress, reducing mental well‐being, and decreasing motivation to exercise. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of UK lockdowns on the behavior, motives, and general health & well‐being of CrossFit™ gym members in the United Kingdom.
Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 757 CrossFit™ participants (height 1.71 ± 0.10 m; weight 76.4 ± 16.1 kg; body mass index [BMI]: 26.1 ± 4.7 kg/m²) using an online survey, which included questions pertaining to COVID‐19, lockdown behaviors, motivation, health, and well‐being. Participants also reported on their training background and exercise habits during lockdown restrictions.
Results: Differences were observed in levels of exercise (p = 0.004), motivation to train at home (p < 0.001), and the feeling of being more stressed during the second lockdown compared with the first lockdown (p = 0.008). It was also highlighted that motivation to exercise was lower and stress levels significantly higher, in the 18–24 and 25–34 age groups compared with older ages groups.
Conclusion: This study found that exercise behavior, motivation, and stress levels were significantly impacted by the second government‐imposed lockdown. It i argued that these factors need to be addressed in planning for future National lockdowns to maintain the health and well‐being of UK residents, especially in younger adults.
KEYWORDS
COVID‐19, CrossFit™, functional exercise, health, physical activity
Read Full Article
View Details
Characteristics of transplant athletes competing at national and international transplant games
Thomas Hames, Sheila Leddington-Wright, Charles Douglas Thake, Mike Price
Abstract
Date Accepted - 13/08/2026
Published Online First - 13/08/2026
Objective To describe the characteristics of athletes with solid-organ transplants (TxA) attending the British and World Transplant Games.
Methods 220 TxA completed an online survey to explore transplant history, medications, training advice and support and limitations to training.
Results TxA were predominantly caucasian, male, kidney recipients in their mid-forties and approximately 11 years post-transplant. The majority of TxA took some form of medication (immunosuppressants 88%, steroids 47%, antihypertensives 47%, statins 28%, antiplatelets 26%, antibiotics/antivirals/antifungals 20%). Stem cell recipients were least likely to require medication. Post-transplant complications were experienced by 40% of TxA, with 53% of these being rejection. Although over half the participants (57%) initially received exercise or training advice post-transplant, only 34% of these received this from their consultants or immediate medical team. Only 1% had been specifically directed towards transplant sport. Half of the TxA (53%) perceived there were limitations preventing them from performing at their potential, 45% considered they did not recover from training as well as non-TxA while 29% felt they trained equally to non-Tx’s. Only 6% considered medication impaired training. TxA competed for a range of reasons from social and health benefits to winning medals.
Conclusions TxA compete at the British and World Transplant Games for a diverse range of reasons. Athletes manage a range of medications with a range of exercise and health experiences pre-transplant. TxA face a lack of both general and specific exercise training and recovery guidance. The individuality of each TxA‘s background should be considered and is likely reflected in their exercise capacity and goals.
Read full article
View Details
Cryotherapy and compression in sports injury management: a scoping review
Alexander J, Selfe J,Greenhalgh O, Rhodes D. Cryotherapy and compression in sports injury management:a scoping review. Int J TherRehabil. 2021. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2020.014
Abstract
Background/Aims
For the management of sports injury, cryotherapy is commonly applied, yet modalities differ extensively in application including levels of compression.
The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive review of the current position in the literature on contemporary cryo-compression applications for musculoskeletal sports injury management.
Methods
A total of eight databases were searched: Sport Discus, Science Direct, CINHAL, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, ProQuest and MEDLINE. Publications werer estricted to 30 years and had to be in the English language. Medical subject headings,free-text words, and limiting descriptors for concepts related to cryotherapy and compression for sports injury were applied. Inclusion criteria determined at least one modality of cryotherapy treatment applied simultaneous to compression or as a comparison, relevant to sports injury management. Modalities included cryo-compressive devices and gel/ice packs, in association with concomitant compression. Male,female, healthy and injured participants were included. Two reviewers independently selected eligible articles, resulting in 22 studies meeting the inclusion criteria following full-text appraisal
Results
Inconsistent methodologies, low sample sizes and variability in outcome measures provided uncertainty over optimum protocols. A lack of previous understanding in the protocols in the available literature for isolated cryotherapy/compression applications prevents understanding of the therapeutic benefits of combined cryo-compression. No definitive agreement behind optimal cryo-compression applications were identified collectively from studies other than the consensus that compression aids the magnitude of cooling.
Conclusions
Although compression appears a useful adjunct to cooling modalities for the management of sports injury, no definitive agreement on optimum compression concurrent with cooling protocols were drawn from the studies. This was because of several methodological gaps in reporting throughout studies, highlighting a lack of studies that represent applications of compression and cryotherapy within a sporting context or applied nature within the available research.
Key words: Cooling; Cryo-compression; Modalities; Musculoskeletal; Physiological
Submitted: 23 October 2020; accepted following double-blind peer review: 2 June 2021
Continue reading
View Details
The Effect of High-Intensity Accelerations and Decelerations on Match Outcome of an Elite English League Two Football Team
1 Football Performance Hub, Institute of Coaching and Performance (ICaP), School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
2 Sport, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences, School of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Thomas Dos’Santos, Paul Jones and Christopher Thomas
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9913; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189913
Abstract
Objectives: Previous research has highlighted the frequency of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations in elite football. The influence of these actions on match performance outcomes has not been established. The aim of the present study was to identify the influence of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations on match performance outcomes (i.e., win, draw, lost). Comparisons were also made between team and positional high-intensity accelerations and decelerations recorded within the games.
Methods: 26 elite outfield footballers from an elite English Football League (EFL) Two team completed the present study. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was utilised to quantify high-intensity accelerations and decelerations during 45 games in a competitive season. Magnitude analysis and the effects of results, positions and fixture periods were observed.
Results: Significant effects of results, periods and positions were observed (p ≤ 0.05), with the highest outputs observed in games won. Positionally, fullbacks and centre forwards in a 4–3–3 formation exhibited the greatest frequency of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations. Very large differences were observed between the frequency of high-intensity decelerations compared to accelerations in games won (g = 2.37), drawn (g = 2.99) and lost (g = 3.59). The highest team frequencies of high-intensity accelerations (n = 3330) and decelerations (n = 6482) were completed in games won.
Conclusions: The frequency of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations has a significant impact on match performance outcomes in an elite English League Two football team. Consideration needs to be given to specific conditioning and recovery strategies to optimise high-intensity acceleration and deceleration performance in games. Caution should be taken as these findings are representative of one team within the EFL.
Keywords: soccer; conditioning; high velocity actions; performance; injury risk reduction
Read Full Article
View Details
The efficacy of lower limb screening tests in predicting PlayerLoad within a professional soccer academy
Charlie Bowen, Kristian Weaver, Nicola Relph, Matt Greig
Sport & Physical Activity, Applied Health & Social Care
Journal of Sport Rehabilitation
Volume 28
Issue number 8
Early online date 31 Oct 2018
Publication status Published – 25 Feb 2019
Abstract
Published Online First - 13/08/2026
https://research.edgehill.ac.uk/en/publications/the-efficacy-of-lower-limb-screening-tests-in-predicting-playerlo-2
Context: Training exposure has been associated with injury epidemiology in elite youth soccer, where lower limb musculoskeletal screening is commonly used to highlight injury risk. However, there has been little consideration of the relationship between lower limb screening and the loading response to soccer activities.
Objective: To quantify the efficacy of using screening tests to predict the loading elicited in soccer-specific activities, and to develop a hierarchical ordering of musculoskeletal screening tests to identify test redundancy and inform practice.
Design: Correlational. Setting: Professional soccer club academy.
Participants: 21 elite male soccer players aged 15.7 ± 0.9 years.
Intervention: Players completed a battery of five screening tests (knee to wall, hip internal rotation, adductor squeeze, single leg hop, anterior reach), and a 25min standardised soccer session with a GPS unit placed at C7 to collect multi-planar PlayerLoad data. Main Outcome Measures: Baseline data on each screening test, along with uni-axial PlayerLoad in the medio-lateral, anterio-posterior and vertical planes.
Results: Stepwise hierarchical modelling of the screening tests revealed that dominant leg knee to wall distance was the most prevalent and powerful predictor of multi-planar PlayerLoad, accounting for up to 42% of variation in uni-axial loading. The adductor squeeze test was the least powerful predictor of PlayerLoad. Of note, one player who incurred a knee injury within three weeks of testing had shown a 20% reduction in knee to wall distance compared with peers, and elicited 23% greater PlayerLoad, supporting the hierarchical model.
Conclusions: There was some evidence of redundancy in the screening battery, with implications for clinical choice. Hierarchical ordering and a concurrent case study highlight dominant leg knee to wall distance as the primary predictor of multi-axial loading in soccer. This has implications for the design and interpretation of screening data in elite youth soccer.
View Details
Back foot influence on dorsiflexion using three different positions of the weight bearing lunge test
Kate Cady, Mark De Ste Croix, Martine Deighan
January 2021Physical Therapy in Sport 47:1-6
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1466853X20305393?via%3Dihubt
Abstract
Objectives
To determine whether back foot (BF) position influences dorsiflexion range of motion (DFROM) during three different positions of the weight bearing lunge test (WBLT).
Design: Randomised, repeated measures design.
Setting: Sports clubs.
Participants: 52 athletes participating in cutting and pivoting sports.
Main outcome measures
DFROM was obtained using a WBLT in three different BF positions: BF heel in full contact with the floor, BF heel raised off the floor and BF was non weight bearing (NWB). All measurements were obtained using three methods: inclinometer at the tibial tuberosity, toe to wall distance and goniometer angle from the lateral malleolus to the fibula head. Differences between testing positions were determined using a repeated measures one-way ANOVA and reliability analysis was performed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC).
Read more : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1466853X20305393?via%3Dihubt
View Details