Hamstring Injury Prevention Practices in Elite Sport: Evidence for Eccentric Strength vs. Lumbo-Pelvic Training

Abstract

Hamstring strain injuries are endemic in running-based sports. Given the economic and performance implications of these injuries, a significant body of research has emerged in recent years in an attempt to identify risk factors and develop or optimise injury prevention strategies. Surveys of injury prevention practices among medical and conditioning staff in elite sport suggest that many sporting clubs invest significant efforts in eccentric hamstring conditioning and lumbo-pelvic or trunk stability programmes. The purpose of this narrative review was to critically evaluate the evidence underpinning these practices. Single-exercise eccentric training interventions have proven effective in the prevention of primary and recurrent hamstring strains, when compliance is adequate. However, despite its almost universal acceptance, the authors are aware of only one, very recent, prospective risk factor study examining the effect of lumbo-pelvic motion during sprinting on hamstring injury risk. Furthermore, the interventions exploring the effect of lumbo-pelvic training on hamstring injury rates have not measured stability in any way. An improved understanding of the evidence underpinning commonly employed hamstring injury prevention practices may enable clinicians and coaches to better prioritise effective strategies in the increasingly complex environment of elite sport.

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‘Measuring’ Physical Literacy and Related Constructs: A Systematic Review of Empirical Findings

Abstract

Background

The concept of physical literacy has received increased research and international attention recently. Where intervention programs and empirical research are gaining momentum, their operationalizations differ significantly.

Objective

The objective of this study was to inform practice in the measure/assessment of physical literacy via a systematic review of research that has assessed physical literacy (up to 14 June, 2017).

Methods

Five databases were searched using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols guidelines, with 32 published articles meeting the inclusion criteria. English-language, peer-reviewed published papers containing empirical studies of physical literacy were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Qualitative methods included: (1) interviews; (2) open-ended questionnaires; (3) reflective diaries; (4) focus groups; (5) participant observations; and (6) visual methods. Quantitative methods included: (1) monitoring devices (e.g., accelerometers); (2) observations (e.g., of physical activity or motor proficiency); (3) psychometrics (e.g., enjoyment, self-perceptions); (4) performance measures (e.g., exergaming, objective times/distances); (5) anthropometric measurements; and (6) one compound measure. Of the measures that made an explicit distinction: 22 (61%) examined the physical domain, eight (22%) the affective domain; five (14%) the cognitive domain; and one (3%) combined three domains (physical, affective, and cognitive) of physical literacy. Researchers tended to declare their philosophical standpoint significantly more in qualitative research compared with quantitative research.

Conclusions

Current research adopts diverse often incompatible methodologies in measuring/assessing physical literacy. Our analysis revealed that by adopting simplistic and linear methods, physical literacy cannot be measured/assessed in a traditional/conventional sense. Therefore, we recommend that researchers are more creative in developing integrated philosophically aligned approaches to measuring/assessing physical literacy. Future research should consider the most recent developments in the field of physical literacy for policy formation.

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Comment on: “Health Benefits of Light-Intensity Physical Activity: A Systematic Review of Accelerometer Data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)”

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Correction to: Sub-anesthetic Xenon Increases Erythropoietin Levels in Humans: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Page 1764, Column 2, `Acknowledgements' section: The first sentence, which previously read:

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Muscle Oximetry in Sports Science: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background

Since the introduction (in 2006) of commercially available portable wireless muscle oximeters, the use of muscle near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology is gaining in popularity as an application to observe changes in muscle metabolism and muscle oxygenation during and after exercise or training interventions in both laboratory and applied sports settings.

Objectives

The objectives of this systematic review were to highlight the application of muscle oximetry in evaluating oxidative skeletal muscle performance to sport activities and emphasize how this technology has been applied to exercise and training.

Methods

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed in a systematic fashion to search, assess and synthesize existing literature on this topic. The Scopus and MEDLINE/PubMed electronic databases were searched to 1 March 2017. Potential inclusions were screened against eligibility criteria relating to recreationally trained to elite athletes, with or without training programs, who must have assessed physiological variables monitored by commercial oximeters or NIRS instrumentation.

Results

Of the 14,609 identified records, only 57 studies met the eligibility criteria. This systematic review highlighted a number of key findings in 16 sporting activities. Overall, NIRS information can be used as a marker of skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and for analyzing muscle performance factors.

Conclusions

Although NIRS instrumentation is promising in evaluating oxidative skeletal muscle performance when used in sport settings, there is still the need for further instrumental development and randomized/longitudinal trials to support the detailed advantages of muscle oximetry utilization in sports science.

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Author’s Reply to Lopez: Comment on “Health Benefits of Light-Intensity Physical Activity: A Systematic Review of Accelerometer Data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)”

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Sedentary Behavior and Body Weight and Composition in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies

Abstract

Background

The cumulative effect of too much sedentary behavior may contribute to weight gain and obesity.

Objective

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohorts and randomized controlled studies to determine the association between sedentary behavior and body weight and obesity in adults.

Data Sources and Study Selection

Relevant studies were identified from searches of the MEDLINE, Embase, AMED and PubMed databases up to May 2017, and by manual searches of in-text citations. Studies that evaluated the association in adults between sedentary behavior and body weight or obesity, while controlling for physical activity, were included. Overall, 31 publications met the eligibility criteria, including 23 prospective cohort studies with data that could be extracted for a quantitative meta-analysis, and a single randomized controlled trial.

Results

There were no significant associations between sedentary behavior and any measure of body weight or obesity, with the exception of waist circumference. For the latter outcome, over a 5-year follow-up period, each 1 h per day increase—from baseline to follow-up—in sedentary behavior was associated with a 0.02 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01–0.04; p = 0.001) increase in waist circumference. The odds ratio of becoming overweight or obese was 1.33 (95% CI 1.11–1.60; p = 0.001) in the highest compared with lowest categories of sedentary behavior.

Conclusions

Meta-analysis of data from prospective cohort studies showed small, inconsistent and non-significant associations between sedentary behavior and body weight.

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