Welcome, science enthusiasts.

In today’s edition:

• Breaks in training: effects on muscle strength and size

• Psychologists’ readiness to support athlete mental health

• Performance factors in youth sprinting and long jumping

• Ultramarathon journey during pregnancy

• Patient ratings of pain treatment changes

• Concussion education differences for youth coaches

• Impact of gunshot-related fractures on mental health

• Growth and fitness patterns in Finnish adolescents

and several more…

FEATURED ARTICLES 🌭

💪 How Do Breaks Boost Your Muscle Gains?

Key finding:

Periodic resistance training allows for effective muscle recovery, showing no long-term disadvantage from taking short breaks.

How they did it:

• Methodology: The study recruited 55 healthy, untrained participants who were divided into two groups to compare periodic resistance training (PRT) with continuous resistance training (CRT) over a total of 30 weeks, including a 10-week detraining period for the PRT group.

• Results: Both training methods led to significant increases (p < 0.001) in muscle strength and size, with no significant differences between groups, but PRT experienced muscle strength and size declines during the detraining period that were quickly regained during retraining.

• Innovation: The study highlighted that both PRT and CRT were equally effective in achieving muscle adaptations, suggesting that short-term breaks from training (up to 10 weeks) do not have significant long-term impacts on muscle strength and size.

• Findings: Muscle size decreases more rapidly than strength during detraining, with average losses of about 10% in muscle size observed, but strength levels remained close to training levels after 10 weeks without training.

Why it matters:

Sport practitioners can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that short training breaks—up to 10 weeks—won’t obliterate hard-earned muscle strength and size, allowing athletes to return to their peak levels quickly when they get back on track. This means less worry about the occasional missed session and more focus on creating effective long-term training programs that embrace a little downtime.

🚀 Are Sport Psychologists Ready for Mental Health Challenges?

Key finding:

Some sport psychologists feel inadequately prepared to address mental health issues, highlighting the need for specialized training.

How they did it:

• Methodology: An online survey was conducted with 62 registered sport psychologists in the UK to assess their perceived preparedness to incorporate mental health interventions in their practice.

• Results: Participants rated their preparedness as “neutral to somewhat agree” across various domains, with no significant differences across experience levels.

• Innovation: The study utilized the theoretical domains framework to analyze factors affecting behavior implementation in sport psychologists regarding mental health support.

• Findings: Key themes from open-text responses highlighted the need for ongoing professional development and better recognition of the sport psychologist’s role in mental health.

• Implication: There is a call for specific training in sport psychology focused on mental health to improve practitioners’ readiness and effectiveness in this area.

Why it matters:

Sport psychologists are feeling the heat when it comes to addressing athletes’ mental health—most rated their preparedness as only “somewhat equipped.” This highlights an urgent need for tailored training programs so practitioners can confidently support athletes’ mental wellness and, as a bonus, enhance performance by tackling issues before they snowball.

QUICK BITES 🍤

Concussion in Sport

🏈 How Safe Are Young Athletes? Concussion Education Varies!

-Significant variation exists in state concussion education requirements for youth sports coaches, impacting enforcement and effectiveness.

Female Athlete

👟 Can You Run Ultramarathons While Pregnant?

-Ultramarathon running during pregnancy can be safe, as evidenced by two healthy deliveries despite high activity levels.

Injury

🏃‍♂️ The Truth Behind Pain Ratings: Do They Matter?

-Patients with patellofemoral pain report significant improvement in knee function when feeling “better” or “much better,” unlike “a bit better.”

Motor Skills

🏋️‍♂️ Discover How Finnish Teens Master Fitness Skills

-Improvements in motor skills among Finnish adolescents are linked to enhanced musculoskeletal fitness during development.

Psychosocial Factors in Sport

🔫 The Hidden Mental Health Costs of Gun Injuries in Kids

-Children with accidental gunshot-related fractures are at a significantly higher risk of developing mental health disorders.

Talent Identification and Development

🏃‍♂️ What Makes Young Sprinters and Jumpers Excel?

-Performance in sprinting and long jump varies significantly among youth athletes based on their maturity status.

Curated by Haresh Suppiah