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COVID-19: Internal and External Impact on Athletes

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2022) | Viewed by 11025

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Souhail Hermassi

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Guest Editor

Physical Education Department, College of Education, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
Interests: exercise science; sports science; exercise performance; strength conditioning; exercise testing; athletic performance; physical fitness; resistance training; human performance; athletic training; sport training; physical education

Prof. Dr. René Schwesig

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Guest Editor

Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany
Interests: sports injuries; physical rehabilitation; exercise science; posture; movement analysis; gait analysis; postural balance
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It has been nearly a year since COVID-19 changed everyday life as we know it. People have committed to slowing down the virus through staying home, socially distancing, and vaccinations. However, the COVID 19 pandemic has clearly influenced all worldwide sporting events and training in amateur and professional sport leagues. Moreover, this global pandemic has greatly damaged the world of professional sports. During confinement periods, it is problematic for athletes to perform their practice with teammates under the direction of their coaches and scientific experts. In addition, the majority of these athletes will remain under confinement if COVID-19 regulations are further extended into 2021. Many athletes are forced to be away from proper training opportunities and organized practice conditions with restricted communication with respected coaches. During this difficult socially isolated training period, all athletes must very carefully monitor their own safety, maintaining a strong physical and mental condition such that they are ready for regular training within their clubs in the near future. Under these circumstances, several coaches and researchers have proposed home training regimens and programs to maintain the physical condition of the general population via new media technologies, such as social media. This has made such practices easy and secure for all elite and non-elite athletes. Therefore, one of the main objectives of this Special Issue centered on COVID-19 will be determining the internal and external impact on athletes through understanding the importance of physiological effects related to detraining associated with COVID-19 limitations as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different types of training load and nutrition with detraining regarding the health and wellbeing of athletes. In this context, this Special Issue aims to present new and innovative ideas and approaches for scientists and (athletic) coaches.

Dr. Souhail Hermassi
Prof. Dr. René Schwesig
Guest Editors

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Keywords

COVID-19：Internal Impact on Athletes
COVID-19：External Impact on Athletes

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1632 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Job Insecurity and Work Meaning among Romanian Sports Coaches

by Germina-Alina Cosma, Alina Chiracu, Amalia Raluca Stepan, Dumitru Barbu, Maria Luminița Brabiescu-Călinescu, Florin Voinea, Dorina Orțănescu, Corina Țifrea and Robert-Valentin Munteanu

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(24), 11862; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112411862 - 14 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2253

Abstract

The present study analyzed the relationships among material difficulties, job insecurity, work meaning and the mental health of sports coaches. Participants for this study were 200 coaches (120 men and 80 women, aged between 18 and 60 years, M = 41.04, SD = 8.71). The instruments used were (a) The Difficulties List, (b) Qualitative Job Insecurity, (c) Quantitative Job Insecurity, (d) The Work and Meaning Inventory, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales. Statistical analysis was performed through SPSS 24. The results obtained by three multiple mediations showed that material difficulties were not directly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Although qualitative job insecurity mediates the relationship between material difficulties and mental health (β = 0.14, p < 0.01 for depression, β = 0.17, p < 0.01 for anxiety, and β = 0.14, p < 0.01 for stress) quantitative job insecurity and work meaning do not mediate this relationship but had significant direct effects. The conclusions of the study led to the need for material and psychological support for coaches to have a meaningful activity, so that they could achieve significant performance with their athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Internal and External Impact on Athletes)

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15 pages, 1232 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Coronavirus-19 Restrictions in Male Handball Players: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Satisfaction with Life

by Souhail Hermassi, Lawrence D. Hayes, Nilihan E. M. Sanal-Hayes and René Schwesig

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(23), 11373; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112311373 - 01 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1611

Abstract

This experiment examined physical activity (PA), sitting time, and satisfaction with life (SL) in European (45%) and Middle Eastern and North African (MENA; 55%) handball players (n = 418; age: 25.6 ± 6.8 years; body mass: 88.1 ± 11.7 kg; height: 1.83 ± 0.08 m) during the coronavirus (COVID)-19 pandemic. The International Physical Activity (IPAQ) and Satisfaction of Life (LS) Questionnaires were administered. All PA variables (vigorous, moderate, walking, total PA) were negatively influenced, but no interaction effects (IE; region x time) were observed. Sitting time increased from 2.5 to 4.9 h∙weekday⁻¹ (η_p² = 0.80) and walking time decreased from 66.8 to 33.5 min∙day⁻¹ (η_p² = 0.83). Based on effect sizes (d), pre- to during-confinement reductions were similar between regions (MENA: d = 3.29; Europe: d = 3.41; IE: η_p² = 0.01). The largest regional difference was in moderate PA (MENA: d = 1.88; Europe: d = 2.99; IE: η_p² = 0.09). SL in the total sample reduced from 30.6 ± 2.02 to 13.9 ± 2.20 arbitrary units (AU). SL reduction was similar in both regions (d_MENA = 8.44; d_EUROPE = 8.06; IE: η_p² = 0.01). To conclude, PA decreased during COVID-19 confinement, sitting time increased, and SL decreased irrespective of geographical region. These preliminary findings highlight risk of SL and physical inactivity during COVID-19 restrictions in 2021. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Internal and External Impact on Athletes)

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14 pages, 408 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Effects of Loaded Plyometrics and Short Sprints in U19 Male Soccer Players in Tunisia

by Ghaith Aloui, Hermassi Souhail, Lawrence D. Hayes, El Ghali Bouhafs, Mohamed Souhaiel Chelly and René Schwesig

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(16), 7621; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11167621 - 19 Aug 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2562

Abstract

We investigated adding 8 weeks of bi-weekly loaded plyometric and short sprints (LPaSS) training into training for under 19 (U19) soccer players. An experimental group (EG, n = 18, age: 17.5 ± 0.58 years, body mass: 67.4 ± 4.37 kg, height: 1.76 ± 0.05 m, body fat: 11.4 ± 1.55%), and a control group (CG, n = 16, age: 17.5 ± 0.58 years, body mass: 68.7 ± 3.65 kg, height: 1.78 ± 0.03 m, body fat: 11.6 ± 1.14%) participated. The pre- and postintervention measures were: the squat-jump (SJ); the countermovement-jump with arm swing (CMJA); the five jump test (5JT); 10 m and 30 m sprint; the ability to change direction (sprint with 90° turns (S90°) and sprinting 9–3–6–3–9 m, involving running both backwards and forwards (SBF); repeated sprint ability (RSA), and balance (Y-balance test). The EG experienced superior jump (p < 0.001; d_range: 1.69–1.89), sprint (p < 0.001; d_range: 1.82–2.56), S90° (p < 0.001; d_range: 1.64–2.25), RSA (p < 0.001; d_range: 3.90–4.17), and balance (p < 0.001; d_range: 1.11–2.54) improvement. Comparatively, the pre- to postchanges in the CG ranged from d = 0.36 (dynamic balance) to d = 1.00 (10 m sprint). Therefore, bi-weekly LPaSS training improves athletic performance in young soccer players, particularly RSA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Internal and External Impact on Athletes)

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8 pages, 4204 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Heart Rate Variability in Elite Swimmers before, during and after COVID-19 Lockdown: A Brief Report on Time Domain Analysis

by Robin Pla, Laurent Bosquet, Katie McGibbon, Iñigo Mujika and Anaël Aubry

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(17), 8106; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11178106 - 31 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3684

Abstract

Background: Many athletes worldwide have endured home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their opportunities to train were strongly limited. This study describes the impact of lockdown on training volume and heart rate variability (HRV) in elite swimmers. Methods: HRV data of seven elite males were collected each Monday morning over 20 weeks, including 8 weeks of lockdown. The training volume was quantified retrospectively. Results: During the lockdown period (weeks 4–11) swimming was not allowed, and the total training volume was reduced by 55.2 ± 7.5% compared to the baseline volume (from 27.2 to 12.2 training hours). This drop was associated with a decrease in vagal activity (a 9.2 ± 5.4% increase in resting HR and a 6.5 ± 3.4% decrease in the natural logarithm of rMSSD from baseline values). After the lockdown (weeks 12–20), the training volume was gradually increased before attaining 68.8% and 88.2% of the baseline training volume at weeks 15 and 17, respectively. Resting HR and Ln rMSSD returned to baseline values four weeks after the lockdown. Conclusions: The lockdown period induced a decreased training volume which was associated with a decrease in vagal activity. However, HRV values returned to the baseline 4 weeks after the resumption of swimming training. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Internal and External Impact on Athletes)

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