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Advances in Training and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sports

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Sport and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 7731

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jaime Fernandez-Fernandez

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Chief Guest Editor

The Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, Universidad de León, 24004 Leon, Spain
Interests: racket sports; maturation and performance; injury prevention; neuromuscular training
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Irineu Loturco

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Guest Editor

Nucleus of High Performance in Sport, NAR, São Paulo 04753-060, SP, Brazil
Interests: training programming; strength, speed, and power development in high-performance sports
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Rafael Sabido-Solana

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Guest Editor

Department of Sport Sciences, University Miguel Hernandez of Elche, 03202 Alicante, Spain
Interests: strength in sports; motor control; training periodization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Scientific research has consistently demonstrated that one of the greatest challenges across all sports, for athletes at different competitive levels, is to simultaneously minimize the risk of injury and improve performance. Young athletes are no exception, and sport specialization and excessive training loads during growth stages may represent important risk factors for injuries. These factors can reduce long-term performance and compromise the prospective development of a professional career. Therefore, the implementation of effective training and testing approaches is essential for young athletes. Conversely, the application of inappropriate training methods and load management strategies can lead to increased injury risk and decreased performance. In this regard, the development of efficient and safe training schemes, recovery techniques, and rehabilitation protocols (i.e., return to train/play) are crucial to improve the physical and technical performance of young athletes.

Considering that more research should be done and published about these important topics, the aim of the Special Issue “Advances in Sports Medicine, Training, and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sport” is to publish high-quality original studies, case reports, narratives, and systematic reviews in the field of youth sports. All manuscripts will be peer-reviewed by experts in each respective topic.

Prof. Dr. Jaime Fernandez-Fernandez
Dr. Irineu Loturco
Dr. Rafael Sabido-Solana
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

training strategies
performance
maturation
specialization
return to play

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison among U-17, U-20, and Professional Female Soccer in the GPS Profiles during Brazilian Championships

by Ronaldo Kobal, Leonardo Carvalho, Raíssa Jacob, Marcelo Rossetti, Lucas de Paula Oliveira, Everton Crivoi Do Carmo and Renato Barroso

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16642; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192416642 - 11 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1645

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare and characterize the physical demand of official matches among under-17 (U-17), under-20 (U-20), and professional (Pro) female soccer players. All matches were from the U-17, U-20, and Pro National Brazilian Championships. Fourteen Pro matches, nine U-20 matches, and four U-17 matches were analyzed. The external load was measured by the global positioning system (GPS) and the internal workload was assessed by the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) multiplied by the duration of the match. The activity profiles measured were total distance covered (km), total sprint distance (m) (speed > 18 km·h⁻¹), number of accelerations and decelerations (between 1 and 2 m·s⁻² and >3 m·s⁻²), and top speed (km·h⁻¹). For the analysis, we standardized all the metrics (except the top speed) by the time (in minutes) played. The Pro group presented higher sprint distances, number of accelerations and decelerations, and top speeds, compared to U-20 and U-17. There was no difference in the total distance among groups, and there was no difference in any GPS metrics between U-20 and U-17. The RPE was higher in Pro and U-17, compared to U-20; however, the workload-RPE was higher in Pro, compared to both U-17 and U-20 groups. These findings provide important information for the evolution of physical performance according to age categories in elite female soccer players. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Training and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sports)

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16 pages, 1056 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Long-Term Changes in Vertical Jump, H:Q Ratio and Interlimb Asymmetries in Young Female Volleyball Athletes

by Cesar Cavinato Cal Abad, Marcos Winicius Rodrigues Lopes, Jerusa Petróvna Resende Lara, Anderson Jose Santana Oliveira, Raphael Planas Correa da Silva, Elder Aparecido Facin, Antonio Jose Izar and Fabiano Gomes Teixeira

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16420; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192416420 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1516

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the changes that occurred in vertical jump and isokinetic dynamometer (ISK) performances at the beginning of a preparatory period (PRE) and at the start of the competitive period (POST). Sixteen U-17 elite female volleyball players, from a national level (15.34 ± 1.19 years; 66.35 ± 7.95 kg; 169.22 ± 24.79 cm), performed bilateral squat jump (SJ), bilateral and unilateral countermovement jump (CMJ) and unilateral ISK tests for knee flexors (Fl) and extensors (Ex) both at 60°/s and at 300°/s. Peak torque (PT) and the hamstring-to-quadriceps (H:Q) ratio were assessed by concentric actions. Asymmetries were calculated by the percentage differences between dominant (DOM) and nondominant legs (NDOM). The paired Student’s t-test was used for comparisons at a level of significance of 5%. The effect size was also calculated. A significant increase was found for both SJ (15%; p = 0.004; ES = 0.82) and CMJ (12%; p = 0.017; ES = 0.62). The PT of NDOM flexors at 60°/s was significantly lower than DOM both at PRE (4.6%; p = 0.048; ES = −0.22) and POST (6.3%; p = 0.037; ES = −0.33). The NDOM extensors at 60°/s had a significantly lower PT than DOM at POST (7.0%; p = 0.048; ES = −0.23). Both DOM and NDOM flexors at 60°/s had a PT enhancement at POST related to PRE (6.7%; p = 0.031; ES = 0.51 and 5.6%; p = 0.037; ES = 0.48, respectively). The PT of NDOM extensors at 300°/s increased at POST in comparison to PRE (7.9%; p = 0.038; ES = 0.27). The NDOM at 300°/s had a H:Q ratio higher than DOM both in PRE and POST (8.6%; p = 0.041; ES = 0.37 and 11.6%; p = 0.013; ES = 0.71, respectively), and the highest H:Q ratios were lower than the reference values (<80%). The asymmetry of the unilateral CMJ was higher at POST than at PRE (102%; p = 0.03; ES = 0.81). The PT for the flexors at 300°/s and the H:Q ratio at POST exceeded 10%. In conclusion, a training program of 15 weeks increased the neuromuscular performance of young volleyball athletes, but many H:Q ratios and asymmetries remained out of the normal recommendation. Volleyball professionals should carefully apply an adequate training program to enhance physical fitness performance without increasing the risk of lower limb injuries concurrently. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Training and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sports)

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13 pages, 2580 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Shoulder Torque Production and Muscular Balance after Long and Short Tennis Points

by André V. Brito, Diogo D. Carvalho, Pedro Fonseca, Ana S. Monteiro, Aléxia Fernandes, Jaime Fernández-Fernández and Ricardo J. Fernandes

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15857; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192315857 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1877

Abstract

Tennis is an asymmetric sport characterized by a systematic repetition of specific movements that may cause disturbances in muscular strength, power, and torque. Thus, we assessed (i) the torque, power, ratio production, and bilateral asymmetries in the shoulder’s external and internal rotations at 90 and 180°/s angular velocities, and (ii) the point duration influence of the above-mentioned variables. Twenty competitive tennis players performed external and internal shoulder rotations; an isokinetic evaluation was conducted of the dominant and non-dominant upper limbs before and after five and ten forehands. A higher torque production in the shoulder’s internal rotations at 90 and 180°/s was observed for the dominant vs. non-dominant sides (e.g., 63.1 ± 15.6 vs. 45.9 ± 9.8% and 62.5 ± 17.3 vs. 44.0 ± 12.6% of peak torque/body mass, p < 0.05). The peak torque decreased only after ten forehands (38.3 ± 15.8 vs. 38.2 ± 15.8 and 39.3 ± 16.1 vs. 38.1 ± 15.6 Nm, respectively, p < 0.05), but without impacting speed or accuracy. Unilateral systematic actions of tennis players caused contralateral asymmetries, evidencing the importance of implementing compensatory training. The forehand kinematic assessment suggests that racket and wrist amplitude, as well as speed, are important success determinants in tennis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Training and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sports)

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7 pages, 975 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Do Recreationally-Trained Women of Different Ages Perceive Symptoms of the Menstrual Cycle and Adjust Their Training According to Phases?

by Isabella Righi and Renato Barroso

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13841; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192113841 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1135

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle (MC) in recreationally trained women athletes, including their perception of training, if age affected their perception of MC symptoms, and if they adjusted their training according to phases of the MC which they would perceive as the best/worst phase to train in. Three hundred- and ten-women amateur athletes with regular MC replied to an online quiz about their perception and the effects of MC on training and how they adjusted training according to their MC. Women were classified into three age groups: 18–25 years-old (n = 108), 26–35 years-old (n = 135), and 36–45 years-old (n = 67). Despite a higher ratio of younger perceived symptoms and the influence of MC phases in training, the group varied their training according to MC phases the least (37%) compared to 26–35 (50%) and 36–45-year-olds (40.2%). Most of athletes perceived the late follicular phase (LF) as the best phase to train in (18–25 = 79.6%; 26–35 = 80.7%; 36–45 = 91%) and the worst phases were early follicular (EF) (54.6%; 58% and 46.2%), and late luteal (LL) (38%; 48% and 47.7%). Regardless of age, most women perceived MC symptoms, and women in the 26–35 group adjusted their training more according to MC phases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Training and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sports)

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Other

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6 pages, 987 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Interchangeability between the Data Obtained by Two Powermeters during Road Cycling Competitions: A Case Study

by Javier Iglesias-Pino, Alba Herrero-Molleda, Jaime Fernández-Fernández and Juan García-López

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16446; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192416446 - 08 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1015

Abstract

Various power meters are used to assess road-cycling performance in training and competition, but no previous study has analyzed their interchangeability in these conditions. Therefore, the purpose was to compare the data obtained from two different power meters (PowerTap vs. Power2Max) during cycling road races. A national-level under-23 male competitive cyclist completed six road-cycling official competitions (five road races and one individual time trial), in which power output was simultaneously registered with the two power meters. After this, the main power output variables were analyzed with the same software. The average and critical power obtained from the PowerTap power meter were slightly lower than from the Power2Max power meter (3.56 ± 0.68 and 3.62 ± 0.74 W·kg⁻¹, 5.06 and 5.11 W·kg⁻¹, respectively), and the correlations between both devices were very high (r ≥ 0.996 and p < 0.001). In contrast, the PowerTap power meter registered a significantly higher (p < 0.05) percentage of time at <0.75 and >7.50 W·kg⁻¹ and power profile at 1, 5 and 10 s. In conclusion, the data obtained in competitions by the two power meters were interchangeable. Nevertheless, the Power2Max power meter underestimated the pedaling power during short and high-intensity intervals (≤10.0 s and >7.50 W·kg⁻¹) compared to the PowerTap power meter. Therefore, the analysis of these efforts should be treated with caution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Training and Rehabilitation Strategies in Youth Sports)

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