Sports Med
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Exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), commonly referred to as 'stitch', is an ailment well known in many sporting activities. It is especially prevalent in activities that involve repetitive torso movement with the torso in an extended position, such as running and horse riding. Approximately 70% of runners report experiencing the pain in the past year and in a single running event approximately one in five participants can be expected to suffer the condition. ⋯ Commonly purported prevention strategies include avoiding large volumes of food and beverages for at least 2 hours prior to exercise, especially hypertonic compounds; improving posture, especially in the thoracic region; and supporting the abdominal organs by improving core strength or wearing a supportive broad belt. Techniques for gaining relief from the pain during an episode are equivocal. This article presents a contemporary understanding of ETAP, which historically has received little research attention but over the past 15 years has been more carefully studied.
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Review Meta Analysis
Outcome predictors for conservative patellofemoral pain management: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is highly prevalent within both sporting and recreationally active populations. Multiple treatment approaches have been advocated for the management of PFP, attempting to address both intrinsic and extrinsic factors thought to contribute to the development and persistence of pain. A number of predictors of treatment success have been proposed, and evaluated, for directing intervention choice. ⋯ This systematic review provides a comprehensive summary of current derivation level studies identifying indicators of prediction for conservative PFP management. The overall strength of evidence was low. With appropriate caution, clinicians should consider taping for those with greater usual pain, orthoses for older individuals and exercise for younger individuals, and orthoses intervention for patients with greater forefoot valgus and rearfoot eversion magnitude peak. RCTs with evaluation of outcome prediction as a primary aim are clearly warranted to provide clinicians with robust evidence and facilitate evidence-informed, tailored intervention to this heterogeneous patient population.
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Professionals in the domain of swimming have a strong interest in implementing research methods in evaluating and improving training methods to maximize athletic performance and competitive outcome. Heart rate variability (HRV) has gained attention in research on sport and exercise to assess autonomic nervous system activity underlying physical activity and sports performance. Studies on swimming and HRV are rare. This review aims to summarize the current evidence on the application of HRV in swimming research and draws implications for future research. ⋯ The feasibility and possibilities of HRV within this particular field of application are well documented within the existing literature. Future studies, focusing on translational approaches that transfer current evidence in general practice (i.e. training of athletes) are needed.
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The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is expanding to numerous medical fields, including orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. The popularity of this new treatment option has prompted a rapid increase in research endeavors; however, the differences in application technique and the composition of PRP have made it difficult to compare results or make any firm conclusions regarding efficacy. The purpose of this article is twofold. ⋯ There are biochemical rationales for the use of PRP because it addresses several aspects of the healing process, including cell proliferation and tissue matrix regeneration, inflammation, nociception, infection, and hemostasis, all of which will be addressed. Given the current understanding of the importance the composition of PRP plays in tissue regeneration, it is likely that our future understanding of PRP will dictate 'customizing' the PRP preparation to the specific pathology of interest. The potential complications following PRP use are minor, and thus it appears to be a safe treatment option with a variety of potentially beneficial effects to injured musculoskeletal tissues.
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Concurrent training is defined as simultaneously incorporating both resistance and endurance exercise within a periodized training regime. Despite the potential additive benefits of combining these divergent exercise modes with regards to disease prevention and athletic performance, current evidence suggests that this approach may attenuate gains in muscle mass, strength, and power compared with undertaking resistance training alone. This has been variously described as the interference effect or concurrent training effect. ⋯ However, given the multitude of potential concurrent training variables and the limitations of existing evidence, the potential roles of individual training variables in acute and chronic interference are not fully elucidated. The present review explores current evidence for the molecular basis of the specificity of training adaptation and the concurrent interference phenomenon. Additionally, insights provided by molecular and performance-based concurrent training studies regarding the role of individual training variables (i.e., within-session exercise order, between-mode recovery, endurance training volume, intensity, and modality) in the concurrent interference effect are discussed, along with the limitations of our current understanding of this complex paradigm.