Muscle cramps and damage in marathon runners

Muscle cramps are a common issue in marathons, often affecting runners’ performance. This study compared muscle damage and dehydration between marathoners with and without exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC). Runners with EAMC had higher levels of muscle damage markers but similar dehydration and electrolyte levels compared to those without cramps.

Challenging the comeback effect

It was once believed that being slightly behind in a game could boost winning chances in basketball, but new research challenges this idea. Tests across other sports like football and rugby found no similar effect.

Body dissatisfaction in gymnasts

In aesthetic sports, athletes often perceive pressure to be thin to maximise performance. A recent study of elite-level gymnasts in Sweden showed a relationship between body dissatisfaction and symptoms of disordered eating over time, suggesting that monitoring of behaviours driven by body dissatisfaction, such as exercising for weight control, is important to identity athletes at…

Perfectionism in high performance athletes

Many high-performance athletes scrutinize their own performances and often aim for perfection. A recent study delved into how perfectionistic athletes view success and failure in sports. Through interviews and season-long diaries, researchers found that an athlete’s ability to deal with failure depended on the type of perfectionism they exhibited.

Fast as a mother: Elite runners’ training during pregnancy and postpartum 

Keeping active during pregnancy and postpartum is so important for a whole host of reasons and, fortunately, there’s no shortage of advice out there on how to do so. Generally speaking, for those without any health issues during pregnancy, most international health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This means movement…

Running towards Longevity: Insights from sub-four-minute milers

In the mid-20th century, breaking the four-minute mile was considered an insurmountable feat. Then came Roger Bannister in 1954, who shattered that barrier and changed the landscape of middle-distance running forever. But what if this extraordinary athletic achievement had effects that went beyond the track?   This question sparked a study, Outrunning the grim reaper: Longevity…

Mental health and performance in elite tennis players

Elite athletes often grapple with keeping their mental health in check while striving for peak performance. Digging into the experiences of Swedish elite tennis players and exploring how they manage this up and down balancing act of mental health and performance throughout their careers shows the importance of support from sports psychologists.

High intensity training and upper respiratory infection

While physical activity typically strengthens the immune system, high-intensity training can weaken it, leaving some high performance athletes more susceptible to upper respiratory infections. Discover key nutritional strategies to stay healthy and perform at your best!

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