Knowledge Nuggets

Sports offer numerous physical and mental health benefits for individuals with disabilities; however, many remain inactive despite these advantages. The health benefits of sports participation across various disability groups include socialization opportunities and enjoyment, highlighting the positive aspects of sports participation.

How a coach interacts with athletes can be significant predictor of athletes’ enjoyment and intentions to stay in sport. A study of 202 elite-level artistic swimmers from 22 countries showed that athletes under the guidance of democratic-style coaches reported elevated levels of athletic enjoyment and expressed greater intent to pursue their athletic careers. This finding...

Deliberate control of breathing, commonly referred to as breathwork, has recently garnered increased public interest due to its potential to improve mental health. A recent study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of breathwork found it may be effective in reducing stress and improving mental health.

There is limited research on pregnancy and postpartum impacts on elite athletes’ training loads and performances. A recent study followed 42 elite runners during and after pregnancy and found that study participants returned to 80% of pre-pregnancy training volumes by 3-months postpartum, and close to half improved performance post-pregnancy. The authors encourage individualized, cautious, and...

Parents play an important role in their children’s sport experiences. A recent study highlights 4 things that parents can do to make their children’s sport experiences more enjoyable: 1) show that you care about your child’s sport by facilitating and prioritising participation, 2) listen and learn from your child to ensure you can engage in...

Sport climbing is a new Olympic sport set to debut in Paris and is demanding on its own. However, it can also act as a complement to other athletic activities: a Romanian study found it can be a an effective cross training tool for youth soccer players. Over a 14-week trial, junior soccer players increased...

Did you know that within the sport performance literature examining female athletes and women’s sport, only 32-37% of research participants are female? Research on female athletes’ physiology and performance lags behind, with limited understanding of how hormonal variations during the menstrual cycle impact performance. Standardizing research practices and considering menstrual cycle phases can offer insights...

Skateboarding is often seen as a fun way to pass the time, and it will soon be known as an Olympic pursuit when it debuts at the Paris 2024 Olympics. It can also be a way to commute with important benefits. For example, one study found that teens who skateboard for transportation report higher levels...

Relative Age Effect (RAE) suggests that there may be performance advantages to athletes who are born earlier in the calendar year as they may be physically, cognitively, and emotionally more mature than younger peers in the same age grouping. However, early research on the new Olympic sport of surfing reveals it may be one of...

Did you know that volunteering at mega sporting events like the Olympics can help build social connections and enhance social capital among volunteers? A recent study found that volunteers formed ties with others through shared experiences, such as working together towards common goals and living in close quarters during the event. The research recommends event...