Knowledge Nuggets

The Ottawa Sport Council’s (OSC) Concussion Education Initiative offers free education sessions for Ottawa-based sport organizations. Aligned with the SIRC Headstrong campaign, this initiative is just one way the OSC is increasing awareness about concussion management and prevention at the community sport level.

The COVID-19 pandemic is increasing the risk of experiences of psychological distress and poor mental health. Researchers at McMaster University have shown that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three times weekly can boost mood, reduce psychological distress and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Like strengthening a muscle, exercise “tones” the stress system making...

“In the midst of all the ‘noise’ generated by countless individuals and organizations, cut through the clutter by keeping communications concise and straightforward.” Derek Johnston advises to “keep it simple” during times of crisis communication.

Earlier this year, amateur golfer Gary Choyka sank a pair of hole-in-ones in the same round. The odds of sinking a hole in one are about 12,500-to-1. A second ace in the same round? 67 million-to-1. In professional golf, a pair of hole-in-ones has happened just three times in the entire history of the PGA...

Did you know eating more fish could help protect you from brain injury? The SIRCuit explores the promise of omega-3 fatty acids, creatine, vitamin D, curcumin, high quality fats and carbohydrates, and good hydration in protecting athletes from sub-concussive injury.

Competitive swimmers use an undulatory underwater swimming technique that until now, was little understood. Scientists from the University of Tsukuba in Japan used underwater 3D motion capture and stereo particle image velocimetry to discover how swimmers gain thrust by creating vortices around the foot during the downward kick, which collide to form a jet.

“It’s quite possible that youth are having difficulties coping with the lack of structured learning, friendly competition, and most of all, social interaction with teammates that comes with participation in sport.” University of Alberta youth sport researcher Nick Holt recommends keeping kids connected to the benefits of sport through backyard practices, engagement in fun social...

Older male adults can be a particularly hard-to-reach group when it comes to physical activity programming. In this SIRC blog, researchers break down the 7 A’s of Active Aging to improve understanding on how to design and deliver tailored physical activity programs.

Esports (competitive professional video gaming) is a rapidly growing industry, with an estimated global audience of 335 million people in 2017, including 143 million active in-person spectators. But what attracts fans to attend live esport events? In contrast to the limitations of watching events online, live experiences provide fans with enhanced opportunities for social interaction.

Understanding the problems or questions you want to address, and building strong relationships with researchers, are two of the tactics the Canadian Paralympic Committee has used to develop a research strategy to put evidence at the centre of decision making. Learn more about their journey to bring research to life in the organization.