Knowledge Nuggets

Athletes’ body composition results from a mix of genetics, sport demands, diet, and training. Metrics like fat and muscle mass play a significant role in athlete health and performance, influencing factors such as injury risk and recovery.

In sports, there are various measures for athlete psychology, with heart rate variability (HRV) becoming an increasingly popular method of measurement. Different factors such as stress, overtraining, and performance have been found to impact HRV, thus influencing athlete psychology.

Cold weather can impact sports performance, making specific guidelines for competing in cold conditions necessary. This review offers insights on how cold affects the body and provides tips for athletes and coaches to stay healthy and perform well in winter sports.

It can be hard to know when an athlete should retire from sports due to concussions. Researchers have highlighted the importance of having open discussions with athletes who have experienced concussions about the current evidence and risks of continuing to play so that they can make informed decisions about their participation or retirement. These discussions should include...

In the past few decades, swimming has become one of the most important physical activities within the healthcare system for regulating health and well-being. A recent study found that over a course of 16 weeks, swimming sessions could be considered as an effective nonpharmacological approach in managing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Sport isn’t just about competition, it’s also about having fun. For adolescents, engaging in physical activity can reduce the effects of stress, especially when they genuinely enjoy what they’re doing. This highlights how motivation behind physical activity influences life satisfaction and reduces stress.

Despite the well-known benefits of sport, participation tends to decline with age. However, many older adults continue to engage in sports for reasons such as health benefits, social connections, and a sense of achievement. To encourage greater participation among older adults, highlighting these benefits are essential.

Recovery strategies are key for athletes to combat fatigue from increased metabolism during physical activity. Nutrients like proteins, amino acids, and vitamins are crucial for supporting muscle recovery and reducing post-exercise damage.

Coaches’ leadership styles can play an important role in fostering strong and effective connections with athletes. For example, a transformational leadership style, characterized by its proactive nature and emphasis on empowering, inspiring, and challenging athletes or teams, has been positively associated with the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.

The prevalence of athletes specializing in sports has increased in recent years. Substantial literature on youth sports has linked early sport specialization to negative consequences, such as burnout and injury. A recent study conducted on NCAA athletes found that athletes were more likely to experience elevated levels of burnout if they identified as female, were...