Knowledge Nuggets

“Just having the ponytail come out of your helmet, the players, the people watching, people are going to notice and keep an eye on you to see if you’re holding your own, ‘Can the girl keep up, or does she fit the stereotype of not being as good as the boys?’”. Learn more about the...

Many women avoid gyms and pools because they feel intimidated, judged, or uncomfortable in their swimwear. A report from Sport England presents women’s suggestions for making more inclusive and judgement-free exercise spaces. Recommendations include reducing the number of full-length mirrors in gyms, having codes of conduct in weight rooms and offering more women’s only spaces...

Research from the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University has shown that foam rolling can increase range of motion, as well as reduce pain and the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness, without having any adverse effects on performance. Foam rolling is a useful tool for athletes during warm up or recovery.

People who play sports like soccer and rugby are familiar with yellow and red cards, tools for officials to warn or eject players from the game. A blue card is a new addition to rugby’s carding system. A blue card is initiated by an official when there is a suspected concussion. The blue card tool...

Parents of athletes with disabilities face challenges like limited local sport options and funding, but they also experience benefits like social inclusion and support. Scholars suggest that sport programs should tackle these cultural and environmental barriers and actively involve parents in creating support systems. Additionally, there is a need to enhance talent identification pathways for...

Groupthink is when members of a group allow their desire for cohesion to override their motivation to critically consider alternative courses of action. Sports teams and organizations are vulnerable to conformity because of a strong desire to belong and fit in. To avoid groupthink, encourage diversity on your team, create an enviroment where athletes feel...

Built environments include the layout and design of communities in which people live and work. Research demonstrates that built environments that create physical activity opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, and that also support various types of transportation, are essential in supporting physical activity. A well-designed built environment may include elements such as...

Are you experiencing anxiety leading up to the winter this year? Consider taking up a winter sport! A recently published study followed nearly 400,000 Swedish cross-country skiers and non-skiers from the general population over a 21-year period. The researchers found that individuals who skied regularly were almost 60% less likely to experience anxiety than non-skiers.

Interval training consists of repeated high-intensity exercise, lasting from seconds to minutes, followed by a recovery period. Common forms of interval training include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT). Read more about how HIIT and SIT can produce greater improvements in a person’s physiology than longer duration, low or moderate intensity exercises...

Physical activity improves physical health in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while also developing social and communication skills. Research shows that adolescents with ASD are 60% less likely to participate in physical activity and 74% less likely to participate in organized sport compared to age-related peers. Creating policies and practices specific to the needs...