Knowledge Nuggets

Sport psychology, an important part of athlete well-being, focuses on how mental strategies can boost athletic performance. Specific techniques to aid athlete psychology, such as building team cohesion and boosting confidence, have been shown to have positive effects on performance, while factors like anxiety can hinder it.

For optimal athletic performance, it is important not to neglect overall fitness. This study found that exercise training improves the physical fitness of young tennis players, particularly in speed and agility.

Ankle injuries are common among athletes, with recurrent sprains potentially leading to chronic ankle instability (CAI). Kinesio Taping, a type of therapeutic taping, has shown to provide moderate stabilization for athletes with CAI.

As local sports clubs try to bounce back in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, they face various challenges. Explore how these clubs are struggling to return to organized sports and emphasize the importance of using proven strategies to help them adapt and survive.

Watching professional sports is a popular pastime worldwide. This study found that the more frequently sports fans visited live sports events, the more the fans were satisfied with their lives.

Climate change poses complex risks to the environment, society, and health, but its impact on sports has been underexplored. Take a look at this new model that outlines the health risks climate change poses to athletes, including direct threats from extreme weather and indirect effects like increased air pollution and infection risks.

Athletes often face psychological pressure from competition, which can impact their performance. Pressure training, which introduces competition stress during practice, has been shown to be an effective method for helping athletes develop coping skills and better manage stress in sports.

Athletes in combat sports have a high risk of injury, with common issues affecting the head, neck, and limbs. Proper nutrition, including proteins and omega-3s, can help prevent injuries and speed up recovery, making it a key part of staying healthy and returning to training.

In competitive sports, understanding how to achieve peak performance is crucial. This study found that athletes with perfectionistic traits performed better in a 10K run and a half-marathon, indicating that a drive for perfection can enhance results in distance running.

Despite progress, gender imbalances remain prevalent in many areas of sport, including research. This study shows that 66% of participants were male and only 34% female, highlighting the need for more gender equitable research going forward.