Knowledge Nuggets

How do we know a female athlete’s energy availability is in a good place? Until recently, menstrual cycle patterns were touted as one of the main indicators of energy availability status in female athletes. So, what has changed? Menstrual cycle patterns remain an important element in understanding energy availability status, with missed menstrual cycles ringing...

Exertional heat illness (EHI) is heat illness experienced during physical activity. It first presents as symptoms that only a participant will be able to detect, like headache or nausea. It takes the organs and the skin a longer amount of time to reset after a heat episode so it is especially important that if EHI...

While Canadians are used to severe winter weather, 9 of the 10 warmest years on record in Canada have occurred in the last 25 years. This has real world implications for outdoor sport events. For example, even the best triathletes in the world struggled with the extreme heat in Edmonton in July of last year,...

Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a form of cancer, and lost his right leg to an above-the-knee amputation. Fox learned of the limited cancer research funding in Canada while seeking treatment, inspiring him to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He achieved his goal of raising $1 per Canadian, and...

As we age, our risk of falls increases, as does our risk of serious injury as a result of a fall. The good news is that people who are more physically active as they age have a decreased risk of falling. This blog outlines the importance of remaining physically active during aging and provides descriptions...

Research has shown the post-Olympic period to be a difficult time for athlete mental health. Little research has been conducted on the wellbeing of coaches and support staff during this same period. This study focuses on the latter’s experiences after major games, and provides suggestions for improved wellbeing.

What can public health and rehabilitation learn from elite sport? In this article, researchers identify 22 areas in which sport science research might aid public health, including: exercise prescription, monitoring of fatigue and monitoring of adaptation.

Alexandre Hayward’s successful transfer from national level wheelchair basketball to national level Para cycling is proof of how important it is to have broad development pathways in sport. It’s particularly important in Para sport, where a “scarcity mindset” tends to exist surrounding athletes. Hayward’s experience shows how collaborative coaching across different sports can nurture athlete...

Recent research has shown that residents’ perceptions are a key predictor of support for the hosting of sporting events in a community. This article considers what combination of conditions can lead to high levels of support from residents.

Self-compassion can be a valuable internal resource for women athletes as they navigate the challenges of competitive sport. Self-compassion is related to greater goal progress and effective use of coping strategies, and it benefits the physiological response to stress (Ceccereli et coll., 2019; Johnson et coll., in press; Mosewich et coll., 2019; Röthlin et coll.,...