Knowledge Nuggets

A Para athlete who chooses to pursue a new sport or get involved in a second sport, or whose circumstances force them to leave their sport, is engaging in a process called “athlete transfer.” The Paralympic Athlete Transfer Task Force has undertaken research to understand athlete transfer experience and inform future policies and pathways.

Mobile apps and fitness trackers are a convenient way to monitor activity, set personalized activity goals and receive feedback on your activity levels. Fitness apps and activity trackers encourage better activity habits; for example, researchers found that those who use apps and trackers take approximately 1850 more steps per day, which is equal to just...

The psychosocial and not just the physical ramifications of a sport-related concussion need to be considered as athletes return to play. Researchers have identified 6 psychosocial factors involved in return to sport: fear of re-injury, status of confidence, impact on identity, sense of support, sense of pressure and one’s experience of concussion.

Young gymnasts are most at risk for growth-related and overuse injuries. Two risk factors of these types of injury are maturation and training load. Currently, little is known regarding coaching knowledge and practice related to these risks. This study examines coach knowledge and identifies gaps to help promote athlete safety.

Safety huddles bring together both teams before the start of a game for coaches to discuss the importance of speaking up if a concussion is suspected. A study with youth soccer teams found that safety huddles increased the likelihood of athletes reporting concussion symptoms. This may be a promising low-resource option to improve concussion safety...

While physical rest is typically recommended in the first 24 to 48 hours following a concussion, rest beyond that period may negatively impact an athlete’s recovery. A Canadian study found that athletes who took more than 3 days to return to physical activity after a concussion took longer to fully return to sport than those who began...

The use of nicotine by athletes has not been thoroughly examined. A recent study found that 1 in 5 athletes, from a range of 90 different sports, tested positive for nicotine in-competition. Positivity rates were lower in endurance sports than power-based ones, and lower in individual sports than team sports. These findings suggest that WADA...

Providing evidence-based sport and physical activity opportunities that intentionally support the development of physical literacy can help youth rebound from the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Activities that are fun, challenging yet accomplishable, and that spark creativity in movement welcome youth back to the playing field and hold promise for keeping them engaged in...

Concussions are common in Para sports such as blind soccer, where collisions between players frequently occur. Research shows that despite the high concussion risk posed in blind soccer, many athletes do not feel confident in their ability to recognize a concussion. Improving concussion education, particularly around concussion symptoms, may help improve concussion recognition in this...

Since the legalization of cannabis in Canada in 2018, it has become imperative for sport organizations to communicate research and policy regarding cannabis usage to athletes. This article summarizes what athletes and organizations need to know about the current state of cannabis in sport.