Key considerations for Para athlete recovery
Para sport has grown substantially in the past decades with increases in athlete participation as well as training intensities and sport performance (Patricios & Webborn, 2021; Fagher et coll., 2016). Yet, there is still limited research to help inform practice, especially concerning sport physiology and health in Para athletes (Gee et coll., 2021). This blog…
Committing to keeping kids safe in sport
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection has worked with the Coaching Association of Canada to offer the Commit to Kids program. This program includes tailored resources for sport organizations, coaches, officials, parents and volunteers to promote awareness about boundaries and best practices for keeping sport safe and fun for kids.
Move over menstrual cycle: Ovulation monitoring is the new gold standard to monitor REDS in female athletes
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
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…
Exercising outdoors in Canada: What the research tells us about exercising safely and effectively in extreme heat
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,…
The importance of remaining physically active while aging to reduce the risk of falls
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…
Sport science meets public health
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.
Rural children and their communities leading the way toward the enhancement of sports and recreation
View the summary of this research here. The purpose of the study was to engage rural preadolescent children in the development of research questions that are relevant and meaningful to exploring their participation and commitment to sport and other recreational activities. The three objectives were 1) To understand the children’s experience in participation of sport,…
Nutrition for youth athletes
Youth is a time of rapid physical development and growth, and a time when many athletes’ participation in sport also changes. Proper nutrition is key to ensuring healthy growth and injury prevention. Research shows that nutrition advice for adolescent athletes should focus on long-term development and sustainable practices, rather than emphasizing body composition.
Supporting elite athletes postpartum
There are limited supports in place for elite athletes returning to sport after pregnancy. A recent Canadian study, based on interviews with elite athletes, identifies key actionable steps for sport organizations to take to support postpartum athletes. Examples of these steps include: screening athletes for psychological and physical readiness in return to training, providing lactation…