Fitness apps and activity trackers promote activity
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…
Physical literacy for engaging youth post-pandemic
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…
How to write a quality grant application
For many sport organizations, funding is a key topic of discussion. As they look to continue their missions or potentially create new, innovative and inclusive programming, questions about where that funding can come is top of mind. This blog provides strategies for crafting a convincing grant application.
Gender imbalance in sport research
Despite the past year being significant for women’s sport, evidence demonstrates that athlete research is still heavily skewed towards male. This imbalance leaves large gaps in knowledge about women’s sport, sports-related injuries and in particular, training and the menstrual cycle.
Non-verbal communication in sport
Sport researchers have demonstrated that unspoken communication is crucial, especially for coaches. Athletes respond to coaches’ body language more frequently and quickly (4.5 times faster) than verbal communication. To promote effective communication, coaches should be direct, take time to consider the best ways to communicate with athletes, and remember that their body language and timing…
Sport research and practice
Sport and physical activity research can get stuck sitting in the pages of academic journals. Integrated knowledge translation is one way to make sure that doesn’t happen! Integrated knowledge translation involves meaningful collaboration between researchers and knowledge users to help bridge the gap between research and practice.
Knowledge to action
Integrated knowledge translation is an approach that promotes collaboration between researchers and sport and physical activity stakeholders. As part of the research team, stakeholders can expect to have input on the research project, ensure it is relevant to their community, and contribute to distributing findings beyond academic audiences.
Exercising outdoors in Canada: What the research tells us about exercising safely and effectively in extreme heat
Highlights 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, with Paula…
Stakeholder engagement is real-world data
For sport organizations, stakeholder engagement is a real-world data source that can help them to better understand their organization and programs and make adjustments. To engage stakeholders thoughtfully, organizations should make sure to receive feedback openly (without getting defensive), consider the format (for example, anonymous survey) and develop a plan for reporting back (such as…
Returning to sport with long COVID
Researchers’ understanding of overtraining syndrome (OTS) is guiding their advice for athlete return to sport in the case of post COVID-19 condition, also known as long-COVID. Those experiencing long-COVID should moderate their activity in the same way as overtrained athletes, with “symptom-titrated physical activity,” the gradual reintroduction of intensity based on close monitoring of an…