Psychosocial factors in return to sport post-concussion

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.

Getting active after a concussion

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…

Nutrition and sleep

Research shows that proper nutrition habits can improve an athlete’s sleep. Getting a good night of sleep is critical, as it boosts immune function, improves recovery times, and promotes learning, all of which can increase athletic performance. Good nutrition habits, such as eating a balanced diet and avoiding large meals before bed, can lead to…

Knee injuries in women’s soccer

In soccer, women have twice the risk of sustaining ACL knee injuries compared to men. Research shows that injury prevention programs such as FIFA 11+ can reduce ACL injury rates by up to 45% in women. Effective injury programs include multiple exercises focused on strength, agility, balance and mobility. To protect athletes from injury, teams…

The psychology of recovery among endurance athletes

View the summary of this research here. The development of sport performance takes a lot of hard training, and all that training also takes equal amounts of recovery. Recovery is about restoring performance capability after facing stress in various ways, mentally, physically, and socially (Kellmann et al., 2018). Sufficient recovery compensates for stress and spurs…

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). Recently, more…

Psychosocial factors in overuse injuries

Overuse injuries develop from repetitive stress and are common in sports such as running and tennis. Unlike traumatic injuries (for example, a sprained ankle), overuse injuries cannot often be pinpointed to a single event. Research shows that psychosocial factors play a role in the development of overuse injuries. Individual factors such as competitive drive, perfectionism,…

Foam rolling beneficial to range of motion and recovery

Research from the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University has shown that foam rolling can increase range of motion, as well as reduce pain and the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness, without having any adverse effects on performance. Foam rolling is a useful tool for athletes during warm up or recovery.

Sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is an important aspect of recovery and includes behaviours that promote improved quantity and quality of sleep. Sleep is especially important for athletic performance and inadequate sleep can hinder an athlete’s ability to recover from training or injuries. Some sleep strategies that can be used to help improve sleep hygiene include maintaining a…

Foam rolling can increase flexibility, decrease pain with without negative effects on performance 

Foam rolling has become very popular over the last decade. It is believed to increase flexibility and range of motion, improve athletic performance and reduce pain and muscle soreness.   Our laboratory within the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland has been working to verify these claims and determine whether…