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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

The effect of ankle bracing on athletic performance.

Ankle braces in sports are used for prevention of ankle sprains. Besides restricting inversion and eversion, it is possible that an ankle brace also reduces the functional range of motion of the ankle joint. Consequently, their use could also impair athletic performance. It is unlikely that prophylactic ankle bracing will gain wide acceptance if bracing hinders athletic performance. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the effect of ankle bracing on vertical jump height, running speed, agility and broad jump performance. In 2 studies, 2 ankle braces negatively affected vertical jump height. Other studies did not find a significant effect on vertical jump performance when wearing an ankle brace. One study found a negative effect on running speed and broad jump performance when wearing a lace-on brace. In other studies, no effects on running speed and broad jump were found. In 1 study, agility was negatively affected when wearing an ankle brace, although agility was not significantly affected in other studies. The effect of prolonged use of an ankle brace is un-known, but could possibly influence ankle musculature and ligament function. Further research is necessary to study the effect of prolonged ankle bracing on performance.

Ankle Joint↗
PubMed1992

Nasal patency, aerobic capacity, and athletic performance.

The patency of the nasal airway may directly affect pulmonary ventilation, with obstruction and increased nasal resistance resulting in increased pulmonary resistance, hypoxia, and hypercapnea. Nine aerobic athletes were evaluated to assess the role of the nasal airway on aerobic capacity and athletic performance. A step-ladder graded maximal aerobic capacity test was performed under three test conditions: obstructed, decongested with oxymetazoline hydrochloride, and saline control. No differences in maximum VO2, work load, oxygen saturation, maximal blood pressure, heart rate, or respiratory rate were noted between test conditions. Pre-exercise nasal resistance was lower in the decongested compared to control conditions, but no differences were found after exercise. Athletic performance was not influenced by nasal patency in this model.

Airway Resistance↗
PubMed1991

Evaluation of venous flow by light reflection rheography (LRR) in athletes performing track race.

The venous flow physiology in the athletes represents an interesting research field of sports angiology. The frequent observation of phlebectasias and/or varicose veins in athletes incited us to investigate the venous pathophysiological mechanisms predisposing them to such diseases. The maximal venous outflow (Rmax in millivolts) and the 1/2 venous refilling time (1/2 VRT in seconds) were evaluated in track racers, at rest and after exercise, by means of the light reflexion rheography (LRR). Thirty-two athletes (16 males, 16 females; mean age 23.4 years, range 15-37) were studied, dividing them in three groups: (A) 100 m (13), (B) 2,000 m (13), (C) 6 x 100 m with 2 minute recovery time (6). Among them six athletes performed the test wearing elastic compression stockings (25-32 mmHg). The results demonstrated a significant post-exercise modification of LRR curves and parameters in all groups, testifying superficial venous flow augmentation and deep venous flow overloading.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of daytime ingestion of melatonin on short-term athletic performance.

The immediate effects of ingesting melatonin in the daytime include decreased alertness and body temperature. To date, no researcher has examined whether daytime ingestion of melatonin leads to impairments in variables relevant to short-term (<10 min) athletic performance. Twelve physically active participants (mean +/- s age = 25.2 +/- 5.0 years, body mass = 81.4 +/- 12.1 kg and chronotype = 33.8 +/- 6.3 units) ingested 5 mg of melatonin or placebo at 11:45 hours in a double-blind experiment. At 13:00 and 17:00 hours, subjective alertness was measured, together with intra-aural temperature, reaction time (two-, four- and eight-choice), short-term memory recall and grip strength. Performance, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate were also recorded during a 4-km cycling time trial. At 13:00 hours, the mean +/- s intra-aural temperature was 0.49 +/- 0.79 degrees C lower after ingestion of melatonin than after placebo (p = 0.015), but this difference was not apparent at 17:00 hours. At both 13:00 and 17:00 hours, melatonin reduced (p < 0.05) alertness, short-term memory and exercise heart rate by 1.5 +/- 1.8 units, 1 +/- 1 digits and 6 +/- 9 beats.min(-1), respectively (mean +/- s). Eight-choice reaction time was also slower at both times of day after ingesting melatonin. Melatonin did not influence time trial performance or RPE (p > 0.05). The effects of 5 mg of melatonin seem more pronounced for mental rather than physical components of short-term athletic performance, although the cardiovascular responses to exercise are affected. Some effects of melatonin were apparent 5 h after ingestion when the hypothermic effects of melatonin had dissipated.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Cognitive behavioral strategies in athletic performance enhancement.

While we might debate the role of sport in our culture, its influence is certainly pervasive. Each day millions of Americans engage in some form of competition, training, or physical exercise. Such popularity and the value our culture places on competition have made sport a valid area of psychological inquiry. Within the cognitive behavioral model, sport psychology and, specifically, athletic performance enhancement have experienced vigorous growth over the past two decades. Behavior change strategies familiar to most cognitive behaviorists form the core of virtually all athletic performance enhancement interventions. Goal setting, imagery or mental rehearsal, relaxation training, stress management, self-monitoring, self-instruction, cognitive restructuring, and modeling interventions dominate this literature. Our examination of these performance enhancement programs, both through a qualitative review and the Whelan et al. (1989) meta-analysis, supports the efficacy of cognitive behavioral interventions for the enhancement of sport performance. First, the average effect size across the empirical literature indicates that these interventions are reliably effective. Furthermore, this positive result is observed across variations in treatment conditions, control conditions, and across different types of dependent measures. Evidence on goal setting, imagery, arousal management, cognitive self-regulation, and packaged programs specifically support the behavior change efficacy of these interventions. These findings are encouraging, but much work needs to be done. Few investigators cited in this review attend to crucial internal and external validity issues. Attention to treatment integrity, including training of behavior change agents, verification of intervention implementation, and verification of reception of the treatment, is sorely lacking. Psychological skill development and its relationship to performance improvements are rarely checked. Now that cognitive behavioral interventions appear to be reliably effective at posttreatment, we must have meaningful evaluation of maintenance of psychological skill and performance changes. Six-month, 12-month, and longer follow-up evaluations are necessary. We must also begin more detailed evaluations of these effective interventions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Exercise in the Heat. II. Critical Concepts in Rehydration, Exertional Heat Illnesses, and Maximizing Athletic Performance.

OBJECTIVE: To acquaint athletic trainers with the numerous interrelated components that must be considered when assisting athletes who exercise in hot environments. Useful guidelines to maximize performance and minimize detrimental health consequences are presented. DATA SOURCES: The databases MEDLINE and SPORT Discus were searched from 1980 to 1999, with the terms. "body cooling," "dehydration," "exercise," "heat illnesses," "heat," "fluid replacement," "acclimatization," "hydration," "rehydration," "performance," and "intravenous," among others. DATA SYNTHESIS: This paper provides an in-depth look at issues regarding physiologic and performance considerations related to rehydration, strategies to maximize rehydration, modes of rehydration, health consequences of exercise in the heat, heat acclimatization, body cooling techniques, and practice and competition modifications. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS: Athletic trainers have a responsibility to ensure that athletes who exercise in hot environments are prepared to do so in an optimal manner and to act properly to avoid the potentially harmful heat illnesses that can result from exercise in the heat.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2007

Total lumbar disc replacement in athletes: clinical results, return to sport and athletic performance.

Despite the increasing popularity of total lumbar disc replacement (TDR) in predominantly young and active patients, no previous study has addressed possibilities, limitations and potential risks regarding athletic performance following TDR. Mechanical concerns remain and the implant's resilience as regards its load-bearing capacity during sporting activities is unknown. Thirty-nine athletic patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this study. These patients participated in a large variety of different types of sport. Significant and lasting pain-relief was attained following TDR with a mean follow-up of 26.3 months (range 9-50.7 months; FU rate 97.4%). Sporting activity was resumed within the first 3 months (38.5%) to 6 months (30.7%) with peak performance being reached after 5.2 months. Thirty-seven patients (94.9%) achieved resumption of sporting activity. Athletic performance improved significantly in 33 patients (84.6%). Minor subsidence was observed in 13 patients (30%) within the first 3 months with no further implant migration thereafter in 12 patients. Participation in all types of sport recorded in this study was accessible for a high rate of patients up to the level of professional athletes as well as those participating in extreme sports. Preoperative participation in sport proved to be a strong positive predictor for highly satisfactory postoperative outcome following TDR. In a selected group of patients, however, preoperative inability to participate in sporting activities did not impair postoperative physical activity. Due to the young age of the patients and significant load increase exerted during athletic activities, persisting concerns regarding the future behaviour of the implant remain and will require longer follow-up, modified investigation techniques and larger patient cohorts.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Protein intake and athletic performance.

For most of the current century, exercise/nutritional scientists have generally accepted the belief that exercise has little effect on protein/amino acid requirements. However, during the same time period many athletes (especially strength athletes) have routinely consumed diets high in protein. In recent years, the results of a number of investigations involving both strength and endurance athletes indicate that, in fact, exercise does increase protein/amino acid need. For endurance athletes, regular exercise may increase protein need by 50 to 100%. For strength athletes, the data are less clear; however, protein intakes in excess of sedentary needs may enhance muscle development. Despite these observations increased protein intake may not improve athletic performance because many athletes routinely consume 150 to 200% of sedentary protein requirements. Assuming total energy intake is sufficient to cover the high expenditures caused by daily training, a diet containing 12 to 15% of its energy from protein should be adequate for both types of athletes.

Dietary Proteins↗
PubMed1992

Effects of coenzyme athletic performance system as an ergogenic aid on endurance performance to exhaustion.

This study examined the effects of the Coenzyme Athletic Performance System (CAPS) on endurance performance to exhaustion. CAPS contains 100 mg coenzyme Q10, 500 mg cytochrome C, 100 mg inosine, and 200 IU vitamin E. Eleven highly trained male triathletes were given three daily doses of either CAPS or placebo (dicalcium phosphate) for two 4-week periods using a double-blind crossover design. A 4-week washout period separated the two treatment periods. An exhaustive performance test, consisting of 90 minutes of running on a treadmill (70% VO2max) followed by cycling (70% VO2max) until exhaustion, was conducted after each treatment period. The mean (+/- SEM) time to exhaustion for the subjects using CAPS (223 +/- 17 min) was not significantly different (p = 0.57) from the placebo trial (215 +/- 9 min). Blood glucose, lactate, and free fatty acid concentrations at exhaustion did not differ between treatments (p < 0.05). CAPS had no apparent benefit on exercise to exhaustion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Implications of air pollution effects on athletic performance.

Both controlled human studies and observational studies suggest that air pollution adversely affects athletic performance during both training and competition. The air pollution dosage during exercise is much higher than during rest because of a higher ventilatory rate and both nasal and oral breathing in the former case. For example, sulfur dioxide, which is a highly water-soluble gas, is almost entirely absorbed in the upper respiratory tract during nasal breathing. However, with oral pharyngeal breathing, the amount of sulfur dioxide that is absorbed is significantly less, and with exercise and oral pharyngeal breathing a significant decrease in upper airway absorption occurs, resulting in a significantly larger dosage of this pollutant being delivered to the tracheobronchial tree. Recently, several controlled human studies have shown that the combination of exercise and pollutant exposure (SO2 or O3) caused a marked bronchoconstriction and reduced ventilatory flow when compared to pollution exposure at rest. In a situation like the Olympic Games where milliseconds and millimeters often determine the success of athletes, air pollution can be an important factor in affecting their performance. This paper examines possible impacts of air pollution on athletic competition.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1999

The zone diet and athletic performance.

The Zone diet is the latest eating regimen marketed to improve athletic performance by opposing traditional high carbohydrate sports diets. The 40/30/30 diet is centred primarily on protein intake (1.8 to 2.2 g/kg fat free mass; i.e. total bodyweight-fat weight) and promises a change in the body's insulin to glucagon ratio through its macronutrient alterations. Changes in the existing hormonal milieu are said to result in the production of more vasoactive eicosanoids, thus allowing greater oxygen delivery to exercising muscle. This favourable condition, known as the Zone, is anecdotally reported to benefit even the most elite endurance athletes. Applying the Zone's suggested protein needs and macronutrient distributions in practice, it is clear that it is a low carbohydrate diet by both relative and absolute standards, as well as calorie deficient by any standard. Reliable and abundant peer reviewed literature is in opposition to the suggestion that such a diet can support competitive athletic endeavours, much less improve them. The notion that a 40/30/30 diet can alter the pancreatic hormone response in favour of glucagon is also unfounded. The Zone is a mixed diet and not likely to affect pancreatic hormone release in the same way individual nutrients can. Although the postprandial insulin response is reduced when comparing a 40% with a 60% carbohydrate diet, it is still a sufficient stimulus to offset the lipolytic effects of glucagon. Many of the promised benefits of the Zone are based on selective information regarding hormonal influences on eicosanoid biology. Contradictory information is conveniently left out. The principle of vasodilating muscle arterioles by altering eicosanoid production is notably correct in theory. However, what little human evidence is available does not support any significant contribution of eicosanoids to active muscle vasodilation. In fact, the key eicosanoid reportedly produced in the Zone and responsible for improved muscle oxygenation is not found in skeletal muscle. Based on the best available scientific evidence, the Zone diet should be considered more ergolytic than ergogenic to performance.

Diet↗
PubMed2000

Perceived relative importance of psychological and physical factors in successful athletic performance.

Ratings of the perceived relative importance of psychological and physical factors for successful athletic performance were obtained from 29 men and 53 women in sports of track, swimming, soccer, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, baseball or softball, tennis, diving, and golf, by level of competition (high school, college, and professional), and sex of athlete. The over-all rating of the relative importance of psychological factors was 39%. Significant differences in the ratings of the relative importance of psychological factors were found for sport, level, sex, sport x level, and level x sex. Ratings of the relative importance of psychological factors for successful performance in various sports increased in the order listed above. The significant effect for level and interaction of sport x level were accounted for primarily by the higher ratings given to professional golf. The significant effect of sex and the interaction of sex x level were attributable to higher ratings of the importance of psychological variables for high school women athletes as compared to high school men athletes.

Achievement↗
PubMed2005

Seasonal allergy and seasonal decrements in athletic performance.

Allergic diseases are common in all age groups and locations around the world. In the United States, allergic diseases affect 20 to 40 million people annually, including 10% to 30% of adults and close to 40% of children. An estimated 15 million people in the United States have been diagnosed as having asthma, with this number on the rise. Concomitant asthma affects 67% of patients who have allergic rhinitis. As a result of the increase in ventilation during exercise, athletes in particular experience significant symptoms of allergy triggered by exposure to aeroallergens. The allergic response causes nasal and conjunctival congestion, tearing, breathing difficulties, pruritus, fatigue, and mood changes, which affect athletic performance. Systemic symptoms of anaphylaxis from allergy, although rare, can be life threatening. Several decades ago it was inconceivable that an athlete who had asthma could perform competitively, let alone win Olympic gold medals. Today, with proper diagnosis, education, and optimal therapeutic management, the allergic athlete can achieve great strides in all sports endeavors. To avoid seasonal allergic flares and maximize performance, the physician providing care for an athlete who has seasonal allergies must be aware of the climatic patterns of aeroallergen expression, and adjust exercise and pharmacologic regimens accordingly. This article summarizes the effects of allergic disease on exercise and highlights the challenges that seasonal allergy place on athletic performance. Doping considerations grant additional complexity to this issue and underscore the need for a competent, skillful, informed, and ethical approach to treating seasonal allergy in the competitive athlete.

Adolescent↗