The Neurosurgeon as a High-Performance Athlete: Parallels and Lessons Learned from Sports Psychology

Mindfulness and impulsive behavior: exploring the mediating roles of self-reflection and coping effectiveness among high-level athletes in Central China

Introduction

In the highly competitive field of sports, impulsive behavior by athletes not only threatens personal and team harmony but also poses significant risks to their careers and public image. Despite these behaviors often becoming the focus of public attention, their underlying causes and prevention strategies remain relatively unknown. This study delves deep into the impact of mindfulness on athletes' impulsive behavior, revealing the mediating roles of self-reflection and coping effectiveness.

Methods

Using a combination of snowball and convenience sampling, a sample of 403 athletes from high-level sports teams in the Central China region participated in a questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed using Amos v.23 software.

Results

The findings indicate a positive correlation between mindfulness and coping effectiveness (standardized coefficient = 0.336, p < 0.001), as well as between self-reflection and coping effectiveness (standardized coefficient = 0.406, p < 0.001). There is a negative correlation between coping effectiveness and impulsive behavior (standardized coefficient = -0.476, p < 0.001). The positive impact of mindfulness on impulsive behavior (standardized coefficient = -0.371, p < 0.01) is mediated by self-reflection and coping effectiveness. The explanatory power of this study is R2 = 0.35.

Discussion

Mindfulness reduces impulsive behavior by enhancing self-reflection capabilities and improving coping effectiveness. Based on these substantive research results, to mitigate impulsive behavior in athletes, it is recommended that the National Sports Administration and coaches actively implement mindfulness training. Additionally, targeted psychological intervention strategies should be developed to enhance athletes' mental health levels and optimize their sports performance.

Factors Influencing Performance in Laparoscopic Suturing and Knot Tying: A Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

 Laparoscopic suturing and knot tying are regarded as some of the most difficult laparoscopic skills to learn. Training is essential to reach proficiency, but available training opportunities are limited. Various techniques to improve training have been evaluated. It appears that individual-related factors affect initial performance and response to training. Thus, the current study aimed to assess factors influencing laparoscopic-suturing and knot-tying performances.

METHODS

 All patients were trained one-on-one (teacher-student) for 3 hours. Patients were tested before training (bowel anastomosis model) and directly after training (congenital diaphragmatic hernia or esophageal atresia model) to evaluate transferability. Primary endpoints were time, knot quality, precision, knot strength, and overall laparoscopic knotting performance. Moreover, factors such as (1) age, (2) gender, (3) handedness, (4) previous training or operative experience, (5) playing an instrument, (6) sportive activities, and (7) computer gaming which may influence the primary endpoints were assessed.

RESULTS

 In total, 172 medical students or novice surgical residents were included. Training significantly improved all outcome parameters assessed in the current study. More than 50% of the patients reached proficiency after 3 hours of training. Personal factors like operative experience, playing music instruments, sportive activities, and computer gaming affected some outcome parameters. Handedness and gender affected initial performance but differences partially subsided after training. Younger participants showed a much better response to training.

CONCLUSION

 In conclusion, several factors influence initial performance and response to the training of laparoscopic suturing and knot tying. Surgeons who want to improve their laparoscopic performance, should concentrate on playing a musical instrument and performing sports rather than playing videos gaming. It appears that training is a key and more practice opportunities should be incorporated into medical school and surgical curricula. Moreover, handedness may affect the outcome but only if the training concepts are not tailored to the dominant hand of the surgeon. Future training and surgical curricula should adapt to this and tailor their concepts accordingly.

Mastering Stress: Mental Skills and Emotional Regulation for Surgical Performance and Life

Mental skills and emotional regulation training are gaining acceptance in surgical education as vital elements of surgeon development. These skills can effectively enhance technical skill development, improve well-being, and promote career longevity. There is evidence emerging in the surgical education literature to support the incorporation of mental skills and emotional regulation training curricula in residency training. In this study, we present the existing evidence supporting the use of this training with high performers to reduce stress and optimize well-being and performance. We also consider the recent research emerging in surgical education that offers validity evidence for use of mental skills training with surgeons. Finally, we provide a framework to guide the incorporation of these skills throughout the career of a surgeon and suggest methods to promote the development of mental skills training efforts nationally.

A 1-week diet break improves muscle endurance during an intermittent dieting regime in adult athletes: A pre-specified secondary analysis of the ICECAP trial

Athletes undergoing energy restriction for weight/fat reduction sometimes apply ‘diet breaks’ involving increased energy intake, but there is little empirical evidence of effects on outcomes. Twenty-six resistance-trained athletes (11/26 or 42% female) who had completed 12 weeks of intermittent energy restriction participated in this study. Participants had a mean (SD) age of 29.3 (6.4) years, a weight of 72.7 (15.9) kg, and a body fat percentage of 21.3 (7.5) %. During the 1-week diet break, energy intake was increased (by means of increased carbohydrate intake) to predicted weight maintenance requirements. While the 1-week diet break had no significant effect on fat mass, it led to small but significant increases in mean body weight (0.6 kg, P<0.001), fat-free mass (0.7 kg, P<0.001) and in resting energy expenditure, from a mean (and 95% confidence interval) of 7000 (6420 to 7580) kJ/day to 7200 (6620 to 7780) kJ/day (P = 0.026). Overall, muscle endurance in the legs (but not arms) improved after the diet break, including significant increases in the work completed by the quadriceps and hamstrings in a maximum-effort 25-repetition set, with values increasing from 2530 (2170 to 2890) J to 2660 (2310 to 3010) J (P = 0.018) and from 1280 (1130 to 1430) J to 1380 (1220 to 1540) J (P = 0.018) following the diet break, respectively. However, muscle strength did not change. Participants reported significantly lower sensations of hunger (P = 0.017), prospective consumption (P = 0.020) and irritability (P = 0.041) after the diet break, and significantly higher sensations of fullness (P = 0.002), satisfaction (P = 0.002), and alertness (P = 0.003). In summary, a 1-week diet break improved muscle endurance in the legs and increased mental alertness, and reduced appetite and irritability. With this considered, it may be wise for athletes to coordinate diet breaks with training sessions that require muscle endurance of the legs and/or mental focus, as well as in the latter parts of a weight loss phase when increases in appetite might threaten dietary adherence. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Reference Number: ACTRN12618000638235 anzctr.org.au.