Recreational soccer is an effective health-promoting activity for untrained men

Health Benefits of Different Sports: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal and Intervention Studies Including 2.6 Million Adult Participants

BACKGROUND

Several reviews have examined the health benefits of participation in specific sports, such as baseball, cricket, cross-country skiing, cycling, downhill skiing, football, golf, judo, rugby, running and swimming. However, new primary studies on the topic have recently been published, and the respective meta-analytic evidence needs to be updated.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review, summarise and appraise evidence on physical health benefits of participation in different recreational sports.

METHODS

Searches for journal articles were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SpoLit, SPORTDiscus, Sports Medicine & Education Index and Web of Science. We included longitudinal and intervention studies investigating physical health outcomes associated with participation in a given sport among generally healthy adults without disability.

RESULTS

A total of 136 papers from 76 studies conducted among 2.6 million participants were included in the review. Our meta-analyses of available evidence found that: (1) cycling reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 16% (pooled hazard ratio [HR] = 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80, 0.89), all-cause mortality by 21% (HR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.84), cancer mortality by 10% (HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.96) and cardiovascular mortality by 20% (HR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.86); (2) football has favourable effects on body composition, blood lipids, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, cardiovascular function at rest, cardiorespiratory fitness and bone strength (p < 0.050); (3) handball has favourable effects on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.050); (4) running reduces the risk of all-cause mortality by 23% (HR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.85), cancer mortality by 20% (HR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.89) and cardiovascular mortality by 27% (HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.94) and improves body composition, cardiovascular function at rest and cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.010); and (5) swimming reduces the risk of all-cause mortality by 24% (HR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.92) and improves body composition and blood lipids (p < 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

A range of physical health benefits are associated with participation in recreational cycling, football, handball, running and swimming. More studies are needed to enable meta-analyses of health benefits of participation in other sports. PROSPERO registration number CRD42021234839.

Exploring the relationship among soccer-related knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-health in Chinese campus soccer education

China has promoted campus soccer for over a decade due to its potential health benefits. The study aimed to explore soccer knowledge (SK), soccer attitude (SA), soccer practice (SP), and health status among Chinese freshmen and sophomore undergraduates who had received campus soccer education. Of the 7419 participants, 1,069 were valid and included in the analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) results indicated SK is positively associated with SA (p < 0.001), but negatively with SP (p < 0.01). SA was positively linked to SP (p < 0.001). SK indirectly affected SP through SA (Z = 13.677). Random forest-tree-structured Parzen estimators (RF-TPE) with SHAP indicated SP holds primary importance with a strong negative impact on health. Additionally, differences in rankings for SK, SA, and SP were observed among gender and urban-rural groups. These results reveal current campus soccer education is suboptimal to health promotion.

Cardiovascular risk of veterans' football: An observational cohort study with follow-up

BACKGROUND

The cardiac stress for veteran football players during match is considerable. In this specific elderly population, the kinetics of exercise-induced cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and B-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) could potentially be related to cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and cardiovascular disease and are therefore be investigated for their usefulness as an complement to established screening measures.

METHODS

cTnI and BNP was measured in 112 veteran football players (age: 51 ± 10 years) within 30 minutes pre- and post-match. Players with elevated cTnI (cTnI-positive) and a control group (out of the 112 veteran players) with normal cTnI (cTnI-negative) underwent cardiac follow-up 4.2 ± 3.5 months post-match, comprising history, resting and stress ECG (including 30 minutes pre- and post cTnI and BNP), and echocardiography.

RESULTS

In 33 players (29%) cTnI and in 6 players BNP (5%) exceeded the upper range limit for increased risk of myocardial damage (cTnI ≥ 5 ng/l) and myocardial wall stress (BNP ≥ 100 pg/ml) post-match, respectively. No correlation was observed between Δ cTnI (pre- vs. post-match) and the number of CVRF (r = -0.06, p = 0.50). Follow-up was conducted in 62 players (31 cTnI-positive and 31 cTnI-negative players) of which 6 (10%, 3 cTnI positive and 3 cTnI negative players) had cardiac abnormalities (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy n = 2, coronary artery disease n = 2, coronary artery anomaly n = 1, hypertensive heart disease n = 1).

CONCLUSION

Veterans' football matches elicit increases in BNP and particularly cTnI in a considerable number of players. However, these biochemical alterations do not indicate acute cardiac damage as evidenced by follow-up. Routine determination of cardiac biomarkers is unlikely to improve cardiovascular screening in veteran football players.

Health and performance effects of 12 weeks of small-sided street football training compared to grass football training in habitually active young men

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the health and exercise performance effects of street football training on very small pitches surrounded by boards in young habitually active men in comparison to small-sided football training on grass.

METHODS

Thirty-nine habitually active men (30.7 ± 6.7 years, 90.9 ± 16.6 kg, 183.8 ± 4.5 cm, 39.6 ± 6.0 mL/min/kg) were randomly assigned to a street football training group (ST) or grass football group (GR) playing small-sided games for 70 min, 1.5 and 1.7 times per week for 12 weeks, respectively, or an inactive control group (CO). Intensity during training was measured using heart rate (HR) and GPS units. Pre- and post-intervention, a test battery was completed.

RESULTS

Mean HR (87.1 ± 5.0 vs. 84.0 ± 5.3%HRmax; P > 0.05) and percentage of training time above 90%HRmax (44 ± 28 vs. 34 ± 24%; P > 0.05) were not different between ST and GR. VO2max increased (P < 0.001) by 3.6[95% CI 1.8;5.4]mL/min/kg in GR with no significant change in ST or CO. HR during running at 8 km/h decreased (P < 0.001) by 14[10;17]bpm in ST and by 12[6;19]bpm in GR, with no change in CO. No changes were observed in blood pressure, resting HR, total body mass, lean body mass, whole-body bone mineral density, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, plasma insulin, total cholesterol(C), LDL-C or HDL-C. Moreover, no changes were observed in Yo-Yo IE2 performance, 30-m sprint time, jump length or postural balance.

CONCLUSION

Small-sided street football training for 12 weeks with 1-2 weekly sessions led to improvements in submaximal exercise capacity only, whereas recreational grass football training confirmed previous positive effects on submaximal exercise capacity as well as cardiorespiratory fitness.

Sensor-Based Assessment of Time-of-Day-Dependent Physiological Responses and Physical Performances during a Walking Football Match in Higher-Weight Men

Monitoring key physiological metrics, including heart rate and heart rate variability, has been shown to be of value in exercise science, disease management, and overall health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diurnal variation of physiological responses and physical performances using digital biomarkers as a precise measurement tool during a walking football match (WFM) in higher-weight men. Nineteen males (mean age: 42.53 ± 12.18 years; BMI: 33.31 ± 4.31 kg·m-2) were engaged in a WFM at two different times of the day. Comprehensive evaluations of physiological parameters (e.g., cardiac autonomic function, lactate, glycemia, and oxygen saturation), along with physical performance, were assessed before, during, and after the match. Overall, there was a significant interaction (time of day x WFM) for mean blood pressure (MBP) (p = 0.007) and glycemia (p = 0.039). Glycemia decreased exclusively in the evening after WFM (p = 0.001), while mean blood pressure did not significantly change. Rating of perceived exertion was significantly higher in the evening than in the morning (p = 0.04), while the heart rate recovery after 1 min (HRR60s) of the match was lower in the evening than in the morning (p = 0.048). Overall, walking football practice seems to be safe, whatever the time of day. Furthermore, HRR60, glycemia, and (MBP) values were lower in the evening compared to the morning, suggesting that evening exercise practice could be safer for individuals with higher weight. The utilization of digital biomarkers for monitoring health status during WFM has been shown to be efficient.

The Standard Error/Standard Deviation Mix-Up: Potential Impacts on Meta-Analyses in Sports Medicine

BACKGROUND

A recent review found that 45% of meta-analyses included statistical errors, of which, the most common was the calculation of effect sizes based on standard error (SE) rather than standard deviation (SD) [the SE/SD mix-up].

OBJECTIVES

The first aim of this study was to assess the impact of the SE/SD mix-up on the results of one highly cited meta-analysis. Our second aim was to identify one potential source of the SE/SD mix-up, by assessing how often SE is reported as a measure of sample variability in randomised controlled trials in sports medicine.

METHODS

We checked for potential SE/SD mix-ups in a 2015 meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials reporting the effects of recreational football interventions on aerobic fitness in adults. We corrected effect sizes affected by SE/SD mix-ups and re-analysed the data according to the original methodology. We compared pooled estimates of effect sizes from our re-analysis of corrected values with those of the original study. To assess how often SE was reported instead of SD as a measure of sample variance, we text mined results of randomised controlled trials from seven sports medicine journals and reported the proportion reporting of SE versus SD.

RESULTS

We identified potential SE/SD mix-ups in 9/16 effect sizes included in the meta-analysis describing the effects of football-based interventions versus non-exercise control. The published effect size was standardised mean difference (SMD) = 1.46 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91, 2.01). After correcting for SE/SD mix-ups, our re-analysis produced a smaller pooled estimate (SMD = 0.54 [95% CI 0.37, 0.71]). The original pooled estimate for trials comparing football versus running interventions was SMD = 0.68 (95% CI 0.06, 1.4). After correcting for SE/SD mix-ups and re-analysis, the effect was no longer statistically significant (SMD = 0.20 [95% CI - 0.10, 0.49)]). We found that 19.3% of randomised controlled trials reported SE rather than SD to describe sample variability. The relative frequency of the practice ranged from 0 to 25% across the seven journals sampled.

CONCLUSIONS

We found the SE/SD mix-up had inflated estimates for the effects of football on aerobic fitness. Meta-analysts should be vigilant to avoid miscalculating effect sizes. Authors, reviewers and editors should avoid and discourage (respectively) the practice of reporting SE as a measure of sample variability in sports medicine research.

Physiological and locomotor variations of 3v3 and 5v5 small-sided games soccer formats: A 4-month study on sedentary young adults

The objectives of this study were twofold: (a) to analyze the variability of 3v3 and 5v5 small-sided games (SSG) formats in sedentary young adults, and (b) to compare the physiological and locomotor demands of 3v3 and 5v5 SSG formats while considering variations based on sex. The study followed a longitudinal design over 4 months. Thirty sedentary young adults with a mean age of 20.2 ± 1.0 years, height of 1.67 ± 0.06 m, and body mass of 86.3 ± 11.8 kg were included in the study. The participants engaged in 3v3 and 5v5 SSG formats, with each format being played 10 times per month. During each session, heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and total distance were measured and analyzed. The within-player variability for HR ranged from a minimum of 1.6% to a maximum of 2.8% (considering the levels at each month), while the between-players variability for HR ranged from a minimum of 1.4% to a maximum of 2.6% (considering the levels at each month). Similar variability patterns were observed for the other outcomes. In terms of comparisons between the formats, the 3v3 format resulted in higher RPE than the 5v5 format for both male (p = 0.006) and female (p = 0.628) participants, as well as for the other outcome measures. In summary, these findings highlight the reproducibility of physiological responses in 3v3 and 5v5 SSG among sedentary individuals. Notably, the 3v3 format consistently induced higher RPE levels. These findings underscore the importance of programming SSG based on sex and format preferences for optimizing exercise outcomes in sedentary.

Effects of recreational small-sided games from different team sports on the improvement of aerobic fitness in youth sedentary populations: A systematic review

Aerobic fitness is a critical aspect of overall health and well-being, essential for maintaining a high quality of life. Unfortunately, sedentary behavior has been on the rise among young adults, and this has had a negative impact on their aerobic fitness levels. Therefore, it is crucial to identify enjoyable physical exercise training programs that can play a pivotal role in improving aerobic fitness. The objective of this study was to systematically review the experimental studies concerning the impact of small-sided games (SSGs) training programs, implemented across various team sports, on the enhancement of aerobic fitness in a youth sedentary population. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science on August 01, 2023. Our eligibility criteria focused on studies involving sedentary youth populations (aged <18 years) as the target population. These studies needed to incorporate interventions based on SSGs as the intervention of interest, comparing them to passive or control groups as the comparator. The primary outcomes of interest were related to maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), assessed either directly or indirectly, or the results of field-based cardiorespiratory tests. We specifically considered two- or multi-arm randomized controlled studies as the study design of interest. Out of the initial pool of 1980 studies, we reviewed 38 full-text articles, ultimately selecting and analyzing 13 studies for inclusion in our review. Among the studies included, a total of 1281 participants were enrolled in SSG-based interventions, while 744 participants acted as part of the control groups. Regarding the impact on VO2max, the six studies that investigated this outcome showed varying improvements, ranging from 2.2 % to 31.3 % when participants were exposed to SSGs. In terms of the outcome related to endurance performance in field-based tests, the eight studies that examined this aspect found that participants exposed to SSGs showed improvements ranging from 0.1 % to 79.8 %. In conclusion, this systematic review suggests that SSG-based interventions conducted among sedentary youth populations can play a positive role in improving their aerobic fitness. This improvement in aerobic fitness can have potential positive impacts on their overall health and quality of life.

Recreational futsal provides broad-spectrum fitness and health benefits but no blood pressure effects in men with treated hypertension - a randomised controlled trial

We determined the coadjuvant effect of a recreational futsal (RF) programme versus standard care alone (CON) in men with treated arterial hypertension (TAHT). Thirty-nine men with TAHT were randomised to RF (N = 20; 48 ± 8 years; systolic blood pressure [SBP]: 122 ± 14 mmHg) with 2-3 one-hour sessions/week for 3 months, or to CON (N = 19; 51 ± 6 years; SBP: 126 ± 13 mmHg). Participants were assessed at baseline, at 3 months, and after 1 month of training cessation (4 months). Mean training attendance was 60 ± 23%. At 3-months, there were no between-group differences in BP parameters (SBP: 0.44 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.79, 6.67). However, compared to CON, RF was effective for peak oxygen uptake (2.76 mL.min-1.kg-1; 95% CI: 0.26, 5.26), time to exhaustion (1.15 min; 95% CI: 0.59, 1.69), Yo-Yo IE1 performance (365 m; 95% CI: 175, 556), resting heart rate (RHR; -5 b.min-1; 95% CI: -10, -1), glycated haemoglobin (-0.52 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.84, -0.19), blood glucose (-0.25 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.44, -0.06), left femur bone mineral content (1.96 g; 95% CI: 0.29, 3.65), and postural balance (-2.3 falls; 95% CI: -3.9, -0.6). Similar findings were observed after 1-month of training cessation, except for RHR and blood glucose that returned to baseline levels in the RF group. In conclusion, RF provides broad-spectrum fitness and health benefits but no BP effects in men with TAHT.

The Impact of Sport-discipline and Sex on Physical Fitness and Bone Markers in Athletes

This study was performed to determine the impact of sex and sport-discipline on physical fitness and bone markers in young sub-elite track and field athletes. One hundred and forty-four track and field sub-elite athletes (78 males aged 17.8±1.6 years; 66 females aged 17.2±1.9 years) volunteered to participate in this study and were categorized according to their disciplines in endurance (EG: n=67) or power athletes (PG: n=77). A significant main effect of sex was observed for C-telopeptide type I collagen (CTx) (F=11.37; p<0.001; η2=0.10, moderate), for osteocalcin (OC) (F=8.58; p<0.004; η2=0.09, moderate) and for N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PINP) (F=7.96; p<0.05; η2=0.07, moderate). The average CTx, OC and P1NP levels were significantly higher in males compared with females (0.05 Collapse

Key Words Collapse

MESH Headings

• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Sports
• Athletes
• Collagen Type I
• Exercise
• Physical Fitness
• Biomarkers
• Peptide Fragments

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Grants Collapse

Affiliation(s)

Ammar Nebigh Research Laboratory Education, Motricity, Sports and Health, High Institute of Sport and Physical Education, Sfax University, Sfax, Tunisia Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar Saîd, University of "La Manouba", Tunis, Tunisia
Imed Touhami National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports, Tunisian Research Laboratory "Sports Performance Optimization", National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports (CNMSS), Tunis, Tunisia
Mokhtar Chtara Unit Head, Science Studies and Research, Sharjah Women's Sports, UAE Tunisian Research Laboratory "Sport Performance Optimization", National Center of Medicine and Science in Sports, Tunis, Tunisia
Karuppasamy Govindasamy Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
Chandrababu Surech Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
Rawad El Hage Department of Physical Education, University of Balamand, Balamand, Lebanon
Ayoub Saeidi Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran
Daniel Boullosa INISA, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, Universidad de León, León, Spain
Cain C T Clark Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Urs Granacher University of Freiburg, Department of Sport and Sport Science, Exercise and Human Movement Science, Freiburg, Germany
Hassane Zouhal UFR APS, laboratoire Mouvement Sport Sante, Rennes, France Institut International des Sciences du Sport (2I2S), Irodouer, France

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Intermittent high-intensity exercise for pre- to established hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of intermittent high-intensity exercise training ([IHIE], including high-intensity interval training [HIIT] and recreational team sports [RTS]) on systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in adults with pre- to established arterial hypertension.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, and SPORTDiscus.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the impact of IHIE on BP versus a non-exercise control.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently conducted all procedures. Mean differences were calculated using random-effects model. The certainty of the evidence was assessed with GRADE.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven RCTs (18 HIIT and 9 RTS) were analyzed, with median duration of 12 weeks. Participants' (n = 946) median age was 46 years. Overall, IHIE decreased SBP (-3.29 mmHg; 95% CI: -5.19, -1.39) and DBP (-2.62 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.79, -1.44) compared to the control group. IHIE elicited higher decreases in office SBP and DBP of hypertensive subjects (SBP: -7.13 mmHg, [95% CI: -10.12, -4.15]; DBP: -5.81 mmHg, [95% CI: -7.94, -3.69]) than pre-hypertensive (SBP: -2.14 mmHg, [95% CI: -4.36, -0.08]; DBP: -1.83 mmHg, [95% CI: -2.99, -0.67]). No significant differences were found between HIIT (SBP: -2.12 mmHg, [95% CI: -4.78, -0.54]; DBP: -1.89 mmHg, [95% CI: -3.32, -0.48]) and RTS (SBP: -4.18 mmHg, [95% CI: -7.19, -2.43]; DBP: -4.04 mmHg, [95% CI: -6.00, -2.09]). These findings present low/very low certainty of evidence. No adverse cardiovascular events were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

IHIE appears to be safe and to promote substantial decreases in BP, particularly in patients with hypertension. However, the certainty of evidence was low/very low.

PROTOCOL

CRD42020163575.

The effects of a 1-year recreational football protocol on bone health parameters in a group of healthy inactive 50-year-old men

The main aim of the current study was to explore the effects of a 1-year recreational football protocol on bone health parameters (bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), femoral neck geometry and composite indices of femoral neck strength) in a group of healthy inactive 50-year-old men. 51 middle-aged men voluntarily participated in this study, but only 41 of them completed it. Thus, the study population included 11 former football (FF) players and 30 inactive men. Inactive men were assigned to 3 different groups: controls (n=10), recreational football 30 (RF30; n=10) and recreational football 60 (RF60; n=10). The RF30 group performed two sessions of recreational football per week; the duration of each session was 30 minutes. The RF60 group performed two sessions of recreational football per week; the duration of each session was 60 minutes. The current study has demonstrated that whole body (WB) BMC, femoral neck BMD, cross-sectional moment of inertia, compression strength index, bending strength index and impact strength index increased in both experimental groups (RF30 and RF60) but not in the control group. The percentages of variations in bone health parameters were not significantly different between RF30 and RF60. In conclusion, this study suggests that recreational football is an effective method to improve bone health parameters in middle-aged men. In the studied population, most of the bone health benefits occurred after a low volume training protocol (2 * 30 minutes of recreational football per week).

Association between Soccer Participation and Liking or Being Proficient in It: A Survey Study of 38,258 Children and Adolescents in China

Soccer participation among children and adolescents is low in China. To achieve a coordinated development of soccer in all regions and to promote the physical health of children and adolescents, this study aims to identify the influencing factors regarding the participation of children and adolescents in soccer programs through a cross-sectional analysis of the “soccer population” of children and adolescents. A total of 38,258 children and adolescents aged 7–18 years were included in this study. In addition, the analysis was conducted by dividing the regions where the children and adolescents live into three parts according to socioeconomic status, and by incorporating five dimensions, including environment, family, school, community, and individual levels to find the influencing factors of children and adolescents’ participation in soccer. Chi-square test, Pearson’s correlation, and one-way logistic regression analyses were used. The results showed that the area (r = 0.487) and the average annual precipitation (r = −0.367) were associated with the participation of children and adolescents in soccer programs. Moreover, the percentage of children and adolescents who participated in soccer programs (24.5%) was higher than those who liked soccer or were proficient in it (14.4%). Meanwhile, parental encouragement and support (OR = 0.627; 95% CI, 1.102–3.179), as well as the accessibility (OR = 0.558; 95% CI, 1.418–2.155), availability (OR = 1.419; 95% CI, 1.179–1.707), and safety of sports facilities (OR = 0.316; 95% CI, 0.614–0.865), influence children and adolescents’ participation in soccer programs.

How Can Sport-Based Interventions Improve Health among Women and Girls? A Scoping Review

Sport has been identified by the World Health Organization as an underutilized yet important contributor to global physical activity, by UNESCO as a fundamental right, and by the United Nations as a promising driver for gender equity through improved long-term health of women and girls. Although sport-based interventions have been popularized to advance educational, social, and political development globally, little attention has been given to its impacts on health outcomes among women and girls. We undertook a scoping review of research on sport-based interventions for health among women and girls to summarize current research approaches and findings. PRISMA scoping review guidelines were observed. Online databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were used to identify peer-reviewed records published through August 2022. The interventions identified (n = 4) targeted health outcomes such as gender-based violence, HIV prevention, reproductive health, and child marriage. Based on our review, we recommend four key opportunities to advance the field of sport-based interventions in addressing health equity among women and girls. In addition, we highlight promising future research directions to broaden sport engagement of women and girls, improve long-term health, and build capacity toward health equity.

Easier in Practice Than in Theory: Experiences of Coaches in Charge of Community-Based Soccer Training for Men with Prostate cancer—A Descriptive Qualitative Study

Background

Evidence suggests that community-based exercise programs and sports participation benefit long-term physical activity adherence and promote health in clinical populations. Recent research shows that community-based soccer can improve mental health and bone health and result in fewer hospital admissions in men with prostate cancer. However, little knowledge exists on what coaches experience, leading to a scarcity of knowledge on how to assist them in promoting and supporting the sustainability of programs. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of non-professional soccer coaches in providing community-based soccer training for men with prostate cancer.

Results

We interviewed 13 out of 21 eligible non-professional soccer coaches in charge of delivering the Football Club Prostate Community program, which is community-based soccer training for men with prostate cancer at 12 local soccer clubs across Denmark. Qualitative content analysis, as described by Graneheim and Lundman, was applied to analyze the data using NVivo 12 software. We identified the five following overall categories with 10 subcategories on what the coaches experienced: (1) enabling training of a clinical population in a community setting, (2) dedication based on commitment, (3) coaching on the players’ terms, (4) navigating the illness, and (5) ensuring sustainability. Collectively, the findings suggest that, while the coaches felt adequately prepared to coach, their coaching role developed and was refined only through interaction with the players, indicating that coaching clinical populations may be easier in practice than in theory and a potentially transformative learning experience.

Conclusions

Non-professional soccer coaches in charge of delivering soccer training for men with prostate cancer value being educated about specific illness-related issues. Initial concerns about how to coach a clinical population disappeared once the coaches engaged with the players and developed their own team norms and illness management strategies. They also gained a broader perspective on their own lives, which they valued and would not otherwise have achieved by coaching a healthy population. Our study indicates that sustainable implementation and the program’s sustainability can be promoted and supported through additional formal, easily accessible communication with trained health professionals and by networking with peer coaches.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40798-022-00424-z.

Effects of Low vs Moderate Dose of Recreational Football on Cardiovascular Risk Factors

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of recreational football performed once (LOW) vs. twice (MOD) a week on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy, sedentary men. Body composition, resting blood pressure, blood lipid profile and maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) were measured at baseline, after a 12-week control and training period, using an interrupted time series study (study 1, n=18: n=8, LOW and n=10, MOD) nested in a randomised parallel trial (study 2, n=34: n=18 LOW and n=16 MOD). After the intervention in the study 1, LDL-Cholesterol (-12.3 mg•dL-¹ [-22.7 to -2.0]) and VO₂max (4.5 ml•kg-¹•min-¹ [1.2 to 7.8 ]) changed in LOW whereas differences were found in weight (-2.1 kg [-3.7 to -0.4]), BMI (-0.7 kg•m^-2 [-1.2 to -0.1]), total cholesterol (-22.2 mg•dL-¹ [-36.0 to -8.4]), no-HDL-cholesterol (-17.5 mg•dL-¹ [-30.5 to -4.5]), LDL-cholesterol (-14.9 mg•dL-¹ [-23.6 to -6.2]) and VO₂max (5.7 ml•kg-¹•min-¹ [2.8 to 8.6]) in MOD. Study 2 showed no evidence of differences between groups. Our results therefore, suggest positive health effects of recreational football even when performed at low frequency as it can happen in real context.

Comparative Efficacy of 5 Exercise Types on Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of 81 Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Although regular exercise is recommended for preventing and treating overweight/obesity, the most effective exercise type for improving cardiometabolic health in individuals with overweight/obesity remains largely undecided. This network meta-analysis aimed to evaluate and rank the comparative efficacy of 5 exercise modalities on cardiometabolic health measures in individuals with overweight/obesity.

METHODS

A database search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception up to September 2020. The review focused on randomized controlled trials involving exercise interventions consisting of continuous endurance training, interval training, resistance training, combined aerobic and resistance training (combined training), and hybrid-type training. Exercise interventions aimed to improve somatometric variables, body composition, lipid metabolism, glucose control, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular strength. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate eligible studies. A random-effects network meta-analysis was performed within a frequentist framework. The intervention ranking was carried out using a Bayesian model where mean and SD were equal to the respective frequentist estimates.

RESULTS

A total of 4331 participants (59% female; mean age: 38.7±12.3 years) from 81 studies were included. Combined training was the most effective modality and hybrid-type training the second most effective in improving cardiometabolic health-related outcomes in these populations suggesting a higher efficacy for multicomponent exercise interventions compared to single-component modalities, that is, continuous endurance training, interval training, and resistance training. A subgroup analysis revealed that the effects from different exercise types were mediated by gender.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings corroborate the latest guidelines on exercise for individuals with overweight/obesity highlighting the importance of a multicomponent exercise approach to improve cardiometabolic health. Physicians and healthcare professionals should consider prescribing multicomponent exercise interventions to adults with overweight/obesity to maximize clinical outcomes.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; Unique identifier: CRD42020202647.

Regular Physical Activities Inhibit Risk Factors of the Common Cold Among Chinese Adults

Background

Physical activity (PA) has a significant health impact worldwide and has been linked to a lower risk of the common cold.

Objective

The aim of this study was to estimate the form of PA among Chinese adults and the correlation between PA and number of the common cold in China's eastern, central, and western areas.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

China's eastern, central, and western regions from 30 November 2020 to 30 March 2021.

Patients

A total of 1,920 healthy participants, who aged over 18 years old, with Internet access, were enrolled, and then self-reported PA behaviors and number of the common cold were collected.

Measurements

The authors calculated preference, intensity, frequency, and duration of PA in Chinese based on gender, age, and broad occupational categories and explored the potential effect between these factors and the common cold.

Results

Approximately 20.4% of participants reported not participating in sports regularly. Except for gender, there were significant differences in PA preference and intensity among the remaining individuals (P <0.05). Sixteen common exercises were divided into three intensity levels by the Borg CR10 Scale: low- (5), moderate- (8), and high-intensity exercises (3), and the corresponding intensity, frequency, and duration were computed with significant differences (P <0.05). The most popular workouts are “Brisk walking” and “Running.” Age, sex, and occupation had no significant effect on colds (P > 0.05). However, intensity shows a U-shaped dose-response relationship with colds, whereas the frequency and duration have an inverse dose-response relationship (P <0.05). High intensity combined with high frequency increased colds the most. Nevertheless, non-exercise groups always have the most colds in each comparison.

Limitations

The result may be vulnerable to recall bias.

Conclusion

Intensity showed that U-shape, frequency, and duration showed inverse response to the number of colds last year, but age, sex, and occupation had no significant effects. High intensity and high frequency mixed increased colds the most, regardless of duration.

Skeletal muscle gene expression in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing calorie-restricted diet and recreational sports training - a randomized clinical trial

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a 12-week calorie-restricted diet and recreational sports training on gene expressions IL15, ATROGIN1 and MURF-1 in skeletal muscle of T2D patients.

METHODS

Older adults with T2D (n = 39, 60 ± 6.0 years, BMI 33.5 ± 0.6 kg/m²) were randomly allocated to Diet+Soccer (DS), Diet+Running (DR) or Diet (D). The training sessions were moderate-to-high-intensity and performed 3 × 40 min/week for 12-weeks. Gene expression from vastus lateralis muscle obtained by qRT-PCR, dual-energy X-ray and fasting blood testing measurements were performed before and after 12-weeks. Statistical analysis adopted were two-way ANOVA and Paired t-test for gene expression, and RM-ANOVA test for the remainder variables.

RESULTS

Total body weight was reduced in ~4 kg representing body fat mass in all groups after 12-weeks (P < 0.05). HbA1c values decreased in all groups post-intervention. Lipids profile improved in the training groups (P < 0.05) after 12-weeks. ATROGIN1 and MURF-1 mRNA reduced in the DS (1.084 ± 0.14 vs. 0.754 ± 1.14 and (1.175 ± 0.34 vs. 0.693 ± 0.12, respectively; P < 0.05), while IL15 mRNA increased in the DR (1056 ± 0,12 vs. 1308 ± 0,13; P < 0.05) after 12-weeks intervention.

CONCLUSION

Recreational training with a moderate calorie-restricted diet can downregulates the expression of atrophy-associated myokines and increases the expression of anti-inflammatory gene IL15.

Effects of training on plasmatic cortisol and testosterone in football female referees

There is very little about the impact that sports training has on female football referees. Therefore, we determined the effects of a 40-week physical preparation, including a full football season, on plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations and physical performance in female football referees. Plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations were assayed together with fitness tests at the beginning of the training period (T0, in September), after 8 weeks from T0 (T1), at the mid of the season (T2, 24 weeks after T0), and at the end of the season (T3, in June, 40 weeks after T0). Plasma cortisol increased during the first period and up to T2 (from 15.4 ± 4.7 to 28.5 ± 3.9 µg/dl; p < 0.001), and then decreased at the end of the season (T3: 16.0 ± 2.4 µg/dl). Plasma testosterone concentration in T0 was 14.2±0.37 µg/dl and increased in T1 (57.1 ± 3.7 µg/dl) and T2 (47 ± 3.7 µg/dl) and then decreased in T3 (33.5 ± 2.8 µg/dl). Resting testosterone levels in women were very low (14,2 ± 0.37 µg/dl) (Figure 3c). Testosterone increased in T1 (57.1 ± 3.7 µg/dl) and T2 (47 ± 3.7 µg/dl) whilst, at the end of the season, its concentration decreased (33.5 ± 2.8 µg/dl) (Figure 3c). Significant improvements were observed in all physical performances during the observed period (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Finally, testosterone and cortisol concentrations significantly (p < 0.0001 for both) correlated with maximal oxygen consumption. In T1, testosterone concentration was also significantly correlated with running speed test (p < 0.001). In conclusion, training induces endocrine changes in order to maintain body homeostasis in women referees. It is important that coaches and sports scientists regularly observe changes in endocrine function induced by training and matches in female referees, because they can help maximize referees' performance and limit cases of overtraining.

Effects of recreational sports and combined training on blood pressure and glycated hemoglobin in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Combined resistance and aerobic training (CT) is the most suitable form of exercise training to simultaneously improve strength and cardiometabolic profile in middle-aged and older adults. Recreational sports (RS) emerge as an alternative to CT to improve these outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis on the effects of RS and CT on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in middle-aged and older adults and to compare these exercise interventions to a non-exercising control group (CON).

METHODS

Search was conducted using the databases at PubMed, COCHRANE and SciELO between July and August 2020. Studies that included men and women aged ≥45 years, healthy or with values for SBP ≥130 mmHg or DBP ≥80 mmHg or with type 2 diabetes and performed RS or CT versus CON.

RESULTS

From 6017 records, 27 studies were included (9 RS and 18 CT). The analysis included 1411 participants with 55 ± 8 years. RS and CT were associated with reductions in SBP (RS: -7.2 mmHg, P = 0.03; CT: -3.6 mmHg, P < 0.001) and DBP (RS: -3.6 mmHg, P = 0.02; CT: -3.1 mmHg, P < 0.001) versus CON. Only CT was associated with a reduction in HbA1c versus CON (-0.47%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

RS and CT are effective exercise interventions to improve BP in middle-aged and older adults. CT seems to be an excellent strategy to reduce HbA1c, and future studies are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of RS to improve HbA1c.

Intensity-Modified Recreational Volleyball Training Improves Health Markers and Physical Fitness in 25-55-Year-Old Men

The present study is aimed at determining the effects of intensity-modified recreational volleyball training on health markers and physical fitness in healthy middle-aged men. Thirty-four healthy untrained men aged 25–55 years were randomized to either a modified recreational volleyball group (MRV, n = 17) or a recreational volleyball group (RV, n = 17). Both groups performed volleyball training twice a week over 12 weeks, with participants in MRV playing a modified game with higher intensity due to shorter breaks between rallies. The small to moderate improvements of both groups were observed in SBP (MRV g_av = −0.50 [-0.67, -0.33] vs. RV g_av = −0.37 [-0.55, -0.20]) to a similar extent (p = 0.12). However, only the MRV significantly improved (p < 0.001) the mean body weight (g_av = −0.35 [-0.52, -0.18]) and BMI (g_av = −0.39 [-0.56, -0.22]) to a moderate extent and the YYIR1 performance (g_av = 2.45 [2.22, 2.69]) to a large extent. Even though both groups significantly improved the rest HR, the mean change of rest HR was significantly greater in MRV as compared to the RV (p < 0.001,  ŋ_p² = 0.47). The study revealed that an intensity-modified type of recreational volleyball, involving shorter breaks between rallies, improves cardiorespiratory fitness and health markers for men aged 25–55 years.

Effect of Boards in Small-Sided Street Soccer Games on Movement Pattern and Physiological Response in Recreationally Active Young Men

Randers, MB, Brix, J, Hagman, M, Nielsen, JJ, and Krustrup, P. Effect of boards in small-sided street soccer games on movement pattern and physiological response in recreationally active young men. J Strength Cond Res 34(12): 3530-3537, 2020-This study investigated whether street soccer might be proposed as an alternative to recreational small-sided games on grass as a health-enhancing activity and, specifically, the effects of the boards surrounding the pitch. Eleven recreationally active young men (28.4 ± 4.2 SD years, 19.9 ± 4.2% body fat, and 47.7 ± 6.0 ml·min·kg), after familiarization, completed one to 2 sessions of 20 × 13-m 3v3 street soccer games with boards (WBs) and one to 2 sessions without boards (WOBs) in a randomized order. Movement pattern was measured using global positioning system, and heart rate recordings, blood sampling, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scales were used to evaluate exercise intensity and physiological strain. Total number of accelerations (19%) and player load (18%) were higher (p ≤ 0.005) in WB than in WOB, whereas total distance covered (12%), high-speed running (59%), and peak speed (11%) were lower (p ≤ 0.003) in WB than in WOB. Moreover, HRmean was higher in WB than in WOB (85.7 ± 5.4 vs. 81.3 ± 8.2% HRmax, p = 0.012, ES = 0.64), whereas time with HR > 90% HRmax did not differ between WB and WOB (42 ± 34 vs. 32 ± 30%, p = 0.243, ES = 0.32). Plasma ammonia increased more in WB than in WOB, with no differences found in mean and peak blood lactate. Rating of perceived exertion was higher after WB than after WOB (7.1 ± 1.0 vs. 5.5 ± 1.2, p < 0.001, ES = 1.39). In conclusion, intensity was sufficiently high in both game formats to expect short- and long-term health improvements as a result of regular participation. Boards affected movement pattern and physiological demands, producing higher number of accelerations, player load, average heart rate, plasma ammonia, and RPE but lower total distance, number of intense runs, and peak speed.

Effects of Recreational Small-Sided Soccer Games on Bone Mineral Density in Untrained Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effects of small-sided games (SSG)-based training programs on bone mineral density (BMD) in untrained adults. The data sources utilized were Cochrane, Embase, Medline (PubMed), Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. The study eligibility criteria were: (i) untrained adults (>18 years old) of any sex, with or without a noncommunicable disease; (ii) SSG-based programs with a minimum duration of four weeks and no restrictions regarding frequency (number of sessions per week); (iii) passive or active control groups; (iv) pre-post values of BMD; (v) only randomized controlled trials; and (vi) only original and full-text studies written in English. The database search initially yielded 374 titles. From those, nine articles were eligible for the systematic review and meta-analysis. The age of included population varied from a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 71 years old. Non-significant differences between SSG and passive and active control groups on total BMD (ES = 0.14; p = 0.405 and ES = 0.28; p = 0.05, respectively). Meanwhile, significant differences in favor of SSGs vs. passive and control groups were detected, evidencing an improvement of BMD in lower limbs of the adult population for both sexes (ES = 0.26; p = 0.05 and ES = 0.28; p = 0.156, respectively). As conclusions, SSGs can be used as a non-pharmacological alternative to increase the BMD in the lower limbs despite having no significant impact on total body BMD. Careful generalization should be done of the level of heterogeneity.

Effects of Small-Sided Soccer Games on Physical Fitness, Physiological Responses, and Health Indices in Untrained Individuals and Clinical Populations: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Small-sided soccer games (SSSG) are a specific exercise regime with two small teams playing against each other on a relatively small pitch. There is evidence from original research that SSSG exposure provides performance and health benefits for untrained adults.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize recent evidence on the acute and long-term effects of SSSG on physical fitness, physiological responses, and health indices in healthy untrained individuals and clinical populations.

METHODS

This systematic literature search was conducted in four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus) from inception until June 2019. The following key terms (and synonyms searched for by the MeSH database) were included and combined using the operators "AND", "OR", "NOT": ((soccer OR football) AND ("soccer training" OR "football training" OR "soccer game*" OR "small-sided soccer game*") AND ("physical fitness" OR "physiological adaptation*" OR "physiological response*" OR health OR "body weight" OR "body mass" OR "body fat" OR "bone composition" OR "blood pressure")). The search syntax initially identified 1145 records. After screening for titles, abstracts, and full texts, 41 studies remained that examined the acute (7 studies) and long-term effects (34 studies) of SSSG-based training on physical fitness, physiological responses, and selected alth indices in healthy untrained individuals and clinical populations.

RESULTS

No training-related injuries were reported in the 41 acute and long-term SSSG studies. Typically, a single session of SSSG lasted 12-20 min (e.g., 3 × 4 min with 3 min rest or 5 × 4 min with 4 min rest) involving 4-12 players (2 vs. 2 to 6 vs. 6) at an intensity ≥ 80% of HR_max. Following single SSSG session, high cardiovascular and metabolic demands were observed. Specifically, based on the outcomes, the seven acute studies reported average heart rates (HR) ≥ 80% of HR_max (165-175 bpm) and mean blood lactate concentrations exceeding 5 mmol/l (4.5-5.9 mmol/l) after single SSSG sessions. Based on the results of 34 studies (20 with healthy untrained, 10 with unhealthy individuals, and 4 with individuals with obesity), SSSG training lasted between 12 and 16 weeks and was performed 2-3 times per week. SSSG had positive long-term effects on physical fitness (e.g., Yo-Yo IR1 performance), physiological responses including maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) [+ 7 to 16%], and many health-related markers such as blood pressure (reductions in systolic [- 7.5%] and diastolic [- 10.3%] blood pressure), body composition (decreased fat mass [- 2 to - 5%]), and improved indices of bone health (bone mineral density: [+ 5 to 13%]; bone mineral content: [+ 4 to 5%]), and metabolic (LDL-cholesterol [- 15%] as well as cardiac function (left-ventricular internal diastolic diameter [+ 8%], end diastolic volume [+ 21%], left-ventricular mass index [+ 18%], and left-ventricular ejection fraction [+ 8%]). Irrespective of age or sex, these health benefits were observed in both, untrained individuals and clinical populations.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, findings from this systematic review suggest that acute SSSG may elicit high cardiovascular and metabolic demands in untrained healthy adults and clinical populations. Moreover, this type of exercise is safe with positive long-term effects on physical fitness and health indices. Future studies are needed examining the long-term effects on physical fitness and physiological adaptations of different types of SSSG training (e.g., 3 vs. 3; 6 vs. 6) in comparison to continuous or interval training in different cohorts.

Running to Lower Resting Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

According to previous epidemiological studies, there are pros and cons for the relationship between running regularly and changes in resting blood pressure (RBP), and the changes may depend on the form of exercise.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of the current systematic review were to summarize the effects of running regularly on RBP and to investigate the most efficacious form of running in reducing RBP for this purpose.

METHODS

The inclusion criteria were: randomized controlled trials, involving healthy adults or adults with hypertension, the exercise group only performed regular running and the control group did not exercise, and the study reported the mean resting systolic blood pressure (RSBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (RDBP). The mean difference (MD) in RBP in each trial was defined as follows: (mean value at post-intervention in the exercise group - mean value at baseline in the exercise group) - (mean value at post-intervention in the control group - mean value at baseline in the control group) and was calculated. The weighted MD (WMD) was defined as the synthesis of all MD. A linear meta-regression analysis, exercise intensity [the percentage of maximum heart rate] (%) and total exercise time throughout the intervention (hours) were selected as explanatory variables and the MD in RBP served as the objective variable.

RESULTS

Twenty-two trials (736 subjects) were analyzed. When trials were limited to those involving healthy subjects, the WMD in RBP decreased significantly [RSBP: - 4.2 mmHg (95% confidence intervals (95% CI) - 5.9 to - 2.4); RDBP: - 2.7 mmHg (95% CI - 4.2 to - 1.1)] and did not contain significant heterogeneity (RSBP: P = 0.67, I² = 0.0%; DBP: P = 0.38, I² = 7.2%). When trials were limited to those involving subjects with hypertension, the WMD in RBP decreased significantly [RSBP: - 5.6 mmHg (95% CI - 9.1 to - 2.1); RDBP: - 5.2 mmHg (95% CI - 9.0 to - 1.4)] but contained significant heterogeneity (RSBP: P = 0.01, I² = 62.2%; DBP: P < 0.01, I² = 87.7) and a meta-regression analysis showed that the percentage of maximum heart rate was significantly associated with the WMD in RSBP [slope: 0.56 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.92), intercept: - 48.76 (95% CI - 76.30 to - 21.22), R² = 0.88] and RDBP [slope: 0.45 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.87), intercept: - 38.06 (95% CI - 72.30 to - 4.08), R² = 0.41]. When trials were limited to those involving subjects with hypertension and a mean age ≥ 40 years, a meta-regression analysis showed that total exercise time throughout the intervention was significantly associated with the WMD in RDBP [slope: 0.82 (95% CI 0.54 to 1.09), intercept: - 22.90 (95% CI - 29.04 to - 16.77), R² = 0.99].

CONCLUSIONS

Running regularly decreases RBP, but the changes in subjects with hypertension may differ depending on exercise intensity or total exercise time. Therefore, running regularly at moderate intensity and at a restrained volume is recommended to lower RBP in subjects with hypertension.

Improved metabolic fitness, but no cardiovascular health effects, of a low-frequency short-term combined exercise programme in 50-70-year-olds with low fitness: A randomized controlled trial

We evaluated the cardiometabolic effects of a 15-week combined exercise programme, implemented in sports clubs, for 50-70-year-olds with low aerobic fitness. In a randomized controlled trial, 45 participants (26 women) with low fitness were randomly assigned (2:1-ratio) to a training group (TG, n = 30) or inactive control group (CG, n = 15). TG had 15 weeks with one weekly 90-min supervised group-based session in a recreational sports club with combined aerobic exercise and strength training and were encouraged to perform home-based training 30 min/wk. Evaluations of relative VO_2max (mLO₂/min/kg), blood pressure, resting heart rate (HR), echocardiography, peripheral arterial tonometry, body composition, lipid profile and HbA1c were performed at 0 and 15 wks. Average HR during supervised training was 113 ± 13 bpm (68.6 ± 7.0%HR_max), with 4.3 ± 6.6% spent >90%HR_max. At 15-wk follow-up, intention-to-treat analyses revealed no between-group difference for VO_2max/kg (0.4 mLO₂/min/kg, 95%CI -0.8-1.5, P = 0.519; -3 mL/min, 95%CI -123-118, P = 0.966) or other cardiovascular outcomes (all P > 0.05). Compared to CG, total fat mass (-1.9 kg; 95%CI -3.2 to -0.5, P = 0.005), total fat percentage (-1.3%, 95%CI -2.2 to -0.3, P = 0.01) and total/HDL cholesterol ratio (P = 0.032) decreased in TG. Regular adherence to supervised training was high (81%), but 0% for home-based exercise. In conclusion, the group-based supervised training was associated with high adherence and moderate exercise intensity, whereas insufficiently supported home-based training was not feasible. Together, 15 wks of combined exercise training did not improve aerobic fitness or affected cardiovascular function in 50-70-yr-olds with low aerobic fitness, whereas some positive effects were observed in metabolic parameters.HighlightsCombined exercise training implemented in a sports club elicited moderate aerobic intensity in 50-70-year-old untrained individuals.Supervised group-based training had high adherence whereas unsupported home-based training had very low adherence.15 weeks of low-frequency combined moderate intensity exercise training improved lipid profile and fat mass, but had no effect on cardiovascular fitness.

The Relationship on Exercise Anticipation, Function and Self-efficacy in Patients After Knee Surgeries Over Six Months: An Observational Study

AIM

To explore the association between the exercise anticipation, function and self-efficacy in patients after knee surgeries over six months and to identify the predictors for rehabilitation.

METHODS

This observational study used the cross-sectional survey method and was divided into two stages: (1) designing the experimental video materials and answer cards about exercise anticipation, and (2) analyzing the correlation of the level of exercise anticipation, knee function, modified gait efficacy scale (mGES), self-efficacy for rehabilitation outcome scale (SER), self-efficacy for exercise scale (SEE), time up and go task (TUG) and knee joint angle in walking. We used IBM SPSS modeler 18.0 software for establishing the Bayesian network data mining model, which can identify strong positive and negative associations.

RESULTS

A total of 110 patients were included in this study. Our research confirmed that the exercise anticipation score exhibited the significant correlation with SER (r=0.552, P<0.01), SEE (r=0.457, P<0.01), TUG (r=-0.419, P<0.01) and knee joint angle in walking (r=-0.342, P<0.01). There is only one parent node of exercise expectation, that is, rehabilitation self-efficacy, which shows that the rehabilitation self-efficacy of patients after knee surgery is directly related to their ability to judge exercise expectation. Meanwhile this study verified the model results, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) is 0.572 (755/1320), indicating that the prediction performance is acceptable.

CONCLUSION

This preliminary study confirmed that improving the exercise anticipation and rehabilitation self-efficacy is an important method of enhancing the knee function in patients after knee surgeries over six months. In the future, the long-term effect of the exercise anticipation and self-efficacy should be researched.

Cardiovascular fitness and health effects of various types of team sports for adult and elderly inactive individuals - a brief narrative review

Recreational team sports offer an alternative form of exercise to inactive individuals across the lifespan and sexes. Soccer is the most investigated recreational team sport reporting a wide range of health benefits, including cardiovascular (CV) health. The quest for novel paradigms to promote exercise in the general population, recently extended its interest to other team sports besides soccer. The available research supports the importance of recreational team handball, floorball, basketball, touch rugby, futsal and volleyball as training paradigms to improve CV fitness and other health-related variables in inactive individuals across ages and sexes. In most cases, recreational team sports programs assume the form of small-sided games, eliciting mean heart rates of 72-85% of the individual maximal. The majority of the training interventions were carried out for 12weeks with a reported mean attendance of 2 times 40-60min per week. Maximal oxygen uptake improvements were different in magnitude across the recreational team sports, with recreational team handball providing significant and clinically relevant increases (>3.5ml·kg^-1·min^-1). Game format, training exposure and pre-intervention health and fitness status are issues that need further investigation with the aim to optimize recreational team sports exercise programs implementation. Furthermore, the nature and effects of grassroots team sports should be further studied in order to provide as many as possible effective training tools for former practitioners and for the general population that has none or little experience of sport. Given the potential positive impact of recreational team sports practice on world population's health, large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted.

Effects of football versus aerobic exercise training on muscle architecture in healthy men adults: a study protocol of a two-armed randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Sports and exercise training can attenuate age-related declines in physical function. As people age, they suffer a progressive deterioration of overall muscle structure and function, such as muscle diameter, strength, mass, and power. Therefore, supporting older adults-aged 50 years and above-to continue being physically active is a very important factor. Several forms of exercise (strength, agility, endurance, balance, and flexibility) are recommended. In this regard, football has been repeatedly shown to be an integrative approach to promote measures of strength, endurance, and agility. However, there has been no previous randomized controlled trial that comparatively investigates the effects of football training versus traditional aerobic exercise training on muscle architecture and patella tendon properties in healthy community dwellers. The study protocol is designed to examine whether football differentially affects muscle thickness, muscle length, fascicle length, pennation angle, patella tendon length, and thickness compared to a workload matched traditional aerobic exercise training regimen.

METHODS

The study sample consists of 60 untrained but healthy men (50-60 years old), who will be randomly assigned (strata: age, activate) to two groups: football group (n = 30) and aerobic group (n = 30). The intervention will take place within 12 consecutive weeks, two times a week for 60 min each session. The football group will perform recreational football training as a large-sided game, whereas the aerobic group undergoes a running exercise. Both groups have the same external workload ranging between moderate and high exercise intensity. The outcome measure will be collected before and after the intervention period.

DISCUSSION

Findings of this study will provide insight into the effects of 24 sessions of both football and aerobic training program on the selected groups of men adults, including detecting their effects on the thigh muscle architecture.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

DRKS-German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00020536 . Registered on 30 January 2020.

Effects of a 4 week touch rugby and self-paced interval running intervention on health markers in active young men

Background

Modified team sport activity has been proposed as effective exercise modality for promoting markers of health that are comparable or greater than continuous forms of activity. However, research using modified team sports is currently limited to sedentary populations using 2–3 sessions across a minimum of 8 weeks.

Aim

To investigate the effects of a 4-week touch rugby and self-paced interval running intervention on a range of health markers in active men.

Methods

Sixteen participants (age 26.4 ± 6.4 years) were matched for age, demographic and physical activity before completing a single touch rugby (n = 8) or running (n = 8) session per week for 4 weeks. Measures of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate (RHR), body composition and biochemical status were recorded pre- and post-intervention.

Results

ANCOVA analysis revealed between-group differences for impedance (P = 0.027), fat mass (P = 0.008), percentage body fat (P = 0.008) and fat-free mass (P = 0.002), with greater changes after touch rugby. Systolic blood pressure decreased for both groups with greater reductions observed after touch rugby (P = 0.002). No between-group difference was observed for RHR, interleukin-6 or C-reactive protein (P > 0.05). Contrasting internal, external and perceptual loads were observed.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that a single session of touch rugby over a 4-week period elicited greater improvements in body composition and SBP than self-paced running, with both being equally beneficial for improving RHR, diastolic blood pressure and inflammatory status in active young men.

Effects of small-sided recreational team handball training on mechanical muscle function, body composition and bone mineralization in untrained young adults-A randomized controlled trial

Prolonged physical inactivity in young adults may lead to deficiencies in musculoskeletal fitness, and thus a need exists to develop physical activity and exercise programmes that are effective of increasing musculoskeletal fitness. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate the effects of small-sided team handball training on lower limb muscle strength, postural balance and body composition in young adults. Twenty-six men and twenty-eight women were stratified for peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) and body fat percentage and randomly allocated to either 12 wks of small-sided recreational team handball training (THG: 14 men and 14 women, age 24.1±2.6 yrs (mean±SD), VO_2peak 39.8±5.9 ml/kg/min and body fat percentage 32.7±8.7%) or serving as non-exercising controls (CON: 12 men and 14 women, age 24.8±3.1 yrs, VO_2peak 39.7±5.0 ml/kg/min, body fat percentage 31.7±9.7%). THG trained on average 1.8 times/week for 12 wks. At 0 and 12 wks, lower limb muscle strength, rate of force development (RFD), vertical jump height and power, postural balance, body composition and muscle biopsies were assessed. No training effects were observed for maximal isokinetic or isometric knee extensor strength, maximal vertical jump height or take-off power, fibre type distribution or capillarization. Late phase (RFD) increased (+7.4%, p<0.05) and postural sway excursion length was improved after training (-9%, p<0.05) in THG with no difference from CON (p>0.05). Further, THG demonstrated a decrease in body fat percentage (-3.7%) accompanied by increases in whole-body fat free mass (FFM) (+2.2%), leg FFM (+2.5%), total bone mineral content (BMC) (+1.1%), leg BMC (+1.2%), total hip bone mineral density (+1.6%) and hip T-score (+50%) which differed from CON (all p<0.05). In conclusion, recreational small-sided team handball training appears to effectively improve rapid force capacity, postural balance, lean and fat body mass and bone health in previously untrained young adults. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04247724).

ClinicalTrials.gov ID number: NCT04247724

Physical fitness and activity changes after a 24-week soccer-based adaptation of the U.S diabetes prevention program intervention in Hispanic men

PURPOSE

One third of the U.S. adult population is estimated to have prediabetes. Hispanics have a 50% higher type 2 diabetes (T2DM) death rate compared to non-Hispanic whites, yet low participation in lifestyle change programs, making this subgroup an important target for prevention efforts. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an exercise intervention implementing the Center for Disease Control and Prevention National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) plus recreational soccer (RS) in Hispanic men.

METHODS

Overweight and obese Hispanic men, aged 30-57 years with prediabetes at screening were recruited from the community. Trained soccer coaches led 30-min facilitated discussion of the NDPP modules after each RS session, with two weekly sessions delivered over 12 wks, then once a wk until 24 wks. The 1-h RS sessions followed the Football Fitness curriculum structure. Standardized study assessments included objectively measured physical activity via fitness tracker, physical fitness via validated field tests, global positional system soccer specific metrics and behavior change questionnaires. Mixed models assessed the outcomes as a function of time and cohort and incorporated an unstructured covariance structure to examine the difference between baseline, 12 and 24 wks. All analyses were conducted as intent-to-treat and generated using SAS v 9.4.

RESULTS

Hispanic males (n = 41; mean age 41.9 [6.2 SD] years) were obese at baseline (mean BMI 32.7, standard error [0.7]). After 24 wks of the NDPP+RS intervention, there were significant beneficial changes in vertical jump (2.8 [1.3] cm; p = 0.048), agility and lower extremity muscular power (figure 8-run) at 12 wks (-4.7% change; p = 0.001) and 24 wks (-7.2% change; p < 0.0001), predicted VO2 max (12 wks: 1.9%; p = 0.007; 24 wks 1.0%; p = 0.036), modified push-ups increased 22% (p < 0.0001) at 12 wks and 31% (p < 0.0001) at 24 wks, dynamic sit-ups increased 10% (p = 0.005) at 12 wks and 15% (p < 0.0001) at 24 wks.

CONCLUSION

Among middle-aged Latino men, broad-ranging significant improvements in physical fitness were observed after 24 wks participating in lifestyle education plus RS in a single arm feasibility trial.

Effects of a 16-week recreational team handball intervention on aerobic performance and cardiometabolic fitness markers in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Postmenopausal women have an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, which can be counteracted by conventional exercise regimes or recreational football. Less is known about the impact of exercise programmes based on other team sports. Thus, we examined the effects of recreational team handball on aerobic performance, cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health in untrained postmenopausal women.

METHODS

Sixty-seven participants (age 68 ± 6 years, stature 157 ± 6 cm, body mass 67 ± 10 kg, fat mass 37 ± 7%, VO_2peak 25.2 ± 3.6 mL/min/kg, Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 1 test performance (YYIE1) 230 ± 103 m) with no previous experience of team handball were randomly allocated to either a team handball (THG, n = 41) or a control (CG, n = 26) group. THG performed 2-3 60-min training sessions per week for 16 weeks. YYIE1 performance and cardiometabolic markers were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Average attendance during recreational team handball training was 1.9 ± 0.4 sessions per week, with mean heart rates of 76 ± 6%HR_max and 18 ± 9 min (44 ± 20% of total time) played at HR > 80%HR_max. A between-group effect was observed for YYIE1 performance, with a more pronounced improvement in aerobic exercise performance in THG compared to CG (70 ± 62 vs 15 ± 44%; p < 0.001). Within-group improvements (p < 0.05) were observed for THG with regard to VO_2peak (7 ± 10%), incremental treadmill test time to exhaustion (TTE) (11 ± 14%), total cholesterol (-3 ± 9%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-2 ± 14%), with no significant changes in CG except an increase (p < 0.05) in TTE. Post-intervention values were higher for THG vs CG for YYIE1 performance (88%; 406 ± 216 vs 216 ± 75 m) and VO_2peak (10%; 27.5 ± 3.8 vs 24.9 ± 3.6 mL/min/kg).

CONCLUSIONS

Recreational team handball can be used to obtain moderate-to-vigorous aerobic intensities, and just 2 weekly 60-min team handball training sessions for 16 weeks can result in improvements in aerobic performance and in markers of cardiorespiratory fitness in postmenopausal women with no previous experience of the sport.

A pilot study using a small-sided games program to modify cardiovascular health in sedentary Indigenous men

ISSUES ADDRESSED

To determine cardiovascular health benefits in Indigenous men following short-duration small-sided games.

METHODS

Fourteen sedentary Indigenous males (35.6 SD 7.2 years), randomly assigned to a small-sided games (SSG) or a non-exercising control. Small-sided 20-minute (4 × 5 minute bouts) games of touch football were played 2 x/week for 9 weeks. Waist and hip circumferences, height, total body mass (kg), fat (%), fat free mass (kg), muscle mass (kg), resting heart rate (bpm), systolic blood pressure (mmHg), total cholesterol and high-density lipid concentrations were measured and waist-hip ratios, body mass index (BMI), heart rate variability (HRV), metabolic age and Framingham risk calculated before and after the exercise intervention. Between group differences were examined using unpaired t tests (welch corrected) and described using Cohen's effect size (ES) differences (corrected to determine hedges g).

RESULTS

Significant between group differences favouring the SSG group were observed in body mass (P = .039, ES = 0.18), BMI (P = .031, ES = 0.22) and metabolic age (P = .033, ES = 0.29) and in HRV parameters of approximate entropy (ApEN; P = .01, ES = 1.65) and sample entropy (SampEN; P = .0193, ES = 1.40).

CONCLUSION

Middle-aged Indigenous men can gain cardiovascular health benefits following short bouts of small-sided game play accumulating in 40-minutes of exercise each week. SO WHAT?: Short-duration SSG may address many exercise barriers, and offer a sustainable form of exercise to improve cardiovascular health amongst Indigenous men.

Evolution of soccer as a research topic

Soccer has not only the largest number of worldwide participants, it is also the most studied sport, with nearly 14,000 citations listed on Pubmed and nearly 60% more articles than the next most studied sport. Research about soccer was limited until the late 1970s when exponential growth began; approximately 98% of all soccer-related research publications have occurred since 1980. This vast repository of soccer research shows trends in various major (e.g., 'sex' or 'age group' or 'performance' or 'injury') and specialty (e.g., agility, deceleration, elbow-head impact injuries, behavior) topics. Examining trends of the various topics provides insights into which subjects have come in and out of favor as well as what topics or demographics have been neglected and worthy of inquiry. A further examination can be used by students to learn the most productive researchers, which programs have a strong history of inquiry, and what journals have demonstrated a commitment to publishing research on soccer.

Adapted recreational football small-sided games improve cardiac capacity, body composition and muscular fitness in patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

The usefulness of adapted small-sided games (SSGs) in improving cardiac function in subjects with T2DM is still debated. Here we evaluated the effects of 18 weeks indoor muscular activation training (6 weeks; IMA) followed by adapted SSGs football training (12 weeks) on cardiac function, muscular fitness, body composition and adiponectin expression in sedentary T2DM volunteers.

METHODS

Six T2DM patients underwent IMA protocol of 6 weeks, twice a week followed by 12 weeks SSGs (5-a-side, once a week) training. Glucose, lipid profile and serum homocysteine concentration, body composition (BC), bone mineral density (DEXA), were determined at baseline and after 18 weeks (IMA+SSGs). VO<inf>2max</inf> and muscular fitness were recorded at baseline and after IMA (6 weeks) and SSGs (12 weeks), respectively.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found for VO<inf>2max</inf> and muscular fitness after 6weeks of IMA. After 18 weeks (6 weeks IMA + 12 weeks SSGs) of training, significant improvements were found in the following parameters: work capacity, VO<inf>2peak</inf>, Ventilation (VE<inf>peak</inf>), breathing reserve consumption and oxygen uptake efficiency slope (P<0.05); leg fitness (P<0.05), BC (P<0.05), vertebral column T-score (P<0.01) and adiponectin (total and high-molecular-weight; P<0.05). Compared to baseline, a reduction in serum homocysteine occurred after 18 weeks of training (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

We evidenced that weekly adapted SSGs friendly football matches for 12 weeks improve cardiorespiratory capacity and the expression of independent markers associated with cardiovascular risk in T2DM patients, suggesting an overall reduced CVD-risk in these patients. These preliminary data encourage us to test the efficacy of this type of exercise in a larger population.

Physical Fitness, Body Composition, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Young Football Players: Influence of the 20 mSRT Score and Maturational Stage

This study aimed to analyze the differences in physical fitness variables, body composition, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet according to the cardiorespiratory fitness and the maturational stage in young football players. A total of 194 male football players (aged 8–16) from three football sport schools participated in this study. Data on cardiorespiratory fitness (the 20-m shuttle run test), anthropometric measurements, handgrip strength, respiratory capacity (forced spirometry), and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (KIDMED questionnaire) were collected. Players were divided into two groups depending on their maturational stage (prepubertal n = 127 and pubertal n = 67). The results show a direct relationship between low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index, as well as body fat and leg fat. Similarly, players with lower cardiorespiratory fitness presented higher values of handgrip strength in the prepubertal state. On the other hand, improvements in respiratory values were observed in the pubertal state with the rest of the parameters when the cardiorespiratory fitness was increased. Therefore, the promotion of recreational football that encourage and develop cardiorespiratory fitness is a key factor and can be used as an effective sport activity to promote physical fitness and healthy habits in children and adolescents as well as within the population that is already physically active.

Effects of Small-Sided Recreational Volleyball on Health Markers and Physical Fitness in Middle-Aged Men

The present study aimed to investigate whether recreational volleyball organized as small-sided games could improve fitness and health profiles of middle-aged men after 10 weeks of training. Twenty-four healthy men aged 35-55 were randomized in a small-sided recreational volleyball group (RV = 12; age: 44.7 ± 6.34 years; body mass index: 25.85 ± 1.74) and control group (CON = 12; age: 42.9 ± 8.72 years; body mass index: 25.62 ± 1.48). The RV group carried out a volleyball training program, whereas the CON group continued their daily life activities during this period. The participants in the RV group performed 2/3 training sessions of 90 min per week. Results from a repeated measure ANOVA indicated a significant group × time interaction for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (F = 6.776, p = 0.016, partial ƞ² = 0.235) and for resting heart rate (F = 11.647, p = 0.002, partial ƞ² = 0.346) in favor of the RV group. No significant changes were observed for body weight, body mass index, and diastolic blood pressure. Results for physical fitness indicated a significant interaction for Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test-level 2 (F = 11.648, p = 0.003, partial ƞ² = 0.380), with no significant changes in both groups for handgrip strength. Recreational small-sided volleyball can be an effective training modality to stimulate a decrease in LDL cholesterol and resting HR with small improvements in cardiovascular fitness. Recreational volleyball played only two times per week shows positive cardiovascular fitness and health-related adaptations, which may contribute to the reduction of the risk of developing lifestyle diseases.

Estimation of maximal heart rate in recreational football: a field study

PURPOSE

To examine the accuracy of practical indirect methods (i.e., recreational football match and estimation equations) in assessing individual maximal heart rate (HRmax) in recreational football players. Sixty-two untrained male participants engaged in a recreational football intervention (age 39.3 ± 5.8 years, VO2max 41.2 ± 6.2 ml·kg-1·min-1, body mass 81.9 ± 10.8 kg, height 173.2 ± 6.4 cm) were tested for HRmax using a multiple approach, at baseline and post-intervention (i.e., in the untrained and trained status, respectively). Observed HRmax was plotted against peak match HR (Match-HRpeak) and HRmax estimated from prediction equations (EstHRmax) at both time-points.

RESULTS

In the untrained status, only the 211 - 0.64 × Age and 226 - Age equations showed non-significant (medium-to-small) differences with observed HRmax. The differences between observed HRmax and Match-HRpeak were large (P < 0.0001). At post-intervention, the observed HRmax (Post-HRmax) was significantly and largely lower than at baseline. The prediction equations under consideration provided EstHRmax values that were lower than Post-HRmax, with small-to-large differences (P > 0.05). The exception was for the 226 - Age and 211 - 0.64 × Age equations, with values largely higher than Post-HRmax.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests caution when considering EstHRmax and Match-HRpeak in recreational football interventions to track HRmax. The accuracy of EstHRmax may vary according to training status, suggesting the need for different approaches and equations across training interventions.

Long-Term Recreational Football Training and Health in Aging

This narrative review aims to critically analyze the effects of exercise on health in aging. Here we discuss the main clinical and biomolecular modifications induced by long-term recreational football training in older subjects. In particular, the effects induced by long-term recreational football training on cardiovascular, metabolic and musculo-skeletal fitness, together with the modifications in the muscle expression of hallmarks related to oxidative metabolism, DNA repair and senescence suppression pathways and protein quality control mechanisms will be provided. All these topics will be debated also in terms of preventing non-communicable metabolic diseases, in order to achieve successful aging over time.

Yo-Yo intermittent tests are a valid tool for aerobic fitness assessment in recreational football

PURPOSE

To examine the suitability of three versions and two levels of the Yo-Yo intermittent tests for assessing and tracking aerobic fitness status development in male recreational football players. Sixty-six untrained participants (age 39 ± 6 years, VO2max 41.2 ± 6.2 ml kg-1 min-1, body mass 81.9 ± 10.8 kg, height 173.2 ± 6.4 cm) partook in a 12-week recreational football training program. They were evaluated during the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 1 (YYIE1) and 2 (YYIE2) tests and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 test (YYIR1), and during a treadmill test for VO2max assessment, at baseline. Thirty-two out of these 66 participants replicated all these tests at post-intervention. An additional group of 30 male age-matched recreational football players that afterwards started the 12-week recreational football program (age 39 ± 6 years, VO2max 45.3 ± 5.8 ml kg-1 min-1, body mass 82.5 ± 7.8 kg, height 172.8 ± 5.4 cm) was evaluated at baseline to test cross-validation.

RESULTS

The Yo-Yo tests showed very large associations with VO2max at baseline (r = 0.75-0.77; P < 0.0001) and at post-intervention (r = 0.76-0.82; P < 0.0005). Post-training, very large associations were found between YYIE2 performance and VO2max (r = 0.65, P < 0.0001). Cross-validation revealed small to large differences between the observed and estimated VO2max values (1.5-2.96 ml kg-1 min-1) with moderate typical error of estimation (7.9-8.7%) across the tests. Performance in the YYIE1, YYIE2 and YYIR1 tests of ≥ 1760, 480 and 600 m, respectively, indicated good to excellent VO2max values.

CONCLUSIONS

The Yo-Yo tests considered here showed robust and consistent criterion validity. The YYIE2 could be a more accurate option to track aerobic fitness development in recreational football players.

Recreational football is medicine against non-communicable diseases: A systematic review

The purpose of this research was to conduct a systematic review of published articles related to the effect of recreational football on non-communicable diseases. A systematic review of Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Only empirical studies were included. There were no restrictions on the types of study design eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome measures result from the potential effects of recreational football on non-communicable diseases (eg, blood pressure, bone density, LDL cholesterol, and fat mass). A total of 44 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included. Recreational football is shown to: (a) decrease blood pressure and resting heart rate, improve cardiac structure and functioning, as well as increase maximal oxygen uptake in both sexes; (b) reduce cholesterol and triglycerides levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and have a positive impact on glycemic control; (c) improve bone mineralization, increase both bone mineral density and content, as well as acting as a stimulus for osteogenesis; and (d) be clearly beneficial for bone health, while slightly beneficial for body composition, muscle strength, and maximal oxygen uptake in adults with prostate cancer. The present systematic review demonstrated the benefits of recreational football practice on non-communicable diseases related to cardiovascular and bone health, body composition, type 2 diabetes, and prostate cancer. The effectiveness of recreational football on the aforementioned diseases may be related to age and gender; however, further research is required.

Submaximal field testing validity for aerobic fitness assessment in recreational football

Submaximal field tests are especially recommended when repeated testing is warranted. This study aimed at assessing the validity of the submaximal versions of the Yo-Yo intermittent tests in male recreational football players in untrained and trained status. The participants' (n = 66; age 39.3 ± 5.8 years, VO_2max 41.2 ± 6.2 mL·kg^-1 ·min^-1 , body mass 81.9 ± 10.8 kg, height 173.2 ± 6.4 cm) heart rate after 2 minutes (HR_2min ) during the level 1 (YYIE1_HR2min ) and 2 (YYIE2_HR2min ) versions of the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test and the level 1 version of the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (YYIR1_HR2min ) was plotted against individual VO_2max values. Thirty-two participants performed all the tests after a 12-week recreational football intervention for test responsiveness. Associations between VO_2max and YYIE1_HR2min were large to small (P = .0001). Large to trivial associations were found between YYIE2_HR2min , YYIR1_HR2min , and VO_2max (P < .01). Maximal Yo-Yo performances were large, significant, and inversely related to HR_2min (-0.68 to -0.49, P < .0001). Pre- to post-intervention ICC values were good for YYIE1_HR2min and YYIE2_HR2min , and excellent for YYIR1_HR2min . Post-intervention associations between HR_2min and Yo-Yo maximal performances were large to very large (-0.55 to -0.72; P < .002, n = 32). Training-induced changes in VO_2max moderately correlated with YYIR1_HR2min (-0.48; P = .007; n = 32). HR_2min lower than 89%, 98%, and 91% HR_max for YYIE1_HR2min , YYIE2_HR2min , and YYIR1_HR2min , respectively, may be considered as signs of good to excellent VO_2max levels. Since in the YYIE1_HR2min , the participants attained 84% HR_max and test specificity increased for HR_2min values <89%, this test may be the preferred choice when repeated assessment of aerobic fitness, using submaximal intermittent Yo-Yo tests, is considered in recreational football.

Cardiovascular and metabolic health effects of team handball training in overweight women: Impact of prior experience

PURPOSE

We tested the hypothesis that participation in small-sided team handball training could provide beneficial effects on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in overweight premenopausal women with special focus on the importance of prior team handball experience.

METHODS

A 16-week RCT training intervention was conducted in overweight premenopausal women randomized into three groups: a team handball training group without prior experience (UN; n = 13), a team handball group with prior experience (EXP; n = 10), and an inactive control group (CON; n = 9). Both UN and EXP completed 1.6 ± 0.3 training sessions per week with average heart rates of 84 ± 5 and 85 ± 9% of maximal heart rate, respectively. Cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were assessed before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

Compared to CON, UN had significant increases in VO_2max  (7 ± 4%) and intermittent endurance performance (26 ± 14%) as well as reduced total fat mass (4 ± 6%), total fat percentage (4 ± 5%), and android fat mass (7 ± 12%), respectively (all P < .05). Compared to UN and CON, EXP displayed increased left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index (both P < .05) after the training period. There were no significant changes between any of the groups in muscle mass, blood lipids, resting heart rate, and blood pressure (all P > .05).

CONCLUSION

Small-sided team handball training in overweight premenopausal women resulted in improvement of VO_2max and body composition for participants with minimal team handball experience, indicating that prior team handball experience is not a prerequisite for improving physiological parameters of importance for health. Furthermore, EXP displayed cardiac adaptations, including increased left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index.

Gender-dependent evaluation of football as medicine for prediabetes

PURPOSE

Training intensity and health effects of football were investigated gender specifically in individuals with prediabetes.

METHODS

Participants with prediabetes (age 60 ± 6 years) were randomised into a football and dietary advice group (FD-men n = 13 and FD-women n = 14) or a dietary advice only group (D-men n = 12 and D-women n = 11). FD performed football training (twice/week for 16 weeks), while both groups received dietary advice. Body composition, bone variables, blood pressure, blood lipid profile and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) were determined pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Mean heart rate during football training was 79 ± 2 and 80 ± 3% HRmax for FD-men and FD-women, respectively, with peak heart rate values of 96 ± 1 and 97 ± 2% HRmax, with no gender differences. VO2peak increased more (P < 0.05) in FD-men and FD-women than in D-men and D-women. However, relative delta change in VO2peak was 21 ± 14% in FD-women, which was greater (P < 0.05) than in FD-men (11 ± 12%). Reduction in SBP and DBP, respectively, was similar in FD-men (- 10.8 ± 13.0 and - 7.3 ± 11.8 mmHg) and FD-women (- 11.3 ± 11.0 and - 7.1 ± 6.2 mmHg), with within-gender differences for men. Total plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol decreased (P < 0.05) by - 0.7 ± 1.1 and - 0.5 ± 0.9 mmol L-1, respectively, in FD-women and - 0.2 ± 0.4 and - 0.2 ± 0.3 mmol L-1 in FD-men, with no significant gender differences (P = 0.08). Body fat content was lowered (P < 0.05) by 3 and 4%-points in FD-men and FD-women, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Gender-mixed football training combined with dietary advice causes broad-spectrum health effects for men and women with prediabetes, with minor gender-specific differences. Thus, the intensity and training-induced effects of football training are also high for elderly women with prediabetes.

Maximal heart rate assessment in recreational football players: A study involving a multiple testing approach

This study aimed at examining the suitability of a standard treadmill test (TT), popular intermittent field tests, and small-sided football matches to induce maximal heart rate (HR_max ) in recreational football players. Sixty-six inactive untrained male subjects (age: 39.3 ± 5.8 years, VO_2max : 41.2 ± 6.2 mL kg^-1  min^-1 , body mass: 81.9 ± 10.8 kg, height: 173.2 ± 6.4 cm) were evaluated. On separate occasions, the players were randomly submitted to a progressive VO_2max TT, to the Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 1 (YYIE1) and level 2 (YYIE2) tests, to the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 (YYIR1) test, and to 7v7 (43 × 27 m pitch, 83 m² /player) football matches (45 minutes; 2-4 matches/player). To ensure data consistency, exercise HR was recorded using the same HR monitors in all the experimental conditions. A total of 73%, 24%, 18%, 17%, and 30% of the players achieved their HR_max during the YYIE1, YYIE2, YYIR1, TT, and the small-sided football matches, respectively. The probability of achieving HR_max increased proportionally to test duration, with 7.8 minutes as the cutoff time. Variations in HR_peak of ±2 b min^-1 should be regarded as of practical relevance. YYIE1 HR_peak provided the most accurate estimation of a subject's individual HR_max and much higher probability of reaching HR_max . Nevertheless, the results of this study suggest caution in considering a reference test for HR_max assessment in this population. The use of confirmation tests is still highly advisable when the test duration is shorter than 7.8 minutes. In this regard, field tests seem to be suitable and accurate for individual HR_max assessment in recreational football players.

Fat-Free Mass and Bone Mineral Density of Young Soccer Players: Proposal of Equations Based on Anthropometric Variables

Background

The assessment of body composition may assist in optimizing competitive efficiency and monitoring the success of training regimes for young soccer players. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors for Fat-Free Mass (FFM) and Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of young soccer players. Also, the goal was to propose regression equations to estimate FFM and BDM through anthropometric variables.

Methods

One hundred and sixty-seven young soccer players ages 10.0 to 19.9 years old were studied. Weight, height, trunk-cephalic length, right arm circumference, diameter of the humerus, and length of the foot were assessed. FFM and BDM were determined by using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Maturity status using Peak Height Velocity (PHV) was calculated.

Results

Maturity status, weight, and circumference of the relaxed arm positively related to the FFM (R² = 41–66%). Similarly, PHV, weight, diameter of the humerus, and length of the foot explained BDM in both groups of soccer players (goalkeepers and filed players) (R² = 45–82%). Six equations to predict FFM (R² = 62–69%) and six to predict BDM (R² = 69–90%) were created. Chronological age had a limited use for predicting FFM and BDM.

Conclusion

Results suggested the use and application of the regression equations as a non-invasive alternative for everyday use in soccer clubs.