Players at home: Physical activity and quality of life in 12-17 years-old football (soccer) players during the Covid-19 lockdown

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological aspects and mental health of elite soccer athletes: a systematic review

Introduction

Investigation of the psychological impact on soccer athletes during the pandemic is essential given their unique challenges, including training disruptions and competition postponements. Understanding these effects will allow the development of specific strategies to preserve the mental health and performance of elite athletes, contributing to effective interventions with both short and long-term benefits.

Objective

To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological aspects and mental health of elite soccer athletes.

Method

The review adhered to PRISMA criteria, and the study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022341545). Searches were conducted until July 2023 in databases including Cochrane, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. Only original, peer-reviewed studies in English, Portuguese, or Spanish assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological aspects and mental health of elite soccer athletes were included.

Results

The search identified 1,055 records and 43 studies were included in this review between 2020 and 2023. In total, the sample included 16,321 soccer athletes of different age groups. Anxiety, depression, mood states, and mental well-being were the most investigated variables. Increased levels of anxiety, depression, and worsening mental well-being were observed in elite soccer athletes. Maintaining fitness during the pandemic showed positive results. Other variables, such as coping, resilience, and sleep quality monitoring, were less widely investigated. Evaluating methodological quality was considered regular for observational and experimental studies.

Conclusion

The study reveals a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elite soccer athletes, considering psychological aspects and their mental health, notably heightened anxiety and depression. Observational methods predominated, showing mood swings linked to individual characteristics and fitness maintenance efforts. Studies with better-designed methodological approaches and controlled experimental interventions are recommended in the future to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on soccer players.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?, identifier (CRD42022341545).

The effects of the home-based exercise during COVID-19 school closure on the physical fitness of preschool children in China

BACKGROUND

Social distancing and school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the physical activities of the preschool children living in China. However, the effects of home-based exercise on the physical fitness of Chinese preschool children during COVID-19 school closures are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of home-based exercise on the physical fitness of Chinese preschool children during COVID-19 school closure.

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis, data from 1,608 Chinese preschool children (aged 3-5.5 years) in a second-tier city of Guangdong Province of China (Zhongshan city) were extracted from three successive National Physical Fitness Measurement (NPFM) from 2019 to 2021. NPFM consists of weight, height, and six subtests of physical fitness including 10-m shuttle run test (SRT), standing long jump (SLJ), balance beam walking (BBW), sit-and-reach (SR), tennis throwing (TT), and double-leg timed hop (DTH) tests. The change differences or change ratios of all the items in NPFM between any two successive years from 2019 to 2021 were compared. The exercise profiles about home-based and outdoor exercise before, during, and after COVID-19 school closure were obtained from 185 preschool children via retrospective telephone survey.

RESULTS

Between 2019 and 2021, 1,608 preschool children were included in this study. We observed larger changes in SLJ, SR, TT, and DTH tests during school closure than after school closure. But the children showed lower reduction rates in the completion time of SRT and BBW. During school closure, higher change ratios in SLJ and TT were observed in the children primarily participating in home-based exercise than those primarily participating in outdoor exercise. However, no statistical differences were observed in the changes in SRT and BBW between home-based and outdoor training groups.

CONCLUSION

The home-based exercise program might be an alternative approach to improve the physical fitness of preschool children during COVID-19 school closure, but could not be beneficial to speed-agility and balance functions. A specific guideline geared toward a home-based exercise program during the COVID-19 outbreak is highly needed.