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Mason J, Starc L, Morin JB, McClelland EL, Zech A. Can the recent sex-specific evolutions in elite running performances be attributed to advanced footwear technology? Front Sports Act Living 2024; 6:1386627. [PMID: 38807616 PMCID: PMC11130513 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1386627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent improvements in elite running performances across all distances have been largely attributed to the introduction of advanced footwear technology (AFT), which features a curved and stiff plate working synergistically with a new generation of midsole foams demonstrating enhanced resilience and compliance. These recent improvements appear to be considerably more pronounced in women's events, highlighted by improvements in road racing world records by an average of 3.7% (range: 2.6%-5.2%) compared to mean progressions of 1.5% (range: 1.3%-1.9%) in the same men's events. Although there is a growing body of research investigating the mechanisms underpinning running performance enhancements derived from AFT, there remains no explanation for potential sex-based differences in their benefits. We overview the currently available evidence and highlight why the recent direction of AFT research provides a barrier to progress by focusing primarily on male athletes. We subsequently provide our perspective on why women may be benefiting from the new generation of shoes more than men, suggest potential mechanisms leading to hypotheses that need to be further investigated in upcoming studies, and finally propose that factors outside of footwear innovation may have concurrently driven the recently observed performance evolutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Mason
- Department of Human Movement Science and Exercise Physiology, Institute for Sport Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Laura Starc
- School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, NSW, Australia
| | - Jean-Benoit Morin
- Inter-University Laboratory of Human Movement Biology, University Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Emily L. McClelland
- Locomotor Performance Laboratory, Department of Nursing & Health Sciences, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, United States
| | - Astrid Zech
- Department of Human Movement Science and Exercise Physiology, Institute for Sport Science, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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Buisson C, Brooker L, Goebel C, Morrow R, Chakrabarty R, Speers N, Molina A, Ericsson M, Collomp K. Summer Olympic sports and female athletes: comparison of anti-doping collections and prohibited substances detected in Australia and New Zealand vs. France. Front Sports Act Living 2023; 5:1213735. [PMID: 37745202 PMCID: PMC10515209 DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1213735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Like any athlete, female athletes may be tempted to use prohibited substances during competition or training to enhance their performance. Anti-doping tests performed on female athletes in summer Olympic sports from two geographical areas: Australia/ New Zealand, and France were compared. First, the distribution of sample collections across different sports disciplines, as well as the distribution of substances was investigated. Then the distribution of collections and substances detected in the five sports categories (Strength/Speed, Endurance, Mixed, Motor Skills with High Energy Expenditure, and Motor Skills with Low Energy Expenditure) were studied with consideration of therapeutic use exemptions obtained by the athlete. Australia/New Zealand and France were similar in their overall number of anti-doping collections performed. Likewise, both regions had the same sports disciplines (athletics, aquatics, cycling) and sport categories (Mixed and Endurance) as having the highest number of sample collections. The Motor Skills with High Energy Expenditure, and Motor Skills with Low Energy Expenditure categories had the lowest number of sample collections. However, the number of substances detected was significantly different (p < 0.05) with a greater number of substances found in the French data. There were a few substances in common between the two geographical areas, namely prednisone/prednisolone, carboxy-THC, terbutaline, vilanterol and methylphenidate, but most were different. In-competition tests were the category where most of the AAFs were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Buisson
- LADF, French Anti-Doping Laboratory, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Lance Brooker
- ASDTL, Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catrin Goebel
- ASDTL, Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, National Measurement Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ryan Morrow
- DFSNZ, Drug Free Sport New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Naomi Speers
- SIA, Sport Integrity Australia, Fyshwick, ACT, Australia
| | | | - Magnus Ericsson
- LADF, French Anti-Doping Laboratory, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Katia Collomp
- LADF, French Anti-Doping Laboratory, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- CIAMS, Université D'Orléans, Orléans, France
- CIAMS, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
- SAPRéM, Université d'Orleans, Orléans, France
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Thevis M, Kuuranne T, Geyer H. Annual banned-substance review-Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2021/2022. Drug Test Anal 2023; 15:5-26. [PMID: 36369629 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Also in 2021/2022, considerable efforts were invested into advancing human sports drug testing programs, recognizing and taking into account existing as well as emerging challenges in anti-doping, especially with regard to substances and methods of doping specified in the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2022 Prohibited List. In this edition of the annual banned-substance review, literature on recent developments published between October 2021 and September 2022 is summarized and discussed. Focus is put particularly on enhanced analytical approaches and complementary testing options in human doping controls, appreciating the exigence and mission in anti-doping and, equally, the contemporary "new normal" considering, for example, the athlete's exposome versus analytical sensitivity and applicable anti-doping regulations for result interpretation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Thevis
- Center for Preventive Doping Research-Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,European Monitoring Center for Emerging Doping Agents, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tiia Kuuranne
- Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses, University Center of Legal Medicine, Genève and Lausanne, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Epalinges, Switzerland
| | - Hans Geyer
- Center for Preventive Doping Research-Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,European Monitoring Center for Emerging Doping Agents, Cologne, Germany
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