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Sport and Exercise Medicine
Muscle-strengthening associated with lower NCD incidence and mortality risk – Meta-analysis
Muscle-strengthening is associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality and major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and lung cancer, found a...
Optimal number of daily steps to reduce all-cause mortality varies by age – Meta-analysis
A meta-analysis of 15 studies involving nearly 50,000 people from four continents offers new insights into identifying the amount of daily walking steps that...
Neuro-degeneration found in Australian athletes playing codes at risk of head injury
More than half of the first 21 brains donated to the Australian Sports Brain Bank by former athletes showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy...
Norwegian study: More confirmation of soccer headers’ effect on brain activity
Repetitive ‘headers’ and accidental head impacts in soccer lead to changes in blood patterns linked to brain signalling pathways and potential alterations, shows a...
Fat injections may improve plantar fasciitis – Pitts University
A novel technique that transplants a patient’s own fat into the sole of their foot could offer relief to those suffering from plantar fasciitis,...
Sport cardiology: Position statement on effects of doping substances and common medications
Nutritional supplements taken to boost athletic performance can pose risks to the heart, according to a European Society of Cardiology (ESC) statement published in...
For CVD patients, no upper limit to benefits from physical activity — Lifelines Cohort Study
While risk reduction for healthy individuals plateaus at higher levels of physical activity, those with cardiovascular disease (CVD) have no upper limit of physical...
Meta-analysis on strength training challenges assumptions on body fat loss
Contrary to popular belief, resistance training reduces body fat percentage, body fat mass and visceral fat in healthy adults to a similar percentage as...
Daily steps in middle age significantly affect all-cause mortality — CARDIA study
Walking at least 7,000 steps a day reduced middle-aged people's risk of premature death from all causes by 50% to 70%, compared with those...
From couch to ultra-marathon: mental imagery in race completion
Using a behavioural change imaging technique, a group of non-runners was successfully brought to ultra-marathon fitness standards, found a small British study.
The study, led...
Soccer: Defenders and outfielders have up to 5x greater dementia risk
The position played and career length have been identified as particular risk factors for UK footballers and their increased risks of dementia, according to...
Elite athletes react differently to an audience — German biathlon study
Having an audience has a different effect on men compared to women, found a German study on biathlon athletes, reports MedicalBrief. In the presence...
HIT delivers same cardiometabolic benefits as longer, traditional exercise
High intensity interval training (HIIT) of under 15 minutes – inclusive of warm up and cool down – yields comparable improvements to interventions meeting...
No evidence that high-protein diet improves strength or muscle mass
A 10-week muscle-building and dietary programme involving 50 middle-aged adults found no evidence that eating a high-protein diet increased strength or muscle mass more...
Novel saliva test accurately diagnoses concussion — SCRUM study
A University of Birmingham-led study of top-flight UK rugby players – carried out in collaboration with the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Premiership Rugby, and...
Being physically active may cut risk of instant heart attack death by up to 45%
A moderate-to-high level of physical activity was associated with a lower risk of instant and 28-day death in relation to a myocardial infarction, found...
Exercise beneficial for low back pain but no agreement why — Clinical trial review
Exercise is scientifically proven to provide relief from chronic low back pain (CLBP), but an Australian systematic new review found researchers are still unsure...
Regimen improves physical and cognitive performance of airmen
Researchers studied the effects of a 12-week exercise regimen on 148 active-duty US Air Force airmen, half of whom also received a twice-daily nutrient...
Plantar fasciitis and overuse injuries may link to toe spring in shoes — Harvard
Toe springs, a pervasive feature in athletic shoes especially, may contribute to weakening of the foot muscles and possibly to increased susceptibility to common...
Asthma drug can boost sprint and strength performance in athletes
A type of asthma drug, known as ß2-agonists, can boost sprint and strength performance in athletes who don't have the respiratory condition, finds a...
Higher daily step counts strongly associated with lower mortality risk
A study has found that higher daily step counts were associated with lower mortality risk from all causes. The research team, which included investigators...
Electrolyte supplements don't prevent illness and may cause harm — Ultramarathon study
Electrolyte supplements are promoted as preventing nausea and cramping caused by low salt levels, but a Stanford study based on 266 ultramarathoners found that...
Paralympic rule change for 'blade runners' is contradicted by US study
The assumptions behind a recent International Paralympic Committee rule change affecting double, below-the-knee amputees racing in prosthetic legs are contradicted by a small, first-of-its-kind...
'Wristwatch' monitors body chemistry to boost athletic performance, prevent injury
Engineering researchers have developed a device the size of a wristwatch that can monitor an individual's body chemistry to help improve athletic performance and...
Skiers have 50% lower incidence of depression and vascular dementia – but not Alzheimer's
Half as many skiers have been diagnosed with depression, a delayed manifestation of Parkinson's, a reduced risk of developing vascular dementia – but not...
Increased exercise helps prevent heart disease and stroke in the elderly
People over the age of 60 should do more exercise not less in order to prevent heart disease and stroke, according to findings from...
Regular exercise reduces hip fracture risk in post-menopausal women
Regular physical activity, including lighter intensity activities such as walking, is associated with reduced risk of hip and total fracture in post-menopausal women, according...
Running as little as 50 minutes a week significantly lowers death risk
An Australian research review, tracking over 232,000 people for up to 35 years, found that running for as little as 50 minutes a...
Doubled fat burn by exercising before breakfast
According to a small study, health scientists at the Universities of Bath and Birmingham found that by changing the timing of when you eat...
Semenya row: Study shows testosterone boosts female athletic performance
In a robust new study with dire implications for trans athletes like SA's Caster Semenya, researchers at the Karolinska Institutet and the Swedish School...
It's never too late to start exercising to build muscle mass
Older people who have never taken part in sustained exercise programmes have the same ability to build muscle mass as highly trained master athletes...
Concussions linked to erectile dysfunction in former football players
Former professional football players who experienced concussion symptoms, including loss of consciousness, disorientation or nausea after a head injury, are more likely to report...
Any and all physical activity is beneficial for longevity
Clear evidence that higher levels of physical activity – regardless of intensity – are associated with a lower risk of early death in middle...
Resistance training vital for older adults
For many older adults, resistance training may not be part of their daily routine, but a new position statement suggests it is vital to...
No elevated cardiac risk in ultramarathon runners
Researchers have found no evidence of elevated cardiac risk in runners who completed a 24-hour ultramarathon (24UM), despite the transient elevation of blood biomarkers...
Home exercise regimen matches UK guidelines in less time
A small study shows that a home-based high-intensity interval training can deliver the same health benefits in three 20-minute sessions as achieved from the...
Master athletes demonstrate what is physically possible in later life
A growing band of of "master athletes" demonstrate that "we often confuse the effects of inactivity with the ageing process itself", write Stephen Harridge and Norman...
Study tests the goal of 10,000 daily steps to reduce mortality risk
The goal of 10, 000 daily steps is widely believed to be necessary for health, but this number has limited scientific basis. A large, four-year...
Physical exercise: A ‘fundamental’ psychiatric intervention
When it comes to inpatient treatment of a range of mental health and mood disorders – from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia, suicidality and...
US footballers have higher mortality risk than baseball players
Professional US football players appear to have a somewhat elevated risk of death, including higher risk of succumbing to cardiac and neuro-degenerative diseases, compared...