The Olympic legacy

Working Out Desire: Women, Sport, and Self-Making in Istanbul

BackgroundIdentifying leisure time activities performed before and after school that influence time in physical activity (PA) and/or time spent sedentary can provide useful information when designing interventions aimed to promote an active lifestyle in young people. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between mode of transportation to school, outdoor play after school, participation in exercise in clubs, and TV viewing with objectively assessed PA and sedentary behaviour in children.MethodsA total of 1327 nine- and 15-year-old children from three European countries (Norway, Estonia, Portugal) participated as part of the European Youth Heart Study. PA was measured during two weekdays and two weekend days using the MTI accelerometer, and average percent of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and time spent sedentary were derived. Potential correlates were assessed by self-report. Independent associations between self-reported correlates with percent time in MVPA and percent time sedentary were analysed by general linear models, adjusted by age, gender, country, measurement period, monitored days and parental socio-economic status.ResultsIn 9-year-olds, playing outdoors after school was associated with higher percent time in MVPA (P < 0.01), while participation in sport clubs was associated with higher percent time in MVPA (P < 0.01) in 15-year-olds. No associations with percent time sedentary were observed in either age group.ConclusionFrequency of outdoor play after school is a significant correlate for daily time in MVPA in 9-year-olds, while this correlate is attenuated in favour of participation in sport and exercise in clubs in 15-year-olds. Targeting walking to school or reduced TV viewing time in order to increase time in daily MVPA in children is unlikely to be sufficient. Correlates related to time spent sedentary need further examination.

To review available evidence establishing the validity of the preparticipation evaluation (PPE) as a method for screening health risk prior to participation in exercise and sport. Specific emphasis was placed on reviewing original research evaluating methods to screen participants for risk of sudden cardiovascular death. Literature on the current state of the PPE as a screening tool for athletic participation was examined. Electronic databases were searched for articles relating to mass screening for sports participation and sudden cardiac death in athletes published up to January 2004. Databases searched included Medline (OVID Web, 1966-2004), PubMed (1966-2004), Sport Discuss (1975-2004), Current Contents, CISTI Source (1993-2004), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and EBM Reviews. Additional references from the bibliographies of retrieved articles were also reviewed. All study designs were retrieved, but only those studying athletes and/or student-athletes under age 36 years were reviewed. Of the original research retrieved, the majority of the articles sought to establish incidence or prevalence of cardiovascular causes of sudden death in athletes or the validity of various screening tools. Original research articles seeking to establish the current use of the PPE in all its various forms were also reviewed. All of the articles selected for review consisted of type II, population-based data. The initial literature search identified 639 papers. Of these, 310 articles that met the selection criteria were reviewed, and 25 articles were identified as original research directly relating to the PPE. All of these contained type II evidence-population-based clinical studies. The majority of the literature on the PPE consists of type III evidence-case-based opinion papers and position papers from respected authors and sports medicine societies and reports of expert committees. This literature was also reviewed, but only original research relevant to the PPE is reported in this article. The majority of these studies examined cardiovascular diseases and screening procedures. The 5 studies that assessed the format or effectiveness of the PPE concluded that it was inadequate. The format of the PPE is not standardized and does not consistently address the American Heart Association recommendations for cardiovascular screening history and physical exams. A variety of health care professionals, some without proper training, administer the PPE. The 12 original studies that looked at specific cardiovascular screening techniques were divided on the effectiveness of history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, and echocardiography for detecting cardiovascular risks for sudden death in athletes. A PPE is required by most sport organizations in America, but research as to its effectiveness is very limited. PPEs have been mandatory in Italy for many years, and we can draw on some the data recorded over this time. Otherwise, very few studies in America or elsewhere have been performed on the PPE process. The research available indicates that the PPE is not implemented adequately or uniformly. An opportunity exists to create a standardized, validated PPE that meets medical standards for quality and provides sensitive, specific screening of potential participants in sport and exercise.

Whilst acknowledging that inactive communities which increase participation in sport, exercise and physical activity will benefit health fitness, with far-reaching implications for contemporary health systems, the authors warn against conflation of the terms ‘physical activity’, ‘exercise’ and ‘sport’, and assumption that the promotion of sport alone can deliver desired public health objectives. They argue that there is a need to recognise that adoption of active lifestyles by physically inactive individuals is not necessarily easy and that, in addition to the promotion of sport, there is a need for different programmes (featuring exercise and physical activity) which will attract inactive audiences.

The overall purpose of the Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network (WiSEAN) is to grow, strengthen, and promote research on women in sport and exercise, with the ultimate goal of optimizing women's athletic success and their sport participation. The catalyst for the development of the network was the underrepresentation of female participants in sport and exercise medicine research Due to this underrepresentation, research evidence based on men is often inappropriately generalized and applied to women Gender bias is also apparent in conference speakers and academic panel members The network, therefore, exists to help minimize gender inequalities in research and academia, through promoting female-focused research as part of the annual conference and by supporting female researchers through its mentoring scheme. Further activities of WiSEAN can be found on the website: https://www.wisean.net/.

Sports participation plays a crucial role in promoting physical health and supporting Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). However, limited access to sports equipment and sports facilities often hinders community engagement in healthy activities. This study proposes the design of a sport equipment rental and sport field booking application as a digital solution to increase accessibility and convenience for the public. The application integrates features such as online booking of sports fields, rental of various sports equipment, payment gateway, and real-time availability tracking. By adopting user-friendly design principles, the platform aims to encourage active participation in sports while reducing barriers related to cost and accessibility. Furthermore, the system supports community health by fostering inclusivity and creating opportunities for individuals to engage in regular physical activity. The proposed application is expected to not only optimize resource utilization but also contribute to achieving SDG 3 by improving public health outcomes through increased participation in sports and physical exercise.

Heroin users’ views and experiences of physical activity, sport and exercise

Studies conducted among nonpregnant populations have observed an association between sedentary behavior and glucose intolerance. Few studies have investigated this association during pregnancy, particularly among Latina women, a population with higher rates of sedentary behavior and abnormal glucose tolerance (AGT) as compared with non-Latina white women. The purpose of this study was to estimate the association between sedentary behavior and AGT. We used data from the Latina gestational diabetes mellitus study, a prospective cohort of 1231 Latina prenatal care patients in western Massachusetts. Sedentary behavior was assessed by bilingual interviewers using a modified version of the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey in prepregnancy, early pregnancy, and midpregnancy and defined as hours spent TV watching, frequency of sitting at work, and participation in sports or exercise activity as well as a derived composite of total sedentary activity. AGT was measured at 24-28 wk of gestation and abstracted from medical records after delivery. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. A total of 12% (n = 119) of participants were classified as having AGT. After adjusting for AGT risk factors, sedentary behaviors in prepregnancy or in early pregnancy were not associated with AGT. However, in midpregnancy, low levels of participation in sports or exercise (odds ratio = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.01-4.02) and increasing total sedentary activity (Ptrend = 0.003) were associated with increased risk for AGT. Findings suggest an association between sedentary activity in midpregnancy and risk of AGT in this understudied population.

Sports and Exercise Cardiology in the United States: Cardiovascular Specialists as Members of the Athlete Healthcare Team

Over the last thirty years, participation by girls and women in organized athletics has increased dramatically. This presents unique challenges in the area of sports medicine, orthopaedics, and pediatrics. While the benefits of participation in sports and exercise vastly outweigh the risks of permanent injury, an evolving concern is the number of stress fractures in active women. The female athlete triad ("triad") describes the coexistence of 3 distinct medical conditions that may occur in athletic girls and women. Originally, the triad included eating disorders, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Presently, it includes eating disorders/disordered eating behavior, amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea, and decreased bone mineral density (osteoporosis and osteopenia). Briefly, when coupled with inadequate nutrition, the high caloric expenditure of exercise training resultsin a sustained negative caloric balance or low energy availability, which is exquisitely sensed by the hypothalamus, initiating a complex neuroendocrine adaptive cascade. This cascade is associated with changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, such that estrogen levels are decreased, resulting in reproductive dysfunction that may include amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, or anovulation. Low estrogen in otherwise young healthy women, like menopause, is associated with decreased bone mineral density and increased risk of fractures. The triad is not an inevitable consequence of participation in sports or physical activity at any level, however, exercise may contribute to the disruption of caloric balance. The triad is a complex disorder that requires intervention by a multidisciplinary team. Physical therapists bring a unique expertise to the team. The present review summarizes each component of the triad, component linkage, and the role of physical therapy in prevention, assessment, and intervention.

Objective: This study sought to determine the prevalence and epidemiology of self-reported injuries from recreational sport and exercise participation in the general adult population of Trinidad and Tobago. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted via structured telephone interviews. Quota random sampling was done using the Regional Health Authorities' geographical distribution. Phone numbers were randomly selected from the 2019 print telephone directory using computer-generated random numbers that were matched to the names counting from the top of the page for each zone. Persons 18-years and older from each household, who met the inclusion criteria, were invited to participate. Data on self-reported injuries from July to December 2019 was captured. Results: A total of 1035 persons (58% males, 42% females) completed the study. The mean age was 45.0 years ± 19.8 years. Major ethnic groups were represented, namely Indian, African, and Mixed. Fourteen percent of the sample had sustained an injury from participating in sport or exercise during the time of interest. The estimated probability of sustaining an injury during recreational sport and exercise was 0.27% or 27 injuries per 10,000 occurrences of exercise activity. Injuries were more prevalent in younger persons, males and those with a higher level of education. Most were engaged in weights/resistance training at the time of injury. Conclusion: The pattern of injury from participation in recreational sport and exercise was similar to that of other countries, with prevalence being highest among young males and those with higher education levels. These injuries should be a public health concern and consideration should be given to employing sports medicine specialists at primary care facilities and driving injury prevention campaigns alongside physical activity ones. Keywords: physical activity, recreational injuries, overuse syndromes, traumatic injuries

This article examines the state of research on Paralympic Games legacies. Limited research attention has been paid to this area, in contrast to understanding Olympic Games legacies. Yet, interest in the area has increased since 2013, when a research synthesis outlining key areas for further study was published. More attention has been given to the importance of understanding the impact of the Paralympic Games as distinct, but there continue to be gaps in knowledge. Organizing committees are increasingly formulating commitments to legacy but also making it more difficult for scholars to examine the outcomes of these commitments. In addition, the Paralympic legacy literature demonstrates that the Games have played a significant role in generating positive legacies within host communities, particularly in areas such as accessibility, disability awareness, social inclusion, and sport participation. However, the research is still predominantly focused on able-bodied sport events. Thus, this article provides an overview of the research to date and suggests future directions for Paralympic legacy research.

The purposes of the study were to establish isometric torque reference values for healthy 6- to 8-year-old children for 6 lower extremity muscles and determine the effects of gender, age, height, weight, and physical activity upon strength. A hand-held dynamometer was used to obtain force/torque values for 154 children. Age-referenced force/torque and cutoff values are provided for each muscle group. Torque increased with age and height for all muscles and with weight for all muscles except knee extensors. No gender differences were found. Children who participated in 3 or more hours per week in organized sports were stronger in 4 of 6 muscles; the number of hours spent in active play did not affect torque. This study provides hand-held dynamometer strength reference values to enable clinicians to determine if clients of the same age, height, and weight have muscle weakness.

OBJECTIVE To examine associations between specific types of physical activity and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in a large nationally representative sample of adults with diabetes from Great Britain. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS There were a total of 3,038 participants (675 deaths) with diabetes in the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Surveys conducted between 1997 and 2008. Participants aged ≥50 years at baseline were followed up for an average of 75.2 months for all-cause and CVD mortality. Data were collected on self-reported frequency, duration, and intensity of participation in sports and exercise, walking, and domestic physical activity, from which the number of MET-hours/week were derived. Sex-specific medians of time spent in each type of physical activity (for those physically active) were calculated, and Cox proportional hazards regression conducted to examine type-specific associations between the level of physical activity and all-cause and CVD mortality risk. RESULTS Inverse associations with all-cause and CVD mortality were observed for overall physical activity in a dose-response manner after adjusting for covariates. Compared with those who individuals were inactive, participants who reported some activity, but below the recommended amount, or who met the physical activity recommendations had a 26% (95% CI 39-11) and 35% (95% CI 47-21) lower all-cause mortality, respectively. Similar results were found for below/above median physical activity levels. Sports and exercise participation was inversely associated with all-cause (but not CVD) mortality, as were above average levels of walking. Domestic physical activity was not associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS Moderate physical activity levels were associated with better prognosis in diabetic adults.

ObjectivesAdolescents with disabilities face barriers to engagement with physical activity that their able-bodied peers do not. As a result, disabled teenagers may be dissuaded from participating in sport, due to...