Journal Articles

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    Effectiveness of a 12-week Periodised Recovery Programme on Muscle Performance and Mood States in Youth Athletes
    (Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD., 2024-10-30) Younger L; Cochrane D
    Background: Youth athletes experience high-intensity physical and mental stress during a competitive season. In athlete populations, accumulated stress and strain have been associated with contributing to levels of fatigue that decrease athletic performance. While deliberate heat and cold exposure have been prevalent to aid recovery, there is a lack of conclusive literature regarding the specific implementation, periodisation, and monitoring for optimal recovery in youth athletes. Objective: This study aimed to investigate external physical (lower-body muscular power), internal physical (rating of perceived exertion) and psychological (profile of mood states) outcome measures during a 12-week competitive first XV rugby season to determine the effectiveness of a deliberate heat and cold exposure intervention. Methods: A single-group repeated measure within-subjects design was performed with 29 male first XV rugby athletes (mean age 17.6 ± 0.6 years; mean body weight 87.5 ± 9.7 kg; mean height 182.2 ± 6.2 cm) who volunteered for this study. Countermovement jump (CMJ), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and profile of mood states (POMS) were recorded every fortnight over a 12-week competition. A total of two separate deliberate cold exposures (5°C for 5-minutes) and one deliberate heat exposure (100°C for 15-minutes) were administered weekly over the 12-week competitive season. Results: CMJ peak power (p = 0.759) and mean CMJ concentric power (p = 0.712) revealed no significant time effect. RPE presented a significant time effect (p < 0.001). Among the ten POMS domains examined, eight domains did not show a significant time effect (p > 0.05). However, the domains related to feeling sore or fatigued (p = 0.032) and excitement about competition (p < 0.001) displayed significant time effects. Conclusion: The recovery intervention of two cold and one heat exposures did not directly improve changes in CMJ power or psychological states; however physical and psychological performance was maintained. Further research is necessary to understand the duration and frequency of using recovery strategies to improve the long-term effectiveness of young athletes.
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    Adiposity in preadolescent children: Associations with cardiorespiratory fitness
    (Public Library of Science, 2022-10-26) Castro N; Bates LC; Zieff G; Pagan Lassalle P; Faulkner J; Lark S; Hamlin M; Skidmore P; Signal TL; Williams MA; Higgins S; Stoner L
    Lifestyle factors contribute to childhood obesity risk, however it is unclear which lifestyle factors are most strongly associated with childhood obesity. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to simultaneously investigate the associations among dietary patterns, activity behaviors, and physical fitness with adiposity (body fat %, fat mass, body mass index [BMI], and waist to hip ratio) in preadolescent children. Preadolescent children (N = 392, 50% female, age: 9.5 ± 1.1year, BMI: 17.9 ± 3.3 kg/m2) were recruited. Body fat (%) and fat mass (kg) were measured with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max), muscular strength (hand-grip strength), activity, sleep, and dietary pattern was assessed. Multivariable analysis revealed that cardiorespiratory fitness associated most strongly with all four indicators of adiposity (body fat (%) (β = -0.2; p < .001), fat mass (β = -0.2; p < .001), BMI (β = -0.1; p < .001) and waist to hip ratio (β = -0.2; p < .001). Additionally, fruit and vegetable consumption patterns were associated with body fat percentage, but the association was negligible (β = 0.1; p = 0.015). Therefore, future interventions should aim to promote the use of cardiorespiratory fitness as a means of reducing the obesity epidemic in children.