While iron deficiency is commonly discussed in populations of professional female athletes, less is known about highly trained, sub-elite female athletes (e.g., those winning international age-group ...competitions) who generally have less access to medical and allied health support.
Thirteen non-professional highly trained female endurance athletes provided training diaries and completed a blood test, where iron markers of haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), C-reactive protein (Crp), serum iron, serum ferritin, and transferrin were assessed. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were also obtained. Participants were classified as iron deficient (ID) if serum ferritin was <30 ug/L serum ferritin.
Six of the 13 females were classified as ID. Serum iron, ferritin, Hb, Hct, and ferrin were greater in the ID group (
< 0.05). Crp resulted in
to
correlations with serum iron (
= -0.72), serum ferritin (
= -0.66), and transferrin (
= 0.70).
In this population of highly trained female athletes, 46% were diagnosed with sub-optimal iron levels, which could have lasting health effects and impair athletic performance. The need for more education and support in non-professional athletes regarding iron deficiency is strongly advised.
Recent academic focus has been on reducing the sex data gap for women in sport and exercise research. However, 'women in sport' is often narrowly represented by female athletes/participants, though ...there are numerous other positions in sport which are also threatened by a sex data gap. In this paper, we propose a six-pillar framework of sport to draw attention to the key areas that women can contribute to within a sporting organisation. In this paper we cover the current state of play of female participation across these pillars, identify some of the challenges and implications of women being a minority, and look at the benefits of taking a wider whole-of-sport approach to women in sport beyond just as participants. By conceptualising women in sport across this wider sporting context, we encourage readers to avoid 'gender blindness,' and we provide specific recommendations to help raise the profile of women in sport.
Objective: This study explored psychophysiological stress in professional Australian Rules football athletes across the course of one competitive season. Methods: A sample of eight players listed ...with one professional Australian football club participated in this study. Each week during the competitive season (22 weeks), players self-reported their general fatigue and sleep using a paper-based scale, as well as providing a salivary cortisol measure. Testing occurred 48-hours after competition. Participants' weekly performance rating scores based on a points system metric of players' data obtained during competitive matches were also recorded by the club each week. Results: A significant inverse relationship was observed between cortisol and performance ratings, sleep and fatigue, and sleep and performance ratings. There was a significant predictive relationship observed, with cortisol levels and performance rankings (R2 = .35, F (6,74) = 7.06, p<.001). There was no significant relationship between performance and fatigue or performance and sleep. Conclusions: This study shows a significant relationship between performance outcomes and psychophysiological stress in professional Australian football players. Professional clubs should look towards objective assessment protocols to measure athlete psychological stress to enhance current practice of self-report stress measures.
Abstract This study aimed to examine the effect of nonsleep deep rest (NSDR) on physical and cognitive performance, as well as sleepiness, acute readiness, recovery, stress, and mood state in ...physically active participants. A total of 65 physically active participants (42 male, 23 female) were randomly assigned into two groups: an experimental group (NSDR, n = 34), in which participants completed a 10‐min NSDR intervention, and a control group (CON, n = 31), whereby participants sat passively for 10 min. Testing measures were assessed immediately pre and 10 min post each condition and comprised completing a hand grip strength dynamometer test and a countermovement jump test on force plates, cognitive function measures via a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT‐B), and a Simon task test, along with four questionnaires to assess sleep, recovery, and mood state. A significant Group × Time interaction favored the NSDR condition for handgrip strength, median reaction time during the PVT‐B, and accuracy percentage during the Simon task. Questionnaire responses demonstrated NSDR to be associated with significant benefits to physical readiness, emotional balance, overall recovery, negative emotional state, overall stress, and tension in comparison to CON ( p < .05). The NSDR intervention could be a valuable strategy for acutely enhancing overall well‐being and readiness.
Objectives: This study aimed to quantify and compare the match running movements of elite (AFLW) and sub-elite (VFLW) women's Australian Football (AF) competitions. Methods: Match running movements ...(GPS) were recorded during 7 AFLW (n = 91 files) and 13 VFLW (n = 263 files) competition matches. Results: AFLW players covered moderately greater relative high-speed running (HSR, 14.4-18.0 km·h
−1
, AFLW 14.9 ± 5.7 m·min
−1
; VFLW 12.2 ± 3.9 m·min
−1
; ES = 0.61, ±0.39), very high-speed running (VHSR, 18.0-20.0 km·h
−1
, 4.2 ± 2.0 m·min
−1
; 3.2 ± 1.4 m·min
−1
; ES = 0.61, ±0.14), and sprint (>20 km·h
−1
, 3.3 ± 2.2 m·min
−1
; 2.1 ± 1.6 m·min
−1
; ES = 0.65, ±0.16) distances than VFLW players. Small to large differences were apparent within positions between competitions for HSR, VHSR, and sprint distances, most notably in small forwards (ES = 0.78-1.45). VHSR and sprint distances decreased in the fourth quarter when compared with quarters one and two (ES = 0.22-0.33) in the AFLW competition, whereas VFLW match running movements remained consistent across quarters. Conclusions: These differences may reflect the variations in match rules between competitions (fewer on-field players and shorter match time in AFLW), providing greater on-field space per player and interchange frequency. This information can assist in prescribing appropriate training for women's AF competition.
This study aimed to investigate the physiological, perceptual, and biomechanical differences between male and female soldiers across several military-relevant load and walking speed combinations. ...Eleven female and twelve male soldiers completed twelve 12 min walking trials at varying speeds (3.5 km·h−1, 5.5 km·h−1, 6.5 km·h−1) and with varying external loads (7.2 kg, 23.2 kg, 35.2 kg). Physiological (indirect calorimetry, heart rate), perceptual (perceived exertion), and biomechanical (spatiotemporal, kinematic, kinetic) outcomes were measured throughout each trial. Females had a lower aerobic capacity and lower body strength than males, which resulted in them working at a greater exercise intensity (%VO2peak and heart rate) but with a lower oxygen pulse. Females demonstrated higher breathing frequency and perceived exertion with specific loads. At selected loads and speeds, frontal and sagittal pelvis, hip, and knee motions and forces were greater for females. Females consistently displayed greater relative stride length and step width. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the importance of tailored interventions, periodisation, and nutritional strategies for female military personnel, given their higher relative work rate and increased injury risk during load carriage tasks. Understanding these differences is crucial for preparing female soldiers for the physical demands of military service.
To determine magnitudes of difference, and degree of variability, in standard anthropometric and fitness characteristics of national level men and women Rugby Sevens players. National Sevens squad ...players (males n=32, age 22 + or - 3 years; height 1.82 + or - 0.06 m; mass 90 + or - 8 kg; females n=32, age 25 + or - 6 years, height 1.68 + or - 0.06 m; mass 70 + or - 9 kg; mean + or - SD) age were tested during routine training camps. All testing was conducted indoors on a synthetic running track after instruction, warm-up and familiarization with each test protocol. Male players had ~40% more lean mass and 40% lower skinfolds than the women. Speed (40 m sprint time and maximal running velocity Vmax) was only ~10-20% faster for the Men, while lower body power and momentum (mass x Vmax) were 40-50% higher in Men. The Women were more than twice as variable (ratio of CV <0.4) in endurance fitness than the Men.
Full blood counts are now used as evidence that athletes have used banned blood doping. This has led to legal scrutiny of the efficacy of preanalytical procedures such as specimen homogenisation.
To ...characterise the impact of different mixing strategies on whole-blood homogeneity.
Manual inversion, mechanical mixing and automatic mixing performed by the Sysmex XT-2000i were evaluated.
Automated mixing by the instrument, or 1 min of mechanical mixing, thoroughly homogenised specimens even for tubes that had been refrigerated and left undisturbed for 36 h. Manual inversions were almost as effective, provided that specimens were first allowed to equilibrate to ambient temperatures.
Current sport guidelines that mandate at least 15 min of mechanical mixing are excessive. Except where specimens are presented to the instrument manually, mechanical mixing is redundant in the context of full blood counts.
Quantifies the short-term changes in biochemical and haematological variables of inflammation and haemolysis induced by a two-day women's rugby sevens tournament in State and National representative ...players. Explores the relationship between onfield movement patterns and select biomarkers. Includes commentary by James McGarvey. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.
