Players in team sports must recover in a relatively short period of time to perform at optimal levels. To enhance recovery, cryotherapy is widely used. To date, there are limited scientific data to support the use of cryotherapy for recovery. Players (n = 26) from a premier rugby club volunteered to participate in a random control trial (RCT) using contrast baths, ice baths, and no recovery. Statistical analysis, between group and within group, with repeated measures was conducted along with determination of effect sizes in 2 field tests. Pre and postfield tests including a 300-m test and a phosphate decrement test and subjective reports were conducted during the RCT. No significant difference was identified between base tests and retests in the phosphate decrement test or the 300-m tests. Effect size calculations identified a medium to large effect (d = 0.72) for 300-m tests for contrast baths against control. Trivial effects were identified for ice baths (d = 0.17) in the 300-m test against control. Effect size calculations in the phosphate decrement test showed a trivial effect (d = 0.18) contrast baths and a negative effect (d = -0.62) for ice baths. Treatment-treatment analysis identified a large effect for contrast baths (d = 0.99) in the phosphate decrement test and a medium effect for contrast baths (d = 0.53) in the 300-m test. Effect scores across contrast baths, ice baths, and passive recovery along with subjective reports indicate a trend toward contrast baths benefiting recovery in rugby. The continued use of 5-minute ice baths for recovery should be reconsidered based on this research because trends suggest a detrimental effect.

Heazlewood I, Burke S. Self-efficacy and its relationship to selected sport psychological constructs in the prediction of performance in ironman triathlon. J. Hum. Sport Exerc. Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 328-350, 2011. The focus of this study was to apply this approach to an Ironman TM (3.8km swim, 180km cycle, and 42.2km run) triathlon event. The methodology utilized physiological measures (VO 2max , adiposity, height, weight), history of performance and sport psychological constructs (self-efficacy, motivation, sport confidence, cognitive and somatic anxiety) to predict total performance time and individual swim, cycle and run performance times. The results, utilizing correlation, regression and path analysis indicated that performance can be predicted more accurately when variables are assessed from a variety of Human Movement domains. The correlation analysis indicated only outcome orientations (r=0.68, p<0.001) and performance orientation (r=0.70, p<0.001) were significantly correlated with triathlon performance as compared to the non-predictive value of the CSAI-2 component of somatic anxiety, the attribution variables of internal, luck and powerful others, and history of previous performance. The path model explained a significant 44% of the variance of race performance. An investigation of the mediation of efficacy on performance in the race revealed that when direct paths were drawn from self-estimations to performance, non-significant regression weights were reported for the indirect paths to predict performance.

The World Masters Games, held quadrennially, is the largest international sporting competition in terms of participant numbers. Yet this cohort remains proportionately under investigated. An online survey using an open-source specialized survey application software program was utilized to investigate the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games (SWMG) football code athletes (association football, touch football, rugby union). A total of 931 masters athletes (28.2% response rate, aged 29 - 72 yrs, mean = 47.6, SD ± 7.1, 52.5% male) completed the survey, with touch football reporting the highest incidence of injury (29.2%) followed by rugby (27.0%) and soccer (21.2%). Analyzing injury data (t-tests, chi square) identified patterns in injury location (legs (11.2%, p < 0.01) followed by knees, feet and ankles) and significant (p < 0.01) classification patterns (muscle/tendon strain/tear (13.0%, p < 0.05), inflammation (6.1%), joint pain (6.0%) and ligament sprain/tear (5.8%)). There were also significant differences (p < 0.01) compared to general and elite sporting population data. For masters football athletes at the SWMG, the injury incidence during preparation for the tournament has similarities to, but is in fact significantly less than for these other sporting populations. Some gender and sport based differences in injury location and classification type were identified. There were also no significant age related changes in injury nature (classification type, location, incidence, time off work or training). Therefore these findings do not support the premise of masters football code athletes having a higher incidence of injury as compared to younger athletes.

BackgroundMasters athletes (MAs) have led a physically active lifestyle for an extended period of time or initiated exercise/sport in later life. Given the benefits of physical activity and exercise we investigated if body mass index (BMI), an indirect health indicator of obesity, was clinically superior in MAs as compared to controls or the general population.MethodsSeven databases (Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane) were electronically searched for studies on BMI (kg/m2) or as a percentage of BMI categories (underweight, normal, overweight, obesity) in MAs.ResultsOf the initial yield of 7,431 papers, 60 studies met our inclusion criteria and were used in this literature review. Studies identified were classified as: endurance sports (n = 14), runners (n = 14), mixed sports (n = 8), cyclists (n = 4), soccer (n = 4) swimmers (n = 3), non-specific (n = 3), orienteering (n = 2), World Masters Games (n = 2) and individual sports (n = 5). Where BMI was presented for the group of MAs the mean was 23.8 kg/m2 (± 1.1) with a range from 20.8 kg/m2 (endurance runners) to 27.3 kg/m2 (soccer players), this was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than controls ( −9.5%, 26.13 ± 1.7 kg/m2). Where gender specific BMI was reported the mean for male MAs was 23.6 kg/m2 (± 1.5) (range 22.4 kg/m2 endurance to 26.4 kg/m2 swimmers) and 22.4 kg/m2 (± 1.2) for female MAs (range 20.8 kg/m2 mixed to 24.7 kg/m2 WMG).ConclusionIn most, but not all studies the BMI of MAs was significantly lower than controls. A clinically superior BMI affords MAs reduced risk with regard to a number of cardiometabolic diseases, osteoarthritis and certain types of cancers.