Researches have been performed to investigate the effects of phototherapy on improving performance and reduction of muscular fatigue. However, a great variability in the light parameters and protocols of the trials are a concern to establish the efficacy of this therapy to be used in sports or clinic. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness, moment of application of phototherapy within an exercise protocol, and which are the parameters optimally effective for the improvement of muscular performance and the reduction of muscular fatigue in healthy people. Systematic searches of PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were conducted for randomized clinical trials to March 2017. Analyses of risk of bias and quality of evidence of the included trials were performed, and authors were contacted to obtain any missing or unclear information. We included 39 trials (861 participants). Data were reported descriptively through tables, and 28 trials were included in meta-analysis comparing outcomes to placebo. Meta-analysis was performed for the variables: time until reach exhaustion, number of repetitions, isometric peak torque, and blood lactate levels showing a very low to moderate quality of evidence and some effect in favor to phototherapy. Further investigation is required due the lack of methodological quality, small sample size, great variability of exercise protocols, and phototherapy parameters. In general, positive results were found using both low-level laser therapy and light-emitting diode therapy or combination of both in a wavelength range from 655 to 950 nm. Most of positive results were observed with an energy dose range from 20 to 60 J for small muscular groups and 60 to 300 J for large muscular groups and maximal power output of 200 mW per diode.

ObjectivesTo explore how sports injury prevention takes place in elite sport practice and to describe the perspectives of athletes, coaches and physiotherapists regarding the most critical factors that help prevent injury in the elite sports context.MethodsQualitative study. Semistructured interviews with 19 international level athletes, coaches and physiotherapists, from different Olympic sports. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using comparative data analysis based on Grounded Theory.ResultsThe participants perceived injury risk as an inherent part of elite sports, because athletes try to enhance performance by pushing their limits. Participants described injury prevention as a learning process that changed over time, based on their sports experience and the injuries that they had sustained along their career. Communication among the athletes, coaches and physiotherapists was described as a key component of the injury prevention process. Study participants emphasised the relevance of teamwork and shared responsibility. Performance was presented as the core of the athlete’s daily practice, indicating that injury prevention can be a means to that end but is not a goal in itself for this community.ConclusionParticipants perceive injury prevention as part of elite sports and thus embrace the need for injury prevention. Injury prevention strategies in elite sports were described as a learning process, following the dynamic nature of training for maximal performance. Performance is the participants’ main goal.

BackgroundTo commence injury prevention efforts, it is necessary to understand the magnitude of the injury problem. No systematic reviews have yet investigated the extent of injuries in field hockey, despite the popularity of the sport worldwide.ObjectiveOur objective was to describe the rate and severity of injuries in field hockey and investigate their characteristics.MethodsWe conducted electronic searches in PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL. Prospective cohort studies were included if they were published in English in a peer-reviewed journal and observed all possible injuries sustained by field hockey players during the period of the study.ResultsThe risk of bias score of the 22 studies included ranged from three to nine of a possible ten. In total, 12 studies (55%) reported injuries normalized by field hockey exposure. Injury rates ranged from 0.1 injuries (in school-aged players) to 90.9 injuries (in Africa Cup of Nations) per 1000 player-hours and from one injury (in high-school women) to 70 injuries (in under-21 age women) per 1000 player-sessions. Studies used different classifications for injury severity, but—within studies—injuries were included mostly in the less severe category. The lower limbs were most affected, and contusions/hematomas and abrasions were common types of injury. Contact injuries are common, but non-contact injuries are also a cause for concern.ConclusionsConsiderable heterogeneity meant it was not possible to draw conclusive findings on the extent of the rate and severity of injuries. Establishing the extent of sports injury is considered the first step towards prevention, so there is a need for a consensus on injury surveillance in field hockey.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s40279-017-0839-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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