Longitudinal Physiological and Fitness Evaluations in Elite Ice Hockey: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT: Chiarlitti, NA, Crozier, M, Insogna, JA, Reid, RER, and Delisle-Houde, P. Longitudinal physiological and fitness evaluations in elite ice hockey: A systematic review. J Strength Cond Res 35(10): 2963-2979, 2021-Ice hockey has greatly evolved since the last review article was published more than 25 years ago. Although players still combine anaerobic and aerobic conditioning, the pace of the game has greatly increased. Players are faster, stronger, and more agile than their predecessors; however, an important emphasis is now placed on maximizing player performance for the play-offs. For the coaching staff, strength and conditioning coaches, and players, an emphasis on mitigating fitness and physiologic losses throughout the season would be beneficial, given the intimate relationship they share with on-ice performance. This systematic review of the literature outlines the current knowledge concerning longitudinal changes in relation to fitness, body composition, and physiologic parameters across an elite hockey season. The search of 4 large scientific databases (i.e., Embase, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) yielded 4,049 items, which, after removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulted in 23 published scientific articles to be included in this review. The wide span of literature (1956-2020) made inferences difficult giving the degree to which the game of ice hockey has changed; however, more recent research points to an aerobic deconditioning pattern and increased fatigue throughout the season in a specific group of elite hockey players (i.e., university athletes) while showing that ice hockey can lead to many possible histological adaptations. Ultimately, tracking, identifying, and developing methods to mitigate potential negative longitudinal changes will be imperative to influencing individual and team performance in the later parts of the season.

Sympathetic Nervous System and Exercise Affects Cognition in Youth (SNEACY): study protocol for a randomized crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing prevalence of physical inactivity during childhood, which is associated with a variety of health problems. However, the mechanisms by which acute exercise benefits cognition in childhood remains unknown. Here we describe the protocol for a randomized crossover trial called SNEACY (Sympathetic Nervous System & Exercise Affects Cognition in Youth), a study designed to better understand mechanisms linking acute exercise and cognition in 9-10-year-old healthy, cognitively normal children. METHODS: Children from the Greater Boston, MA region will be recruited to participate in this single center study. A randomized crossover design will be utilized, such that participants will act as their own controls, through initial randomization to condition assignment and condition counterbalancing across participants. One hundred three children will participate in three randomized acute interventions: moderate intensity treadmill exercise (20 min, 70-75% of their maximal heart rate), seated rest (20 min), and a Trier Social Stress Test for Children (14 min). These visits will occur on 3 three separate days, approximately 5-8 days apart. Before and after each intervention, children complete a variety of cognitive tasks measuring attentional inhibition while their neuroelectric activity is recorded. Variables of interest include EEG data, accuracy and reaction time, academic achievement, and salivary alpha amylase. Academic achievement is also assessed following interventions. In addition, children provide passive drool samples throughout the interventions to measure various biomarkers that may explain the acute exercise benefit on cognition. DISCUSSION: The results from this study could influence educational and public health recommendations to enhance cognition and learning in pre-adolescent children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03592238 . Registered on 19 July 2018.

Exploring Supports and Barriers to Physical Activity in Catholic Priests.

Although physical activity has been examined in many different populations, little is known about the physical activity of religious leaders. Religious leaders have considerable demands on their time and energy resulting in fewer opportunities for self-care, including participating in regular physical activity. The purpose of our study was to better understand the role of physical activity in Roman Catholic priests and in particular, the supports and barriers they face. We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with eight priests regarding their perceived motivators and impediments to physical activity. Following a socioecological framework, we noted two common themes from the priests' interviews regarding their lived experiences. Our first theme included intra-individual characteristics such as personal factors including personality, knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding physical activity. Our second theme contained extra-individual factors such as environmental influences including community involvement, accessible resources, and weather determinants. Both themes reflected supports and barriers to the priests' physical activity. Overall, our results indicated that although Roman Catholic priests experience unique barriers to physical activity related to their social identity, similar to other men of the same age, they are also affected by common factors that support or prohibit engagement in physical activity. The priests shared that health benefits and being physically active with others were their main supports, while busy work schedules, lack of knowledge, and poor health were barriers to their physical activity participation. These results suggest physical activity programming should be considered as part of seminary education, in particular, as a method of proactively taking care of physical and mental health so priests can manage the persistent and consistent demands made upon them. Further, once working as priests, physical activity programs should involve individualized approaches that include personal interests, and available resources while recognizing personal, social, and environmental barriers.

A Carbohydrate Beverage Reduces Monocytes Expressing TLR4 in Children with Overweight or Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Childhood obesity is increasing, with about one-third of children overweight or obese. Obesity is characterized by a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is related to cardiometabolic comorbidities. Inflammatory monocytes, which are classified into 3 different groups-classical, intermediate, and nonclassical monocytes, with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4+) expression indicating a proinflammatory state-underlie several obesity-associated morbidities. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the responses of monocyte populations to beverages of differing macronutrient composition in children with healthy weight (HW) or overweight/obesity (OW/OB). METHODS: Ten HW children (5th to 84.9th percentile; mean age 12.29 ± 2.5 y) and 7 children with OW/OB (85th to 99.99th percentile; mean age 11.96 ± 3.8 y) completed the study. Adiposity was determined via DXA. Using a double-blinded, randomized, crossover design, participants consumed either a high-carbohydrate (CHO; 210 kcal; 0 g fat/56 g carbohydrates/0 g protein) or a whole-egg-based high-protein/fat (EGG; 210 kcal; 15 g fat/0 g carbohydrates/18 g protein) beverage. Venous blood was collected at baseline and 2 h postprandially for evaluation of metabolic and inflammatory responses. Repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson correlations were conducted. RESULTS: Consuming the CHO beverage significantly reduced the primary outcome: TLR4+ expression on classical monocytes in children with OW/OB only (25.60% decrease from baseline in OW/OB compared with 1.61% increase in HW). Children with OW/OB had significantly less percentages of TLR4+ nonclassical monocytes than HW (47.66% lower after CHO). Insulin and glucose (secondary outcomes), were significantly higher after the CHO condition compared with baseline (230.61% and 9.93% increase, respectively). Changes in glucose were significantly and negatively related to changes in monocyte populations in the CHO condition. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that high-carbohydrate beverages alter monocyte populations in the blood in children with OW/OB, which is related to glucose metabolism. These findings have implications for nutritional recommendations in children with overweight/obesity. National Clinical Trial registry trial number: NCT03597542.

Seasonal Changes in Physiological Responses and Body Composition During a Competitive Season in Male and Female Elite Collegiate Ice Hockey Players.

Delisle-Houde, P, Reid, RER, Insogna, JA, Chiarlitti, NA, and Andersen, RE. Seasonal changes in physiological responses and body composition during a competitive season in male and female elite collegiate ice hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 33(8): 2162-2169, 2019-Ice hockey continually overloads athletes with limited time for recovery, which may affect several physiological responses and alter body composition. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in physiological parameters and body composition profiles over the competitive season in elite collegiate ice hockey players. Forty-four players, 24 males (age = 22.7 ± 1.3 years, height = 1.82 ± 0.6 m, and body mass = 86.87 ± 6.44 kg) and 20 females (age = 19.9 ± 1.8 years, height = 1.66 ± 0.7 m, and body mass = 68.76 ± 5.91 kg) participated in 4-minute submaximal exercise tests and body composition assessments at pre-season, mid-season, and end-season. Changes in physiological parameters and body composition were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of covariance controlling for age. Males' postexercise blood lactate concentration decreased (p ≤ 0.05) from pre- to mid-season (9.3 vs. 6.2 mmol·L) and increased (p ≤ 0.05) from mid- to end-season (6.2 vs. 8.0 mmol·L). Heart rate increased (p ≤ 0.05) after the third and fourth minute of the submaximal test in both sexes from pre- to end-season and from mid- to end-season. Males' body fat percentage decreased (p ≤ 0.05) from mid-season (17.4 vs. 16.1%), whereas increases were observed (p ≤ 0.05) in both sexes from mid- to end-season. This study produced evidence that male and female collegiate hockey athletes' physiological responses and body composition profiles change over the season. Sport scientists working with collegiate hockey teams, may need to revise annual training programs to attenuate reductions in fitness and hopefully prevent injuries.

Predicting On-Ice Skating Using Laboratory- and Field-Based Assessments in College Ice Hockey Players.

PURPOSE: To determine the predictability of common laboratory/field and novel laboratory tests for skating characteristics in Canadian college ice hockey players. METHODS: A total of 18 male hockey players from the university's varsity hockey team age 20-25 y (height 180.7 [6.4] cm, weight 87.1 [6.7] kg, and body fat 16.2% [4.0%]) completed common laboratory-/field-based testing (ie, standing long jump, vertical jump, off-ice proagility, V˙O2max, Wingate), novel laboratory-based testing (ie, Biodex dynamometer, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan), and on-ice testing (ie, 30-m forward sprint, 30-m backward sprint, on-ice proagility). RESULTS: Pearson correlations and stepwise regression revealed relationships between on-ice forward sprint and 4 off-ice tests (Wingate relative peak power [r = -.62, P < .01], standing long jump [r = -.45, P < .05], off-ice proagility left [r = .51, P < .05], and vertical jump impulse [r = .60, P < .01]). On-ice proagility left was correlated with off-ice proagility left (r = .47, P < .05), Wingate relative peak power (r = -.55, P < .01), and vertical jump impulse (r = -.53, P < .05). The 30-m backward skating test and the on-ice proagility right were not correlated with any off-ice test. CONCLUSION: Commonly used laboratory/field tests are effective in predicting 2 important primary abilities in ice hockey.

Relationship Between Physiologic Tests, Body Composition Changes, and On-Ice Playing Time in Canadian Collegiate Hockey Players.

Delisle-Houde, P, Chiarlitti, NA, Reid, RER, and Andersen, RE. Relationship between physiologic tests, body composition changes, and on-ice playing time in canadian collegiate hockey players. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1297-1302, 2018-Hockey player's body composition and physical fitness are suggested to influence coaching decisions regarding on-ice playing time. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between seasonal body composition changes, off-ice preseason testing, and on-ice metrics. Twenty-one Canadian collegiate hockey players (22.70 ± 1.30 years old, 181.0 ± 5.92 cm, 86.52 ± 6.41 kg) underwent off-ice physical testing at the beginning of their season and had one total body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan at the beginning and end of the season. The team's statistician tracked all on-ice metrics. Pearson correlations were used to explore relationships between off-ice tests (long jump, vertical jump, beep test, and Wingate test), change in body composition (body fat percentage, visceral adiposity, and total lean tissue mass), and on-ice performance (average time on ice, average shift length, power play time, penalty kill time, and shot differential). Long jump was correlated with shot differential (r = -0.532, p ≤ 0.05) and average shift length (r = -0.491, p ≤ 0.05) while fatigue index was correlated with average ice time (r = -0.476, p ≤ 0.05). Hockey performance is a complex interaction of player's body compositions and skeletal fitness that interact to affect on-ice playing metrics.

Importance of Body Composition in the National Hockey League Combine Physiological Assessments.

Chiarlitti, NA, Delisle-Houde, P, Reid, RER, Kennedy, C, and Andersen, RE. Importance of body composition in the national hockey league combine physiological assessments. J Strength Cond Res 32(11): 3135-3142, 2018-The National Hockey League (NHL) combine was designed to assess draft-eligible players based on body composition, speed, power, and strength. The importance of body composition in the battery of combine physical tests was investigated, and differences in results based on position were explored. Thirty-seven elite male Canadian university hockey players (age = 22.86 ± 1.55 years, mass = 87.21 ± 6.52 kg, and height = 181.69 ± 6.19 cm) participated in the study at the beginning of their hockey season. All participants underwent physical testing (as outlined in the 2016 NHL combine) and 1 total body dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan to measure body composition. Partial correlations (controlling for body mass) were used to explore the relationship among body composition measures (body fat percentage, visceral fat, body mass index, lower lean tissue mass, upper lean tissue mass, upper fat mass, and lower fat mass) with NHL fitness tests (bench press, pull-ups, grip strength, long jump, proagility, vertical jump, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, and the Wingate Anaerobic Test). In 4 of the 6 strength/power tests (Wingate Anaerobic Test, long jump, bench press, and both grip strengths), lower and upper lean tissue mass explained significant amounts of variance. Although forwards and defensemen significantly differed in right grip strength and proagility left scores, they did not differ in regard to any body composition variables. Body composition has a significant influence on several combine-specific tests, which may help sport scientists and strength and conditioning coaches to better tailor training programs and to optimize performance in elite hockey players.

Parental Influences and the Relationship to their Children's Physical Activity Levels.

Engaging in a physically active lifestyle relates positively to current health and reduces chances of chronic diseases in the future. Given escalating health care costs, it is paramount to reduce illnesses associated with a lack of physical activity and thus critical to identify factors that influence physical activity - especially in children, with the opportunity for a lifetime impact. One of these influencing factors may be parents/guardians. The intent of this study was to examine the relationship between children's physical activity levels and parental factors including parental physical activity, support/encouragement, restrictiveness, and self-reported participation. Data was collected from 15 child-parent pairs with children ranging in age from 7 to 10 years. Daily physical activity levels were determined from pedometer data using a Piezo SC-Step Pedometer. Number of steps and moderate and vigorous physical activity were extracted from the pedometers and levels of support/encouragement, restrictiveness, and participation were quantified from parents' self-reported responses to a questionnaire created for this study. Pearson Product correlation analyses were carried out between: the children's and parent steps (r = -0.069; p = 0.597); children's steps and parent's self-reported encouragement/support (r = 0.045, p = 0.563); children's steps and parents' self-reported restrictiveness (r = -.0254, p = 0.820); and children's steps and parents' self-reported participation (r = -0.002, p = 0.503). The lack of significant relationships among these variables implies that more complex interactions occur between children and their parents regarding physical activity with children's participation influenced by other factors.