Differences in the Levels of Physical Activity and Sport Habits between Men and Women in Cartagena (Spain).

Scientific evidence proves the importance of physical activity and sports in decreasing morbidity and mortality rates and health-related costs. Public and stakeholder involvement is vital in the sustainable promotion of physical activity and sports practice in local settings. The aim of this study was to identify the levels of physical activity and sports habits of the population of the city Cartagena (Spain). The short version of the International Questionnaire of Physical Activity was used (IQPA) and a virtual questionnaire on sports habits was sent to 1450 citizens. Responses from 248 people (162 men and 86 women), with ages ranging from 18 to 77 years old (average age = 41 ± 17 years old), were collected. The results showed low to moderate levels of physical activity with no considerable differences between men and women for the population of Cartagena. Women were shown to engage in higher intensity practice of physical activity, whereas men were shown to be more consistent and have a significantly higher participation rate in sports events, both those with free entry and those that require the acquisition of a ticket. Men were also shown to have a higher rate of media sport use. This information may assist in the development of effective political actions to promote physical activity and sports in local settings.

Effects of a concurrent training, respiratory muscle exercise, and self-management recommendations on recovery from post-COVID-19 conditions: the RECOVE trial.

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of physical exercise, respiratory muscle training, and the self-management World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations leaflet on the recovery of physical fitness, quality of life, and symptom status in people with post-COVID-19 conditions. Eighty nonhospitalized adults with a post-COVID-19 condition were randomly assigned to one of four 8-wk parallel intervention groups: 1) multicomponent exercise program based on concurrent training (CT, number of subjects (n) = 20; 3 resistance and endurance supervised sessions per week at low-moderate intensity); 2) inspiratory muscle training (RM, n = 17; 2 standardized daily sessions); 3) a combination of both of the above (CTRM, n = 23); and 4) control group (CON, n = 20; following the WHO guidelines for post-COVID-19-related illness rehabilitation). No significant differences between groups were detected at baseline. Although no significant differences between interventions were detected in the V̇o2max, significant individual improvements were identified in the CT (7.5%; effect size, ES = 0.28) and CTRM (7.8%; ES = 0.36) groups. Lower body muscle strength significantly improved in the CT and CTRM (14.5%-32.6%; ES = 0.27-1.13) groups compared with RM and CON (-0.3% to 11.3%; ES = 0.10-0.19). The CT and CTRM groups improved significantly for dyspnea and fatigue, as did the health status. In addition, significant differences between interventions were described in fatigue and depression scales favoring CT and CTRM interventions. An individualized and supervised concurrent training with or without inspiratory muscle training was safe and more effective than self-care recommendations and inspiratory muscle training alone, to regain cardiovascular and muscular fitness, improve symptom severity, and health status in outpatients with post-COVID-19 conditions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Eight weeks of concurrent training, with or without inspiratory muscle exercise, was better than WHO "Support for Rehabilitation: Self-Management after COVID-19-Related Illness" recommendations or inspiratory muscle training alone to improve cardiopulmonary fitness, strength, and symptom severity, in a safe and effective manner. The RECOVE trial proved the benefits and utility of a supervised exercise program in people with post-COVID-19 conditions after mild COVID-19 in an ambulatory setting.

Relationship between the severity of persistent symptoms, physical fitness, and cardiopulmonary function in post-COVID-19 condition. A population-based analysis.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physical fitness, cardiopulmonary function and patient-reported severity of symptoms in people with post-COVID-19 condition. We examined ambulatory patients (n = 72) with post-COVID-19 condition who had a chronic symptomatic phase lasting > 12 weeks from the onset of symptoms, but had not been hospitalized for acute COVID-19. A comprehensive medical screening was conducted, including clinical history, symptomatology, comorbidities, body composition and physical activity levels. We then identified the relationship between physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength), cardiopulmonary function (echocardiographic and spirometry parameters) and patient-reported severity of symptoms (fatigue, dyspnea, health-related quality of life, anxiety, and depression). Age, body mass index, sex, number of comorbidities and duration of symptoms were included as potential confounders. Results showed that greater physical fitness and cardiopulmonary function were associated with lower severity of symptoms in people with post-COVID-19 condition. Cardiorespiratory fitness, lower-limb muscle strength, maximal voluntary ventilation and left ventricular ejection fraction account for reducing fatigue and dyspnea. Greater physical activity levels were associated with fewer symptoms and less-severe fatigue and dyspnea. In conclusion, preserving better cardiopulmonary health and physical condition during the course of the disease-even in mild cases-was related to a lower intensity of symptoms in non-hospitalized people with post-COVID-19 condition. It is probable that exercise and physical conditioning are valuable pre- and post-COVID-19 countermeasures that could help decrease the severity, not only of acute infection, but of post-COVID-19 persistent symptoms and prognosis.

Physical Fitness and Upper Limb Asymmetry in Young Padel Players: Differences between Genders and Categories.

This study aimed to assess the physical fitness and upper body asymmetries of young padel players aged between 13 and 16 years and to determine the possible differences between genders and categories. A total of 60 padel players were divided into four groups: under-14 male (n = 15; age: 13.75 ± 0.45 years; height: 1.64 ± 0.07 m; weight: 54.7 ± 8.3 kg), under-14 female (n = 15; age: 13.75 ± 0.44 years; height: 1.60 ± 0.05 m; weight: 51.5 ± 6.0 kg), under-16 male (n = 15; age: 15.44 ± 0.51 years; height:1.71 ± 0.04 m; weight: 63.88 ± 6.2 kg) and under-16 female (n = 15; age:15.46 ± 0.52 years; height:1.63 ± 0.05 m; weight: 55.08 ± 3.6 kg). Handgrip strength, ischiosural flexibility, gestural speed of the dominant arm, vertical jump, cardiorespiratory capacity, lateral movement, lateral acceleration and reaction time were measured. Male players showed better results in manual grip strength, vertical jump power, cardiorespiratory capacity and lateral movement (p < 0.05). Moreover, males presented a higher percentage of asymmetry in upper limb strength. Female players showed better reaction time and greater flexibility (p < 0.05). Regarding the differences between categories, the under-16 players showed greater flexibility, gestural speed, vertical jump power, cardiorespiratory capacity and lateral movement compared to the under-14 players. These results can be used as reference values for coaches/physical trainers of younger categories to improve health control and physical performance planning.

Fitness testing in tennis: Influence of anthropometric characteristics, physical performance, and functional test on serve velocity in professional players.

The aims of this study were to examine the relationship between anthropometric variables, physical performance, and functional test with serve velocity regarding tennis players' level and to design regression models that effectively predict serve velocity. A sample of sixteen male tennis players participated in this study (national level = 8, professional level = 7). Anthropometric measurements (body mass, height, body mass index and body segments) and physical test (hand strength, countermovement jump, jump on serve, and serve velocity) and functional test (medicine ball throw overhead and shot put) were performed. No differences in anthropometrics and physical test were found between national and professional levels. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.05, ranging for 0.603 to 0.932) was found between some anthropometrics measurements (body mass, height, arm, forearm, and leg segments), physical parameters (hand strength, countermovement jump) and functional test (medicine ball throw shot put and overhead) with serve velocity for all tennis players. Multiple regression analysis indicated that medicine ball throw shot put was the most important test to explain serve velocity (r2 = 0.869). The results showed how the combination of physical and anthropometric factors have an impact on serve velocity. In addition, a new functional fitness test (medicine ball throw shot put) is proposed as an alternative to traditional medicine ball throw overhead due to its high reproducibility (inter-trial reliability) and predictive validity values, as well as by multi-segmental coordination movement similar to tennis serve.

Analysis of Game Performance Indicators during 2015-2019 World Padel Tour Seasons and Their Influence on Match Outcome.

A better understanding of the demands of in-game competition demands may improve coaching strategies, training designs, and injury prevention programs. However, there is limited information regarding performance analysis in professional padel. This study aimed to analyse performance indicators and their influence on match outcomes regarding sex, tournament round, and set number. The sample contained 1070 sets from 532 matches of the 2016 to 2019 World Padel Tour seasons. Variables including sex, round, game result, stroke effectiveness, and break points were registered through systematic observation. A non-parametric approach was applied to evaluate differences between sex, match outcome, and tournament round. The results showed significant differences between winners and losers regarding sex in break points (male d = 2.13, p = 0.00; female d = 2.22, p = 0.00), smash winners (male d = 0.85, p = 0.00; female d = 0.69, p = 0.00), groundstroke winners (male d = 1.01, p = 0.00; female d = 1.18, p = 0.00), volley winners (male d = 1.08, p = 0.00; female d = 0.91, p = 0.00), and errors (male d = 0.76, p = 0.00; female d = 0.65, p = 0.00). Furthermore, differences in shot effectiveness between winners and errors increased in the last set of the match and in the last round of the tournament (p < 0.05). Therefore, shot effectiveness seems to be a key factor in professional padel that distinguishes between winning and losing players. Such knowledge may have implications in the design of appropriate game strategies and specific training sessions to improve performance and to prevent sport injuries.

Ball Impact Position in Recreational Male Padel Players: Implications for Training and Injury Management.

Racket sports such as padel are characterized by the repetition of unilateral gestures, which can lead to negative adaptations like asymmetries or overuse musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in ball impact positions (i.e., forward or backward of the center of gravity) in nine stroke types in a sample of forty-eight recreational male padel players. The sample included 14,478 shots corresponding to 18 matches from six tournaments. Forty-eight male padel players were classified into two groups according to their level: trained (n = 24) and novice (n = 24). Type of stroke and ball impact position were registered using a computerized motion tracking video system. The ball impact position was computed from the distance (cm) between the coordinates of the ball and the player's center of gravity. Results show that trained players hit the ball in a more backward position (from 11 to 25 cm, compared to novice) in serve and offensive strokes (volleys, trays, and smashes) but used more forward strokes (from 7 to 32 cm, compared to novice) in defensive shots (groundstrokes, wall strokes, and lobs). Because the current differential variables are trainable and demonstrated to be of relevance for performance, the findings of this study may assist padel coaches in designing proper training plans to improve effectiveness and to prevent musculoskeletal injuries regarding the type of stroke and ball impact position. Such knowledge may constitute a very important factor affecting technique, biomechanics, and injury management in padel players of different competitive levels.

Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Profiles of World-Class Male Padel Players.

The aims of this study were to describe and compare the anthropometric and physical fitness attributes of male padel players according to their competitive level, and to establish a functional anthropometric and physical profile. A total of 60 males participated in the present study. Athletes were grouped according to competition level, forming an elite group (n = 25) and a subelite group (n = 35). Anthropometric variables, hand grip and lumbar isometric strength, flexibility, and lower-body muscular strength were measured. Elite padel players were significantly older and showed significantly lower values for the thigh and calf skinfolds, the sum of six and eight skinfolds, and the sum of lower-limb skinfolds than the subelite group. Elite padel players also had significantly lower values than subelite players for body fat percentage and thigh fat area, whilst showing significantly higher values for lumbar isometric strength. Somatotype of the elite padel players could be defined as endo-mesomorphic. Results suggest that training and talent identification of padel players should focus on their anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness, with these being different between elite and subelite athletes. Normative data could help coaches throughout the talent identification process and in the design of training programs when seeking to optimise sports performance.

The moderating role of sportsmanship and violent attitudes on social and personal responsibility in adolescents. A clustering-classification approach.

The aim of this study was to classify a randomized sample of adolescents according to their violent and sportsmanship attitudes to determine the influence of personal and social responsibility levels on each cluster. The sample comprised of 595 adolescents, aged between 12 and 15 years old (M ± SD = 13.9 ± 2.3 yr). Participants completed the Multidimensional Orientations Towards Sports Scale, the California School Climate and Safety Survey and the Personal and Social Responsibility Questionnaire. Cluster analysis was conducted to classify adolescent' profiles according to the violence and sportsmanship scores. Discriminant analysis, Pearson correlation and ANOVA tests were performed to identify the relationships between personal and social responsibility levels on each cluster. Cluster analysis identified three well-defined profiles: cluster 1 (sportsmanlike and nonviolent), cluster 2 (sportsmanlike and violent) and cluster 3 (unsportsmanlike and nonviolent). Results confirmed a negative impact of aggressiveness on obedience and pro-social behaviours during school stages, but sportsmanship mitigated this negative influence. The sportsmanlike and nonviolent profile obtained the highest personal and social responsibility level. The lowest personal responsibility scores came from sportsmanlike and violent adolescents. This study emphasizes the potential of positive attitude towards sport and physical education to magnify (or mitigate) adolescents' responsibility according to specific profiles. To reduce violent behaviour and improve sportsmanship attitudes would contribute to a better development of personal and social responsibility in adolescents. The current findings may serve to orientate professionals dealing with adolescents in the role of sportsmanship development as an educational tool to mitigate violent behaviour.