Effects of Passive or Active Recovery Regimes Applied During Long-Term Interval Training on Physical Fitness in Healthy Trained and Untrained Individuals: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent exercise programs characterized through intensive exercise bouts alternated with passive or active recovery (i.e., interval training), have been proven to enhance measures of cardiorespiratory fitness. However, it is unresolved which recovery type (active or passive) applied during interval training results in larger performance improvements. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aimed to summarize recent evidence on the effects of passive or active recovery following long-term interval exercise training on measures of physical fitness and physiological adaptations in healthy trained and untrained individuals. The study protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) platform ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/9BUEY ). METHODS: We searched nine databases including the grey literature (Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, ERIC, Open Access Theses and Dissertations, Open Dissertations, PsycINFO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus) from inception until February 2023. Key terms as high-intensity interval training, recovery mode, passive or active recover were used. A systematic review rather than a meta-analysis was performed, as a large number of outcome parameters would have produced substantial heterogeneity. RESULTS: After screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 24 studies were eligible for inclusion in our final analysis. Thirteen studies examined the effects of interval training interspersed with passive recovery regimes on physical fitness and physiological responses in trained (6 studies) and untrained (7 studies) individuals. Eleven out of 13 studies reported significant improvements in physical fitness (e.g., maximal aerobic velocity (MAV), Yo-Yo running test, jump performance) and physiological parameters (e.g., maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max], lactate threshold, blood pressure) in trained (effect sizes from single studies: 0.13 < Cohen's d < 3.27, small to very large) and untrained individuals (effect sizes: 0.17 < d < 4.19, small to very large) despite the type of interval training or exercise dosage (frequency, intensity, time, type). Two studies were identified that examined the effects of passive recovery applied during interval training in young female basketball (15.1 ± 1.1 years) and male soccer players (14.2 ± 0.5 years). Both studies showed positive effects of passive recovery on VO2max, countermovement jump performance, and the Yo-Yo running test. Eleven studies examined the effects of interval training interspersed with active recovery methods on physical fitness and physiological parameters in trained (6 studies) and untrained individuals (5 studies). Despite the type of interval training or exercise dosage, nine out of eleven studies reported significant increases in measures of physical fitness (e.g., MAV) and physiological parameters (e.g., VO2max, blood pressures) in trained (effect sizes from single studies: 0.13 < d < 1.29, small to very large) and untrained individuals (effect sizes: 0.19 < d < 3.29, small to very large). There was no study available that examined the effects of active recovery on physical fitness and physiological responses in youth. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review show that interval training interspersed with active or passive recovery regimes have the potential to improve measures of physical fitness and physiology outcomes in trained and untrained adults and trained youth. That is, the applied recovery type seems not to affect the outcomes. Nonetheless, more research is needed on the effects of recovery type on measures of physical fitness and physiological adaptations in youth.

Effects of the Type of Exercise Training on Bone Health Parameters in Adolescent Girls: A Systematic Review.

Interventional studies offer strong evidence for exercise's osteogenic impact on bone particularly during growth. With rising osteoporosis rates in older women, enhancing bone strength early in life is crucial. Thus, investigating the osteogenic effects of different types of physical activities in young females is crucial. Despite varied findings, only two systematic reviews tried to explore this topic without examining how different types of exercise may affect bone health in adolescent girls. The first aim of this systematic review was to assess the impact of exercise training on bone health parameters in adolescent girls, and the second aim was to investigate whether the type of exercise training can modulate this effect. A systematic literature search was conducted using common electronic databases from inception - January 2023. Seven studies (355 participants) were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. Two studies dealt with resistance training, 3 studies applied plyometric training, 1 study used team sports, and 1 study used dancing. Results indicate that plyometric training increases lumbar spine bone mass in adolescent girls. Well-designed randomized controlled trials with a proper training period (> 12 weeks) are needed to advocate a specific type of training which has the highest osteogenic effect.

The Effects of Exercise Training on Plasma Volume Variations: A Systematic Review.

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence on the acute and long-term effects of exercise training on PV, in both trained and untrained individuals and to examine associations between changes in %PVV and change in physical/physiological performance. Despite the status of participants and the exercise duration or intensity, all the acute studies reported a significant decrease of PV (effect size: 0.85

Association between ACTN3 R577X genotype and risk of non-contact injury in trained athletes: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to review, systematically, evidence concerning the link between the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism and the rates and severity of non-contact injuries and exercise-induced muscle damage in athletes and individuals enrolled in exercise training programs. METHODS: A computerized literature search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus, from inception until November 2020. All included studies compared the epidemiological characteristics of non-contact injury between the different genotypes of the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism. RESULTS: Our search identified 492 records. After the screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, 13 studies examining the association between the ACTN3 genotypes and the rate and severity of non-contact injury were included in the analysis. These studies were performed in 6 different countries (Spain, Japan, Brazil, China, the Republic of Korea, and Italy) and involved a total participant pool of 1093 participants. Of the studies, 2 studies involved only women, 5 studies involved only men, and 6 studies involved both men and women. All the studies included were classified as high-quality studies (≥6 points in the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale score). Overall, evidence suggests there is an association between the ACTN3 R577X genotype and non-contact injury in 12 investigations. Six studies observed a significant association between ACTN3 R577X polymorphism and exercise induced muscle damage: 2 with non-contact ankle injury, 3 with non-contact muscle injury, and 1 with overall non-contact injury. CONCLUSION: The present findings support the premise that possessing the ACTN3 XX genotype may predispose athletes to a higher probability of some non-contact injuries, such as muscle injury, ankle sprains, and higher levels of exercise-induced muscle damage.

Effects of Exercise Training on Anabolic and Catabolic Hormones with Advanced Age: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Ageing is accompanied by decreases in physical capacity and physiological regulatory mechanisms including altered hormonal regulation compared with age-matched sedentary people. The potential benefits of exercise in restoring such altered hormone production and secretion compared to age-matched physically inactive individuals who are ageing remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the findings of exercise training in modulating levels of ostensibly anabolic and catabolic hormones in adults aged > 40 years. METHODS: We searched the following electronic databases (to July 2021) without a period limit: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science. Additionally, a manual search for published studies in Google Scholar was conducted for analysis of the 'grey literature' (information produced outside of traditional commercial or academic publishing and distribution channels). The initial search used the terms 'ageing' OR 'advanced age' OR 'old people' OR 'older' OR elderly' AND 'anabolic hormones' OR 'catabolic hormones' OR 'steroid hormones' OR 'sex hormones' OR 'testosterone' OR 'cortisol' OR 'insulin' OR 'insulin-like growth factor-1' OR 'IGF-1' OR 'sex hormone-binding globulin' OR 'SHBG' OR 'growth hormone' OR 'hGH' OR 'dehydroepiandrosterone' OR 'DHEA' OR 'dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S)' AND 'exercise training' OR 'endurance training' OR 'resistance training' OR ' strength training' OR 'weight-lifting' OR 'high-intensity interval training' OR 'high-intensity interval exercise' OR 'high-intensity intermittent training' OR 'high-intensity intermittent exercise' OR 'interval aerobic training' OR 'interval aerobic exercise' OR 'intermittent aerobic training' OR 'intermittent aerobic exercise' OR 'high-intensity training' OR 'high-intensity exercise' OR 'sprint interval training' OR 'sprint interval exercise' OR 'combined exercise training' OR 'anaerobic training'. Only eligible full texts in English or French were considered for analysis. RESULTS: Our search identified 484 records, which led to 33 studies for inclusion in the analysis. Different exercise training programs were used with nine studies using endurance training programs, ten studies examining the effects of high-intensity interval training, and 14 studies investigating the effects of resistance training. Most training programs lasted ≥ 2 weeks. Studies, regardless of the design, duration or intensity of exercise training, reported increases in testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), human growth hormone (hGH) or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) (effect size: 0.19 < d < 3.37, small to very large) in both older males and females. However, there was no consensus on the effects of exercise on changes in cortisol and insulin in older adults. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, findings from this systematic review suggest that exercise training increases basal levels of testosterone, IGF-1, SHBG, hGH and DHEA in both male and females over 40 years of age. The increases in blood levels of these hormones were independent of the mode, duration and intensity of the training programs. However, the effects of long-term exercise training on cortisol and insulin levels in elderly people are less clear.

Effects of Exercise Training on Bone Health Parameters in Individuals With Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis causes bone fragility, increasing the risk of fractures. Evidence suggests a strong correlation between obesity and fracture risk. Physical training is known to enhance bone resistance and protect from fracture; however, its osteogenic effect in the presence of obesity remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the influence of exercise training on bone health indices in individuals with obesity. METHODS: This systematic literature search was conducted using common electronic databases from inception - December 2019. The following key terms (and synonyms searched for by the MeSH database) were included and combined using the operators "AND," "OR," "NOT": [("body mass index" OR obesity OR obese OR overweight OR fat mass) AND ("bone mineral density" OR "bone mineral content" OR "peak bone mass" OR "mechanical loading" OR "Osteoporosis" OR "bone geometry" OR "bone resistance") AND ("exercise training" OR "physical training" OR "strength training," OR "resistance training" OR "aerobic training" OR "combined training")]. RESULTS: After screening, 10 studies (889 initial records) were included in the final analysis (8 different countries, 263 participants). Two studies investigated males, six females, and two, both sexes. The training duration was at least eight weeks with 2-3 sessions/week. Physical training displayed a significant trivial impact on the whole body (WB) BMD (0.13 SMD; 95% CI [0.00, 0.26], p = 0.046). Subgroup analyses indicated a significant small increase in the WB BMD (0.27 SMD; 95% CI [0.00, 0.53], p = 0.048) in the endurance training group, a non-significant trivial increase in the WB BMD (0.11 SMD; 95% CI [-0.06, 0.29], p = 0.203) in the resistance group, and a non-significant trivial increase in the WB BMD (0.03 SMD; 95% CI [-0.26, 0.32], p = 0.86) in the combined training group. In addition, a significant small decrease was found in the weight of trained subjects (-0.24 SMD; 95% CI [-0.42, -0.05], p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Physical training has little to no effect on the WB BMD in subjects with overweight/obesity. Currently, insufficient evidence to advocate for any specific type of exercise for enhancing bone health exists for overweight/obese individuals. Investigations examining the impact of varying types of physical exercise on WB BMD of obese individuals are needed.

Effects of physical training on anthropometrics, physical and physiological capacities in individuals with obesity: A systematic review.

Increasing the amount of physical activity is an important strategy for weight loss. This systematic review summarizes recent findings on the effects of physical training on anthropometric characteristics, physical performances and physiological capacities in individuals with overweight and obesity. A systematic literature search strategy was conducted from inception until June 2019 using four electronic databases that identified 2,708 records. After screening for titles, abstracts and full texts, 116 studies were included in our final analysis. Both aerobic (e.g., endurance training) and anaerobic training (e.g., high-intensity training, resistance training) improved body composition and physical fitness indicators in adults, adolescents and children with obesity (effect size: 0.08 < d < 2.67, trivial to very large). This systematic review suggests that both low- and high-intensity training significantly reduced body weight and fat mass while increasing fat-free mass in individuals with obesity (effect size: 0.04

Effects of Small-Sided Soccer Games on Physical Fitness, Physiological Responses, and Health Indices in Untrained Individuals and Clinical Populations: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Small-sided soccer games (SSSG) are a specific exercise regime with two small teams playing against each other on a relatively small pitch. There is evidence from original research that SSSG exposure provides performance and health benefits for untrained adults. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to summarize recent evidence on the acute and long-term effects of SSSG on physical fitness, physiological responses, and health indices in healthy untrained individuals and clinical populations. METHODS: This systematic literature search was conducted in four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus) from inception until June 2019. The following key terms (and synonyms searched for by the MeSH database) were included and combined using the operators "AND", "OR", "NOT": ((soccer OR football) AND ("soccer training" OR "football training" OR "soccer game*" OR "small-sided soccer game*") AND ("physical fitness" OR "physiological adaptation*" OR "physiological response*" OR health OR "body weight" OR "body mass" OR "body fat" OR "bone composition" OR "blood pressure")). The search syntax initially identified 1145 records. After screening for titles, abstracts, and full texts, 41 studies remained that examined the acute (7 studies) and long-term effects (34 studies) of SSSG-based training on physical fitness, physiological responses, and selected alth indices in healthy untrained individuals and clinical populations. RESULTS: No training-related injuries were reported in the 41 acute and long-term SSSG studies. Typically, a single session of SSSG lasted 12-20 min (e.g., 3 × 4 min with 3 min rest or 5 × 4 min with 4 min rest) involving 4-12 players (2 vs. 2 to 6 vs. 6) at an intensity ≥ 80% of HRmax. Following single SSSG session, high cardiovascular and metabolic demands were observed. Specifically, based on the outcomes, the seven acute studies reported average heart rates (HR) ≥ 80% of HRmax (165-175 bpm) and mean blood lactate concentrations exceeding 5 mmol/l (4.5-5.9 mmol/l) after single SSSG sessions. Based on the results of 34 studies (20 with healthy untrained, 10 with unhealthy individuals, and 4 with individuals with obesity), SSSG training lasted between 12 and 16 weeks and was performed 2-3 times per week. SSSG had positive long-term effects on physical fitness (e.g., Yo-Yo IR1 performance), physiological responses including maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) [+ 7 to 16%], and many health-related markers such as blood pressure (reductions in systolic [- 7.5%] and diastolic [- 10.3%] blood pressure), body composition (decreased fat mass [- 2 to - 5%]), and improved indices of bone health (bone mineral density: [+ 5 to 13%]; bone mineral content: [+ 4 to 5%]), and metabolic (LDL-cholesterol [- 15%] as well as cardiac function (left-ventricular internal diastolic diameter [+ 8%], end diastolic volume [+ 21%], left-ventricular mass index [+ 18%], and left-ventricular ejection fraction [+ 8%]). Irrespective of age or sex, these health benefits were observed in both, untrained individuals and clinical populations. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, findings from this systematic review suggest that acute SSSG may elicit high cardiovascular and metabolic demands in untrained healthy adults and clinical populations. Moreover, this type of exercise is safe with positive long-term effects on physical fitness and health indices. Future studies are needed examining the long-term effects on physical fitness and physiological adaptations of different types of SSSG training (e.g., 3 vs. 3; 6 vs. 6) in comparison to continuous or interval training in different cohorts.