UNLABELLED Athletic performance is a polygenic trait influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. OBJECTIVE To investigate individually and in combination the association of common gene polymorphisms with athlete status in Ukrainians. METHODS A total of 210 elite Ukrainian athletes (100 endurance-oriented and 110 power-orientated athletes) and 326 controls were genotyped for ACE I/...

Sickle cell trait (SCT) has historically been thought of as a benign condition. However, there has been increasing recognition that, in athletes, SCT is associated with an elevated risk for exertion-related death (ERD). With the hope to minimise future tragedies, Harmon et al sought to quantify the association of SCT and ERD. They looked at data compiled on nearly two million collegiate ‘athlet...

The sudden death of an athlete on the playing field remains one of the most striking and tragic events in sport. For the sports physician, the occurrence of an athlete in sudden cardiac arrest is both unforgettable and terrifying. Well-known cases such as Hank Gathers (1990), Marc-Vivien Foé (2003) and Fabrice Muamba (2012), provide graphic examples of an athlete enduring this deadly crisis—col...

Previous research has shown that friction between ski and snow can vary substantially due to changes in conditions. The variation of affects the speed a freestyle skier or snowboarder (athlete) reaches during in-run jump. Athletes risk severe injuries if their take-off is not within right margin land “sweet spot” zone. To reduce injury, park designers competition managers need calculate athlete...

This study looked at the relationship between athletic identity and three levels of sport participation (elite, recreational, non-participation). Athletic identity was measured using the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) with participants being compared on the total AIMS score and scores on its three factors (social identity, exclusivity, negative affectivity). Results indicated that t...

Return from athletic injury can be a lengthy and difficult process. The injured athlete commonly receives care from several providers during rehabilitation. As their condition improves, injured athletes resume strength and conditioning programs and sport-specific activities in preparation for return to play. Until full medical clearance is provided to return to sport and the athlete is psycholo...

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the step characteristics among the very best 100-m sprinters in the world to understand whether the elite athletes are individually more reliant on step frequency (SF) or step length (SL). METHODS A total of 52 male elite-level 100-m races were recorded from publicly available television broadcasts, with 11 analyzed athletes performing in 10 or...

Background. Universities are perceived as the hub for sports talent identification and development. This perception puts much pressure on student-athletes who are expected to excel in sport despite their academic commitments. Based on this expectation, students who participate in sports could be regarded as athlete-student, rather than student-athlete. Objectives. The study was carried out to ...

Although athletes' beliefs and values are known to influence whether or not an athlete will use banned drugs, little is known about the athletes' beliefs and attitudes in different sports. The aim of this study was to clarify the beliefs and attitudes of elite athletes towards banned substances and methods in sports. A total of 446 athletes (response rate 90.3 %; 446/494) financially supported ...