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The month of Ramadan will intersect with many football leagues’ schedules over the next decade. Understanding the effects of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) on physical performance is necessary to guide considerations for football players. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of RIF on physical factors in football players, and secondarily to consider the impact this may have on domestic club football leagues. We conducted a systematic review using PRISMA guidelines. The online literature search utilized CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, Embase.com, PubMed, and Scopus databases, and grey literature (all from database inception to May 2020). Inclusion criteria consisted of studies of football (soccer) players, data collected during and/or around Ramadan, with injury and/or performance data provided. The search yielded 11,226 studies. Twenty-two studies were included following a review of titles, abstracts, and full texts. Studies included some iteration of before-Ramadan, during-Ramadan, and after-Ramadan data. Common measures observed included ratings of perceived exertion (n = 8), sprinting (n = 7), sleep (n = 7), peak heart rate (n = 6), jumping (n = 5), Yo-Yo intermittent recovery tests (n = 4), Wingate anaerobic test (n = 3), field-specific tests (n = 3), and injury rates (n = 2). Decreased physical performance was commonly observed during late afternoon/evening testing (before breaking the fast) and with high-intensity exercise. There appears to be a performance deficit related to RIF in Muslim football players. Studies should explore the effects of RIF on actual match demands. Due to the month of Ramadan emerging into league calendars, considerations should be made to accommodate Muslim football players who are intermittently fasting.

This study aimed at examining the effects of two stretching protocols performed at different times of the day on short-term maximal performance. Eleven physical education students performed a 5-min cycling warm-up followed by static stretching, dynamic stretching, or no stretching. Then, they carried out the counter-movement jump and 30-s Wingate tests. Oral temperature was measured at rest and after each warm-up. Moreover, ratings of perceived exertion were obtained immediately after each warm-up. Oral temperature was higher in the afternoon compared to the morning before and after the three warm-ups. It increased following the three warm-ups at the two times of measurement. The highest relative increase was observed after dynamic stretching. Furthermore, counter-movement jump heights as well as peak and mean power assessed by the Wingate test were higher in the afternoon compared to the morning. Moreover, short-term performances were higher after no stretching compared to static stretching and dynamic stretching at the two times of measurement. Likewise, ratings of perceived exertion were higher after dynamic stretching compared to static stretching and no stretching. Static or dynamic stretching has a negative effect on Wingate test and counter-movement jump performances either in the morning or in the afternoon.

The study investigated the influence of hydrotherapy method–based McKenzie and Williams among patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Semi-experimental pretest-posttest with a control group design trial was conducted at Health Service Center, Qazvin, Iran. Twenty-eight NSLBP patients (16 men and 12 women, age: 42.5 ± 7 years) were recruited. Hydrotherapy program developed based on McKenzie and Williams therapy was performed individually 3 days per week for 20 sessions. Therefore, the study compared a hydrotherapy group (based on McKenzie and Williams therapy) to a control group. Participants attended a hydrotherapy program under the supervision of a hydrotherapist. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and Straight Leg Raise Test (SLRT) were measured at the beginning, middle, and at the end of the 20 sessions to determine pain and functionality of the patient’s improvement. Overall, NPRS, RMDQ, and SLRT scores were improved in hydrotherapy group in the 10th session and 20th session compared with baseline (p ≤ 0.001) and control group (p ≤ 0.001). No difference in the treatment variables between the 10th session and the 20th session was observed (p > 0.05). The results indicated that the NSLBP symptom was improved after 10 sessions of hydrotherapy program developed based on McKenzie and Williams therapy.

We aimed to examine the effect of listening to music during a warm-up on the subsequent Wingate test performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and mood in sprinters and long-distance runners. Twenty-four participants were divided in two groups: twelve sprinters (20.1 ± 1.6 years, 178 ± 4.4 cm and 73.1 ± 5.2 kg) and twelve long-distance runners (21.2 ± 2.1 years, 175 ± 5.2 cm and 67.3 ± 6.4 kg). All participants performed two test sessions in a random order: with either a 10 min warm-up with music (MWU) or 10 min warm-up without music (NMWU). The RPE scores and responses to the POMS questionnaire (for the estimation of tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and vigor) were obtained after the Wingate test. Peak and mean power increased between NMWU and MWU only in sprinters (p

The aims of the present study were to analyze selected kinematical parameters of free throw shooting in basketball performed during the learning process and identify which one has a greater effect on success. Fifteen FT attempts performed by 10 male college sports students were recorded with a high-speed camera (200 Hz) and analyzed using the system software SIMI-Motion. Statistical analysis showed that the knee angle helped determine success in FT shooting. Comparing various body angles effect on missed to scored baskets, only knee angles showed a significant difference with a higher value in scored baskets (p

The potential benefits from the reduction of excessive weight levels among the general population are of considerable public health importance. Early intervention against selected risk factors is a principle key in the prevention of chronic diseases. In this context, a number of school-based interventions to promote healthy lifestyles have been implemented globally in response to the WHO health promotion initiatives. In Tunisia, most studies have primarily focused on the principal determinants of overweight and obese school children. A number of intervention programs for school children have been implemented in different regions and similarly show that supplemental educative program interventions result in only substantive improvements with regard to knowledge, and behavior intent, in the children intervention group (p

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of time-of-day on long- and short-duration exercise performance and mood states. Twelve prepubertal boys (age 10.7 ± 0.4 years; height 1.47 ± 0.6 m; body-mass 44.8 ± 3.1 kg) performed three test sessions at 08:00, 14:00 and 18:00 h. During each session, they performed the squat jump (SJ), the countermovement jump (CMJ) and the Yo–Yo test. Oral temperature was recorded at the beginning of each test session. Moreover, boys completed the profile of mood states questionnaire before performing the physical tests. The results showed that SJ (p

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of time-of-day of training during Ramadan on soccer players’ chronotype and mood states. Thirty participants were randomly assigned to either a morning training group (MTG, trained between 0700 and 0830 hours, n = 10), an evening training group (ETG, trained between 1700 and 1830 hours, n = 10), or a control group (CG, did not train, n = 10). They completed two questionnaires before (BR) and at the end of (ER) Ramadan: the Horne and Ostberg’s self-assessment questionnaire and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. The results showed that the MTG maintained the Horne and Ostberg’s scores during ER compared with BR, with all players classified as “moderately morning type”. However, Horne and Ostberg’s scores were reduced in the ETG (p < 0.05), with all players classified as “moderately evening type”, and in the CG, with six players classified as “neither type” and four as “moderately evening type”. There was not a significant effect of Ramadan on mood states. Only fatigue was increased and vigor was reduced in the ETG. Therefore, morning training did not affect the chronotype of the players during Ramadan. However, evening training reduced the Horne and Ostberg’s scores. During ER, the participants of the MTG were classified as “moderately morning type” and the participants of the ETG were classified as “neither type” (n = 6) and “moderately evening type” (n = 4).

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ramadan fasting and time-of-day on biochemical responses to an intermittent exercise [Yo–Yo test level 1, (YYIRT)]. Twenty male soccer players (17.52 ± 0.2 years, 177.4 ± 2.9 cm) completed the YYIRT at 0700 and 1700 hours on three occasions: 1 week before Ramadan (BR), the second week of Ramadan (SWRR2), and the fourth week of Ramadan (ERR4). The total distance covered during the YYIRT (TD) was recorded. Moreover, blood samples were obtained before and after the YYIRT for biochemical measurements. TD was higher BR than during Ramadan in the evening (P < 0.05), but not in the morning. However, there was no significant difference between BR and Ramadan in the morning. While post-exercise values of blood lactate (Lac), glucose (GLC), and markers of muscle injury were greater higher in the evening, resting total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid (UA) levels were higher in the morning as compared with the evening BR. These diurnal variations were hidden during Ramadan due to a significant decrease in Lac (P < 0.01), GLC (P < 0.05) and cellular damage (P < 0.05) and an increase in TAS and UA (P < 0.05) values in the evening. No significant difference in biochemical responses was observed in the morning during SWRR2 and ERR4 as compared with BR. In summary, the present study indicates that YYIRT performance was affected by Ramadan fasting only in the evening in young soccer players. The modified diurnal pattern of biochemical responses could explain this performance decrement.

This study examined the effect of three training intensities on abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Forty-three young obese women (age 20–30 years; body mass index 30–40 kg/m2) underwent 12 weeks of walking programs (i.e., 5 days/week). They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: low-intensity training group [G1, 50 % of heart rate reserve (HRR), n = 11], high-intensity training group (G2, 75 % of HRR, n = 10), alternated-intensity training group (G3, 50–75 % of HRR, n = 12), and control group (G0, n = 10). They were tested before (T0) and after (T1) 12 weeks of aerobic training to determine changes in body mass, body mass index (BMI), total fat, waist circumference (WC), leptin, HOMA-IR, glucose and CRP. Body mass, BMI, total fat, and WC were significantly lower at T1 than T0 (p

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of time of day and partial sleep deprivation (PSD) on short-term maximal performance and level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in trained subjects. In a randomized order, 12 football players were asked to perform a 30-s Wingate test during which we measured the peak (PP) and mean (MP) powers. Measurements were performed at 0800 and 1800 hours, after two nocturnal regimens: (1) a reference normal sleep night (RN) and (2) 4 h of PSD caused by an early awakening. Plasma IL-6 concentrations were measured before (P1), immediately after (P2), and 60 min after the exercise (P3). PP and MP improved significantly from the morning to the afternoon after RN (P < 0.05) and from the afternoon to the morning after PSD (P < 0.05). Compared to RN, PP and MP were not affected by PSD the following morning. However, there was a significant decrease in PP and MP (P < 0.001) after the PSD at 1800 hours. In all conditions, IL-6 and resting core temperature were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the afternoon than in the morning. In all sessions, IL-6 levels increased significantly from P1 to P2 (P < 0.01) and remained elevated in the afternoon during the recovery period after PSD (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in IL-6 between P1 and P3 during RN and PSD at 0800 hours. In conclusion, a short-term high-intensity exercise may increase the IL-6 concentrations in the morning and the afternoon. Moreover, IL-6 remained elevated during the recovery period in the afternoon after the PSD at the end of the night.