Search

Whole-of-school programmes (WSPs) are recommended to promote physical activity for adolescents. The Active School Flag (ASF) programme for secondary-level schools is one such WSP. Due to the difficulties of incorporating WSPs into the complex school system, there is a risk of poor implementation. The monitoring of unanticipated influences can help to understand key implementation processes prior to scale-up. The aims of this study were to identify perceived facilitators and barriers to implementing the ASF and recommend evidence-based implementation strategies. Focus groups and interviews (N = 50) were conducted in three schools with stakeholders involved in programme implementation, i.e. school management (n = 5), ASF coordinator (n = 4), student-leaders (aged 15-16 years) (n = 64) and staff committee (n = 25). Transcripts were analysed using codebook thematic analysis and were guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Implementation strategies were identified and were selected systematically to address contextual needs. Three themes surrounding the facilitators and barriers to implementation were generated: intervention design factors (e.g. capacity building and knowledge of implementers; and interest and buy-in for the programme), organizational factors (e.g. optimization of people and the busy school environment) and interpersonal factors (e.g. communication and collaboration). The examination of facilitators and barriers to implementation of the ASF has assisted with the identification of implementation strategies including (not limited to) a shared leadership programme for student leaders and a more flexible timeline for completion. These facilitative implementation strategies may assist in the effective implementation of the ASF.A large proportion of adolescents do not meet the current physical activity (PA) recommendations. Whole school programmes (WSPs) are recommended for the promotion of PA. However, secondary-level schools are a busy and complex setting, thus leading to challenges in making such WSPs work. The Active School Flag (ASF) programme for the secondary level is one such WSP that aims to increase PA opportunities in schools and local communities. The identification of facilitators and barriers to carrying out or implementing programmes can help researchers identify ways to solve the barriers to uptake and also leverage the facilitators. Researchers conducted interviews and focus groups with all the stakeholders involved in the implementation of the ASF. The analysis revealed three themes revealing both facilitators and barriers surrounding the following: (i) intervention design factors, (ii) organizational factors and (iii) interpersonal factors influencing implementation. This analysis assisted researchers in identifying ways to support the implementation of the ASF through the recommendation of implementation support strategies, e.g. the development of a shared leadership programme for student leaders and the development of a more flexible timeline for the completion of the ASF programme. These strategies may assist in the improved implementation of the programme and thus greater success in the achievement of programme outcomes.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the accuracy of a 4 split time modelling method to generate velocity-time and velocity-distance variables in elite male 100-m sprinters and subsequently to assess the roles of key sprint parameters with respect to 100-m sprint performance. Additionally, this study aimed to assess the differences between faster and slower sprinters in key sprint variables that have not been assessed in previous work. Methods: Velocity-time and velocity-distance curves were generated using a mono-exponential function from 4 split times for 82 male sprinters during major athletics competitions. Key race variables—maximum velocity, the acceleration time constant (t), and percentage of velocity lost (vLoss)—were derived for each athlete. Athletes were divided into tertiles, based on 100-m time, with the first and third tertiles considered to be the faster and slower groups, respectively, to facilitate further analysis. Results:Modelled split times and velocities displayed excellent accuracy and close agreement with raw measures (range of mean bias was –0.2% to 0.2%, and range of intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) was 0.935 to 0.999) except for 10-m time (mean bias was 1.6% ± 1.3%, and the ICC was 0.600). The 100-m sprint performance time and all 20-m split times had a significant near-perfect negative correlation with maximum velocity (r ≥ –0.90) except for the 0 to 20-m split time, where a significantly large negative correlation was found (r = –0.57). The faster group had a significantly higher maximum velocity and τ (p < 0.001), and no significant difference was found for vLoss (p = 0.085). Conclusion:Coaches and researchers are encouraged to utilize the 4 split time method proposed in the current study to assess several key race variables that describe a sprinter's performance capacities, which can be subsequently used to further inform training.

This programme of research investigated the effects of Pilates on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue among persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). Evidence supports mental health benefits of traditional exercise modes among otherwise healthy adults, chronically ill patients and adults with anxiety and depressive disorders. However, a paucity of evidence exists on the benefits of non-traditional modes, including Pilates. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall population effect of Pilates on mental health outcomes, among healthy and chronically ill populations. Random-effects meta-analysis of the available empirical evidence from controlled trials showed significantly reduced anxiety symptoms (Δ=1.29; 95%CI: 0.24-2.33; p≤0.02), depressive symptoms ∆=1.27; 95%CI: 0.44-2.09; p≤0.003), and feelings of fatigue (∆=0.93; 95%CI: 0.21-1.66, p≤0.012), however, no trial involved PwMS. To address this research gap, an eight-week randomized controlled pilot trial examined the feasibility of Pilates to improve symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue among PwMS, and underpin prospective research and development of a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). Results revealed full compliance, no attrition or reported adverse events, hence establishing feasibility and proof-of-concept of home-based Pilates to improve mental health outcomes among women with MS with minimal-to-mild mobility disability. Qualitative analysis of participant experiences of the feasibility study supported Pilates, particularly home-based, as a safe, intensity-appropriate, and implementable exercise method that improved perceived and measured mental health outcomes among PwMS. This critically informed protocol design, and implementation of an adequately powered RCT of home-based Pilates on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue among PwMS. In the RCT intention-to-treat and completer analyses showed significant (all p⩽0.03), moderate-to-large improvements in symptoms of anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, d=0.30; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety, d=0.49), depression (Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, d=0.70; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression, d=0.74), and fatigue (cognitive (d=0.44), physical (d=0.78), psychosocial (d=0.56) and total fatigue (d=0.76), including clinically meaningful improvements in depression and fatigue. These novel findings provide an original and significant contribution to knowledge, supporting home-based Pilates as an alternative low-impact exercise modality to improve mental health among PwMS.

Physical educators report a multitude of benefits from accessing informal learning opportunities via social media. However, a lack of research has been conducted on adapted physical education (APE) teachers’ usage of social media for professional learning (PL) purposes. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore how APE teachers use social media to learn about APE content. A survey was used to identify APE teachers’ (n = 73) social media usage patterns. Descriptive statistics were reported, and multiple t-tests were used to compare how participants perceived the usefulness of social media vs. conferences for PL purposes. Multiple linear regression analyses were also used to identify variables that predicted the participants’ likelihood of attending conferences and using social media for PL purposes. Results demonstrated many participants used an array of social media platforms to learn about topics such as activities and equipment. However, participants indicated that conferences were significantly more useful in gaining information about APE related topics compared to social media. Following multivariate analysis, personal and professional usage of social media for PL purposes was associated with conference attendance. The potential of APE teachers and organizing bodies to use social media for PL purposes and future research recommendations are discussed.

Physical activity is important for children’s health. However, evidence suggests that many children and adults do not meet international physical activity recommendations. Current school-based interventions have had limited effect on physical activity and alternative approaches are needed. Context, which includes school setting, ethos, staff, and sociodemographic factors, is a key and largely ignored contributing factor to school-based physical activity intervention effectiveness, impacting in several interacting ways.ConceptualizationCurrent programs focus on tightly-constructed content that ignores the context in which the program will be delivered, thereby limiting effectiveness. We propose a move away from uniform interventions that maximize internal validity toward a flexible approach that enables schools to tailor content to their specific context.Evaluation designsEvaluation of context-specific interventions should explicitly consider context. This is challenging in cluster randomized controlled trial designs. Thus, alternative designs such as natural experiment and stepped-wedge designs warrant further consideration.Primary outcomeA collective focus on average minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity may not always be the most appropriate choice. A wider range of outcomes may improve children’s physical activity and health in the long-term. In this paper, we argue that greater consideration of school context is key in the design and analysis of school-based physical activity interventions and may help overcome existing limitations in the design of effective interventions and thus progress the field. While this focus on context-specific interventions and evaluation is untested, we hope to stimulate debate of the key issues to improve future physical activity intervention development and implementation.

Background Government policy can promote physical activity (PA) as part of a multilevel systems-based approach. The Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI) is a monitoring framework which assesses the implementation of government policy by drawing on the experience of national stakeholders. This study is the frst to assess the extent of policy implementation in the Republic of Ireland using the PA-EPI tool, and to provide information on how policy implementation can be improved, with the intention of maximizing its impact on population levels of PA. Methods This mixed-methods research study, comprising eight steps, was carried out in 2022. Information documenting the evidence for implementation of PA policy, across all 45 PA-EPI indicators, was collected via systematic document analysis, and validated via survey and interview with government ofcials. Thirty-two nongovernment stakeholders rated this evidence on a fve-point Likert scale. Aggregated scores were reviewed by stakeholders who collectively identifed and prioritized critical implementation gaps. Results Of the 45 PA-EPI indicators, one received an implementation rating of ‘none/very little’, 25 received a rating of ‘low’ and 19 received a ‘medium’ rating. No indicator was rated as fully implemented. The indicators that received the highest level of implementation related to sustained mass media campaigns promoting PA and PA monitoring. Ten priority recommendations were developed. Conclusions This study reveals substantial implementation gaps for PA policy in the Republic of Ireland. It provides recommendations for policy action to address these gaps. In time, studies utilizing the PA-EPI will enable cross-country comparison and benchmarking of PA policy implementation, incentivizing improved PA policy creation and implementation.

Background: COVID-19 restrictions have led to social isolation affecting youth’s health, particularly at-risk youth. Objectives: We examined whether an online mentoring health intervention (OMHI) would strengthen characteristics that can prevent risky behaviors: resilience, perceived social support, psychological distress, and crisis concerns. Methods: Fifty-six secondary-school students participated, 27 in the intervention group and 29 in the control group (mean age 16.18, SD 0.83 vs. 16.62, SD 0.82, respectively). The study took place between March and August 2020. Results: The intervention group was less resilient pre-test, with similar resilience levels as the control group post-test. Intervention group participants presented a significantly higher crisis level pre- and post-test than the control group, as well as an increase in resilience (effect size = 1.88) and social support (effect size = 1.22), while psychological distress significantly decreased (effect size = −1.03). Both groups (intervention vs. control) predicted changes from pre-to-post test for resilience and crisis (adjusted R2 = 0.33, p = 0.001 and R2 = 0.49, p = 0.0001 respectively). Conclusions: OMHI participation was associated with improved resilience and social support, and decreased psychological distress, making it an effective strategy in health promotion for at-risk youth. An online intervention program combining mentoring in physical activity and interpersonal connections may constitute an effective health promotion strategy for at-risk youth, especially in times of crisis.

Dietary calcium intake is a modifiable, lifestyle factor that can affect bone health and the risk of fracture. The diurnal rhythm of bone remodelling suggests nocturnal dietary intervention to be most effective. This study investigated the effect of daily, bed-time ingestion of a calcium-fortified, milk-derived protein matrix (MBPM) or control (CON), for 24 weeks, on serum biomarkers of bone resorption (C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, CTX) and formation (serum pro-collagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, P1NP), and site-specific aerial bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone score (TBS), in postmenopausal women with osteopenia. The MBPM supplement increased mean daily energy, protein, and calcium intake, by 11, 30, and 107%, respectively. 24-week supplementation with MBPM decreased CTX by 23%, from 0.547 (0.107) to 0.416 (0.087) ng/mL (p < 0.001) and P1NP by 17%, from 60.6 (9.1) to 49.7 (7.2) μg/L (p < 0.001). Compared to CON, MBPM induced a significantly greater reduction in serum CTX (mean (CI95%); −9 (8.6) vs. −23 (8.5)%, p = 0.025 but not P1NP −19 (8.8) vs. −17 (5.2)%, p = 0.802). No significant change in TBS, AP spine or dual femur aerial BMD was observed for CON or MBPM. This study demonstrates the potential benefit of bed-time ingestion of a calcium-fortified, milk-based protein matrix on homeostatic bone remodelling but no resultant treatment effect on site-specific BMD in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.

There is a need for educational support structures to empower parents in sustaining talented athletes pursuing academic and sports careers (e. g., dual career). The present workdescribestheparticipatory designusedtodevelopaseriesofeducationalresources and the subsequent iterations used to evaluate the content of the EMPATIA online education programme for parents of dual-career athletes. Following an ethnographic approach, the project team (18 dual-career experts) engaged in four iterations (i.e., rounds) planned to develop (rounds 1 and 2) educational material from preliminary evidence (systematic literature review) and eminence (focus groups and concept mapping) knowledge and to evaluate the educational programme (round 3 and 4) engaging end users (n = 76) and other stakeholders (9 dual-career experts). The EMPATIAprogrammewasdevelopedandorganizedinfourmoduleslabeledaftermacroaspects, parents couldaskaboutdualcareer:“Why”(thedefinitionandchallengesofdual career for athletes and their parents), “What” (insights, guidelines, and suggestions on the parental role in support of student-athletes), “How” (practical advice on planning dual career at sports and academic levels, and post-sports careers), and “Where” (finding legal information or counseling on dual career). Despite overall positive evaluations of the programme, parents of dual-career athletes attributed higher scores with respect to those of dual-career experts. The participatory approach presented in this work enables developers to apply a systematic and multidisciplinary approach toward the creation of educational programmes for parents. The cooperation among dual-career researchers, experts from high-performance centers, Olympic bodies, sports clubs, and parents of elite student-athletes of different sports and nationalities created an educational programme suitable for end users to support parenting athletes in combining their sports and academic careers. 1113-FF28-6C5F | Carlos Eduardo Barros Gonçalves info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Aim: To analyse the associations between bullying victimisation, disability, and self-reported psychosomatic complaints in adolescents, and to investigate the role of support from parents and teachers in such associations. Methods: The study was based on Finnish and Swedish data from two waves (2013/2014 and 2017/2018) of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey ( n=16,057). Descriptive statistics were produced for four groups of adolescents: (a) bullied with disabilities; (b) not bullied with disabilities; (c) bullied without disabilities; and (d) not bullied without disabilities (reference group). Two multilevel multinomial logistic regression models were performed for the Finnish and Swedish samples separately. The first model analysed associations between psychosomatic complaints and bullying victimisation, controlling for a range of confounders. The second model analysed associations between psychosomatic complaints and social support from parents and teachers. Results: Across both countries, bullied adolescents with disabilities were more likely to self-report psychosomatic complaints than the reference group, even after adjusting for other potential confounders. Teacher support was identified as a potential protective factor as the odds ratio for psychosomatic complaints decreased when including teacher support as a factor in the model. The association with parent support showed mixed findings in Finland and Sweden. Conclusions: Disability in combination with bullying victimisation generated the highest levels of self-reported psychosomatic complaints compared to adolescents that were not bullied nor had disabilities. High teacher support may be a protective factor against psychosomatic complaints for bullied and/or disabled adolescents.

Background: Rugby Union is one of the world’s most popular team sports. Schoolboy Rugby, in particular, has increased in popularity and competitiveness in recent times. Due to the physical nature of the sport, identifying injury risk and developing an understanding of injury trends in school players is paramount to player welfare and safety. Aim: To establish the incidence, nature, mechanism and severity of injuries occurring in schoolboy Rugby in Ireland with a view to identifying key injury trends to inform future injury prevention strategies. Methods: A systematic programme of research was undertaken. This comprised of four studies; 1) A systematic review and critical appraisal of existing literature, 2) A national survey to evaluate the availability of qualified personnel and current injury monitoring practices across Rugby schools, 3) A two-year surveillance and investigation of injury trends in schoolboy Rugby and 4) An in-depth investigation of shoulder injuries in schoolboy Rugby. Results: (1) The findings of the systematic review highlight a high degree of variability in methodologies, definitions, participant age, level of play and type of injury data reported. In turn, this provided a challenge in attempting to evaluate and compare injury surveillance studies in school Rugby. In summary however, the literature incidence rate (IR) reported for school Rugby ranged from 23.7 to 129.8 per 1,000 player hours (h) for players aged 9-18 years of age. (2) The first finding of the national survey demonstrated that there is limited access for schools to medical personnel, and that substantial variations exist in terms of current injury surveillance and prevention practices. The inconsistency, and variability in injury data reported for the school Rugby cohort justified the need for the modification of an established injury reporting system, IRISweb, and implementation into the school Rugby setting. (3) A two-year season analysis of 12 Senior Cup (16-19 years) school Rugby teams reported an overall IR of 53.6 per 1,000h. Forwards sustained significantly more injuries than backs (p Conclusion: This programme of research adds to the existing literature on injury surveillance in school Rugby. The findings from this thesis demonstrate that specific injury trends exist for the school Rugby cohort with the identification of a significant (p

The sprint start is an important phase of maximal sprinting, with various muscle-tendon units (MTU) and joints contributing toward performance in this phase. The ankle joint and plantar flexor MTU are of particular importance. Ankle joint and plantar flexor MTU performance in explosive tasks is dependent on neural, morphological, and mechanical factors and may contribute to mechanical delays in sprint start response time (SSRT). Despite the importance of the ankle joint and plantar flexor MTU, their precise contribution to sprint start performance remains unclear. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the influence of ankle joint mechanical delays and plantar flexor musculoskeletal factors on sprint start performance. This research has been implemented by conducting a literature review, and a series of experiments examining: i) the relationship between plantar flexor mechanical delays and SSRT, ii) the accuracy of EMG onset detection methods, iii) the reliability of neuromuscular measures of plantar flexor function across ankle joint angles, muscle activation modes, and sex, iv) the differences in plantar flexor neuromuscular and mechanical function due to training background, and v) the influence of the neuromuscular system on sprint start performance variables and SSRT. Examination of sprinters’ electromechanical delay (EMD) during a heel-lift experiment, and SSRT during competitive sprint starts found the combined influences of signal processing time (SPT) and EMD accounted for a significant proportion of the variability in an athlete’s SSRT (37%). This provided initial suggestions that certain athletes may gain a performance advantage due to reduced EMD. The accuracy of automatic detection methods compared to visual detection in EMG onset detection was examined across various contraction types. To attain the accuracy needed, visual detection is recommended. The inclusion of the Teager-Kaiser energy operator (TKEO) as a conditioning step prior to visual detection improved inter and intra-rater reliability. A reliability analysis highlighted that maximal voluntary torque (MVT), early-phase rate of torque development (RTD) measures (involuntary, and voluntary explosive), late-phase RTD measures (involuntary only), involuntary force development time (FDT), and tendon stiffness (DF angle only) can be reliably interpreted across the measured ankle angles when assessing between-group differences in these parameters. A comparison of the neuromuscular function of the plantar flexor MTU of sprinters and physically active individuals revealed explosive RTD production was greater in sprinters across ankle angles (10° plantarflexion (PF), 0°(anatomical zero (AZ)), 10° dorsiflexion (DF)) for early-phase RTD and at 10° DF only for late-phase RTD. Improved synchrony in neural activation of the predominantly fast-twitch gastrocnemii muscles and the intrinsic contractile properties of the sprinters appears to explain the greater early-phase RTD compared to physically active individuals. Sprinters’ higher late-phase RTD at the DF angle is consistent with increased plantar flexor neuromuscular activation and relative MVT at this angle, which are key determinants of late-phase RTD. This work has implications for practitioners, suggesting that practice of explosive movements can improve early and late-phase RTD of the plantar flexor MTU, mainly through neural adaptations. During the sprint start, ankle joint muscle activation onsets and mechanical delay parameters were related to sprint start performance variables of block clearance time (BCT) and center of mass velocity (COMV) at block exit as well as SSRT. Improved rapid muscle activation appears to be more important for sprint start performance than maximal muscular strength or tendon stiffness, which aligns with previous research on the determinants of explosive force production. Furthermore, reduced mechanical delay periods of the ankle joint were related to a decreased SSRT.

There is a shift towards increased accountability and assessment in schools and this is echoed in an Irish context, with assessment a neglected area of study in teacher education programmes. The aim of this study is to explore teacher educators understanding of school-based assessment practices and how they prepare pre?service teachers to assess in schools. Interviews with a sample of teacher educators attached to 13 Irish teacher education programmes, residing in two associated higher education institutes, conveyed the policy implications of curriculum change, the need for assessment literacy professional development and the consideration of standalone assessment modules or an embedded approach to assessment in teacher education programmes.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is one of major risk factors for serious diseases and premature mortality worldwide. Public policies to enhance PA across society are recognized as an effective tool against the problem. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive assessment of national-level PA policy approach in Poland. A standardized survey of Word Health Organization named the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Policy Audit Tool (HEPA PAT) was used for data collection. Content analysis and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis (SWOT) were used to characterize various PA policy aspects, to appraise the current situation, and accommodate organizational and environmental factors that it is influenced by. The results show that the national PA policy approach has been constantly developing in Poland, but there is room for improvement in a number of areas. The most important weaknesses are the lack of clear leadership, no mechanisms in place to coordinate efforts undertaken at different levels, and lack of collaboration across different levels of government and across different sectors of economy. Providing an umbrella covering all PA promotion policies and activities is, therefore, a key issue to be addressed. The country should seize the opportunity coming from an increasing awareness of a healthy lifestyle among Polish society.

Purpose: There is strong evidence of the links between car-dependence and the physical inactivity pandemic. Physical inactivity accounts for 6–10% of major non-communicable diseases. Research consistently shows that unlike passive transport, active transport is associated with higher total daily physical activity (PA). While there are public policies that support PA in transport and, as a result, overall PA levels, the specific quantitative effect of such policies on PA behaviour has not been sufficiently investigated. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the level and type of evidence for policies in the area of transport that contribute to higher PA levels of the whole of society. Methods: Six databases (MEDLINE (Ebsco), SportDiscus, Cinahl, Cochrane library, Web of Science, and Scopus) were searched for key concepts of policy, transport, evaluation and PA. Methodological quality was assessed using standardized tools. The strength of the evidence of policy impact was described based on pre-determined categories of positive, negative, inconclusive or untested. Results: 17 of 2549 studies were included in the data synthesis. The authors identified three main transport policy areas with 51 individual policy actions that had a direct or indirect effect on PA. These were: convenient transport infrastructure development, active travel promotion, and shift of transport mode. More than half of the policy actions identified had a positive effect on PA. Study quality ratings were moderate to good. Conclusions: PA levels can be increased by implementing policies that provide convenient, safe, and connected walking and cycling infrastructures, promote active travel and give strong support to public transport. There is also clear evidence that active travel policies work best when implemented in a comprehensive way. This may include infrastructure and facility improvements as well as educational programmes to achieve substantial shifts towards active modes of travel.

When quantifying elements of performance in bimanual tasks, such as surgery or sports, it is important to understand the errors that participants make to facilitate skill improvement. Esports lags behind when quantifying the motor skills that differentiate elites and amateurs. The purpose of this study was to leverage a large existing kinematic dataset to identify whether previously observed differences in end point performance among gamers of varying expertise, across training days within expertise groups and between stimulation conditions resulted from differences in performance during specific phases of target acquisition movements. Specifically, we evaluated the position and velocity of cursor movements to show for the first time the differences in the component phases of target acquisition movements among first person shooter gamers of various expertise and non-gamers. We also established the dose-response of these components to deliberate practice and the effect of neurostimulation on the improvement of these components in each expertise group. Overall, gamers of higher expertise show evidence of superior motor planning and sensory-motor integration and that these qualities can be improved with training. Future work should more closely examine the sub-movements and classify biomechanical movement strategies of target acquisition skills among gamers.

Purpose This study aims to identify distinct typologies of joint family activities and the associations with mental health and wellbeing among adolescents across four countries from the World Health Organization European region. Methods The 2017/2018 data from adolescents from Armenia (n = 3,977, Mage = 13.5 ± 1.6 years, 53.4% female), Czechia (n = 10,656, Mage = 13.4 ± 1.7, 50.1% female), Russia (n = 4,096, Mage = 13.8 ± 1.7, 52.4% female), and Slovakia (n = 3,282, Mage = 13.4 ± 1.5, 51.0% female) were collected in schools. The respondents self-reported their participation in joint family leisure-time activities, life satisfaction, psychological and somatic complaints, as well as a range of demographic and family situational factors. Stratified by countries, latent class analysis identified typologies of joint family activities, and logistic regression models explored cross-sectional associations with life satisfaction, and psychological and somatic complaints. Results Three typologies were identified across each of the four countries, distinguished by low, moderate, and high levels of family engagement. Adolescents with higher family engagement generally reported greater life satisfaction and fewer psychological complaints compared to those with lower family engagement. Russian adolescents in the high family engagement typology reported fewer somatic complaints compared to those with low family engagement. In addition, adolescents from Czechia and Russia showing moderate family engagement also reported fewer psychological complaints compared to those in the low family engagement typology. Discussion Our findings from four countries suggest that adolescents with high family engagement have greater life satisfaction and fewer psychological complaints, pointing toward a need for interventions to support family engagement among adolescents. Further research is needed to fully explore underlying mechanisms.

For immediate motion, taking a ready posture is a promising way because it can reduce enormous possible patterns of movement. For the selection of an appropriate ready posture, it is essential to know the structure of the task that includes the physical characteristics of a robot. We investigated our previous-built badminton robot arm to decide an appropriate ready posture as a case study. We first examined the kine- matic characteristics to extract possible ready postures. In this analysis, we found that postures for hitting shuttles are limited to approximately one-tenth of all possible postures. Besides, these postures could be spatially divided into two clusters, one is for forehand shots, and the other is for backhand shots. Then, we calculated reaching time from various postures and confirmed that possible ready postures by kinematics analysis shortened averaged reaching time. We also found that there are more effective ready postures if considering the dynamics of the robot. These ready postures did not resemble those calculated by kinematics analysis.

Legged locomotion is characterised by a repetitive appearance of impulsive ground collisions which are strongly influencing the locomotion behaviour. The collisions depend on the shape of the contacting foot, but little is known on how the foot needs to be shaped to assist stable and fast locomotion. This paper investigates discrepancies in locomotion dynamics caused by a discrete foot shape change. A curved foot, open-loop controlled hopping robot which can be switched between two foot shape states was built and tested for the experimental investigations. The results indicate that the right timing of foot shape change can induce a variety of locomotion gaits and increase maximal speed by up to 40%, without the shape change doing any positive work on the robot. Three distinct take off cases were identified which depend on the robot’s state and foot shape. The switching between the cases in consecutive hops can explain the observed behaviour qualitatively as presented in this paper.

An athletic career is determined by developments within and outside of the sporting domain, termed a “whole person, whole career” approach (Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004; Alfermann & Stambulova, 2007). Within-career transitions are turning phases in the course of an athletic career (Stambulova, Alfermann, Statler, & Côté 2009). The aim of this study was to explore the within-career transitions experienced by four adolescent high performance athletes as they transitioned out of post-primary education and prepared to enter elite senior sport. The study employed a life history methodology which began with the use of retrospective life history grids (adapted from Côté, Ericsson, & Law, 2005). Over the next two years, data from qualitative interviews provided insight into the athletes’ lives, their choices, decisions and resulting consequences. The data was analysed using inductive-deductive thematic content analysis, framed by the revised version of Schlossberg’s model of analysing human adaptation to transition (MAHAT, Anderson, Goodman, & Schlossberg, 2012). All of the athletes experienced transitions inside and outside of their sport. These were both planned and unanticipated, and included transitions in education, their sport, and injury/illness. Results suggest it is not the transition itself which is significant, but its impact on the athletes’ lives. Six main themes emerged from the life histories: early sporting experiences, the specialising years, approaching transitions, the transitions experienced, the ratio of assets to liabilities and changes over time. Wider contextual factors (i.e., Irish sport and education system) played a significant role in how the athletes made decisions that impacted on their lives. The recommendations highlight the importance of viewing the young athlete not just from a “whole person, whole career” perspective but also to consider their “whole environment”. Additionally, by strengthening an athlete’s ratio of assets to liabilities, i.e., developing “transition toughness”, talent loss could be minimised and all-round development promoted.

Introduction: Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) is a critical parameter in cellular homeostasis, including articular chondrocytes. Perturbed [Ca2+]i of chondrocytes may be associated with joint disease. The objective of the study was to compare large animal models for investigating Ca2+ homeostasis in chondrocytes. Materials and Methods: The gross anatomy of the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) of cattle and sheep was compared, along with the effect of various manoeuvres used to study the mechanisms of Ca2+ homeostasis in chondrocytes from load-bearing areas. The gross anatomy was observed before and after dissection, and internal architecture was examined after sectioning. Cartilage thickness was measured with a digital micrometer. Chondrocyte yield was determined after isolation. Chondrocytes were incubated with Fura-2 and Ca2+i followed in different extracellular conditions. A hypotonic shock (HTS) was used to mimic removal of a load. Results: The results showed that ovids and bovids were skeletally immature and aspects of Ca2+ homeostasis were similar. Ovine chondrocytes had higher resting fluorescence, consistent with elevated resting Ca2+ levels. Results from ion substitution experiments were consistent with a role for Na+/Ca2+ exchange, and swelling-induced Ca2+ enters into the cytoplasm via the plasma membrane and intracellular stores. Conclusions: Ca2+ homeostasis in chondrocytes from both species behaved in a similar manner to HTS and ion substitutions. Differences in resting [Ca2+]i could be associated with species, stage of maturation, or Fura-2 itself and require further investigation. These findings contribute to our understanding of the physiology of articular cartilage in different species, and their potential use as models for studying joint disease in humans.