TOPIC

Sports research

Everything we have read on sports. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

1,148 PAPERS · PAGE 13 OF 23 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTNarrative Review2023Ecological and Specific Evidence-Based Safe Return To Play After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction In Soccer Players: A New International Paradigm.International journal of sports physical therapyCurrent return-to-play testing for soccer players after ACL reconstruction often misses ecological demands. A proposed two-phase protocol combines standard clinical measures with field-based simulations of match intensity, fatigue, and dual-tasking to better predict safe readiness.
• PTNarrative Review2023Combining Neurocognitive and Functional Tests to Improve Return-to-Sport Decisions Following ACL Reconstruction.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyThere are no study results to act on. The paper proposes adding cognitive challenges to functional return-to-sport tests after ACL reconstruction, but reports no patients, methods, or outcomes.
• PTCohort2023Travel related changes in performance and physiological markers: the effects of eastward travel on female basketball players.Journal of physical therapy scienceFemale basketball players on a heavy eastward travel schedule showed increased belly fat, higher resting heart rate and blood pressure, doubled cortisol, and weaker hamstrings compared to non-athlete peers. These changes occurred despite no change in total body fat.
• PTOther2023Whole body vibration activates the tonic vibration reflex during voluntary contraction.Journal of physical therapy scienceWhole-body vibration activated different spinal reflexes depending on muscle state. With voluntary contraction, vibration triggered the tonic vibration reflex in 4 of 11 participants. In the other 7, it triggered the bone myoregulation reflex instead. This does not prove vibration builds strength.
• PTCohort2023Comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation for elite athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.Journal of physical therapy scienceElite athletes receiving comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation after ACL reconstruction reported high rates of returning to pre-injury activity levels, regardless of graft type. However, outcomes were subjective, and the study cannot determine which component of the combined physical, psychological, and nutritional support was responsible.
• PTSurvey2023Rehabilitation following shoulder arthroplasty: a survey of current clinical practice patterns of Italian physiotherapists.Archives of physiotherapyMost Italian physiotherapists surveyed used manual therapy and progressive exercise, and valued patient education, but many did not use patient-reported outcomes and timing of mobilization, strengthening, and return to sport varied widely.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Use of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Lower Extremity Research.International journal of sports physical therapyMost lower extremity research uses questionnaires that were not recommended by systematic reviews. Only two of fifteen conditions matched. Check if your tool has strong evidence before trusting the scores.
• PTOther2023Isokinetic Assessment of Knee Flexor and Extensor Strength and Lower Extremity Flexibility Assessment of an NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Team.International journal of sports physical therapyMost Division III soccer players had hamstring-to-quadriceps strength ratios below ideal targets and no one reached full knee extension. This suggests widespread flexibility and strength imbalances, but without follow-up data, it is unclear if these specific deficits actually predict injury in this group.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Is it Time to Normalize Scapular Dyskinesis? The Incidence of Scapular Dyskinesis in Those With and Without Symptoms: a Systematic Review of the Literature.International journal of sports physical therapyScapular dyskinesis appears in 60% of people with shoulder symptoms and 48% of those without. Because nearly half of asymptomatic individuals show this movement pattern, it is likely normal variation rather than a pathology that requires correction.
• PTOther2023Reliability of Upper Extremity Functional Performance Tests for Overhead Sports Activities.International journal of sports physical therapyFor overhead athletes, the seated shot put and half-kneeling rebound tests were the most repeatable over two sessions. The prone medicine ball drop tests were less repeatable, and the 90/90 version performed worst.
• PTOther2023Effect of Scapular Retraction on Lower Trapezius, Infraspinatus, and Deltoid Muscle Electromyographic Activity During the Side-Lying Abduction Exercise.International journal of sports physical therapyIn healthy baseball players, pulling the shoulder blade back during side-lying arm abduction increased lower trapezius activity. Adding 15° horizontal abduction with a 9.1 kg dumbbell raised it to 55% of the muscle's maximum voluntary contraction.
• PTOther2023Posterior Shoulder Instability in Tennis Players: Aetiology, Classification, Assessment and Management.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper reviews posterior shoulder instability in tennis players but reports no new clinical results. It describes how to identify and manage the condition, noting that micro-trauma from repetitive overhead movements is a key cause, but offers no evidence from a trial or cohort study to change practice.
• PTOther2023No Difference in Two-Dimensional Kinematic Assessment of a 45-Degree Sidestep Cut Compared to Qualitative Assessment.International journal of sports physical therapyMeasuring knee angles with a phone app did not improve rater agreement compared to simple visual observation when assessing cutting mechanics in young female athletes. Since both methods were equally reliable, clinicians can rely on faster qualitative assessments without losing accuracy.
• PTNarrative Review2023The Evolution of Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Following Cartilage Surgery.International journal of sports physical therapyThis commentary describes how knee cartilage rehab has evolved from strict restrictions to more permissive protocols. It highlights trends in weight bearing, bracing, and return-to-sport testing but reports no original data or outcomes.
• PTOther2023The Golfer's Fore, Fore +, and Advanced Fore + Exercise Program: An Exercise Series and Injury Prevention Program for the Golfer.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper describes three progressive exercise programs for golfers but provides no data on whether they work. It offers no evidence to change clinical practice.
• PTOther2023Evaluation of the Back-in-Action test Battery In Uninjured High School American Football Players.International journal of sports physical therapyUninjured high school football players performed worse on balance and agility tests than untrained peers, despite having higher power output. Most failed to meet the strict limb symmetry standards required for return-to-sport clearance, suggesting current benchmarks may be unrealistic for this population.
• PTSurvey2023Implementation of 2D Running Gait Analysis in Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinics.International journal of sports physical therapyMost therapists found the free smartphone running analysis easy and useful for patient education, but half stopped using it within six months because caseload and clinic setup got in the way.
• PTOther2023Performance, Test-retest Reliability, and Measurement Error of the Upper Limb Seated Shot Put Test According to Different Positions of Execution.International journal of sports physical therapyThe floor version of the seated shot put test is more consistent than the chair version. Women threw further from the chair, but the chair test showed measurement error on the dominant arm. Use the floor test for tracking shoulder power in healthy overhead athletes.
• PTOther2023The Functional Movement Screen: Exploring Interrater Reliability between Raters in the Updated Version.International journal of sports physical therapyFour novice raters with minimal training scored 45 young adults reliably on the updated Functional Movement Screen. Total scores showed excellent agreement between raters, though reliability was moderate for the left ankle mobility test.
• PTOTOther2023Evaluating Psychometric Properties of the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form in a Heterogeneous Sample of Post-Operative Patients.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo short versions of the knee function questionnaire (6 and 8 items) track patient recovery as reliably as the original 18-item form. They save time and work consistently across age and sex groups, allowing clinicians to measure true change after surgery.
• PTOther2023A Model for Applying Situational Awareness Theory to the Return to Sport Continuum.International journal of sports physical therapyA proposed framework links situational awareness to return-to-sport stages, suggesting athletes need to demonstrate reactive control in chaotic environments before full competition. This is a theoretical model, not tested evidence, so it cannot be used to justify or deny clearance for a patient.
• PTPilot2023Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Factors During 90° Change of Direction are Associated to Non-Contact ACL injury in Female Soccer Players.International journal of sports physical therapyFour of sixteen players injured their ACL. Those players had stiffer cuts, dropping hips and leaning trunks. A simple video score caught these differences, with injured players never scoring above 7 out of 10.
• PTOther2023The Effect of Volitional Preemptive Abdominal Contraction on Biomechanical Measures During A Front Versus Back Loaded Barbell Squat.International journal of sports physical therapyAdding volitional abdominal bracing to barbell squats did not change muscle activation but slowed movement and reduced lumbar extension. Front squats produced higher trunk muscle activity and lower hip and ankle moments than back squats, regardless of bracing.
• PTRCT2023Effect of Footwear Versus Barefoot on Double-Leg Jump-Landing and Jump Height Measures: A Randomized Cross-Over Study.International journal of sports physical therapySwitching between shoes and barefoot changes jump-landing scores for one-third of people, flipping risk categories for 16%. Group averages stay similar, but individual results shift enough to matter. Always test the same person in the same footwear condition to track progress accurately.
• PTSurvey2023Advancements for the Future: A National Survey of Fastpitch Softball Coaches' Perspectives on Injury Prevention Programming.International journal of sports physical therapyLess than half of surveyed softball coaches use injury prevention programs. Most who do use team-based routines rather than individualized care. Coaches cited uncertainty about which exercises to perform as the primary barrier, not skepticism about effectiveness.
• PTNarrative Review2023Comprehensive Approach to Core Training in Sports Physical Therapy: Optimizing Performance and Minimizing Injuries.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper proposes a four-phase core training framework for athletes but reports no original data or trials testing it. It reviews existing literature on core injuries and anatomy, offering a clinical perspective rather than evidence of efficacy.
• PTCase-Control2023The Association of Joint Power Kinetic Variables with Running Injuries: A Case-Control Study.International journal of sports physical therapyWhen comparing raw averages, hip, knee, and ankle power did not differ between injured and healthy runners. However, after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, higher hip power absorption was associated with lower odds of running injury.
• PTOther2023The Validity and Reliability of a Smartphone Application for Break-Point Angle Measurement during Nordic Hamstring Exercise.International journal of sports physical therapyIn seven healthy men, a smartphone app's break-point angles during the Nordic hamstring exercise were close to motion analysis values, but the match was not conclusive. The app was consistent within sessions, but the small sample means use with caution.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023No Effect of Return to Sport Test Batteries with and without Psychological PROs on the Risk of a Second ACL Injury: A Critical Assessment of Four Different Test Batteries.International journal of sports physical therapyPassing return-to-sport tests, whether physical only or including psychological scores, did not predict a second ACL injury in 419 patients. Test results alone cannot determine readiness; clinicians must consider other risk factors like age and sex.
• PTOther2023Maximal and Explosive Muscle Strength During Hip Adduction Squeeze and Hip Abduction Press Test Using A Handheld Dynamometer: An Intra- and Inter-tester Reliability Study.International journal of sports physical therapyHandheld dynamometry reliably measures maximal isometric hip adduction and abduction strength in healthy adults, regardless of the tester. However, early-phase rate of force development is too inconsistent to be useful clinically, so only late-phase measures should be used if assessing explosive strength.
• PTOther2023Balance Error Scoring System Performance Differences in Figure Skaters Based on Discipline.International journal of sports physical therapySingles skaters made fewer balance errors on foam and tandem stances than ice dancers or pairs, but ice dancers outperformed singles on single-leg foam. Neither age nor sex strongly predicted error counts, so discipline-specific baselines are needed rather than generic norms.
• PTPilot2023Concurrent Force Feedback on Load Symmetry in Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients.International journal of sports physical therapyOne session of force feedback improved load symmetry on the surgical leg immediately, but the benefit vanished after a week. Clinicians should expect short-term gains only and anticipate needing repeated, faded feedback to sustain any change in movement patterns.
• PTCase Report2023Isokinetic Training Program to Improve the Physical Function and Muscular Performance of an Individual with Partial Injury of the Medial Meniscus: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyOne man with a medial meniscus tear improved knee extensor and flexor strength after 11 weeks of isokinetic and proprioceptive training. His functional scores remained high throughout, and the single case cannot prove the treatment works for others.
• PTOther2023Altered sagittal plane mechanics is associated with Functional Movement Screen deep squat score.The South African journal of physiotherapyIn teenage cricket bowlers, FMS deep squat scores tracked how upright the torso was during movement capture. Heel position, knee and hip bend, femur angle and dowel overhead did not separate scores, so a low score does not identify a specific joint problem.
• PTProtocol2023Developing and implementing a model of care for athletes living with disabilities: A protocol.The South African journal of physiotherapyNo findings to report. This paper outlines a planned study to develop and implement a model of care for athletes with disabilities in South Africa. It describes the intended methods but contains no results or evidence to guide current practice.
• PTCohort2024Determinants of Frame Running Capacity in Athletes With Cerebral Palsy to Improve Training Routines and Classification Strategies: A Cross-sectional Observational Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationSpasticity in hip and knee extensors, along with thigh muscle thickness, were the strongest predictors of frame running distance in athletes with cerebral palsy. These physical traits explained 75% of the variance in performance, offering specific targets for training and classification.
• PTOTOther2023The global state of play: A study of the demographic characteristics of disability golfers.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationMost registered golfers with disability were men over 45, came from high-income countries, and 62.6% needed a golf cart. Golfers with neurologic, spinal cord, or visual impairments had worse golf handicaps.
• PTOTCohort2023The association between sleep and physical activity with persisting postconcussion symptoms among adolescent athletes.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationAdolescent athletes who exercised more frequently in the first two weeks after a concussion were less likely to develop persisting symptoms. Objective tracking showed that the number of exercise sessions mattered more than total daily steps or sleep duration.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Trajectories of Daily Postconcussion Symptoms in Children.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationChildren with moderate or high acute concussion symptoms often had persistent symptoms at 45 days. Specific early symptoms like headache, balance problems, and fogginess predicted slower recovery. Daily symptom monitoring may help identify children needing early rehabilitation referrals.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Climb up! Head up! Climbing improves posture in Parkinson's disease. A secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationSport climbing improved forward-stooped posture in Parkinson's disease, reducing the distance from the neck to the wall by 1.7 cm. This physical change did not improve quality of life or reduce fear of falling, but offers a concrete option for correcting spinal flexion.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023The impact of sport on the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of people with chronic breathlessness: A mixed-methods systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationSports like dance and Nordic walking were safe and had high attendance, improving exercise capacity. However, they did not significantly improve health-related quality of life. Participants valued the social cohesion and enjoyment, which may explain better engagement than standard rehabilitation.
• PTMeta-Analysis2023Erector Spinae Muscle Activation During Forward Movement in Individuals With or Without Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdults with chronic low back pain showed higher erector spinae muscle activity during forward walking or running than healthy adults. Seven case-control studies found the same direction, but the studies do not show pain caused the change.
• PTOTCohort2023Unraveling the interplay between daily life fatigue and physical activity after subarachnoid hemorrhage: an ecological momentary assessment and accelerometry study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAfter subarachnoid hemorrhage, fatigue and movement tracked each other in daily life. When participants moved more than usual, fatigue rose soon after; when fatigue rose, they moved less soon after. These are daily associations, not tested treatment effects.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Effectiveness of the "Evidence-Based Scientific Exercise Guidelines" in Increasing Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Cardiometabolic Health, and Muscle Strength in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAerobic exercise did not significantly improve cardiorespiratory fitness in acute spinal cord injury. However, functional electrical stimulation cycling reduced muscle loss and increased lean body mass. Strength training improved peak torque and perceived function. These interventions appear safe but evidence remains limited.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Quadriceps strength, patellar tendon quality, relative load exposure, and knee symptoms in male athletes before the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMale athletes awaiting ACL surgery had significant quadriceps weakness and knee pain, but their patellar tendon quality was identical to the healthy leg. Clinicians should not assume the injured tendon has degraded structurally, as the uninjured side is a valid reference for recovery.
• PTCohort2023Exercising More Than 150 min/wk After Concussion Is Associated With Sleep Quality Improvements.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAdolescents who averaged more than 150 minutes/week of exercise after concussion reported greater sleep quality improvement over one month than those who did not. This does not prove exercise caused the change.
• PTOTOther2024The impact of a novel musculoskeletal consult service in an inpatient rehabilitation facility: A descriptive analysis.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationInpatients with refractory musculoskeletal pain saw significant pain reduction after sports medicine consults, especially those receiving injections. Functional improvement was greater in patients who did not need injections, suggesting those treated with procedures had more severe underlying impairments.
• PTRCT2024Exercise- and education-based prehabilitation before total knee arthroplasty: a pilot study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineFor patients awaiting knee replacement, prehabilitation combining exercise and education was safe but patient consent was low. It did not show better physical performance tests or shorter stay than usual care, though self-reported sport and activity scores differed over time between groups.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Use of the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation Behaviour model (COM-B) to Understand Interventions to Support Physical Activity Behaviour in People with Stroke: An Overview of Reviews.Clinical rehabilitationInterventions combining at least two COM-B elements (capability, opportunity, motivation) improved physical activity after stroke, while single-element interventions often failed. Most evidence involved adults with mild stroke in community settings, leaving gaps for those with severe disability.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Utility of Structured Oculomotor, Balance, and Exercise Testing in Civilian Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationEye tracking and exercise tests found physical deficits in most adults with mild brain injury, even when patients reported few symptoms. These objective measures reveal problems that questionnaires miss, suggesting clinicians should not rely on patient reports alone to guide treatment.