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 17 OF 23 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTNarrative Review2024Rehabilitation and Return to Sports after Achilles Tendon Repair.International journal of sports physical therapyThis commentary outlines a phased, criterion-based rehabilitation protocol for athletes after Achilles tendon repair. It recommends early weight-bearing and mobilization, using blood flow restriction to maintain strength, and strict monitoring of tendon elongation to guide safe return to sport.
• PTNarrative Review2024Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound for Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries: Applications in Rehabilitation.International journal of sports physical therapyThis review describes how ultrasound can image medial collateral ligament injuries but reports no patient outcomes or diagnostic accuracy data. It offers no evidence that this method changes rehabilitation results compared to standard care.
• PTRCT2025Evaluating the health and fitness benefits of a 6-month FES-cycling program on a recumbent trike for individuals with motor complete SCI: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive men with complete spinal cord injury who cycled with electrical stimulation on a recumbent trike for six months had larger thigh muscles and higher cycling power. Bone, bowel, pain, heart and blood pressure control, well-being, and endurance did not show clear gains.
• PTSurvey2024Neurological conditions and community-based physical activity: physical therapists' belief and actions.Archives of physiotherapyCommunity physical therapists in Belgium believed adapted physical activity and adaptive sports were very important, but rarely discussed them, asked about habits, assessed activity, or helped patients find local options. Ask about activity and give local options.
• PTCase Report2024Physical and Muscular Performance in a Professional Soccer Player with a Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Following an Isokinetic Exercise Program: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyInjured-knee torque was higher and function score went from 71 to 79 points after a nine-week program of cycling warm-up, isokinetic knee strengthening, and stretching in one soccer player with a Grade III PCL injury. This is one case, not evidence it works for others.
• PTSystematic Review2024Rehabilitation Protocol Variability Following Arthroscopic Bankart Repair and Remplissage for Management of Anterior Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyProtocols after arthroscopic Bankart plus remplissage varied widely. Sling use, immobilization length, motion restrictions, therapy start, strengthening, and return-to-sport criteria differed across included studies.
• PTCohort2024Relationship of Physical Factors to the Occurrence of Injuries in Young Gymnasts.International journal of sports physical therapyIn young gymnasts, boys' wrist injury was linked to reduced shoulder internal rotation, and lower back injury to reduced hip, shoulder, and wrist motion. Girls' heel and knee injuries showed mixed motion differences, and a back muscle stiffness test did not track low back injury.
• PTNarrative Review2024Clinical Utility of Qualitative Change of Direction Movement Assessment in ACL Injury Risk Evaluation.International journal of sports physical therapyCMAS and E-CAST can score change-of-direction cuts on video, and have been compared with 3D movement analysis. They may guide ACL screening, but no study has shown they predict injury.
• PTOther2024Implementing the Copenhagen Adductor Exercise and Nordic Hamstring Exercise in West African Academy Soccer Players: An Intervention Study.International journal of sports physical therapyIn West African academy soccer players, adductor squeeze strength and hamstring strength rose after an eight-week combined Copenhagen adductor and Nordic hamstring program. After a four-week rest, adductor strength held while hamstring strength fell back to baseline. A second program did not add further gains.
• PTCohort2024Relationship Between Single-Leg Vertical Jump and Drop Jump Performance, and Return to Sports After Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Hamstring Graft.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes who failed to return to their pre-injury level after ACL reconstruction showed greater asymmetry in single-leg drop jump reactive strength index. Standard hop distance and vertical jump height did not differ between groups, suggesting explosive plyometric testing captures deficits that traditional criteria miss.
• PTOther2024Relationship between Peak Eccentric Force during the Nordic Hamstring Exercise and One Repetition Maximum Deadlift Performance.International journal of sports physical therapyPeak eccentric force during the Nordic Hamstring Exercise showed only a weak correlation with deadlift strength. This suggests that strong hip and trunk extensors do not necessarily predict performance on the Nordic exercise, so deadlift proficiency may not be a reliable prerequisite for starting Nordic training.
• PTPilot2025Optimizing health through education: The Adaptive Health Education on Activity and Diet (AHEAD) program.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationA 4-week virtual education workshop for adaptive athletes with disabilities increased weight training frequency, meal prep, diet and exercise discussions, and physical activity right after the course, but some gains were not sustained at follow-up and confidence mostly did not change.
• PTOther2024Morphological changes in the interosseous membrane of the forearm during forearm rotation.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 17 healthy forearms imaged with the arm raised, the membrane between radius and ulna changed shape with rotation: it bowed toward the palm in middle and supinated positions, and toward the back of the forearm in pronation.
• PTOther2024Intra-rater and Inter-rater Reliability of the KangaTech (KT360) Fixed Frame Dynamometry System During Maximal Isometric Strength Measurements of the Knee Flexors.International journal of sports physical therapyKnee flexor strength measured by the same tester and by different testers using this portable fixed-frame dynamometer was almost perfectly consistent, with small measurement error. It can support repeat testing, but direct comparison with the standard device was not done.
• PTCohort2024Yearly motor function changes in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including a COVID-19 behavioral restriction period.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 12 ambulatory children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a year including COVID restrictions saw slower 10-meter running and larger calf circumference. However, ankle flexibility unexpectedly improved by the year's end, likely due to resumed rehabilitation, rather than the decline seen immediately after restrictions.
• PTCohort2024Epidemiology and Factors Influencing Davis Cup Retirements Over the Past Twenty Years.International journal of sports physical therapyRetirements occurred in 3.2% of Davis Cup singles matches. Risk was highest on hard courts, in best-of-five-set matches, and during the final two matches of a tie. Lower extremity muscle and tendon injuries were the most common reason for stopping play.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Position- and Sex-Related Differences in Sagittal and Frontal Plane Concentric Isokinetic Hip Muscle Peak Torques and Agonist-Antagonist Ratios.International journal of sports physical therapyHip extensor and abductor peak torques were greater when tested lying down compared to standing. Flexion-extension ratios were higher in standing. Test results from different positions should not be compared directly or against normative data from the other position.
• PTOther2024Dominant Arm Internal and External Rotation Strength is Related to Arm Pain in Youth Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 65 youth baseball players, more frequent arm pain during throwing was weakly related to lower dominant shoulder external and internal rotation strength. Shoulder range-of-motion measures did not track with pain. It does not show that strengthening shoulder muscles reduces pain.
• PTOther2024Hip Stability Isometric Test (HipSIT): Concurrent Validity and Reference Values for CrossFit® Participants.International journal of sports physical therapyHipSIT scores moderately closely tracked a laboratory hip strength test in 111 CrossFit participants, so it can be a quick portable measure. Use sex and dominant-limb reference values rather than assuming equal scores.
• PTPilot2024The Impact of Visual Perturbation Neuromuscular Training on Landing Mechanics and Neural Activity: A Pilot Study.International journal of sports physical therapyEight female athletes with poor landing mechanics completed four hours of neuromuscular training while wearing glasses that flickered between clear and opaque. Their landing error scores dropped by 1.5 points. Brain scans showed reduced activity in areas handling motor planning and spatial processing.
• PTOther2024The Quality of Functional Movements and the Back Squat in Amateur and Professional Bodybuilders.International journal of sports physical therapyProfessional bodybuilders scored higher on functional movement and back squat quality than amateurs. Amateurs' squat quality varied with added load, while professionals stayed consistent.
• PTOTCohort2025Improvement on the slopes: The impact of an adaptive snow sports program on children and young adults with disabilities.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren and young adults with disabilities in a 10-year adaptive ski program showed significant skill progression and improved social, emotional, physical, and independence scores, though cognitive trends were not significant.
• PTOther2025Assessment of Pelvic Motion During Single-Leg Weight-Bearing Tasks Using Smartphone Sensors: Validity Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesSmartphone sensors placed on the lower back accurately measure pelvic motion and exercise duration during single-leg squats and step-downs compared to lab motion capture. While the phone consistently underestimates tilt and overestimates sway, it reliably detects differences between tasks, offering a low-cost clinic tool.
• PTOTSLPCase Series2024Task-Driven Neurophysiological qEEG Baseline Performance Capabilities in Healthy, Uninjured Division-I College Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyHealthy Division-I athletes showed sex-based differences in brain activity during single-leg movements. Females had higher cognitive workload and more symmetrical brain activity, while males performed better on step-down tasks. These baselines are descriptive and do not prove qEEG predicts injury or readiness.
• PTCohort2024Hip and Groin Problems in Female Team-Sport Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of sports physical therapy14.3% of elite female team-sport athletes had hip and groin problems in preseason. Unlike male athletes, most cases were iliopsoas-related. Hip strength did not differ between those with and without problems.
• PTOther2024Agreement between 2D Visual- and 3D Motion Capture-based Assessment of Foot Strike Pattern.International journal of sports physical therapyHigh-speed video agreed with laboratory methods when classifying runners as rearfoot or non-rearfoot. It did not agree well when splitting non-rearfoot into forefoot or midfoot. Use the two-category system.
• PTOther2024Advanced Neuromuscular Training Differentially Changes Performance on Visuomotor Reaction Tests and Single-leg Hop Tests in Patients with ACL Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 25 analyzed patients, five weeks of advanced neuromuscular training improved single-leg hop tests and reaction test speed, but reaction errors did not change. Improvement was smaller on reaction tests than hop tests.
• PTOther2024Relationship Between Lumbar Locked Rotation, Trunk Rotation During Pitching, and Pitch Velocity in High School Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyHigh school pitchers with greater thoracic rotation range on their throwing side showed better hip-shoulder separation and less early trunk opening during pitching. This range correlated with mechanics but not directly with pitch velocity. Use the lumbar locked rotation test to identify stiffness linked to inefficient form.
• PTOther2024Neurocognitive & Ecological Motor Learning Considerations for the 11+ ACL Injury Prevention Program: A Commentary.International journal of sports physical therapyThis commentary proposes adding neurocognitive challenges to the FIFA 11+ warm-up to better mimic sport demands. It offers no evidence that this updated program reduces ACL injuries, so it cannot currently change standard practice.
• PTOther2024Increased Visual Attentional Demands Alter Lower Extremity Sidestep Cutting Kinematics in Male Basketball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyWhen male basketball players had to watch and react to lights during a sidestep cut, hip and knee flexion decreased compared with a known route. Ankle angles did not change. This is a movement change, not proof of injury risk.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Adaptive sports in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine across Europe: the forgotten therapeutic ally.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineMost European rehabilitation professionals believe adaptive sports help patients, but few actually offer or promote them. Institutions lack infrastructure and funding, and clinicians rarely discuss these options. Patients should not assume their team is unaware of these benefits, but rather that access is structurally limited.
• PTOther2024Neurocognitive and Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Techniques after ACL Injury, Part 1: Optimizing Recovery in the Acute Post-Operative Phase- A Clinical Commentary.International journal of sports physical therapyThe paper reports no original results. It proposes neurocognitive exercises after ACL reconstruction, but it does not show that they work or change outcomes.
• PTCohort2024Racial Disparities in Outpatient Physical Therapy Use After Hip Fracture: A Retrospective Cohort Study.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyBlack Medicare beneficiaries were much less likely to receive outpatient PT after hip fracture than White beneficiaries. This gap remained even after accounting for age, sex, medical complexity, and social factors. Black patients who did start therapy also received fewer visits.
• PTOther2024Injury and Illness Trends in the National Hockey League Following an Abrupt Cessation of Play.International journal of sports physical therapyUpper body injury rates rose in the first two seasons after the NHL paused play, but overall injury rates did not. Injury severity increased slightly each year. Illness rates spiked during COVID surges but returned to normal by 2023.
• PTSystematic Review2024Isokinetic Dynamometry for External and Internal Rotation Shoulder Strength in Youth Athletes: A Scoping Review.International journal of sports physical therapyIsokinetic testing in youth overhead athletes reveals sport-specific strength imbalances, particularly in internal rotation, but normative values are inconsistent across ages and sports. Clinicians cannot rely on adult benchmarks for skeletally immature patients, requiring careful interpretation of dynamic strength ratios to guide return-to-sport decisions.
• PTMeta-Analysis2024Relationship between Shoulder Pain, Trunk and Lower Limb Pain in Overhead Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.International journal of sports physical therapyOverhead athletes with trunk, hip, knee, or ankle/foot pain were two to five times more likely to also report shoulder pain. This is association, not proof that one pain caused the other.
• PTOTQualitative2025Design Requirements for Cardiac Telerehabilitation Technologies Supporting Athlete Values: Qualitative Interview Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAthletes with heart disease rejected generic cardiac rehab as too easy and impersonal. They wanted sport-specific intensity, hard data limits like max heart rate, and clinical validation of their wearables. They trusted face-to-face contact for safety but used remote monitoring for independence.
• PTCohort2024Let´s Swing it -The Interaction Between Participation-Related Shoulder Load and Pre-season Trunk Rotation Power on Shoulder Problems in Male Handball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyWeekly shoulder load predicted severity of shoulder problems, but pre-season trunk rotation power changed this link. Players with low trunk power reported higher severity as load increased, while those with high power reported lower severity. Pre-season external rotator strength correlated weakly with prevalence of problems.
• PTPilot2024The Reliability and Validity of a Novel Clinical Test for Assessing Shoulder Rotation ROM in Collegiate Baseball Players: Functional Assessment of System Tension of the Shoulder (FAST-SHDR).International journal of sports physical therapyA new sport-specific shoulder test showed good reliability in baseball players. It measured much less rotation than standard supine tests, especially in the throwing arm. This suggests standard tests miss how trunk tension limits shoulder motion during throwing.
• PTQualitative2024The Patient-Physiotherapist Tango: a Personalized Approach to ACL Recovery - a Qualitative Interview Study.International journal of sports physical therapyPatients 8-12 months after ACL reconstruction described feeling most supported when their physiotherapist adapted exercises to their needs and set goals together. They valued a friendly, communicative alliance where they were actively involved in decisions.
• PTSurvey2024Introduction of the 'Blue Card' Concussion Policy to Semi-Elite Australian Football: Medical Staff Experiences and Perceptions.International journal of sports physical therapyMost match-day medical staff in semi-elite Australian football did not support the 'blue-card' concussion rule, disagreeing that it helps identify concussions or assist diagnosis. Over two-thirds recommended against its continuation, citing a need for better pre-season concussion education.
• PTNarrative Review2024Neurocognitive and Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Techniques after ACL injury - Part 2: Maximizing Performance in the Advanced Return to Sport Phase.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes often struggle to return to sport due to lingering neurocognitive deficits that standard strength tests miss. Integrating dual-task drills and reactive testing into advanced rehab phases may better prepare athletes for unpredictable game demands and reduce reinjury risk.
• PTSurvey2024Prevalence, incidence and risk factors for rugby-related injuries: A survey of the Safari Sevens tournament.The South African journal of physiotherapy41.6% of male rugby sevens players at this tournament had a current injury, mostly lower-limb. Knee and ankle problems were common, and previous injury, surface, tackle contact, and oversize gear were linked with injury.
• PTOther2025Augmented Feedback Response Prediction by Peak Vertical Ground Reaction Force in Adolescent Female Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 147 adolescent female athletes, one augmented feedback session lowered landing impact force in 107. Baseline force alone missed 23 non-responders. One feedback session plus baseline helped separate responders from non-responders.
• PTSystematic Review2025Examination of the Clinical Utility of Eating Disorder and Disordered Eating Screening Tools in Young Athletes: A Scoping Review.International journal of sports physical therapyThe EAT-26 was the most common eating disorder screen used in young athlete studies, but it was not built for athletes. SCOFF was used in five studies, and only one study checked questionnaire answers with a clinical interview.
• PTCase Series2025Low-Load Blood-flow Restriction Training for Medial Tibial Stress-Syndrome in Athletes: A Case Series.International journal of sports physical therapyFunction and running-test performance were reported better in recreational athletes with running-related MTSS after a home low-load blood-flow restriction calf-raise program with continued sport under a pain limit, but pain changes varied and there was no control group.
• PTSurvey2025High Prevalence of Low Back Pain in College Rifle Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyMost collegiate rifle athletes (101 of 113) reported low back pain in conjunction with rifle training or competition. Pain affected sleep, travel, and training, and female respondents reported it more often than male respondents.
• PTOther2025The Influence of Cognitive Dual Tasking on the Outcomes of the Triple Hop Test Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyPatients post-ACL reconstruction hopped significantly further on their healthy leg than their surgical leg. Unexpectedly, adding a cognitive task caused a larger performance drop on the healthy leg than the surgical leg, suggesting both limbs are vulnerable to cognitive load.
• PTNarrative Review2025Evaluation and Treatment of Baseball Pitchers: There's More to Assess than the Arm.International journal of sports physical therapyNo original methods or results are reported. This concept review suggests evaluating trunk and lower extremity in baseball pitchers, but those recommendations are not tested evidence.
• PTOther2025Early Mobility and Rehabilitation Protocol after Internal Brace Ankle Stabilization.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper proposes a 12-week early mobility protocol after internal brace ankle stabilization, moving from non-weight bearing to sport-specific training. It is a descriptive guide based on expert opinion and biomechanical data, not a study of patient outcomes.