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 19 OF 23 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTNarrative Review2025Is it all About the Quads? Implications of the Calf Musculature Post-ACL Injury in Return to Sport Rehab.International journal of sports physical therapyThis is a clinical commentary on calf muscles after ACL reconstruction. It reviews ideas and gives rehabilitation suggestions, but reports no original methods or results, so there is no finding to act on.
• PTOther2025Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of the Triceps Tendon.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper describes how to scan the triceps tendon with ultrasound. It does not report patient outcomes or test diagnostic accuracy, so there is no evidence here to guide treatment decisions.
• PTCase-Control2025Comparing the Dominant and Non-Dominant Leg Strength of Division I Collegiate Female Cutting Athletes to Jumping Athletes: A Pilot Study.International journal of sports physical therapyCutting athletes had a stronger non-dominant quadriceps, while jumping athletes showed no clear side difference. Jumping athletes were more often dominant-leg stronger, but the result was very uncertain.
• PTOther2025Enhanced gastrocnemius-mimicking lower limb powered exoskeleton robot.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn five healthy men, a gastrocnemius-mimicking exoskeleton reduced calf muscle activation during walking and squat holding and increased squat-holding endurance 7.79 times, but it was tested only in healthy volunteers.
• PTSystematic Review2025The Role of Parental Physical Literacy in Family Dynamics: A Systematic Scoping Review of Existing Evidence.Child: care, health and developmentParental physical literacy was positively linked to children's physical literacy and fitness. Parent-focused programs reported improved parental physical literacy and some child outcomes, but evidence is limited.
• PTOther2025Physiological Effects of Local Theragun™ Application: An Observational Study in Healthy Female Participants.International journal of sports physical therapyApplying a massage gun to the thigh of 26 healthy women raised skin temperature, blood flow and muscle oxygenation for up to 50 minutes. These are lab measurements only. The paper does not show faster recovery or better performance.
• PTCohort2025Investigation of Force Plate Jump Testing Metrics Relevant to Return to Play Decision Making in Basketball Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyBasketball players with weaker quadriceps showed significant jump asymmetries in double-leg and repeated hop tests, but not in single-leg countermovement jumps. Relying on one jump type misses deficits. Use a battery of tests and check variability, not just a 90% symmetry score.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Assessment Methods of Sport-Induced Neuromuscular Fatigue: A Scoping Review.International journal of sports physical therapyVertical jumps measured on force platforms are the most common way to test leg fatigue in sport. This review maps how researchers assess fatigue but does not test if these methods predict injury or guide treatment.
• PTQualitative2025Tailoring Rehabilitation Following Periacetabular Osteotomy for Acetabular Dysplasia: A Qualitative Interview Study on Challenges and Opportunities among Physiotherapists in Denmark and Australia.International journal of sports physical therapyPhysiotherapists described post-PAO rehab as needing pain control, clear surgeon-PT communication, tailored exercise, patient education and social support. Australian PTs leaned toward sport return; Danish PTs leaned toward social context and vulnerability.
• PTOther2025Comparative Analysis of Anatomical and Pathological Glenohumeral Internal Rotation Deficit Among Volleyball Players: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of sports physical therapy89.4% of 170 volleyball players had shoulder internal rotation deficits. Most had the pathological type linked to injury risk. Players with more experience and higher weekly practice hours, especially males and hitters, were significantly more likely to have this pathological deficit.
• PTNarrative Review2025Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of the Plantar Fascia.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper describes how to image the plantar fascia with ultrasound and what normal anatomy looks like on the scan. It does not test whether this imaging helps diagnose foot pain or improves treatment, so it offers no evidence to change how you assess patients.
• PTCase Series2025Resident Case Series: The Utility of the Athletic Shoulder Test Using Wireless Portable Force Plates for Measuring Peak Force in NCAA Division One Collegiate Quarterbacks.International journal of sports physical therapyThree NCAA Division 1 quarterbacks were tested weekly for nine weeks using the Athletic Shoulder Test. Force plate peak force and limb symmetry were obtained, but this case series does not show that the test predicts injury or performance.
• PTCase Report2025A Comprehensive Biomechanical and Clinical Analysis of a Youth Ambidextrous Baseball Pitcher: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyOne youth ambidextrous pitcher’s shoulder motion and throwing mechanics changed differently on each side over three years. Right-arm strength and speed improved, while left-arm motion lagged. This describes one athlete’s development, not evidence that any treatment works.
• PTOther2025The Effect of Running Speed on Cadence and Running Kinetics.International journal of sports physical therapyFaster treadmill running made experienced runners take more steps per minute and produce higher ground reaction forces at the same time. Cadence rose from 169.2 to 177.9 steps/min while vertical average loading rate rose from 36.750 to 47.965 BW/sec.
• PTCase Report2025Rehabilitation of a Professional Ballerina Post-Traumatic Fourth Toe Fracture: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA professional ballerina with a toe fracture returned to full pointe work after 18 physical therapy visits. The plan combined manual therapy, progressive loading, and modified pointe shoe use. This describes one person's recovery, not a proven protocol for others.
• PTNarrative Review2025Current Concept Review: Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction: From Rehabilitation to Return to Sport.International journal of sports physical therapyThis review proposes a four-phase rehabilitation protocol for medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. It outlines specific milestones for range of motion, quadriceps strength, and hop tests to guide return to sport. No single component of the protocol was tested against another.
• PTSystematic Review2025Running Retraining Technique and Neuromuscular Exercises in Runners with Patellofemoral Pain: A Scoping Review.International journal of sports physical therapyNo standard protocol emerged: 15 studies of runners with patellofemoral pain used very different neuromuscular and running retraining programmes.
• PTSystematic Review2025Knee extensor training in patients with patellofemoral pain: a systematic review and synthesis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesKnee extensor training for patellofemoral pain is usually prescribed as three sets of ten bodyweight reps of straight leg raises, squats, or open chain extensions. However, most studies lack details on load and range of motion, making precise replication difficult.
• PTCohort2025Proprioception and Central Nervous Excitability: Implications for Return-to-Play in Athletes with Ligament or Meniscal Injuries.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes with prior knee injuries showed higher central nervous system excitability when using visual feedback to maintain knee torque. This suggests visual cues may override proprioceptive control, potentially hindering the automatic movement patterns needed for safe return to sport.
• PTOther2025Reliability of the Main 2D Kinematic Variables of Running Evaluated Categorically in Amateur Runners, Aged 18 to 55 Years.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo-dimensional video analysis reliably categorizes knee window, heel whip, foot progression angle, and overstriding in amateur runners. However, pelvic drop and rearfoot eversion showed poor agreement. Rater expertise significantly influenced results, with some variables only reliable when assessed by experienced clinicians.
• PTCohort2025Profile of Brazilian Under-19 Volleyball Team Athletes: Anthropometry, Jump Performance, Stiffness and Pre-Stretch Augmentation Percentage.International journal of sports physical therapyBrazilian under-19 male volleyball athletes averaged 195.75 cm tall, 87.59 kg, 41.99 cm squat jump height, 39.9 cm countermovement jump height, and 5.22% pre-stretch augmentation. No treatment was tested.
• PTNarrative Review2025Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of the Brachialis.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper describes how to scan the brachialis muscle with ultrasound. It details probe placement, normal appearance, and dynamic testing but reports no patient outcomes, diagnostic accuracy, or treatment results.
• PTCohort2025The Association Between Internal and External Shoulder Load, Pre-season Strength and Power, with Shoulder Problems in Female Handball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyStronger female handball players reported more severe shoulder pain as their perceived weekly shoulder load increased. Higher pre-season strength, power, and lower external rotator strength were linked to greater symptom severity, contradicting the idea that strength alone protects the shoulder.
• PTCohort2025Association Between Maturity Status, Landing Force, and Jump Performance in Adolescent Male Soccer Players.International journal of sports physical therapyLanding forces did not differ by maturity status in adolescent male soccer players, but jump performance was significantly higher in post-PHV athletes. Classification by maturity offset detected performance differences that chronological age missed.
• PTOther2025Between-Day Reliability of Kinematic Variables Using Markerless Motion Capture for Single-Leg Squat and Single-Leg Landing Tasks.International journal of sports physical therapyMarkerless video motion capture measured single-leg squat and landing movements with day-to-day error mostly under 5 degrees, similar to marker-based systems. Hip flexion and hip rotation were less reliable, so use caution with those angles.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Dual-Task Predictors in Graduate Healthcare Students with Athletic Backgrounds.International journal of sports physical therapyConcussion history did not predict worse dual-task performance or academic scores in 32 graduate students. Unexpectedly, those with no reported concussion history had higher dual-task costs. More years in contact sports predicted lower undergraduate GPA, but the study was underpowered and relied on self-report.
• PTOther2025Elite Figure Skaters Return to Sport Strategy Following Sports-Related Concussion: A Clinical Commentary.International journal of sports physical therapyThis paper offers expert recommendations for adapting return-to-sport strategies for elite figure skaters after concussion. It is a clinical commentary, not a study, so it reports no evidence that these specific adaptations improve recovery outcomes.
• PTOther2025Effect of Pharmacological Treatment on Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction and Allergic Inflammatory Response in Endurance Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 13 treated elite male endurance athletes, 30 days of individualized respiratory medication reduced exercise-induced bronchoconstriction; 92.3% no longer showed EIB after a breathing challenge. Peak oxygen uptake and running speed improved, but allergic inflammatory markers did not change.
• PTOther2025Elite Tennis Players with a Weak Rotator Cuff: The Paradox of Infraspinatus Atrophy - A Clinical Commentary and Practical Approach.International journal of sports physical therapyInfraspinatus atrophy is common in overhead athletes, affecting about 60% of male and 52% of female tennis players. It often causes no pain or perceived weakness, but leads to measurable strength and proprioception deficits. Screening and early management are recommended despite the lack of symptoms.
• PTCohort2025Does the Eccentric Strength Profile of the Hamstrings Determine the Severity of Injury Sustained?International journal of sports physical therapyPre-injury eccentric hamstring strength did not predict the severity, location, or grade of hamstring injuries in elite footballers. However, intratendinous injuries were most common in severe grades, suggesting strength tests may miss tendon-specific risks that require separate assessment.
• PTOther2025How Downhill and Uphill Running Interfere Posture and Muscle Activity: A Descriptive Laboratory Study.International journal of sports physical therapyDownhill running increased lumbar lordosis and backward trunk lean, while uphill running decreased lordosis and shifted the trunk forward. Erector spinae activity dropped on most slopes, but vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius worked harder. These changes highlight distinct biomechanical demands for trail runners.
• PTCohort2025The relationship between shoulder external rotation strength, horizontal abduction, and glenohumeral distance ratios in professional baseball pitchers.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 18 professional baseball pitchers, weaker shoulder external rotation strength at a specific position correlated with greater horizontal abduction and poorer humeral head alignment on MRI. This suggests strength deficits may be linked to structural changes associated with posterosuperior impingement, but the study did not prove cause and effect.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2025Associations of Adaptive Behavior and Wandering with Serious Injuries in Young Children with Autism: Study to Explore Early Development.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor preschoolers with autism and significant early learning delays, wandering is associated with higher rates of serious injury. Conversely, those with learning delays but normal adaptive behavior skills had higher injury rates than those with delays in both areas, possibly due to caregiver overestimation of safety awareness.
• PTSurvey2025Postoperative anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation: A survey in Gauteng, South Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapyMost Gauteng physiotherapists claim to use accelerated ACL rehab, but only 20% follow the actual protocol. Practice varies widely: 66% start after surgery rather than before, and 59% use braces for 4-6 weeks despite evidence against routine bracing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Quality of life in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: A cross-sectional comparison.The South African journal of physiotherapyAdolescent girls with scoliosis reported quality of life scores similar to healthy peers. The primary comparison found no significant difference in physical, psychological, or social well-being between the two groups.
• PTOTSLPOther2025What are the evidence-based medical management approaches for the concussed youth athlete? A scoping review.Archives of physiotherapySub-threshold aerobic exercise helps youth athletes recover faster than strict rest or stretching. Early exercise testing is safe and does not delay recovery. Head and neck cooling may reduce symptoms sooner, but overall recovery time is similar. Evidence for other treatments is weak.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Characteristics of pediatric patients with sports-related concussions: A single site retrospective review.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicinePediatric sports concussions peak during each sport's season, with football leading. Uninsured or Medicaid patients were more likely to present to the emergency department, miss follow-up appointments, and require a longer period to complete the same number of visits as privately insured patients.
• PTRCT2025Sex Differences in Response to Low- Versus High-Volume Aerobic Exercise for Sport-Related Concussion: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAdolescents with concussion did not show a clear recovery difference between low and high volumes of aerobic exercise. In females, the high-volume group trended toward slower recovery, but this was not proven.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Differential effects of sport type on brain versus orthopedic injury and sports benefits in the adolescent brain cognitive development study.Brain injurySoccer and American football linked to higher mild brain injury risk in 9-10 year olds. Climbing showed higher brain injury risk than broken bones. Sports participation associated with better behavior and cognition in children with prior brain injury, though causality cannot be determined.
• PTOTOther2025Expert-driven weighting of pressure injury risk factors for wheelchair users: A Delphi study.Clinical rehabilitationExperts ranked 39 pressure injury risk factors for wheelchair users. Immobility, previous pressure injury, malnutrition, inability to perform pressure relief, and sensory impairment were the most critical. These weights are expert opinion, not a validated clinical tool.
• PTOTCohort2025Seven-Year Intervention Rate and Effect of Early Rehabilitation in China: A National-Wide Hospital-Based Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationEarly rehabilitation reached 68.2% of tertiary hospital patients by 2022. Patients receiving it had lower in-hospital mortality but longer stays and higher costs. The study cannot prove the therapy caused these outcomes because it only tracked billing records, not clinical details.
• PTOther2025Intelligent prediction of dynamic characteristics during exercise in patients with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA computer model using wearable sensors estimated hip, knee and ankle joint moments during walking and stairs in people after stroke, with small errors in the tested data. It has not been checked on new patients.
• PTSurvey2025Acceptability and Barriers of Exercise in Children With Osteogenesis Imperfecta.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation16 of 17 children said osteogenesis imperfecta made exercise harder, including fatigue, joint pain, weakness and fracture worry. They preferred swimming, cycling and walking, and 2 of 17 would add no 30-minute weekly exercise.
• PTSystematic Review2026Utilisation of cardiopulmonary exercise testing for tailored pulmonary rehabilitation in people with interstitial lung diseases: A systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationIn studies with before-and-after data, tailored pulmonary rehabilitation based on exercise test results improved peak work rate and oxygen uptake, with no adverse events reported. Evidence is mixed, four studies had no control group, and this is not proof of benefit.
• PTOther2025Impact of Neural network-quantified musical groove on cyclists' joint coordination and muscle synergy: a repeated measures study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHigh-groove music increased hip-ankle and pelvis-trunk coordination and added a fifth muscle synergy pattern during high-torque cycling compared to low-groove music or metronome. These findings suggest rhythmic auditory cues can refine neuromuscular control, but this was a lab study on healthy cyclists.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Evaluating R2Play, A Novel Multidomain Return-to-Play Assessment Tool for Concussion: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Face Validity Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTen concussion-recovered youth and five clinicians found the new R2Play tablet-based return-to-play assessment safe, usable, and physically demanding enough to mimic sport. It is not yet validated for clinical decision-making.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Prescription of Exercise Programs for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCombined exercise programs improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and quality of life in people with autism. Most studies were small, short, and had high risk of bias, so these benefits are promising but not firmly proven.
• PTRCT2025The effect of a combined exercise program on different surfaces on gastrocnemius muscle activation in young athletes.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFour weeks of sprint and plyometric drills increased gastrocnemius muscle activation in young runners on both sand and tartan surfaces. Tartan training produced greater activation changes on the right leg, while sand produced greater changes on the left leg. No single surface proved superior overall.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2025Noninvasive brain stimulation for upper limb motor activity in children and young adults with cerebral palsy and pediatric stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation to therapy did not improve upper limb movement in children with cerebral palsy or stroke. The combined treatment showed no benefit over standard care alone, so clinicians should not expect these stimulation techniques to enhance motor recovery on their own.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026A Qualitative Analysis of Unintentional Injuries in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of autistic children identified specific behavioral traits driving injury risk: communication deficits that hide pain, fixated interests (especially water), motor coordination issues, and elopement. Safety instruction must be adapted to non-verbal strengths, using visual supports and physical barriers rather than verbal warnings alone.