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 22 OF 23 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTProtocol2026The Effect of Therapeutic Exercises and Ultrasound for Rehabilitation of Partially Injured Hamstring Muscles in Elite Soccer (Football) Players: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of sports physical therapyThis is a plan for a trial, not a finished study. No players have been treated and no results are reported, so there is nothing here yet that changes what you do.
• PTOther2026From Force Plates to AI: Establishing Validity and Reliability of a 2D AI-Camera System for Quantifying Sit-to-Stand Power Measurement.International journal of sports physical therapyA tablet camera scored sit-to-stand power much the way two force plates did, and repeat testing gave closely similar scores in 24 healthy adults. The camera read slightly higher than the force plates, and the gap grew larger at low power outputs.
• PTOther2026Inter-rater and Intra-rater Reliability of the Cutting Movement Assessment Score Among Physical Therapists.International journal of sports physical therapyThe same therapist scored the same 20 cutting videos almost identically when re-scored 130 days later (excellent). Scores from different therapists agreed only moderately, and least between the most experienced and the newest rater.
• PTNarrative Review2026Diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Evaluation of the Proximal Hamstrings at the Ischial Tuberosity.International journal of sports physical therapyA how-to guide to scanning the proximal hamstring at the ischial tuberosity with ultrasound. It describes anatomy and normal scan appearances, reports no patients and no results, so there is nothing here to change practice on.
• PTRCT2026Effects of Lower-Leg Fascial Flossing on Flexibility and Performance in Collegiate Distance Runners: Ultrasound Evaluation of Fascial Gliding.International journal of sports physical therapyAfter a 32-minute run, tight floss-band wrapping during heel raises let the calf's fascia and muscle slide more freely and gave more ankle range than the untreated leg. Jump power held steady in the flossed leg but fell in the other.
• PTOther2026Assessing Balance in Young Athletes With and Without Chronic Ankle Instability.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes with chronic ankle instability balanced on one leg for 14.55 seconds with eyes open versus 24.75 seconds for healthy athletes and 25.20 for copers, and reached less far on the Y-balance test. With eyes closed, the groups did not differ.
• PTCase Report2026Rehabilitation Following a Distal Semitendinosus Excision in a Collegiate American Football Player: A Resident's Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyOne college football player returned to competition 12 weeks after surgery to excise an avulsed distal semitendinosus tendon, following a staged rehab from knee immobilizer to sprinting. Eccentric hamstring strength was still 34.8% below his pre-injury max at clearance.
• PTOther2026An Examination of the Relationship Between Fear of Reinjury and Neuromuscular, Musculoskeletal, and Biomechanical Characteristics at the Time of Return to Sport following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes cleared for return to sport after ACL reconstruction who scored higher on fear of reinjury did not differ from less fearful athletes on strength, stability, hop symmetry or most movement measures. Only calf flexibility and one knee landing angle differed, in a small study.
• PTMeta-Analysis2022Differential Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity Involvements and Exercise Habits in People With and Without Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationStep counts and weekly activity fell during COVID-19 lockdowns while sitting time rose, across 36 studies of 800,256 people. Most evidence came from questionnaires rather than devices, and many people reported doing more activity, not less.
• PTSystematic Review2021Effect of Functional Rehabilitation on Performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test Among Recreational Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationWobble board balance work and hip strengthening gave the largest reach-distance gains in recreational athletes with chronic ankle instability, but most included trials were low quality, so treat the suggested dose of 3 sessions a week for 4-6 weeks as a guide, not proof.
• PTMeta-Analysis2024Comparing adaptations from blood flow restriction exercise training using regulated or unregulated pressure systems: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationWhether the cuff pressure was regulated or fixed before exercise made no difference to gains in strength or muscle size. Blood flow restriction training itself gave only small gains over the same exercise without it.
• PTSystematic Review2024Exercise and Musculoskeletal Health in Men With Low Bone Mineral Density: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationTwice-weekly resistance training maintained or increased bone density at the spine and hip in men with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Five men having machine-based compression training developed new spinal fractures. Lower-impact options such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong did not improve bone density.
• PTSystematic Review2024A systematic review: impact of dry needling, isometric, and eccentric exercises on pain and function in individuals with patellar tendinopathy.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesEccentric exercise and dry needling improved pain and function in athletes with jumper's knee over weeks to months; isometric holds relieved pain in the short term only. The nine trials were too small and too varied to say which works best.
• PTMeta-Analysis2022Effect of muscle strength training in children and adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical rehabilitationIn children and adolescents with spastic cerebral palsy, strength training gave small gains in lower-limb strength and walking speed, larger gains in standing balance, and small improvements in gross motor function. It did not make spasticity worse.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2023A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effect of Active Video Games on Postural Balance.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationActive video games improved balance more than no treatment, and also more than conventional therapy, across 129 studies and 6407 participants. The average effect was modest, the included studies were mostly small and unblinded, and the authors found signs of publication bias.
• PTSystematic Review2025Return to Sport Criteria and Outcomes in Javelin Athletes Following Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: a Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyReturn to sport after elbow ligament reconstruction in javelin throwers was judged almost entirely by whether they finished a rehab and throwing programme on time. None of the four studies, covering 34 athletes, used strength, range of motion or throwing tests to clear anyone.
• PTSystematic Review2022Quality of Care Indicators for Hospital Physical Therapy Units: A Systematic Review.Physical therapy178 clinical quality indicators exist for hospital physical therapy units, mostly measuring whether care was delivered as evidence says it should be. Effectiveness covers 82.6%, while efficiency, equity and accessibility are barely covered, and few were tested for reliability.
• PTSystematic Review2021A Systematic Review of Center of Mass as a Measure of Dynamic Postural Control Following Concussion.International journal of sports physical therapyAdding a mental task to walking exposed balance-control differences between concussed athletes and controls that walking alone missed, and those differences were still present after players were cleared to return. Measuring this needs lab equipment most clinics lack, and all six included studies were small.
• PTSystematic Review2024Hypertrophy Training Following A Total Hip Replacement: A Literature Review.International journal of sports physical therapyThirteen of the sixteen studies reported that post-surgical strengthening improved strength, function or both, but the programmes varied so widely that none can be called best practice. Only one hip replacement study looked at return to sport.
• PTSystematic Review2024Risk Factors Associated with First Time and Recurrent Shoulder Instability: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyBeing male, playing sports like skiing, snowboarding, wrestling or football, being hypermobile, and having a taller, narrower shoulder socket were linked to a first shoulder dislocation. Repeat dislocations were linked to being male, under 30, or prior instability with another injury. Study quality was mixed.
• PTMeta-Analysis2024Aerobic fitness in children with cerebral palsy compared to typically developing peers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Brazilian journal of physical therapyChildren with cerebral palsy average 32.84 mL/kg/min of peak oxygen uptake at maximal exercise, against 45.02 in typically developing peers. Values were lowest in the children with the most limited mobility.
• PTMeta-Analysis2021Effectiveness of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Interstitial Lung Disease, Including Coronavirus Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPulmonary rehabilitation improved how far people with interstitial lung disease or post-COVID lung damage could walk, by 44.55 m more than usual care, and improved their quality of life. Breathlessness did not improve significantly. Most trials had some risk of bias.
• PTSystematic Review2025The Reliability of Using a Handheld Device to Measure 2D Kinematics: A Systematic Review.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyPhone and tablet video measured some lower-limb angles reliably, but agreement ranged from poor to excellent depending on the joint and movement. Frontal plane knee angle in single-leg tasks held up best; hip angle in running was worst.
• PTSystematic Review2022Physical impairments in Adults with Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) undergoing Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of sports physical therapyWalking differences between people with hip dysplasia and healthy people were gone a year after periacetabular osteotomy. Before surgery they walked with less hip extension; hip strength did not change after surgery, and 58% still had a positive impingement test one to three years later.
• PTSystematic Review2023Vestibular Rehabilitation as an Early Intervention in Athletes Who are Post-concussion: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyVestibular rehabilitation alone did not beat a behavioral control on balance, and the reviewers say more data are needed. Combined with cervical manual therapy and usual physiotherapy, 11 of 15 athletes were cleared to return to sport within eight weeks, against 1 of 14 controls.
• PTSLPSystematic Review2025Pain in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyBetween 24% and 89% of adults with cerebral palsy report pain, more than adults without it. What helps is unclear: botulinum toxin A and pallidal stimulation showed no benefit, and a physical activity programme and somatosensory therapy showed promise in one small study each.
• PTSystematic Review2025Risk Factors Associated with New Onset of Shoulder Pain and Injury Among the Athletic Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature.International journal of sports physical therapyThere is no single cause of shoulder pain in overhead athletes: risk sits in sport-specific range of motion, strength, past injury and training-load spikes. Only one included trial tested prevention, and it reduced shoulder injuries in handball players.
• PTSystematic Review2025Evidence on the Effectiveness of Public Policies for Physical Activity Promotion in the Early Childcare Education and Care Setting: A Systematic Review.Child: care, health and developmentRequiring physical activity in childcare changed what centres offered, with 74% to 94% adherence, but did not consistently get children moving more. Most included studies were rated only fair or poor quality.
• PTRCT2024The Influence of "Labels" for Neck Pain on Recovery Expectations Following a Motor Vehicle Crash: An Online-Randomized Vignette-Based Experiment.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyCalling neck pain after a car crash "whiplash-associated disorder" or "neck pain" lowered people's expectation of full recovery compared with "neck strain". Differences were small, at most 1.0 point on an 11-point scale.
• PTMeta-Analysis2025Changes in walking speed following resistance training in people with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationResistance training improved walking speed by 0.10 m/s more than usual activity, the threshold considered a meaningful change. But only one of six trials found that difference alone, and resistance training beat no other form of exercise.
• PTMeta-Analysis2025Virtual reality-based interventions enhance functional status, balance and muscle strength in patients with ankle instability: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineVirtual reality training beat conventional therapy or usual care for ankle function and for static and dynamic balance in people with ankle instability, mostly young men. Strength gains were patchy: plantar flexion and eversion only, and not hopping or jumping.
• PTRCT2022Do Physical Therapy and Yoga Improve Pain and Disability through Psychological Mechanisms? A Causal Mediation Analysis of Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyImprovements in perceived stress explained about a third of physical therapy's benefit on back-related disability at one year compared with an education book. The advantage was small, and no psychological factor explained PT's or yoga's effect on pain.
• PTRCT2021Development of a single-session physiotherapy and self-management intervention for the treatment of primary traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation for the 'Acute Rehabilitation following Traumatic anterior shoulder dISlocAtioN (ARTISAN)' multi centre RCT.PhysiotherapyNo outcomes are reported. This paper describes how a single-session physiotherapy and self-management package was designed for people after a first traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation, and it is this package that the ongoing ARTISAN trial is testing.
• PTSystematic Review2021The Neuromuscular Effects of the Copenhagen Adductor Exercise: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyAdductor strength rose in every study of the Copenhagen Adductor Exercise that measured it, and the exercise drives adductor longus activity above the level thought to build strength. All five studies were in male soccer players. None tested whether it prevents groin injury.
• PTMeta-Analysis2025Optimizing physical fitness in chronic stroke patients: the impact of exercise training modality and dosage on maximal and sub-maximal fitness - a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAerobic exercise improved fitness and walking distance in people more than six months after stroke; mixed training also improved peak fitness. Trials of 45-minute sessions, three times a week for at least eight weeks, showed the largest gains.
• PTCase-Control2026Psychological and Neuromechanical Recovery After Concussion: Dual-Task Stability and Kinesiophobia from Return to Play to Six Months.International journal of sports physical therapyAthletes cleared to return to play after concussion reported more fear of movement than uninjured controls (about 3 points more on a scale running to 44), but their balance and single-leg landing were no worse, even with a mental task added.
• PTOther2026Does Medial Knee Position Reflect Dynamic Knee Valgus? Comparing Kinematic Timing and Magnitude During a Three-Task Movement Screen.International journal of sports physical therapyWhere the knee looks most collapsed is not where knee abduction peaks: in a jump and landing, collapse came 23% and 39% earlier, and 17% later in a single-leg squat. Treat 2D video as a movement screen, not a measure of peak knee load.
• PTSystematic Review2026Sport and recreation for Indigenous peoples with neurodevelopmental disabilities in Canada: an empty scoping review and call to action.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA search of health, education and sport databases and grey literature found no Canadian study of sport or recreation for Indigenous people with neurodevelopmental disabilities. That absence is the finding: there is nothing here to guide a program.
• PTOther2026Standard Versus Arm-Length-Normalized Conditions for Assessment of the Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test in Healthy Youth Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 154 healthy teen athletes, the arm-length-normalized CKCUEST gave 23.9 taps versus 23.0 on the standard distance version, and only the standard version was affected by arm length and body weight. Individual results varied by more than the test's own measurement error.
• PTRCT2025A Telehealth Physical Therapy Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Adults With Knee OA: The Delaware PEAK Randomized Controlled Trial.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyThe primary outcome was null. Five telehealth PT consultations over 12 weeks did not increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in adults with knee OA compared to a website control. The between-group difference was −1.8 minutes per day.
• PTRCT2021Neuromuscular training after concussion to improve motor and psychosocial outcomes: A feasibility trial.Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports MedicineAn 8-week supervised neuromuscular training program after concussion clearance was feasible to deliver to adolescent athletes. 55% completed all 16 sessions, no adverse events occurred. This trial did not test whether the program improves outcomes or reduces injury risk.
• PTSystematic Review2023Effect of Conservative Interventions for Musculoskeletal Disorders in Preprofessional and Professional Dancers: A Systematic Review.International journal of sports physical therapyThe only randomized trial found a conditioning program reduced pain and low back injuries but not aerobic capacity or strength. Dry needling showed no benefit for pain or range of motion. The remaining evidence came from uncontrolled studies with small samples.
• PTMeta-Analysis2022Effects of exercise training on obesity-related parameters in people with intellectual disabilities: systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRExercise alone did not significantly reduce weight, BMI, fat mass, or waist circumference in people with intellectual disability compared with controls. When only aerobic exercise trials were pooled together, BMI showed a significant improvement, but the main results across all exercise types were null.
• PTMeta-Analysis2023What is the Rate of Response to Nonoperative Treatment for Hip-Related Pain? A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyAbout half of patients with non-arthritic hip pain improved enough with non-operative care to avoid surgery. Physical therapy added 11.3 points on a 100-point hip function scale and 22.2 points on pain. No single therapy component proved better than another.
• PTMeta-Analysis2022Is robotic gait training effective for individuals with cerebral palsy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Clinical rehabilitationRobotic gait training did not improve walking endurance, walking speed, or gross motor function compared to standard physical therapy in 188 people with cerebral palsy across eight trials. All devices tested were assistive. One trial found resistive training, which requires active effort, outperformed assistive training in children with cerebral palsy.
• PTOther2026Psychological Factors Are Associated With Lower Limb Kinematics During Uphill Walking and Running in Women With Patellofemoral Pain.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyWomen with patellofemoral pain who scored higher on fear-of-movement and pain-catastrophizing scales showed less knee flexion during uphill walking and running. The association was stronger during running. No other joint angles correlated with these scores.
• PTOther2026GPT-4 outperforms junior expert physical therapists in sports medicine rehabilitation: an evaluation of AI response quality and adaptiveness.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesGPT-4's written answers to sports rehabilitation questions outscored those of three junior expert physical therapists on both quality and adaptiveness, for patient-facing and therapist-facing responses alike.
• PTSurvey2026Diagnostic and Procedural Imaging Curricula in Musculoskeletal Physical Therapist Residency and Fellowship Education.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyMost orthopedic and sports PT residency and fellowship programs teach how to read and integrate imaging results, but only 29% teach how to refer for imaging. Programs rate graduates' ability to sign referrals as low (16-26% proficient), despite expecting them to be the ordering clinician.
• PTCase Report2026SPORT: A Novel Biopsychosocial Framework for Chronic Low Back Pain in a Young Athlete - A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyThe 45 lb squat with pain became a 335 lb pain-free squat over 17 weeks of progressive training, goal setting, pain education, and coach support in one 18-year-old athlete. This is one person, not a pattern, and the treating coach was also his friend.
• PTSurvey2026Disparities in Physical Activity and Sport Participation Among Transition-Age Youth With Autism and Intellectual Disability.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchYouth with autism, especially those without intellectual disability, had the lowest rates of physical activity and sport participation in this national survey of 26,308 teens. No intervention was tested.