OSIC is the regional sports information centre that's headquartered at The University of the South Pacific and funded by the Oceania National Olympic Committees.
Oceania Highlights
October 23, 2020
Bula Vinaka,
I hope everybody is doing well in the Sports Community of Oceania? This issue is part of a new weekly series where we provide sports research accordingly to the alphabet. This week, we are focusing on sports that start with the letter a and b. In this issue we will focus on archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball and boxing. Next week we will be covering letters c, e and maybe f. The articles are free, just click the title which is underlined.
The University of the South Pacific (USP) through a collaboration with the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) is inviting candidates to apply to the Pacific Regional Sports Research Scholarship. Check the OSIC website for more information at https://www.usp.ac.fj/osic.
You will also find a bibliography on gender-based violence and sport. This came out of the recent Gender Based Violence Workshop hosted recently by the Women in Sport Commission of The Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC). If you would like any of the articles, please contact me at osic@onoc.org.fj.
Enjoy the weekend.
Martin V Burrows Jr.
Coordinator
Oceania Sport Information Centre
Is There a Relationship between Lead Exposure and Aggressive Behavior in Shooters? Lead exposure has been associated with psycho-neurological disorders. Elevated blood lead levels have been found in shooters. This study assesses the association between the blood lead levels of shooters and their levels of aggression. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Gauteng, South Africa. Participants were recruited from four randomly selected shooting ranges with three randomly selected archery ranges used as a comparison group. A total of 118 (87 shooters and 31 archers) participants were included in the analysis. Aggressiveness was measured using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Shooters had significantly higher blood lead levels (BLL) compared to archers with 79.8% of shooters versus 22.6% of archers found to have a BLL ≥ 5 μg/dL (p < 0.001). Aggression scores were significantly higher in shooters (p < 0.05) except for verbal aggression. In the bivariate and regression analyses, shooters with BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL were significantly associated with the hostility sub-scale (p = 0.03, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.103⁻7.261). Shooters have a significantly higher BLL and aggressiveness compared to archers. However, elevated blood lead levels were significantly associated with hostility only. Interventions need to be put in place to prevent continued exposure and routine screening of populations at risk should be implemented.
The Modern Compound Bow Bows and arrows are ancient weapons that have risen and fallen as the preeminent armaments used by man. Because of the ubiquity of firearms, fatalities from archery injuries in the United States have radically declined. However, when deaths involving this weapon do present themselves, the paucity of reference materials can be a hurdle for forensic pathologists and other forensic scientists. This article will provide a brief history of the origins of the bow and the inception of the compound bow. Comparing and contrasting the structures comprising a traditional bow to those of the modern compound bow will provide insight into how these components function in unison to propel arrows.
Athletics
International Association of Athletics Federations Consensus Statement 2019: Nutrition for Athletics
The International Association of Athletics Federations recognizes the importance of nutritional practices in optimizing an Athlete's well-being and performance. Although Athletics encompasses a diverse range of track-and-field events with different performance determinants, there are common goals around nutritional support for adaptation to training, optimal performance for key events, and
reducing the risk of injury and illness.
Evidence-Based Supplements for the Enhancement of Athletic Performance
A strong foundation in physical conditioning and sport-specific experience, in addition to a bespoke and periodized training and nutrition program, are essential for athlete development. Once these underpinning factors are accounted for, and the athlete reaches a training maturity and competition level where marginal gains determine success, a role may exist for the use of evidence-based performance supplements
Wyomia Tyus: still fighting for recognition as the first back-to-back olympic 100m champion
Quick: name the first athlete to win the 100m at consecutive olympic games.carl lewis? wrong.Usain Bolt? nope.The first person – man or woman – to accomplish the feat was Wyomia Tyus, the US sprinter who unexpectedly won gold at the 1964 tokyo games and successfully defended her title four years later in mexico City.
Age-Related Changes in Para and Wheelchair Racing Athlete's Performances
During the last decades, all para-athletes with disabilities have significantly increased their performance level due to technological progress and human investment, through better training or recovery protocols, medical care and nutritional monitoring. Among these elements, the athlete’s age is one of the determining factors in performance.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of age on maximal performances for para-athletes and wheelchair racing athletes, scaled on able-bodied records.
Fluid Needs for Training, Competition, and Recovery in Track-and-Field Athletes
The 2019 International Amateur Athletics Federation Track-and-Field World Championships will take place in Qatar in the Middle East. The 2020 Summer Olympics will take place in Tokyo, Japan. It is quite likely that these events may set the record for hottest competitions in the recorded history of both the Track-and-Field World Championships and Olympic Games. Given the extreme heat in which track-and-field athletes will need to train and compete for these games, the importance of hydration is amplified more than in previous years.
Energy Availability in Athletics: Health, Performance, and Physique
The reported prevalence of low energy availability (LEA) in female and male track and field athletes is between 18% and 58% with the highest prevalence among athletes in endurance and jump events. In male athletes, LEA may result in reduced testosterone levels and libido along with impaired training capacity. In female track and field athletes, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea as consequence of LEA has been reported among 60% of elite middle- and long-distance athletes and 23% among elite sprinters.
Badminton
7 Basic Badminton Skills You Can Learn Without Coaching
Badminton is one of the most followed and fast sport which demands utmost fitness. At the same time, badminton is a beginner friendly sport which anyone can start without much hesitation. In fact, playing the sport has many health advantages added to the fun. If and when you start playing the wonderful sport, you need to work on some basics to make it the top in the individually demanding sport. Besides, if you decide to go pro, basics are something that will haunt you in the
journey if not paid proper attention to them. Here are 7 basic badminton skills that you can learn without coaching.
Balance Control, Agility, eye-hand Coordination, and Sport performance of Amateur Badminton Players: A Cross-sectional Study
In this study, balance performance, agility, eye–hand coordination, and sports performance were compared between amateur badminton players and active controls.
Thirty young adult badminton players and 33 active controls participated in the study. Static single-leg standing balance (with eyes closed) was measured using a force platform, and dynamic balance was measured using the Y Balance Test (lower quarter). Agility was measured using a hexagon agility test, and eye–hand coordination was measured using a computerized finger-pointing task.
Sports performance was quantified by the number of times a shuttlecock fell in a designated area following a badminton serve.
Correlation Between Isometric Shoulder Strength And Racket Velocity During Badminton Forehand Smash Movements: Study Of Valid Clinical Assessment Methods [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to confirm the correlation between racket velocity during the forehand smash movements with shoulder extensor strength and internal rotator strength in the neutral and abducted positions. [Subjects and Methods] Fourteen collegiate badminton players participated in the study. Measurements were performed shoulder strength, using torque calculated from the upper extremity length and the isometric force, and racket velocity during the forehand smash movements.
The Applications of Landing Strategies in Badminton Footwork raining on a Backhand Side Lateral Jump Smash
Previous research in badminton has associated unilateral landings following overhead strokes with the occurrence of knee injuries. Smashing involves tensing the abdomen muscles while swinging the racket rapidly and maintaining one's balance while performing coordinated movements and steps; this process puts stress on the player's lower limbs. However,
few studies have compared the effects of different stroke training while performing various types of badminton stroke.
Influences of Lateral Jump Smash Actions in Different Situations on the Lower Extremity Load of Badminton Players Influences of Lateral Jump Smash Actions in Different Situations on the Lower Extremity Load of Badminton Players
Badminton atypical actions and hitting movements often occur during the game; therefore, many special footwork methods have been developed to facilitate the rapid movements required to hit the shuttlecock, including quick turning and jumping and quick directional change movements. Studies have shown that the majority of badminton sport injuries occur in the lower extremity joints of athletes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of hitting motion and unanticipated hitting direction on landing mechanics after backhand lateral jump smashing and landing to analyze joint stiffness and torque changes in three lower extremity joints.
Progressive Decrease In Leg-Power Performance During A Fatiguing Badminton Field Test Purpose] This study aimed to evaluate the changes in leg-power generation that accompany competitive badminton, as simulated in a badminton field test (FT). [Participants and Methods] Fifteen male badminton players with 1-2 years of experience performed five repetitions of an FT involving rapid and randomly assigned shuttle-run movements between markers distributed around a badminton court. Repetitions were separated by a 1-minute rest period.
Understanding The Impact Loading Characteristics of A Badminton Lunge Among Badminton Players
Fifty-two participants classified into male skilled, female skilled, male unskilled, and female unskilled groups performed badminton lunge with their maximum-effort. Shoe-ground kinematics, ground reaction forces, and knee moments were measured by using synchronised force platform and motion analysis system. A 2 (gender) x 2 (skill-level) factorial ANOVA was performed to determine the effects of different gender and different playing levels, as well as the interaction of two factors on all variables.
Baseball
Youth Baseball Pitching Mechanics: A Systematic Review Context: Pitching injuries in youth baseball are increasing in incidence. Poor pitching mechanics in young throwers have not been sufficiently evaluated due to the lack of a basic biomechanical understanding of the "normal" youth pitching motion.
On-field Management of Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Baseball Athletes Purpose of review: The goal of this review article is to help medical personnel of all levels and backgrounds identify and appropriately manage on-field acute shoulder and elbow injuries in the baseball athlete.
This article discusses the most common acute shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball players along with recommendations for appropriate on-field management.
Biomechanical Differences Between Japanese and American Professional Baseball Pitchers Although baseball injuries are common in both Japan and the United States, the majority of pitching injuries in Japanese players occur at the shoulder, whereas most pitching injuries in American players occur at the elbow.
A biomechanical comparison between Japanese and American pitchers may help to identify the different injury mechanisms.
The Basketball Pass: A Systematic Review The aim of this study was to review and organise current literature about the basketball pass and find the main factors that influence its learning skills and performance. Thirty-seven studies were included after the screening process. The documents were classified into main research topics. This review identified the following conclusions: (i) the assessment of passing performance should be made under uncertain and variable conditions to obtain information on players' responses to competitive scenarios, (ii) it is advisable to incorporate new and random activities to facilitate the transference of learning to the competition, (iii) it is recommended to include overwhelming factors during the practice to minimise the effect of pressure and choking, (iv) optimal physical conditioning is essential to maintain passing performance during a basketball game, (v) small sided games and changing environments stand as the best training situations to improve passing skills. Furthermore, limited information is available about biomechanical aspects and physical conditioning training programsto improve passing skills in basketball. Likewise, there is sparse data on passing skills development in children.
Training and Competition Load in Female Basketball: A Systematic Review The scientific literature on women's basketball is still limited, mainly in performance parameters. The purpose of this study was to analyse the state of art on the internal and external loads supported by female basketball players during sports practice. The design of this research is theoretical. The most relevant databases were searched for pertinent published studies according to the following keywords: "basketball", "female" or "woman", "training" or "competition", "load" or "demand". Of the 644 studies initially identified, 26 were selected for a complete review. These investigations were characterised by having as an objective an individualization of training for this type of population. Of the selected studies, it was evaluated: (i) goal (training, competition or both); (ii) category (stages: U14, U16, U18 and senior; level: state, national or international); (iii) type of load (Internal, External or both); (iv) instruments used and (v) variables analysed. The most studied goal was competition, mainly in senior national level, carrying out an analysis of the external and internal load together. Depending on the instruments and the variables used, the subjective load analysis was recurrent and important in the publication of articles in this topic. The quality of the studies was good, but for a better description of women's basketball, there is a need to jointly investigate sports training and competition,to study the training categories and to use micro technology that guarantees obtaining objective and reliable data.
Vitamin D Status Differs by Sex, Sport-Season, and Skin Pigmentation among Elite Collegiate Basketball Players Vitamin D plays a key role in bone health, musculoskeletal function, and sport performance. Collegiate athletes competing in indoor sports may be at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency due to limited outdoor time. Therefore, the purpose was to assess 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations among collegiate men and women basketball (MBB, WBB) athletes. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men (MBB, n = 11) and women (WBB, n = 9) were tested during the off-season (T1; July) and pre-season (T2; October). Measurements included serum 25(OH)D; skin pigmentation, bone mineral density, and daily sun exposure (self-reported). Paired t-tests determined changes in 25(OH)D by sport-season and sex.
Hand Preference and Performance in Basketball Tasks The aims of this study were to develop and validate an instrument to quantitatively assess the handedness of basketballers in basketball tasks (Basketball Handedness Inventory, BaHI) and to compare it with their handedness in daily activities by the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI). The participants were 111 basketballers and 40 controls.
The Talent Development Pathway for Elite Basketball Players in China A large portion of previous sport talent development research has been conducted using Western countries study subjects such as Canadian, Swedish, Spanish, British, or American athletes. However, the factors that affect oriental culture athletes remain an unexplored field. The aims of this investigation were to consolidate the exploration of the pilot study that studied the key factors for Chinese elite basketball players' careers and understand what facts have helped them to achieve the highest sportive level through qualitative research.
Life Expectancy of White and Non-White Elite Heavyweight Boxers
In post-industrial countries, ethnic minorities suffer poorer health and premature deaths. The present study examined ethnic differences in life expectancy and related features among elite heavyweight boxers.
Medical Ethics In Combat Sports That Permit Knockouts
The Council for Medical Ethics discourages doctors from accepting to act as ringside doctor for combat sports that permit knockouts or participating in approvals or appeals boards for such events.
These types of assignments may violate the general duty of doctors to protect human health.
The Impact of A Boxing Training Program On Physical Fitness And Technical Performance Effectiveness The aim of the recent study was to investigate the impact of boxing training intervention on general and specific physical fitness variables, as well as technical performance effectiveness (TPE) components. Thirty two male participants (aged = 22.84 ± 2.6 years) were recruited into a boxing (n=17) or control (n=15) groups. For eight weeks, both groups were carried out 3 workouts per week, comprising of sum 24 workouts of 120 minutes each (≈48 hours.
The Use of Adapted Boxing As A Rehabilitation Strategy In People With Diverse Health Conditions: A Systematic Review Boxing exercise programs without direct contact with an opponent, is an adapted physical activity that integrate a series of tasks that may have positive effects on people with diverse health conditions. This study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence available on the effects of using adapted boxing as a rehabilitation strategy on people with diverse health conditions. A systematic review of the scientific literature was performed on studies which dealt with the effects of boxing as a rehabilitation strategy in people with diverse health conditions.
