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- Associations between Age, Body Composition, Balance, and Other Physical Fitness Parameters in Youth SoccerPublication . França, Cíntia; Martins, Francisco; Marques, Adilson; Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio; Ihle, Andreas; Przednowek, Krzysztof; Gouveia, Élvio RúbioIn sports, balance ability has been related to game performance and injury prevention. This study’s aims were twofold: (1) to analyze the balance performance of adolescent soccer players from different age groups; and (2) to examine the relationship between players’ age, body composi tion, balance, and other physical fitness parameters, such as strength and flexibility. In this study, 112 players from the under 15 (U15), under 16 (U16), and under 17 (U17) age groups participated. A one-way analysis of the variance was conducted to investigate differences between groups. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression were used to explore the relationship between variables. Regarding balance, the older group performed significantly worse in the stability indexes for both legs but significantly better in dynamic balance tests. Height correlated significantly and negatively with balance indicators. Both jumping tasks showed medium to large correlations with the sway indexes (−0.23 > r < −0.51). Although not significantly, body fat negatively affected balance, underlining the importance of monitoring body composition for players’ development. Overall, no substantial relationship was found between static and dynamic balance variables, and therefore, it is crucial to include both as complementary measures while evaluating youngsters’ postural balance.
- The Mediating Role of Physical Activity and Physical Function in the Association between Body Mass Index and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Population-Based Study with Older AdultsPublication . Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Gouveia, Bruna R.; Marques, Adilson; Campos, Pedro; García-Mayor, Jesús; Przednowek, Krzysztof; Ihle, AndreasThis study aimed (1) to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and physical function (PF) with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (2) to examine in-depth whether PA and PF mediate the relationship between BMI and HRQoL in older adults. We investigated 802 individuals (mean age 69.8 ± 5.6 years), residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Harmol and PA were assessed using the SF-36 and Baecke questionnaires, respectively, and PF by the Senior Fitness Test. The prevalence of overweight was 71.3%, 26.5% for normal weight, and 2.1% for underweight. We verified a small correlation between age and sex with BMI, PA, PF, and medium borderline with HRQoL. After adjusting for covariates (i.e., sex, age, comorbidities), the multivariate regression analysis indicated a 93.1% chance of improvement in HRQoL for low BMI, while PA and PF revealed a chance of increasing HRQoL by 91.8% and 60.0%, respectively. According to the serial mediation pathway, PA and PF partially mediated the association between BMI and HRQoL by 32.3% and 81.5%, respectively. The total variance of the model was 90%. It was concluded that BMI can negatively affect HRQoL. On the other hand, PA and PF are able to increase HRQoL levels during the aging process.
- System for Estimation of Human Anthropometric Parameters Based on Data from Kinect v2 Depth CameraPublication . Krzeszowski, Tomasz; Dziadek, Bartosz; França, Cíntia; Martins, Francisco; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Przednowek, KrzysztofAnthropometric measurements of the human body are an important problem that affects many aspects of human life. However, anthropometric measurement often requires the applica tion of an appropriate measurement procedure and the use of specialized, sometimes expensive measurement tools. Sometimes the measurement procedure is complicated, time-consuming, and requires properly trained personnel. This study aimed to develop a system for estimating human anthropometric parameters based on a three-dimensional scan of the complete body made with an inexpensive depth camera in the form of the Kinect v2 sensor. The research included 129 men aged 18 to 28. The developed system consists of a rotating platform, a depth sensor (Kinect v2), and a PC computer that was used to record 3D data, and to estimate individual anthropometric parameters. Experimental studies have shown that the precision of the proposed system for a significant part of the parameters is satisfactory. The largest error was found in the waist circumference parameter. The results obtained confirm that this method can be used in anthropometric measurements.
- Body composition variations between injured and non-injured professional soccer playersPublication . Martins, Francisco; França, Cíntia; Henriques, Ricardo; Ihle, Andreas; Przednowek, Krzysztof; Marques, Adilson; Lopes, Helder; Sarmento, Hugo; Gouveia, Élvio RúbioProfessional soccer is characterized by its physical demands, making players’ exposure to high injury risks a growing problem. It is crucial to study the factors associated with injuries in professional soccer. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between age, body composition, and others variables related with the injury profle of professional soccer players of a specifc Portuguese team. Also, it analyzed the impact of the injury profle on soccer’s variations in body fat (BF%), skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and total body water (TBW) throughout the season. The sample comprised 31 male professional soccer players competing in the First Portuguese Soccer League. Older players had a higher prevalence of muscular injuries. Midfelders and forwards showed the highest number of muscular injuries during the season being quadriceps the most afected zone. Considering players’ BF% [Wilks’ Lambda = 0.42, F (7, 23) = 4.61, p= 0.002, r = 0.58], SMM [Wilks’ Lambda = 0.59, F (6, 23) = 2.70, p= 0.039, r = 0.41] and TBW [Wilks’ Lambda = 0.54, F (7, 23) = 2.80, p= 0.029, r = 0.46] there was a substantial main efect for the assessments performed throughout the season and the injury status. Age assumes relevance in explaining the injury profle. The impact of the injury profle on soccer’s variations in BF%, SMM and TBW throughout the season must be analyzed considering the clinical relevance.
- Predictive Modeling of Injury Risk Based on Body Composition and Selected Physical Fitness Tests for Elite Football PlayersPublication . Martins, Francisco; Przednowek, Krzysztof; França, Cíntia; Lopes, Helder; Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio; Sarmento, Hugo; Marques, Adilson; Ihle, Andreas; Henriques, Ricardo; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio: Injuries are one of the most significant issues for elite football players. Consequently, elite football clubs have been consistently interested in having practical, interpretable, and usable models as decision-making support for technical staff. This study aimed to analyze predictive modeling of injury risk based on body composition variables and selected physical fitness tests for elite football players through a sports season. The sample comprised 36 male elite football players who competed in the First Portuguese Soccer League in the 2020/2021 season. The models were calculated based on 22 independent variables that included players’ information, body composition, physical fitness, and one dependent variable, the number of injuries per season. In the net elastic analysis, the variables that best predicted injury risk were sectorial positions (defensive and forward), body height, sit-and reach performance, 1 min number of push-ups, handgrip strength, and 35 m linear speed. This study considered multiple-input single-output regression-type models. The analysis showed that the most accurate model presented in this work generates an error of RMSE = 0.591. Our approach opens a novel perspective for injury prevention and training monitorization. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to identify risk factors associated with injury prediction in elite soccer players, as this is a rising topic that requires several analyses performed in different contexts.
- Characterization of Static Strength, Vertical Jumping, and Isokinetic Strength in Soccer Players According to Age, Competitive Level, and Field PositionPublication . Gouveia, João Nuno; França, Cíntia; Martins, Francisco; Henriques, Ricardo; Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio; Ihle, Andreas; Sarmento, Hugo; Przednowek, Krzysztof; Martinho, Diogo V.; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio: Muscular strength is strongly related to speed and agility tasks, which have been described as the most decisive actions preceding goals in the soccer game. This study aimed to characterize the players’ strength indicators and to analyze the variation associated with age, competition level, and positional role. Eighty-three male soccer players from A team (n = 22), B team (n = 17), U-23 (n = 19), and U-19 (n = 25) participated in this study. Handgrip strength was assessed using a hand dynamometer (Jamar Plus+), countermovement jump (CMJ) and the squat jump (SJ) were evaluated using Optojump Next, and a Biodex System 4 Pro Dynamometer was used to assess the isokinetic strength of knee extension/flexion. Team A players showed increased lower-body strength compared to their peers, mainly through their increased vertical jumping capacity (i.e., CMJ and SJ; ps < 0.019), and superior performance in isokinetic assessments (i.e., peak torque, total work, and average power). Overall, older players outperformed their younger peers regarding vertical jumping, static strength, and average power in isokinetic strength (ps < 0.005). This study emphasizes the superior strength levels of professional soccer players compared with their lower-division peers, even after controlling by age. This information is of great value to sports agents and coaches, underlining the need to design and include strength-specific content during soccer training.
- Associations of Gait Speed, Cadence, Gait Stability Ratio, and Body Balance with Falls in Older AdultsPublication . Nascimento, Marcelo de Maio; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Gouveia, Bruna R.; Marques, Adilson; Martins, Francisco; Przednowek, Krzysztof; França, Cíntia; Peralta, Miguel; Ihle, AndreasTo investigate the association between gait speed (GS), cadence (CAD), gait stability ratio (GSR), and body balance (BB) with falls in a large sample of older adults. The analysis included 619 individuals—305 men and 314 women (69.50 ± 5.62 years)—residing in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. Mobility in GS, CAD, and GSR was assessed using the 50-foot walk test and BB by the Fullerton Advanced Balance scale. The frequency of falls was obtained by self-report. Linear regression analysis showed that higher performance in GS and BB was able to reduce the risk of falling by up to 0.34 and 0.44 times, respectively. An increase in the GSR value enhanced the risk of falling by up to 0.10 times. Multinomial analysis indicated that, in relation to the highest tertile (reference), older adults classified with GS and BB performance in the lowest tertile (lowest) had an increased chance (OR) of falling by up to 149.3% and 48.8%, respectively. Moreover, in relation to the highest tertile, the performance of the GSR classified in the lowest and medium tercile showed an increase in the chance of falling by up to 57.4% and 56.4%, respectively
- Weekly External Load Performance Effects on Sports Injuries of Male Professional Football PlayersPublication . Martins, Francisco; Marques, Adilson; França, Cíntia; Sarmento, Hugo; Henriques, Ricardo; Ihle, Andreas; Nascimento, Marcelo de de Maio; Saldanha, Carolina; Przednowek, Krzysztof; Gouveia, Élvio RúbioOne of the most challenging issues professional football players face throughout their careers is injuries. Those injuries often result from suboptimal training programs that were not designed according to the players’ individual needs. This prospective study aimed to examine in detail the effects of sports injuries on professional football players’ weekly external load performances. Thirty-three male professional football players were monitored using 10-Hz Global Positioning Sys tem (GPS) units (Apex pro series, StatSports) during an entire season. The variables considered in the analysis were total distance (TD), high-speed running (HSR), accelerations (ACC), and decelerations (DEC). The comparisons were made between the four-week block before injury (–4T), four-week block after return (+4T), and players’ season averages (S). Players displayed significantly higher values of TD, HSR, ACC, and DEC in the –4T, compared to the other two moments (+4T and S). Furthermore, the comparison between the +4T and S showed no significant variations in the GPS metrics. It was shown that a significant increase in players’ weekly external load performance over a four–week period may have a negative effect on the occurrence of injuries from a professional football standpoint. Future research should consider the effects of injury severity on players’ external load variations.