The Use of Small-Sided Games as an Aerobic Fitness Assessment Supplement Within Elite Level Professional Soccer.

The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the association between 5 vs. 5 small sided games (SSG) running performance and physiological performance during the Yo-YoIR1 test to ascertain the utility of SSGs as a potential fitness test modality within elite professional soccer players. Twenty-three (n = 23) elite male professional soccer players (mean ± SD age 25.3 ± 3.1 yrs, mass: 76 ± 9 kg, height: 176 ± 9 cm) were assessed. Players completed an intermittent aerobic fitness test (Yo-YoIR1) and a 5 vs. 5 SSGs protocol for the purpose of the study. During all SSGs players wore GPS (Statsports 10-Hz, Viper Pod, Newry, Northern Ireland) and HR monitors (Polar, Oy Kemple, Finland) with these measures related to Yo-YoIR1 running performance. Results revealed SSGs running performance (TD; m) and physiological performance (HR) showed the lowest CV% (< 5%), with high speed movements, accelerations and decelerations highlighting higher CV% during SSGs. Possibly small to possibly very large associations were observed for running performance during 5 vs. 5 SSGs and Yo-YoIR1 performance, with negative associations observed between physiological performance during SSG and YoYoIR1 running performance. To conclude, the current study observed how running performance during a standardised 5 vs. 5 SSG protocol within elite soccer cohorts is associated with the Yo-YoIR1 running performance. Given the low CV%, repeatability and large association of global running performance and internal load measures during a 5 vs. 5 SSG with Yo-YoIR1 performance, this particular soccer specific SSG protocol potentially supplements traditional non-sport specific testing assessments.

Analyzing Change in Nursing Home Information Technology Sophistication: A 2-Year Survey.

Nursing home (NH) health information technology (IT) is becoming more prevalent across the country. Currently, a national sample of NHs is being surveyed for 3 consecutive years to determine trends in NH IT sophistication (e.g., measures of IT capabilities, extent of IT use, IT integration with internal and external stakeholders). IT sophistication is measured in resident care, clinical support, and administrative activities. The current article provides details of the differences in NH IT sophistication reported by administrators completing Year 1 and Year 2 surveys. IT in clinical support (i.e., laboratory, pharmacy, and radiology) had the greatest differences. This difference is expected because these areas typically require external contracts, making it dificult to fit IT with existing workflows, which is important for sustained adoption. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(1), 17-21.].