A National 20-year Analysis of Weight Lifting-related Injuries and Fractures Among Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Increasing strength through weightlifting has become a core component of competitive sports training, recreational exercise programs, and school physical education classes. Although many health benefits exist, there is concern for injury, especially with improper supervision and accelerated progression of training loads. Though organizations have advocated safe training practices, trends in the national health burden of injuries, specifically fractures, associated with weightlifting in the adolescent population have not been investigated. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried between 2002 and 2021 for patients aged 11 to 21 years presenting to US Emergency Departments with weight lifting-related injuries. The narrative component of each case identified was analyzed to include only patients noted to be using weightlifting equipment or free weights at the time of injury. Estimates and analyses were performed with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Although there has been some variability in weight lifting-related injuries, the incidence remained roughly constant over the 20 years ( R2 =0.0364). 14,497 cases were identified, reflecting a national estimate of 540,986 total injuries and an annual estimate of 27,049 injuries. Most injuries occurred among 15-to-18-year olds (44.1%±1.6%) and 19-to-21-year olds (38.3%±2.0%). The most common injuries were sprain/strain (36.7%±1.3%), contusion/abrasion (15.7%±0.7%), and fracture (9.9%±0.3%). There were 53,813 estimated fractures, giving an annual incidence of 2,691 fractures. As a portion of all injuries, the number of fractures decreased significantly as patients got older, accounting for 26.8%±3.3% at age 11 and only 8.3%±0.9% at age 21 ( R2 =0.6626). Fingers (37.1%±1.8%) and toes (27.9%±1.4%) were the most fractured body parts. Overall, fractures mainly occurred either at school (25.3%±2.0%) or places of recreation (24.7%±2.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the guidelines to improve safety, the national health burden of weight lifting-related injuries among adolescents has remained constant over the past 20 years. Given that most of the fractures occur in the distal extremities, such as toes and fingers, at school and places of recreation, there may be an opportunity to promote safer weightlifting practices and the development of weightlifting equipment with in-built safety mechanisms, especially at gyms and schools. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-prognostic.

Effects of bodybuilding supplements on the kidney: A population-based incidence study of biopsy pathology and clinical characteristics among middle eastern men.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of kidney diseases among bodybuilders is unknown. METHODS: Between January 2011 and December 2019, the Iraqi Kurdistan 15 to 39 year old male population averaged 1,100,000 with approximately 56,000 total participants and 25,000 regular participants (those training more than 1 year). Annual age specific incidence rates (ASIR) with (95% confidence intervals) per 100,000 bodybuilders were compared with the general age-matched male population. RESULTS: Fifteen male participants had kidney biopsies. Among regular participants, diagnoses were: focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), 2; membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), 2; post-infectious glomeruonephritis (PIGN), 1; tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), 1; and nephrocalcinosis, 2. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) was diagnosed in 5 regular participants and 2 participants training less than 1 year. Among regular participants, anabolic steroid use was self-reported in 26% and veterinary grade vitamin D injections in 2.6%. ASIR for FSGS, MGN, PIGN, and TIN among regular participants was not statistically different than the general population. ASIR of FSGS adjusted for anabolic steroid use was 3.4 (- 1.3 to 8.1), a rate overlapping with FSGS in the general population at 2.0 (1.2 to 2.8). ATN presented as exertional muscle injury with myoglobinuria among new participants. Nevertheless, ASIR for ATN among total participants at 1.4 (0.4 to 2.4) was not significantly different than for the general population at 0.3 (0.1 to 0.5). Nephrocalcinosis was only diagnosed among bodybuilders at a 9-year cumulative rate of one per 314 vitamin D injectors. CONCLUSIONS: Kidney disease rates among bodybuilders were not significantly different than for the general population, except for nephrocalcinosis that was caused by injections of veterinary grade vitamin D compounds.

Heavy-load resistance exercise during chemotherapy in physically inactive breast cancer survivors at risk for lymphedema: a randomized trial.

Background: Due to long-standing concerns that heavy-load lifting could increase the risk of developing lymphedema, breast cancer survivors have been advised to refrain from resistance exercise with heavy loads. This study prospectively evaluated the effect of heavy-load resistance exercise on lymphedema development in women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer.Material and Methods: Physically inactive women receiving adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer (n = 153) were randomized to a HIGH (supervised, multimodal exercise including heavy-load resistance exercise: 85-90% 1 repetition maximum [RM], three sets of 5-8 repetitions) versus LOW (pedometer and one-on-one consultations) 12-week intervention. Outcomes (baseline, 12 and 39 weeks) included lymphedema status (extracellular fluid [bioimpedance spectroscopy] and inter-arm volume % difference [dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry], lymphedema symptoms [numeric rating scale 0-10]), upper-extremity strength (1 RM), and quality of life domains (EORTC- BR23). Linear mixed models were used to evaluate equivalence between groups for lymphedema outcomes (equivalence margins for L-Dex, % difference and symptoms scale: ±5, ±3% and ±1, respectively). Superiority analysis was conducted for muscle strength and quality of life domains.Results: Postintervention equivalence between groups was found for extracellular fluid (0.4; 90% CI -2.5 to 3.2) and symptoms of heaviness (-0.2; -0.6 to 0.2), tightness (-0.1; -0.8 to 0.6) and swelling (0.2; -0.4 to 0.8). Nonequivalence was found for inter-arm volume % difference (-3.5%; -17.3 to 10.3) and pain (-0.7; -1.3 to 0), favoring HIGH. Strength gains were superior in the HIGH versus LOW group (3 kg; 1 to 5, p < .05). Further, clinically relevant reductions in breast (-11; -15 to -7) and arm (-6; -10 to -1) symptoms were found in the HIGH group.Conclusion: Findings suggest that physically inactive breast cancer survivors can benefit from supervised heavy-load resistance exercise during chemotherapy without increasing lymphedema risk. Trial registration: ISRCTN13816000.

Prevalence of urinary incontinence in women powerlifters: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Increased intra-abdominal pressure is associated with urinary incontinence (UI) as is increasing age, obesity, and participating in sport at an elite level. We aimed to determine the prevalence of UI in competitive women powerlifters and establish if commonly cited risk factors affect the incidence of UI. METHODS: The authors developed a 17-item questionnaire to investigate the prevalence of UI and the relationship of UI with age, body mass, resistance training experience, and competition grade in competitive women powerlifters. The questionnaire was distributed through three major powerlifting federations in Australia for 16 months. The data of 134 competitive women powerlifters were collected anonymously using Qualtrics, and were analysed using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In combination, the age of lifters, resistance training experience, body weight categories, and competition grade accounted for a significant 28% of the variability in the Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) (p < 0.01). However, the ISI was not significantly different among age groups, body weight categories, or competition grade. Approximately, 41% of women powerlifters had experienced UI at some stage in life, and 37% of women powerlifters currently experienced UI during training, competition, or maximum effort lifts. However, the rate of UI experienced during daily life activities was approximately 11%. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that competitive women powerlifters experience a higher rate of UI during lifting-related activities than in daily life and that the rate of UI correlates positively with age, body weight categories, resistance training experience, and competition grade.

Reliability and validity of different methods of estimating the one-repetition maximum during the free-weight prone bench pull exercise.

This study examined the reliability and validity of three methods of estimating the one-repetition maximum (1RM) during the free-weight prone bench pull exercise. Twenty-six men (22 rowers and four weightlifters) performed an incremental loading test until reaching their 1RM, followed by a set of repetitions-to-failure. Eighteen participants were re-tested to conduct the reliability analysis. The 1RM was estimated through the lifts-to-failure equations proposed by Lombardi and O'Connor, general load-velocity (L-V) relationships proposed by Sánchez-Medina and Loturco and the individual L-V relationships modelled using four (multiple-point method) or only two loads (two-point method). The direct method provided the highest reliability (coefficient of variation [CV] = 2.45% and intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.97), followed by the Lombardi's equation (CV = 3.44% and ICC = 0.94), and no meaningful differences were observed between the remaining methods (CV range = 4.95-6.89% and ICC range = 0.81-0.91). The lifts-to-failure equations overestimated the 1RM (3.43-4.08%), the general L-V relationship proposed by Sánchez-Medina underestimated the 1RM (-3.77%), and no significant differences were observed for the remaining prediction methods (-0.40-0.86%). The individual L-V relationship could be recommended as the most accurate method for predicting the 1RM during the free-weight prone bench pull exercise.

Reliability of force-velocity parameters obtained from linear and curvilinear regressions for the bench press and squat exercises.

This study aimed to compare the goodness of fit and the reliability of different regression models for fitting the force-velocity relationship (FV) of bench press (BP) and squat (SQ). Additionally, the reliability of the position on FV of the velocity (V1RM) and the force performed with the 1RM (F1RM) was explored. Nine rugby players and 12 judokas participated in this study. The FV of BP and SQ were obtained twice by a protocol performed until the 1RM. Individual FV were fitted by linear (LM), quadratic polynomial (PM), and exponential models (EM). Adjusted coefficients of determination of LM and PM (medians higher than 0.919) were higher than for EM. The reliability was higher for LM in comparison with PM. The reliability of V1RM was not acceptable (CV% = 19 and 18% for BP and SQ). High reliability was observed for F1RM (CV% = 3 and 2% for BP and SQ) and for the ratio between F1RM and the force-axis intercept of FV (CV% = 2 and 4% for BP and SQ). The reliability of the relative values of F1RM around 92 and 87% of F0 for BP and SQ suggests the use of these values for monitoring resistance training programmes.

Analysis of USA Powerlifting Federation Data From January 1, 2012-June 11, 2016.

Ball, R and Weidman, D. Analysis of USA Powerlifting federation data from January 1, 2012-June 11, 2016. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 1843-1851, 2018-In this article, we report 47,913 officially judged contestant results from powerlifting matches from January 1, 2012 to June 11, 2016 for the USA Powerlifting Federation. We found age and sex to be the most complex factors in predicting powerlifting results. For women, in general, the younger the woman is the more they can squat; the older the woman is the less they can squat. For men and women, with the 1 exception for women's squat, the peak age of lifting power is between the ages 24-49, at which point lifting power slowly declines. Women's peak performance declines faster than men's peak performance. Women seem to reach their peak sooner than men and decline sooner than men. We also analyzed match attendance. At matches with a large number of competitors, there is a 1:1.7 ratio of women to men, approximately a 2-3 ratio of women to men. Except for the lightest weight category of men, the ratio of weight to lift decreases the more they weigh. For example, a lighter person can generally lift a greater percentage of their weight than a heavier person. In addition, men in general can lift a heavier ratio of their weight when compared with women. The powerlifting stereotype of mostly heavy men lifting extremely large amounts of weights is simply wrong. There is a large amount of variation in age, weight, and sex.

Distal clavicular osteolysis in adults: association with bench pressing intensity.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between distal clavicular osteolysis (DCO) and bench pressing intensity. METHODS: From a retrospective review of MRI shoulder reports of individuals between 20 and 40 years of age, 262 male patients with DCO and 227 age-matched male patients without DCO were selected. All patients had completed a bench pressing questionnaire. The patients' bench pressing frequency (times per week), duration (years of bench pressing), bench pressing weight (maximum bench pressing weight with one repetition = 1RM) and the ratio of bench pressing weight to body weight were compared between both groups using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: The results showed that 56 % (146/262) of patients with DCO were high-intensity bench pressers (1RM more than 1.5 times the body weight) compared to 6 % (14/227) in patients without DCO. High-intensity bench pressing was a risk factor for DCO (OR = 19; 95 %CI = 11-35; p < 0.001). Low-intensity bench pressing (1RM less than 1.5 times the body weight) was not a risk factor for DCO (OR = 0.6; 95 % CI = 0.4-0.8). High frequency (>1×/week) and duration (>5 years) of bench pressing were risk factors. In bench pressers who suffered from DCO, the mean 1RM was 283 lbs (±SD 57) compared to 209 lbs (±SD 60) in bench pressers not affected by DCO (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney). CONCLUSIONS: High-intensity, but not low-intensity bench pressing is a risk factor for DCO.

Frequency, imaging findings, risk factors, and long-term sequelae of distal clavicular osteolysis in young patients.

OBJECTIVE: Atraumatic distal clavicular osteolysis (DCO) has been described in adult male weightlifters. Our purpose was to investigate the frequency, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics, risk factors, and long-term sequelae of DCO in young patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Individuals with atraumatic DCO were identified in a retrospective review of 1,432 consecutive MRI shoulder reports in patients between 13 and 19 years of age. MRI findings of DCO, association with athletic activity, short-term clinical outcome after 3-6 months, and long-term clinical and MRI outcome after 2 years were analyzed. A pre-MRI questionnaire assessed the patients' athletic history including overhead activity and weightlifting. RESULTS: At a mean age of 15.9 years, 6.5 % (93/1432) of patients had atraumatic DCO, and 24 % were females. The combination of an overhead sport (basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming) and supplemental weight training was a risk factor for DCO (odds ratio = 38, p = 0.01). Ninety-three percent of patients responded to conservative therapy. On follow-up imaging, 71 % of DCO patients had acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis (vs. 35 % in controls, p = 0.006); 79 % had flattening of the distal clavicle and interval widening of the AC joint to a mean of 5.0 mm (compared to 2.4 mm in controls, p < 0.001). Severity of DCO edema was associated with pain (p < 0.02) at initial presentation and with AC joint osteoarthritis (p = 0.004) on follow-up. CONCLUSION: In athletic teenagers, the combination of weightlifting and overhead activity is a risk factor for atraumatic DCO, and females are affected in 24 %. Long-term sequelae include widening of the AC joint and AC joint osteoarthritis.

Utilization of 2013 BRFSS Physical Activity Data for State Cancer Control Plan Objectives: Alabama Data.

OBJECTIVES: All comprehensive US cancer control plans mention physical activity and implement physical activity promotion objectives as part of these cancer plans. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the physical activities reported by Alabama adults in the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BFRSS) and to compare these activities by age group and relative exercise intensity. METHODS: This investigation used data on 6503 respondents from the 2013 BRFSS sample of respondents from Alabama with landline and cellular telephones. Respondents were asked whether they engaged in any physical activities or aerobic exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking. Information was collected on strengthening activities such as yoga, sit-ups, push-ups, and using weight machines, free weights, and elastic bands. Relative exercise intensity was estimated for each aerobic activity by comparing the 60% maximal oxygen uptake with metabolic equivalent values. RESULTS: Approximately two-thirds (63.7%) of respondents reported that they engaged in exercise in the past 30 days; 45.4% participated in enough aerobic activity per week to meet guidelines, and 25.9% met the muscle-strengthening guidelines. Only 10.1% of respondents 65 years old and older met both aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines, compared with 15.2% of those 18 to 64 years old (P < 0.05). The most common activity reported for ages 18 to 64 years was walking (53.3%), followed by running (12.7%), and gardening (4.7%). Among adults aged 65 and older, the top three activities were walking (63.2%), gardening (13.3%), and use of a bicycle machine (2.9%). The activity intensity was significantly greater for walking, gardening, and household activities among older adults compared with those younger than age 65. CONCLUSIONS: Because the recommended levels of physical activity are not met by a majority of Alabama residents, it is important to incorporate this information into state cancer objectives. Older adults may have higher relative energy costs compared with younger adults. Future studies should discern whether activities previously classified as low intensity have adequate health benefits, especially for cancer survivors and older adults with comorbidities.

Increased mortality rate and suicide in Swedish former elite male athletes in power sports.

Physical training has been shown to reduce mortality in normal subjects, and athletes have a healthier lifestyle after their active career as compared with normal subjects. Since the 1950s, the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) has been frequent, especially in power sports. The aim of the present study was to investigate mortality, including causes of death, in former Swedish male elite athletes, active 1960-1979, in wrestling, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and the throwing events in track and field when the suspicion of former AAS use was high. Results indicate that, during the age period of 20-50 years, there was an excess mortality of around 45%. However, when analyzing the total study period, the mortality was not increased. Mortality from suicide was increased 2-4 times among the former athletes during the period of 30-50 years of age compared with the general population of men. Mortality rate from malignancy was lower among the athletes. As the use of AAS was marked between 1960 and 1979 and was not doping-listed until 1975, it seems probable that the effect of AAS use might play a part in the observed increased mortality and suicide rate. The otherwise healthy lifestyle among the athletes might explain the low malignancy rates.

Effects of set configuration of resistance exercise on perceived exertion.

Set configuration refers to the repetitions performed with regard to the maximum possible number of repetitions, a factor affecting RPE that has not been previously studied. This study analyzed the effect of set configuration and muscle mass on RPE. Eight students (M age = 23.7 yr. ± 1.7) completed four sessions corresponding to types of exercise with different amount of muscle mass (bench press and parallel squat) and two set configurations: a session with five sets of repetitions to failure and a cluster session. The cluster session involved the same intensity, volume, and rest than the failure session, guaranteeing the same work-to-rest ratio. RPE was higher in Failure vs Cluster sessions and higher in parallel squat vs bench press. This suggests that set configuration influences RPE. Similarly, RPE can be affected by the muscle mass of the exercise performed.

Aerobic exercise, ball sports, dancing, and weight lifting as moderators of the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms: an exploratory cross-sectional study with swiss university students.

This exploratory study was designed to compare four types of exercise activities in Swiss university students. A sample of 201 medical students (136 women, 65 men; M age = 23.2 yr., SD = 2.4) and 250 exercise and health sciences students (144 women, 106 men; M age = 22.3 yr., SD = 2.2) participated in the study. They completed the Perceived Stress Scale, the Depression Scale, and the Office in Motion Questionnaire. Interaction effects between stress and exercise activities were analysed using hierarchical regression analyses, after controlling for age, sex, and academic discipline. Frequent participation in ball sports and dancing were associated with decreased depressive symptoms among students with elevated perceived stress, whereas no such relationship existed among their peers with lower perceived stress. No stress-moderating effect was found for aerobic exercise. Weight lifting was only associated with lower depressive symptoms among students with low perceived stress. The present findings suggest that, among Swiss university students, certain exercises may have better potential to moderate the relationship between perceived stress and depressive symptoms than others. Future research could analyze whether personalized exercise programs created to satisfy participants' individual needs are more beneficial for stress management.

Differential analysis of the doping behaviour templates in three types of sports.

Conducted researches recognize various risk factors, as well as protective factors against doping behaviour in different sports i.e. sports disciplines or activities. The main goal of this research was to identify the correlation between selected socio-demographic, health-related, and sports-related predictors with doping factors in three different types of sports, which are (1) highly energetic demanding sports (weightlifting), (2) highly technical demanding sports (racquet sports), and (3) highly tactical demanding sports (sailing). The research consisted of three separate studies, each one of them researching one of the sports. The sample of subjects included altogether 293 athletes, senior level competitors (older than 18years of age). In total, the sample comprised three homogenous sub-samples, as follows: athletes in highly energetic demanding sports (weightlifters and power lifters; N=27), athletes in highly technical demanding sports (table tennis, tennis and badminton players; N=188), and athletes in highly tactical demanding sports (sailing; N=78). The first study involved weightlifters where we should point out the existence of high doping behaviour In this study, religiousness was interpreted as the most significant protective factor against doping behaviour, while sports factors are not found to be significantly related to doping. The study involving racquet sport athletes suggests a high risk of doping behaviour among those athletes who observe doping behaviour in their sport. We noticed low levels of athletes' trust in their coaches' and physicians' opinions on doping issues. This is an issue which should be researched in the future, because the underlying cause has not been studied as yet. Briefly, it seems that either the athletes are not convinced of their coaches '/physicians' expertise regarding doping issues, and/or they do not believe in their good intentions. It is particularly important, as the previous research has shown that with the increased trust in coaches and physicians, the chance that an athlete will use doping decreases. As expected, it is characteristic for sailing that it has a low likelihood of potential doping behaviour, although the consumption of dietary supplements is high. Substance abuse in sports spreads beyond those that enhance athletic performance. All of these issues should be studied in more detail in the future and, if appropriately validated, incorporated into anti-doping intervention programs.

Association between lifting weights and metabolic syndrome among U.S. Adults: 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the proportion of U.S. adults who participate in the resistance exercise modality of lifting weights (LWs) by demographic characteristics and to investigate the impact of LWs on the prevalence and risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a national representative sample of U.S. adults. The sample (n = 5,618) in this cross-sectional study included adults aged ≥20 years who participated in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Approximately twice as many men (11.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.5, 13.1) reported LWs as women did (6.3%; 95% CI 5.2, 7.6) with non-Hispanic Whites (9.6%; 95% CI 8.1, 11.4) reporting the highest levels and Mexican Americans reporting the lowest levels (5.6%; 95% CI 4.4, 7.2) of engaging in LWs. Additionally, higher levels of socioeconomic status were associated with greater levels of self-reported LWs. MetS prevalence was found to be significantly lower among U.S. adults reporting LWs (24.6%; 95% CI 19.3, 30.9) compared with adults not reporting LWs (37.3%; 95% CI 35.5, 39.2) with associated risk reductions of 58% (p < 0.001) and 37% (p < 0.01) in the unadjusted model and model adjusted for demographic variables, respectively. These findings suggest that LWs may play a role in reducing the prevalence and risk of MetS among U.S. adults. Therefore, exercise professionals should strongly encourage the activity of LWs among adults of all ages to promote metabolic health and focus programs designed to increase the adoption of LWs among the subgroups who report the lowest levels of LWs.

Weightlifting's risky new trend: a case series of 41 insulin users.

Use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is common among strength-trained individuals, and a growing concern is the misuse of insulin. A 99-item Internet-based survey was posted on discussion boards of various fitness, bodybuilding, weightlifting, and anabolic steroid Web sites between February and June 2009. A case series of 41 nondiabetic insulin users is described. The typical insulin user was 30.7 ± 9.2 years old, male (97.6%), and Caucasian/white (86.8%) who classified himself as a "recreational exerciser" (47.5%). The average insulin user also used anabolic steroids (95.1%) and practiced polypharmacy by incorporating 16.2 ± 5.6 PEDs in his or her yearly routine. Hypoglycemia was reported by most of the subjects (56.8%), and one individual reported unconsciousness. Insulin was obtained most commonly from local sources (e.g., friends, training partners, gym member/dealer; 40.5%) and community pharmacies (37.8%), with most (80.6%) finding it "easy" to acquire their insulin. Strategies aimed to prevent insulin misuse are needed.

Resistance training among young athletes: safety, efficacy and injury prevention effects.

A literature review was employed to evaluate the current epidemiology of injury related to the safety and efficacy of youth resistance training. Several case study reports and retrospective questionnaires regarding resistance exercise and the competitive sports of weightlifting and powerlifting reveal that injuries have occurred in young lifters, although a majority can be classified as accidental. Lack of qualified instruction that underlies poor exercise technique and inappropriate training loads could explain, at least partly, some of the reported injuries. Current research indicates that resistance training can be a safe, effective and worthwhile activity for children and adolescents provided that qualified professionals supervise all training sessions and provide age-appropriate instruction on proper lifting procedures and safe training guidelines. Regular participation in a multifaceted resistance training programme that begins during the preseason and includes instruction on movement biomechanics may reduce the risk of sports-related injuries in young athletes. Strategies for enhancing the safety of youth resistance training are discussed.

High plasma soluble levels of the immune checkpoint HLA-G molecule among bodybuilders.

INTRODUCTION: Studies report that intense physical activity influences the down-regulation of immune function in athletes as well as the interaction between adipose tissue and the immune system. AIM: This study aimed to compare the plasma soluble levels of the immune checkpoint HLA-G (sHLA-G) molecule with the fat mass and muscle mass index among 77 bodybuilders and 64 controls. RESULTS: The comparisons of the percentage of body fat (%BF) revealed that the groups of male and female bodybuilders showed a statistically significant reduction in the percentage of body fat when compared to their control group, (P <0.0001, for both comparisons). Regarding sHLA-G levels, the comparisons showed that the group of male bodybuilders had significantly higher sHLA-G levels compared to the group of female bodybuilders (P = 0.0011). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that in bodybuilders with less body fat, the systemic levels of soluble HLA-G, an immunological molecule with recognized immunosuppressive function, are significantly higher and suggest that this immune mechanism may corroborate the immunosuppressive state in athletes undergoing intense and prolonged physical training.

Analysis of doping control test results in individual and team sports from 2003 to 2015.

Background: Determining the prevalence of doping in sport might be useful for anti-doping authorities to gauge the effectiveness of anti-doping policies implemented to prevent positive attitudes toward doping. Using questionnaires and personal interviews, previous investigations have found that the prevalence of doping might be different among different sports disciplines; however, there is no sport-specific information about the proportion of adverse and atypical findings (AAF) in samples used for doping control. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the differences in the frequency of adverse analytical and atypical findings among sports using the data made available by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Methods: The data included in this investigation were gathered from the Testing Figures Reports made available annually from 2003 to 2015 by the World Anti-Doping Agency. These Testing Figures Reports include information about the number of samples analyzed, the number of AAFs reported, and the most commonly found drugs in the urine and blood samples analyzed. A total of 1,347,213 samples were analyzed from the individual sports selected for this investigation, and 698,371 samples were analyzed for disciplines catalogued as team sports. Results: In individual sports, the highest proportions of AAF were 3.3% ± 1.0% in cycling, 3.0% ± 0.6% in weightlifting, and 2.9% ± 0.6% in boxing. In team sports, the highest proportions of AAF were 2.2% ± 0.5% in ice hockey, 2.0% ± 0.5% in rugby, and 2.0% ± 0.5% in basketball. Gymnastics and skating had the lowest proportions at (≤1.0%) for individual sports, and field hockey, volleyball and football had the lowest proportions for team sports (≤1.4%). Conclusion: As suggested by the analysis, the incidence of AAF was not uniform across all sports disciplines, with the different proportions pointing to an uneven use of banned substances depending on the sport. This information might be useful for increasing the strength and efficacy of anti-doping policies in those sports with the highest prevalence in the use of banned substances.

The Masters athlete in Olympic weightlifting: Training, lifestyle, health challenges, and gender differences.

BACKGROUND: Olympic weightlifting requires strength, speed, and explosive power. Vigorous physical activity such as Olympic weightlifting, for older adults has many benefits from improved strength, social interactions, and a healthy and independent lifestyle. Little is known about the training habits, health, and lifestyle of Masters weightlifters that includes top level athletes as well as beginners, and there is a dearth of data on women. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to describe demographics, training habits, and health including prevalence of injury and chronic disease in male and female Masters athletes in Olympic weightlifting. The secondary aim was to study gender differences and the age and impact of menopause on participation in the sport. RESULTS: The 958 participants (46% men), ages 34 to 87, mostly train 3 to 4 days per week in 1 to 2 hour sessions. This is a highly educated and affluent group, 84% are white, 72% are married, 85% are post-secondary graduates. Exercise can also increase the risk of injury compared to less active older adults, but the rates of injury in weightlifting affecting training are lower than seen in other sports. The prevalence of depression and mental health is similar to a general population. Stress levels and sleep disturbances are more common among women than men. Women reach menopause at a similar age as women in industrialized countries, but menopausal symptoms constrained the training. CONCLUSION: Older athletes are capable of rigorous training programs and top performances while adjusting to changes due to biological aging. Weightlifting athletes, coaches, and health professionals must be aware of patterns of injuries and gender differences to incorporate successful prevention strategies. Knowledge of presentations of menopause and impact of menopausal symptoms on training allows women and health care providers to make informed treatment decisions.