Longitudinal Internal Training Load and Exposure in a High-Performance Basketball Academy.

ABSTRACT: Lever, JR, Duffield, R, Murray, A, Bartlett, JD, and Fullagar, HHK. Longitudinal internal training load and exposure in a high-performance basketball academy. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-This study describes the longitudinal training exposure (session counts) and internal training load (Rating of Perceived Exertion [RPE] and Session Rating of Perceived Exertion [sRPE]) of youth basketball players at a high-performance academy, based on the training year, training term, and playing position. Historical internal training load and training exposure data were collated from 45 male high-performance youth basketball athletes between 2015 and 2019. Data included session duration, RPE, sRPE, training type, and date. Linear mixed models and pairwise comparisons were performed on the weekly means and categorized by training year (year 1, year 2, year 3), term (term 1, term 2, term 3, term 4), and playing position (Backcourt, Frontcourt). Linear mixed models indicate that the individual athlete had the greatest influence on variance in training load and exposure. Significant differences were observed for increased session count, duration, and sRPE (p < 0.001) in year 2 compared with year 1. These measures also increased within each year whereby term 3 and term 4 (p < 0.001) were significantly greater than term 1 and term 2. No significant differences were observed between playing position (p > 0.05). Training exposure and internal training load increase in year 2 from year 1 for high-performance youth basketball academy athletes. Differences between training load and exposure for terms (i.e., training blocks) suggest the phase of season influences training prescription, while playing position has limited effect.

Sleep and Sport Performance.

SUMMARY: Elite athletes and coaches believe sleep is the most important recovery strategy and widely consider it critical to optimal performance. Despite this perceived importance, there are numerous circumstances that can reduce sleep quantity and quality in athletic populations. Because of the effects of sleep loss on various physical, neurophysiological, and cognitive parameters, such perturbations can have consequences for performance and recovery outcomes. Although peer-reviewed literature examining the interaction between sleep, performance, and recovery in athletes is increasing, understanding of these issues remains equivocal. Perhaps most pertinently, the effect of sleep on sport performance does not align with a one-size-fits-all approach and rather depends on numerous factors such as type of sport, scheduling, time of the season, and the intraindividual requirements for sleep. The relationship between brain plasticity and memory, which in turn can influence learning processes and long-term memory consolidation, suggests that sleep may play an important role in learning new skills and tactics for both elite and developing athletes. The aim of this special issue review was to analyze the evidence of sleep loss on sport performance and recovery, with a specific focus on elite athletes. An assessment of these sleep-compromising situations that elite athletes may face during a typical season and practical considerations for alleviating these issues is also provided to further the understanding for medical professionals, scientists, and applied sporting practitioners alike.

A pragmatic strength and conditioning intervention for firefighters: Feasibility of the Tactical Athlete Resilience Program (TARP).

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Firefighting is physically and mentally taxing and recruits are expected to have optimal health and fitness. However, physical fitness tends to decline following initial training, placing firefighters at an increased risk for stress and injury. Efforts are needed to engage and support firefighters in maintaining adequate health and fitness to withstand the rigorous demands of their occupation. This study examined the feasibility of TARP, a pragmatic strength and conditioning intervention for metropolitan-based firefighters, delivered in collaboration with a professional National Rugby League club. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was utilised to examine program implementation, recruitment and sample characteristics, intervention satisfaction and acceptability, and participants' response to the intervention. Evaluation measures included field notes taken during steering committee meetings, participant flow data, baseline and follow-up outcome measures, self-report questionnaires, and telephone interviews with a sample of participants. RESULTS: Participants (N = 113) were predominantly men (82%) with a mean age of 43 ± 9.3 years and BMI of 26.6 ± 2.9 kg/m2 . Program satisfaction was high (95% very satisfied or somewhat satisfied) among program completers (42% retention). Key strengths of the program included delivery through the professional sports club, quality of facilities and equipment, and scheduling flexibility. Future programs should consider incorporating education or training to support behaviour change maintenance and strategies to retain participants at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide valuable insights into the design and delivery of interventions for firefighters and demonstrate the importance of strong partnerships between community stakeholders.

Lockdown Duration and Training Intensity Affect Sleep Behavior in an International Sample of 1,454 Elite Athletes.

Objective: To investigate the effect of 1) lockdown duration and 2) training intensity on sleep quality and insomnia symptoms in elite athletes. Methods: 1,454 elite athletes (24.1 ± 6.7 years; 42% female; 41% individual sports) from 40 countries answered a retrospective, cross-sectional, web-based questionnaire relating to their behavioral habits pre- and during- COVID-19 lockdown, including: 1) Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI); 2) Insomnia severity index (ISI); bespoke questions about 3) napping; and 4) training behaviors. The association between dependent (PSQI and ISI) and independent variables (sleep, napping and training behaviors) was determined with multiple regression and is reported as semi-partial correlation coefficient squared (in percentage). Results: 15% of the sample spent < 1 month, 27% spent 1-2 months and 58% spent > 2 months in lockdown. 29% self-reported maintaining the same training intensity during-lockdown whilst 71% reduced training intensity. PSQI (4.1 ± 2.4 to 5.8 ± 3.1; mean difference (MD): 1.7; 95% confidence interval of the difference (95% CI): 1.6-1.9) and ISI (5.1 ± 4.7 to 7.7 ± 6.4; MD: 2.6; 95% CI: 2.3-2.9) scores were higher during-compared to pre-lockdown, associated (all p < 0.001) with longer sleep onset latency (PSQI: 28%; ISI: 23%), later bedtime (PSQI: 13%; ISI: 14%) and later preferred time of day to train (PSQI: 9%; ISI: 5%) during-lockdown. Those who reduced training intensity during-lockdown showed higher PSQI (p < 0.001; MD: 1.25; 95% CI: 0.87-1.63) and ISI (p < 0.001; MD: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.72-3.27) scores compared to those who maintained training intensity. Although PSQI score was not affected by the lockdown duration, ISI score was higher in athletes who spent > 2 months confined compared to those who spent < 1 month (p < 0.001; MD: 1.28; 95% CI: 0.26-2.3). Conclusion: Reducing training intensity during the COVID-19-induced lockdown was associated with lower sleep quality and higher insomnia severity in elite athletes. Lockdown duration had further disrupting effects on elite athletes' sleep behavior. These findings could be of relevance in future lockdown or lockdown-like situations (e.g., prolonged illness, injury, and quarantine after international travel).

Cooling strategies for firefighters: Effects on physiological, physical, and visuo-motor outcomes following fire-fighting tasks in the heat.

OBJECTIVES: Due to the nature of firefighting, most effective cooling interventions to reduce heat strain and optimise performance are not practically viable. This study quantified the effects of two practical cooling strategies, co-designed with subject-matter experts, on physiological strain and physical, perceptual, and visuo-motor performance during simulated firefighting in the heat. DESIGN: Randomised cross-over. METHODS: On three occasions 14 firefighters completed an 80-min simulation in a hot-humid environment (32.0[0.9]°C, 59[3]%RH) including two 20-min firefighting tasks in full protective clothing, each followed by 20-min seated recovery. Recovery involved removal of protective clothing and one of three interventions - control (CON; ambient-temperature water consumption), basic (BASIC; cool-water consumption, ambient-forearm immersion/towels, fan), and advanced (ADV; ice-slushy consumption, cool-forearm immersion/ice packs, misting-fan). Thermal (core temperature) and cardiovascular (heart rate, arterial pressure) responses were measured throughout, whilst physical (handgrip/balance), visuo-motor (reaction time/memory recall) and perceptual (fatigue/thermal sensation/comfort) measures were assessed pre- and post-trial. RESULTS: Compared to CON, core temperature was lower in BASIC and ADV following the second task (ADV: 37.7[0.4]; BASIC: 38.0[0.4]; CON: 38.3[0.4]°C) and recovery protocol (ADV: 37.5[0.3]; BASIC: 37.7 [0.3] CON: 38.3[0.4]°C). This was paralleled by lowered heart rate, rate pressure product, and thermal sensation following the recovery protocols, in the ADV and BASIC condition compared to CON (p < .05). No physical or visuo-motor outcomes differed significantly between conditions. CONCLUSION: Whilst these observations need to be extended to field conditions, our findings demonstrate that two novel cooling interventions developed in collaboration with subject-matter experts offered benefits for reducing thermal strain and optimising firefighter safety.

Heat Adaptation and Nutrition Practices: Athlete and Practitioner Knowledge and Use.

PURPOSE: To survey elite athletes and practitioners to identify (1) knowledge and application of heat acclimation/acclimatization (HA) interventions, (2) barriers to HA application, and (3) nutritional practices supporting HA. METHODS: Elite athletes (n = 55) and practitioners (n = 99) completed an online survey. Mann-Whitney U tests (effect size [ES; r]) assessed differences between ROLE (athletes vs practitioners) and CLIMATE (hot vs temperate). Logistic regression and Pearson chi-square (ES Phi [ϕ]) assessed relationships. RESULTS: Practitioners were more likely to report measuring athletes' core temperature (training: practitioners 40% [athletes 15%]; P = .001, odds ratio = 4.0, 95% CI, 2%-9%; competition: practitioners 25% [athletes 9%]; P = .020, odds ratio = 3.4, 95% CI, 1%-10%). Practitioners (55% [15% athletes]) were more likely to perceive rectal as the gold standard core temperature measurement site (P = .013, ϕ = .49, medium ES). Temperate (57% [22% hot]) CLIMATE dwellers ranked active HA effectiveness higher (P < .001, r = .30, medium ES). Practitioners commonly identified athletes' preference (48%), accessibility, and cost (both 47%) as barriers to HA. Increasing carbohydrate intake when training in the heat was more likely recommended by practitioners (49%) than adopted by athletes (26%; P = .006, 95% CI, 0.1%-1%). Practitioners (56% [28% athletes]) were more likely to plan athletes' daily fluid strategies, adopting a preplanned approach (P = .001; 95% CI, 0.1%-1%). CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners, and to a greater extent athletes, lacked self-reported key HA knowledge (eg, core temperature assessment/monitoring methods) yet demonstrated comparatively more appropriate nutritional practices (eg, hydration).

The effects of travel on performance: a 13-year analysis of the National Rugby League (NRL) competition.

The purpose was to investigate the effects of travel on performance in the National Rugby League (NRL). A total of 4,704 observations from 2,352 NRL matches (2007-2019) were analysed. The effect of travel on match outcome (i.e., win/loss) was analysed using a generalized linear mixed model, and the points difference using a linear mixed model. For every 1,000 km travelled in the NRL, the estimated probability of winning a match was reduced by -2.7% [-5.7 to 0.3%] and the estimated points difference by -1.1 [-2.0 to -0.2] points. In relation to every 1,000 km travelled, the 2007-2009 seasons had the greatest reduction in the likelihood of winning a match (-2.7% [-4.7 to -0.6%]), with the 2018-2019 seasons having the greatest likelihood (1.1% [-1.2 to 3.3%]). Regarding inter-state travel, teams from the state of Queensland had the greatest reduction in the likelihood of winning a match while the team from the state of Victoria had the greatest likelihood, although there were no clear differences between states. These data suggest that travel has impacted performance in NRL matches although this effect has reduced over time. These findings are useful for practitioners that prepare athletes in sports where frequent short-haul travel is required.

Subjective Sleep Patterns and Jet Lag Symptoms of Junior Netball Players Prior to and During an International Tournament: A Case Study.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of long-haul transmeridian travel on subjective sleep patterns and jet lag symptoms in youth athletes around an international tournament. METHODS: An observational descriptive design was used. Subjective sleep diaries and perceived responses to jet lag were collected and analyzed for a national junior netball team competing in an international tournament. Sleep diaries and questionnaires were completed daily prior to and during travel, and throughout the tournament. Results were categorized into pretravel, travel, training, and match nights. Means were compared performing a paired Student t test with significance set at P < .05. Data are presented as mean (SD) and median (minimum, maximum). RESULTS: Athletes reported significantly greater time in bed on match days compared with training (P < .001) and travel (P = .002) days, and on pretravel days compared with travel (P < .001) and training (P = .028) days. Sleep ratings were significantly better on pretravel days compared with match (P = .013) days. Perceived jet lag was worse on match (P = .043) days compared with pretravel days. Significant differences were also observed between a number of conditions for meals, mood, bowel activity, and fatigue. CONCLUSION: Youth athletes experience significantly less opportunity for sleep during long-haul transmeridian travel and face disruptions to daily routines during travel which impact food intake. Young athletes also experience disturbed sleep prior to and during competition. These results highlight the need for practices to alleviate jet lag symptoms and improve the sleep of young athletes traveling for tournaments in an effort to optimize recovery and performance.

COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Worldwide Survey of Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Quality in 3911 Athletes from 49 Countries, with Data-Driven Recommendations.

OBJECTIVE: In a convenience sample of athletes, we conducted a survey of COVID-19-mediated lockdown (termed 'lockdown' from this point forward) effects on: (i) circadian rhythms; (ii) sleep; (iii) eating; and (iv) training behaviors. METHODS: In total, 3911 athletes [mean age: 25.1 (range 18-61) years, 1764 female (45%), 2427 team-sport (63%) and 1442 elite (37%) athletes] from 49 countries completed a multilingual cross-sectional survey including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index questionnaires, alongside bespoke questions about napping, training, and nutrition behaviors. RESULTS: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (4.3 ± 2.4 to 5.8 ± 3.1) and Insomnia Severity Index (4.8 ± 4.7 to 7.2 ± 6.4) scores increased from pre- to during lockdown (p < 0.001). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was predominantly influenced by sleep-onset latency (p < 0.001; + 29.8%), sleep efficiency (p < 0.001; - 21.1%), and total sleep time (p < 0.001; - 20.1%), whilst Insomnia Severity Index was affected by sleep-onset latency (p < 0.001; + 21.4%), bedtime (p < 0.001; + 9.4%), and eating after midnight (p < 0.001; + 9.1%). During lockdown, athletes reported fewer training sessions per week (- 29.1%; d = 0.99). Athletes went to bed (+ 75 min; 5.4%; d = 1.14) and woke up (+ 150 min; 34.5%; d = 1.71) later during lockdown with an increased total sleep time (+ 48 min; 10.6%; d = 0.83). Lockdown-mediated circadian disruption had more deleterious effects on the sleep quality of individual-sport athletes compared with team-sport athletes (p < 0.001; d = 0.41), elite compared with non-elite athletes (p = 0.028; d = 0.44) and older compared with younger (p = 0.008; d = 0.46) athletes. CONCLUSIONS: These lockdown-induced behavioral changes reduced sleep quality and increased insomnia in athletes. Data-driven and evidence-based recommendations to counter these include, but are not limited to: (i) early outdoor training; (ii) regular meal scheduling (whilst avoiding meals prior to bedtime and caffeine in the evening) with appropriate composition; (iii) regular bedtimes and wake-up times; and (iv) avoidance of long and/or late naps.

Managing Travel Fatigue and Jet Lag in Athletes: A Review and Consensus Statement.

Athletes are increasingly required to travel domestically and internationally, often resulting in travel fatigue and jet lag. Despite considerable agreement that travel fatigue and jet lag can be a real and impactful issue for athletes regarding performance and risk of illness and injury, evidence on optimal assessment and management is lacking. Therefore 26 researchers and/or clinicians with knowledge in travel fatigue, jet lag and sleep in the sports setting, formed an expert panel to formalise a review and consensus document. This manuscript includes definitions of terminology commonly used in the field of circadian physiology, outlines basic information on the human circadian system and how it is affected by time-givers, discusses the causes and consequences of travel fatigue and jet lag, and provides consensus on recommendations for managing travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes. The lack of evidence restricts the strength of recommendations that are possible but the consensus group identified the fundamental principles and interventions to consider for both the assessment and management of travel fatigue and jet lag. These are summarised in travel toolboxes including strategies for pre-flight, during flight and post-flight. The consensus group also outlined specific steps to advance theory and practice in these areas.

Practitioner, Coach, and Athlete Perceptions of Evidence-Based Practice in Professional Sport in Australia.

PURPOSE: To examine practitioners', coaches', and athletes' perceptions of evidence-based practice (EBP) in professional sport in Australia. METHODS: One hundred thirty-eight participants (practitioners n = 67, coaches n = 39, and athletes n = 32) in various professional sports in Australia each completed a group-specific online questionnaire. Questions focused on perceptions of research, the contribution of participants' own experience in implementing knowledge to practice, sources, and barriers for accessing and implementing EBP, preferred methods of feedback, and the required qualities of practitioners. RESULTS: All practitioners reported using EBP, while most coaches and athletes believed that EBP contributes to individual performance and preparation (>85%). Practitioners' preferred EBP information sources were "peer-reviewed journals" and "other practitioners within their sport," while athlete sources were "practitioners within their sport" and "other athletes within their sport." As primary barriers to accessing and implementing research, practitioners highlighted "time constraints," "poor research translation," and "nonapplicable research." Practitioners ranked "informal conversation" as their most valued method of providing feedback; however, coaches prefer feedback from "scheduled meetings," "online reports," or "shared database." Both athletes and coaches value "excellent knowledge of the sport," "experience," and "communication skills" in practitioners disseminating EBP. CONCLUSION: Practitioners, coaches, and athletes believe in the importance of EBP to their profession, although practitioners reported several barriers to accessing and implementing research as part of EBP. Athletes place a high value on experienced practitioners who have excellent knowledge of the sport and communication skills. Collectively, these findings can be used to further stakeholder understanding regarding EBP and the role of research to positively influence athlete health.

Australian firefighters perceptions of heat stress, fatigue and recovery practices during fire-fighting tasks in extreme environments.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess current perceptions of heat stress, fatigue and recovery practices during active duty in Australian firefighters. DESIGN: Prospective survey. METHODS: 473 firefighters from Fire and Rescue New South Wales completed a two-part, 16-item survey. Questions included perceptions of the operational activities and body areas associated with the most heat stress, the most mentally and physically demanding activities, and levels of fatigue felt. Further questions focussed on the use and importance of recovery practices, effectiveness of currently used heat-mitigation strategies and additional cooling strategies for future use. RESULTS: Around a third of firefighters (62%) reported structural fire-fighting as the hottest operational activities experienced, followed by bushfire-fighting (51%) and rescue operations (38%). The top three responses for which body-parts get the hottest ranked as 'the head' (58%), 'the whole body' (54%) and 'the upper back' (40%), respectively. The majority of firefighters (~90%) stated they always or sometimes use the opportunity to recover at an incident, with the top three being 'sit in the shade' (93%), 'cold water ingestion (drinking)' (90%) and 'removing your helmet, flash hood and jacket' (89%). Firefighters reported higher usefulness for more easily deployed strategies compared to more advanced strategies. Limited age and gender differences were found, although location of active service differences were present. CONCLUSION: These findings may inform future research, and translation to operational directives for recovery interventions; including exploration of protective gear and clothing, education, resources and provision of cooling methods, as well as recovery aid development.

A Combined Sleep Hygiene and Mindfulness Intervention to Improve Sleep and Well-Being During High-Performance Youth Tennis Tournaments.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of combined sleep hygiene recommendations and mindfulness on actigraphy-based sleep parameters, perceptual well-being, anxiety, and match outcomes during high-performance junior tennis tournaments. METHODS: In a randomized crossover design, 17 high-performance junior tennis players completed the baseline, control, and intervention (INT) conditions across 3 separate weeks. The baseline consisted of unassisted, habitual sleep during a regular training week, and the control was unassisted sleep during a tournament week. The players attended a sleep education workshop and completed a nightly sleep hygiene protocol during a tournament week for the INT. Analysis was performed on the weekly means and on the night prior to the first match of the tournament (T-1). RESULTS: Significant differences were observed for increased time in bed, total sleep time, and an earlier bedtime (P < .05) across the INT week. These parameters also significantly improved on T-1 of the INT. A moderate effect size (P > .05, d > 1.00) was evident for decreased worry on T-1 of the INT. Small effect sizes were also evident for improved mood, cognitive anxiety, and sleep rating across the INT week. The match performance outcomes remained unchanged (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep hygiene INTs increase the sleep duration of high-performance junior tennis players in tournament settings, including the night prior to the tournament's first match. The effects on perceptual well-being and anxiety are unclear, although small trends suggest improved mood, despite no effect on generic match performance outcomes.

Sleep and the athlete: narrative review and 2021 expert consensus recommendations.

Elite athletes are particularly susceptible to sleep inadequacies, characterised by habitual short sleep (<7 hours/night) and poor sleep quality (eg, sleep fragmentation). Athletic performance is reduced by a night or more without sleep, but the influence on performance of partial sleep restriction over 1-3 nights, a more real-world scenario, remains unclear. Studies investigating sleep in athletes often suffer from inadequate experimental control, a lack of females and questions concerning the validity of the chosen sleep assessment tools. Research only scratches the surface on how sleep influences athlete health. Studies in the wider population show that habitually sleeping <7 hours/night increases susceptibility to respiratory infection. Fortunately, much is known about the salient risk factors for sleep inadequacy in athletes, enabling targeted interventions. For example, athlete sleep is influenced by sport-specific factors (relating to training, travel and competition) and non-sport factors (eg, female gender, stress and anxiety). This expert consensus culminates with a sleep toolbox for practitioners (eg, covering sleep education and screening) to mitigate these risk factors and optimise athlete sleep. A one-size-fits-all approach to athlete sleep recommendations (eg, 7-9 hours/night) is unlikely ideal for health and performance. We recommend an individualised approach that should consider the athlete's perceived sleep needs. Research is needed into the benefits of napping and sleep extension (eg, banking sleep).

Influence of Training Schedules on Objective Measures of Sleep in Adolescent Academy Football Players.

Brown, GA, Veith, S, Sampson, JA, Whalan, M, and Fullagar, HHK. Influence of training schedules on objective measures of sleep in adolescent academy football players. J Strength Cond Res 34(9): 2515-2521, 2020-Football academy settings may pose risks to adolescent athletes achieving sufficient sleep because of the contextual challenges these players face (e.g., psychosocial pressure, changes in training, competition, and academic stress). Given the importance of sleep to overall health as well as physical athletic development and injury risk, this study aimed to investigate whether differences in training schedules (morning vs. evening training sessions) affected objective measures of sleep in adolescent academy football (soccer) players. Twelve academy players (mean age 14.18 ± 1.36 years) wore an ActiGraph accelerometer on nights before, and nights of, training days in 2 separate weeks where morning (09:00-11:00 hours) and evening (18:00-20:00 hours) training occurred. Objective sleep parameters and training load data were collected. Night-time sleep periods were categorized as sleep preceding morning training, preceding evening training, or after evening training. One-way univariate and multivariate analyses of variance for repeated measures were performed to determine the impact of the training schedule on sleep. Significance levels were set at p < 0.05. The total sleep time was below the recommended guidelines (<8 hours) across conditions. A large significant effect of the training schedule on time attempted to fall asleep (p = 0.004, effect size [ES] = 0.40) and time of sleep (p = 0.003, ES = 0.41) was present, with post-evening sessions resulting in the latest times. Overall, the players' sleep behavior was resilient to changes in training schedules. However, the low sleep durations (and potential risks to physical performance/injury) suggest that sleep education coupled with practical interventions are required in this cohort.

How to manage travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes? A systematic review of interventions.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the management of travel fatigue and jet lag in athlete populations by evaluating studies that have applied non-pharmacological interventions (exercise, sleep, light and nutrition), and pharmacological interventions (melatonin, sedatives, stimulants, melatonin analogues, glucocorticoids and antihistamines) following long-haul transmeridian travel-based, or laboratory-based circadian system phase-shifts. DESIGN: Systematic review Eligibility criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and non-RCTs including experimental studies and observational studies, exploring interventions to manage travel fatigue and jet lag involving actual travel-based or laboratory-based phase-shifts. Studies included participants who were athletes, except for interventions rendering no athlete studies, then the search was expanded to include studies on healthy populations. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar and SPORTDiscus from inception to March 2019. We assessed included articles for risk of bias, methodological quality, level of evidence and quality of evidence. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles were included: 8 non-RCTs and 14 RCTs. No relevant travel fatigue papers were found. For jet lag, only 12 athlete-specific studies were available (six non-RCTs, six RCTs). In total (athletes and healthy populations), 11 non-pharmacological studies (participants 600; intervention group 290; four non-RCTs, seven RCTs) and 11 pharmacological studies (participants 1202; intervention group 870; four non-RCTs, seven RCTs) were included. For non-pharmacological interventions, seven studies across interventions related to actual travel and four to simulated travel. For pharmacological interventions, eight studies were based on actual travel and three on simulated travel. CONCLUSIONS: We found no literature pertaining to the management of travel fatigue. Evidence for the successful management of jet lag in athletes was of low quality. More field-based studies specifically on athlete populations are required with a multifaceted approach, better design and implementation to draw valid conclusions. PROSPERO registration number The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42019126852).

Hot, Tired and Hungry: The Snacking Behaviour and Food Cravings of Firefighters During Multi-Day Simulated Wildfire Suppression.

Firefighters are exposed to numerous stressors during wildfire suppression, including working in hot temperatures and sleep restricted conditions. Research has shown that when sleep restricted, individuals choose foods higher in carbohydrates, fat, and sugar, and have increased cravings for calorie dense foods. However, there is currently no research on the combined effect of heat and sleep restriction on snacking behaviour. Conducting secondary analyses from a larger study, the current study aimed to investigate the impact of heat and sleep restriction on snacking behaviour and food cravings. Sixty-six firefighters completed three days of simulated physically demanding firefighting work and were randomly allocated to either the control (n = 18, CON; 19 °C, 8h sleep opportunity), sleep restricted (n = 16, SR; 19 °C, 4-h sleep opportunity), hot (n = 18, HOT; 33 °C, 8h sleep opportunity), or hot and sleep restricted (n = 14 HOT + SR; 33 °C, 4-h sleep opportunity) condition. During rest periods firefighters were able to self-select sweet, savoury, or healthy snacks from a ration pack and were asked to rate their hunger, fullness, and cravings every two hours (eating block). Mixed model analyses revealed no difference in total energy intake between conditions, however there was a significant interaction between eating block and condition, with those in the CON, HOT, and HOT + SR condition consuming significantly more energy between 1230 and 1430 compared to the SR condition (p = 0.002). Sleep restriction and heat did not impact feelings of hunger and fullness across the day, and did not lead to greater cravings for snacks, with no differences between conditions. These findings suggest that under various simulated firefighting conditions, it is not the amount of food that differs but the timing of food intake, with those that are required to work in hot conditions while sleep restricted more likely to consume food between 1230 and 1430. This has potential implications for the time of day in which a greater amount of food should be available for firefighters.

"How Am I Going, Coach?"-The Effect of Augmented Feedback During Small-Sided Games on Locomotor, Physiological, and Perceptual Responses.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether providing global positioning system feedback to players between bouts of small-sided games (SSGs) can alter locomotor, physiological, and perceptual responses. METHODS: Using a reverse counterbalanced design, 20 male university rugby players received either feedback or no feedback during "off-side" touch rugby SSGs. Eight 5v5, 6 × 4-minute SSGs were played over 4 d. Teams were assigned to a feedback or no-feedback condition (control) each day, with feedback provided during the 2-min between-bouts rest interval. Locomotor, heart rate, and differential rating of perceived exertion of breathlessness and leg-muscle exertion were measured and analyzed using a linear mixed model. Outcomes were reported using effect sizes (ES) and 90% confidence intervals (CI), and then interpreted via magnitude-based decisions. RESULTS: Very likely trivial to unclear differences at all time points were observed in heart rate and differential rating of perceived exertion measures. Possibly to very likely trivial effects were observed between conditions, including total distance (ES = 0.15; 90 CI, -0.03 to 0.34), high-speed distance (ES = -0.07; 90 CI, -0.27 to 0.13), and maximal sprint speed (ES = 0.11; 90% CI, -0.11 to 0.34). All within-bout comparisons showed very likely to unclear differences, apart from possible increases in low-speed distance in bout 2 (ES = 0.23; 90% CI, 0.01 to 0.46) and maximal sprint speed in bout 4 (ES = 0.21; 90% CI, -0.04 to 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, verbal feedback did not alter locomotor, physiological, or perceptual responses in rugby players during SSGs. This may be due to contextual factors (eg, opposition) or the type (ie, distance) or low frequency of feedback provided.

Practitioner Perceptions of Evidence-Based Practice in Elite Sport in the United States of America.

Fullagar, HHK, Harper, LD, Govus, A, McCunn, R, Eisenmann, J, and McCall, A. Practitioner perceptions of evidence-based practice in elite sport in the United States of America. J Strength Cond Res 33(11): 2897-2904, 2019-Practitioners' perceptions regarding the use and effectiveness of research evidence in sport is not well understood. The purpose of the present study was to examine practitioners' perceptions around the use, implementation, and barriers to evidence-based practice (EBP) in sport science in the United States of America (USA). A survey (28 items) was completed by 67 full-time staff who were a physical performance team member employed by universities or professional sporting organizations in the USA. Questions included the use of research, contribution of research areas, barriers to accessing and implementing EBP, and methods of feedback to the coach and players. All respondents (100%) stated they used research evidence in their performance/training program, ranking research as contributing most (largest contribution = 1 to smallest contribution = 4) to individualized preparation or recovery recommendations (1.98 ± 1.02). The top 3 preferred sources of information were "peer-reviewed research" (100% of respondents), "conferences/seminars" (76%), and "practitioners within your sport" (63%). Commonly reported perceived barriers between accessing and implementing research were "lack of staff" (accessing = 33%, implementing = 46%) "time" (accessing = 38%, implementing = 48%) and nonapplicable research (accessing = 33%, implementing = 37%), whereas "poor player compliance" was a clear barrier to implementing EBP (56%). Practitioners most preferred, and actual, method of feedback for coaching staff (87% for both) and players (94 and 95%, respectively) was "informal conversations/speaking." Improved access to educational and financial resources, increased integration of staff in coach settings and understanding of player/coach contexts may help to alleviate barriers to EBP.

The Translation of Sport Science Research to the Field: A Current Opinion and Overview on the Perceptions of Practitioners, Researchers and Coaches.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the collated integration of practitioner expertise, athlete values and research evidence aimed to optimise the decision-making process surrounding sport performance. Despite the academic interest afforded to sport science research, our knowledge of how this research is applied in elite sport settings is limited. This current opinion examines the existing evidence of the translation of sport science research into the field, with a tailored focus on the current perceptions of practitioners, researchers and coaches. Recent studies show that practitioners and researchers report they ascertain sport science knowledge differently, with coaches preferring personal interactions compared with coaching courses or scientific journals. The limited peer-reviewed research shows that coaches perceive their knowledge is greater in fields such as tactical/technical areas, rather than physical fitness or general conditioning. This likely explains coaches' greater perceived value in research dedicated to technical and tactical expertise, as well as mental training and skill acquisition. Practitioners place a large emphasis on the need for research in physical fitness areas, which is likely due to their occupational focus. There are many perceived barriers of sport science research application, including funding, time, coach/player/staff 'buy in' and research questions that may not apply to the setting. We contend that researchers and practitioners may benefit in producing research, ascertaining knowledge and disseminating findings in alternative methods that better align with coaches' needs. In addition, educational strategies that focus on real-world context and promote social interaction between coaches, practitioners, organisational personnel and researchers would likely benefit all stakeholders.