Velocity-Load Jump Testing Predicts Acceleration Performance in Elite Speed Skaters: But Does Movement Specificity Matter?

PURPOSE: In this study, we compared the influence of movement specificity during velocity-load jump testing to predict on-ice acceleration performance in elite speed skaters. METHODS: Elite long-track speed skaters (N = 27) performed velocity-load testing with 3 external loads during unilateral horizontal jumping, lateral jumping, and bilateral vertical countermovement jumping. For the unilateral tests, external load conditions were set to 10 N, 7.5% and 15% of external load relative to body weight. For the countermovement jumping, load conditions were body weight and 30% and 60% of external load relative to body weight. On-ice performance measures were obtained during maximal 50-m accelerations from a standing start, including maximal skating speed, maximal acceleration capacity, and maximum horizontal power. The 100-m split time from a 500-m race was also obtained. Regularized regression models were used to identify the most important predictors of on-ice acceleration performance. In addition to regularized regression coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were calculated for all variables retained by the model to assess interrelationships between single predictors and on-ice performance measures. RESULTS: The countermovement jump with 30% of body mass demonstrated the strongest association with maximal skating speed, maximum horizontal power, and 100-m time (regularized regression coefficient = .16-.49, r = .84-.97, P < .001). Horizontal jump with 15% of body mass was the strongest predictor of maximal acceleration capacity performance (regularized regression coefficient = .08, r = .83, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that mechanical specificity rather than movement specificity was more relevant for predicting on-ice acceleration performance.

Associations Between Hip Pathology, Hip and Groin Pain, and Injuries in Hockey Athletes: A Clinical Commentary.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), particularly cam morphology, is highly prevalent among elite hockey athletes. Moreover, hip and groin pain has become a common issue in hockey, with approximately 50% of European professional athletes reported to experience a hip or groin problem during a season. While most athletes will not miss training or competition due to this, restricted competitive performance and increased risk of reduced physical and psychological well-being are likely. Recent research suggests that the development of cam morphology is related to the repetitive shear stresses experienced at the hip joint during adolescence from skating. This condition likely increases the potential for intra-articular and extra-articular injuries in these athletes later in their careers. Research also indicates that the hip joint mechanics during forward skating substantially increase the possibility of sustaining a labral tear compared to other sports. Such an injury can increase femoral head movement within the joint, potentially causing secondary damage to the iliofemoral ligament, ligamentum teres and joint capsule. These injuries and the high density of nociceptors in the affected structures may explain the high prevalence of hip and groin pain in hockey athletes. Compensatory adaptations, such as reduced hip strength, stability, and range-of-motion (ROM) likely increase the opportunity for core muscle injuries and hip flexor and adductor injuries. Specifically, the limited hip ROM associated with cam morphology appears to exacerbate the risk of these injuries as there will be an increase in pubic symphysis stress and transverse strain during rotational movements. It is hoped that this article will assist practitioners currently working with hockey athletes to develop evidence-informed monitoring strategies and training interventions, aimed at reducing the incidence and severity of hip and groin problems, ultimately enhancing athlete performance and well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this clinical commentary was to examine current evidence on common hip pathologies in hockey athletes, exploring potential associations between hip and groin pain and the biomechanics of hockey activities. Level of Evidence: 5.

Inter-Segment Coordination of Male and Female Collegiate Ice Hockey Players During Forward Skating Starts.

Purpose: Coordination in ice hockey skating has been minimally investigated, particularly in females. The objective was to compare lower-extremity inter-segment coordination of collegiate male and female ice hockey players during forward skating starts. Methods: 3D kinematic data were collected on collegiate male (n = 9) and female (n = 10) participants during accelerative steps. Continuous relative phase (CRP) was calculated for shank-sagittal/thigh-sagittal, shank-sagittal/thigh-frontal, and foot-sagittal/shank-sagittal segment pairs across 2.5 strides on each side. Principal component analysis (PCA) extracted features of greatest variability of the CRP and relationships between principal components and sex were investigated using hierarchical linear model. Results: Males demonstrated more out-of-phase coordination (higher CRP) for side one (p = .01) and side two (p < .01) shank-sagittal/thigh-sagittal as well as side one shank-sagittal/thigh-frontal (p < .01) segment pairs throughout each step. Females demonstrated a greater change in CRP from late stance/early swing to late swing/early stance on side two for shank-sagittal/thigh-frontal segments (p < .01). For side two shank-sagittal/thigh-frontal segments, faster males utilized more out-of-phase coordination throughout each step whereas faster females utilized more in-phase coordination (p < .01). Conclusion: Males and females may employ different coordinative strategies to achieve faster skating speeds. Males tend to utilize more out-of-phase coordination of the shank and thigh throughout strides, although coordinative differences of the shank and foot were not found between sexes. Further investigation is needed to examine the relationship between lower limb strength and coordination as well as the effect of targeted training protocols on lower extremity coordinative patterns.

Health problems among elite Dutch youth long track speed skaters: a one-season prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency, type, and severity of health problems in long-track speed skating to inform injury prevention strategies. METHODS: We prospectively collected weekly health and sport exposure data on 84 highly trained Dutch athletes aged 15-21 years during the 2019/2020 season using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre questionnaire on Health Problems and the trainers' documentation. We categorised health problems into acute or repetitive mechanisms of injury or illness and calculated incidences (per 1000 sports exposure hours), weekly prevalence and burden (days of time loss per 1000 sports exposure hours) related to the affected body region. RESULTS: We registered 283 health problems (187 injuries, 96 illnesses), yielding an average weekly prevalence of health problems of 30.5% (95% CI 28.7% to 32.2%). Incidence rates were 2.0/1000 hours for acute mechanism injuries (95% CI 1.5 to 2.5) and 3.2/1000 hours for illnesses (95% CI 2.6 to 3.9). For acute mechanism injuries the head, shoulder and lumbosacral region had the highest injury burden of 5.6 (95% CI 4.8 to 6.5), 2.9 (95% CI 2.3 to 3.5) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.7 to 2.8) days of time loss/1000 hours, respectively. For repetitive mechanism injuries, the knee, thoracic spine, lower leg and lumbosacral region had the highest injury burden, with 11.0 (95% CI 9.8 to 12.2), 6.8 (95% CI 5.9 to 7.7), 3.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 4.6) and 2.5 (95% CI 1.9 to 3.1) days of time loss/1000 hours, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a high prevalence of acute and repetitive mechanism injuries in speed skating. These results can guide future research and priorities for injury prevention.

Interval training has more negative effects on sleep in adolescent speed skaters: a randomized cross controlled trial.

Objective: Sleep is an essential component of athletic performance and recovery. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different types of high-intensity exercise on sleep parameters in adolescent speed skaters. Methods: Eighteen male adolescent speed skaters underwent aerobic capacity testing, Wingate testing, and interval training in a randomized crossover design to assess strength output, heart rate, and blood lactate levels during exercise. Sleep quality after each type of exercise was evaluated using the Firstbeat Bodyguard 3 monitor. Results: The results showed that Wingate testing and interval training led to decreased sleep duration, increased duration of stress, decreased RMSSD, and increased LF/HF ratio (p < 0.01). Conversely, aerobic capacity testing did not significantly affect sleep (p > 0.05). The impact of interval training on sleep parameters was more significant compared to aerobic capacity testing (p < 0.01) and Wingate testing (p < 0.01). Conclusion: High-intensity anaerobic exercise has a profound impact on athletes' sleep, primarily resulting in decreased sleep duration, increased stress duration, decreased RMSSD, and increased LF/HF ratio.

Epidemiology, etiology and prevention of injuries in competitive ice speed skating-limited current evidence, multiple future priorities: A scoping review.

Long-track and short-track ice speed skating are integral to the Winter Olympics. The state of evidence-based injury prevention in these sports is unclear. Our goals were to summarize the current scientific knowledge, to determine the state of research, and to highlight future research areas for injury prevention in ice speed skating. We conducted a scoping review, searching all injury and injury prevention studies in competitive ice speed skaters. The six-stage Translating Research into Injury Prevention Practice (TRIPP) framework summarized the findings. The systematic search yielded 1109 citations. Nineteen studies were included, and additional searches yielded another 13 studies, but few had high-quality design. TRIPP stage 1 studies (n = 24) found competition injury rates from 2% to 18% of participants with various injury locations and types. Seasonal prevalence of physical complaints was up to 84% (for back pain) in long- and short-track. Ten studies covered information on TRIPP stage 2, with two small etiological studies linking injuries to functional strength deficits (short-track) and training load (long-track). Questionnaire studies identified various perceived risk factors for injuries but lacked further scientific evidence. Most TRIPP stage 3 studies (five out of eight) focused on developing protective measures, while two studies found short-track helmets performed poorly compared to helmets used in other sports. No study evaluated the efficacy, the intervention context, or the effectiveness (TRIPP stages 4-6) of the measures. Scientific knowledge on injury prevention in ice speed skating is limited. Future research should prioritize high-quality studies on injury epidemiology and etiology in the sports.

The power of coaches' emotions: A case study on how coaches' facial expressions impact performance of young female synchronized ice-skaters.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the impact of coaches' pleasant and unpleasant facial expressions on affects and team performance of young elite female synchronized ice-skaters. METHODS: Initially, the coach provided a neutral explanation of the exercise, which was followed by the athletes' execution. The ice-skaters then received either pleasant or unpleasant feedback from the coach, completed two questionnaires, and performed the exercise again. The study involved two familiar and two unfamiliar coaches. RESULTS: Coaches' pleasant expressions increased athletes' arousal/hedonic tone and positive affect, while coaches' unpleasant expressions heightened athletes' negative affect. Moreover, participants significantly performed better after receiving an unpleasant facial expression by the coach. Receiving pleasant/unpleasant feedback from a familiar or unfamiliar coach did not have a significant impact on team pre- and post-feedback performance. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that coaches' facial expressions impacted athletes' positive/negative affect, and that, under specific circumstances, receiving unpleasant feedback from the coach can improve team performance.

The relationship between mindfulness and athletes' mental skills may be explained by emotion regulation and self-regulation.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous psychological determinants of sports success have been identified in the scientific literature, research on the contribution of mindfulness and interoceptive awareness to sports achievements remains limited. This study investigates the relationship between self-reported mental skills determining sports success (i.e., flow state, attention, technique, sensitivity to error, commitment, and achievement), state mindfulness for physical activity (of the mind and the body), and interoceptive awareness (including scales of noticing, not distracting, not worrying, attention regulation, emotional awareness, self-regulation, body listening, and trusting). METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted on a sample of elite athletes in speed skating (n = 54) and university students of physical education (n = 102) representing various sports disciplines and competitive levels. The Sports Success Scale (SSS), the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity (SMS-PA), and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2) were used to assess psychological determinants of athletic achievements, state mindfulness, and interoceptive sensitivity, respectively. RESULTS: Our findings indicate some small-to-moderate differences in particular dimensions of psychological traits related to sports success, mindfulness, and interoceptive awareness between athletes of different genders, groups, and competitive levels. A chain mediation model showed that the relationship between body mindfulness and psychological variables determining sports success is fully explained by two dimensions of interoception: self-regulation and attention regulation. CONCLUSIONS: Cultivating the mindfulness state of the body can improve self-regulation and attention regulation, which in turn may increase the mental skills required for successful sports participation. Therefore, mental training should focus primarily on body mindfulness, attention regulation, and self-regulation to improve the mental skills responsible for athletes' sports achievements. In addition, individual differences in athletes' gender, sports discipline, and level of sports competition should be considered during mental training.

The meaning of adapted ice-skating for children and youths with disabilities.

PURPOSE: Children and youths with disabilities have low levels of physical activity and limited opportunities to participate in physical activity. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences and meaning of an adapted ice-skating approach with access to a tailored harness system as a physical activity for children and youths with disabilities in Sweden. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 guardians, 5 ice-skating trainers and 15 ice-skating children and youths with disabilities. The interviews were supplemented with participant observations of 23 children and youths with disabilities while ice-skating. RESULTS: Four categories emerged: "To grow as a person," "To arouse zest for life," "To train for life" and "To become part of society." Ice-skating was found to be a source of joy of movement, zest for life and longing, enabling children and youths with disabilities to explore and develop their abilities, social interactions, confidence, identity, and independence in a safe and joy-bringing context. CONCLUSION: The study highlights social and existential dimensions of an adapted ice-skating approach with access to a harness system tailored for children and youths with disabilities, that enables them to be included in ice-skating, regardless of disabilities, creating increased opportunities for physical activity and movement.

Adapted ice-skating, with access to ice-skating trainers, adapted facilities, and assistive devices, such as tailored harness systems, can create opportunities for children and youths with disabilities to increase their level of physical activity.Participation in adapted ice-skating seems to affect both physical, psychological, social, and existential dimensions for children and youths with disabilities, thus impacting their whole life.The knowledge contribution of this study can be a basis for investments in adapted and harness-supported ice-skating activities, which can improve the health and well-being of children and youths with disabilities.

Quantitative analysis of the dominant external factors influencing elite speed Skaters' performance using BP neural network.

Introduction: Speed skating, being a popular winter sport, imposes significant demands on elite skaters, necessitating their effective assessment and adaptation to diverse environmental factors to achieve optimal race performance. Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a thorough analysis of the predominant external factors influencing the performance of elite speed skaters. Methods: A total of 403 races, encompassing various race distances and spanning from the 2013 to the 2022 seasons, were examined for eight high-caliber speed skaters from the Chinese national team. We developed a comprehensive analytical framework utilizing an advanced back-propagation (BP) neural neural network model to assess three key factors on race performance: ice rink altitude, ice surface temperature, and race frequency. Results: Our research indicated that the performance of all skaters improves with higher rink altitudes, particularly in races of 1,000 m and beyond. The ice surface temperature can either enhance or impaire performance and varies in its influences based on skaters' technical characteristics, which had a perceptible or even important influence on races of 1,500 m and beyond, and a negligible influence in the 500 m and 1,000 m races. An increase in race frequency generally contributed to better performance. The influence was relatively minor in the 500 m race, important in the 3,000 m race, and varied among individuals in the 1,000 m and 1,500 m races. Conclusion: The study results offer crucial guidelines for speed skaters and coaches, aiding in the optimization of their training and competition strategies, ultimately leading to improved competitive performance levels.

A Large Ankle Mass in a Figure Skater: A Case Report.

A 19-year-old male competitive figure skater presented to clinic with a 3-year history of right ankle swelling. Exam demonstrated a ~6cm diameter mass over the medial malleolus. MRI revealed a well-circumscribed fluid-filled mass. After failing conservative management, the patient underwent surgical excision. Anatomic pathology revealed a pseudocyst with pseudosynovial metaplasia, consistent with malleolar bursitis. Competitive figure skaters can develop significant medial malleolar bursitis due to excessive shear forces from ill-fitting skates. If non-operative management is ineffective, patients can be managed successfully with surgical excision. The patient made a full recovery and has returned to competitive skating without recurrence.

Comprehensive analysis of performance, physiological, and perceptual responses during an entire sprint cross-country skiing competition.

PURPOSE: To investigate performance, physiological, and perceptual responses of an entire sprint cross-country skiing competition in the skating style. METHODS: Eighteen national-level male junior skiers participated in a simulated competition comprising an individual time trial (TT), followed by three heats (quarterfinals [QF], semifinals [SF], and final [F]). Participants' heart rate (HR) was continuously monitored while perceived readiness (RED, 1-10), rating of perceived exertion (RPE, 6-20), and blood lactate [La-] were assessed at standardized time points. RESULTS: The total duration and distance covered were 03:30 ± 00:06 h and 25.2 ± 2.9 km, respectively. The participants spent 02:19 ± 00:27 h > 60% of their maximal HR (HRmax) and 00:16 ± 00:04 h > 85% of HRmax. Average HR decreased from TT to F (89.3 ± 2.0% vs. 86.9 ± 3.0% of HRmax, P < 0.01). [La-] levels were highest before (4.6 ± 2.0 vs. 2.9 ± 1.2, 3.2 ± 2.0 and 2.5 ± 1.3 mmol·L-1, all P < 0.01) and after (10.8 ± 1.4 vs. 9.8 ± 1.6, 9.1 ± 1.8 and 8.7 ± 1.7 mmol·L-1, all P < 0.05) F compared to TT, QF, and SF, respectively. RED was lowest before F compared to TT, QF, and SF (6.6 ± 1.4 vs. 7.9 ± 1.1, 7.6 ± 1.1, and 7.4 ± 1.4, respectively, all P < 0.05) while RPE was highest after TT compared to QF, SF, and F (17.8 ± 0.9 vs. 15.1 ± 2.0, 16.5 ± 1.2 and 16.6 ± 1.8, respectively, all P < 0.01). The six best-performing skiers demonstrated higher RED before F (7.2 ± 0.9 vs. 5.3 ± 1.2, P < 0.05) and higher [La-] after F (11.2 ± 0.2 vs. 10.2 ± 0.3, mmol·L-1, P < 0.05) than lower-performing competitors. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insights into physiological demands of an entire sprint cross-country skiing competition, which involves repeated 3-min high-intensity efforts interspersed with > 2 h (25 km) of low- to moderate-intensity exercise.

Enhancing Short Track Speed Skating Performance through Improved DDQN Tactical Decision Model.

This paper studies the tactical decision-making model of short track speed skating based on deep reinforcement learning, so as to improve the competitive performance of corresponding short track speed skaters. Short track speed skating, a traditional discipline in the Winter Olympics since its establishment in 1988, has consistently garnered attention. As artificial intelligence continues to advance, the utilization of deep learning methods to enhance athletes' tactical decision-making capabilities has become increasingly prevalent. Traditional tactical decision techniques often rely on the experience and knowledge of coaches and video analysis methods that require a lot of time and effort. Consequently, this study proposes a scientific simulation environment for short track speed skating, that accurately simulates the physical attributes of the venue, the physiological fitness of the athletes, and the rules of the competition. The Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) model is enhanced and utilized, with improvements to the reward function and the distinct description of four tactics. This enables agents to learn optimal tactical decisions in various competitive states with a simulation environment. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach effectively enhances the competition performance and physiological fitness allocation of short track speed skaters.

The science and art of testing in ice hockey: a systematic review of twenty years of research.

Introduction: Ice hockey is a complex sport requiring multiple athletic and technical attributes. Considering the variety of tests developed, on-ice testing protocols have been created to measure the physiological and mechanical attributes associated with performance. To our knowledge, a lack of technical resources exists to help stakeholders opt for on-ice protocols from among those developed. It becomes crucial for researchers and practitioners to select relevant and context-specific procedures. This systematic review of the literature outlines an inventory of the on-ice tests that have been used in the domain of ice hockey research over the last twenty years, and summarize protocols mostly used in major athletic components. Methods: A search was performed on three databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Scopus) by following the PRISMA guidelines. Specific keywords were selected to find publications using on-ice testing protocols in the methodology. Four aspects of athletic attributes were used to categorize the protocols: aerobic capacity, acceleration-speed, agility-change of direction and ability to repeat skating sprints. Analyses were conducted regarding four categories of observations: population under study, on-ice reported test(s), outcomes measures and main findings. Results: A total of 107 articles were included, resulting in 55 on-ice tests related to the on-ice assessments of four major athletic components: aerobic capacity (n = 7), acceleration-speed (n = 6), agility and change of direction (n = 23) and repeated skating sprint ability (n = 19). Testing in male and older cohorts (≥16 years old) predominates, with a primary focus on the competitive amateur level. The selected tests were mainly designed for assessing on-ice physiological responses and fitness (n = 38), talent identification-team selection (n = 19), efficiency of interventions (n = 17) and validation purposes (n = 16). Conclusion: A prevalence of on-ice skating tests to assess the ability to repeat intense efforts, agility, acceleration and speed components exists, which are relevant and linked to match requirement. The wealth of on-ice tests used in the literature reflects the need to adapt the on-ice evaluation process to the population, constraints, and goals. This review is a valid toolbox and can benefit for researchers and practitioners interested in testing hockey players from different levels, with a variety of aims and needs, by helping them to select the relevant procedures to their environment and practice context.

In vivo vastus lateralis fascicle excursion during speed skating imitation.

Mechanical power is a key performance indicator in long track speed skating. Maximal power output in athletic performance can be achieved when mechanical properties of muscles, such as the force-length relationship, are optimized. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vivo operating range of vastus lateralis (VL) fascicle lengths during speed skating imitation and compare the fascicle lengths to those that define the VL force-length relationship. Sixteen sub-elite long track speed skaters (7 females and 9 males; body mass: 72.5 [11.5] kg; age: 22.1 [2.7] years) performed maximal voluntary isometric knee extensions at nine different knee joint positions (20-120°) on the left leg to obtain the maximal vastus lateralis (VL) force-length relationship. Participants then performed a speed skating imitation exercise, the turn-cable, at three progressive perceived efforts (50%, 75%, 100%) to identify the VL fascicle excursion during a complete imitation skating stroke. Fascicle lengths and knee joint angles were examined at initial-contact, peak EMG, and take-off. Fascicles between initial contact and peak EMG covered the descending limb of both the maximal and submaximal force-length relationships while operating over the plateau region from peak EMG to take-off. We conclude that the VL works at sub-optimal length during the gliding phase of skating, but at optimal length for maximal force production during the crucial push-off phase where propulsion is provided.

Investigation of the Mechanical Response of the Foot Structure Considering Push-Off Angles in Speed Skating.

The push-off angle is an important factor affecting speed-skating performance. However, quantitative evidence for the relationship between the push-off angle and foot injury is incomplete. This study aimed to establish a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) and investigate the mechanical responses of foot structures to stress and strain to explore the relationship between injury and movement. A 3D FEM was reconstructed using CT and 3D scan data and validated by comparing the FEM-predicted and in vivo measurement data in the balanced standing state. A push-off angle obtained from a video of a champion was loaded into the FEM. The error rates of validation were less than 10%. With a decrease in the push-off angle, the stress on the metatarsal increased; the stress on the talus, ankle joint cartilage and plantar fascia decreased, as did the strain on the ankle joint cartilage and plantar fascia. The FEM was considered reasonable. Not all foot structures had an increased risk of injury with a decrease in the push-off angle from 70° to 42°. The FEM established in this study provides a possibility for further determining and quantifying the relationship between foot injury and skating technique.

Orthopaedic Injury Patterns Related to Ice Skating, Inline Skating, and Roller Skating: A 20-Year Epidemiologic Analysis.

Background: Ice skating, inline skating, and roller skating are popular sports in the United States (US). Although they are similar, injuries incurred may be distinct and may have evolved over time. Purpose: To characterize injuries related to ice skating, inline skating, and roller skating and track injury patterns over a 20-year period. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: The current study utilized the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a database reporting consumer product-related injuries seen at emergency departments in the US. All ice skating, inline skating, and roller skating injuries between 2002 and 2021 were identified, and patient demographics, types of injury, and year of injury were compared between skating types. Results: A total of 1,656,746 skating-related injuries were estimated nationally: 24% (403,791) for ice skating, 24% (400,172) for inline skating, and 52% (852,783) for roller skating. While the incidence of ice-skating- and roller-skating-related injuries decreased by 34.4% (from 22,490 in 2002-2004 to 14,758 in 2019-2021) and 29.6% (from 42,452 in 2002-2004 to 31,980 in 2019-2021), respectively, injuries related to inline skating decreased comparatively more, by 75.8% over the study period (from 48,097 in 2002-2004 to 11,662 in 2019-2021). Injuries occurred predominantly to the head/face/neck for ice skating (n = 139,501; 34.5% of injuries), whereas injuries occurred predominantly in the shoulder/arm/elbow/wrist for inline skating (n = 212,088, 53.0% of injuries) and roller skating (n = 425,216, 49.9% of injuries). Fracture was the most common injury type for all 3 skating types (n = 614,853, 37.1% of injuries), and the majority of fractures occurred in the upper extremity (shoulder/arm/elbow/wrist) for all 3 skating types (n = 59,624, 60.0% [ice skating]; n = 69,197, 41.2% [inline skating], and n = 237,099, 68.2% [roller skating]). Lower extremity (leg/knee/ankle) fractures were more common among ice skating (n = 28,019, 28.2%) and roller skating (n = 82,094, 23.6%) injuries compared with inline skating (n = 21,391, 12.7%). Conclusion: In the current study, we found that fractures were the most common type of injury regardless of skating type but that the location of the injury/fracture varied by skating type.

Active recovery vs hot- or cold-water immersion for repeated sprint ability after a strenuous exercise training session in elite skaters.

This study compared the acute effects of three recovery methods: active recovery (AR), hot- and cold-water immersion (HWI and CWI, respectively), used between two training sessions in elite athletes. Twelve national-team skaters (7 males, 5 females) completed three trials according to a randomized cross-over study. Fifteen minutes after an exhaustive ice-skating training session, participants underwent 20 min of HWI (41.1 ± 0.5°C), 15 min of CWI (12.1 ± 0.7°C) or 15 min of active recovery (AR). After 1 h 30 min of the first exercise, they performed a repeated-sprint cycling session. Average power output was slightly but significantly higher for AR (767 ± 179 W) and HWI (766 ± 170 W) compared to CWI (738 ± 156 W) (p = 0.026, d = 0.18). No statistical difference was observed between the conditions for both lactatemia and rating of perceived exertion. Furthermore, no significant effect of recovery was observed on the fatigue index calculated from the repeated sprint cycling exercises (p > 0.05). Finally, a positive correlation was found between the average muscle temperature measured during the recoveries and the maximal power output obtained during cycling exercises. In conclusion, the use of CWI in between high-intensity training sessions could slightly impair the performance outcomes compared to AR and HWI. However, studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these results, especially in less trained athletes.

Anaerobic Speed Reserve and Performance Relationships Between International and World-Class Short-Track Speed Skating.

PURPOSE: Short-track speed skating race distances of 500, 1000, and 1500 m that last ∼40 seconds to ∼2.5 minutes and require a maximal intensity at speeds beyond maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Recently, the anaerobic speed reserve (ASR) has been applied by scientists and coaches in middle-distance sports to deepen understanding of 1- to 5-minute event performance where different physiological profiles (speed, hybrid, and endurance) can have success. METHODS: World-class (women, n = 2; men, n = 3) and international-level (women, n = 4; men, n = 5) short-track speed skaters completed maximal aerobic speed and maximal skating speed tests. ASR characteristics were compared between profiles and associated with on-ice performance. RESULTS: World-class athletes raced at a lower %ASR in the 1000- (3.1%; large; almost certainly) and 1500-m (1.8%; large; possibly) events than international athletes. Men's and women's speed profiles operated at a higher %ASR in the 500-m than hybrid and endurance profiles, whereas in the 1500-m, endurance profiles worked at a substantially lower %ASR than hybrid and speed profiles. Women's 500-m performance is very largely associated with maximal skating speed, while women's maximal aerobic speed appears to be a key determining factor in the 1000- and 1500-m performance. CONCLUSION: World-class short-track speed skaters can be developed in speed, hybrid, and endurance profiles but achieve their performance differently by leveraging their strongest characteristics. These results show nuanced differences between men's and women's 500-, 1000- and 1500-m event performance across ASR profile that unlock new insights for individualizing athlete performance in these disciplines.