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The purpose of this study was (a) to investigate gender differences in mental health among Danish youth soccer players, (b) to discover the mental health profiles of the players, and (c) to explore how career progression and mental health are related. A total of 239 Danish youth elite soccer players (M = 16.85, SD = 1.09) completed an online questionnaire assessing mental well-being, depression, anxiety, along with other background variables. Female players scored significantly lower on mental well-being and had four times higher odds of expressing symptoms of anxiety and depression than males. Athletes’ mental health profiles showed that most athletes experience low depression while having moderate mental well-being. Depression, anxiety, and stress scores generally increased when progressing in age, indicating that the junior–senior transition poses distinct challenges to players’ mental health, especially for female players. Different strategies to foster players’ mental health depending on their mental health profiles are proposed.

This study aimed to test a model that hypothesized that the compassionate coach, as perceived by the athletes, has an impact on athlete-related social safeness and psychological health, through shame and self-criticism. The sample comprised 270 Portuguese adult athletes, who practiced different competitive sports. The path analysis results confirmed the adequacy of the proposed model, which explained 45% of the psychological health’s variance. Results demonstrated that athletes who perceive their coaches as more compassionate tend to present higher levels of social safeness (feelings of belonging to the team) and of psychological health, through lower levels of shame and self-criticism. These novel findings suggest the importance of the adoption of supportive, warm, safe, and compassionate attitudes from coaches in athletes’ mental health. This study also offers important insights by suggesting that feelings of acceptance and connectedness in team relationships may be at the root of athletes’ emotional processes and well-being.

Focused Clinical Question: Does cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reduce concussion symptoms among children and adolescents following mild traumatic brain injury? Clinical Bottom Line: Based on the results of this critically appraised topic, there is moderate evidence to support the use of CBT as a treatment intervention to reduce complaints of persistent concussion symptoms in children and adolescents.

The aim of this study was to find the effect of holographic sight (HS) on short-distance shooting accuracy and precision during static and high-intensity dynamic actions. Twenty policemen (31 ± 2.2 years, 85.6 ± 6.1 kg, and 181.9 ± 4.4 cm) performed five shots in the 10-s limit under the static condition for 20 m and dynamic condition 15–5 m, and after 4 × 10 m sprint action, both with fixed sight (FS) and HS. The analysis of variance post hoc test revealed that HS_static had higher shouting accuracy than FS_static, FS_dynamic, and HS_dynamic (p = .03, p = .0001, and p = .0001, respectively) and FS_dynamic had lower precision than FS_static, HS_static, and HS_dynamic (p = .0003, p = .0001, and p = .01, respectively) in vertical sway. The HS for rifles has improved the accuracy of static shooting and vertical sway precision of dynamic shooting.

The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a reliable, responsive, and clinically relevant functional assessment of lower limbs’ dynamic postural control. However, great disparity exists regarding its methodology and the reported outcomes. Large and specific databases from various population (sport, age, and gender) are needed to help clinicians when interpreting SEBT performances in daily practice. Several contributors to SEBT performances in each direction were recently highlighted. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to (a) provide an updated review of the design, implementation, and interpretation of the SEBT and (b) propose guidelines to standardize SEBT procedures for better comparisons across studies.

This article focuses on two popular sports that can put male athletes at risk of developing an eating disorder: bodybuilding and running. Bodybuilders concentrate on gaining muscle mass and runners on leaning body mass. Based on the trans-contextual model of motivation, this study aimed to better understand the psychological mechanisms underlying eating disorders in these athletes. In all, 272 male bodybuilders and 217 male runners completed measures of sport motivation, theory of planned behavior variables (i.e., attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention to gain muscle mass/lean body mass), and eating disorders (dieting, control, and bulimia behaviors). The results revealed satisfactory fit indices for both samples. Autonomous and controlled motivations for sport were positively directly and indirectly related to eating disorders in these athletes. This motivational mechanism needs more in-depth investigation, and motivational profiles might help distinguish athletes with and without eating disorders.

Context: Exercise can cause fluctuations in blood glucose control in type 1 diabetics. For athletes with type 1 diabetes, maintenance of blood glucose within an ideal range may be difficult. Objective: To determine, in individuals with type 1 diabetes, the effectiveness of the closed loop control system versus the open loop control system in keeping blood glucose levels in the ideal range with exercise. Data Sources: A search of PubMed was conducted in June of 2020 using the Boolean phrases: (closed loop control system OR artificial pancreas) AND type 1 diabetes AND exercise AND ideal range AND adolescents, artificial pancreas AND glucose prediction AND exercise. Study Selection : Titles were reviewed for relevance, the abstract was then assessed for applicability, and finally the full text was examined. Articles were included that examined the percent of time in the ideal blood glucose range when exercise occurred during that day. Articles were excluded that didn’t compare the closed loop and open loop control systems and articles that did not involve exercise. Data Extraction : The PEDro scale was used to determine the methodological quality of the included studies. The measure addressed was the percent of time in the ideal blood glucose range of 70-180 mg/dL. 95% Confidence Intervals and Cohen’s D were calculated for each article. Data Synthesis : The search yielded 268 articles and 3 were selected for inclusion. The two randomized controlled trials scored 9/10 on the PEDro scale and the randomized two-arm crossover clinical trial scored 9/10 on the PEDro scale. Percent time spent in the ideal blood glucose range when exercise was performed was significantly higher in the closed loop group versus the open loop group in each of the three studies. In one randomized control trial, mean time in the ideal range was 71.3% (SD = 17.6, 95% CI = 62.5, 80.10) in the closed loop group versus 64.7% (SD = 13.3, 95% CI = 58.1–71.4) in the open loop group. Cohen’s D was 0.4. In the second randomized control trial, mean time in the ideal range was 73.5% (SD = 8.4, 95% CI = 70.1, 76.9) for the closed loop group versus 50% (SD = 26.8, 95% CI = 39.1, 60.9). Cohen’s D was 1.2. The two-arm crossover clinical trial resulted in a mean time in target range of 84.1% (SD = 11.5, 95% CI = 79.0, 89.2) in the closed loop group versus 68.7% (SD = 13.9, 95% CI = 62.5, 74.9) in the open loop group. Cohen’s D was 1.2. Conclusions : For adolescents with type 1 diabetes who exercise, the closed loop control system maintains blood glucose levels in the ideal range for a longer percent of time versus an open loop system. Each patient should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with his/her healthcare team. Future research should examine the closed loop control system on specific energy systems.

Clinical Scenario: Ulnar collateral ligament injuries are common in baseball pitchers, with excessive elbow varus torque linked to medial elbow injuries. Trunk tilt, or motion in the frontal plane, could be an identifiable and modifiable factor in medial elbow loading. Clinical Question: In high school through professional baseball pitchers, how does increased contralateral trunk tilt compared with no/limited contralateral trunk tilt influence elbow varus torque? Summary of Key Findings: Four studies were included: all were labeled as “controlled” or “descriptive laboratory studies,” representing cross-sectional observational analytic design. One study compared biomechanics of professional pitchers with and without ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Two studies measured biomechanics in college pitchers, one of which also included simulations of joint angles. The fourth study measured biomechanics of high school pitchers. All studies measured trunk tilt and its relationship to elbow varus torque, with 3 of the studies linking increased contralateral trunk tilt with increased elbow varus torque. Clinical Bottom Line: Moderate evidence indicated as contralateral trunk tilt increased, so did elbow varus torque, indicating trunk tilt may be a modifiable factor to decrease medial elbow loading during pitching. Strength of Recommendation: Majority consistent findings from the level 3 cross-sectional observational analytic designs suggest grade B evidence in support of trunk tilt as a factor in increasing elbow varus torque.

Clinical Scenario: Dynamic knee valgus (DKV) is a mechanical alteration in the knee that leads to increased risk of injury. Weakness of hip musculature in hip abduction (HABD), extension (HEXT), and external rotation (HER) may contribute to increased DKV in single-leg landing tasks. Focused Clinical Question: Is decreased hip strength associated with an increase in DKV during a single-leg landing task in collegiate female athletes? Summary of Key Findings: Three studies were included: One randomized control trial (RCT), one cohort study, and one case-control. All three studies found that decreases in HABD and HER strength contributed to increased DKV during single-leg landing tasks. One study also found that the hip extensors contribute to controlling hip adduction, a common factor in many mechanisms of injuries. These three studies recommended strengthening HABD, HEXT, and HER to decrease DKV and reduce the risk of injury at the knee. Clinical Bottom Line: Weak HABD, HEXT, and HER contribute to increased DKV in college female athletes, but strengthening HABD, HEXT, and HER can lead to decreases in DKV and, overall, reduce the risk of injury at the knee. Strength of Recommendation: These articles were graded with a level of evidence of III or higher, giving a grade of B strength of recommendation that weak HABD, HEXT, and HER are associated with increased DKV in collegiate female athletes.