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Context: Ladies Gaelic Football (LGF) is the fastest growing female sport in Europe and camogie is among the most popular female team sports in Ireland. Intercounty is considered the elite level, with high physical and technical demands that inevitably involve a risk of injury. At the elite level, an injury incidence as high or higher as professional sports such as rugby and soccer has been reported. Inadequate injury surveillance (IS) can be a barrier to effective injury prevention. This study aimed to (i) explore perspectives on IS and (ii) examine perceived barriers and facilitators to injury reporting of elite LGF and camogie players. Design: Qualitative descriptive study. Methods: Six focus groups were conducted with elite LGF (n = 11) and camogie (n = 10) players representing a range of divisions and intercounty panels. Participants outlined their understanding of IS and described IS practices within their teams. Participants completed a written task, noting and discussing perceived barriers and facilitators to injury reporting. Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Participants’ report of current IS practices for their team echoed closely their interpretation of IS, as the reporting of injury to health care professionals (HCPs) and broader team personnel. Injury reporting was influenced by factors related to the player, the organization, and the environment including player mindset, access to HCPs and club culture. Conclusion: Enhanced and consistent access to appropriate HCPs is deemed key to monitoring and managing injuries. HCPs are central to fostering a culture of openness and trust, critical to facilitate the timely reporting and management of injuries in elite LGF and camogie. The influence of HCPs is powerful in players’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to reporting and future work should capture their thoughts.

This study investigated how jogai frequency influences referee decisions and match outcomes in judo athletes with visual impairment during official competitions. Video analysis of 268 matches revealed 1,395 instances of jogai, with 211 matches experiencing jogai and 57 without. Associations were carried out between jogai occurrences and match duration, sport classes, sexes, weight categories, and referee decisions post-jogai using chi-square tests (p < .05). Significant associations were found between jogai and match duration (χ² = 39.08, p < .001) and competition phase (χ² = 29.43, p = .043), particularly with frequent match stoppages (mate) within the first minute across all phases. These findings suggest a need for further research and potential adjustments in judo rules, informed by the new evidence-based classification, to enhance the equity and safety of matches for athletes with visual impairments.

Focused Clinical Question: Are platelet-rich plasma injections more effective than dry needling in improving reported symptoms and functioning in adults suffering from patellar tendonitis? Clinical Bottom Line: Platelet-rich plasma may be valuable for some patients who would benefit from a short-term relief of pain associated with patellar tendinopathy, but it likely has no long-term clinical benefits. The level of evidence is 1C and the grade of evidence is A.

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the world of sports due to the imposed quarantine and the postponement of regional, national, and international sporting events, which affected physical, socioeconomic, and psychological aspects of athletes. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate changes in the mood state profile of Brazilian Para athletes at 2 different time points during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically during their qualification for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Design: This study used a longitudinal study design. Methods: The study included 83 Brazilian Para athletes from 14 sports, with a mean age of 34.64 (9.27) years, who were evaluated at 2 moments (March 2020 and April 2021) during the qualification period for the “Road to Tokyo Paralympic Games.” The online survey included questions about disability, sport, and experience; the 24-item Brunel Mood Scale questionnaire; and a question about the athlete’s perception of whether or not they had a chance of qualifying for the Tokyo Paralympics in April 2021. Results: Para athletes had significantly higher vigor scores in 2021 than in 2020, with a medium effect size (z = −3.454, P < .001). In addition, Para athletes who perceived themselves as nonqualified for the Tokyo 2021 Paralympics Games had higher scores for depression (U = 409,000, z = −2397, P = .017) and tension (U = 425,000, z = −2194, P = .017) in 2021 when compared with those who perceived that they had qualified. There were no differences between men and women. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly negatively impacted the mood of Brazilian Para athletes, especially those who perceived themselves as nonqualified for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Para athletes in team sports exhibited higher potential symptoms of depression compared with those in individual sports.

Jones fracture is a common injury in soccer players, caused by overload on the fifth metatarsal (M5) that can occur during crossover cutting. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the hip internal rotation (HIR) range in passive and dynamic conditions and foot progression angle (FPA) on the forces applied to the M5 during crossover cutting. The study included 20 men with experience playing soccer. The passive HIR was measured in the prone position. A 3-dimensional motion analysis system, force plates, and Footscan were used to measure the angle of the lower limb, including dynamic HIR, FPA, and plantar pressure to the M5, during crossover cutting in the 45° direction. Pearson correlation coefficient was measured to examine the relationship between variables. Passive and dynamic HIR were not related to the plantar pressure on the M5 (P > .05). However, increased FPA in movement direction correlated with a reduction in plantar pressure on the M5 (r = −.56, P < .01). Minimizing the FPA with respect to the new direction during crossover cutting reduced plantar pressure on the M5 and thus could prevent Jones fracture.