Sports medicine https://medicalxpress.com/sports-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Sports medicine The smell of dark chocolate could make a leg workout easier, even on an empty stomach Could the smell of chocolate wafting through the gym make strength training easier, or at least more pleasant? A new Frontiers in Physiology study found that sniffing dark chocolate with a high cocoa content decreased feelings of hunger, desire and intention to eat, and left trainees feeling fuller. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-dark-chocolate-leg-workout-easier.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:01 EDT news702711172 Study finds NFL players 4 times more likely to die due to neurodegenerative disease A new study from Mass General Brigham, Boston University and the Concussion & CTE Foundation found that National Football League (NFL) players had higher rates of neurodegenerative disease-caused mortality than the general population. A cohort study of nearly 20,000 NFL players revealed that, while players had lower mortality on average compared with national rates, they were four times more likely to experience neurodegenerative mortality. Results are published in eClinicalMedicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-nfl-players-die-due-neurodegenerative.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:00:05 EDT news702704463 A new soccer concussion protocol could make one of the game's hardest calls much faster The World Cup has the globe glued to TV screens, watching 22 soccer players work their magic on the field. Every so often, one of them takes a hard hit to the head from the ball or another player's head, and they often continue playing because there is no onsite way to check for a concussion and they need to get off the field. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-soccer-concussion-protocol-game-hardest.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:40:03 EDT news702627944 Men should speed up slower to avoid 'hitting the wall' in marathons, new research suggests Male runners may be twice as likely as female runners to suddenly slow down—known as "hitting the wall"—during a marathon, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. The authors suggest that men may be able to reduce this risk by starting races more slowly and speeding up throughout the race. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-men-slower-wall-marathons.html Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:40:04 EDT news702221101 One-size-fits-all smart mouthguard data may overlook serious rugby head injuries New University of Otago–Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka research shows that head injury data collected from smart mouthguards is run through a model that does not account for people of different sexes, ages and sizes. Taking a one-size-fits-all approach to analyzing data from smart mouthguards may mean serious injuries are missed, the study shows. The findings are published in the Journal of Biomechanics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-size-smart-mouthguard-overlook-rugby.html Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:00:12 EDT news701970061 Documented concussions in NFL players linked to higher odds of arrest Football is a lab for studying the many dimensions of head injury. From defensive backs running at the pace of a sprinter downhill into a 220-pound muscular running back at full speed, to 400-plus-pound linemen knocking heads nearly every play, the NFL is a breeding ground for concussive and subconcussive head injury exposure. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-documented-concussions-nfl-players-linked.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:20:01 EDT news701337365 Scientists uncover how physical activity may help protect older adults against cancer Duke-NUS scientists have discovered that aging muscle may contribute to cancer growth by releasing fewer extracellular vesicles, tiny particles that cells use to communicate with one another. Their study also found that the composition of these particles changes with age, weakening protective signals that help suppress tumor development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-scientists-uncover-physical-older-adults.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:40:01 EDT news700897741