https://medicalxpress.com/sports-medicine-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Sports medicine It is easy to assume that harder training always produces better results. In resistance training, which includes lifting weights or using resistance machines, taking every set to the point where you cannot complete another repetition may create more fatigue without producing better results. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-stronger-limit.html Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:40:07 EDT news704966882 From yoga studios to boutique gyms, workouts performed beneath infrared heating panels have become a visible fitness trend. Studios often claim that infrared heat improves circulation, flexibility and recovery, reduces inflammation and helps the body to "detoxify." https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-infrared-workouts-expert.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:00:03 EDT news704619722 Researchers from the Universities of Hildesheim, Bonn and Freiburg have uncovered how human skeletal muscle responds to resistance exercise at the molecular level. Their findings provide new insights that could help optimize training programs for athletes, improve rehabilitation strategies and counteract age-related muscle loss. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-resistance-muscle-machinery.html Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:00:06 EDT news704463602 An international team of researchers led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and the University of Bonn—with participation from the Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB), FC Barcelona's medical department and the company Made of Genes—has developed a computer-based approach that improves injury prediction in elite women's soccer. The study, published in npj Digital Medicine, combines artificial intelligence, survival analysis, statistical calibration and decision theory to transform risk prediction into a useful tool for clinical and sports practice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-cumulative-fatigue-emerges-predictor-women.html Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:00:02 EDT news704463201 There is now widespread evidence that years of heading, tackling and collisions in football and rugby could increase the risk of dementia and other neurological diseases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-sport-dementia.html Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:20:05 EDT news704365021 For parents around the world, weekend mornings often look the same: standing on the sidelines of a soccer field, basketball court or American football field. In Australia's southern states, it's often an Australian rules football oval. But a few weeks ago, tragedy struck when footballer Nathan Fitzgerald died after sustaining three blows to the head during a game. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-lowtech-brain-injuries-sport.html Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:04 EDT news704101681 Skeletal muscle is one of the first tissues to decline with age. This decline can lead to weakness, scarring, fat accumulation inside muscle and the loss of fast-twitch muscle fibers that are important for quick, powerful movements. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-scientists-compound-muscles-stay-strong.html Fri, 24 Jul 2026 05:00:03 EDT news704015821 As the Commonwealth Games approach, athletes chasing every extra edge on the track, court or in the pool might not find it in training, but on their dinner plates. In a study published in Sports Medicine—Open, University of Wollongong (UOW) researchers analyzed the diets and omega-3 blood levels of professional athletes, finding that almost three-quarters could benefit from increasing their intake of these healthy fats. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-omega-intake-boost-recovery-term.html Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:09 EDT news704016482 Infrared saunas are increasingly marketed as a post-exercise recovery tool that can reduce pain and fatigue, but the scientific evidence supporting these claims remains limited and conflicting. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-infrared-saunas-workout-recovery-evidence.html Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:20:01 EDT news703943390 Australian research has shown for the first time that a swimming program can be clinically effective at reducing disability caused by chronic low back pain. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the EduSwim clinical trial found that an eight-week individualized program of swimming and education, guided by a physiotherapist, improved function and reduced pain significantly more than education alone in people with back pain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-trial-disability-chronic-pain.html Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:10:01 EDT news703841341 Collagen is a protein found in skin, hair, nails, tendons, cartilage and bones. Our bodies naturally produce collagen using the foods we eat. But in recent years, collagen peptides have gained popularity as a supplement to support joint, hair, skin and gut health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-collagen-peptides-bone-health-female.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:20:01 EDT news703755662 A study by researchers at Kent has revealed that the narcotic analgesic tapentadol has performance-enhancing effects on cyclists, making this drug a candidate for addition to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list of prohibited substances in sport. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-sports-scientists-effect-tapentadol.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:20:03 EDT news703420155 Women should ignore most of the exercise advice they see on social media, University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka researchers say. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-debunks-women-advice.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:20:01 EDT news703338642 An interception can last less than a second. A defender reads a pass, steps into its path and reaches the ball before its intended recipient. Yet that brief movement requires the brain to judge speed, distance and direction while the body accelerates, changes course and maintains balance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-fatigue-world-cup-interceptions.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:00:09 EDT news703244282 The ripple of the net after a Jude Bellingham strike is no longer the only ripple attracting attention. During England's World Cup campaign, the midfielder's prominent thigh veins have become an internet talking point. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-jude-bellingham-leg-veins-scoring.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:40:06 EDT news703239661 World Cup fever has America in its grip as the international soccer tournament grinds steadily toward the final. But a new study highlights a darker side to the sport: the toll soccer can take on the brains of professional players. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-pro-soccer-players-brains.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:40:01 EDT news703143831 New research from the University of Mississippi indicates that athletes with ADHD need even more scrutiny when head injuries are involved. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-athletes-adhd-higher-concussion-longer.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:40:01 EDT news703166930 Evidence that beetroot juice can improve athletic performance has long been inconsistent. While some studies reported benefits, others found little or no effect. Now, a new study combining results from 33 studies provides the clearest evidence yet that it can enhance exercise performance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-beetroot-juice-boost-sports-latest.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:00:09 EDT news703165262 Soccer players who are pregnant or have recently given birth can kick off the season with more confidence, using a new FIFA tool developed in collaboration with a University of Alberta researcher. Two decision aids, one for playing during pregnancy and one for returning to the game postpartum, have been launched by FIFA, an international governing body for the sport. Both are published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-moms-game-fifa-pregnant-partum.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:20:01 EDT news703156107 Skeletal muscles—responsible for movement, joint stabilization and postural support—are highly metabolically active and heavily reliant on oxygen during physical activity. However, conditions such as high-intensity exercise or sustained exertion frequently expose skeletal muscles to reduced oxygen availability, which can compromise muscle homeostasis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-mouse-uncovers-transcription-factors-hif1.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:20:04 EDT news703143850 The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has published a new call to action statement urging the sports medicine community to intentionally incorporate social determinants of health (SDoH) into research, clinical care, and administrative and organizational decision-making to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-greater-focus-social-factors-health.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:20:01 EDT news702823721 A football player standing over a penalty in a hot, high-altitude stadium is dealing with more than pressure. His body is trying to keep cool. His heart and breathing may be working harder. Less oxygen is reaching his muscles. One poor decision can end his team's World Cup. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-world-cup-football-fatigue-extreme.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:00:01 EDT news702820981 A feature News and Perspectives story on AI fitness advice has been published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.. In "Should AI Be Your Personal Trainer?", JMIR Correspondent Anna Zucker covers the growing use of AI chatbots for personal fitness programs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-ai-based-personal.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:40:05 EDT news702814716 When former All Black Sonny Bill Williams spoke from hospital before his recent neck surgery, his message was not simply about pain. It was a warning to young athletes and their parents about the physical price that can come with a professional sporting career. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-elite-athletes-health-impacts.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:20:06 EDT news702810721 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 A targeted training program can help young female soccer players avoid torn knees and other injuries, a new study says. Girls who play soccer have a higher risk of leg and ankle injuries than boys, due to differences in strength and balance, researchers said in background notes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-ward-injuries-soccer-girls.html Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:00:10 EDT news702724340 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 In 1981, a researcher at Mount Sinai School of Medicine named William Fitzgerald noticed something strange—his blood pressure was lower after going for a jog. This anecdotal observation launched a robust investigation into this phenomenon, which would later be identified as post-exercise hypotension (PEH). One of the leaders in this field is College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) researcher and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of kinesiology Linda Pescatello. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-story-hypotension.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:20:06 EDT news702645661 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 Many people in the U.K. now use apps, smartwatches or wearable devices to track their physical activity. Fitness trackers promise to help users become fitter, happier and healthier versions of themselves. For many people, they can be useful: a nudge to move more, a way to notice patterns, or a reminder that activity does not have to happen in a gym. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-hidden-pitfalls-tracking.html Sat, 04 Jul 2026 13:00:07 EDT news702210033