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Sports medicine news

The enhanced games, or 'steroid Olympics', are on—they pose risks for athletes and viewers

The inaugural Enhanced Games are underway in Las Vegas and are set to be a unique spectacle that promotes drug-induced "enhancement." The International Olympic Committee has condemned the event as a way to "destroy any concept ...

Working up a sweat: How sweat patterns change as girls get older

Researchers have worked out how girls' sweating patterns change as they grow, establishing that the age of 14 is a critical turning point. Their findings can inform better sportswear designs for teenagers, and be used to ...

Heat tolerance tests fail to account for sex differences

A new study by researchers in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) has demonstrated that a standard heat tolerance test does not work equally well to measure tolerance in males and females. This ...

Teen attitudes to exercise shape fitness years later

Teenagers who see exercise as fun, social and good for their health are significantly fitter by late adolescence than those driven by competition, pressure or fear of judgment, new research led by Flinders University shows. ...

The yips: When 'choking' in sport can go next level

Legendary 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus once stated golf was "90% mental and 10% physical." That's because, unlike most other ball sports, a golfer spends most of the time thinking about their game instead of actually ...

Air pollution is hurting athletic performance and health

As worsening air quality and wildfire events increasingly impact communities worldwide, a study recognized by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a 2025 Paper of the Year is drawing attention to a growing but ...

Energy gels: Here's what runners need to know

Sebastian Sawe ripped open a carbohydrate gel sachet and slurped it five minutes before the start of the 2026 London Marathon. Sixty minutes later, he inhaled another one before smashing through the two-hour marathon barrier.

New ACL surgery approach helps most patients return to activity

New research from orthopedic specialists at Marshall Health Network and the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine demonstrates promising outcomes for patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction ...

Tricking the brain to make exercise feel easier

Why do some people find a short jog exhausting, while others seem to run effortlessly? Of course, part of the answer lies in training and muscle strength. But the brain also plays a role, particularly in how we perceive effort.

Pro fighters risk damage to the brain's 'garbage disposal'

The brain's waste-clearing system significantly declines in function with repeated head impacts, according to a new study of cognitively impaired professional boxers and mixed martial arts fighters. The findings are being ...

3D map sheds light on why tendons are prone to injury

Scientists at the University of Portsmouth have created the first detailed 3D map of how a crucial piece of connective tissue in our bodies responds to the stresses of movement and exercise. This tissue, called calcified ...

Q&A: How sports-related concussions affect reaction times

When playing sports, it's important to remember: Brains don't have seat belts. When rapid acceleration or deceleration of the brain inside the skull occurs with a blow to the head, a concussion happens, which in some cases ...