Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a potential ergogenic method for enhancing endurance exercise performance. However, its effects across different running distances under field conditions remain unclear. This study evaluated the effects of tDCS on 5000 m and 10,000 m running performance. In all, 16 trained recreational runners participated in four experimental trials in a counterbalanced crossover design: anodal tDCS and sham conditions. Stimulation was applied over the bilateral motor cortices for 20 min at 2 mA. Immediately after stimulation, participants completed a running time trial. Overall completion time and kilometer splits were recorded. Heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured. The repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no significant condition × distance interaction (p = 0.852) and no significant main effect of condition (p = 0.069), indicating that anodal tDCS did not significantly affect endurance running performance or that its effects differed between the 5000 m and 10,000 m trials. During the 5000 m trial, condition effects were observed for running speed and heart rate (p < 0.05), whereas no significant condition effects were observed during the 10,000 m trial. Rating of perceived exertion did not differ between conditions (p > 0.05). The present study did not demonstrate a significant effect of anodal tDCS on 5000 m and 10,000 m running performance. Future studies should further investigate the effects of anodal tDCS across different endurance exercise protocols and populations.
Hybrid fitness races have gained global relevance, with Hyrox© (Hamburg, Germany) emerging as one of the fastest growing. Hyrox© is a standardized indoor competition that combines running with high-intensity exercises. Despite its global expansion, the physiological demands remain poorly described. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the metabolic, ventilatory, and cardiovascular responses during a simulated Hyrox© competition. In all, 29 athletes completed an incremental treadmill test and a simulated Hyrox© race. Heart rate (HR), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), minute ventilation (VE), and respiratory frequency (Rf) were measured throughout a simulated race, and a cardiorespiratory strain index (CRI) was calculated based on the metrics mentioned above. Running speed decreased progressively from kilometer 1–5 in both sexes (men: 13.2 to 11.3 km/h; women: 11.9 to 10.3 km/h). RER frequently exceeded 1.00 after high-intensity workouts, whereas running sections elicited lower RER ( 0.92–1.00). VE was markedly higher after workouts (men: > 100 L/min; women: > 60 L/min) versus running. HR exceeded 90
The main purpose was to identify clusters of adolescents with overweight or obesity characterized by the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, exercise-related barriers, and social support by family members and friends. This served the overarching goal of informing hypotheses for tailored research approaches in physical activity promotion considering a stronger focus on physical activity enjoyment. Cross-sectional baseline data from 125 adolescents with overweight or obesity aged 12–17 years participating in the STARKIDS study were analyzed. A hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out, and the resulting number of clusters was optimized using the K‑means method. Subsequently, differences between individual cluster membership regarding physical activity enjoyment and physical activity levels were analyzed to further describe the identified subgroups. Four psychosocial clusters were identified as (1) overall supportive, (2) overall hindering, (3) individually supportive, and (4) socially supportive. The clusters differ significantly in terms of physical activity enjoyment (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.370) and physical activity behavior (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.145), with the highest values of enjoyment in clusters (1) and (3). The present results indicate promising opportunities for future research on promoting physical activity enjoyment considering adolescents’ individual and social resources.
Across myriad sport and physical education contexts, the celebratory rhetoric of diversity, inclusion, and integration is performed, yet systemic inequities remain obscured and largely unchallenged. Informed by lived and scholarly engagements with marginalisation, this analysis forgoes rendering critique palatable to those in positions of power and privilege; rather, it seeks to illuminate inequitable systemic conditions and thereby open them to interrogation. In the German context, Gleichheit and Gleichstellung, while politically significant, fall short of addressing historically produced asymmetries of privilege and power. Without critical interrogation of power, privilege, whiteness, and colonial epistemic assumptions, tertiary sport science education continues to prepare graduates to reproduce the very inequities which Gleichheit and Gleichstellung are intended to redress. The analysis positions tertiary sport science education as a critical site of intervention, advancing an integrated CSP3 framework grounded in critical race theory, intersectionality, cultural humility, and third-wave positive psychology. This framework conceptualises equity as a precondition for sustainable wellbeing, belonging, and professional responsibility. By linking epistemic justice, pedagogical transformation, and structurally situated wellbeing, the analysis outlines a pathway for decolonising tertiary sport science education. This pathway requires epistemic plurality, incorporating knowledge systems and practices from marginalised communities whilst fostering critical awareness of—and resistance to—Eurocentric monopolies on what constitutes legitimate sport science insight and practice. It requires curricula which compel future practitioners to identify, analyse, and disrupt the power dynamics their coaching, consulting, teaching, and research practices will otherwise reproduce. It requires embedding such measures so equitable initiatives become reality rather than remain aspirational rhetoric.
Rock climbing encompasses a wide range of activities varying in movement, ascent style, safety requirements, and environmental context. In light of the sport’s evolution, a contemporary challenge in this research field pertains to the inconsistent use and conceptual ambiguity of climbing-related terminology. This multi-study investigation aimed to establish a consensus framework to standardize terminology for future rock climbing research. In Study 1, a scoping literature review was conducted in April 2025. All scientific publications identified (378 publications) were systematically reviewed to assess the prevalence of title terms, historical evolution of terminology, cross-linguistic influences, definitions, and contextual frameworks of climbing-related terms. Study 2 engaged leading experts in the field via an online survey and a workshop to develop standardized definitions and a shared conceptual framework for climbing terminology. Study 1 found substantial diversity and conceptual ambiguity in climbing terminology, with rock climbing being the most prevalent term, followed by sport climbing and bouldering. Terminological and contextual inconsistencies were evident, as multiple terms were used to describe the same climbing context, while identical terms referred to different activities. Study 2 achieved consensus on terminology and a structural model, conceptualizing rock climbing as an umbrella term encompassing various disciplines, ascent styles, and performance types. Recommendations were provided regarding titles, keywords, regulatory contexts, and environment settings. The terminological consensus and associated recommendations provide a foundation for a common language in the field and a shared understanding among researchers.
Diverse Berichte zu sexualisierter Gewalt im Sport haben aufgezeigt, wie tief strukturelle Defizite in der Prävention sexualisierter Gewalt verankert sind. Frühere Studien dokumentieren alarmierende Prävalenzraten und unzureichende Schutzmaßnahmen. Die vorliegende Dokumentenanalyse evaluiert daher bei 300 randomisiert ausgewählten Sportvereinen mit Turnabteilung aus Baden-Württemberg die institutionelle Verankerung und Implementierung präventiver Maßnahmen anhand von Vereinssatzungen und Vereinswebseiten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen erhebliche Lücken in der öffentlich bekannt gemachten institutionellen Verankerung sowie Kommunikation von Präventionsmaßnahmen gegen sexualisierte Gewalt in Sportvereinen mit turnerischen Angeboten in Baden-Württemberg.
Digital media offer innovative opportunities to support health-related content and optimize learning processes in physical education (PE), yet their pedagogical integration in PE remains underexplored. This qualitative study aims to explore how secondary school students experience, evaluate, and accept the use of digital media for health promotion and the development of health literacy in PE. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, Bagozzi, Warshaw, 1989) and Nutbeam’s Health Literacy Model (Nutbeam, 2000), 15 semi-structured interviews with secondary school students were conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis with MAXQDA. Key factors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, external factors, attitudes towards use, and behavioural intentions were identified. The findings indicate that students reported perceived benefits of digital media, including digital formats (e.g. videos) and digital tools (e.g. tracking tools, tablets, and apps), compared to non-digital PE practices, particularly regarding individualised learning and motivational support. At the same time, barriers such as inadequate technical infrastructure, limited digital competencies among teachers, and structural constraints were also noted. The findings suggest that students’ acceptance of digital media in PE depends less on the mere presence of digital tools than on their perceived pedagogical value. Digital media were accepted when they supported individualisation, feedback, reflection, and health-related understanding without reducing movement time. The study extends TAM to health-promoting PE by showing that perceived usefulness and ease of use are closely linked to subject-specific conditions, particularly meaningful integration, privacy, and the preservation of PE as a movement-based subject.
Due to their hormonal cycle, female athletes face multidimensional concerns such as worries about health, fear of leakage, and managing cycle symptoms. This study presents the development and validation of an assessment tool designed to address the multidimensional cycle experience of (semi-)elite female athletes. The assessment tool was developed and validated using a sequential mixed methods design. The first version of the assessment tool was developed by analyzing 309 semi-structured interviews with 219 athletes and was refined by an expert team. After pre-testing in 11 female athletes, the assessment tool was shortened based on statistical and contextual considerations. Factor structure was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis in a first sample of 134 postmenarchal female athletes and confirmed in an independent second sample of 82 postmenarchal female athletes. Test–retest reliability was assessed in a subsample of 30 athletes. The assessment tool development and validation process included both statistical criteria and contextual athlete feedback to ensure both quality and relevance in the applied setting. The final assessment tool comprises three sections: Female Cycle Health, Distress Resulting from Bleeding and Symptoms, and Female Cycle in Sport Context. Factor analyses supported interpretable structures with acceptable internal consistency across multi-item subscales. The assessment tool captures multidimensional, athlete-centered aspects of the female hormonal cycle in elite sport. This tool enables identification of individual needs and supports the implementation of tailored support strategies. Using a validated tool facilitates the collection of relevant information in the sport context and enhances comparability across studies.
As physical inactivity represents a major societal problem, it is essential to understand which factors favor health-enhancing physical activity (PA). One component that underlies motivational processes, but also influences behavior directly, is outcome expectations. As there are hardly any instruments available to assess PA-related expectations in younger adults, the aim of this work was to develop a questionnaire to measure such expectations. A questionnaire was developed over three studies: In the first study, a raw questionnaire with 100 items derived from literature analysis was generated, then reduced, and its factor structure was determined. In the second study, internal consistencies, goodness of fit, and construct validity were examined. In the third study, the test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was analyzed. The process resulted in a 15-item questionnaire with a five-factor structure (‘psychological’, ‘appearance-related’, ‘performance-related’, ‘social’, and ‘health-related’ expectations) and satisfactory internal consistency. Goodness of fit, which was determined in study 2, yielded good model fit (five-factorial model); furthermore, acceptable correlation coefficients (r ≥ 0.45) for convergent validity were found. Intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability examined in study 3 yielded values between 0.63 and 0.87. The resulting PA-EXPECT-YA is a brief and reliable 15 item-instrument that enables the economical measurement of PA-related expectations in young adults. Overall, the PA-EXPECT-YA demonstrated good psychometric properties; however, further research on the ‘performance-related expectations’ factor is recommended. Refining the respective items could enhance internal consistency and test-retest reliability values of the factor.
Bewegungs‑, Spiel- und Sportangebote sind fester Bestandteil des offenen Ganztags an Grundschulen und gelten als niedrigschwellige Bildungsangebote mit besonderem Teilhabepotenzial. Bislang ist jedoch kaum erforscht, inwiefern die Angebote diesem Anspruch tatsächlich gerecht werden. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht vor diesem Hintergrund der Frage nach, welche sozialen Gruppen von Kindern in Bewegungs‑, Spiel- und Sportangeboten des Ganztags repräsentiert sind und welche strukturellen Bedingungen einen gleichberechtigten Zugang erschweren. Grundlage ist eine quantitative Online-Befragung von 89 Leitungen des offenen Ganztags an Grundschulen in vier Städten Nordrhein-Westfalens. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Bewegungs‑, Spiel- und Sportangebote aus Perspektive der Befragten stark von Kindern mit Migrationsgeschichte und/oder aus armutsbetroffenen Familien aufgesucht werden. Zugleich weisen die Daten auf Herausforderungen hin, Kinder mit Behinderung und/oder sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf einzubeziehen. Laut der Einschätzungen der Befragten spielen dabei insbesondere mangelnde personelle Ressourcen eine zentrale Rolle. Aus einer diversitätssensiblen Perspektive wird deutlich, dass Bewegungs‑, Spiel- und Sportangebote im schulischen Ganztag – trotz ihrer grundsätzlichen Offenheit und Niedrigschwelligkeit – durch gesellschaftliche Normen und Ungleichheitsverhältnisse geprägt sind, die zu Ausschlüssen führen. Um das inklusive Potenzial dieser Angebote wirksam entfalten zu können, bedarf es einer reflektierten Auseinandersetzung mit bestehenden Barrieren und einer konsequenten Verankerung diversitätsorientierter Ansätze.
This article critically examines research on gender/sex in sports science, which has traditionally been divided between social science and natural science approaches dealing with gender or sex. It introduces the concept of an epistemological as well as ontological entanglement of sex and gender, an idea that is gaining increasing recognition in health sciences. I argue that in sport-related research, sex and gender should also be conceptualized and studied as intertwined, and discuss three areas of gender/sex research in sports science from this perspective.
This systematic review aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the external (physical) and internal (physiological) demands of handball refereeing and to examine how key moderators (sex, competitive level, match context) influence these demands. In this context, a systematic search of relevant literature using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus databases was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020. Eight observational cross-sectional studies involving 324 elite referees were identified and selected using a Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies. The findings indicate that handball refereeing is characterized by a highly intermittent movement profile. In this context, referees run 4100–4600 m per match predominantly at low speeds but complete 60–70 high-intensity accelerations per match. Physiologically, they tend to function at 76 to 81
Outdoor physical activity (PA) provides numerous health and social benefits, yet Muslim women often report low participation rates. While previous studies have explored factors influencing Muslim women’s PA, comprehensive research specifically examining outdoor PA remains limited. This study explores the perceptions, barriers, and facilitators of outdoor PA among Muslim women living in Germany. A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 12 Muslim women aged 23 to 48 years living in Germany. Interviews explored participants’ understanding of outdoor PA, attitudes, childhood experiences, perceived barriers and facilitators, and recommendations for program development. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, informed by intersectionality, Bourdieu’s theoretical concepts, and social cognitive theory. Participants generally viewed outdoor PA positively, defining it as exercise in urban green spaces or nature-based settings, often integrated with social activities. Childhood experiences shaped later engagement and confidence. Barriers included limited prior experience, practical constraints such as time and caregiving responsibilities, lack of companions or supportive networks, and safety or environmental concerns. Facilitators included skill development, group-based participation, social support, and access to functional amenities and culturally appropriate resources. Recommendations emphasized participatory planning, inclusive representation, and skill-building. Participation in outdoor PA is shaped by the interaction of life-course experiences, social conditions, and structural constraints rather than religious practice alone. While some challenges relate to visible religious identity, many are shared more broadly among women. Interventions that combine participatory design, gradual skill development, and safe, inclusive environments may enhance engagement and reduce disparities in outdoor PA access.
Introduction. Regular physical activity is a key strategy for preventing noncommunicable diseases and promoting well-being and quality of life. Increasingly, however, physical activity promotion is recognized as being closely linked to ecological sustainability and planetary health. This study examines the extent to which environmentally friendly physical activity promotion and planetary health-related aspects are reflected in national physical activity guidelines and policy documents from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Methods. Twenty-seven national physical activity policy documents (Germany n = 6; Austria n = 8; Switzerland n = 13) were identified via the Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!). A structured qualitative content analysis was conducted following Kuckartz and R & auml;diker (2024), using a category system developed through deductive and inductive procedures, complemented by cross-country comparisons. Results. Clear cross-national differences emerged. Swiss documents primarily emphasize infrastructural and environmental conditions for physical activity, while explicit environmental framing remains limited. German policies focus strongly on active mobility but predominantly frame it in terms of individual health benefits. Austrian strategies most comprehensively integrate environmental and health objectives, explicitly linking physical activity promotion to climate and sustainability goals. Conclusion. The findings indicate that physical activity policies in the German-speaking countries largely remain embedded in a health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) paradigm, with planetary health considerations only partially integrated. Aligning future physical activity guidelines more explicitly with planetary health concepts-through sustainable mobility, nature-based activity, and environmental health education-could strengthen the ecological and public health relevance of physical activity promotion.
Teachers’ motivational orientations and beliefs are theorized to shape learning opportunities in physical education, yet evidence linking these characteristics to motor development in early schooling is scarce. This study examines whether teachers’ interest in the subject, enthusiasm in the subject, self-efficacy, and constructivist beliefs are associated with gains in basic motor competencies among children aged 5–10 years. In a nationwide longitudinal study in Switzerland, 1121 children from 180 kindergarten and primary classes taught by 146 teachers completed standardized assessments of basic motor competencies in self-movement and object movement across two school years, while teachers reported their motivational orientations and beliefs using self-report questionnaire scales. Multilevel regression models were conducted, controlling for prior competence, age, and gender. Results showed that prior competence was the strongest predictor of later performance. At the class level, teachers’ constructivist beliefs were positively associated with gains in basic motor competencies, whereas interest in the subject, enthusiasm in the subject, and self-efficacy, were not significantly related to gains. In early physical education, constructivist beliefs appear to provide a distinct lever for promoting children’s development of basic motor competencies beyond teachers’ motivational orientations. These findings suggest that constructivist orientations may represent a relevant focus for teacher education and professional development in early physical education. Future research should identify the instructional processes that mediate these associations.
A new coronavirus emerged in late 2019 and spread rapidly around the globe, leading the World Health Organization to declare COVID-19 a pandemic. Vaccines were developed that helped to reduce severe outcomes, but ongoing variants highlight the need for complementary methods to decrease morbidity and mortality. To explore and compare the effect of aerobic versus resistance training on immune system markers, COVID-19 severity, and disease progression during COVID-19 infection. Randomized study. The study included 38 participants with mild–moderate COVID-19, aged 24–45 years. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: an aerobic exercise group and a resistance training group. The dependent variables were immune biomarkers and respiratory symptom severity. The interventions comprised moderate-intensity anaerobic or aerobic exercise for 2 weeks (40 min/session, 3 sessions/week). There were no significant differences in immune biomarkers and respiratory symptom severity between the groups (p > 0.05). The severity of respiratory symptoms decreased significantly in the aerobic exercise group after 2 weeks of exercise, while immune biomarkers increased significantly in the aerobic exercise group after 2 weeks of exercise (p < 0.05). The current study found that 2 weeks of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise was more effective in mitigating the severity and progression of COVID-19 symptoms, potentially increasing immune function.
Regelmäßige körperliche Aktivität gilt als zentrale Maßnahme zur Prävention nichtübertragbarer Krankheiten und zur Förderung von Wohlbefinden und Lebensqualität. Zunehmend wird erkannt, dass Bewegungsverhalten und -förderung nicht isoliert von ökologischen und nachhaltigkeitsbezogenen Zusammenhängen betrachtet werden können. Vor diesem Hintergrund untersucht die vorliegende Arbeit, in welchem Umfang Aspekte umweltfreundlicher Bewegungsförderung im Sinne der planetaren Gesundheit in nationalen Bewegungsempfehlungen und Strategiedokumenten aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz berücksichtigt werden. Analysiert wurden 27 nationale, handlungsleitende Policy-Dokumente der Bewegungspolitik und -förderung (Deutschland n = 6; Österreich n = 8; Schweiz n = 13), die über das Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) identifiziert wurden. Die Auswertung erfolgte mittels strukturierter qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse nach Kuckartz und Rädiker (2024), auf Grundlage eines deduktiv-induktiv entwickelten Kategoriensystems sowie ergänzender Ländervergleiche. Die Analyse zeigt deutliche länderspezifische Unterschiede. In der Schweiz dominieren verhältnisorientierte Ansätze mit Fokus auf bewegungsfreundliche Infrastrukturen, wobei ökologische Bezüge überwiegend implizit bleiben. In Deutschland steht aktive Mobilität im Mittelpunkt, wird jedoch primär mit individuellen Gesundheitszielen begründet. Österreich integriert Umwelt- und Gesundheitsziele am systematischsten und verknüpft aktive Mobilität explizit mit Klimaschutzstrategien. Die Ergebnisse verdeutlichen, dass Bewegungspolitiken im deutschsprachigen Raum bislang überwiegend dem HEPA-Paradigma folgen und planetare Gesundheitsziele nur begrenzt berücksichtigen. Eine stärkere Ausrichtung von Bewegungsempfehlungen an Konzepten der planetaren Gesundheit, einschließlich umweltbezogener Gesundheitsbildung, natursensibler Bewegungsräume und nachhaltiger Mobilität, könnte zentrale Synergien zwischen Gesundheitsförderung und Umweltschutz erschließen und die Bewegungsförderung ökologisch wie gesundheitlich zukunftsfähig ausrichten.
