Whether elite International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) classic powerlifters are becoming younger and whether this reflects earlier recorded competition or a younger active population is unclear. This study examined temporal patterns in age, performance and recorded intervals to elite performance. Population and top-100 analyses covered 2013 to 2025 and Open World Championship podium analyses covered 2013 to 2026. Earlier OpenIPF records informed competition histories. Population-wide age-performance relationships were estimated using locally weighted scatterplot smoothing and profile-cluster bootstrapping. Trends in annual medians were evaluated using Theil-Sen slopes and Kendall tests. Intervals from first recorded eligible competition to first observed elite performance were calculated among profiles with eligible histories. The performance cohort comprised 431,476 entries from 161,073 profiles. The population-wide curve peaked at 26.0 years (95
To evaluate the additional effects of integrating blood flow restriction (BFR) into matched sport-specific on-field training (SOFT) on specific athletic performance and physiological outcomes in team-sport athletes. Eight databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched up to July 30, 2026. Between-group differences in change scores were pooled as mean differences (MDs) or Hedges’ gΔ using restricted maximum likelihood random-effects models. Robustness was examined using alternative approaches to change-score standard deviations, pre–post correlation coefficients, and small-sample inference. RoB 2 and GRADE were used to assess outcome-level risk of bias and certainty of evidence. Six journal reports represented 5 independent trials, with a total reported sample size of 102 participants across the selected comparison arms. For 30-second all-out cycling, the relative peak power estimate was MD = − 0.52 W/kg (95
Abstract Background Functional performance test (FPT) results have rarely been analysed for sex-specific differences among professional ballet dancers yet. Therefore, this study aims to assess the FPT results of professional female and male ballet dancers, analyse sex-specific differences, describe the number of dancers meeting predefined thresholds, and present the prevalence of lower limb asymmetries in selected FPTs. Methods Professional ballet companies in Germany were invited to participate in this study via word-of-mouth. An extensive health & performance screening was provided to the voluntarily participating dancers, which included eight FPTs. Solely dancers on sick leave were excluded. The selected FPTs focused on stability (balance error scoring system (BESS)), muscular endurance & strength (heel-rise test, Bunkie test, and closed kinetic chain upper extremity stability test (CKCUEST)), and hop performance (vertical-hop test, figure-of-eight-hop test, side-hop test, and speedy jump test). Differences in the FPT results between sexes, limb asymmetries in the FPTs (determined by the Limb Symmetry Index (LSI)), and the number of dancers achieving predefined thresholds were analysed with independent-samples t -test, and Chi²-tests, respectively. Results Data from 115 dancers from four classical ballet companies were included in the analysis. The FPT results differed between sexes: while female dancers performed better than male dancers in the heel-rise test ( p = .019), males excelled in the CKCUEST ( p <.001), Bunkie Copenhagen plank ( p = .004), vertical-hop test ( p <.001), figure-of-eight-hop test ( p <.001), and side-hop test ( p <.001). Lower limb asymmetries greater than 15% were most prevalent in the vertical-hop test (30%) and the side-hop test (24%), and least prevalent in the figure-of-eight-hop test (1%). Conclusion This is the first study that analysed sex-specific differences in FPT results of professional ballet dancers from multiple companies. It contributes to the broader understanding of the basic physical performance skills for ballet, presenting the current training status of dancers from four professional ballet companies. The majority of muscular endurance & strength tests and hop performance tests revealed significant differences between male and female dancers, with many dancers showing notable limb asymmetries. Overall, the results demonstrated a lower performance level compared to athletes in other sports.
Acute lateral ankle sprains (LAS) are common in professional athletes and may be followed by delayed return to sport (RTS), ankle instability, residual pain, and psychological barriers. This study examined the associations of early supervised physiotherapy session-completion adherence with RTS and residual symptoms and explored concurrent indirect associations through kinesiophobia. This single-center retrospective cohort study with cross-sectional follow-up included 118 professional athletes with acute LAS. Early rehabilitation adherence was defined as the proportion of prescribed therapist-supervised physiotherapy sessions completed during the first four weeks after injury. Adherence was analyzed continuously in the primary models, with effects reported per 10-percentage-point increase. Groups defined by the cohort median of 78.5
Over the past two decades, numerous studies have identified a potential negative effect of muscle stretching on sports performance when performed for more than 45–60 s per muscle group. However, the behavior of the muscle-tendon unit in flexible individuals remains untested. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether habitual stretching, performed by young elite artistic gymnastics athletes for over one minute, affects subsequent performance metrics. Forty-eight Gold-level athletes affiliated with the Italian Gymnastics Federation were recruited. A 5-repetition continuous Countermovement Jump test (CMJ5) was performed before and after static stretching on a contact platform; the outcomes analyzed were jump height, power, reactive strength index (RSI), stiffness, and contact time. Two lower-limb stretching protocols were completed: one with 90-second static holds per muscle group, and one with 60-second holds. In our sample, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed no significant pre-post differences after 90 s for any variables. After 60 s, significant reductions were observed in jump height (p < .001), reactive strength index (RSI; p = .001), and power (p = .001), but not leg stiffness (p = .214). Females followed the same pattern for both durations, while males showed no worsening; however, RSI significantly improved after 90 s (p = .039). The decline in jump height after 60 s was not accompanied by decreases in contact time or leg stiffness, indicating unchanged elastic energy absorption and release capacity. No impairment occurred after 90 s. Overall, these findings mandate the implementation of future research targeting populations with chronic flexibility adaptations to better contextualize the impact of stretching on performance.
