Hamstring strain injuries are common in sports involving high-speed running, and eccentric hamstring exercises are widely used in strength and conditioning programs to reduce injury risk. However, the short-term neuromuscular and perceptual recovery responses following different eccentric knee flexor exercises remain unclear. This study aimed to compare the acute recovery responses following the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) and Razor Curl (RC). Methods: Twenty-five recreationally active men were randomly assigned to either the NHE (n = 13) or RC (n = 12) group and performed a single eccentric exercise session consisting of 4 × 10 repetitions. Relative peak eccentric hamstring strength, perceived muscle soreness, and 30-m sprint performance were assessed at baseline and at 24, 48, and 72 h post-exercise. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Relative peak eccentric hamstring strength decreased significantly from baseline at 24 h (P < 0.001, d = 1.13) and 48 h (P = 0.033, d = 0.79) before returning to baseline by 72 h. Muscle soreness increased substantially, peaking at 24 h and remaining elevated throughout the recovery period. Sprint performance remained largely unchanged across all time points. No significant Group × Time interactions were observed for any outcome variable. Conclusion: No statistically significant between-group differences were detected in hamstring strength, muscle soreness, or sprint performance following a single eccentric loading session with the NHE or RC. These findings provide practical information for planning eccentric hamstring exercise sessions within weekly training microcycles.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia and is associated with progressive cognitive decline. Exercise is considered a promising non-pharmacological intervention for MCI. However, the cognitive benefits of multicomponent exercise (MCE) and the exercise prescription characteristics associated with its effectiveness remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of MCE on global cognition, memory, and executive function in individuals with MCI and to explore exercise prescription characteristics associated with intervention effectiveness. A systematic review and pairwise meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251152983). Standardized mean differences were pooled using random-effects models, and subgroup analyses were performed to examine key exercise prescription characteristics. Seventeen randomized controlled trials involving 1260 participants were included. Compared with control conditions, MCE significantly improved global cognition and memory, whereas the improvement in executive function did not reach statistical significance. Subgroup analyses indicated that higher training frequency and intervention durations of 13–24 weeks were associated with greater improvements in global cognition. MCE may improve global cognition and memory in individuals with MCI, whereas evidence regarding executive function remains inconclusive. Higher training frequency and intervention durations of 13–24 weeks may contribute to greater cognitive improvements. However, additional high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized cognitive assessments are needed to further optimize exercise prescriptions.
This study investigated the time-dependent effects of melatonin administration on recovery following physical exercise, focusing on key tissues involved in energy metabolism and serum markers of skeletal muscle damage. Sixty male Wistar rats were subjected to a 60-min swimming session at 90
This study examined whether static flexibility assessments predict agility performance in elite football players and investigated performance-based player profiling using machine learning. A total of 157 elite male football players (aged 18–33 years) from 7 African nations (South Sudan, Liberia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Nigeria) completed the Thomas Test, 90/90 Hamstring Test, and Illinois Agility Test. Given violations of normality (Shapiro–Wilk W = 0.900, P < 0.001) and variance homogeneity (Levene’s F = 1.752, P = 0.044), non-parametric tests were used as the primary analyses, with parametric procedures retained as sensitivity checks. Machine learning models (Random Forest and Gradient Boosting) were trained under stratified 70/15/15 splits with repeated 5-fold cross-validation. K-Means clustering was applied for unsupervised player profiling; a five-cluster solution was retained and validated by silhouette analysis and the Davies–Bouldin index. No significant flexibility–agility association was observed (Mann–Whitney U = 2156, P = 0.847, r = 0.02; independent-samples t-test T = − 0.1033, P = 0.918). Random Forest (R² = 0.008, 95
Although hydrogen-rich water (H2-water) baths and H2 gas inhalation may reduce eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), evidence for H2-water ingestion remains limited. This randomized controlled trial examined whether drinking H2-water alleviates EIMD symptoms. In a double-blind, crossover design, 11 young men consumed 1.74 L/day of H2-water (0.99 ppm) or a placebo for 14 days. On day 7, they completed a 30-min downhill treadmill run (−15 η_p^2 = 0.47–0.50 for both limbs), serum CK (P = 0.043, η_p^2 = 0.35), and plasma HSP70 (P = 0.034, η_p^2 = 0.50, n = 8). The 168-hour area under the curve was lower in the H2-water trial for DOMS (dominant: P = 0.041, d = 0.71; non-dominant: P = 0.052, d = 0.66) and serum CK (P = 0.034, d = 0.74). No treatment effects were observed for other EIMD markers. Our preliminary findings suggest that H2-water ingestion may help reduce DOMS and serum CK levels after EIMD in physically active individuals. However, since it does not preserve maximum strength, further research is needed to evaluate its overall effectiveness as an exercise recovery strategy.
