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elite sports

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The Youth Olympic Games were introduced in 2010 with the aim to bring young athletes not only an experience of competition on the world stage, but also to help them learn about the Olympic values, explore other cultures and develop the skills to become true ambassadors. The Lausanne 2020 Games provided an excellent opportunity to develop innovative concepts for health promotion and sports-related prevention. The enthusiasm across various sectors of society (political, academic and economy) empowered us to bring together multiple skills to materialize the IOC’s pledge.
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Die Änderungen des öffentlichen Lebens, Isolation, Quarantäne und damit verbundene weitere Einschränkungen der gewohnten Routine sowie Ängste und Sorgen sind nur einige Beispiele für die psychischen Belastungen durch die COVID-19-Pandemie (1). Nicht nur die Normalbevölkerung, sondern auch bzw. vor allem Leistungssportler sind diesen Belastungen ausgesetzt, und Leistungssport ist in Zeiten von COVID-19 nur noch stark eingeschränkt denkbar. Von einem Tag auf den anderen änderten sich für Sportler über Jahre und Jahrzehnte etablierte Tagesstrukturen und Gewohnheiten.
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This observational study used field tests to investigate the association between physiological parameters and rowing performance in athletes during ergometer and on-water Swiss national competitions. 25 Participants between 15 and 35 years who compete at national level were recruited among different clubs. We assessed anthropometric parameters such as weight, height, aerobic capacity during an incremental test on a rowing ergometer, anaerobic capacity during an on rowing ergometer Wingate test and lower limb strength and power during countermovement- and squat jumps.
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Background: Diffusion of information regarding ‘protecting athletes’ health’ and the ‘promotion of sport for health of the general population’ is a mission of National Sports Federations. Internet is a commonly used source of health-related information. The Olympic Games (OG) are an opportunity for a nation to promote the health benefits of sport.
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The fight against doping is not primarily a fight against fallible athletes and coaches but rather a fight for clean athletes and coaches. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate how Swiss athletes and coaches perceive the doping problem and the current anti-doping policy. Two online surveys of 1040 Swiss squad coaches and 588 Swiss athletes of various sports were conducted in 2016 and 2017. 41.5% of athletes and 31.5% of coaches identified a serious doping problem in their sport. This perception varied significantly by sport (p≤0.001). 94.2% of athletes and 91.7% of coaches argued in support of a strict prohibition of doping.
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Background: The development of Mountain Ultra Marathon (MUM) raises several questions to health professionals, regarding the short or long-term consequences on the health of participants. Objective: to present the main acute and long-term effects of MUM on the main health issues usually studied among runners. Methods: Pragmatic review of the literature, including grey literature from the medical staff of the races, notably the Ultra-trail du Mont Blanc. Results:
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Back pain is common among elite cyclists. Experiences of athletes and observations of coaches show that it may influence training quality and sometimes even limit performance during competition. Therefore the following study questions were investigated: 1) How many athletes of the Swiss cycling national teams suffer back pain during training or competition? 2) How good is athletes’ core strength? 3) What correlation exists between back pain and core strength? 4) Does an intensified core strength training reduce back pain? A total of 111 elite cyclists, 45 athletes (38 m, 7f; 19.6 ± 3.5y) of technical disciplines (BMX, Trial, Downhill, 4X) and 66 athletes (39 m, 27f; 19.5 ± 5.8y) of endurance disciplines (road, MTB, Cyclo-cross) all members of Swiss cycling national teams, took part in in the study.
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In cardiopulmonary exercise testing with children and adolescents, age specific protocols are used together with tools adjustable to their body dimension and development. Assessing weight, height und pubertal stage is a prerequisite for the interpretation of every test. Indications for exercise testing are airway symptoms and findings limited performance, chronic diseases, planning of trainings and scientific studies. The more tests are standardized and used on a large scale, the more normal values are available to compare individual results. However, the interindividual variability of measured values is high, depending as much from the developmental stage of the individual as from protocols, tools and the performing laboratory.
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Background: Research to date clearly shows that injuries to the cruciate ligaments are a frequent occurrence in alpine ski racing. The hamstrings play an important role in protecting the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Here eccentric muscle activity, in particular, is of great significance as it plays a more important role in terms of duration and intensity than concentric muscle activity in alpine ski racing. The aim of this study was to establish whether the hamstrings of alpine ski racers show eccentric strength deficits following surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament.
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Endurance testing has a long tradition in the Swiss Orienteering Federation. It has become an important tool in monitoring effectiveness of training and in assessing endurance performance. The vast majority of athletes and coaches indicate that sport science is meaningful and endurance testing is of high informative value for them. Endurance testing is regularly done in the lab, but also field tests are carried out each year. They particularly empower and support athletes in their specific preparation for important competitions. Also in the future new competition formats can be prepared and training may be monitored by a new format of specific tests. In various endurance sports physiological demands may be similar.
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