sports-science

When John Korir hit the track at Wake Forest University's Kentner Stadium on a recent steamy summer afternoon, he needed to know one thing: Could he somehow tailor his training to boost his performance by 1%?

The interplay between jet lag and gut microbiome affects athlete performance. Strategies to manage these disruptions are crucial but not yet fully established.

ObjectiveThis study compared contact-phase timing, knee–ankle configuration at the lowest center of mass (COM), and ankle-moment characteristics between basketball players with high and low drop landing vertical jump (DLVJ) rebound efficiency.MethodsForty-one highly trained male basketball players were classified as high (n = 21) or low efficiency (n = 20). Participants performed a 30-cm box DLVJ…

IntroductionBaseball batting is a high-speed, multi-joint coordinated movement that relies on the effective operation of the kinetic chain. Whole-body vibration (WBV) training has been proven to acutely enhance lower-limb muscle strength, but its effects on the batting kinematics of adolescent baseball players remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of WBV training, with…

Scientific Reports, Published online: 04 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-59989-4 Pose-derived biomechanical feature profiling and proxy pattern classification of basketball player movements

A new research collaboration between Cal Poly Humboldt and global athletic company New Balance is giving undergraduate students a rare opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge science while helping answer a question runners around the world are asking: How do "super shoes" affect the way we run?

PurposeElucidating the impact of mental fatigue (MF) on physical performance in soccer is essential for optimizing athlete assessment, training, and competition strategies. However, the relationship between MF and both repeated sprint (RSA) and repeated change-of-direction performance (RCOD) remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of MF on RSA and RCOD per…

In a repeated-measures study of 18 eumenorrheic female athletes, half-squat strength was highest in the late follicular phase and around ovulation, while handgrip strength peaked in the late luteal phase. Psychological measures also shifted across the cycle, with lower vigor and higher fatigue and depression scores in the late luteal phase, supporting more individualized training monitoring.

Scientists say we’ve been wrong about what makes sprinters fast - Date: - April 8, 2026 - Source: - Flinders University - Summary: - A new international study is shaking up how we think about elite sprinting, arguing there’s no single “perfect” running style behind the world’s fastest athletes. Instead, speed emerges from a complex mix of an individual’s body, coordination, strength, and training…

Scientists comment on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announcing a new policy on the female category in Olympic sport. Prof Alun Williams, Professor of Sport and Exercise Genomics, Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “There’s appropriate concern about fairness and safety in women’s sport, but genetic testing of all competitors isn’t the right approach. “If the concern is about tra…

New research suggests there is no universal blueprint for sprinting success. An international team of researchers is questioning long-standing assumptions about what gives elite sprinters their extraordinary speed. Their findings offer new insight that could influence how Australia trains and develops future track stars. The study, published in Sports Medicine, approaches sprinting from a dynamic…

From skating to curling, the thrilling sports of the Winter Olympics have plenty of science behind them. Follow our coverage here to learn more. Editor’s Note (2/9/26): Lindsey Vonn crashed just seconds into the women’s downhill final yesterday and was airlifted off the mountain. She had surgery to stabilize a fracture in her left leg, according to news reports. Lindsey Vonn is a physiological ma…

Fans are amazed the England star managed to play match after match with a fractured tibia - this is the secret

More female athletes believe it is fair (43%), rather than unfair (36%) for athletes with a DSD – difference in sex development - to be included in the female category for contact sports like rugby and non-contact sports reliant on physical capacity like sprinting, a new study shows.