The present project compared acute hypoxia-induced changes in lactate thresholds (methods according to Mader, Dickhuth and Cheng) with changes in high-intensity endurance performance. Six healthy and well-trained volunteers conducted graded cycle ergometer tests in normoxia and in acute normobaric hypoxia (simulated altitude 3000 m) to determine power output at three lactate thresholds (P_Mader, P_Dickhuth, P_Cheng). Subsequently, participants performed two maximal 30-min cycling time trials in normoxia (test 1 for habituation) and one in normobaric hypoxia to determine mean power output (P_mean). P_Mader, P_Dickhuth and P_Cheng decreased significantly from normoxia to hypoxia by 18.9 ± 9.6%, 18.4 ± 7.3%, and 11.5 ± 6.0%, whereas P_mean decreased by only 8.3 ± 1.6%. Correlation analyses revealed strong and significant correlations between P_mean and P_Mader (r = 0.935), P_Dickhuth (r = 0.931) and P_Cheng (r = 0.977) in normoxia and partly weaker significant correlations between P_mean and P_Mader (r = 0.941), P_Dickhuth (r = 0.869) and P_Cheng (r = 0.887) in hypoxia. P_Mader and P_Cheng did not significantly differ from P_mean (p = 0.867 and p = 0.784) in normoxia, whereas this was only the case for P_Cheng (p = 0.284) in hypoxia. Although investigated in a small and select sample, the results suggest a cautious application of lactate thresholds for exercise intensity prescription in hypoxia.

Background Hiking is one of the most popular leisure sport activities practiced in the Alps during the summer season, but bears the risk of mountain emergencies, accidents, and fatalities. This paper provides an updated analysis of hiking accidents for the years 2015 to 2021 in the Austrian Alps, thereby outlining fatal and non-fatal accident characteristics. Methods For this retrospective analysis, mountain hiking accidents documented by the Austrian Alpine Police during a 7-year period were screened for potential exclusion criteria. The final sample size consisted of 7368 accidents and 7552 victims. The outcome measures were mainly specified by sex, age, injury degree, injury location, pathophysiological characteristics, and cause of injury. Results The overall annual number of accidents showed a continuous increase from 428 in 2015 to 544 in 2021. In total, 7.1% of the total victims died during the 7-year period, with male hikers being significantly more affected than female hikers (m: 80.8%, f: 19.2%; p ≤ 0.001). The sex specific distribution for non-fatal hiking accidents was 55.9% in women and 44.1% in men. Male victims showed significantly more frequent cardiovascular events (m: 78.5%, f: 21.5%), multiple injuries (m: 60.2%, f: 39.8%), and wounds/blood loss (m: 57.4%, f: 42.6%) than female victims, whereas women showed more fractures (m: 31.5%, f: 68.5%) than men (p ≤ 0.001). Additionally, men were more likely to injure their abdomen/chest (3.7%), head (14.1%), and multiple body parts (26.5%), whereas women were more likely to injure their ankle or foot (42.3%). Finally, men were more likely to have an accident during the ascent (24.1%), whereas women during the descent (69.0%) (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion This paper provides the latest data and a deeper insight into sex-specific characteristics of mountain hiking accidents in the Austrian Alps.

Standardized exercise therapy programs in pulmonary rehabilitation have been shown to improve physical performance and lung function parameters in post-acute COVID-19 patients. However, it has not been investigated if these positive effects are equally beneficial for both sexes. The purpose of this study was to analyze outcomes of a pulmonary rehabilitation program with respect to sex differences, in order to identify sex-specific pulmonary rehabilitation requirements. Data of 233 post-acute COVID-19 patients (40.4% females) were analyzed before and after a three-week standardized pulmonary rehabilitation program. Lung function parameters were assessed using body-plethysmography and functional exercise capacity was measured by the Six-Minute Walk Test. At post-rehabilitation, females showed a significantly smaller improvement in maximal inspiration capacity and forced expiratory volume (F=5.86, ω²⁼.02; p<0.05) than males. Exercise capacity improvements between men and women did not differ statistically. Females made greater progress towards reference values of exercise capacity (T(231)=−3.04; p<0.01) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (T(231)=2.83; p<0.01) than males. Sex differences in the improvement of lung function parameters seem to exist and should be considered when personalizing standardized exercise therapies in pulmonary rehabilitation. Received: 10 March 2022 Accepted: 19 May 2022 Accepted Manuscript online: 01 June 2022 Article published online: 19 July 2022 © 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Simulated altitude (normobaric hypoxia, NH) is used to study physiologic hypoxia responses of altitude. However, several publications show differences in physiological responses between NH and hypobaric conditions at altitude (hypobaric hypoxia, HH). The causality for these differences is controversially discussed. One theory is that the lower air density and environmental pressure in HH compared to NH lead to lower alveolar pressure and therefore lower oxygen diffusion in the lung. We hypothesized that, if this theory is correct, due to physical laws (Hagen-Poiseuille, Boyle), resistance respectively air compression (Boyle) at expiration should be lower, expiratory flow higher, and therefore peak flow and maximum expiratory flow (MEF) 75–50 increased in hypobaric hypoxia (HH) vs. normobaric hypoxia (NH). To prove the hypothesis of differences in respiratory flow as a result of lower alveolar pressure between HH and NH, we performed spirography in NH at different simulated altitudes and the corresponding altitudes in HH. In a cross over study, 6 healthy subjects (2 f/4 m, 28.3 ± 8.2 years, BMI: 23.2 ± 1.9) performed spirography as part of spiroergometry in a normobaric hypoxic room at a simulated altitude of 2800 m and after a seven-hour hike on a treadmill (average incline 14%, average walking speed 1.6 km/h) to the simulated summit of Mauna Kea at 4200 m. After a two-month washout, we repeated the spirometry in HH on the start and top of the Mauna Kea hiking trail, HI/USA. Comparison of NH (simulated 4200 m) and HH at 4200 m resulted in increased pulmonary ventilation during exercise (VE) (11.5%, p < 0.01), breathing-frequency (7.8%, p < 0.01), peak expiratory flow PEF (13.4%, p = 0.028), and MEF50 (15.9%, p = 0.028) in HH compared to NH, whereas VO_2max decreased by 2%. At 2800 m, differences were only trendy, and at no altitude were differences in volume parameters. Spirography expresses higher mid expiratory flows and peak flows in HH vs. NH. This supports the theory of lower alveolar and small airway pressure due to a lower air density resulting in a lower resistance.

Introduction Embarrassed and afraid to discomfort their – predominantly male – coach when talking about the menstrual cycle (MC), in elite sports populations 73-89% of female athletes avoided doing so, despite noticing an impact on training and performance (Solli et al., 2020; von Rosen et al., 2022). The aim of this study was to identify whether the topic of the MC in the context of sports is a persistent taboo and which measures could contribute to de-stigmatization. Methods The World Café method developed by Brown and Isaacs (2005), a qualitative research technique characterized by a creative approach to participatory action research (PAR), was conducted with 28 adult amateur athletes (15 males, 13 females) aged 20 to 35 years. An interactive workshop, consisting of a lecture on the current state of the scientific literature regarding the interaction between sport and the MC, was followed by small group conversations. Through three separate tables consisting of up to 10 randomly assigned people (mixed-gender groups) and three rounds of conversations per table, guiding questions to the following topics were discussed: “Perception of MC as a taboo subject in sports” (table 1); “Importance & learnings of the workshop” (table 2); “Self-experience effects of MC on performance” (table 3). The documents resulting from the World Café method (tablecloths and cardboard papers) were captured in photographs. Table conversations were recorded and transcribed anonymously. A qualitative content analyses according to Mayring and Fenzl (2022), using an inductive category-building approach, was applied. Data was analysed with MAXQDA 24 software. Results MC was reported to be a persistent taboo as perceived to be less communicated due to the prevalence of the following conditions: 1) degree of intimacy regarding the relation to the counterpart, 2) sex of the dialog partner, 3) generation and socialisation, 4) consensus, 5) communication and wording and 6) type of sport. The investigated male amateur athletes phrased “readiness to listen” but most of the times shy away from initiating a conversation because of an existing lack of knowledge or feeling uncomfortable crossing the opposite’s personal boundary. Several female participants described “readiness to talk” about MC (when talking to other women) but addressed the gap of neutral wording when it comes to mixed-sex conversation. From the respondents’ point of view, the topic of the MC in the context of elite sport is perceived as less of a taboo subject, as an enhanced number of female athletes are talking about it in public and media coverage is increasing. Application of different communication media and available edited knowledge was reported to be helpful when de-tabooing and de-emotionalising the topic. Discussion & Conclusion In line with previous studies (Gopalan et al., 2024), the societal taboo against the MC is evident as communication about it is limited under certain conditions. This study highlights mixed-gender perceptions regarding opportunities to foster consensus and professionalism in athletic communities. De-tabooing strategies should consider adapted content and communication media to appeal to different target groups. References Brown, J., & Isaacs, D. (2005). The World Café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Gopalan, S. S., Mann, C., & Rhodes, R. E. (2024). Impact of symptoms, experiences, and perceptions of the menstrual cycle on recreational physical activity of cyclically menstruating individuals: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 184, Article 107980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.107980 Mayring, P., & Fenzl, T. (2022). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse [Qualitative content analysis]. In N. Baur, & J. Blasius (Eds.), Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung (3rd ed., pp. 691-706). Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37985-8 Solli, G. S., Sandbakk, S. B., Noordhof, D. A., Ihalainen, J. K., & Sandbakk, Ø. (2020). Changes in self-reported physical fitness, performance, and side effects across the phases of the menstrual cycle among competitive endurance athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 15(9), 1324–1333. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2019-0616 von Rosen, P., Ekenros, L., Solli, G. S., Sandbakk, Ø., Holmberg, H. C., Hirschberg, A. L., & Fridén, C. (2022). Offered support and knowledge about the menstrual cycle in the athletic community: A cross-sectional study of 1086 female athletes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), Article 11932. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911932

Introduction The 19th Congress of the Austrian Sport Science Society (“Österreichische Sportwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft, ÖSG”), held in Innsbruck, Austria, centered on the theme of” Embracing Interdisciplinarity in Sport Science.” The idea of interdisciplinarity in sport science has been discussed for over three decades and stems from its position as a cross-sectional discipline integrating various natural and social sciences such as training science, sports medicine, biomechanics, sport pedagogy, sport psychology, sport sociology, and sport history. More recently, sports economy and sports management have also emerged as significant areas within sport science. Sports science is characterized by its strong practical relevance. It often focuses on applied research, where interdisciplinarity plays a critical role. Interdisciplinary work is a particularly important factor when approaching sport science from a problem-based perspective (Güllich & Krüger, 2022). Specifically, we argue that interdisciplinarity becomes crucial when we are trying to develop solutions for complex challenges in sport, the health sector, and society in general. For example, an interdisciplinary approach in sport science might merge aspects of psychology, physiology, and sociology with expertise of medical professionals to study and realize health promotion strategies. For the purpose of this editorial, we understand interdisciplinarity as a collaboration between individuals from different scientific disciplines but also from different professions with the goal of combining knowledge and methods to create new solutions for complex societal problems. This can range from the simple communication of ideas and experiences to mutual integration of concepts, methodologies, procedures, or data sharing (Zaiț et al., 2021). We think that sport scientists can and should take a leading role in such collaborations given their unique cross-disciplinary education related to human health, performance, and well-being. Leadership in interdisciplinary collaborations may be an opportunity for us as sport scientists to strengthen our profile and image in the society and to take responsibility in addressing societal challenges (Hottenrott et al., 2017). In preparation of this year’s ÖSG Congress in Innsbruck 2024, we tried to embrace this idea of interdisciplinarity in sport science. Before the event, we conducted an online survey across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) to identify current societal challenges that sport science should address and help with developing solutions. In parallel, we assessed the perceived importance of interdisciplinary work among sport scientists and related professions. Potential respondents to the survey were mainly contacted through the communication channels of the ÖSG and its equivalent associations in Germany (dvs) and Switzerland (SGS). Consequently, respondents included sport scientists as well as professionals from other fields who follow or are part of the activities of sport science associations. The findings of the survey were used in three different ways and will be described in this editorial: to summarize the most frequently mentioned challenges and topics that sport science should address and help with developing solutions, to develop an “Interdisciplinary Innovation Workshop” for the ÖSG Congress in Innsbruck 2024 where delegates transform the identified challenges into specific problems that can be solved, and to compare the survey results with the content of the scientific abstracts submitted to the ÖSG Congress in Innsbruck 2024 and determine the alignment between the identified challenges and current research topics within the ÖSG community. The survey – Current challenges for sport science and beyond The survey responses were analyzed in MAXQDA 24 (VERBI software, 2021). The MAXQDA AI-Assist tool was used to suggest an initial coding scheme to group responses into categories. Two researchers refined the scheme into a final code set, independently coded the participants’ responses, and discussed mismatches to agree on the final code assignments. The survey yielded 176 responses, of which 85 were fully completed. Respondents (42% women) had a mean age of 40.2 years (± 13.8). Regarding their primary professional field, 34% identified as scientists working at a university, college, or research institution, 26% were healthcare professionals (e.g., physicians or therapists), 15% worked in the private sector including self-employment, 13% were students or educators, and 12% were either coaches, athletes, or employed within a sports federation. 91% reported that interdisciplinarity was a key component of their work. The most frequently mentioned challenges fell into the category of “prevention and rehabilitation” (34%), followed by “job profiles related to sport science and exercise therapy” (23%), “sport science mission for research and education” (11%), “broader societal issues” (5%), “structural development of organized and non-organized sports” (5%), “inclusion and integration through sports” (4%), “self-awareness and self-reflection” (3%), “technological progress” (2%), “financing” (2%), and “elite sports” (2%; orange bars in Figure 1). Coding was not possible for 5% of the answers. The workshop – Transforming challenges into specific problems Building on the findings of the survey, we collaborated with the ikivox collective (Nyon, France, https://ikivox.org/en/) to develop an “Interdisciplinary Innovation Workshop” held at the ÖSG Congress in Innsbruck 2024. With the help of ikivox who specialize in collective intelligence and collaborative design approaches, we designed a workshop with the following objectives: to...