This study analyzed the effects of two different training programs on functional performance and inter-limb asymmetries in basketball players. Twenty-four elite youth basketball players were randomly assigned to a training program including variable unilateral horizontal movements (VUH, n = 12) or unilateral lateral movements (VUL, n = 12). Eccentric-overload training (EOT) was performed twice a week for a six-week period. Functional performance assessment included a countermovement jump test, unilateral multidirectional jumping tests (i.e., lateral, horizontal, and vertical), a rebound jump test, a limb symmetry index, a 25 m linear sprint test, and several change of direction (COD) tests. Within-group analysis showed substantial improvements in almost all functional tests in both groups (ES = 0.35–0.89). Furthermore, almost all jumping asymmetries were improved in both groups (ES = 0.38–0.69) except for vertical jumping asymmetry in VUL (ES = −0.04). Between-group analyses showed a substantial and possibly better performance in vertical jumping asymmetry and 5 m in VUH compared to that of VUL, respectively. In contrast, lateral jumping with left (ES = 1.22) and right leg (ES = 0.49) were substantially greater in VUL than in VUH. Specific force-vector training programs induced substantial improvements in both functional performance tests and inter-limb asymmetries, although greater improvements of lateral and horizontal variables may depend on the specific force vector targeted.

Sport participation and physical activity promotion have been intensively studied, especially regarding large cities. However, in many cases, rural municipalities have comparatively reduced services, including health care, due to the low profitability that these have for companies and entities. In this sense, the purpose of this article was to describe a case study of the promotion of physical activity in rural areas based on the results of a European project. Carried out in a rural municipality of around 8500 inhabitants with a population density of less than 25 inhabitants/km², the project’s purpose was the promotion of autonomous physical activity among its inhabitants. For this, a diagnostic analysis of the sports areas of the environment and a survey of physical activity habits among the population were carried out. A series of routes were designed, marked, and signposted, and canopies with explanatory posters about the possibilities of healthy physical activity and recommendations were added. Free-use facilities were installed, and opening events were carried out in such a way as to stimulate sports practice among the population. This article presents the results obtained from the analysis, as well as the possibilities of replication in other municipalities with similar needs.

Goalball is a sport for visually impaired athletes, where the roles of attack and defense change continuously during the game. Performance evaluation should consider the variables that determine the throwing and the stop and clearance of the ball. The aim of this study is to evaluate the precision and velocity of the ball throwing in goalball, besides core stability and balance as variables that determine an optimal throwing. Moreover, a novel acoustic reaction time is applied to analyze the defense performance. Eight goalball players (33 ± 9 years old; 77.8 ± 22.7 kg; 174 ± 13 cm; 10 ± 5 years of experience) were recruited to assess ball velocity, with a radar gun, and throwing accuracy. Anthropometry, static balance, and core stability were assessed using a computerized pressure platform. Acoustic reaction time was measured with a photoelectric system. A significant positive correlation was found between throwing speed and the years of experience (Ƿ = 0.714, p = 0.047), height (Ƿ = 0.786, p = 0.021), dominant leg surface area of the stabilogram (Ƿ = 0.738, p = 0.037), and non-dominant leg center of pressure mean velocity (Ƿ = 0.714, p = 0.017). In the present pilot study, height and years of experience are correlated to throwing velocity. This is also the first test proposal to assess throwing precision and complex acoustic reaction in goalball players, which could be used to assess the level of performance in future studies.

New and promising variables are being developed to analyze performance and fatigue in trail running, such as mechanical power, metabolic power, metabolic cost of transport and mechanical efficiency. The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior of these variables during a real vertical kilometer field test. Fifteen trained trail runners, eleven men (from 22 to 38 years old) and four women (from 19 to 35 years old) performed a vertical kilometer with a length of 4.64 km and 835 m positive slope. During the entire race, the runners were equipped with portable gas analyzers (Cosmed K5) to assess their cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses breath by breath. Significant differences were found between top-level runners versus low-level runners in the mean values of the variables of mechanical power, metabolic power and velocity. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant differences between the sections, the incline and the interactions between all the analyzed variables, in addition to differences depending on the level of the runner. The variable of mechanical power can be statistically significantly predicted from metabolic power and vertical net metabolic COT. An algebraic expression was obtained to calculate the value of metabolic power. Integrating the variables of mechanical power, vertical velocity and metabolic power into phone apps and smartwatches is a new opportunity to improve performance monitoring in trail running.

Exercise, despite being a beneficial activity for health, can also be a source of oxidative imbalance, which can lead to a decrease in performance. Furthermore, melatonin is an endogenous molecule that may counteract exercise-induced oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential ergogenic and antioxidant capacity of melatonin administered for a maximal effort test. A total of 30 rats were divided into three groups—control, exercise, and exercise + melatonin (intraperitoneal administration of 10 mg/kg)—to assess the effects of an exhaustive incremental protocol in the two exercise groups (with and without melatonin) on the treadmill-running performance (final speed reached), lipid and protein oxidation markers (malondialdehyde + 4-hidroxyalkenals and carbonyl content, respectively), and cellular and mitochondrial membranes’ fluidity in skeletal muscle, brain, and liver tissues. Our results show an ergogenic effect of melatonin (31 ± 4 vs. 36 ± 4 cm/s), which may be due to its antioxidant properties being significantly stronger than its protective effect when performing increasing exercise on a treadmill until exhaustion. Melatonin reverted the membrane rigidity in the brain caused by exercise (with no effect on muscle or liver), prevented lipid oxidation in muscle, and prevented lipid and protein oxidation in the liver. Differences between tissues’ responses to exercise and melatonin need to be investigated in the future to elucidate other possible mechanisms that explain melatonin’s ergogenic effect.

Trail running is a demanding endurance sport where performance prediction models often rely on laboratory testing or pre-race data, limiting their practical application. This study presents a real-time predictive model for marathon and ultra-trail races, based on variables recorded during the race, including uphill/downhill pace-times, terrain difficulty coefficients, and partial rankings. A total of 947 runners from the ‘Trail Valle de Tena’ event (Spain) were analyzed to develop equations that estimate total race time using only the first third of the race. The model incorporates weighted time (WT_n), pacing variability (WTV_n,n+2), and checkpoint percentile rank (CPR_n), showing strong predictive power (adjusted R² > 0.95) across sexes and race modalities. These variables reflect the runner’s ability to both overcome elevation and maintain consistent pacing, offering insights into fatigue management and performance optimization. The model enables coaches and athletes to monitor race progression, adjust strategies in real time, and potentially reduce injury risk through better control of effort intensity. Unlike laboratory-based models, this approach is fully applicable in field conditions and does not require prior testing. Further validation in similar endurance events is recommended to confirm its utility as a practical tool for training and competition planning.