Background: Training load and adequate recovery have been identified as essential elements to improve well-being and performance in team sports and avoid non-functional overreaching and overtraining. Objective: This cohort study sought to analyze the stress and recovery perceptions, creatine kinase levels (CK), and vertical jump performance of volleyball athletes at different training times during a championship preseason. Methods: Thirteen high-level male volleyball players (23.80 ± 5.40 years, 91.50 ± 8.80 kg, and 193.10 ± 6.40 cm) completed the RESTQ-Sport questionnaire on stress and recovery perception, and blood samples were collected to evaluate CK levels. These measures were performed six times over 16 weeks, while jumps such as squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and countermovement jump arm (CMJA) were performed at three of those times for specific performance evaluation. Results: The stress perception and recovery perception indices increased and decreased, respectively, in the pre-competitive phase, while CK levels presented an initial rise, maintenance over the training period, and a drop. Vertical jump heights increased significantly throughout the preparatory period regardless of the type of jump. In all training phases, CMJA values exceeded CMJ and SJ values, and CMJ values exceeded SJ values. Conclusions: Positive adaptations were elicited by training stimuli, resulting in improvements in performance. Conversely, load training variables indicated higher levels of stress and muscle damage, together with lower perceptions of recovery during the championship preseason.

We measured the metabolic and biomechanical effects of small horizontal impeding forces (representing realistic aerodynamic drag forces) on high-caliber runners across a range of velocities. Combining our metabolic results with existing aerodynamic models indicates that at 2-h marathon pace, optimal drafting likely allows a marathoner to run between 3 min 42 s and 5 min 29 s faster. Our rule-of-thumb (∼6% increase in gross metabolic power per 1% body weight of horizontal impeding force) will allow others to estimate the performance enhancement of different drafting formations.

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have gait asymmetries, and exercise therapy may reduce the differences between more and less affected limbs. The Nordic walking (NW) training may contribute to reducing the asymmetry in upper and lower limb movements in people with PD. We compared the effects of 11 weeks of NW aerobic training on asymmetrical variables of gait in subjects with mild PD. Fourteen subjects with idiopathic PD, age: 66.8 ± 9.6 years, and Hoehn and Yard stage of 1.5 points were enrolled. The kinematic analysis was performed pre and post-intervention. Data were collected at two randomized walking speeds (0.28 m·s⁻¹ and 0.83 m·s⁻¹) during five minutes on the treadmill without poles. The more affected and less affected body side symmetries (threshold at 5% between sides) of angular kinematics and spatiotemporal gait parameters were calculated. We used Generalized Estimating Equations with Bonferroni post hoc (α = 0.05). Maximal flexion of the knee (p = 0.007) and maximal abduction of the hip (p = 0.041) were asymmetrical pre and became symmetrical post NW intervention. The differences occurred in the knee was less affected and the hip was more affected. We concluded that 11 weeks of NW training promoted similarities in gait parameters and improved knee and hip angular parameters for PD subjects.

Incline and level running on treadmills have been extensively studied due to their different cardiorespiratory and biomechanical acute responses. However, there are no studies examining the performance determinants of outdoor running on hilly terrains. We aimed to investigate the influence of anthropometrics, muscle strength, and cardiorespiratory and gait spatiotemporal parameters during level (0%) and inclined (+7%) running on performance in level and hilly 5-km races. Twenty male recreational runners completed two 5-km outdoor running tests (0% vs. +7% and −7%), and two submaximal (10 km·h⁻¹) and incremental treadmill tests at 0 and 7% slopes, after complete laboratory evaluations. The velocity at maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) evaluated at 7% incline and level treadmill running were the best performance predictors under both hilly (R² = 0.72; p < 0.05) and level (R² = 0.85; p < 0.01) conditions, respectively. Inclusion of ventilatory and submaximal heart rate data improved the predictive models up to 100%. Conversely, none of the parameters evaluated in one condition contributed to the other condition. The spatiotemporal parameters and the runners’ strength levels were not associated to outdoor performances. These results indicate that the vVO₂max evaluated at similar slopes in the lab can be used to predict 5-km running performances on both level and hilly terrains.

Understanding the changes in running mechanics caused by fatigue is essential to assess its impact on athletic performance. Changes in running biomechanics after constant speed conditions are well documented, but the adaptive responses after a maximal incremental test are unknown. We compared the spatiotemporal, joint kinematics, elastic mechanism, and external work parameters before and after a maximal incremental treadmill test. Eighteen recreational runners performed 2-minute runs at 8 km·h⁻¹ before and after a maximal incremental test on a treadmill. Kinematics, elastic parameters, and external work were determined using the OpenCap and OpenSim software. We did not find differences in spatiotemporal parameters and elastic parameters (mechanical work, ankle, and knee motion range) between premaximal and postmaximal test conditions. After the maximal test, the runners flexed their hips more at contact time (19.4°–20.6°, P = .013) and presented a larger range of pelvis rotation at the frontal plane (10.3°–11.4°, P = .002). The fatigue applied in the test directly affects pelvic movements; however, it does not change the lower limb motion or the spatiotemporal and mechanical work parameters in recreational runners. A larger frontal plane motion of the pelvis deserves attention due to biomechanical risk factors associated with injuries.