Background: Cognitive-Motor Dual Task (CMDT) training has been widely utilized in rehabilitation and sports practice. However, whether CMDT training can better enhance athletes’ cognitive-motor performance compared to traditional single-task (ST) training remains unclear.Method: A systematic review that complied with PRISMA was carried out (Prospero registration number: CRD42023443594). The electronic databases used for the systematic literature search from the beginning through 13 June 2023, included Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. After obtaining the initial literature, two researchers independently assessed it based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, the included literature was analyzed to compare the differences between ST training and CMDT training.Results: After screening 2,094 articles, we included 10 acute studies and 7 chronic studies.Conclusion: This systematic review shows that athletes typically show a degradation of performance in CMDT situations as opposed to ST when evaluated transversally. However, this performance decline is notably reduced following longitudinal training in CMDT, indicating the effectiveness of sustained CMDT training in enhancing cognitive-motor performance under dual-task conditions. Our study provides new insights into the application of CMDT in the field of sports training. Practitioners can utilize CMDT to assess athletic skill levels or optimize cognitive-motor performance of athletes, taking into account the specific needs of each sport.Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42023443594.

This study aims to (1) assess the inter-limb asymmetry in hip, knee, and ankle strength and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance among adolescent basketball players and (2) examine the relationship between inter-limb asymmetry and CMJ performance. Moreover, 30 adolescent basketball players (15 boys and 15 girls) aged 14 to 15 years participated in this study. The strength of the lower limb joints was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer at a speed of 60 degrees per second. Three maximal CMJs were performed, and the highest jump was used for the final analysis. The subjects were median-split into high-asymmetry (n = 15) and low-asymmetry (n = 15) groups based on the calculated strength asymmetry scores. The asymmetry scores were calculated using the formula: (dominant–non-dominant)/dominant* 100%. The inter-limb asymmetry data ranged from 12.2% to 21.6%. A Spearman correlation analysis showed that only the inter-limb asymmetry of the ankle plantar flexor was significantly correlated with the CMJ heights (ρ = −0.56, p = 0.001). An independent t-test revealed no significant differences in strength asymmetry between boys and girls (all p > 0.05). The low-asymmetry group demonstrated significantly greater CMJ performance compared to the high-asymmetry group (ES = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.34–1.87, p = 0.007), indicating that inter-limb asymmetry of the ankle plantar flexor has a significant negative impact on CMJ performance. Coaches should focus on enhancing both the strength and symmetry of the ankle joints to improve athletic performance and prevent injuries in sports, where jumping is a common movement.

Background: In 2022, Shanghai was seriously affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The government implemented citywide static management for 2 months, as well as all universities in Shanghai, which changed the normal learning and living style of sports students and led to a decline in physical activity level. As the physical activity has a strong correlation with mental health, this study aimed to investigate the current state of physical activity (PA) and mental health of the students in Shanghai University of Sport. It will try to reveal the correlation between PA and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19 and smartphone addiction.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 400 students who came from six different majors in May 2022 at the Shanghai University of Sport. Respondents completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Chinese version of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Chinese version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the Chinese version of the COVID-19 Fear Scale (FCV- 19S), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV). Demographics, PA, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19, and smartphone addiction were compared. A binary logistic regression model was used for the further analysis.Results: A total of 376 college students were included in the final analysis. Binary logistics analysis showed that moderate physical activity (MPA) was negatively correlated with depression (OR = 0.95, 95%CI = 0.93–0.98), anxiety (OR = 0.97, 95%CI = 0.95–0.99), fear of COVID 19(OR = 0.99, 95%CI = 0.98–0.99)and smartphone addiction (OR = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.9–0.98) (all P < 0.05). Sedentary behavior was positively correlated with smartphone addiction (OR = 1.01, P < 0.01, 95%CI = 1.001–1.004).Conclusion: There was an association between the presence of MPA and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, fear of COVID-19, smartphone addiction, and sedentary behavior associated with smartphone addiction levels. Clarifying the causal relationship between PA and mental health will require further research.

Background: Amid the backdrop of global aging, the increasing prevalence of cognitive decline among the elderly, particularly within the female demographic, represents a considerable public health concern. Physical activity (PA) is recognized as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for mitigating cognitive decline in older adults. However, the relationship between different PA patterns and cognitive function (CF) in elderly women remains unclear.Methods: This study utilized data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014 to investigate the relationships between PA, PA patterns [inactive, Weekend Warrior (WW), and Regular Exercise (RE)], and PA intensity with CF in elderly women. Multivariate regression analysis served as the primary analytical method.Results: There was a significant positive correlation between PA and CF among elderly women (β-PA: 0.003, 95% CI: 0.000–0.006, P = 0.03143). Additionally, WW and RE activity patterns were associated with markedly better cognitive performance compared to the inactive group (β-WW: 0.451, 95% CI: 0.216–0.685, P = 0.00017; β-RE: 0.153, 95% CI: 0.085–0.221, P = 0.00001). Furthermore, our results indicate a progressive increase in CF with increasing PA intensity (β-MPA- dominated: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.02–0.09, P = 0.0208; β-VPA-dominated: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09–0.34, P = 0.0011; β-Total VPA: 0.31, 95% CI: −0.01–0.63, P = 0.0566).Conclusion: Our study confirms a positive association between PA and CF in elderly women, with even intermittent but intensive PA models like WW being correlated with improved CF. These findings underscore the significant role that varying intensities and patterns of PA play in promoting cognitive health among older age groups, highlighting the need for adaptable PA strategies in public health initiatives targeting this population.

The gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in athletic health and performance by influencing metabolism, immunity, gastrointestinal integrity, and recovery. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and integrative multi-omics approaches have provided unprecedented insights into how microbial communities adapt to the physiological demands of training and competition. Key microbial taxa, including short-chain fatty acid producers, lactate utilizers, and carbohydrate fermenters, have been linked to enhanced endurance, reduced inflammation, and improved recovery, opening exciting opportunities for targeted probiotic interventions. While conventional probiotics remain valuable, next-generation engineered strains hold particular promise, supported by recent regulatory milestones such as FDA approvals of engineered probiotics and gene-edited livestock. In this narrative review, we synthesize recent multi-omics research to examine mechanistic links between the athlete gut microbiome and performance, evaluate current and emerging probiotic strategies, and highlight challenges related to personalization, standardization, and regulation. With longitudinal, performance-oriented trials and harmonized frameworks, microbiome-targeted interventions are poised to move beyond exploratory research toward evidence-based, precision tools that optimize athletic performance and recovery.