Background: There is a lack of specific research on the effect of percussive therapy (PT) delivered by massage guns on physiological adaptations. This systematic literature review investigates research conducted on the effects of PT interventions on performance in strength and conditioning settings, and on experiences of musculoskeletal pain. Purpose: To determine the effect of PT delivered by massage guns on physiological adaptations: muscle strength, explosive muscle strength and flexibility, and experiences of musculoskeletal pain. Study Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: Data sources (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Psychinfo, PubMed, SportDISCUS and OpenGrey) were searched from January 2006 onwards for full text literature in any language involving adult populations receiving PT delivered by massage guns, directly to any muscle belly or tendon, with comparisons to an alternative treatment, placebo or no treatment. Literature with outcomes relating to acute or chronic physiological adaptations in muscle strength, explosive muscle strength, flexibility or experiences of musculoskeletal pain were included. Articles were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and PEDro scores. Results: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies had limitations in methodological quality or reporting of findings but still included contextually-rich details that contributed to the overall narrative synthesis. A significant relationship was found between a single application of PT delivered by massage guns and an acute increase in muscle strength, explosive muscle strength and flexibility, with multiple treatments eliciting a reduction in experiences of musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: PT delivered by massage guns can help improve acute muscle strength, explosive muscle strength and flexibility, and reduce experiences of musculoskeletal pain. These devices may provide a portable and cost-effective alternative to other forms of vibration and interventions.

The importance of natural environments in supporting health and wellbeing has been well evidenced in supporting positive mental and physical health outcomes, including during periods of crisis and stress. Given the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been greatest for those who are most vulnerable, understanding the role of natural environment and alternative forms of nature engagement in supporting health and wellbeing for vulnerable groups is important. This study explored how nature engagement supported health and wellbeing in those with a pre-existing health condition during the first UK lockdown. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 adults with a pre-existing health condition and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Four themes were identified: COVID-19 versus nature; Nature as an extension and replacement; Nature connectedness; and Therapeutic nature. The findings show the importance of nature in supporting health and wellbeing in those with a pre-existing health condition through engagement with private and public natural environments, micro-restorative opportunities, nature connection as an important pathway, and the therapeutic benefits of nature engagement. The present research extends the evidence-base beyond patterns of nature engagement to a deeper understanding of how those with existing health conditions perceived and interacted with nature in relation to their health and wellbeing during the first UK lockdown. Findings are discussed in relation to health supporting environments, micro-restorative opportunities, and policy implications.

The perceptions of policies and research on menstrual cycle (MC), hormonal contraception (HC) and pregnancy of those involved in women’s football from six European countries were analyzed via survey (n = 1127), and focus groups/interviews (49 women, 12 men). Thematically analyzed themes included ‘support’, ‘player decisions’, ‘knowledge and understanding’ and ‘talking and discussion’. Support for MC, HC, pregnancy/childcare was felt to be dependent on the extent of knowledge and understanding, ease of communication between players and staff, and top-level intervention, such as policy, money and resources, which, regarding pregnancy, informed player decisions on whether they started a family. Support also came in the form of MC tracking and solidarity from teammates. To improve the women’s game beyond policy on welfare, suggestions were to hire more women coaches and to formalize coach education to include research on MC, HC and pregnancy, which hopefully should incite open dialogue between the coach and athlete.

The introduction of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) in England aimed to increase joint planning and delivery of health and social care, and other services, to better meet the needs of local communities. There is an associated duty to undertake collaborative research across ICS partners to inform this new integrated approach, which might be challenging given that organisations span health, local authority, voluntary and community sector, and research. This study aimed to explore the appetite for collaborative Research and Innovation (R&I) across ICSs, potential barriers and solutions. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 24 stakeholders who held senior positions within organisations across two ICS areas (Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent; Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin). Interview transcripts were analysed using inductive and deductive analysis, first mapping to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), then considering key influences on organisational behaviour in terms of Capability, Opportunity and Motivation from the COM-B Behaviour Change Wheel. There were fundamental limitations on organisational opportunities for collaborative R&I: a historical culture of competition (rather than collaboration), a lack of research culture and prioritisation, compounded by a challenging adverse economic environment. However, organisations were motivated to undertake collaborative R&I. They recognised the potential benefits (e.g., skill-sharing, staff development, attracting large studies and funding), the need for collaborative research that mirrors integrated care, and subsequent benefits for care recipients. Related barriers included negative experiences of collaboration, fear of failing and low confidence. Capability varied across organisations in terms of research skills and confidence, which reflected the range of partners (from local authorities to NHS Trusts, primary care, and academic institutions). These findings indicate a need to shift from a culture of competition to collaboration, and to help organisations across ICS to prioritise research, and share resources and skills to mitigate the limiting effects of a constrained economic environment. This could be further explored using a systems change approach, to develop the collaborative research efforts alongside the overarching move towards integrated care.

Introduction: Current protocols for delivering percussive therapy (PT) using massage guns are heterogeneous creating a need to establish the impact of study design on physiological measures. This cross-over design study aimed to determine the most effective protocol, among the eight protocols examined, on lower body flexibility, and to support the provision of protocol validation for future research. Method: Recreationally active healthy adults (n = 35) undertook two main protocols; three sessions per week at 2100 rpm or increasing the speed from session-to- session: 1750 to 2100-2400 rpm. PT was applied for 60 s to each of the quadriceps, gluteals, hamstrings and calves of both legs. Paired-samples t-tests assessed pre- and post-intervention data for hip flexion and ankle dorsi-flexion range of motion (ROM). These were collected in all sessions using a digital goniometer allowing changes for eight different protocols to be examined. Results: Results showed the most effective protocol, among the eight protocols examined, for achieving significant gains in lower body flexibility is applying massage gun PT three times a week with increased speeds across sessions (1750-2100-2400 rpm), with average increases for the combined dominant and non-dominant legs of 5.8% for hip flexion and 5.6% ankle dorsiflexion. Conclusions: Practitioners and the public using this protocol could target specific improvements in hip flexion and ankle dorsi-flexion ROM and researchers may wish to adopt this protocol to allow homogenous analysis across study populations in future research.