Background: Beach volleyball is a high-intensity, intermittent sport requiring repeated explosive actions and rapid changes of direction performed on an unstable sand surface. Creatine monohydrate (CrM) supplementation has consistently been shown to enhance short-duration, high-intensity performance; however, evidence in female athletes and sport-specific contexts in beach volleyball remains limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of CrM supplementation delivered in gummy form on physical performance outcomes, body composition, and reaction time in female beach volleyball athletes. Methods: Thirty-two female collegiate and professional beach volleyball athletes completed a 10-week randomized controlled trial and were assigned to either CrM, 5 g·day⁻¹ group (n = 17) or control group (n = 15). Countermovement jump (CMJ) height, change-of-direction speed (CODS), body composition, and reaction time were assessed before and after the intervention. Outcomes were analyzed using mixed-model analyses of variance. Results: Significant Group × Time interactions were observed for CMJ height and CODS, with the CrM group demonstrating improvements in jump height (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.34) and faster change-of-direction performance (p = 0.009, ηp² = 0.21), while the control group showed no improvement or performance declines. Significant Group × Time interactions were also observed for body fat mass (p = 0.024, ηp² = 0.16), body fat percentage (p = 0.015, ηp² = 0.18), and total body water (p = 0.038, ηp² = 0.14). No significant interactions were observed for lean body mass, skeletal muscle mass, total body mass, or reaction time. Conclusions: CrM supplementation delivered in gummy form enhanced selected performance outcomes and helped maintain body composition in female beach volleyball athletes. These findings support creatine gummies as a practical supplementation strategy in this population.

Background: Achilles tendinopathy is a common musculoskeletal disorder causing pain and impaired tendon function, primarily affecting athletes and individuals engaged in repetitive activities like running and jumping. It progresses through stages of tendon health, disrepair, and degeneration, often leading to chronic overuse injuries. Aims: This study aims to identify evidence-based prevention and management strategies by analyzing intrinsic factors (e.g., flexibility, muscle strength, tendon stiffness) and extrinsic factors (e.g., training loads, footwear). It proposes an integrated prevention framework that combines biomechanical, physiological, and contextual risk factors to guide athletes, coaches, and healthcare professionals. Methods: A systematic review of 250 studies from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Consensus AI resulted in the selection of 34 high-quality studies. The review focused on Achilles tendinopathy prevention and management strategies, particularly exercise interventions, load management, and biomechanical factors. Results: The findings highlight the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in reducing tendinopathy risk. Key strategies include eccentric calf exercises, dynamic and static stretching, targeted strength training, optimized load management, and biomechanical interventions such as footwear modification. Unlike previous studies that examined these components separately, this research presents a comprehensive prevention framework. Conclusion: This study integrates multiple risk factors into a cohesive model for Achilles tendinopathy prevention. It emphasizes the necessity of a multidimensional approach over isolated interventions. Future research should focus on experimental validation and longitudinal studies to assess the long-term effectiveness of this framework across diverse populations.

The study aimed to compare the effect of three precooling techniques (internal, external, and combined) on the time to reach exhaustion in active men. Eight active men (23 ± 2 yrs; 178 ± 6 cm; 73 ± 11 kg) participated] in 4 exhaustive test sessions with a minimum power output of 40Wmax. Sessions included consumption of 7.5 grams of ice water with a temperature of -1 degree per kilogram of body weight, cold towels (4-6°C) used to cool the skin surface], a combination of ice water consumption and a towel cooling, and a control session in which subjects cycled to reach exhaustion without any cooling techniques. Data was analyzed using a mixed-method (treatment time) repeated-measures ANOVA was with significance accepted at p<0.05. The skin surface temperature in the combined session and towel session was significantly lower than the ice session (p<0.001). The central temperature in the combined and ice slurry sessions was significantly lower at the beginning and end of the activity compared to the towel session (p<0.01). Exhaustion time and distance traveled in the combined session were significantly longer compared to the ice slurry and control sessions (p<0.01). In the towel session, exhaustion time was significantly greater] than the control session (p <0.04). The rate of sweating in the ice slurry session was significantly lower than the control session (p <0.01). The perception of pressure in the combined session was significantly lower than the ice slurry and control sessions (p<0.05). The results indicate that a combination of two techniques (internal and external cooling) can have a greater effect on measures of endurance performance.

Background: Sprint speed is a critical factor in the performance of collegiate soccer players. While various training methods exist to improve sprinting ability, self-driving treadmills may offer a unique and effective approach. This study aimed to explore the effects of self-driving treadmill training on sprint speed in female NCAA Division II soccer players. Methods: A retrospective, observational analysis was conducted using data from 29 female collegiate soccer players who completed a minimum of 3, 5-second resisted sprints per session, with sessions ranging from 2 to 5 times per week over 3 weeks. Sprint speed was measured using GPS tracking, and data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation to assess relationships between training volume and sprint speed. Results: On average, participants completed 4.67 ± 5.00 training sessions, with an average top sprint speed of 20.34 ± 1.29 mph. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the number of training sessions and performance metrics such as work rate, hard running distances, and sprint frequency. However, no significant improvement was found in top speed (p = 0.24752). Conclusion: The findings suggest that while increased training volume improves work rate, sprint frequency, and hard running distances, it does not significantly affect top sprint speed. Tailored training approaches focusing on maximal velocity may be necessary to enhance top speed. These results provide insights into speed training interventions and suggest areas for future research and practical application in training programs.

Introduction: Understanding disparities between training and competition loads is critical for optimizing performance. While training aims to prepare athletes for match demands, mismatches in workload may affect readiness. This study examined internal and external load differences between training and match play across two competitive seasons Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on ed NCAA Division II women’s soccer players during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Internal load was assessed using heart rate (HR), Training Impulse (TRIMP), average HR, and time spent above 85% HRmax. The external load used GPS-derived measures, including total distance, high-speed running distance, sprint distance, and sprint count. Linear mixed-effects models evaluated differences between training vs. match sessions. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. Results: Match play elicited significantly greater external load than training (p < 0.001; d = 1.41-2.63). Total distance was higher in matches (2023: 4.77 ± 0.79 vs. 3.15 ± 0.79 miles; 2024: 5.42 ± 0.86 vs. 3.52 ± 0.86 miles). High-speed running distance was also greater (2023: 326.9 ± 85.8 vs. 128.7 ± 85.8 yd; 2024: 432.6 ± 101.0 vs. 164.7 ± 101.0 yd). TRIMP was elevated during matches (2023: 321 ± 29 vs. 188 ± 34; 2024: 332 ± 31 vs. 201 ± 41). Internal load differences were smaller overall. Conclusions: Training sessions demonstrated lower external loads compared to matches, while internal responses were relatively similar. These findings suggest that current training may not fully reflect the demands of competition, though causal inferences cannot be made.

Caffeine is considered one of the most commonly used ergogenic aids across a wide range of athletic disciplines. Its popularity has led to the development of various forms, including caffeine mouthwashes. Caffeine mouthwashes, as one of the newer delivery methods, have attracted researchers’ attention due to their direct and rapid absorption through the oral mucosa. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of varying caffeine mouth rinse protocols on Wingate test anaerobic power indices. Using a randomized crossover design, participants completed four experimental sessions in which they used a 2% caffeine mouthwash for 10, 20, or 30 seconds, or a placebo mouthwash, before performing a Wingate anaerobic test. During each session, following the mouthwash administration, anaerobic power indices were assessed using the Wingate test on a cycle ergometer. All data were analyzed through repeated-measures ANOVA. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Data analysis showed that caffeine mouthwash duration had no significant effect on power drop (p = 0.165) or mean anaerobic power (p = 0.962). In contrast, peak anaerobic power was significantly higher following the 30 second caffeine mouthwash compared with placebo (p = 0.033), and time to reach maximum speed was significantly shorter after the 30 second condition compared with both the 10 second caffeine mouthwash and placebo (p < 0.05). Shorter rinsing durations (10 and 20 seconds) did not differ from placebo for these outcomes. These findings indicate that caffeine mouthwash can influence select anaerobic performance indices, with ergogenic effects evident only when rinsing duration is sufficiently prolonged.