Sports Medicine

Prospective cohort links ankle mechanics and running volume to Achilles tendinopathy

In a 1-year cohort of 911 adults, medically confirmed Achilles tendinopathy was predicted by both ankle biomechanics and running volume. Greater running distance increased tendinopathy odds, reinforcing cumulative load as a key modifiable risk factor. Lower peak ankle inversion moment and lower peak ankle external rotation angle independently increased tendinopathy risk. A higher peak ankle inversion moment appeared protective, suggesting certain frontal-plane ankle loading patterns may be beneficial. These data support integrating gait retraining and mileage management into Achilles tendon injury-prevention strategies for runners. 1

Over 428,000 exercise sessions clarify glycaemic effects in adults with type 1 diabetes

In 3248 adults with type 1 diabetes, 428,058 logged sessions showed that exercise of any type acutely lowered glucose by about 1 mmol/l. Walking and other aerobic activities produced larger within-session glucose reductions than anaerobic exercise, increasing acute hypoglycaemia risk. All modes modestly increased 24-hour time in range versus sedentary days, with small increases in time below range. Anaerobic activities yielded the greatest 24-hour glycaemic improvements with a smaller chance of acute hypoglycaemia. Walking showed the lowest nocturnal hypoglycaemia risk, and late-afternoon exercise did not meaningfully increase overnight hypoglycaemia. Clinicians can tailor exercise prescriptions, favoring anaerobic or mixed sessions when hypoglycaemia risk is a major concern. 2

AMHS-18 provides a brief, accurate athlete mental health screener

Using Polish Olympic athletes, an ant colony optimisation algorithm derived an 18-item Athlete Mental Health Screen (AMHS-18) from SMHAT-1 items. AMHS-18 predicted post-clinical interview recommendations with about 80% accuracy in independent validation, outperforming SMHAT-1 triage. At a cut-off ≥19, sensitivity reached 94% and specificity 72%, with strong internal consistency. The authors recommend AMHS-18 instead of SMHAT-1 triage and alternating it with full SMHAT-1 for routine intake interviews. 3

Five nights of pre-bed smartphone use worsen sleep and performance in elite soccer players

In a randomized crossover trial, 16 elite male soccer players used smartphones or read magazines for two hours before bedtime. Five consecutive nights of smartphone use reduced total sleep time, increased sleep onset latency, and lowered sleep efficiency versus control. Players reported higher sleepiness by days 3 and 5, with large effect sizes. Afternoon reaction times, jumping performance, and reactive agility all deteriorated after smartphone exposure. Clinicians should counsel athletes to avoid prolonged pre-bed smartphone use and consider morning-focused training when evening screens are unavoidable. 4