European Journal of Human Movement

Effects of resistance-based exercise interventions on sarcopenic obesity in postmenopausal women: systematic review

Noelia Belando-Pedreño — 2026-06-30

Sarcopenic obesity, defined as the coexistence of excess adiposity with reduced muscle mass and function, is highly prevalent in postmenopausal women due to menopause-related hormonal and metabolic changes. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence on the effects of resistance-based exercise interventions, defined as programmes in which resistance training constituted the main component, on outcomes related to sarcopenic obesity in postmenopausal women. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus were searched from 2016 to 2026. A total of 101 records were identified, and 13 intervention studies met the inclusion criteria. Eligible studies included randomised and non-randomised intervention trials conducted in postmenopausal women with sarcopenic obesity who were exposed to structured resistance-based exercise programmes lasting ≥ 8 weeks, implemented either as standalone interventions or as the core component of multicomponent programmes. The included studies predominantly applied moderate-intensity resistance-based exercise, frequently using elastic bands, and in some cases combined with aerobic exercise and/or nutritional strategies. Improvements in muscle strength were reported in 11 of the 12 studies assessing this outcome, and functional performance improved in 9 of the 11 studies evaluating physical function. In contrast, effects on body composition were heterogeneous, with favourable changes reported in 7 of the 11 studies assessing fat mass or lean mass outcomes. Evidence regarding bone mineral density was inconsistent, with positive effects observed in 3 of the 6 studies, while metabolic and inflammatory markers showed variable responses across interventions. Resistance-based exercise interventions are consistently associated with improvements in muscle strength and functional capacity in postmenopausal women with sarcopenic obesity. Evidence regarding effects on body composition, bone mineral density, and metabolic outcomes remains heterogeneous and inconclusive. Further well-designed randomised controlled trials with longer follow-up periods and standardised diagnostic criteria are required to clarify these effects.

Relative Age Effect in Team and Individual Sports: A Systematic Review with Quantitative Synthesis

Adrián Agricola — 2026-06-30

The Relative Age Effect (RAE) influences talent identification and athlete development across sports. This study presents a systematic review with a secondary quantitative synthesis of extracted or calculated odds ratios (ORs) to examine the magnitude and variability of RAE in selected team sports (football, ice hockey, basketball) and individual sports (tennis, swimming, gymnastics). A total of 91 peer-reviewed studies comprising 158 samples and more than 40,000 athletes aged 8–18 years were included. ORs were defined as the likelihood of being relatively older versus relatively younger within an age cohort and were extracted when reported or calculated from birthdate frequency distributions using comparisons between the earliest and latest birth quartiles. Team sports showed a consistent, moderate RAE (mean ORs approximately 1.28–1.32), whereas individual sports demonstrated greater variability, with gymnastics showing the strongest effect (mean OR = 2.10) and swimming the weakest (mean OR = 1.20). Exploratory comparisons suggested differences in the distribution of ORs between team and individual sports. Overall, these findings indicate that RAE is not uniform across sport contexts but is shaped by sport-specific demands and selection practices. Practical strategies such as bio-banding, flexible competition formats, and increased awareness among coaches and administrators may help mitigate selection bias and support more equitable developmental pathways.

Evolution of scientific research on padel: A systematic review from 2022 to 2025

Iván Martín-Miguel — 2026-06-30

Padel has become one of the most popular racket sports worldwide, showing rapid growth in both participation and scientific output. This systematic review examines research on padel published between January 2022 and August 2025. Variables examined include the evolution of the number of publications, main research lines, sample characteristics, players’ sex, country of origin, aside from the most prominent authors and journals. Searches were conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, identifying 188 articles. Results reveal a marked increase in publications, surpassing 50 annual outputs since 2024. Performance indicators emerged as the predominant research focus (35.64%), followed by physical parameters (14.36%), reviews (12.77%), and injuries (10.64%). Half of the studies analyzed professional players, while research also extended to amateur and youth categories. Regarding sex, most studies included both genders (74.55%), though 23.07% examined only men and just 2.36% focused exclusively on women. Spain and Italy accounted for 90% of publications, with five leading authors contributing to 42% of the total output. Padel Scientific Journal was identified as the main reference journal. Overall, these findings provide an updated overview of the evolution of padel research, underscoring its rapid expansion while also revealing significant gaps that could guide future investigations.

How long can you run at critical power intensity? An analysis of the time to exhaustion in trained athletes

Javier Olaya Cuartero — 2026-06-30

To date, speed has been the main external load variable in running, ignoring variables that can now be controlled by power. This means that concepts widely studied in cycling, such as critical power (CP), must now be deeply analyzed in running, considering the specificity of the discipline and the differences between both sexes. Thus, the aim of the study was twofold, i) to determine the individual time to exhaustion (TTE) at CP intensity in a group of highly trained athletes under field conditions and ii) to analyze the influence of sex in the TTE at CP. A local group of 37 highly trained athletes, 18 males and 19 females performed a CP test and a TTE test at CP intensity in two different field test sessions. Small ES but no significant differences (p = 0.163; ES: 0.45) between males (22.5 [6.9] minutes) and females (19.1 [7.8] minutes) were observed in the TTE test at CP. A high individual variability was observed, ranging the TTE from 9.2 to 32.5 minutes in males, and 9.3 to 36.1 minutes in females. This variability may be due to the standard error of the estimate.

Biological, Social, and Structural Gaps in Physical Activity: Age, Gender and Sport in Basque Youth

Neritzel Albisua-Kaperotxipi — 2026-06-30

This study aimed to analyse turning points in physical activity (PA) trajectories among children and adolescents according to intensity, age, gender, and participation in organised sport (OS). Methods: A cross-sectional design was applied to a representative sample of 1,073 Basque schoolchildren (537 girls, 536 boys) aged 5 to 18 years. PA was objectively measured using ActiGraph WGT3X-BT accelerometers for seven consecutive days. Trend smoothing (LOWESS) and segmented regression models identified turning points. Results: Declines in moderate and vigorous activity appeared earlier in girls (8 years) than in boys (9 years). Sedentary behaviour increased earlier in girls (12 years) than in boys (13 years). Participation in OS significantly delayed the onset of sedentary behaviour (12.3 vs. 14.8 years) and attenuated MVPA decline, especially in girls. Conclusions: Disparities in PA trajectories are shaped by biological maturation, gender, and structural opportunities. These findings underscore the need for targeted, equity-focused interventions to sustain PA during adolescence.

Effects of a Brief Inspiratory Muscle Training Protocol on Cardiorespiratory Performance and Autonomic Modulation in Amateur Runners

Alexis Espinoza Salinas — 2026-06-30

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is widely recognized as an effective strategy to improve cardiorespiratory efficiency, increase functional capacity, and modulate the autonomic nervous system in both healthy individuals and those with chronic conditions. In the field of sports, IMT has gained growing interest in its potential to optimize physical performance and enhance recovery following intense physical efforts. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of a short IMT protocol on relevant physiological parameters in amateur runners. Forty recreational runners (20 men and 20 women; 35.33 ± 6.13 years; 69.77 ± 11.02 kg; 168.70 ± 8.86 cm; 24.43 ± 2.55 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 20). The intervention consisted of 5 minutes of daily training at 50% maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) for 10 consecutive days. Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO₂max), Second Ventilatory Threshold (VT₂), MIP, and heart rate variability (HRV), specifically the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), were assessed. Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between groups, except for age (p = 0.012). Significant time group interactions were found for VO₂max, VT₂, RMSSD, and MIP (all p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the IMT group showed greater improvements in VO₂max (+2.87 ml/kg/min ; d = 0.59), VT₂ (+2.61 ml/kg/min; d = 0.68), RMSSD (+5.69 ms; d = 0.58), and MIP (+15.48 cmH₂O; d = 1.71). Increases in MIP correlated positively with changes in VO₂max (rho = 0.74), VT₂ (rho = 0.77), and RMSSD (rho = 0.71; all p < 0.001). These findings support the efficacy of short-duration IMT as a complementary tool to improve cardiorespiratory performance and autonomic modulation in recreational athletes, without requiring long periods of intervention.

Impact of Scoring Format and Bout-Ending Mechanism on External Load and Neuromuscular Performance in Youth Soccer Small-Sided Games

Alejandro Rodríguez Fernández — 2026-06-30

Background: Small-sided games (SSG) are widely used in soccer training to replicate match demands; however, limited evidence exists on how different bout-ending mechanisms and scoring formats interact to modulate external load and fatigue responses, particularly in youth players. The aims were to examine the impact of scoring format and bout-ending mechanism on external load and neuromuscular fatigue during soccer SSG. Methods: Eight male youth players completed four 4 vs 4 SSG formats across four sessions: (1) fixed-time with regular goals and goalkeepers (SSG_FT-GK), (2) fixed-goal with regular goals and goalkeepers (SSG_FG-GK), (3) fixed-time with mini-goals (SSG_FT-MG), and (4) fixed-goal with mini-goals (SSG_FG-MG). Each session involved four bouts of 4-minutes with 2-minutes recovery. External load variables were measured using GPS (10 Hz), while neuromuscular fatigue was assessed via 10-m and 30-m sprints performed immediately before and after each SSG. Results: Significant effects were found for total distance, jogging distance, peak speed, accelerations, decelerations, and player load (p = 0.001–0.044, ηp² = 0.358–0.849, large). The SSG_FG-GKcondition elicited the highest locomotor and mechanical demands, including greater distance covered, higher peak speed, and elevated player load compared to other formats. No significant pre–post changes were observed in sprint times (p ≥ 0.459, ηp² ≤ 0.096), indicating no acute neuromuscular fatigue. Conclusion: These findings suggest fixed-goal formats with regular goals and goalkeepers can substantially increase external load in youth 4 vs 4 SSG without impairing sprint performance, providing coaches an effective tool to modulate training stimuli.

What are the most frequent movement combinations leading to goals in professional male and female soccer?

David Martinez Hernandez — 2026-06-30

Different studies have analysed the movements performed in key moments of a soccer match such as goal scoring situation. Anyhow, no study has analysed how these movements are combined. This study aimed to identify the most habitual combination of movements occurring before a goal in the English Premier League and Women’s Super League.
Data was collected through video-analysis using a modified version of the Bloomfield Movement Classification. The frequency of each of the movements performed before and after a selected movement (for example, linear advancing motion) was analysed in both English Premier League and Women’s Super League.
Linear advancing motion, deceleration and turn in different orders accounted for 25.3% and 22.9% of individual involvements in Premier League and Women’s Super League, respectively. The most common movement before a linear advancing motion was a turn, while the most common movement performed after was a deceleration. Decelerations were most frequently preceded by a linear advancing motion and followed by a turn. Turns were most preceded and followed by deceleration and turn, respectively.
Male and female professional soccer players are exposed to different sequences of actions before a goal. Within this, the combination of linear advancing motion, turn and deceleration is the most commonly performed, usually following a particular order. Coaches and trainers should focus on improving players' proficiency in transitioning between these various movements, with special attention to the most common sequences observed.

Goal-Scoring Patterns and Their Association with Final League Ranking in South American Professional Football

Mateo Gómez Pérez — 2026-06-30

This study aimed to compare goal-scoring patterns and their association with final league ranking across the five strongest men’s professional football leagues affiliated with CONMEBOL during the 2022 season. A total of 96 teams from Brazil’s Série A, Argentina’s Primera División, Paraguay’s Primera División, Colombia’s Liga BetPlay Dimayor, and Ecuador’s Serie A were analysed. Data were obtained from the BeSoccer and IFFHS databases, considering only regular-season matches and excluding play-off phases, domestic cups, and international competitions to ensure comparability. Goals were analysed across six 15-minute match intervals (0–15, 16–30, 31–45+, 46–60, 61–75, and 76–90+ minutes) using multivariate analysis of variance, orthogonal canonical contrasts, and exploratory principal component analysis. Multiple linear regression models were also performed to examine the association between goal distribution and final league ranking. Significant differences in goal distribution were identified between leagues, particularly from the second to the sixth time intervals. Paraguay exhibited higher goal frequency in the final stages of matches, whereas Brazil reached its peak in the third interval. Across all leagues, a greater number of goals was consistently observed in the second half. Regression analyses indicated that goal distribution across match periods was associated with final league ranking (R² range: 0.677–0.834); however, the contribution of specific time intervals varied between leagues. In some cases, such as late-match scoring in Paraguay, these patterns were not significantly associated with competitive outcomes. These findings suggest that goal-scoring patterns differ between South American competitions and may be influenced by temporal and contextual factors. The results provide practical insights for coaches and performance analysts, supporting the design of training strategies and tactical approaches adapted to league-specific goal-scoring dynamics.

Analysis of impact acceleration in recreational athletes classified by their functional response to fatigue

RUBEN Bruna Lázaro — 2026-06-30

Running offers numerous benefits but is also linked to a high incidence of injuries, with fatigue being a factor contributing to biomechanical changes in runners. Despite the identification of multiple injury factors, their mechanisms remain poorly understood motivating the development of new clustering methods based on biomechanical risk factors (BRFs) responses. This study aimed to analyse impact acceleration differences between subgroups of recreational runners identified through clustering based on their response to fatigue. Thirty-nine male recreational runners performed a 30-min treadmill protocol at 80 % of their maximal aerobic speed (MAS). Impact accelerations, spatiotemporal variables, heart rate (HR), and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured pre- and post-fatigue. Functional groups (FGs) were identified using K-means based on changes in tibial peak accelerations, and differences associated with fatigue and FGs were analysed. Fatigue increased HR (p < 0.01), RPE (p < 0.01), head magnitude (p = 0.037) and tibial loading rate (p = 0.014). Three FGs were identified, differing significantly in impact attenuation, with FG3 showing reduced values after the fatigue protocol (p = 0.042) compared to FG1 and FG2. These variations in attenuation observed in FG3 suggest distinct biomechanical responses to fatigue between groups. The identification of distinct FGs highlights the importance of considering individual biomechanical profiles when analysing fatigue-related running mechanics and designing training strategies.