ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH10
INTRODUCTION: Muscular fatigue is a key determinant of health, performance, and safety in both daily activities and sports. Esports or competitive gaming involve sedentary behavior with monotonous postures and repetitive upper extremity movements, which may elevate the risk of muscular fatigue. Consequently, sustained engagement in competitive gaming can lead to increased muscular fatigue and perceived exertion, potentially contributing to long-term musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). This study examines the effects of competitive gaming on muscular fatigue and perceived exertion, addressing a critical gap in the literature. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy male esports athletes (23.8 ± 3.4 years) participated in two competitive video gaming sessions lasting 90-120 minutes each, interrupted by a 10-minute passive sedentary break. Surface electromyograpic (EMG) data of upper trapezius and wrist extensors were recorded for both body sides during video gaming sessions. The median frequency (MDF) and root mean square (RMS) were used to quantify muscular fatigue. RMS was normalized with the baseline average of the first 2 min of recording. Additionally, repeated measures of perceived physical exertion (Borg Category-Ratio-10 scale) were recorded before and after each video game session (T0-T3). One-way repeated measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction for post-hoc comparisons was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The Borg scale increased significantly over time (T0: 1.0 ± 0.95, T3: 3.0 ± 1.63; F(2.23, 69.2) = 41.23, p < 0.001). Post-hoc analysis confirmed a significant increase after both the first and second gaming sessions (p < 0.001), followed by a reduction after the sedentary break (p < 0.001). MDF in wrist extensors decreased significantly over time (p < 0.001), with reductions observed in both the left (99.24 ± 20.10 Hz to 95.59 ± 20.40 Hz, F(3, 90) = 9.18) and right side (97.86 ± 15.47 Hz to 94.60 ± 15.42 Hz, F(1.64, 45.82) = 10.83). Similarly, RMS amplitude declined significantly (p < 0.001) in both wrist extensors (Left: 103.28 ± 14.70% to 90.78 ± 26.63%, F(2.57, 74.48) = 8.21; Right: 103.28 ± 7.52% to 84.50 ± 14.80%, F(1.71, 47.96) = 24.06). For the upper trapezius, only the MDF of the right side showed a significant decrease over time (77.31 ± 22.98 Hz to 72.52 ± 22.96 Hz, F(1.79, 53.65) = 4.81, p = 0.015). No significant changes were observed in any EMG parameter after the sedentary break. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a progressive increase in physical demand in esports over time, especially following consecutive gaming sessions. Only the Borg scale showed a reduction after a sedentary break. The lack of neuromuscular recovery post-break suggests a risk of cumulative muscular fatigue. Without compensatory physical activity, these repetitive loads may increase the risk of MSD. Therefore, the results indicate the necessity of preventive holistic training approaches and regular active breaks in esports.
Read CV Chuck ThollECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH10
INTRODUCTION: Concussion-related symptoms often overlap with those associated with mental health conditions, potentially posing challenges for health care professionals. This relationship may mean clinicians struggle to distinguish between symptoms related to mental health and those emerging post-concussion. This study aims to investigate whether females with a mental health diagnosis exhibit increased baseline symptom count and severity compared to those without a diagnosis. METHODS: Sixty female university-level rugby union players completed a baseline (pre/early-season) assessment utilising the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, 6th Ed (SCAT6). The present study focused on the symptom checklist which measures the presence and severity of 22 symptoms, with each symptom rated on a scale from 0 (none) to 6 (severe). Individual ratings are combined to produce an overall symptom severity score (/132) and total symptom count (/22). Participants also provided information about their mental health background, specifically, whether they had received a diagnosis for anxiety, depression or any psychological disorder. This information was used to divide participants into two groups: a control group (n = 51) and a mental health group (n = 9). Mean symptom count and severity were calculated for each group and individual symptom, which were then compared between groups. RESULTS: The mental health group exhibited a greater symptom severity score (28.8 vs. 9.8) and increased total symptom count (12.3 vs. 6.2) relative to the control group. Severity scores were elevated in all symptoms of the mental health group with eleven symptoms rated as severe. 19.7% of participants diagnosed with a psychological disorder reported at least one symptom rated three or above, in contrast to only 4.3% of the control group. The most pronounced differences in severity were observed in nervousness or anxiety (2.8 vs. 1.2), trouble falling asleep (2.1 vs. 0.6), irritability (2.1 vs. 0.6), and neck pain (1.56 vs. 0.29). Furthermore, 21 of the 22 symptoms were reported more frequently in participants with a mental health condition, with the largest increases observed in neck pain (+47.1%), sensitivity to light (+45.1%), and trouble falling asleep (+44.4%). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that individuals with mental health disorders experience greater symptom severity and frequency at baseline. This indicates that mental health conditions may influence SCAT6 symptoms, potentially complicating concussion evaluation and treatment within this population. Thus, Health Care Professionals may be setting unrealistic standards post-concussion when comparing individuals with mental health issues to normative data. Finally, this research further highlights the importance of baseline assessments for athletes when diagnosing concussions.
Read CV Isobelle CashmoreECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH10
INTRODUCTION: The paucity of sex-specific data to optimise female athletes health and performance, can be attributed to: (i) sex-based bias in sport science and medicine (SSM) research; (ii) a translational gap between research and practice; and (iii) the underrepresentation of high-performing athletes in SSM literature. While publication volume on female athletes is increasing, a structured inclusive approach is needed. This review will identify demographics, and female-specific SSM research themes, creating a contemporary evidence map whilst surfacing future research needs for highly trained, elite and world-class female athletes. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science (last search, June 2024), and BASE for grey literature, to identify studies involving highly trained (Tier 3), elite (Tier 4), or world-class (Tier 5) female athletes (including retired within 10 years; >16 years old), and/or female athlete support staff. Title, abstract, full-text screening and data extraction were conducted by a total of 10 reviewers. Descriptive statistics (publication counts with percentages) for demographics, SSM (general SSM fields) and female-specific (prevalent topics in current female athlete health literature) research themes are presented. RESULTS: From 12,579 records, 3,566 publications were eligible, including 2,990 (84%) original and 576 (16%) non-original research (e.g., literature reviews, recommendations) spanning 54 years. Among original research, 2,968 (99%) focused on athletes [Tier 3: n=1,158 (39%); Tier 4, n=1,743 (59%); Tier 5, n=379 (13%)], with 128 (4%) on athletes with disabilities, 54 (1.8%) on retired athletes, and 37 (1.2%) on master athletes. The most researched SSM themes were physiology (994, 33%), performance analysis (872, 29%), and injury (762, 25%), while equipment (79, 3%), law (17, 1%) and business (8, 0.3%) were the least common. The most researched female-specific SSM themes were musculoskeletal health (358, 23%), mental health (228, 16%), and cardiovascular health (175, 12%), while pelvic floor health (24, 1.7%), breast health (11, 0.8%), and menopause (2, 0.1%) were the least common. In 2023 specifically, the top SSM themes remained the same, while the most researched female-specific themes were mental health (36, 24%), musculoskeletal health (30, 20%), and menstrual (& other gynaecological) health (21, 14%). CONCLUSION: Although representation in SSM research on female athletes appears low across competition level (i.e., world-class), career stage (i.e., retired and master), and those with disabilities, these subpopulations are proportionally small and challenging to access. However, we should still strive to access them appropriately, given their specific needs. Furthermore, while certain female-specific themes (e.g., menstrual health) are not represented among overall top themes in this review, they are within 2023, suggesting a shift towards recognising the importance of contemporary female-specific topics.
Read CV Natalia Galan-LopezECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH10