Journal of Sports Sciences

Journal of Sports Sciences

Published by Taylor & Francis

Online ISSN: 1466-447X

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Print ISSN: 0264-0414

Journal websiteAuthor guidelines

Top read articles

344 reads in the past 30 days

Figure 1. Metatarsophalangeal joint maximal isometric flexion torque measurement using a custom-built dynamometer with a 6-component force sensor.
Figure 2. Multiple linear regression analysis for sprint performance (in s) during the high and medium-acceleration conditions.
Figure 3. Multiple linear regression analysis for relative effective vertical impulse (in BW.S) and contact time (in s) during the low-acceleration condition.
Figure 4. Multiple linear regression analysis for change of direction performance (in s) during cutting.
Figure 5. Multiple linear regression analysis for jump performance (in cm) and relative peak power (in W/kg) during vertical countermovement jump and relative horizontal peak power (in W/kg) during horizontal countermovement jump.

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Human foot muscle strength and its association with sprint acceleration, cutting and jumping performance, and kinetics in high-level athletes

June 2024

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6,162 Reads

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226 reads in the past 30 days

Effective practice and instruction: A skill acquisition framework for excellence

August 2023

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2,721 Reads

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13 Citations

We revisit an agenda that was outlined in a previous paper in this journal focusing on the importance of skill acquisition research in enhancing practice and instruction in sport. In this current narrative review, we reflect on progress made since our original attempt to highlight several potential myths that appeared to exist in coaching, implying the existence of a theory-practice divide. Most notably, we present five action points that would impact positively on coaches and practitioners working to improve skill learning across sports, as well as suggesting directions for research. We discuss the importance of practice quality in enhancing learning and relate this concept to notions of optimising challenge. We discuss how best to assess learning, the right balance between repetition and practice that is specific to competition, the relationship between practice conditions, instructions, and individual differences, and why a more "hands-off" approach to instruction may have advantages over more "hands-on" methods. These action points are considered as a broad framework for advancing skill acquisition for excellence (SAFE) in applied practice. We conclude by arguing the need for increased collaboration between researchers, coaches, and other sport practitioners.

Aims and scope


International research in sports and exercise science including physiology, psychology, sports medicine and biomechanics, coaching and talent identification.

  • The Journal of Sports Sciences has an international reputation for publishing articles of a high standard and is both Medline and Clarivate Analytics-listed.
  • It publishes research on various aspects of the sports and exercise sciences, including anatomy, biochemistry, biomechanics, performance analysis, physiology, psychology, sports medicine and health, as well as coaching and talent identification, kinanthropometry and other interdisciplinary perspectives.
  • The emphasis of the Journal is on the human sciences, broadly defined and applied to sport and exercise.
  • Besides experimental work in human responses to exercise, the subjects covered will include human responses to technologies such as the design of sports equipment and playing facilities, research in training, selection, performance prediction or modification, and stress reduction or manifestation.
  • Manuscripts considered for publication include those dealing with original investigations of exercise, and …

For a full list of the subject areas this journal covers, please visit the journal website.

Recent articles


Evaluation of a time-varying cut-off frequency low-pass filter for assessing knee joint moments and ACL injury risk
  • Article

November 2024

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2 Reads

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Blake Rivers

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James Brouner

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Neal Smith

Conventional low-pass filtering of 3D motion capture signals prior to estimating knee joint moments and ACL injury risk has known limitations. This study aimed to evaluate the fractional Fourier filter (FrFF), which employs a time-varying cut-off frequency, for assessing peak knee moments during common ACL injury risk screening tasks. Ground reaction force and motion data were collected from 23 team sport athletes performing 45° unanticipated sidesteps and drop jumps. Peak knee abduction, internal rotation and non-sagittal moments were estimated using inverse dynamics after five different low-pass filter approaches were applied (FrFF vs. four variations of a fourth-order Butterworth filter). The FrFF produced peak knee moments larger than “matched” (i.e. force and motion cut-off frequencies were equivalent) and closer to “unmatched” (i.e. force and motion cut-offs were different) Butterworth filter approaches and removed problems with representing foot-to-ground impact peaks. Participants with larger peak moments were identified as “at risk” of injury irrespective of filter approach, but the FrFF identified “at risk” classifications conventional approaches did not. Preliminary evidence suggests that the FrFF displays enhanced sensitivity to movement strategies that induce high knee loads. This was most evident for sidestepping, with more research warranted to optimise the FrFF for drop jumps.






Blood flow restriction increases motor unit firing rates and input excitation of the biceps brachii during a moderate-load muscle action
  • Article
  • Full-text available

October 2024

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98 Reads

This study examined the effects of blood flow restriction (BFR) on motor unit (MU) behaviour of the biceps brachii (BB) during a single non-exhausting submaximal muscle action. Twenty adults performed maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the elbow flexors, followed by an isometric trapezoidal muscle action at 40% MVC during BFR and control (CON) visits. Surface electromyographic signals recorded from the BB during the 40% MVCs were decomposed. Recruitment thresholds (RTs), MU action potential amplitudes (MUAPAMPS), initial firing rates (IFRs), mean firing rates (MFRs) at steady force, and normalized EMG amplitude (N-EMGRMS) were analysed. Y-intercepts and slopes were calculated for the MUAPAMP, IFR, and MFR vs. RT relationships. Y-intercepts for the IFR and MFR vs. RT relationships and N-EMGRMS increased during BFR (p < 0.05) collapsed across sex. The slopes for the IFR and MFR vs. RT relationships decreased during BFR (p < 0.05) collapsed across sex. The y-intercepts and slopes for the MUAPAMP vs. RT relationships were not different (p > 0.05) between treatments or sex. BFR during the 40% MVC increased IFRs, MFRs, and N-EMGRMS. However, the similar MUAPAMPS observed between treatments may suggest that a greater load is necessary to recruit additional MUs when performing a single submaximal short-duration muscle action with BFR.


Fatigue-induced alterations in force production, trajectory and performance in alpine skiing

October 2024

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61 Reads

In giant slalom, the ability to apply a high amount of force in the radial direction is essential for performance. A race is characterized by repeated turns performed at high velocity, potentially inducing fatigue. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of fatigue on performance, trajectory characteristics, and force production capacities onto the snow. Twelve skiers ran a 4-turn section with (FATIGUE) and without pre-induced fatigue (CONTROL). Knee extensor maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was performed before the experiment and after both conditions. Section time, energy dissipation, path length, total force output, force application effectiveness, and EMG activity of the main lower-limb muscles were compared between conditions. Multiple linear regressions were used to understand whether interindividual variability in the kinematic, kinetic and EMG between conditions explains variability in performance changes with fatigue. MVC was lower after FATIGUE (−19.1 ± 6.4%, p < 0.001) but did not change after CONTROL. FATIGUE was associated with longer section times (+0.21 ± 0.11 s, p < 0.001), energy dissipation (−0.78 ± 1.05 J.s.kg.m−1, p = 0.026), path length (+1.1 ± 1.6 m, p = 0.033) and lower force application effectiveness (−0.1 ± 0.1, p = 0.017). This study experimentally demonstrates that fatigue in giant slalom results in lower force application effectiveness, inducing over-dissipation of mechanical energy and longer path length, leading to lower performance.



Acute impact of autoregulation of applied blood flow restriction pressures on bilateral single-joint upper limb resistance exercise

October 2024

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40 Reads

To investigate the acute effects of 4 sets of autoregulated (AR-BFR) versus non-autoregulated (NAR-BFR) applied pressures during blood flow restriction (BFR) resistance exercise to volitional failure compared with low-load exercise without BFR. A randomized crossover design study was conducted on 32 healthy adults (20.8 ± 2.3 years; 11 females). Outcome measures were as follows: (1) arterial stiffness, (2) peak perceptual responses and likelihood to perform again, and (3) performance. Results: Post-exercise changes in central and brachial diastolic blood pressure were decreased in all groups. Post-exercise supine systolic blood pressure in no-BFR increased (mean difference (MD) = 4 ± 1 mmHg, 95% CI (1-7), p = 0.003, η 2 = 0.13). Total repetitions performed and volume workload were similar between BFR conditions but less than no-BFR. AR-BFR reported significantly higher exertion (MD = 0.53 ± 0.2, 95% CI (0.04-1.0), p = 0.03, η 2 = 0.19) than other conditions, and induced greater discomfort (MD = 2.50 ± 0.36, 95% CI (1.63-3.37), p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.28) than no-BFR. Conclusion: Biceps curl exercise to volitional failure appears to induce negligible arterial stiffness or blood pressure changes regardless of the application of auto-regulation, yet autoregulation appears to enhance the perceptual response to BFR exercise compared to NAR-BFR without impacting exercise performance.





Reliability, reproducibility, and feasibility of youth activity profile (YAP) questionnaire in Chilean children and adolescents

October 2024

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33 Reads

This study aimed to evaluate the reliability, reproducibility, and feasibility of the Youth Activity Profile Questionnaire (YAP-SL) in the Chilean version (YAP-C) in a sample of children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 160 youth, 59 children (5–11 years old), and 101 adolescents (12–17 years old) from the city of Viña del Mar (Chile). The YAP-SL is a 15-item self-report instrument which was administered twice at an interval of 7 days apart. This questionnaire was designed to capture physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in youths in the last week, categorizing them into three domains: PA at school, PA out-of-school, and sedentary habits. Cronbach’s α coefficients were calculated to evaluate the internal consistency (reliability), and the reproducibility was determined by test-retest and Kendall’s tau b coefficients. Concerning the total YAP-C score, results indicated moderate-to-high reliability in the total sample (0.71), boys (0.76) and girls (0.66), as well as for children (0.73) and adolescents (0.70). The results also revealed variations in reliability and reproducibility across the three domains. In conclusion, the YAP-SL questionnaire presents moderate-to-high reliability in Chilean children and adolescents. However, the reliability and consistency of the YAP varied across the domains.




Feasibility of a 10-week community-based mobile health rehabilitation program using the WalkWithMe application in late sub-acute and chronic stroke survivors in a low resource setting: A pilot study

October 2024

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43 Reads

Physical functioning can be increased in people with stroke by using a mobile health application. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a 10-week community-based program using the WalkWithMe (WWM) application in people with late sub-acute and chronic stroke in Benin. An interventional pilot study with mixed methods research design was used examining the application of an unsupervised individualized mobile Health (mHealth) instructed training program. Main outcome included the application usage, safety, adherence, perceived enjoyment, mHealth quality, patient experiences and pre-post efficacy measures. Nine adults, five males, median age of 60 years and time since stroke of 12 months participated in this study. For most participants adherence with the application was over 70%. However, some usability problems were observed due to incorrect understanding and use by participants and technical problems. The application was very fun, stimulating and enjoyable. Significant improvements were found with median (pre/post measures) of locomotors skill (1.4/3.4); impairments (38/40), Barthel Index (85/95), activity limitation (2.1/3.1), and quality of life (194/218). A trend towards significant improvement was found with 6 minutes walking test (181/220, p = 0.06). The WWM application is perceived as a potential approach to increase physical activity and functioning among people with stroke in Benin. ARTICLE HISTORY











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3.4 (2022)

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6.5 (2022)

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12 days

Submission to first decision


1.653 (2022)

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1.141 (2022)

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