Antonino Bianco

Università degli Studi di Palermo | UNIPA · Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement

Background Global Positioning System (GPS) devices are widely used in soccer for monitoring external load (EL) indicators with the aim of maximizing sports performance.The aim of this study was to investigate the EL indicators differences in players of different playing positions (i.e., central backs, external strikers, fullbacks, midfielders, stri...

Postural health, today more than ever, is entering a part of everyday life and is associated with the biomechanical analysis of the human body. The ability to obtain or restore a stable state of balance is referred to as postural control (Pollock et al., 2000). Postural control is a complex task, and many factors contribute to good control. The pos...

The aim of the research is to examine the influence of rapid reduction of body mass on the changes in biochemical markers of the skeletal muscles of sambo athletes. Key words: sambo athletes, rapid weight loss, muscle damage

Differences in skin thermal sensitivity have been extensively mapped across areas of the human body, including the torso, limbs, and extremities. Yet, there are parts of the female body, such as the breast and the pelvis for which we have limited thermal sensitivity data. The aim of this study was to map cutaneous warm and cold sensitivity across s...

Handball is one of the most popular team sports around the world that has become physically very demanding, related to both competitions and daily training sessions. Optimal training programs are necessary to improve performance, especially when taking into account the frequency of jump shots (vertical jumps) and handball feints (changes of directi...

Introduction: This study aims to examine can sport protect children against loneliness and, if yes, whether this relationship depends on gender and/or sports-related variables. Methods: The sample includes 762 10-year-old children (414 boys). The total score of The Children's Loneliness Scale is a dependent variable in the study, while sports parti...

Stiffness is a fundamental property of living tissues, which may be modified by pathologies or traumatic events but also by nutritional, pharmacological and exercise interventions. This review aimed to understand if specific forms of exercise are able to determine specific forms of tissue stiffness adaptations. A literature search was performed on...

Background The aim of this study was to compare the positional transversal release (PTR) technique to stretching and evaluate the acute effects on range of movement (ROM), performance and balance. Methods Thirty-two healthy individuals (25.3 ± 5.6 years; 68.8 ± 12.5 kg; 172.0 ± 8.8 cm) were tested on four occasions 1 week apart. ROM through a pass...

Whether the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ever includes electronic sports (esports) in the official program of the Olympic Games, the popularity of competitive gaming continues to grow—sports present a modern audience powerhouse the world cannot fail to notice. By the end of 2025, the number of viewers in esports is expected to reach 640.8...

The effects of rapid weight loss (RWL) in combat sports athletes is an area that is not yet fully discovered. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the impact of weight loss on HGS (handgrip strength) in Greco-Roman wrestlers. This cross-over study included ten athletes examined for HGS during three time points for each hand. The first...

BACKGROUND: Warm-up routines typically include low-intensity aerobic activities, stretching and sport-specific movement patterns rehearsal. Different types of stretching may be included, with static stretching (SS) and dynamic stretching being main 2 types, with persistent debate as to the most appropriate type of stretching to perform. The purpose...

Background Recent research suggest that gut microbiome may play a fundamental role in athlete's health and performance. Interestingly, nutrition can affect athletic performance by influencing the gut microbiome composition. Among different dietary patterns, ketogenic diet represents an efficient nutritional approach to get adequate body composition...

Purpose Conservative approaches such as Schroth exercises and core stabilization exercises showed effective results in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. This study aimed to critically evaluate the magnitude effect of Schroth and core stabilization exercises using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods This study has been developed i...

Background The methodology applied for rapid weight loss (RWL) among elite wrestlers is quite unexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of sources of influence and methods used for RWL and to determine the differences between wrestling styles. Methods A total of 229 wrestlers who competed at the World Championship...

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate any differences in External Load indicators (ELi) between Official Matches (OM) and sport-specific tasks in semi-professional soccer players. Methods: 1932 observations among 28 semi-professional soccer players (FC Palermo, Italy, age: 25±6 years, height: 183±6 cm, weight: 75.2±7 kg) were coll...

Objectives: In Italy, in 2013, a new school curriculum with a sport character was established in high schools, called Sports High School (SHS). The aims of this study were: (1) to assess the fitness levels of SHS students who, respecting all the safety rules to limit the spread of COVID-19, practiced physical education (PE) at school with continuit...

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental fatigue induced by a demanding cognitive task and impaired physical performance in endurance due to a higher perception of effort. A total of 12 healthy adults and volunteers, who had previously practiced endurance activities for 4 to 8 h per week, performed a on...

INTRODUCTION: A good balance and postural control are fundamental for a good performance of both simple daily tasks and more com- plex movement patterns. The purposes of this study were threefold: a) to evaluate the effects of a short stretching protocol on the spine; b) to evaluate the effects of dental occlusion on the spine; c) to analyze the po...

Purpose: There is a paucity of data on physiological heart adaptation in elite-level judo female athletes. This study aimed to assess left ventricular morphology and function in highly trained elite female judokas. Methods: The study prospectively included 18 females aged 23.5 ± 2.25 years, nine elite level judokas, and nine healthy non-athlete vol...

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an experimental short-time warm-up consisting of a small number of intermittent high-intensity sprints on explosive muscle strength performance in soccer players and to identify recovery times after performing the sprints. Furthermore, we evaluated the reliability of a smartphone app in jumping...

Background Evidence regarding chronic stretching training is limited. This study aimed to review studies that performed stretching training and evaluated the effects on muscular strength. Methods Literature search was performed using three databases. Studies were included if compared the effects on strength following stretching training versus a n...

Objectives: Despite the potential link between mental skills and athletic performance, little is done to examine handball players’ present level of mental skills concerning their performance. To begin with, the study has three folded aims; the first one is to examine the factor structure of Bull’s Mental Skills Questionnaire, which was developed in...

Increasing evidence supports the importance of the gut microbiota (GM) in regulating multiple functions related to host physical health and, more recently, through the gut-brain axis (GBA), mental health. Similarly, the literature on the impact of physical activity (PA), including exercise, on GM and GBA is growing. Therefore, this narrative review...

Several studies showed significant differences between bench lift exercises without investigating which is more related, in biomechanical and neuromuscular terms, to improve the sprint flatwater kayak performance. This study aims to compare the power-load and velocity-load neuromuscular parameters performed in prone bench pull (PBP), and bench pres...

Introduction The main purpose of this study was to investigate children's swimming competence in primary schools of districts in Vojvodina, Serbia. Methods Included subjects were primary school students from first to eighth grade ( N = 2,778; male = 1,454, female = 1,324; age = 10.73 ± 2.1 years). We used Swimming Competence Questionnaire to acqui...

Background: The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) is a widely adopted test to evaluate manual dexterity. A factor that could influence the cognitive process is physical and mental stress, which could be controlled by respiration. Stress can be monitored through heart variability. Consequently, the present study's objective was to investigate the associa...

Futsal is a sport that originates from soccer and is increasingly practiced all over the world. Since training and warm-up protocols should be sport-specific in order to reduce injuries and maximize performance, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of 5 weeks of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program on explosive strength, speed, and perception of physica...

Background: Research on biomechanics in rowing has mostly focused on the lumbar spine. However, injuries can also affect other body segments. Thus, the aim of this pilot study was to explore any potential variations in the kinematics of the cervical spine during two different stroke rates on the rowing ergometer in young rowers. Methods: Twelve you...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to look for a new, simple, and fast method of assessing and monitoring indoor race performance and to assess the relationship between 20 s, 60 s, and 2000 m indoor rowing performances of youth rowers to evaluate their anaerobic profile. Methods: For three consecutive days, 17 young able-bodied male rowers (15....

Background Patterns of weight cycling in adult combat sports have been extensively studied, yet data on this matter in youth combat athletes is rather scarce. Methods PubMed, EBSCOhost and Web of Science were used to retrieve relevant data. Eligible studies had to record the methods used to elicit rapid weight loss (RWL) and/or record the oscillat...

Background: Global Positioning System (GPS) devices are widely used in soccer for monitoring external load indicators (ELi) with the aim of maximizing sports performance, while potentially reducing the risk of injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the ELi differences in players of different playing positions (i.e., central backs, externa...

The relationship between sports practice and physical and mental health became an important issue during the COVID-19 pandemic, where keeping fit and exercising was one of the best and most popular ways to cope with the confinement situation. The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between perfectionism and resilient resources with...

There is very little about the impact that sports training has on female football referees. Therefore, we determined the effects of a 40-week physical preparation, including a full football season, on plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations and physical performance in female football referees. Plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations...

Introduction The most frequent injuries in professional soccer players are those pertinent to the lower limbs. In particular, strains of the hamstrings and ligamentous injuries of the knee. Therefore, preventive measures are aimed to reduce such events. We aimed to investigate if an osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) of the pivots could impro...

Background: Previous studies suggest that engagement in any type of physical activity can be protective against mental health issues, whereas elite-level athletes can endure various mental health challenges. The aim of this study was to determine variations in the prevalence of psychological distress among elite sambo athletes and their recreationa...

The sports environment can be considered as a context characterized by interactions typical of social groups, where children have the chance to learn good values. Positive and negative behaviours in sports, also called prosocial and antisocial behaviours, have been studied according to a moral perspective, as has doping behaviour, taking into consi...

Based on the reviewed literature we have tried to understand the role psychology can play in the practice and performance of combat sports, specifically Judo. The goal of this systematic review was to explore and understand whether stress, emotions and motivation can play an important role in sport performance. Three electronic and scientific data...

The aim of the present study is the development and the evaluation of preliminary psychometric characteristics of a short form self-report questionnaire to assess executive functioning (EF). The research was conducted in a sample of 316 Italian children that attended primary or secondary schools, with an age range between 7 and 11. EFA showed that...

Background: Although a knee valgus position is related to the increase in injury risk in volleyball players, there is a lack of studies on the relationship between knee valgus and vertical jump (VJ) performance. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a postural exercise program on VJ height in young female volleyball player...

Wrestling is a sport that can be classified with the use of alternating aerobic–anaerobic metabolism with moderate but high-impact energy expenditure. Heart rate recovery (HRR) is the difference between heart rate during exercise and a certain amount of time after the start of recovery. The goal of this study was to determine the difference in HRR...

Background This systematic review aims to identify the effects of exercise interventions in patients with breast cancer (BCP) and survivors (BCS) on selected variables of physical fitness. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Medline and Scopus. Randomized controlled trials with isolated exercise interventions in BCP and B...

Background Physical fitness status is a key aspect of health and, consequently, it is important to create and adopt appropriate interventions to maintain or improve it, and assess it using valid measures. While in other testing contexts, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are commonly and widely adopted, in physical fitness testing, a variety of...

Background: Injuries are a serious problem in soccer for the player but also for the society. It has been noted most of the injuries occurs during non-contact situations and, the soccer shoes have an important role. Unfortunately, few studies investigated the plantar distribution, argument that could help to deeply understand the causes behind the...

Objectives The aim of the manuscript was to analyze the effects of two rest periods between volume-equated resistance exercise (RE) on inflammatory responses (cytokines and leukocyte) and muscle damage. Methods Ten trained men (26.40 ± 4.73 years, 80.71 ± 8.95 kg, and 176.03 ± 6.11 cm) voluntarily participated in training sessions consisting of fi...

This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate whether COVID-19 lockdown caused biological, psychological, and/or physical performance variations in footballers. We compared the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons evaluating the plasma volume, hematological parameters, iron/ferritin, creatine kinase, vitamin D, cortisol, testosterone, and physiologica...

The nature of sports is characterized by a strong competitive component that generates inequalities among athletes at different levels, specifically in relation to gender, technology, and doping. These inequalities can be represented according to the Red Queen effect perspective, which has been previously hypothesized in other competitive environme...

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic situation with the lockdown of public life caused serious changes in people's everyday practices. The study evaluates the differences between Slovenia and Italy in health-related everyday practices induced by the restrictive measures during first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The cross-sectional co...

The results of the current study indicate the improvement of all tested variables in the RWL phase. Since the RWL procedures help athletes become slightly lighter in terms of body mass, it is possible that weight reduction can increase the jumping abilities of Greco-Roman wrestlers.

(1) Background: Psychological parameters are relevant in the practice of judo. Previous studies have shown that parameters such as anxiety or motivation can have a negative or positive impact on the athlete’s performance and general well-being, depending on the athlete’s perception. This systematic review aimed to summarize the studies examining th...

Objectives Critical velocity and its related total distance covered above critical velocity can be used to evaluate and monitor the training and competition performance in athletes. While it is well researched in sports such as cycling and running, the literature on critical velocity in swimming is less available. Therefore, the objectives of this...

Static and dynamic balance can be influenced by many factors. However, there is limited evidence regarding the effects that shoe sole hardness may have on balance. The aim of our study was to investigate effects of different sports shoes and bare feet on static and dynamic balance in healthy female individuals. Seventeen female participants were in...

In order to maintain physical fitness during the COVID-19 quarantine, we designed a short-term intervention with one body-weight exercise – burpees. Thus, the aim of this study was to understand level of feasibility and potential benefits of our protocol to different variables in young adults during the COVID-19 quarantine. An online 4-week interve...

Rapid weight loss is omnipresent in combat sports [1]. By reducing a substantial amount of weight prior to an official weigh-in and regaining weight after having made into desired weight class, combat athletes try to gain an advantage over their lighter opponents [2]. This type of behavior is often coined weight cycling and can take place on multip...

Background The aim of this study was to investigate if the supplementation with Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) juice may affect plasma redox balance and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters following a maximal effort test, in young physically active women. Methods A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled and crossover study comprising eight w...

Background As combat sports are classified by body mass, many athletes engage in rapid weight loss (RWL) prior to competition so they can gain an advantage over lighter opponents. Following the weigh-in, athletes engage in rapid weight gain (RWG), whereby some athletes have been able to compete up to three weight categories greater than the officia...

The aim of the study was to assess the peak torque of knee extensors and flexors in elite female sambo athletes, and to determine the differences across the weight categories. The results revealed that heavier athletes demonstrated higher isokinetic muscle torque. Additionally, as for the relative knee flexion strength, lighter sambo athletes demon...

Aging and menopause are associated with morphological and functional changes which may lead to loss of muscle mass and therefore quality of life. Resistance training (RT) is an effective training mode to increase muscle mass. We reviewed the existing literature to identify studies implementing RT protocols and evaluating muscle hypertrophy exclusiv...

Although current physical activity (PA) guidelines regarding aerobic and anaerobic training are helpful for the population at large, many individuals prefer to engage in alternative forms of PA such as combat sports. As both a martial art and sport, judo is a physically demanding form of PA that potentially offers a novel experience, consequently l...

New findings: What is the central question of this study? Ageing impairs the skin's thermal and tactile sensitivity: does ageing also induce loss of skin wetness sensitivity? What is the main finding and its importance? Older adults show an average 15% loss of skin wetness sensitivity, with this sensory deficit being mediated by a combination of r...

The role of the dento-mandibular apparatus and, in particular, occlusion and jaw position, received increased attention during last years. In the present study, we aimed to systematically review, on the light of the new potential insights, the published literature covering the occlusal splint (OS) applications, and its impact on exercise performanc...

Purpose: To observe the effect of rapid weight loss (RWL) over seven days on hand grip strength in judokas. Judo is weight-categorized, high-intensity intermittent combat sport, consisted of different techniques and actions employed during a match [1]. It is reported that nearly 90% of judokas engage in RWL on multiple occasions per year [2]. The o...

The international conference organized by Combat Sports Lab which took place in Novi Sad, the 11th of September 2021, captures a program of presentations, panel discussions and interactive dialogue which leads the way in novelties within the field of sport science. The event brought together 36 distinguished scholars from 7 countries around the wor...

The COVID-19 outbreak forced Italian students to reduce their daily activities, inducing a seden-tary attitude that was worsened by distanced learning. This study aimed to survey the physical activity levels that were maintained before and during the social restrictions following the pan-demic, their correlation to musculoskeletal pain, as well as...

(1) Background: One mechanism through which physical activity (PA) provides benefit is by triggering activity at a molecular level, where neurotrophins (NTs) are known to play an important role. However, the expression of the circulating levels of neurotrophic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4/5), in respons...