Karim Chamari

Naufar Wellness and Recovery Center · Research and Education

This study aimed to examine the effects of Ramadan on judokas' performances in specific and non-specific tasks performed in the afternoon. Twelve male black belt judokas voluntarily participated in this study. The experimental design consisted of two testing phases: the fourth week of Ramadan (FWR), and five weeks after Ramadan (AR). At each phase,...

We compared the physical and physiological responses of young soccer players of different ages U13 (Under 13 years), U15, and U17 and competitive levels (elite and sub-elite) during fixed pitch size small-sided games (SSGs) performed under different formats. In a cross-sectional design, seventy-two male players (12 players in each group) performed...

The World Health Organization's declaration of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in July 2022, followed by its resurgence in 2024, has sparked concerns about its potential impact on sports, especially contact sports such as football. Although mpox is not a pandemic (as of late September...

Effective communication of scientific knowledge plays a crucial role in the advancement of medical research and health care. Technological advancements have introduced large language models such as Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT), powered by artificial intelligence (AI), which has already shown promise in revolutionizing medical w...

Objective To describe and categorise the injury-inciting circumstances of sudden-onset hamstring match injuries in professional football players using systematic video analysis. Methods Using a prospective injury surveillance database, all sudden-onset hamstring match injuries in male football players (18 years and older) from the Qatar Stars Leag...

Objectives: To describe the head and neck injuries with a focus on Sport-Related Concussion (SRC) in professional football in Qatar (PFQ) during eight consecutive seasons. Design: Prospective Observational study. Methods: Seventeen PFQ teams were included over eight seasons (2013/14-2020/21) study. The injuries data were collected by the respective...

This study aimed to characterize match peak speeds, during a 20-second time window (10 seconds immediately before and after the match peak speed), in soccer matches. Twenty elite soccer players were monitored with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) devices during six soccer matches from the Brazilian first division. After identifying the pea...

Objective Sleep is a fundamental physiological process essential for maintaining overall health and optimal functioning across various cognitive, emotional, and physical domains. To cross-sectionally investigate the sleep pattern among college students according to geographical location, gender, and age. Materials and Methods A total of 3,475 valid...

Context : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week ballistic-strength-training program using a validated specific throwing device (ie, Arm/Shoulder Specific Strength Device), on isokinetic shoulders’ rotation muscle-torques and ratios as well as range of motion in team handball players. Design : A repeated-measures experimenta...

Interval-training is widely implemented among populations with obesity to decrease metabolic-disorders; however, high-intensity-interval-training (HIIT) has rarely been studied in severely obese adolescent girls. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of 8 weeks of (HIIT) or moderate-intensity interval-training (MIIT), on cardi...

This study investigated the extent of injury incidence and burden in a professional women football team of the Scottish Women’s Premier League during two seasons. All injuries causing time-loss or required medical attention were recorded prospectively. A total of 671 injuries, 570 requiring medical attention and 101 causing time-loss were recorded...

This study investigates the relationship between employability and mental health among Tunisian sports science graduates post-2011 revolution, within the context of a prolonged socio-economic crisis and persistent unemployment lasting up to 10 years. The research included two studies. Study (1) quantitatively assessed 156 unemployed and 162 employe...

Background Understanding the epidemiology of soccer injuries during specific international competitions is essential for customizing preventive strategies. Several studies have reported outcomes related to international competitions but, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no investigation into the injury patterns during any African Cup of...

The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between changes in training practices and human development index (HDI) levels, and identify strategies employed by athletes who consistently maintained their training quantity during the first 100 days of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 10,074 athletes (5290 amateur and 4787 professional ath...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a prevalent cause of physical disability in adults, with inflammation-induced demye-lination and neurodegeneration contributing to its etiology. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted benefits of exercise in managing MS, including improvements in aerobic capacity, balance, muscle strength, immune and hormonal...

Background For athletes, overcoming obstacles in challenging situations like pandemic home training is crucial. Strategies and approaches in this context are not well-documented. Our study aims to investigate such a scenario from a performance standpoint, based on a major global crisis: the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Methods This cross-sectio...

Exercise mechanical efficiency typically falls within the range of approximately 20 to 25%. This means that a great part of the metabolic energy converted to generate movement is released as heat. Therefore, the rise in core temperature during endurance exercise in humans is proportional to generated work. Cutaneous vasodilation occurs when the cor...

Background. The integration of artificial-intelligence (AI)-chatbots (AICs) into daily routines has raised concerns about their impact on cognitive health, potentially leading to "AI-chatbots induced cognitive atrophy, AICICA”. Aims. The aims of this opinion article were to (i) Establish a definition of AICICA, aligning it with the extended mind th...

Background: Research in sports medicine and exercise science has experienced significant growth over recent years. With this expansion, there has been a concomitant rise in ethical challenges specific to these disciplines. While various ethical guidelines exist for numerous scientific fields, a comprehensive set tailored specifically for sports med...

Dear Fitness and Sport Science Professionals! 🏋️⚽ You are invited to participate in our Global Study on Football Training Monitoring Practices. Your insights are crucial in shaping the future of monitoring training and match loads in football. 🌐 To participate, please click on the following link to access the survey: https://forms.gle/mrmspEDCKfCaU...

Circadian rhythms play a pivotal role in governing various physiological processes, including physical performance. However, in individuals deprived of light perception, such as the blind, these circadian rhythms face disruption. This study aimed to explore the influence of disturbed circadian rhythms on short-term maximal physical performance in c...

Background: In the rapidly evolving domain of healthcare technology, the integration of advanced computational models has opened up new possibilities for personalized nutrition guidance. The emergence of sophisticated language models, such as Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT), offers potential in providing interactive and tailored...

Background: Big data has been successfully applied in medicine, offering remarkable advancements in patient care and health management. The rise of big data in sports medicine and exercise science is a pivotal development, offering fresh perspectives on optimizing athlete performance, preventing injuries, and managing non-communicable diseases (NCD...

Impaired autophagy is a hallmark of diabetes. The current study proposed to investigate if high intensity interval training (HIIT) induced lactate accumulation could stimulate autophagy in type 2 diabetic male rats. 28 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: Healthy Control (CO), Diabetes Control (T2D), Exercise (EX), and Diabetes...

Rapid somatic growth and biological maturity status may affect injury patterns in youth football, yet firm conclusions cannot be drawn from the existing research. We aimed to explore growth velocity, maturity and age as injury risk factors in 95 academy players (11.9-15.0 years), using anthropometric (height and body mass), maturity (skeletal age),...

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare provides new possibilities for personalized health management. AI-based fitness applications are becoming more common, facilitating the opportunity for individualised exercise prescription. However, the use of AI carries the risk of inadequate expert supervision, and the efficacy a...

The use of Snus, an oral nicotine pouch, is becoming increasingly common in English professional football. As a nicotine product, Snus raises important questions about health and performance for practitioners. The purpose of this short communication is to explain the current regulatory status of Snus, performance relatedeffects, and associated heal...

Aim: This research design protocol outlines the methodology for a thorough evaluation of workload monitoring and management strategies in football. Methods: The study involves conducting a global survey to fitness coaches, sports scientists, analysts, and physicians with experience in load monitoring within football. The research adheres to the pri...

During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, healthy adult Muslims observe fasting as an integral part of their religious practice. This dawn to dust daily fasting regimen for over 29-30 days involves strict adherence to various lifestyle aspects, including nutrition, hydration, and sleep patterns, which can potentially influence physical performance....

Artificial intelligence chatbots may fundamentally transform academic research, automate mundane tasks, and enhance productivity. However, the integration of artificial intelligence chatbots (AIc) is impeded by a complex stigma deeply rooted in individuals' misconceptions and apprehension, including concerns about academic integrity, job displaceme...

The 2023 surge in the Roshn Saudi Professional League (RSL), marked by high-profile acquisitions like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar Jr., has significantly increased the league's global prominence and market value. However, this influx of elite talent into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) brings forth unique challenges, particularly...

Objective To systematically review, summarise and appraise findings of published systematic reviews, with/without meta-analyses, examining associations between Ramadan fasting observance (RO), health-related indices and exercise test performances in athletes and physically active individuals. Design Overview of systematic reviews with assessment o...

This study aimed to compare the effects of an acute bout of small-sided soccer game (SSG) and sprint exercise on attention, mood, and enjoyment in untrained adolescent boys. Eighteen adolescent boys aged 13–15 years participated in a counterbalanced order intervention: 1—No-training control condition (CONTROL), 2—SSG (SOCCER), and 3—Repeated sprint...

Artificial intelligence chatbots may fundamentally transform academic research, automate mundane tasks, and enhance productivity. However, the integration of artificial intelligence chatbots (AIc) is impeded by a complex stigma deeply rooted in individuals’ misconceptions and apprehension, including concerns about academic integrity, job displaceme...

During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, healthy adult Muslims observe fasting as an integral part of their religious practice. This dawn to dust daily fasting regimen for over 29-30 days involves strict adherence to various lifestyle aspects, including nutrition, hydration, and sleep patterns, which can potentially influence physical performance....

Wet-cupping therapy (WCT) is one of the oldest known medical techniques, used as a traditional and complementary therapy with a wide application all around the world for general health. Research on the effects of WCT on sports performance are sparse and inconsistent. Thus, we aimed to explore the effects of WCT on repeated sprint ability, wellness,...

The 2022 FIFA World Cup (FIFA-WC) held in Qatar presented unique challenges, given the potential for rapid transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among over 1.4 million international fans attending the event. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the FIFA-WC 2022 on COVID-19 cases, deaths, and reproduction rate (R0) in Qatar. A...

ABSTRACT After the Arab Spring (early 2010's), the relationship between football supporterism and politics has been the subject of much debate. We attempted to describe, understand, and explain the modes of interaction between supporterism in post-revolution Tunisia, the ultras supporters’ (i) involvement in their club’_ affairs, and (ii) participa...

Preprints have gained significant attraction among medical researchers as a mean of quickly sharing their preliminary and/or final findings. However, with the increased usage of preprints in scientific research, there is a growing concern about potential risks associated with this practice. Despite the advantages that preprints offer, such as facil...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease that causes inflammation of the central nervous system, resulting in myelin damage and axon degeneration. Although the cause of MS remains unknown, various factors such as sex, latitude, sun exposure, serum vitamin D levels, Epstein Barr Virus infection, diet, microbiota and ethnicity are being stud...

The relationship between recent (acute) training load relative to long-term (chronic) training load may be associated with sports injury risk. We explored the potential for modelling acute and chronic loads separately to address current statistical methodology limitations. We also determined whether there was any evidence of an interaction in the a...

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of re-warm-up (RWUP) activities consisting of three sets of 15-m sprints with weighted vests on 20-m sprint performance after the break. Methods: Using a randomized, and counterbalanced cross-over design, twenty U15 elite soccer players performed four RWUP trials which consisted of 15-min of passi...

Purpose: To investigate the accuracy of ChatGPT (Chat generative pretrained transformer), a large language model, in calculating sample size for sport-sciences and sports-medicine research studies. Methods: We conducted an analysis on 4 published papers (ie, examples 1-4) encompassing various study designs and approaches for calculating sample s...

Leptin (LEP) can cross the blood–brain barrier and facilitate cross-talk between the adipose tissue and central nerve system (CNS). This study aimed to investigate the effect of 8-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the LEP signaling in the hippocampus of rats with type 2 diabetes. 20 rats were randomly divided into four groups: (i) con...

Les musulmans adultes en bonne santé qui pratiquent le jeûne du Ramadan (JR), suivent des règles religieuses strictes concernant leur mode de vie. Le JR a un impact sur plusieurs paramètres dont les habitudes alimentaires, le sommeil et l’hydratation, et peut potentiellement réduire les performances physiques. Il semble que le JR réduit la particip...

Objective: To directly compare clinical and MRI outcomes of multiple intra-articular injections of adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design: We retrospectively compared 24-month outcomes in (1) 27 patients receiving 3-monthly intra-articular injections with a total of 43...

Background: The effect of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on athlete sleep and training behavior is documented, albeit without a worldwide soccer-specific focus. Method: Soccer (football) players (N = 1639; 30 countries; age 22.5 [5.7] y; 81% ≤25 y; 56% male; 30% elite; 66% Muslim) answered a retrospective, cross-sectional questionnaire related to th...

ASPETAR Sports Medicine Journal

Background Research focusing on reducing the risk of injuries has increased over the last two decades showing that prevention implementation in real life is challenging. Objective To explore the experience and opinions of professional football stakeholders regarding injuries, their prevention and the implementation of preventive measures. Design...

Epidemiological studies on fractures in European professional football (soccer) are in abundance. However, such data are lacking in Middle Eastern professional footballers and information on fracture treatment is scarce. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology of fractures across seven seasons in Qatar Stars League (QSL) footballers....

Natural language processing (NLP) has been studied in computing for decades. Recent technological advancements have led to the development of sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) models, such as Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT). These models can perform a range of language tasks and generate human-like responses, which offers...

Given the high prevalence of sleep disorders (e.g. insomnia) among long-COVID-19 patients (LC19Ps), approaches to tackle these disorders should not only depend on sleep specialists, but they should also involve general practitioners (GPs). Indeed, according to the World Health Organization, GPs should be on the front line in the management of LC19P...

Background Skeletal muscle contractions due to exercise lead to the secretion of many proteins and proteoglycan peptides called myokines. Myostatin (MSTN) and Myogenin (MyoG) are two of the most important skeletal muscle growth regulatory factors related to myoblast differentiation and muscle hypertrophy. The present study aims at investigating the...

This short review aimed at (i) providing an update on the health benefits associated with melatonin supplementation, while (ii) considering future potential research directions concerning melatonin supplementation use relative to Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). A narrative review of the literature was undertaken to ascertain the effect of e...

The 2022 FIFA World Cup, hosted in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic, presents unique challenges in terms of curbing the spread of infectious diseases. With 1.7 million fans expected to attend the event, there is a risk of rapid transmission of diseases such as COVID-19 and monkeypox. To address this, the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and...

Purpose: We evaluated the extent of changes in training practices, recovery, mental health, and sleep patterns of athletes during the early COVID-19 lockdown in a single country-cohort. Methods: A total of 686 athletes (59% male, 41% female; 9% World Class, 28% International, 29% National, 26% State, 8% Recreational) from 50 sports (45% individual,...

RESUME Les musulmans adultes en bonne santé qui pratiquent le jeûne du Ramadan (JR), suivent des règles religieuses strictes concernant leur mode de vie. Le JR a un impact sur plusieurs paramètres dont les habitudes alimentaires, le sommeil et l’hydratation, et peut potentiellement réduire les performances physiques. Il semble que le JR réduit la p...

The aim of this study was to compare physical and hormonal responses of seventeen elite rugby sevens players over a 6-week intense training block (IT) and a consecutive 2-week tapering period (TAP), using a fatigue cut-off score of 20 as a potential moderating variable. Training was monitored by daily training load (TL) and strain (TS) (using the s...