Objectives: To develop a sustainable and accessible educational programme on biopsychosocial female-specific topics, for young female athletes in organised sport, their parents and coaches for future testing and evaluation in a full-scale intervention study.

Methods: A digital educational programme, along with its methodology, was developed in four steps: First, content validity of female-specific topics was identified through (a) literature reviews by an interdisciplinary research team and (b) an online survey of 1323 female athletes (aged 16–24 years) assessing perceived knowledge and knowledge needs regarding biopsychosocial topics. Second, film scripts based on identified topics were written, internally reviewed and evaluated by a pilot group of six 13–16-year-old female athletes. Third, online surveys assessing main and secondary outcomes were developed and tested in the pilot group. Finally, digital format and production were developed collaboratively with a film scholar and film technicians.

Results: The intervention development yielded 12 videos of 5–7 min, featuring sports science researchers and female elite athletes sharing their perspectives on biopsychosocial topics specific to women. The protocol development produced a quasi-experimental, modified staircase cluster trial design, including bi-weekly assessment of main (ie, well-being and sporting experiences) and secondary outcomes (eg, perceived support) at baseline, pre-, post-intervention and post-post follow-up.

Conclusion: This study outlines the development of a digital educational intervention for young female athletes, their parents and coaches, emphasising that interdisciplinary collaboration and user engagement are key to identifying intervention components and relevant outcomes.

Background: Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of shock wave therapy in managing OA-related pain and improving joint function but evidence specific to thumb CMC joint OA remains limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of fESWT in reducing pain and improving function as well as to assess the safety and tolerability of this intervention, providing insight into its potential role as a non-invasive and long-term alternative for patients unresponsive to conventional therapies or seeking to avoid surgery.

Methods: A 64-year-old woman with radiographically confirmed bilateral CMC OA and persistent symptoms unresponsive to prior conservative treatments received three weekly fESWT sessions. Energy flux density was individually adjusted per session based on tolerance. Outcome measures included the QuickDASH questionnaire and grip strength testing, assessed at baseline, 2-, 8-, 26-, and 52-weeks post-intervention.

Results: Treatment was well tolerated with no adverse events. QuickDASH scores improved from 20.5 at baseline to 2.3 at 52 weeks, indicating an improvement in pain and functional disability. Grip strength increased by 29.5% in the right hand and 17.4% in the left hand over the same period. Subjectively, the patient reported pain relief, functional improvement, and sustained benefit at one-year follow-up.

Conclusions: This case demonstrates the potential of individualized fESWT as a safe and effective intervention for thumb CMC OA, with improvements in pain and function lasting up to 12 months. These findings support further investigation of fESWT in larger controlled studies and highlight the importance of individualized dosing strategies in clinical practice.

Introduction: Puberty has been identified as one of the main contributing factors for girls dropping out of sports during adolescence. Knowledge and social support can, however, help athletes navigate the biopsychosocial (BPS) puberty-related changes associated with this period. Yet, research on female athletes' knowledge about BPS puberty-related topics is lacking. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine female athletes' perceived knowledge and knowledge needs of BPS puberty-related topics during adolescence, explore interconnections across BPS domains, and investigate differences between athletes in team and individual sports.

Method: A total of 1,323 Swedish and Norwegian female athletes (M age 18.7 ± 2.3 years, range 16–24) from ten sport disciplines [n = 657 (49.7%) team sport athletes; n = 656 (49.6%) individual sport athletes] completed an online survey in 2024 on perceived knowledge and knowledge needs regarding BPS puberty-related topics during adolescence.

Results: Findings revealed low perceived knowledge and high knowledge needs among female athletes. A Mann–Whitney U test revealed higher perceived knowledge among team sport athletes regarding individual differences, social cohesion, social comparison, acceptance within the group, and recovery, compared to individual sport athletes. Additionally, team sport athletes reported higher knowledge needs regarding social comparisons, sports nutrition and recovery, while individual sport athletes reported higher knowledge needs regarding changes in sex hormones, individual differences, and changes in body composition. A network analysis identified clusters of biological, psychosocial, and behavioral topics in perceived knowledge and knowledge needs, indicating that knowledge is concentrated within domains.

Discussion: The findings highlight gaps in knowledge among female athletes regarding BPS puberty-related topics across various sporting contexts. The results also underscore the urgent need for holistic and interdisciplinary educational programs addressing these knowledge gaps in the sporting context of female athletes.

Objective: This systematic review and synthesis aimed to describe the frequency and characteristics of knee extensor exercise prescriptions within patellofemoral pain (PFP) interventions and to assess the extent to which key training variables are reported. By doing so, it sought to inform and support more transparent and standardized reporting practices in exercise-based rehabilitation for individuals with PFP.

Method: This systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. A literature search was performed in January 2024 across Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and SportDiscus. Studies were included if they investigated interventions incorporating knee extensor exercises for PFP.

Results: Seventy-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The most commonly prescribed exercises were the straight leg raise, squat, and open-chain knee extension, typically performed as three sets of ten repetitions with bodyweight resistance. However, key training variables such as range of motion and intensity were often inadequately reported, limiting reproducibility and clinical applicability.

Conclusion: Knee extensor training for PFP predominantly consists of low-load, moderate-volume exercises, differing from conventional strength training recommendations. The lack of detailed reporting on critical variables, such as intensity and range of motion, reduces the clarity and applicability of rehabilitation protocols. Standardized reporting and further research are needed to optimize exercise prescription for PFP management.

Introduction: Hormone levels fluctuate significantly throughout the menstrualcycle (MC), potentially impacting physical performance during training. However,the number of studies examining women’s experiences during strength trainingthroughout the MC is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explorewomen’s perceptions of strength training during different MC phases.

Methods: In this study, a qualitative study design was used where five women(24–32 years) with recreational experience in strength training kept an exercisediary during a MC. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews andanalyzed using qualitative conventional content analysis, with an inductive approach.

Results: From the analysis, three overarching themes describing the content ofthe interviews emerged: “Biopsychosocial Dynamics and Individual Variability inthe Early Follicular Phase”, “From Peak to Breaking Point: Performance Dynamicsfrom Late Follicular Phase to Ovulation” and “Diversity in Mental and PhysicalWell-Being During the Luteal Phase”. From women’s perspectives, strengthtraining performance seems to fluctuate across the different phases of theMC, influenced by both physiological and psychological challenges, thoughwith individual variation.

Discussion: The findings highlight the need for a holistic approach to managingthe physiological and psychological challenges that may arise during each phaseof the MC, along with the importance of social support. The results also stressthat performance fluctuations across the MC are unique, further emphasizingthe inability to recommend general phase-based exercise protocols.

The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of acute and overuse injuries, as well as risk factors, training load and well-being, in male and female youth padel players. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 104 players (aged 15–20) via a web-based form. Players reported injuries, exposure and rating of perceived exertion (RPE), demographics (age and sex), and perceived well-being. Overuse injury severity was scored per body region (0–25), yielding a total possible score of 125. A total of six acute and 49 overuse injuries were recorded, corresponding to a prevalence of 0.53 injuries per player during a one-week recall period. Most injuries affected the knee, while the foot and lower leg had the highest severity scores (median = 44). Female players reported slightly higher stress levels (median 3) than males (median 2: p = 0.01), though no other well-being or training load differences were found. Injured players had significantly higher total wellness scores, indicating worse well-being, compared to non-injured players (median 10 vs. 9, p = 0.03). In conclusion, overuse injuries, particularly to the knee, were most common. Higher perceived stress and poorer wellness scores may be linked to injury risk, underlining the importance of monitoring well-being in youth padel athletes.

Objectives

To compile a battery of test including various aspects of physical fitness that could be used on the field and to assess whether any of these tests are associated with future traumatic knee injuries in youth female team sports athletes.

Design

Prospective cohort.

Setting

Sport setting.

Participants

Female athletes (n = 117, age 15–19 years), from Swedish sport high schools, active in soccer, handball, or floorball.

Main outcome measures

Differences in pre-injury tests values of 11 physical fitness tests in injured versus non-injured athletes, assessed as number of traumatic knee injuries over one season.

Results

28 athletes sustained 34 traumatic knee injuries. Athletes who sustained an injury had a shorter distance on the Yo-Yo IR1 test at baseline than those without an injury (mean difference −193 m, CI -293− −65 m). None of the other tests, assessed for muscular strength, endurance, power, flexibility and dynamic knee valgus, differed between injured and non-injured athletes.

Conclusions

Youth female athletes with lower intermittent endurance capacity, assessed with the Yo-Yo IR1, seemed to be at greater risk of traumatic knee injury. Neither hop performance, flexibility, dynamic knee valgus nor isolated strength tests at baseline could distinguish between injured and non-injured youth female athletes at follow-up.