Effects of brief strength or sprint training on self-reported injury and physical performance in male youth elite football players

Introduction: Football is associated with a high incidence of injuries across all levels of play, with youth players appearing particularly vulnerable during training. High-speed running and sprinting are key determinants of performance but are also closely linked to injury risk. This study aimed to compare the effects of brief, once-weekly field-based strength training, sprint training, or football-specific training during the in-season period on physical performance and injury outcomes in youth elite male football players.

Methods: Elite male youth football players (15–19 years) were randomly assigned and performed either brief strength training (ST), sprint training (SP), or football training (FB) integrated once a week into regular football practice for 12 weeks. Injury severity was monitored weekly using the OSTRC-H2 questionnaire and analyzed with a linear mixed-effects model. Physical performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention and included isometric squat peak force (SQ-PF) and rate of force development (SQ-RFD), countermovement jump (CMJ), linear sprint 5, 20, and 30 m, and change-of-direction performance (505-COD). Group × time effects were analyzed using two-way mixed ANOVA. 

Results: Injury severity demonstrated a significant group × week interaction, with lower longitudinal injury severity trajectories in ST and SP, while injury severity increased over time in FB. Significant group × time interactions were observed for SQ-PF, with ST showing significant improvements, with no changes in SP or FB. SQ-RFD showed a significant group × time interaction which was driven by a reduction in FB. No group × time interactions were observed for CMJ or linear sprint performance. A significant main effect of time was found for 505-COD performance, with significant improvements in ST and SP. 

Conclusion: Brief, once-weekly strength or sprint training integrated into regular football practice improved selected physical performance outcomes and were associated with more favorable injury severity profiles compared with football-specific training alone.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to examine the efficacy of a group-based coaching intervention on office workers’ leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), to identify potential differences in effects based on age, education, baseline physical activity status (BPAS) and gender, and to determine perceived satisfaction with the intervention.

Design: The study used a single-group pre- and post-test design with post-tests conducted 8 weeks from baseline. Thirty-nine office workers were enrolled in the study, and 35 were included in the analysis.

Setting: The intervention was conducted at six workplaces located in southern Sweden.

Method: The Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire was used to measure LTPA, and a five-item questionnaire was used to identify perceived satisfaction with the intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted for the statistical analysis.

Results: The mean perceived satisfaction with the intervention was 20.1, where 25 was the highest possible score. LTPA increased significantly from pre- to post-test (p < .001). A significant time × age interaction indicated smaller increases in LTPA among older participants. No significant moderation effects were observed for BPAS, education, or gender. The proportion of participants classified as active increased from 17.1% at pre-test to 45.7% at post-test.

Conclusions: This brief coaching intervention was well received and associated with increased LTPA among office workers, with smaller increases observed among older participants. However, causal conclusions cannot be drawn due to study limitations, and future randomised controlled trials with objective PA measures are needed.

© The Author(s) 2026

Background: Sleep problems are common in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet the real-world use, implementation, and long-term outcomes of weighted blankets and standard melatonin treatment remain understudied. This study protocol describes a research project evaluating the real-world effectiveness and implementation of a weighted blanket intervention and standard melatonin treatment for children with ADHD and sleep problems in routine clinical practice. The project focuses on (1) changes over time in sleep, healthrelated outcomes, and resource utilization within and across treatment arms, and (2) barriers and facilitators to implementation in routine clinical practice.

Methods: The research project uses: (1) a pragmatic longitudinal cohort design to investigate real-world changes over time in sleep, health-related outcomes, and healthcare resource utilization among children receiving either a weighted blanket intervention or standard melatonin treatment, and (2) a process evaluation design to evaluate implementation in routine clinical practice. Approximately 150 child-parent dyads will be included in each treatment arm. Children aged 6–14 years and one of their parents will each complete questionnaires at baseline, before treatment starts, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, and then annually for an additional nine years. The questionnaires assess sleep problems using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) total score as the primary sleep outcome, treatment adherence and treatment changes, additional sleep-related measures, everyday function, lifestyle habits, worry and anxiety, ADHD-related symptoms, health-related quality of life, pain, resource utilization, and treatment use and implementation. Child-parent dyads and clinical staff members will be interviewed at 6 and 12 months. Appropriate parametric and non-parametric statistical tests will be performed. Interviews will be analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The implementation process will be analyzed using a convergent parallel mixed methods approach.

Discussion: The project has the potential to inform clinical guidelines and decision-making frameworks for personalized care for children with ADHD. By evaluating patterns of treatment use and treatment change, real-world outcomes, and implementation in routine clinical practice, the project may contribute knowledge about the role of weighted blankets as a non-pharmacological treatment option alongside standard melatonin treatment.

Trial registration: http://ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06808425; registered 29 January 2025.

© The Author(s) 2026. 

Purpose: The aim was to investigate physical activity levels and associations between physical activity levels, sedentary time, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Method: This national cross-sectional study included 426 adult survivors of childhood ALL (diagnosed 1985-2007, 49% women, median age 32 [min-max 19-49]), who completed a questionnaire on physical activity (BHW-Q), sedentary time (SED-GIH-Q), fatigue (MFI-20), and HRQoL (SF-36). Associations were analyzed using linear regression.

Results: Overall, 44% of participants did not meet physical activity recommendations. Median weekly duration of vigorous-intensity and moderate-intensity activity was 45 min (Q1-Q3 15-105) and 120 min (Q1-Q3 45-175), respectively. Median sedentary time was 8 h per day (Q1-Q3 5-11). Not meeting recommendations was significantly associated with greater fatigue (total MFI-20 score β = 1.7, 95% CI 0.1 to 3.3, p = 0.033) and lower physical and mental health components of HRQoL (SF-36 PCS β = -3.3, 95% CI -5 to -1.5, p < 0.001; SF-36 MCS β = -4.2, 95% CI -6 to -1.8, p < 0.001). Sedentary time ≥ 7 h per day was significantly associated with lower mental HRQoL (SF-36 MCS β = -3.6, 95% CI -5.9 to -1.2, p = 0.003).

Conclusion: Many adult survivors of childhood ALL had insufficient levels of physical activity and accumulated considerable sedentary time. Insufficient physical activity was associated with greater fatigue and lower HRQoL, while greater sedentary time was associated with lower mental HRQoL. However, given the cross-sectional design, causality cannot be inferred.

Implications for cancer survivors: Physical activity promotion is a potential strategy to reduce fatigue and enhance HRQoL among adult survivors of childhood ALL.

© 2026. The Author(s).

OBJECTIVES: The STarT Back screening Tool (SBT) captures patients with low back pain (LBP) at risk of worse prognosis. However, the SBT does not include assessment of multisite and chronic widespread pain (MS-CWP). The aim was to study the differences in prognostic factors in patients with LBP classified according to SBT or SBT in combination with MS-CWP, and the 1-year outcome regarding visits to physiotherapist and sickness absence, in relation to risk scorings.

METHODS: In this 1-year prospective study, adults (18-67 years) seeking care for LBP in primary care were classified into three prognostic risk groups (low, medium, high), using SBT only and using a combined screening tool (SBT and MS-CWP). Differences in prognostic factors at baseline, and outcome in terms of number of physiotherapist visits and sickness absence the year after inclusion were compared for risk groups derived by the two methods.

RESULTS: Eighty-four patients (61% women) were included in the study. According to SBT alone, 19 were classified as low risk, 48 as medium risk, and 17 as high risk. When using the combined screening tool, additionally seven patients from the medium risk group were classified as high risk. Patients classified as high risk by SBT only or by the combined screening tool showed similar statistically significant worse mental health, health status, kinesiophobia, physical function, and sleep, as compared to the low-risk group. There were no differences in visits to physiotherapist and sickness absence between the risk groups for neither of the tools.

CONCLUSION: The combined screening tool resulted in more patients being classified as high risk than with SBT alone. The three risk groups identified either by SBT alone or by the combined screening tool differed significantly on all investigated prognostic factors, suggesting that including MS-CWP to the SBT captures more patients at risk.

© 2025 the author(s), published by De Gruyter

Background: Knee pain is often an early sign of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Physical activities (PA) constitute the recommended regime to those affected. However, knee-loading PA at work is linked to an increased risk for KOA. The primary aim of this study was to investigate associations between knee pain and accelerometer-measured knee-loading PA, at work and leisure respectively. The secondary aim was to investigate knee-related problems in relation to self-reported physical effort at work.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 107 working participants (aged 30-67) with knee pain. Knee pain was evaluated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scale (KOOS), subscale Pain. Knee-loading PA (including daily steps, time in upright position, stair walking), and sitting/lying were measured by accelerometer for one week. Each knee-loading PA was analysed separately for the measurement periods: (1) total period, (2) time at work, and (3) leisure on workdays. Knee-related problems were evaluated by the KOOS subscales Symptoms, Activities of Daily Living, Function in Sport and Recreation, and Quality of Life. Analyses were made with linear regression, and stratified by high or low self-reported physical effort at work.

Results: Participants with more knee pain walked on average fewer steps per day, and spent less time in an upright position during leisure on workdays, unstandardized coefficient (β) = 0.001, p = 0.044, β = 0.075, p = 0.001 respectively, i.e. spent less time in knee-loading PA. The associations were stronger for those reporting high physical effort at work, β = 0.116, p = 0.016. Participants with high physical effort at work rated their (knee-related) quality of life worse. There were no associations between knee pain and knee-loading PA during work hours.

Conclusions: Participants with more knee pain were less physically active during leisure, with stronger associations among those with higher physical effort at work. Those reporting high physical effort at work had worse (knee-related) quality of life compared to participants reporting low effort at work. This highlights the importance of taking knee-loading PA at work and leisure into account when recommending exercise regimes to individuals with knee pain. © 2025. The Author(s).

Tyngdtäcke har använts inom vården som ett icke-farmakologiskt behandlingsalternativ. Evidens har dock saknats om effekter av tyngdtäcke på sömnen. En crossover randomiserad kontrollerad studie har genomförts för att utvärdera effekten av tyngdtäcke på sömnbesvär hos barn 6-14 år med ADHD. Resultatet visade på ökad total sömntid, ökad sömneffektivitet och minskad tid i vakenhet under natten, men ingen skillnad i insomning vid användning av tyngdtäcke jämfört med ett lättare kontrolltäcke. Föräldrarna rapporterade att barnens sömnproblem minskade. Barnen rapporterade att sömnkvalitén ökade, däremot sågs ingen skillnad i självrapporterade sömnproblem vid användning av tyngdtäcke jämfört med ett kontrolltäcke. © 2025 Maria Lönn, Katarina Aili, Petra Svedberg, Jens Nygren, Håkan Jarbin, Ingrid Larsson.

Purpose: The present study aimed to provide insight into how adult survivors describe their experiences concerning health, lifestyle, and quality of life, considering the long-term impact of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and allogeneic HSCT (a-HSCT) during their childhood. The research question focused on understanding the long-term effects of these treatments on survivors’ lives.

Methods: A descriptive and qualitative design was employed. Participants included eighteen individuals who had undergone a-HSCT for childhood ALL and were part of a national cohort diagnosed between 1985 and 2007. Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews, with questions assessing current health, quality of life, and the impact of childhood cancer experiences on their lifestyle. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using an inductive approach and thematic analysis to identify key themes.

Results: The analysis revealed two overarching themes: “Challenges and adaptation in long-term survivorship” and “Uncertainty and doubts surrounding parenthood,” with five subthemes. Participants described ongoing existential struggles, both internal (maintaining health despite complications) and external (social participation difficulties). They also faced emotional distress related to infertility and doubts about their suitability as parents.

Conclusions: The study highlights the profound personal challenges faced by childhood ALL survivors treated with a-HSCT. These include managing long-term health complications and existential issues. Support for these individuals should be personalized, addressing medical, emotional, and existential needs to enhance their quality of life. Healthcare professionals at long-term follow-up clinics must address not only the medical but also the emotional and existential challenges faced by adult survivors of childhood cancer to improve their overall quality of life. © 2025 The Authors

Background and Aims: This study seeks to explore the experiences of adult survivors of childhood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), focusing on their health, lifestyle, and quality of life. It aims to understand the long-term impact of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and allogeneic HSCT (a-HSCT) during childhood. The research question investigates how these treatments have affected the survivors’ lives in the long term.

Methods: A descriptive, qualitative approach was used. Eighteen participants who had undergone a-HSCT for childhood ALL were selected from a national cohort diagnosed between 1985 and 2007. Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews, which focused on their current health, quality of life, and the influence of childhood cancer on their lifestyle. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using an inductive approach, with thematic analysis identifying key themes.

Results: Two main themes emerged from the analysis: “Challenges and adaptation in long-term survivorship” and “Uncertainty and doubts surrounding parenthood, ” with five subthemes. Participants described ongoing existential struggles, including internal challenges (such as managing health despite complications) and external challenges (such as difficulties with social participation). They also experienced emotional distress related to infertility and concerns about their ability to become parents.

Conclusions: This study highlights the significant personal challenges faced by childhood ALL survivors treated with a-HSCT, including managing long-term health complications and navigating existential issues. Support for these survivors should be individualized, addressing their medical, emotional, and existential needs to improve their quality of life. Healthcare professionals in long-term follow-up clinics must consider not only the medical but also the emotional and existential challenges faced by adult survivors of childhood cancer in order to enhance their overall well-being.

Background: Parents’ perceptions of children’s sleep problems when using a weighted blanket could enhance the understanding of challenges faced by families with ADHD and sleep problems. This is in alignment with a client-centred approach. Acknowledging, what parents perceive as a problem in a family context.

Aim: To explore changes in parents’ perceptions of their children’s sleep problems before and after participation in a sleep intervention with weighted blankets.

Methods: Children with ADHD (n = 45) aged 6–14 participated in a sleep intervention with weighted blankets. Data-collection (baseline + 16-week) using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire.

Results: Common sleep problems, such as bedtime resistance, daytime sleepiness, sleep onset delay, and sleep duration, were reported to have improved in 50–75% of the children after using a weighted blanket, according to their parents. Changes were seen also for the less commonly reported parasomnias and nightly awakenings, and these problems were rarely perceived as persistent.

Conclusions: Reported improvements covered various sleep domains, though some sleep issues persisted. Future evaluation of the effects of weighted blanket should assess multiple dimensions of sleep, before and after use.

Significance: The client-centred approach, including parents’ perceptions of children’s sleep problems, is important in the evaluation of weighted blankets for children with ADHD. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.