Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM)

16/04/2026

🎙️ JSSM Podcast Episode: Can manual therapy enhance recovery at the microcirculatory and tissue level?

In this episode, we explore a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of manual treatment on lumbar microcirculation and tissue stiffness following submaximal eccentric trunk extensor exercise.

🔎 Episode Highlights:
• Changes in microcirculation after manual intervention
• Effects on tissue stiffness and recovery
• Insights into post-exercise physiological responses
• Practical implications for recovery and rehabilitation strategies

💡 Why it matters:
Understanding how manual therapy influences local circulation and tissue properties can help practitioners optimize recovery protocols and support performance.

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=fnT-GdX9L5Y

🎙️ A podcast episode from the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM).📝 Original Article Title:Effects of a Manual Treatment on Lumbar Microcirculati...

14/04/2026

🎙️ 🏃‍♂️ What happens inside the hamstrings as running speed increases?

In this episode, we explore how the biceps femoris long head behaves during running at progressively higher speeds—focusing on both muscle activity and fascicle dynamics.

🔎 Episode Highlights:

• Changes in muscle activation patterns with increasing speed

• Insights into fascicle length behavior and function

• Implications for hamstring injury risk and sprint mechanics

• Applications for training, rehabilitation, and performance optimization

💡 Why it matters:

Hamstring injuries are common in high-speed running. Understanding how muscle structure and activation respond to speed helps inform safer and more effective training strategies.

🎧 Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=fS1nwVfl3Tk

🔗 Read more: jssm.org/jssm-23-603.xml-Fulltext

12/04/2026

🎙️ Which pre-load strategy better enhances jump performance in elite gymnasts?

In this episode, we explore how drop jumps vs. squat jumps influence post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) in elite rhythmic gymnasts.

🔎 Episode Highlights:
• Comparing two explosive pre-conditioning strategies
• Effects on countermovement jump performance
• Insights into optimizing neuromuscular readiness
• Practical applications for warm-up design in elite sport

💡 Why it matters:
Fine-tuning warm-ups can unlock immediate performance gains. This study shows how selecting the right pre-activation stimulus can enhance explosive performance in highly trained athletes.

🎧 Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=R6Eac4nOKl0

🔗 Read more: jssm.org/jssm-23-611.xml-Fulltext

11/04/2026

🎙️Do game format and aerobic capacity influence how players respond to small-sided games?
This study in U-17 soccer players shows that both factors significantly affect:

✔️ Psychophysiological demands

✔️ Technical performance during play

💡 Key insight: Not all small-sided games are equal—format design and player fitness levels shape both the physical load and technical output.

🔍 Practical takeaway: Coaches should tailor SSG formats based on players’ aerobic capacity to optimize training intensity and skill development.

🎙️Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=ctTVTU8y_mY

🔗 Read more: jssm.org/jssm-23-619.xml-Fulltext

10/04/2026

🎙️ Can functional training elevate performance in elite field hockey players?
This episode dives into a 12-week cluster randomized controlled trial examining how a functional training program impacts:

🎯 Physical fitness

🎯 Performance-related capacities in elite athletes

🔎 Episode Highlights:

• Effects of structured functional training on elite field hockey performance

• How sport-specific movements translate into fitness improvements

• Key considerations for implementing long-term training interventions

💡 Why it matters:

For elite athletes, marginal gains matter. This study highlights how targeted functional training can enhance performance while aligning with the demands of the sport.

🎧 Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=-IGl_MtOW7Q

🔗 Read more: jssm.org/jssm-23-628.xml-Fulltext

Enhancing Physical Fitness in Elite Field Hockey Players with A Twelve-Week Functional Training Program: A Cluster Randomized Control Trial

08/04/2026

🎙️ JSSM Research Spotlight — Podcast Episode
🧊 Does cold compression therapy work the same for everyone?

In this episode, we explore a randomized crossover study examining the acute effects of cold compression therapy across individuals of different ages and fitness levels.

🔎 Episode Highlights:

• How recovery responses vary between trained vs. untrained individuals

• The influence of age on cold therapy effectiveness

• Insights into acute physiological and recovery outcomes

• What this means for personalized recovery strategies

💡 Why it matters:

Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. This study highlights the need to tailor cold compression protocols based on individual characteristics to optimize performance and recovery.

🎧 Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=YLuQKGYP740

🔗 Read more: jssm.org/jssm-25-350.xml-Fulltext

Acute Impact of Cold Compression Therapy Across Diverse Age Groups and Physical Conditioning Status: A Randomized Crossover Study

04/04/2026

🎙️ New podcast: Do all small-sided games produce the same physical adaptations? Not quite.
This randomized controlled study shows that small-sided games with baskets are significantly more effective than ball possession formats in enhancing:

✔️ Neuromuscular force production

✔️ Performance-related strength qualities

💡 Why it matters: Adding a scoring target (basket) increases game intensity and better stimulates explosive neuromuscular responses—key for basketball performance.

🔍 Practical takeaway: Coaches should carefully design SSGs—task constraints matter when targeting specific physical outcomes.

🎙️Listen to the podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=TquZzqrbgfI

🔗 Read more: jssm.org/jssm-23-638.xml-Fulltext

02/04/2026

🎙️ New Podcast Episode: Is unilateral training the missing link in basketball performance?
In this episode, we break down a randomized multi-arm study showing that unilateral plyometric jump training outperforms bilateral training in improving:

🎯 Time to stabilization

🎯 Peak landing force

💡 What you’ll learn:

• Why single-leg training better reflects game demands

• How neuromuscular control impacts injury risk & performance

• Practical ways to integrate unilateral plyometrics into training programs

🎙️ Tune in and rethink how you train for landing mechanics and stability

youtube.com/watch?v=UCPkGDQOrHA

For full-text reading goes to jssm.org/jssm-23-647.xml-Fulltext

Unilateral Plyometric Jump Training Shows Significantly More Effective than Bilateral Training in Improving Both Time to Stabilization and Peak Landing Force in Single-Leg Lend and Hold Test: A Randomized Multi-Arm Study Conducted Among Young Male Basketball Players

31/03/2026

🎙️ Podcast Episode: How does a history of hamstring strain injury affect muscle activity during sprinting in soccer players?

Our new study, published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM), investigates muscle activation patterns during accelerated sprinting in players with previous hamstring injuries.

🔎 Episode Highlights:

Compared muscle activity patterns in players with and without prior hamstring strain injuries

Focused on neuromuscular responses during accelerated sprinting phases

Identified altered activation strategies that may persist post-injury

Provides insights for rehabilitation, return-to-play, and injury prevention programs

💡 Why it matters:

Hamstring injuries are among the most common in soccer and often recur. Understanding how neuromuscular function changes after injury can help practitioners design more effective rehabilitation protocols and reduce the risk of reinjury.

As an open-access journal indexed in PubMed and Scopus, JSSM ensures this applied injury-focused research is freely accessible to clinicians, coaches, and sport scientists worldwide.

🎙️Listen to the podcast here 👉youtube.com/watch?v=W4zaGUonofY

📖 Read the full article here 👉jssm.org/jssm-23-656.xml-Fulltext

29/03/2026

🎙️ Podcast Episode: Does performing static stretching 2 hours before a traditional warm-up impact athletic performance?

Our new study, published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM), investigates how the timing of static stretching—well before the warm-up—affects subsequent performance outcomes.

🔎 Episode Highlights:

Examined the effects of static stretching performed 2 hours prior to activity

Compared performance outcomes following a standard warm-up routine

Explored whether early stretching has lingering positive or negative effects

Provides practical insights for pre-competition and training preparation strategies

💡 Why it matters:

Static stretching is often debated due to its potential impact on performance. This study highlights how timing plays a crucial role, helping athletes and coaches better structure warm-up routines without compromising performance.

As an open-access journal indexed in PubMed and Scopus, JSSM ensures this applied research is freely accessible to coaches, athletes, and sport scientists worldwide.

🎙️Listen to the podcast here 👉youtube.com/watch?v=Ft5mGnSBE4M

📖 Read the full article here 👉 jssm.org/jssm-23-663.xml-Fulltext

27/03/2026

🎙️ Podcast Episode: Does the speed of foam rolling influence its effectiveness on muscle properties?
Our new study, published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM), investigates how different foam rolling speeds affect the mechanical properties of the quadriceps femoris.

🔎 Episode Highlights:

Compared foam rolling performed at different speeds

Assessed changes in muscle stiffness and mechanical properties

Explored how rolling velocity influences neuromuscular responses

Provides practical guidance for athletes, coaches, and clinicians using self-myofascial release

💡 Why it matters:

Foam rolling is widely used for recovery and performance, but protocols vary greatly. Understanding the role of rolling speed helps practitioners apply more effective and targeted recovery strategies.

As an open-access journal indexed in PubMed and Scopus, JSSM ensures this applied recovery research is freely accessible to the global sports science community.

🎙️Listen to the podcast here 👉youtube.com/watch?v=V7wQPq-H8rE

📖 Read the full article here 👉 jssm.org/jssm-23-684.xml-Fulltext

The Effects of Foam Rolling at Different Speeds on Mechanical Properties of Quadriceps Femoris

18/03/2026

🎙️ JSSM Research Spotlight — Podcast Episode

How effective is the NASM-OPT periodized training model for developing strength and explosive power in adolescent athletes? 🏃‍♂️⚡

Our new study, published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM), examines the long-term effects of NASM-OPT periodized training on lower-limb strength, explosive power, and stretch–shortening cycle (SSC) function in adolescent athletes.

🔎 Episode Highlights:

Implemented a long-term NASM-OPT periodized training program

Assessed improvements in lower-limb strength and explosive power

Evaluated adaptations in stretch–shortening cycle performance, key for jumping and sprinting

Provides applied insights for youth strength & conditioning program design

💡 Why it matters:

Developing strength and power during adolescence is crucial for both athletic performance and injury prevention. This study offers evidence on how structured periodized training models can effectively enhance neuromuscular development in young athletes.

🎙️Listen to the podcast here 👉youtube.com/watch?v=nx8_IntlyB8

📖 Read the full article here 👉 jssm.org/jssm-25-339.xml-Fulltext

Long-Term Effects of NASM-OPT Periodized Training on Lower-Limb Strength, Explosive Power, and Stretch-Shortening Cycle Function in Adolescent Athletes