Aim: to study the prevalence of alcohol and pre-workout caffeine use and their impact on sleep quality and injury among the young soccer players.

Methods: this study examined the prevalence of alcoholic beverages and pre-workout caffeine consumption in young soccer players, as well as the effect of these substances on sleep disorders and injuries among 236 elite athletes aged 11–21 years.

Results: 16.5 % of soccer players use pre-workout caffeine. Most often 1–2 times per week. Caffeine consumption is weakly positively correlated with age (p < 0,001, R = 0,41.) and is most common in the age group of 19–21 years with consumption rates at 58.8 %. 17.3 % of young soccer players consume alcohol moderately and its consumption significantly correlates with age. Most often alcohol was consumed at the age of 19–21 years. Alcohol and caffeine consumption are significantly, but weakly correlated with the risk of severe sleep disorders on the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ). However, injuries during matches and training sessions did not depend on alcohol (p = 0.076) or caffeine (p = 0.14) consumption according to the Kraskal — Wallis test. At the same time, sleep disorders on the ASBQ significantly correlated with injury.

Conclusion: the widespread use of alcohol and caffeine, and their negative impact on sleep among soccer players aged 11–21 years were revealed, but there was no connection between the use of these substances and injuries.

Purpose: to determine the severity and dynamics of changes in the concentration of biochemical markers of muscle tissue damage in the blood serum of an experienced ultramarathon runner after overcoming a distance of 165 kilometers.

Materials and methods: measurement of serum concentrations of markers of muscle tissue damage (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), myoglobin) in serum before and 16 and 144 hours after ultramarathon in an experienced runner (age 36, height 186 cm, weight 76 kg, body mass index 21.96).

Results: 16 hours after the end of the race, extremely high levels of AST, ALT, CK, CK-MB and myoglobin were observed, the combination of which indicates severe rhabdomyolysis. After 144 hours, a decrease in the level of all markers of muscle tissue damage, including myoglobin, was noted, however, they continued to remain significantly higher than the reference values. At the same time, the athlete did not have any significant pathological symptoms, and he continued to train in the recovery mode.

Conclusion: ultramarathon races lead to significant muscle damage, which can lead to rhabdomyolysis. Its severity may not correlate with any significant clinical manifestations.

Objective: surgical intervention for spinal pathologies in professional athletes represents a pertinent topic in contemporary sports medicine and neurosurgery, given the extended rehabilitation period and potential decline in competitive activity following spinal surgeries. In this clinical case we describe an innovative technique for stabilizing the lumbar spine in an elite adult professional athlete which enables rapid return to regular competitive activities without restrictions.

Materials and methods: a clinical case involving the surgical treatment of lumbar spine instability with compression of neural structures caused by an intervertebral disc herniation is presented. An innovative method for spinal stabilization employing an interbody dynamic implant is outlined.

Results: the implementation of this spinal stabilization method allowed an adult professional elite futsal player to resume active physical sport-specific activities without any limitations just three weeks post-surgery.

Conclusion: this clinical observation illustrates that spinal fixation using this novel and original method ensures the stability of the operated segment during physical exertion of any intensity.

Objective: to summarize all clinically significant factors determining the Achilles tendon predisposition to rupture.

Materials and methods: the basis of this scientific-analytical review was the analysis of data from the electronic portals PubMed-NCBI, Google Academy, and “Scientific electronic e-Library.ru”.

Results: the presented literature review indicates that injuries and ruptures of the Achilles tendon can be provoked by numerous factors, among which genetic predisposition, individual anatomico-morphological features of the tendon complex structure, initial connective tissue failure, pathological changes in the Achilles tendon structure itself, foot and ankle deformities are of great importance. Men are more susceptible to this injury. Tendon injuries are most common either in 30–40 years, or in the period from 60 to 80 years. Professional athletes and people who lead sedentary lifestyles and do not exercise properly are at risk of Achilles tendon ruptures. Concomitant metabolic disorders and use of some medications also play an important role in the predisposition to this injury. Local corticosteroid injections pose a particular tendon rupture risk. The combination of several established factors significantly increases the likelihood of this emergency.

Conclusions: early detection of predisposition to Achilles tendon rupture will allow timely development of effective measures for its prevention in physical training and sports.

Objective: to assess the natural course of subclinical hypothyroidism in young athletes.

Methods: In the prospective single-center uncontrolled study, data from 3,062 outpatient records of young athletes (members of the Russian national team) of both sexes (middle age — 15 [14; 16] years) and underwent medical examination in the period from January 2021 to September 2022 were studied. All athletes were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of subclinical hypothyroidism (an increase in the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone from 5 to 10 mUn/l with a normal level of T4 free). During a dynamic follow-up (1 year), athletes with subclinical hypothyroidism underwent a repeated study of the concentration of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine and antibodies to thyroperoxidase.

Results: Signs of subclinical hyperthyroidism were found in 58 young athletes (30 boys (51.7 %) and 28 (48.3 %) girls). During dynamic observation with continued habitual physical activity, spontaneous normalization of the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone was observed in 74 % of young athletes. At the same time, normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone in girls was observed less often compared to boys (p = 0,272). In no case did clinically pronounced hypothyroidism develop.

Conclusion: The majority of young male and female athletes with subclinical hypothyroidism have spontaneous normalization of hormonal profile against the background of persistent physical and psycho-emotional stress. The data obtained make it possible, subject to the possibility of dynamic observation, to recommend doctors working with young elite athletes not to prescribe hormonal replacement therapy and not to modify the usual lifestyle.

Purpose: to study the effect of the transferred viral (on the example of COVID‑19) infection on the endocrine system of athletes.
Materials and methods: the data of 1114 athletes (average age 22.23 ± 4.18 years) who underwent in‑depth medical examination in the period 2021–2022 were analyzed. The examination included an analysis of sports and infectious anamnesis, the results of hormonal, biochemical and instrumental studies.
Results: coronavirus infection was suffered by the majority of athletes — 724 people (65 %) — in the vast majority of cases (91 %), their disease was asymptomatic or mild. 390 athletes (35 %) had no history of infection. There was a significant increase in the incidence of hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, insulin‑dependent diabetes mellitus, autoimmune thyroiditis among athletes who had a coronavirus infection when compared with athletes who were not ill. The development of endocrine diseases did not depend on the severity of the infection and was most often detected with its mild and asymptomatic course. During the examination, six cases of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus and eight cases of thyrotoxicosis were detected among athletes who had a coronavirus infection. The development of these conditions did not depend on the severity of the infection. At the same time, only 1 case of thyrotoxicosis was registered in athletes who were not ill, no new cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus were diagnosed. In the present study, no association was found between the transmitted coronavirus infection and an increase in the number of cases of nodular goiter, hyperprolactinemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Conclusion: the results of the study showed that in the long‑term period after COVID‑19, autoimmune endocrine diseases, such as primary hypothyroidism, diffuse‑toxic goiter with thyrotoxicosis, autoimmune thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, were significantly more often manifested in athletes, which is probably associated with a cross‑lesion of autoimmunity against a background of viral infection.

Aim: to evaluate the effect of using a medical vibration platform on the severity of pain, quality of life, functional and anatomical characteristics of the foot and ankle in patients with plantar fasciitis.

Materials and methods: the study involved 91 patients with plantar fasciitis, among them 73 (80.2 %) women, 18 (19.8 %) men. The patients were divided into two groups: the main group consisted of 43 patients, the control group — 48 patients. In the main group, standard treatment was performed, including shock wave therapy, kinesio taping, standard exercises in the first week and exercises on a medical vibration platform in the second and third weeks, in the control group, exercises in the second and third weeks were performed with the patient standing on the floor. To assess the dynamics of treatment, a questionnaire was conducted using the VAS, the AOFAS scale, and the SF-36 questionnaire. Instrumental methods of examination included the evaluation of Friedland’s podological index, Y-balance test. All parameters were assessed before treatment, after treatment, and 3 months after treatment.

Results: the use of exercise therapy on a medical vibration platform in the complex treatment of patients with plantar fasciitis, compared with exercise therapy on the floor, made it possible to statistically significantly reduce the level of pain after treatment (p < 0.05), increase the stability of the feet and ankle joint (p < 0.05 ), and in the long-term period allowed to significantly reduce the level of pain (p <0.05), improve the quality of life (p < 0.05), increase the stability of the foot and ankle joint (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: the use of physiotherapy exercises on a medical vibroplatform helps to reduce the level of pain after treatment and after 3 months after treatment, improve the quality of life in the long term, as well as increase the stability of the feet.

Aim: Basketball necessitates a holistic approach to player development, encompassing both skill and physicality, with a critical emphasis on understanding these requirements due to its complex tactics. Plyometric training’s potential in sport performance lacks comprehensive research. This systematic review, guided by PRISMA guidelines, aims to analyse diverse range of literature concerning healthy athletes, investigating its significance on functional performance and bone mineral density in basketball players of different age groups (pre-teen, adolescent, and young adult).

Methods: The study conducted electronic searches in databases like PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate, supplemented with manual reference searches, covering the period from 2013 to June 2023. Initially, 783 items were identified. Inclusion criteria involved English-language publications focusing on basketball players aged 8 to 28 years, assessing plyometric training’s effect on functional performance with quantitative measurements. Screening began with titles and abstracts, followed by full-text evaluation to ensure eligibility.

Results: A database search yielded 26 peer-reviewed articles, primarily randomized controlled trials, showing significant functional improvements through plyometric training (4-36 weeks, 2-3 times weekly). Assessments covered explosive leg power, agility, sprinting, muscle strength, and bone density. Male participants dominated, but female and mixed-gender groups were included. Results consistently highlighted plyometric training’s positive impact with statistical significance.

Conclusion: This review provides evidence that plyometric training improves agility, sprinting ability, leg power, basketball skills as well as BMD across different age groups of players. It establishes plyometrics as effective for boosting on-court performance. Integrating plyometric training holds great promise in advancing athlete success in basketball.

Dietary supplements are regularly consumed by more than 70 % of the US population, as well as by competitive and non-competitive athletes. Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are frequently found in dietary supplements, and have the potential for multi-organ toxicity, including significant effects on the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular toxicities of AAS include coronary artery effects, e.g. spasm, thrombosis and plaque rupture, leading to acute coronary syndromes and myocardial infarctions, as well as direct myocardial toxicity, causing left ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis and dysfunction. Coronary and myocardial effects converge towards a common final pathway, causing heart failure, life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The unregulated nature of AAS in dietary supplements has many ramifications. Both coaches and athletes should be aware that testing positive for a prohibited substance (including AAS) constitutes a potential doping violation. We advocate for improved education of the public at large regarding the potential for AAS to be included in dietary supplements, as well as its regulation by the appropriate authorities.

Purpose: estimate actual diet of college basketball players, including frequency of consumption of specialty foods.
Materials and methods: 25 male students sports university basketball were examined (average age 20.9 ± 1.8 years). Actual nutrition was studied by the frequency method using the computer program “Analysis of Human Nutritional Status”. Data on the frequency and quantity of consumed specialized food products for the nutrition of athletes (SFP) and biologically active food additives were studied using a questionnaire.
Results: the daily energy value of the diet averaged 3205 ± 520 kcal/day, 135 ± 36 g of protein per day, 155 ± 25 g/day of fats and 317 ± 72 g/day of carbohydrates; unoptimal diet structure was revealed — fats predominate from the daily energy value, carbohydrate and protein intake was low. There is a discrepancy between daily food intake (low consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread, fish) and the Order of the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation dated October 30, 2015 No. 999 “On requirements approval for ensuring the sports reserves training for sports teams of the Russian Federation” requirements. Basic diet revealed a high average daily content of iron (19 ± 6 mg/day), vitamins A (1057 ± 729 µg ret. equiv) and C (153 ± 101 mg/day). Data on the frequency of taking SPPs and dietary supplements are provided. At the same time, content of some nutrients in them exceeded the upper permissible consumption levels.
Conclusion: it is advisable to regularly increase the awareness of coaches and athletes about the rational nutrition principles through the introduction of educational programs into sports practice.