Covid-19 pandemic and quality of life among Romanian athletes

The aim of this study was to analyze athletes’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 249 athletes between 15 and 35 of age, M = 21.22, SD = 5.12. The sample was composed of eight Olympic Games medalists, three European medalists, 67 international medalists, and 63 national medalists. The instruments used were: (1) COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, (2) Athlete Quality of Life Scale, (3) Impact of Pandemic on Athletes Questionnaire, and (4) International Personality Item Pool (IPIP Anxiety, Depression, and Vulnerability Scales). The results indicate significant differences in COVID-19 anxiety depending on the sport practiced, F (9239) = 3.81, p < 0.01, showing that there were significant differences between sports. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between trait anxiety and the athletes’ quality of life. The percentage of mediation was 33.9%, and the indirect effect was −0.11, CI 95% (−0.18, −0.03), Z = −2.82, p < 0.01. Trait anxiety has an increasing effect on the intensity of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 0.23, CI 95% (.10, 0.35), Z = 3.56, p < 0.01, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has a decreasing effect on quality of life, −0.47, CI 95% (−0.67, −0.27), Z = −4.62, p < 0.01. Gender and age did not moderate the relationship between the negative impact of COVID-19 and athletes’ quality of life. The results of the study highlighted the impact that social isolation and quarantine have on athletes’ affective well-being

The effects of aerobic exercise on premenstrual syndrome symptoms

This study examined the effects of a 3-month aerobic exercise training program on premenstrual syndrome (PMS). From an initial pool of 216 volunteers, 45 sedentary but healthy women (age range, 18-45 years) completed a 21-item prospective Daily Ratings Form (DRF) for the duration of the study. Upon the completion of the first DRF, all women underwent a maximal graded exercise test to assess their aerobic capacity. For the following three menstrual cycles, 9 women with PMS $\rm(\bar x\ age\pm1SD, 31.7\pm9.1 years)$ underwent a low intensity \rm(40\%\ \dot VO\sb2 max) aerobic training program, three times per week for a duration of 45 minutes for 3 consecutive menstrual cycles (PLOW). Another 10 women with PMS $\rm(\bar x\ age, 29.9\pm9.9 years)$ participated in a moderate intensity \rm(70\%\ \dot VO\sb2 max) aerobic training program (PMOD). Another group of 11 women with PMS (PCON) $\rm(\bar x\ age, 33.7\pm8.7)$ and 15 women without PMS (NPCON) $\rm(\bar x\ age, 28.8\pm11.2)$ did not participate in any exercise and remained sedentary for the following three menstrual cycles. No baseline differences existed between the four groups with respect to age, % body fat or \rm\dot VO\sb{2 max} $(p\u3e0.05).$ The average \rm\dot VO\sb{2 max} recorded from the pre-test was \rm 26.67\pm5.3 ml.kg\sp{-1}.min\sp{-1}. Post-test scores indicated a significant change in \rm\dot VO\sb{2 max} in the PMOD and PLOW groups, increasing by 5.43 \rm ml.kg\sp{-1}.min\sp{-1} and 3.01 \rm ml.kg\sp{-1}.min\sp{-1}, respectively $(p\le0.05).$ Discriminant function analysis on the 21-item DRF yielded four PMS subgroups; dysphoric mood, anxiety, hydration, and functional impairment. Repeated measures ANOVA on the mean late-luteal scores for each PMS subgroup yielded significant group differences and group x treatment $(p\le0.05).$ Subsequent analyses revealed that the women in the PLOW and PMOD groups reported significant decrease in their PMS symptomatology on all PMS subgroups across time $(p\le0.05).$ No differences were found between the PLOW and PMOD groups across time. The results of the study indicate that aerobic exercise was successful in the diminution of all PMS symptom subgroups. Moreover, it appears that these benefits are independent of the intensity of exercise, and can be at low levels of exercise intensity.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Quality of Life among Romanian Athletes

The aim of this study was to analyze athletes’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 249 athletes between 15 and 35 of age, M = 21.22, SD = 5.12. The sample was composed of eight Olympic Games medalists, three European medalists, 67 international medalists, and 63 national medalists. The instruments used were: (1) COVID-19 Anxiety Scale, (2) Athlete Quality of Life Scale, (3) Impact of Pandemic on Athletes Questionnaire, and (4) International Personality Item Pool (IPIP Anxiety, Depression, and Vulnerability Scales). The results indicate significant differences in COVID-19 anxiety depending on the sport practiced, F (9239) = 3.81, p &lt; 0.01, showing that there were significant differences between sports. The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic mediates the relationship between trait anxiety and the athletes’ quality of life. The percentage of mediation was 33.9%, and the indirect effect was −0.11, CI 95% (−0.18, −0.03), Z = −2.82, p &lt; 0.01. Trait anxiety has an increasing effect on the intensity of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 0.23, CI 95% (.10, 0.35), Z = 3.56, p &lt; 0.01, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has a decreasing effect on quality of life, −0.47, CI 95% (−0.67, −0.27), Z = −4.62, p &lt; 0.01. Gender and age did not moderate the relationship between the negative impact of COVID-19 and athletes’ quality of life. The results of the study highlighted the impact that social isolation and quarantine have on athletes’ affective well-being