Changes in body image perceptions upon leaving elite sport: The retired female athlete paradox

Little is known about the evolution of female athlete body image into retirement. In this study, 218 retired athletes from aesthetic sports answered a series of closed and open ended questions regarding bodily changes since retirement. Years since retirement was unrelated to current weight status (e.g., underweight, normal weight), what they were doing about current weight (e.g., lose weight), and satisfaction with current weight (all p’s > .69). Overall, 74.3% thought they were normal weight, yet 55% were dissatisfied with their weight and 59.6% were trying to lose weight. A rigorous thematic analysis of the qualitative data yielded 4 core themes that characterized participants’ experiences: 1) A move towards the feminine ideal; 2) Feeling fat, flabby and ashamed; 3) A continued commitment to a former self; and 4) Conflicting ideals: The retired female athlete paradox. Perceived muscle loss was considered indicative of either increased fat (dissatisfaction) or increased femininity (satisfaction). For some retired athletes, the satisfaction brought on by newfound femininity was complicated by a coinciding and conflicting commitment to a muscular athletic physique. Practical applications include strategies for sport psychologists to better support athletes in coping with the body changes that occur on retirement from elite sport

Learning to eat again: intuitive eating practices among retired female collegiate athletes

The present study used an open-ended survey to collect information about current eating practices and coping strategies among 218 retired female athletes. An inductive and deductive thematic analysis revealed three themes relevant to the intuitive eating framework -- Permission to eat, Recognising internal hunger and satiety cues, and Eating to meet physical and nutritional needs. Athletes described feeling liberated with regards to their eating following retirement from sport, and for some this included an alleviation of disordered eating practices. These changes, however, required an effortful process of recalibration, during which athletes had to re-learn and reinterpret their body’s physiological signals of hunger and satiety. Additional research is needed to understand just how this process unfolds and how retired athletes can be supported in developing a healthier and more adaptive approach to eating

Exercise attitudes and behaviours among retired female collegiate athletes

Objectives: The present study explored exercise attitudes and behaviours among retired female collegiate athletes. Design: A survey design incorporating both closed and open-ended questions was adopted. Method: A total of 218 former NCAA Division I female athletes (n = 144 gymnastics; n = 74 swimming/diving) provided details on their current exercise behaviours and their thoughts regarding exercise since retiring from collegiate sport. Results: No relations were found between years since retirement and athletes’ current exercise frequency, types of exercise activities, and reasons for exercising. Despite reporting activity levels consistent with recommendations (5 days/week, 1 hour per session), retired athletes remained dissatisfied with their activity levels and struggled to integrate exercise alongside occupational, academic and social demands. Conclusions: Athletes may require support in adapting to an independent and less intense exercise regime on retirement. Future research may look to explore exercise attitudes and behaviours among retired athletes from a longitudinal perspective

A Late Hellenistic Fragment of a Tractate on Classical and Post-Classical (?) Literature: New Information on Aristophanes’ Daitales?

Responsable : Christian Berner Oganisateur : Nicolas Osborne Prochaine séance : mercredi 22 mai 2013, 15h30-17h30 Université Lille 3, Bât. B, salle Danielle Corbin, B4 146

Eine griechische Gestellungsbürgschaft aus dem spätantiken Herakleopolis

This article presents the edition of a hitherto unpublished declaration of surety in Greek from 6th century Middle Egypt kept in the Papyrus Collection of the Austrian National Library. In this fragmentary document surety is provided for a gardener (?) called Neilammon son of Timotheos. Of particular interest in the papyrus is an attestation of a notary called Elias unknown to date, who also appears in two other Vienna papyri published in this volume for the first time

Enteuxis Concerning Illegal Sale of Cedria

The Greek papyrus published in this article is a fragment of an enteuxis from Ptolemaic Egypt. It probably dates to the middle of the 2nd century BC and its provenance is the Fayyum. It concerns the illegal sale of cedria; a substance widely used in mummification. The petitioner was apparently a tax farmer who won the state concession for the distribution of and tax upon cedria presumably for the Arsinoite nome. He seems to complain that the ibiotaphoi obtained cedria from other sources unauthorised by the state and also supplied others with this product

From research to practice: Enabling healthcare professionals to promote a physically activity lifestyle to people with spinal cord injury.

Objective: It is vital that people with spinal cord injury (SCI) maintain a physically active lifestyle for lifelong health and well-being. Yet within hospital rehabilitation and upon discharge from this context into the community, people with SCI are largely inactive. Physiotherapists are well placed to promote a physically active lifestyle and have been identified by people with SCI as valued and trusted messengers of physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to explore what physiotherapists in SCI rehabilitation perceive about PA for people with SCI and what they do in relation to promoting PA. Design: The design of this interpretive qualitative study was underpinned by ontological relativism (i.e., reality is multiple and created) and epistemological constructionism (i.e., knowledge is constructed and subjective). Method: Semi-structured interviews were completed with eighteen neurological physiotherapists (2-22 years’ experience) from SCI centres (United Kingdom and Ireland). An inductive thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Three themes were identified: 1) perceived importance of physical activity; 2) inconsistent physical activity promotion efforts; and 3) unease with activity-based rehabilitation. Together these themes reveal that although physiotherapists do value PA, active promotion of PA remains largely absent from what they do. Conclusions: This study contributes to the exercise psychology literature by identifying the need for PA promotion to be a structured and integral component of physiotherapy practice. SCI specific PA guidelines must be developed and communicated via appropriate knowledge translation strategies to enable physiotherapists to effectively promote a physically active lifestyle

Stories of hope or hopeful stories? Reflections on ethical dilemmas in spinal cord injury rehabilitation and physical activity

Ethical considerations in ethnographic research are not something to be ticked off once clearance is granted by the ethics committee. Rather, ethical considerations should remain at the forefront of the researcher’s mind as they face numerous ethical dilemmas throughout the course of a study. Ethics in practice should therefore be considered as a process of on-going maintenance and reflexivity. This paper draws upon the importance of reflexive ethics to highlight how broad procedural ethics considered at the beginning of a research project continue to inform ethical dilemmas as they arise during data collection and analysis. Ethical dilemmas encountered in a physical activity rehabilitation centre for people with spinal cord injury will be reflected upon to offer insights into negotiating the researcher’s desire to gain rich descriptions, whilst caring for the participants’ well-being. These dilemmas will include managing the expectations of the research project and negotiating delicate issues in spinal cord injury rehabilitation such as recovery and hope