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Learning Center

We believe that safe sports, good health decisions, excellent care and informed policy begin with education.
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The Mind Behind the Medals

Masters at the 2012 London Paralympics, where she earned her first medal. Photo: Rob Jones / Creative Commons..  Oksana Masters is a hardcore athlete. Representing Team USA in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics, she has competed in eight consecutive Paralympics, winning 24 medals across Nordic skiing, biathlon, rowing, and cycling. In this year’s Paralympics, she earned five gold medals in biathlon and Nordic skiing. But what sets her apart is her mental game.  Masters has had to work uphill from the start. Born in Ukraine, she spent her early childhood in three orphanages before being adopted at the age of seven by a single American...

Gymnast on uneven bars

Impacts of Sleep on Athletic Performance

Athletes require sleep to function at an optimal level, but given the demands of athletic performance, rest and recovery are often jeopardized as athletes attempt to manage the physical demands and time pressures of a busy schedule. In this context, athletes often fail to obtain adequate sleep and become sleep deprived, leading to negative outcomes for athletic performance and overall health....

The Mental Benefits of Physical Movement for Kids

Sports and physical activity provide kids physical benefits that are vital to development: improving cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and agility, all while setting kids up for healthy relationships with exercise as adults(1). But what about benefits for their mental health?  In the last few years, we have become increasingly aware of the importance of mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic cast a spotlight on issues that were either caused or amplified by isolation and loss of access to our favorite activities. Youth were among the most impacted, as they adjusted to learning virtually while not having sports leagues, parks or recreational facilities(2)....

Physical Activity for Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes

Why is physical activity so important if you have type 2 diabetes? Several studies show consistent PA can reduce the risk of the disease while also decreasing the risk of death and improving insulin resistance. Additionally, it serves as a mood booster, helps with weight loss, increases energy levels, can help with relaxation, and improves the quality of sleep....

What to Know About the Male Athlete Triad

The Female Athlete Triad--a trifecta of low energy availability, menstrual irregularities, and impaired bone health--has been well documented for the last 30 years, but there is growing evidence a similar syndrome in male athletes exists. A decline in athletic performance accompanied by low energy availability, low testosterone, and poor bone health constitutes the Male Athlete Triad (MAT)...

The Role of Physical Activity in Managing Diabetes

Approximately 463 million adults are living with diabetes worldwide. By 2045, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes is projected to be 700 million. In the U.S., 34.1 million adults have diabetes, with type 2 diabetes responsible for 90-95% of these cases. Type 2 diabetes is a serious illness, but it is preventable and can be managed through a combination of a healthy diet with physical activity....

Do Physically Active Children Attain Higher Academic Achievement?

Physically active youngsters seem to have an advantage when it comes to academic achievement. They retain more information in memory to process actions and decisions. They learn, focus and manage their impulses better than others. And regions of their brains critical to mental performance appear to be larger and to connect better with one another....

Do Team Sports Offer Health Advantages that Other Activities Do Not?

Children and adolescents move, play and engage in sports in lots of different ways. They skip rope, throw balls, jog alone or compete on teams against one another—all healthy ways to be active. In recent years, researchers have begun to explore whether some of these activities are more closely linked than others to specific health benefits over time....

Muscle Cramping In the Heat

Muscle cramping is the bane of athletes exercising in the heat. It's a painful condition that can range from annoying to disabling. That makes it important to know how to prevent one. ...

Movement, play and sports: What are the benefits?

Sports, movement and play yield abundant benefits and can enhance the physical, mental and social health of children, today and long into the future. Just about any kind of activity is beneficial, from brisk walking, cycling or pickup games to after-school training and team sports...

Concussion Key Facts

A concussion is an injury to the brain. Recognizing it is critical for a full recovery....

Concussion FAQs

Can blood scans or imaging scans diagnose a concussion or detect recovery? What is the chance a high school or college athlete will have a concussion? Do helmets prevent concussions?...

Are Concussions In Soccer Preventable?

The popularity of soccer has soared in recent decades, in part because parents perceive it to be safer than other sports. Yet it’s important to understand its risks...

Is Heading In Soccer Dangerous?

In boys’ and girls’ soccer, most concussions happen during collisions between two players—not between a player and a ball—often while the players wrangle for a header in the air...

Deciding Whether to Go Back to Sports

Deciding whether an athlete can safely return to sports—or whether sports risk too much harm—is the responsibility of a trained healthcare provider judging the individual circumstances of a particular young athlete...

Concussion Basics

Diagnosing a concussion is challenging. Learn the immediate symptoms and signs here ...

Beat the Summer Heat

In this compilation of stories, find out what science says about training in the summer...

Understanding Heat Stroke in 7 Steps

Athletes can develop life-threatening exertional heat stroke (EHS) for a variety of reasons. But there is virtually no reason for EHS to occur when coaches and conditioning personnel put their players’ safety first...

Training in the Heat Resources

The following resources provide in-depth information, tips and tools on the prevention, recognition and treatment of exertional heat illness ...

Myth: ‘Cocoon Therapy’ Helps a Concussion

Two recent guidelines from U.S. and international experts have introduced new but subtle recommendations that undercut a style of treatment for sports concussion known as “cocoon therapy” ...

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