Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
These three studies offer fresh insights into athlete recovery and performance. Learn how why calling a timeout can help—or hurt—momentum, the role of deep sleep in athletic performance, and how pig collagen injections might shorten tendon rehab time for injured athletes—read on.
Can a Quick Timeout Cost You Momentum?
This study analyzed more than 4,000 timeouts across 1,235 Chinese Basketball Association games to understand how they affect scoring momentum. Teams that were trailing often benefitted from calling a timeout, as it helped slow down opponents and shift momentum back in their favor. However, when a team already on a scoring run called a timeout, the pause often disrupted their rhythm and led to fewer points afterward. Timeouts were most effective during regular game periods rather than the final five minutes, and they worked best against weaker opponents.
My thoughts: This one grabbed my attention. I’ve studied ways athletes can disrupt an opponent’s rhythm in one-on-one sports like tennis or boxing, and timeouts have always seemed like a powerful momentum tool. It’s interesting to see real data showing they can either help or hurt depending on when they’re used.
The Critical Role of Sleep in Athletic Performance
This review examined how different stages of sleep affect athletic performance and recovery. Deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) plays a major role in physical repair, metabolic regulation, and the release of growth hormone, especially after intense training. REM sleep supports motor learning, coordination, and mood regulation. Athletes often drift into deeper sleep after hard training sessions, but sleep quality tends to decline during periods of overtraining. The authors also highlighted that napping is a reliable way to boost alertness and both physical and cognitive performance. Getting more total sleep—sleep extension—also appears helpful, even though it has been studied less. Although researchers still do not fully understand all the mechanisms linking sleep and performance, the message is clear: sleep is essential, yet frequently overlooked.
My thoughts: I spent some time in the early 2000s running sleep labs in London, and even then sleep was—and still is—largely a mystery. This review highlights how much we still don’t understand, yet it shows clear patterns athletes should pay attention to. I think the biggest reason athletes struggle to prioritize sleep is that it’s hard to value something so invisible and slow to show results. There’s also emerging evidence that creatine levels in the brain may influence how well we cope with poor sleep, which is another reason for athletes juggling heavy training loads and inconsistent sleep to consider Blonyx HMB+ Creatine. It’s not a substitute for good sleep, but it may help you stay sharper and recover better when life gets in the way. Good night!
Pig Collagen Speeds Up Tendon Rehabilitation
This study investigated whether injecting porcine-derived collagen into the hamstring tendons of athletes with tendon issues could speed up their return to sport. Twenty-eight athletes dealing with chronic proximal hamstring pain took part. Those who received three collagen injections alongside a structured rehab program returned to sport an average of 15 days faster than athletes who did not receive the injections. No major side effects were reported.
My thoughts: This one’s a bit wild—pig collagen injections helping athletes heal faster. It’s certainly not for everyone, but if you’re a high-level competitor struggling with a stubborn tendon issue, it’s worth knowing that these kinds of options exist. Would you try it if it meant returning to your sport sooner?
That’s all for this week! If you learned something new and are curious to know more, head over to the Blonyx Blog or my growing list of weekly research summaries where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports science.
– Train hard!
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