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BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of enhancing exercise, exercising can cause injuries that lead to disability and increase the load on the medical sector. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of exercise-related injuries among gym members in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and evaluate the more common types of such injuries. It also investigated the association between injury prevalence and the factors selected. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with a self-reported survey was conducted targeting members of Fitness Time gyms across the KSA. The survey consisted of three parts: part one concerns participant demographic data and part two contains four questions regarding the participants' training experience. Part three contains ten questions targeting those with a history of injury. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Crosstabs and chi-squared tests were used to assess the prevalence of exercise-related injuries when appropriate. Binary logistic regression was employed to investigate the association between injury prevalence and the potential associated factors. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated and the threshold for statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 713 subjects participated in the study. The mean age was 36.5 ± 11.2 years and (n = 422, 59.2%) of the participants were female. The study found a prevalence of injury among gym members of about (n = 404, ~57%). The most commonly reported types of injuries were muscle strain (n = 126, 37%) and bruising (n = 45, 13%). The most prevalent anatomical location of injury was the knee (n = 287, 84.3%), followed by the shoulder (n = 283, 83.3%), and the least common was the head/neck (n = 7, 2.1%). The present study suggests some factors associated with exercise-related injury. A significant statistical association (p < 0.5) was found between injury prevalence and age, gender, educational level, period of training, and presence of a trainer. However, no association was detected between injury prevalence and Body Mass Index (BMI), place of residence, or source of advice. CONCLUSION: Over half of the participants of this study reported at least one exercise-related injury. This study identifies factors associated with injury prevalence related to exercise among gym participants. Promoting safety and minimizing the incidence of injuries are crucial.

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Background: One of the measures for controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was the mass closure of gyms. This measure leads us to determine the differences between indoor and outdoor air quality. That is why the objective of this study was to analyse the indoor air quality of a sports centre catering to small groups and rehabilitation. Methods: The study was conducted in a single training centre, where 26 measurements were taken in two spaces (indoors and outdoors). The air quality index, temperature, relative humidity, total volatile compounds, carbon monoxide, ozone, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter were measured indoors and outdoors using the same protocol and equipment. These measurements were taken twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, with all measurements made at the same time, 10 am and 6 pm, respectively. Additionally, four determinations of each variable were collected during each shift, and the number of people who had trained in the room and the number of trainers were counted. Results: In the different variables analysed, the results show that CO2 and RH levels are higher indoors than outdoors in both measurement shifts. Temperatures are higher outside than inside and, in the evening, than in the morning. TVOC, AQI and PM show less variation, although they are higher outdoors in the morning. CO is highest indoors. HCHO levels are almost negligible and do not vary significantly, except for a slight increase in the afternoon outside. Ozone levels are not significant. All the variables showed practically perfect reliability in all the measurements, except for ozone measured outside in the morning. On the other hand, the variables exhibit variations between indoors and outdoors during the morning and afternoon, except for the three types of PM. Also, the data show that all the main variables measured inside the sports training centre are similar between morning and afternoon. However, outside, temperature, relative humidity and HCHO levels show significant differences between morning and afternoon while no differences are observed for the other variables. Conclusion: The indoor air quality of the training centre assessed was good and met current regulations; some of its components even exhibited better levels than fresh air. This article is the first to measure indoor air quality in a sports training centre catering to rehabilitation and small groups.

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Currently, the use of technological devices for monitoring physical activity and in other mobile applications is widespread among sports users and is continuously growing. The aim of this study was the validation of the reliability of the use of Wearable Fitness Technology (WFT) in the context of fitness through quantitative analysis. Data collection was conducted online during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The sample consisted of 177 members of fitness centres who used MYZONE technology in Portugal. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) (Factor v10) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) (AMOS v22.0) were used to test the item fit. The results showed adequate fits, identifying a total of 14 items in a single factor to assess WFT in MYZONE users in fitness centres. The reliability of the scale showed adequate indices within the indicated limits. This study extends the current literature on WFT; provides information for providers, managers, and members; and aims to improve the fitness experience by developing a valid and reliable tool to assess the characteristics and incidence of WFT in fitness centres. The complexity of the WFT will affect the degree of user engagement with the fitness centre, highlighting the importance of using staff skills to generate motivational and innovative challenges to improve the service experience. Furthermore, this scale could be used to examine the influences of WFT on managers' and members' perceptions of the service experience in the Portuguese context.

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O objetivo deste estudo foi validar uma escala para a análise das percepções dos moradores sobre o impacto social de um centro esportivo. Se recolheu uma amostra de 406 moradores do município de Moncada (Valência) com erro de amostragem de ± 4,82. Os moradores responderam a um questionário de 31 itens que incluíram possíveis impactos sociais derivados da presença do complexo esportivo na localidade. A aplicação da análise fatorial exploratória e confirmatória reduziu a escala para 28 indicadores distribuídos em sete dimensões de impacto: impacto sociocultural, impacto socioeconômico, impacto na imagem e promoção do município, impacto no desenvolvimento e infraestruturas urbanas, impacto na coesão social, igualdade e equidade, impacto na saúde e impacto nos hábitos e níveis de atividade física. Os resultados permitiram verificar a validade e confiabilidade da escala proposta para o objeto de estudo

La finalidad de este estudio es validar una escala para el análisis de las percepciones de los residentes sobre el impacto social de un centro deportivo. Se recogió una muestra de 406 residentes del municipio de Moncada (Valencia), con un error de muestreo de ±4,82, que contestaron a una encuesta de 31 ítems que recogían posibles impactos sociales derivados de la presencia del centro deportivo en la localidad. La aplicación de análisis factorial exploratorio y confirmatorio redujo la escala a 28 indicadores distribuidos en siete dimensiones de impacto: impacto sociocultural, impacto socioeconómico, impacto en la imagen y la promoción del municipio, impacto en el desarrollo urbano y las infraestructuras, impacto en la cohesión social, igualdad y equidad, impacto sobre la salud e impacto sobre los hábitos y niveles de actividad física. Los resultados permitieron comprobar la validez y fiabilidad de la escala propuesta para el objeto de estudio

The purpose of this study is to validate a scale to analyse residents' perceptions of the social impact of a sports centre. A sample of 406 residents of Moncada, Valencia, was collected with sampling error of ±4.82. They responded to a 31-item survey on potential social impacts of the presence of the sports centre in that town. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis reduced the scale to 28 indicators distributed in seven impact dimensions: sociocultural; socioeconomic; image and promotion of the town; urban development and infrastructures; social cohesion; equality and equity; health; and physical activity habits and levels. The results made it possible to check the validity and reliability of the scale proposed for the object of study

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BACKGROUND: Fitness facilities provide an avenue to engage in physical activity, which is widely encouraged to improve health. However, there is risk of injury. This study aimed to identify the specific causes of injuries sustained at fitness facilities and the activity being participated in, to aid in the development of injury prevention strategies. METHODS: Analysis of routinely collected emergency department case-series data were obtained from July 1999 to June 2013. Fitness activity-related injury cases were identified from narratives of injury events, with narrative information recoded into cause of injury and activity at time of injury categories. Recoded data were then analysed. RESULTS: Overall, 2,873 cases were identified that specified the exact cause of injury associated with injuries that occurred at fitness facilities. Injuries due to overexertion were most common overall (36.2% of all cases), as well as the main cause of injuries related to general free weight activities (52.6% of this activity) and group exercise classes (35.9%). Crush injuries due to falling weights were common for all free weight activities. Falls and awkward landings were common causes of injuries during group exercise classes (28.5% and 25.8%, respectively). Trips and falls were common throughout facilities, as well as from cardiovascular equipment more specifically. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed information on the causes of injuries allows the development of injury prevention strategies for fitness facilities and fitness activities. Facilities should implement risk management strategies to reduce the risk of injuries in their clientele, based on the identified major causes of injury in this study.

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Este artículo pretende contribuir al debate sobre el cambio en las sociedades occidentales avanzadas, utilizando como elemento de análisis la evolución de la práctica física y deportiva en España. Basado en los datos más recientes sobre hábitos deportivos de los españoles, y en los resultados de distintos estudios sobre centros fitness, este ensayo sugiere que la práctica física en estos escenarios refleja el cambio social de acuerdo con el enfoque relacional entre posmodernismo y capitalismo de Fredric Jameson. Por un lado, se presentan indicadores que señalan las actividades físicas en centros fitness como prácticas emergentes y culturalmente diferentes del deporte moderno, si bien, por otro lado, se muestran algunos indicadores que apuntan la existencia de una radicalización de las formas modernas de práctica. De este modo, el argumento defendido en este ensayo es que el nuevo sistema deportivo que proponen los centros fitness puede verse como una expresión clara del giro cultural posmoderno bajo la permanencia de formas económicas capitalistas y, en esta línea, refleja las tensiones entre la percepción de autonomía, libertad y la subjetividad de la acción individual, frente a la racionalidad, la mercantilización y el control social

This article joins the debate on the change experienced by advanced Western societies, approached through the perspective of sports practice and physical activity in Spain. Based on recent data on Spanish sports practice and studies on fitness centres, this essay suggests that physical activity in this scenario reflects social change according to Fredric Jameson's relational perspective between postmodernism and capitalism. On the one hand, some indicators point out physical activities at fitness centers as emerging and culturally different from modern sports practice; on the other hand, other indicators show more radical forms of modern practice. Therefore, the argument upheld in this essay is that the new sport system put forward by fitness centres is an expression of the new postmodern cultural turn under economic capitalist forms still in use, and thus it reflects tensions between perception of autonomy, freedom and subjectivity of individual action and rationalization, social control, and mercantilization

Este artigo pretende contribuir ao debate sobre as mudanças nas sociedades ocidentais avançadas desde a perspectiva da prática de exercício físico na Espanha. Partindo dos dados mais recentes sobre hábitos de exercícios físicos dos espanhóis e analisando diferentes estudos sobre centros esportivos, nesse trabalho sugere-se a ideia de que o exercício físico neste cenário reflete a mudança social de acordo com a abordagem relacionada entre pós-modernismo e o capitalismo de Fredric Jameson. Por um lado, apresentamos indicadores que nos apontam os exercícios físicos em centros esportivos, como práticas emergentes e culturalmente diferentes do esporte moderno, mas, por outro lado, também encontramos alguns indicadores que mostram a existência de uma radicalização das formas modernas da prática. Assim, nosso argumento é que os novos sistemas de exercícios físicos propostos pelos centros esportivos locais podem ser vistos como uma expressão clara da mudança cultural pós-moderna sob a permanência das formas econômicas e capitalistas. Essa linha reflete as tensões entre a percepção de autonomia, liberdade e a subjetividade da ação individual, contra a racionalidade, a negociação e o controle social. Palavras chave: Pós-modernismo. Academias de ginástica

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