About this Research Topic

Background

Comprehensive research has shown that small-sided football (soccer) practice is an intense, versatile combination of strength, endurance, and aerobic high-intensity interval training. When implemented on a regular basis recreational football training can be utilized for the prevention, treatment, or rehabilitation of non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteopenia, and prostate cancer. Likewise, various school and football club projects have shown that football has a great potential to increase fitness, psycho-social well-being, motor skills, cognitive functioning, and learning in youth. The story of using recreational football practice was developed over the last decade with a gradually increasing focus on football as a prevention strategy, treatment, therapy, or an educational vehicle for health promotion.

Through this research topic, we request submissions using recreational team sports to improve health. Most of the current research is in football, but we would like to broaden the scope to other team sports like basketball, handball, or any other sport where people of any level can participate in a team setting.

We would be interested in original submissions based on primary and secondary data analysis as well as reviews or meta-analyses on the following themes:

1. Recreational team sport interventions in adults with chronic diseases

2. Impact of recreational team sports on mental health

3. Impact of recreational team sports interventions in children

4. RCT comparing recreational team sports with traditional exercise programs like running or strength training

5. Impact of recreational team sports in elderly/aging

6. Recruitment/retention strategies using team sports (methods papers would be welcome)

Keywords: Sports; Rehabilitation; Children

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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