longitudinal studies in sports science

Longitudinal studies in sports science involve researching athletes or athletes’ performance over an extended period. Researchers collect data at multiple points to observe changes, development, or trends over time—such as tracking an athlete’s training effects, injury patterns, or performance improvements. This approach helps identify long-term effects of training methods, nutrition, or recovery strategies, providing a comprehensive understanding of how factors influence athletic development and health. By analyzing data across months or years, scientists can make more accurate conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships in sports and exercise contexts.