Mindfulness interventions can help injured athletes psychologically adapt by reducing anxiety and depression, increasing pain tolerance, and improving well-being, though their effect on physiological recovery is minimal and applicability may be limited to specific injuries. The review calls for standardized protocols and notes gaps in optimal dosage, timing, and potential adverse effects.
A scoping review mapped the existing literature on mantra meditation in sport contexts, clarifying its conceptual distinctions from self-talk. Six articles were included after screening 17,670 records. Athletes reported using mantras to regulate attention, maintain pace or rhythm, cope with fatigue and psychological stress, and support spiritual meaning and mental well-being. The limited number of studies highlights the early stage of research; further high-quality empirical work is needed to clarify mechanisms and effectiveness of mantra meditation as both a mental training and coping strategy in sport.
Flow, a state of intense concentration during an activity, is shaped by perceived challenge and the balance of skills. In a study of Chinese music college students playing piano, researchers used quantitative data from music ontology to measure challenge and music acquisition to assess skills, also considering music culture and demographics. Flow was positively correlated with performance; the challenge-skill model partly explained this. Melodic Shannon Entropy emerged as a potential indicator of challenge, suggesting its use in future flow research. The work offers multidimensional insights into the link between performance and flow in piano playing.