【Press Release】Prof. Nakata et al. Described the Characteristics of COVID-19 among Elite Japanese Athletes and their Return-to-Play Time
An article by Prof. Yoshio Nakata et al. (area of expertise: Sports Translational Research) of ARIHHP has been published in the international journal “BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.” This study described the characteristics of COVID-19 among elite Japanese athletes and their return-to-play (RTP) time. This retrospective records review revealed COVID-19 was more frequent among indoor athletes, predominantly during the Omicron wave. Most cases were mild or asymptomatic, with 96% returning to play promptly and only 4% experiencing prolonged time loss (more than 28 days).
For more details, please refer to the article.
【Title】COVID-19 infection and return-to-play outcomes of elite athletes in Japan: a retrospective descriptive study
【Authors】Kazutaka Fukushima, Kazuyuki Kamahara, Anna Tomori, Yoshio Nakata
【Journal】BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine
【Date】October 27, 2025
【DOI】10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002731
https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/journal/medicine-health/20251125143000.html
