BACKGROUND: Muscle strength and postural control are essential components for performing daily living activities, particularly in older adults, and can therefore serve as screening tools for assessing fall risk in this population. METHODS: The aim of this quasi-experimental study was to evaluate the impact of a 12-week exercise intervention followed by a 2-week detraining period on lower limb strength and postural stability in older adults. The study involved 38 community-dwelling participants of Central European origin over 60 years of age. Participants underwent the measurements consisting of assessments of knee flexors and extensors strength (isokinetic dynamometer, 90° range of motion, 60°/s angular velocity, Humac Norm CSMI, Stoughton MA, USA), toe grip strength (toe grip dynamometer, Takei Scientific Instruments, Niigata, Japan), and postural stability (narrow stand, 30 s, Kistler, Switzerland). Testing was repeated three times during the study (pre-intervention, post-intervention, and post-detraining). Participants were separated into 3 groups according to the type of training: resistance training group (n = 13), proprioceptive training group (n = 14), and endurance training group (n = 11). The intervention program lasted 12 weeks, two 60-min sessions per week. A linear mixed model (LMM) predicted a change in postural stability after the resistance, proprioceptive, and endurance exercise interventions were applied. RESULTS: Results showed that knee extensor strength normalized to body mass significantly increased in the resistance training group post-intervention (p = 0.01). Toe grip strength was significantly higher after the intervention in the endurance training group (p = 0.02). A statistically significant increase in knee flexor strength was observed in the proprioceptive training group (p = 0.01). The 2-weeks detraining period revealed no statistically significant loss in training gains. The LMM found different predictions of postural stability changes related to knee extensor strength after each type of training intervention. The final LMM model explains well the variability of the dependent variable R2 = 0.866. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the unique characteristics of specific exercise interventions in enhancing muscular strength and postural stability, which are critical for fall prevention among older adults.
- MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Exercise * physiology MeSH
- Lower Extremity * physiology MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Linear Models MeSH
- Resistance Training * methods MeSH
- Postural Balance * physiology MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Muscle Strength * physiology MeSH
- Exercise Therapy * methods MeSH
- Accidental Falls prevention & control MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged, 80 and over MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The main purpose of the study was to establish, whether future cardiorespiratory fitness might be predicted by the level of muscular fitness at baseline. In this 3-year follow-up study, we recruited 240 secondary school girls at the age of 15 y, who were followed until the age of 17 y. Muscular fitness included the following tests: (i) standing broad jump (cm), (ii) sit-ups in 60 s (#) and (iii) squats in 60 s (#). Cardiorespiratory fitness was split into aerobic endurance (the 800-m run test) and speed endurance (the 400-m run test). Better performances in the 800-m run and the 400-m run tests at follow-up were correlated with higher levels of standing broad jump, sit-ups and squats in 60 s measured at baseline. In regression models adjusted for fat mass and maturity offset, standing broad jump, sit-ups and squats in 60 s were positively associated with the 800-m run test, while only standing broad jump remained significantly and positively associated with the 400-m run test. These data suggest that interventions enhancing muscular fitness should be recommended, as the effects are likely to be associated with future cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescent girls.
- MeSH
- Exercise MeSH
- Cardiorespiratory Fitness * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Follow-Up Studies MeSH
- Nutritional Status MeSH
- Physical Fitness MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Although excessive load carriage results in biomechanical gait changes, little evidence has been provided regarding its impact on postural sway. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to determine whether heavier loads have effects on changing foot stability and postural sway in special police officers. Thirty male special police officers (age = 40 ± 6 years, height = 180 ± 5 cm, weight = 89 ± 8 kg) were assessed in four conditions: (1) carrying no load, (2) carrying a 5 kg load, (3) carrying a 25 kg load, and (4) carrying a 45 kg load. Foot characteristics during standing were assessed with Zebris pedobarographic pressure platform. Heavier loads increased the center of pressure (COP) path length and average velocity, length of minor and major axis, and 95% confidence ellipse area, while a decrease in angle between Y and major axis was observed. Relative forces beneath the left forefoot and right backfoot regions decreased and an increase in relative forces beneath the left backfoot and right forefoot was observed. When carrying heavy loads, static foot parameters rapidly changed, especially in COP path length and average velocity.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyze factors affecting spatio-temporal gait parameters in elderly people of both genders and different ages with different risks of fall, fall history, and medications. Patients and Methods: A total of 210 community-dwelling older adults (156 females, 54 males; mean age 72.84±6.26 years) participated in this study. To assess the risk of falls, the Downton Fall Risk Index was used. An additional question about medication intake (all prescribed drugs) was asked. To assess the spatio-temporal gait parameters, the Zebris FDM platform was used. Gait parameters and Downton Fall Risk Index, stratified by participants' history of falls, multiple medication use (0/1/2+), gender, age, and medication categories, were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: When comparing different medication categories, a Downton Fall Risk Index score indicating a high risk of falls was observed in the psychotropic medication category (3.56±1.67). A gait velocity suggesting a higher risk of falls (≤3.60 km/h) was observed in the psychotropic (2.85±1.09 km/h) and diabetes (2.80±0.81 km/h) medication categories, in the age groups 70-79 years (3.30±0.89 km/h) and 80+ years (2.67±0.88 km/h), and in participants using two or more medications (3.04±0.93 km/h). Conclusion: The results of this study confirm previous observations and show that higher age and multiple medication negatively affect the gait, and that the higher risk of falls is associated with psychotropic and diabetes medication use. These results provide important information for future fall preventive programs for the elderly that would be especially beneficial for elderly people taking psychotropic and diabetes medication.
The main purpose of the study was to examine the longitudinal associations between fat mass and fat free mass with health-related physical fitness. Two-hundred and forty 15-year old adolescent girls were measured at the baseline and after a period of 3 years (17 years). Health-related physical fitness included the following tests: (1) explosive power of the lower extremities (standing broad jump); (2) muscle endurance of the trunk (sit-ups in 60 s); (3) flexibility (sit-and-reach test); (4) muscle endurance of the lower extremities (squats in 60 s); (5) aerobic endurance (the 800 m run test); and (6) speed endurance (the 400 m running test). Fat mass and fat free mass were assessed using the bioelectrical impedance method. Longitudinal associations were analyzed with linear mixed model estimates. After adjusting for body mass index, fat mass was negatively associated with standing broad jump (β = -1.13, p < 0.001), sit-ups in 60 s (β = -0.27, p < 0.001), and squats in 60 s (β = -0.27, p < 0001), while positive associations with the 800 m running test (β = 0.02, p < 0.001) and the 400 m running test (β = 0.02, p < 0.001) were observed. On the other hand, fat free mass was positively associated with standing broad jump (β = 1.14, p < 0.001), sit-ups in 60 s (β = 0.28, p < 0.001), and squats in 60 s (β = 0.28, p < 0001), while the 800 m running test (β = -0.02, p < 0.001) and the 400 m running test (β = -0.02, p < 0.001) exhibited negative associations. This study shows that fat mass and fat free mass components are longitudinally, but oppositely associated with health-related physical fitness in adolescent girls.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
BACKGROUND: Evidence has shown that higher levels of physical fitness (PF) in youth have beneficial effects on adult health-related outcomes. However, the tracking of separate PF components during adolescence has been less studied. Since PF often starts to rapidly decline during adolescence, it is necessary to provide information regarding critical time-point for interventions. This study aimed to analyze the extent of tracking the components of PF through PF tests. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, we recruited 240 adolescent girls with recoded data at 2 time-points (15 y and 17 y). PF included body composition (fat mass), explosive power of lower extremities (standing broad jump), muscle endurance of the trunk (sit-ups in 60 s), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), muscle endurance of lower extremities (squats in 60 s), aerobic endurance (the 800 m run test) and speed endurance (the 400 m run test). Tracking coefficients were calculated using generalized estimating equations. Tertiles (high, moderate and low) were calculated for each fitness component. RESULTS: The highest tracking coefficients between the two time-points were found for explosive power of lower extremities (β = 0.98), followed by flexibility (β = 0.89), body composition (β = 0.88), speed endurance (β = 0.86), aerobic endurance (β = 0.75), muscle endurance of lower extremities (β = 0.65), and muscle endurance of the trunk (β = 0.51). Tertile ratings remained stable across the two time-points. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to high tracking of PF in adolescent girls suggests that interventions aiming to increase the level of PF should probably begin in early adolescence.
- MeSH
- Exercise * physiology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Longitudinal Studies MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Follow-Up Studies MeSH
- Body Composition MeSH
- Physical Fitness * physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
BACKGROUND: Foot to ground pressure changes in total hip arthroplasty patients' gait are not widely described, although they are sensitive to gait abnormalities and the distribution of plantar pressures may differ before and after the surgery. This study aimed to analyse longitudinally differences in plantar pressure during gait in total hip arthroplasty patients compared to healthy controls. METHODS: Eighteen males participated in this study. Eight males, who underwent unilateral total hip arthroplasty, participated at the data collection three times: 4 weeks before the surgery, 12 and 24 weeks after, and ten healthy controls. All participants were asked to walk over Emed platform. To compare differences between the affected and unaffected limbs, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the difference between total hip arthroplasty patients and healthy controls. FINDINGS: Statistically significant differences between the affected and unaffected limb were observed only during the preoperative measurement in peak pressure at MH4 area and in the contact area at MH4 and big toe. When comparing total hip arthroplasty patients and controls, a difference in the contact time at MH2, MH3 and MH4 areas 12 weeks after surgery and at MH2 and MH4 24 weeks after the surgery were observed. INTERPRETATION: The shorter contact time at forefoot areas may indicate an alteration in the propulsive phase of the gait of both the affected limb and unaffected limb in total hip arthroplasty patients as a result of decreased terminal hip extension during the stance phase described in previous studies.
- MeSH
- Biomechanical Phenomena MeSH
- Gait MeSH
- Walking MeSH
- Lower Extremity MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip * adverse effects MeSH
- Foot MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Cílem výzkumu bylo zjištění síly svalových skupin zápěstí a předloktí a posouzení laterálních diferencí u souboru juniorských tenistů (TEN, n = 10, věk 12–14 let) a kontrolního souboru nesportujících chlapců (CS, n = 10, věk 12–14 let) metodami izometrické (ruční dynamometr GRIP-D TKK 5401, Takei, Japan) a izokinetické dynamometrie (dynamometr Humac Norm CSMI, Stoughton, USA). Diagnostika koncentrické extenze a flexe byla prováděna ve shodě s metodikou Ellenbeckera (1991) při úhlových rychlostech 90°/s a 300°/s, výsledky jsou uváděny v Newtonmetrech (Nm). Analýza výzkumných dat prokázala věcně nevýznamné rozdíly diferencí mezi soubory TEN a CS ve věku, tělesné výšce a hmotnosti. Izometrická dynamometrie: pomocí Cohenova d byly prokázány věcně významné rozdíly síly herní ruky ve prospěch souboru TEN (d = 0,76) a laterální diference síly pravé a levé horní končetiny u souboru TEN (d = 0,60). Izokinetická dynamometrie: při úhlové rychlosti 90°/s byly mezi soubory TEN a CS prokázány věcně významné diference síly extenzorů (d = 1,16) a flexorů pravého zápěstí (d = 1,33), stejně jako u extenzorů (d = 0,83) i flexorů (d = 0,99) levého zápěstí ve prospěch souboru TEN. Rovněž byla prokázána věcně významná laterální diference síly flexorů zápěstí pravé a levé ruky (d = 0,84). Při úhlové rychlosti 300°/s byly mezi soubory TEN a CS prokázány věcně významné diference ve prospěch souboru TEN jak u extenzorů pravého zápěstí (d = 0,94), tak i u flexorů pravého zápěstí (d = 1,39). Věcně významné diference ve prospěch souboru TEN byly prokázány rovněž u nedominantní končetiny a to jak u extenzorů levého zápěstí (d = 1,27), tak i u flexorů (d = 1,12). U souborů TEN i CS nebyly prokázány věcně významné laterální diference síly zápěstí extenzorů a flexorů – s výjimkou laterálních diferencí mezi extenzory (d = 0,62) u souboru CS. Při posouzení poměru síly mezi extenzory a flexory souborů TEN a CS byly při obou úhlových rychlostech ve všech případech zjištěny hodnoty signalizující zvýšenou možnost zranění. Z výše uvedených výsledků je zřejmé, že vlivem dlouhodobého herního a tréninkového zatížení je úroveň síly juniorských závodních tenistů věcně významně vyšší než u nesportujících chlapců.
This research aims to determine the strength level of muscle groups in wrist and forearm and to assess lateral differences in junior tennis player group (TEN, n = 10, aged 12–14) and a control group of boys who do not perform any sport activity (CS, n=10, aged12–14) by isometric (hand dynamometer GRIP-D TKK 5401, Takei, Japan) and isokinetic dynamometry (dynamometer Humac Norm CSMI, Stoughton, USA) methods. Diagnostics of concentric extension and flexion was carried out in concordance with Ellenbecker methodology (1991) in angular velocities of 90°/s and 300°/s, results are given in Newton metres (Nm). Data analysis proved substantive insignificant differences between TEN and CS group as long as age, body height and weight are concerned. Isometric dynamometry: using Cohen's d there were proved substantially significant differences in the strength of dominant extremity in favour of TEN group (d = 0.76) and lateral difference in strength level of right and left upper extremity in TEN group TEN (d = 0.60). Isokinetic dynamometry: in angular velocity of 90°/s were proved substantially significant differences between TEN and CS group in the strength of extensors (d = 1.16) and flexors of right wrist (d = 1.33) as well as in extensors (d = 0.83) and flexors (d = 0.99) of left wrist in favour of TEN group. Similarly, there was proved substantially significant lateral difference in strength level of wrist flexors of right and left hand (d = 0.84). In angular velocity of 300°/s there were proved substantially significant differences between TEN and CS group in favour of TEN group, both in right wrist extensors (d = 0.94) and flexors (d = 1.39). Substantially significant differences in favour of TEN group have been proved also in non dominant upper extremity, both in left wrist extensors (d = 1.27) and flexors (d = 1.12). Neither in TEN nor CS group were proved substantially significant lateral differences in strength of wrist extensors and flexors – with the exception of lateral differences between extensors (d = 0.62) in CS group. Values obtained by assessment of extensors and flexors strength ratio in both TEN and CS groups in both angular velocities signal an increased risk of injury incidence in all cases. From conclusions described above, it is obvious that long-term game and training load significantly increases the level of maximal strength in junior elite tennis players in comparison with the group of their peers who do not perform any sport activity.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Functional Laterality MeSH
- Muscle, Skeletal physiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Arm Injuries prevention & control MeSH
- Forearm physiology MeSH
- Athletes MeSH
- Statistics as Topic MeSH
- Muscle Strength Dynamometer statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Muscle Strength * MeSH
- Tennis * physiology MeSH
- Research MeSH
- Wrist physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Dotazníková šetření jsou poměrně rychlým, levným a efektivním způsobem získávání dat, a bývají proto využívána pro sběr populačních dat jako základu pro návrh intervenčních programů, a následně také k individuální práci s klientem. Kvantitativní podstata dotazníkových metod však nepokrývá kvalitativní charakteristiky individuální změny lidského chování, což dotazníky limituje co do interpretace individuální změny chování jedince. Tato případová studie porovnávala dva dotazníkové nástroje – International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) a Wellness Inventory (WI) s cílem přiblížit jejich výhody, nevýhody a schopnost reflektovat kvalitativní faktory ovlivňující aktuální míru pohybové aktivity jedince. IPAQ byl potvrzen jako nástroj sledující objektivní množství pohybové aktivity s limity při měření individuální změny. Naopak WI více sleduje subjektivní hodnocení míry pohybové aktivity jako jedné ze sledovaných dimenzí a je více zatížen subjektivním zkreslením odpovědí. Ani jeden z ná- strojů přímo nereflektoval vnější faktory (roční období, zdravotní stav, změna zaměstnání, motivace), přičemž WI byl k těmto vlivům citlivější. Oba nástroje lze použít při sledování změny pohybové aktivity a pro zvýšení schopnosti interpretovat individuální změny. Doporučujeme je doplnit dalšími instrumentálními a kvalitativními metodami.
Questionnaire surveys are relatively quick, cheap and effective way of obtaining data and as such are used as a basis for designing intervention programs, and consequently also in individual work with a client. The quantitative nature of questionnaire method, however, does not cover the qualitative characteristics of individual changes in behavior and as such is limited as to the interpretation of individual behavior changes. This case study compared two questionnaire instruments – International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Wellness Inventory (WI) in order to explain their advantages and disadvantages, and the ability to reflect the qualitative factors affecting the current level of physical activity of individuals. IPAQ was confirmed as a tool for monitoring the objective amount of physical activity with limited capacity for measuring individual changes. Conversely, WI focuses more on the subjective evaluation of the level of physical activity as one of the examined dimensions and is more burdened by subjective bias. Neither of the instruments directly reflected external factors (seasons, health, job change, motivation), whereas WI has been more sensitive to these influences. Both tools can be used to monitor changes in physical activity. To enhance the ability to interpret individual change it is recommended to supplement other instrumental and qualitative methods.
