Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of strength and stretching exercises on upper crossed syndrome. Subjects and Methods After measuring cervical alignment using the ...Global Posture System, 30 students with forward head posture were selected and divided into two groups. The experimental group (n=15) participated in strength and stretching exercises, three times per week for 4 weeks. The control group (n=15) did not participate in the exercises. The exercise program comprised middle and lower trapezius strength exercises and levator scapulae and upper trapezius stretching exercises. The temperature of the posterior neck was then measured using digital infrared thermographic imaging. Results There was a significant difference between the pretest and posttest results in the experimental group, and a significant difference in posterior neck temperature between the two groups. Conclusion This study showed that middle and lower trapezius strength exercises and levator scapulae and upper trapezius stretching exercises are more effective for upper crossed syndrome.
The peroneus muscles are muscles that mainly act in ankle eversion and can be divided into PL and PB, which have different but important roles in foot and ankle functions. Therefore, PL and PB ...dysfunction can lead to foot and ankle issues, making. selective strength exercise necessary. This study aimed to identify the effect of two different exercise techniques on PL and PB morphologies. Two interventions were performed on separate days: the PL intervention, in which a Thera-BandR was placed on the ball of the foot and pushed out from the contact point, and the PB intervention, in which the Thera-BandR was pulled from the base of the fifth metatarsal. Cross-sectional area (CSA) and thickness of the peroneus muscles at 25% (showing the PL morphology) and 75% (showing the PB morphology) proximal to the line connecting the fibular head and lateral malleolus, as well as ankle strength was measured before and immediately after the interventions and at 10, 20, and 30 min later. A repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance was conducted to identify differences in the effects of the interventions on the PL and PB. Main and interaction effects on CSA, thickness, and ankle strength, with a significant increase in CSA and thickness in the proximal 25% in the PL intervention and the distal 75% in the PB intervention immediately after implementation, were observed (p < 0.05). The transient increase in muscle volume due to edema immediately after exercise indicates the acute effect of exercise. The CSA and thickness of the proximal 25% in the PL intervention and the distal 75% in the PB intervention increased immediately after the intervention, indicating that these interventions can be used to selectively exercise the PL and PB. Key words: Peroneus muscles, ultrasound system, ankle, sports injury, muscle strength exercise.
First aim was describing Smith machine squat and leg press exercise as nominal load, knee extensors activity, and rating of perceived exertion. Second aim was developing predictive equations to ...provide same muscular activation and same perceived exertion nominal loads during the two exercises. To do that,
and
activation, as their summed surface electromyography signal integrals, and overall perceived exertions were measured at different nominal loads during Smith machine squat and leg press exercise in adult male athletes experienced in weight training. Correlation and multistep stepwise analyses were performed. Then, two different results-driven predictive equations to provide same electromyography signals and same perceived exertion nominal loads were developed. The same electromyography signal equation results were less accurate (i.e., less predictive) due to high inter-individual differences, whereas the same perceived exertion equation results were more accurate, because perceived exertion is more related to the Smith machine squat and leg press exercise overall level of exertion than to the two single muscles that were investigated. In conclusion, these two equations represented an initial attempt to provide athletes and coaches with a new tool to mutually convert equivalent nominal loads during Smith machine squat and leg press exercise over a training period.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a dysimmune and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that continues to be one of the main causes of non-traumatic disability in young people despite the ...recent availability of highly effective drugs. Exercise-based interventions seem to have a positive impact on the course of the disease although pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for this benefit remain unclear. This is a longitudinal study to examine the effects of a short-term training program on neurofilament plasma levels, a biomarker of axonal destruction, measured using the ultrasensitive single molecule array (SiMoA). Eleven patients completed a 6-week supervised resistance-training program of 18 sessions that consisted of 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions of 7 exercises. Median plasma neurofilament levels significantly decreased from baseline (6.61 pg/ml) to 1 week after training intervention (4.44 pg/ml), and this effect was maintained after 4 weeks of detraining (4.38 pg/ml). These results suggest a neuroprotective effect of resistance training in this population and encourage us to investigate further the beneficial impact of physical exercise and to emphasize the importance of lifestyle in MS.
Resistance exercise can significantly increase serum steroid concentrations after an exercise bout. Steroid hormones are involved in the regulation of several important bodily functions (e.g., muscle ...growth) through both systemic delivery and local production. Thus, we aimed to determine whether resistance exercise-induced increases in serum steroid hormone concentrations are accompanied by enhanced skeletal muscle steroid concentrations, or whether muscle contractions per se induced by resistance exercise can increase intramuscular steroid concentrations.
A counterbalanced, within-subject, crossover design was applied. Six resistance-trained men (26 ± 5 years; 79 ± 8 kg; 179 ± 10 cm) performed a single-arm lateral raise exercise (10 sets of 8 to 12 RM - 3 min rest between sets) targeting the deltoid muscle followed by either squat exercise (10 sets of 8 to 12 RM - 1 min rest) to induce a hormonal response (high hormone HH condition) or rest (low hormone LH condition). Blood samples were obtained pre-exercise and 15 min and 30 min post-exercise; muscle specimens were harvested pre-exercise and 45 min post-exercise. Immunoassays were used to measure serum and muscle steroids (total and free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, dihydrotestosterone, and cortisol; free testosterone measured only in serum and dehydroepiandrosterone only in muscle) at these time points.
In the serum, only cortisol significantly increased after the HH protocol. There were no significant changes in muscle steroid concentrations after the protocols.
Our study provides evidence that serum steroid concentration increases (cortisol only) seem not to be aligned with muscle steroid concentrations. The lack of change in muscle steroid after protocols suggests that resistance-trained individuals were desensitized to the exercise stimuli. It is also possible that the single postexercise timepoint investigated in this study might be too early or too late to observe changes. Thus, additional timepoints should be examined to determine if RE can indeed change muscle steroid concentrations either by skeletal muscle uptake of these hormones or the intramuscular steroidogenesis process.
We propose a new exercise, the abdominal rise on the ball, to replace the traditional crunch in exercise programs. The aim of this study is to compare the activity of the abdominal muscles when ...performing an ARB with the same activity when performing a traditional crunch. Twenty healthy adults participated in the study. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the upper and lower rectus abdominis (URA, LRA), internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), transversus abdominis (TrA), and erector spinae (ES). EMG values were normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction. A paired
-test, nonparametric Wilcoxon test and correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. The normalized EMG values of EO, TrA and ES, were statistically significantly higher during the abdominal rise on the ball compared to the traditional crunch, while URA, LRA and IO were significantly lower during the abdominal rise on the ball compared to the traditional crunch. TrA, EO and IO are sufficiently activated during an abdominal rise on a ball, so the exercise could be deemed effective for strengthening these muscles.
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of resistance exercise and stretching on sleep, mood, and quality of life in chronic insomnia patients.
Three 4-month treatments included: resistance ...exercise (n=10), stretching (n=10), and control (n=8). Sleep was evaluated with polysomnography, actigraphy, and questionnaires. Mood and quality of life were assessed with the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36), respectively.
There were no significant treatment differences between resistance exercise and stretching. However, compared with the control treatment, resistance exercise and stretching led to significantly greater improvements in Insomnia Severity Index scores (-10.5±2.3, -8.1±2.0 vs. 2.3±1.8, respectively), and actigraphic measures of sleep latency (-7.1±4.6, -5.2±1.9 vs. 2.2±2.1 min), wake after sleep onset (-9.3±2.8, -7.1±3.0 vs. 3.6±4.2 min), and sleep efficiency (4.4±1.8, 5.0±0.8 vs. -2.3±2%). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global scores (-5.3±0.8, -3.9±1.5 vs. -0.1±0.8) and sleep duration (1.2±0.3, 1.6±0.6 vs. -0.1±0.2 h) also improved following both experimental treatments compared with control. PSQI-Sleep efficiency increased after resistance exercise compared with control (19.5±3.9 vs. 2.1±4.3%). No significant differences were observed in polysomnography or quality of life measures. Tension-anxiety was lower in the stretching group than the control group.
Moderate-intensity resistance exercise and stretching led to similar improvements in objective and subjective sleep in patients with chronic insomnia.
NCT01571115.
This study was planned to examine the effects of strengthening and aerobic exercise training applied to students with intellectual disabilities on balance and functional independence.
A total of 107 ...intellectually disabled students, 36 girls, and 71 boys, aged between 11 and 18 years, studying at Denizli Çamlık Special Education Practice Center School were included in the study. In the study, a training program consisting of twice-a-week aerobic exercises was applied for one year and home strengthening exercises three days a week was applied for three months. Participants were assessed before and after the training program. Balance was assessed with the 10-meter walk test and Pediatric Balance Scale (PDS). Functional independence was assessed with the Children's Functional Independence Measure (WeeFim).
Participants demonstrated significant improvements in 10-meter walking test, PDS and WeeFim scores (p < 0.05).
The results obtained from the study showed that strengthening and aerobic exercise training applied to students with intellectual disabilities positively affected walking, balance, and functional independence.
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