INFLUENCE OF GENDER ON PAIN, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of knee pain which contributes to adults’ disability. Females have an increased risk of knee osteoarthritis. However, little is known about the gender influence in pain perception, quality of life (QOL), and physical activity. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the influence of gender on pain perception, QOL, and physical activity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. A cross-sectional study design with a total of 186 patients(mean age of 56.64 ± 6.49) with knee osteoarthritis were recruited. Pain intensity, level of physical activity, and QOL of patients were assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ), and Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Among the studied patients, 52% of patients with knee osteoarthritis had a relatively low level of physical activity with females representing the majority of them. Lower mean was observed in QOL and physical activity whereas pain intensity was higher in females compared to males (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation demonstrated a strong negative correlation between physical activity and pain (r = -0.77, n = 186, p <0.01), and a weak correlation exist between physical activity and all domains of QOL except for the functional capacity and body pain. Majority of female participants with knee osteoarthritis exhibit poor QOL, physical activity, and increased pain intensity as compared to males. Clinicians need to be aware of the influence of gender in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis

Specific relationships between physical activity & mental health: the importance of considering gender & refining recommendations

Although there is good reason for promoting physical activity in the general public, both as preventive measure and as means of improving mental and social well-being1, physical activity promotion meant for the promotion of mental health is a rarity. Not even a simple message for the amount and type of physical activity for optimal mental health exists, and physical activity recommendations only tangentially deal with the potential of physical activity for mental health benefits. The current state of matters regarding the physical activity – mental health relationship is that the question of whether physical activity results in mental health benefits, or better mental health increases the likeliness of participation in physical activity, which in turn accounts for the research findings confirming a positive relationship between physical activity and mental health, seems impossible to answer. The direction of causality in this relationship remains undetermined, mainly because a substantial number of variables align and change in the physical activity – mental health relationship, making it much more complex than the relationship between physical activity and physical health. The aim of the present thesis was to create a more differentiated picture about the relationship between physical activity and mental health, in order to disentangle some of its great complexity, and perhaps help strengthening statements about it. The potential of physical activity to improve psychological functioning was comprehensively considered, from protecting against mental health problems to promoting self-awareness and personal growth. The thesis includes an in-depth review of the historical and current knowledge on the topics under scrutiny, and it focuses on three main coordinates on which the complexity of the physical activity – mental health relationship appears to manifest: activity domains (i.e., different types and intensities of physical activity), domains of mental health (e.g., emotional well-being, depression, anxiety, perceived stress, psychological distress, stress appraisal), and individual differences (gender differences in particular). Variations within and between these coordinates were analyzed with an epidemiological approach. Empirical hypotheses were developed based on the information derived from the extensive literature review. The thesis includes four original research articles, which are based on data from two large and representative cohorts in Belgium; one from the Belgian Health Interview Survey (B-HIS), including a total of 12,111 participants; 6,190 women (51.1%) and 5,921 men (48.9%), aged 0-99 years, representing the entire Belgian population, and another from the Flemish Policy Research Centre Sport, Physical Activity, and Health (SPAH), including 5,170 individuals; 2,746 men (53.1%) and 2,420 women (46.9%), aged 18-75 years, from 46 Flemish municipalities, representing the whole Flanders (the Northern part of Belgium). The first study differentiated between recreational and utilitarian forms of physical activity in their relation with levels of self-reported stress and distress in 1,919 adults aged 20-65 years, from the SPAH epidemiological data. Multiple Logistic Regression analyses were conducted, stratified by gender, age, and occupational category. Results were integrated in an adequate theoretical frame, resulting the proposition that although physical activities of any content may be beneficial for physical health, when targeting psychological benefits, it may perhaps be insufficient to just climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator, or to engage in housework or gardening. The discussion on the findings revealed the question of whether the importance of motivation and enjoyment of physical activity is greater regarding mental health benefits than concerning physical health benefits. The second study differentiated between physical activities of three different intensities and five components of mental health, including general (i.e., emotional well-being) and specific (i.e., depression, anxiety, somatization, and sleeping problems) components of mental health. Gender specific multiple Logistic Regression analyses were conducted in 3,435 women and in 3,368 men aged 25-64 years from the B-HIS data. Findings suggested clear gender differences in the optimal intensity levels of the physical activity that associates with better mental health. Positive associations between physical activity and mental health in men included vigorous-intensity physical activity and specific components of mental health, whereas among women, it involved moderate-intensity physical activity and walking with both general and specific components of mental health. The third study relied on previous findings suggesting that sports participation might associate stronger with mental health than other types of physical activity (e.g., Hamer et al., 2008) and on Salmon’s (2001) unifying theory on how the role of physical activity in stress management might explain the physical activity – mental health relationship. Associations between participation in personally favored types of sports and stress appraisal and emotional distress were examined separately in 783 sport participator men and in 644 sport participator women, aged 20-65 years, from the SPAH epidemiologic data. Multiple MANOVAs were conducted to analyze sport-type related variations (including 15 different types of sports) in the physical activity – mental health relationship. The findings were used in theoretical reasoning about the possible meanings that women and men might attach to their sports participation, which resulted in the presupposition that men might attach a meaning of distancing or escapism, while women might attach a meaning of developing self-awareness to participation in sports. The fourth study aimed to gather insight about the relationship between sedentary behavior and mental health, based on the physical activity – sedentary behavior, and the physical activity – mental health relationships. Variations across gender, age, socio-economic status, and participation in recommended amounts of vigorous- and moderate-intensity physical activity were analyzed in the associations between sedentary time and five components of mental health, in 6,720 adults aged 24-65years, from the BHIS data. Sedentary time and physical activity were separately measured, and examined via multiple Logistic Regression analyses; hence, the findings conveyed understanding of the potential independent mental health outcomes of sedentary behavior. The present thesis does not provide proof of the positive effects of physical activity on mental health because the cross-sectional studies could not affirm that physical activity causes improvements in mental health. However, this thesis provides substantial evidence of an important and complicated positive relationship that incontestably exists between physical activity and mental health. Further, the thesis unveils novel hypotheses about the aspects of this relationship, which, provided that they are further explored, could advance and deepen the knowledge-base in the sciences of physical activity and exercise, and in their related fields. Moreover, the thesis elucidates the relevance of the complicated physical activity – mental health relationship in an attempt to argue for recommendations that are more specific regarding the role of physical activity in mental health. Eventually, the role of the investigations presented in this thesis may be only preliminary, but nonetheless they are valuable, because cross-sectional observation of associations and patterns between behaviors and their potential outcomes may materialize in theories, which can induce new investigations that may reveal new findings, leading to better theories. Moreover, throughout these investigations, understanding can be gained about the cognitive and emotional experiences of the individual participating in sport, exercise, or physical activity, and about why and how may psychological benefits follow from these behaviors. 1. Department of Health (2001). Making it happen: a guide to delivering mental health promotion. Retrieved November 17, 2009, from: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4007907. 2. Scully, D., Kremer, J., Meade, M.M., Graham, R., & Dudgeon, K. (1998). Physical exercise and psychological wellbeing: a critical review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 32, 111-120. 3. Hamer, M., Stamatakis, E., & Steptoe, A. (2008). Dose response relationship between physical activity and mental health: The Scottish Health Survey. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Published Online First: 10 April 2008. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.046243. 4. Salmon, P. (2001). Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: a unifying theory. Clinical PsychologyReview, 21(1), 33-61

Stay home, stay active with superjump®: A home-based activity to prevent sedentary lifestyle during covid-19 outbreak

The purpose of this study was to investigate the intensity of SuperJump® workout as a home-based activity for fulfilling physical activity recommendations during COVID-19 home-confinement. Seventeen (males: n = 10; females: n = 7) college students (age: 25.8 ± 2.7 years; height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m; weight: 66.2 ± 12.1 kg) participated in the study. To assess the intensity of the activity (30-min), heart rate (HR), expressed as percentages of age-predicted maximal HR (%HRmax), and session ratings of perceived exertion (sRPE), collected on a CR10 scale, were used. %HRmax data were categorically separated in five classes of intensity according to the American College of Sport Science’s guidelines. Enjoyment was evaluated using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate differences (p < 0.05) in relation to gender and exercise intensity. No gender difference emerged for %HRmax and sRPE. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) %HRmax were found for the moderate intensity (47.1 ± 34.4%) with respect to very light (3.6 ± 6.9%), light (14.5 ± 23.3%) and vigorous (34.6 ± 39.6%) and for the vigorous intensity with respect to very light; no near maximal to maximal values were observed. Subjects perceived SuperJump® as moderate (sRPE = 3.1 ± 1.2) while showing high levels of enjoyability (PACES = 86.6 ± 16.2%). SuperJump® can be classified as moderate-to-vigorous activity, representing an effective alternative and enjoyable home-based activity for preventing the effects of a sedentary lifestyle during home-confinement

Revisiting the exercise heart rate-music tempo preference relationship

In the present study, we investigated a hypothesized quartic relationship (meaning three inflection points) between exercise heart rate (HR) and preferred music tempo. Initial theoretical predictions suggested a positive linear relationship (Iwanaga, 1995a, 1995b); however, recent experimental work has shown that as exercise HR increases, step changes and plateaus that punctuate the profile of music tempo preference may occur (Karageorghis, Jones, & Stuart, 2008). Tempi bands consisted of slow (95–100 bpm), medium (115–120 bpm), fast (135–140 bpm), and very fast (155–160 bpm) music. Twenty-eight active undergraduate students cycled at exercise intensities representing 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% of their maximal HR reserve while their music preference was assessed using a 10-point scale. The Exercise Intensity x Music Tempo interaction was significant, F(6.16, 160.05) = 7.08, p < .001, ηp 2 =.21, as was the test for both cubic and quartic trajectories in the exercise HR–preferred-music-tempo relationship (p < .001). Whereas slow tempo music was not preferred at any exercise intensity, preference for fast tempo increased, relative to medium and very fast tempo music, as exercise intensity increased. The implications for the prescription of music in exercise and physical activity contexts are discussed

Measurements of Heart Rate and Accelerometry to Determine the Physical Activity Level in Boys Playing Paintball

International Journal of Exercise Science 6(3) : 199-207, 2013. Paintball is a popular recreational sport played by 3.655 million Americans and may be sufficient physical activity to promote health. Paintball has been played as an organized sport since the 1980’s and is essentially a game of tag, except instead of touching an opponent by hand opponents are tagged by shooting them with a paintball that leaves a mark indicating who has been eliminated. A previous evaluation of paintball as physical activity had 13 subjects undergo a VO2max test to develop a heart rate (HR) /oxygen consumption relationship, and it was observed that heart rates during paintball were 68-73% of the measured maximal HR. The present study used accelerometry and HR monitors to evaluate the quantity and intensity of physical activity in boys playing paintball. Eleven boys (12.7 ± 1.0 y, 51.5 ± 11.3 kg, 161.8 ± 10.1 cm) engaged in a VO2max test to develop a HR/oxygen consumption correlation. On a separate day the boys played 7 games of outdoor paintball while wearing a HR monitor and accelerometer. The boys played paintball for 11.5 ± 6.2 minutes/game for a total of 80.6 ± 10.0 minutes of game play. Average HR during paintball play was 129.6 ± 6.6 beats/min, representing 39.9 ± 12.9% VO2max. Based on accelerometry, the boys accumulated 63.2 ± 15.6 minutes of moderate intensity activity and 2.6 ± 2.8 minutes of vigorous activity during paintball. These data suggest that playing paintball may be considered as physical activity that is \u3e 3 METs, and thus health promoting

Accelerometer Measured Sedentary and Physical Activity Behaviors of Working Patients after Total Knee Arthroplasty, and their Compensation Between Occupational and Leisure Time

Purpose Objective measurements of sedentary and physical activity (PA) behavior are scarce among working-age patients who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Aim was to assess sedentary and PA behaviors using accelerometers and to identify compensation effects between occupational and leisure time of sedentary and PA behavior. Methods One year post-TKA, 51 patients wore an ActiGraph(GT3x) accelerometer for 7 days. Sedentary time, prolonged sedentary bouts (≥ 30 min) and PA (light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous PA) were examined. Compliance with the guideline of > 150 min moderate-to-vigorous PA per week was calculated. Compensation effects were analyzed using multilevel models, splitting effects into routine and within-day compensation, stratifying by physical and non-physical jobs. The routine compensation effects are the ones of interest, representing habitual compensation during a week. Results Participants spent 60% of time in sedentary bouts and 17% in prolonged sedentary bouts, with 37% of PA spent in light-intensity and 3% in moderate-to-vigorous activity. About 70% of patients met the PA guideline. Routine compensation effects were found for workers in physical jobs, who compensated for their occupational light-intensity PA with less light-intensity PA during leisure time. Workers in non-physical jobs did not compensate for their occupational prolonged sedentary bouts, as these continued during leisure time. Conclusion This study showed that working TKA patients are highly sedentary 1 year after surgery, but most met the PA guideline. Especially those with non-physical jobs do not compensate for their occupational prolonged sedentary bouts. This stresses the need to stimulate PA among TKA patients not complying with the guidelines and those with non-physical jobs

Hypoxia-Induced Oxidative Stress Modulation with Physical Activity.

Increased oxidative stress, defined as an imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants, resulting in molecular damage and disruption of redox signaling, is associated with numerous pathophysiological processes and known to exacerbate chronic diseases. Prolonged systemic hypoxia, induced either by exposure to terrestrial altitude or a reduction in ambient O2 availability is known to elicit oxidative stress and thereby alter redox balance in healthy humans. The redox balance modulation is also highly dependent on the level of physical activity. For example, both high-intensity exercise and inactivity, representing the two ends of the physical activity spectrum, are known to promote oxidative stress. Numerous to-date studies indicate that hypoxia and exercise can exert additive influence upon redox balance alterations. However, recent evidence suggests that moderate physical activity can attenuate altitude/hypoxia-induced oxidative stress during long-term hypoxic exposure. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent findings on hypoxia-related oxidative stress modulation by different activity levels during prolonged hypoxic exposures and examine the potential mechanisms underlying the observed redox balance changes. The paper also explores the applicability of moderate activity as a strategy for attenuating hypoxia-related oxidative stress. Moreover, the potential of such moderate intensity activities used to counteract inactivity-related oxidative stress, often encountered in pathological, elderly and obese populations is also discussed. Finally, future research directions for investigating interactive effects of altitude/hypoxia and exercise on oxidative stress are proposed

Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for adults aged 18-64 years and adults aged 65 years or older: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology assembled a Consensus Panel representing national organizations, content experts, methodologists, stakeholders, and end-users and followed an established guideline development procedure to create the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep. These guidelines underscore the importance of movement behaviours across the whole 24-h day. The development process followed the strategy outlined in the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. A large body of evidence was used to inform the guidelines including 2 de novo systematic reviews and 4 overviews of reviews examining the relationships among movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, and all behaviours together) and several health outcomes. Draft guideline recommendations were discussed at a 4-day in-person Consensus Panel meeting. Feedback from stakeholders was obtained by survey (n = 877) and the draft guidelines were revised accordingly. The final guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for a healthy day (24-h), comprising a combination of sleep, sedentary behaviours, and light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity. Dissemination and implementation efforts with corresponding evaluation plans are in place to help ensure that guideline awareness and use are optimized. Novelty First ever 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older with consideration of a balanced approach to physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep Finalizes the suite of 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Canadians across the lifespa

A calibration protocol for population-specific accelerometer cut-points in children

PurposeTo test a field-based protocol using intermittent activities representative of children\u27s physical activity behaviours, to generate behaviourally valid, population-specific accelerometer cut-points for sedentary behaviour, moderate, and vigorous physical activity.MethodsTwenty-eight children (46% boys) aged 10&ndash;11 years wore a hip-mounted uniaxial GT1M ActiGraph and engaged in 6 activities representative of children\u27s play. A validated direct observation protocol was used as the criterion measure of physical activity. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analyses were conducted with four semi-structured activities to determine the accelerometer cut-points. To examine classification differences, cut-points were cross-validated with free-play and DVD viewing activities.ResultsCut-points of &le;372, &gt;2160 and &gt;4806 counts&bull;min&minus;1 representing sedentary, moderate and vigorous intensity thresholds, respectively, provided the optimal balance between the related needs for sensitivity (accurately detecting activity) and specificity (limiting misclassification of the activity). Cross-validation data demonstrated that these values yielded the best overall kappa scores (0.97; 0.71; 0.62), and a high classification agreement (98.6%; 89.0%; 87.2%), respectively. Specificity values of 96&ndash;97% showed that the developed cut-points accurately detected physical activity, and sensitivity values (89&ndash;99%) indicated that minutes of activity were seldom incorrectly classified as inactivity.ConclusionThe development of an inexpensive and replicable field-based protocol to generate behaviourally valid and population-specific accelerometer cut-points may improve the classification of physical activity levels in children, which could enhance subsequent intervention and observational studies.<br /

: Frequency, Intensity and Duration of Muscle Strengthening Activity and Associations with Mental Health

Objectives: Despite growing emphasis on the benefits of physical activity for promoting mental health, inclusion of muscle-strengthening (MS) (e.g., body-weight exercises, resistance machines) activities is limited. Notably, few studies collectively assess MS behavioural frequency, duration, and intensity. To address the gap, the current study examined associations between frequency (days), intensity (rating of perceived exertion in relation to repetitions in reserve [RPE/RIR]), and duration (minutes per typical session) of MS activities on anxiety, depression, and mental well-being.Method: A cross-sectional study of 601 participants (Mean age = 30.92 years [SD =12.70]; 57.7% female) across Ireland was conducted. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire containing MS instruments previously used, or adapted from valid and reliable measures (i.e., International Physical Activity Questionnaire IPAQ, RPE/RIR), alongside, the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) and the Mental Health Continuum- Short Form (MHC-SF). A multivariate regression model was tested in MPLUS, using dummy coding for MS frequency in relation to no activity (i.e., 0-days) non-adherence (i.e., 1-day), adherence (i.e., 2-days) and enhanced adherence (i.e., &gt;3 days) to the MS public health guidelines, with the mental health variables representing the dependent variables. Intensity and duration were specified in the model as continuous variables; gender and age were included as statistical controls. Results: Three or more days engaged in MS activities was associated with fewer anxiety (β = -.12, p Conclusion: Higher frequency and intensity of MS activities may protect against anxiety and depression symptoms. Doing some MS activities (at least 1-day) is likely more beneficial than none for depression. Evidence-based, MS interventions may help curb mental illness rates, and future longitudinal, intervention-based research could consider inclusion of MS frequency, intensity and duration variables to enhance efforts to identify at-risk groups and trends within physical activity and mental illness surveillance.<br/