Upper limb muscle strength and knee frontal plane projection angle asymmetries in female water-polo players

Water-polo players frequently perform overhead throws that could result in shoulder imbalances. For overhead throws, execution of the ‘eggbeater kick’ (cyclical movement of the legs) is required to lift the body out of the water. Although a symmetrical action, inter-limb differences in task execution could lead to knee frontal plane projec-tion (FPPA) differences. The present study examined imbalances shoulder and knee FPPA in female players. Eighteen competitive female field players (24.1 ± 5.5 years, 1.68 ± 0.06 m, 72.9 ± 13.3 kg) had their shoulder strength assessed in a shot-mimicking position with a portable dynamometer, standing and seated (isolating the shoulder contribution). Anterior: posterior and shooting: non- shooting shoulder comparison were made. Additionally, players per-formed a drop jump. Knee FPPA was recorded from digitising and comparing the frames just before landing and at stance phase. During standing, players exhibited higher shooting: non-shooting asymmetry (p = 0.032) in the anterior contraction direction, while during seated the shooting shoulder anterior: posterior asymmetry was higher (p = 0.032). Interlimb knee FPPA asymmetry was higher in the stance phase (p = 0.02). Despite the overhead throwing and egg- beater demands impacting differently on each limb, considerable asymmetries do not develop, suggesting the overall training require-ments (e.g. swimming, resistance training) were sufficient to maintain the asymmetry within desirable limits

What is the effect of ankle disk training and taping on proprioception deficit after lateral ankle sprains among active populations? - A systematic review.

To investigate the effect of disk training and tape application on diminished proprioception after Lateral Ankle Sprain (LAS) in active populations. Only clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of disk training and ankle tape on proprioception deficits following LAS by assessing JPS or kinaesthesia were included. Electronic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane and PEDro were searched. The main search was conducted in February 2022. The physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was utilised to assess the methodological quality of each article. The search yielded six studies investigating the effects of disk training and four studies investigating the effects of inelastic tape. Five articles showed a significant improvement on JPS after disk training. However, no difference across different intervention groups was observed in one study. Only one trial presented an immediate significant improvement when taped, while another study showed that external ankle supports significantly improved JPS after 2 weeks and after 2 months. Three of four studies found no immediate improvement on proprioceptive deficits by the use of tape. This review found that disk training may improve impaired proprioception after LAS, whilst the efficacy of inelastic tape was not evident due to methodological quality of the few available studies. Further studies are needed to establish whether these interventions can be used clinically with sufficient evidence. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

To do or not to do (exercise) : physical activity in the lives of people with cerebral palsy

We examined the lives of adults with cerebral palsy who had minimal involvement in physical activity (Judy, aged 60; Alana, aged 29), who were involved in physical activity (Amy, aged 25; Ben, aged, 30), or who had minimal involvement in physical activity and who then participated in physical activity (David, aged 27; Tim, aged, 24). After receiving ethical approval, a life-history research approach (Denzin, 1989: Interpretive biography. Newbury Park, CA: Sage) was used, with the participants&rsquo; stories being interpreted using primarily psychodynamic theory (Freud, Erikson, Adler, Basch) to gain insight into their meaning and experiences of physical activity. Judy and Alana had similar childhood experiences, which included: performing difficult, and sometimes painful, physiotherapy; wearing callipers to assist their walking; lacking competence at physical activity; and being socially isolated from their classmates. These aspects of their life histories seemed to contribute to their subsequent avoidance of physical activity and early onset of functional decline.Amy and Ben had negative experiences with physical activity as children (similar to Judy and Alana), but were involved in, and valued, physical activity as adults. Physical activity was a means of displaying competence, delaying further functional loss, and becoming socially connected.David and Tim lost the ability to walk in early adolescence. The minimal physical activity in which they engaged during their adult lives was directed towards trying to walk again. Walking seemed to be intimately connected with psychosocial growth. David&rsquo;s weight-training programme seemed to provide him with another avenue for self-improvement towards his goal of attracting a life partner. Tim&rsquo;s warm-water aerobic programme provided him with an opportunity to develop competence at swimming and at walking, and to enhance his self-esteem for these activities.Involvement in physical activity may be important for people with cerebral palsy in their endeavours to successfully face the various psychosocial challenges throughout life. Implications of this research include: parents and teachers of children with cerebral palsy should provide support for their involvement in physical activity; physiotherapists should try to reduce the pain and increase the perceived relevancy of the treatments they deliver to young people with cerebral palsy; and psychologists should be aware of some of the difficulties people with cerebral palsy face and how they may manifest in adults with the condition.<br /

Previous high-intensity activity affects lower limb strength ratios

Lower limb strength ratios are important in assessing muscular imbalances. Typically, these ratios are derived from assessment of explosive, maximum effort activities. Such assessment can be functional or isokinetic. The single-effort nature of these assessments does not provide information on imbalance changes after muscular contractions. Any such change could indicate an increased risk of injury after a period of activity, thus raising questions as to the correct procedure of muscle imbalance assessment. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess muscle imbalances over maximum effort repeated cycling sprints. Seventeen healthy, physically active young adults (females: n=4, height 1.62±0.03 m, body mass 68.0±6.5 kg; males: n=13, height 1.80±0.06 m, body mass 80.5±13.8 kg) performed five 6-s sprints with 24-s rest interval on a Lode Excalibur bike with torque and power data recorded for each leg. Average, average maximum (average of maximum from each sprint) and peak torque (TAv, TAvM and TP respectively) and power (PAv, PAvM and PP respectively) were obtained for each leg. Ratios of these variables were calculated as . Wilcoxon's test revealed a significantly stronger leg (p<0.05) for all torque and power variables. Friedman's test indicated a significant ratio increase between TAv (11.7±6.8%) and TAvM (4.6±3.0%, p=0.001) and TP (4.1±3.5%, p=0.001), as well as between PAv (8.8±5.0%) and PAvM (4.5±2.9%, p=0.003) and PP (4.2±2.6, p=0.003%) but not between TAvM and TP (p=0.421) or PAvM and PP (p=0.981). The results indicate that high-intensity activity increases lower limb strength imbalance, resulting in different ratios. The authors posit that muscle imbalance assessment activities conducted at rested state may not accurately reflect the true strength difference between limbs, leading to inaccurate training or rehabilitation advice

Smooth pursuits decrease balance control during locomotion in young and older healthy females.

Dynamic balance control-characterised as movement of the trunk and lower limbs-was assessed during fixation of a fixed target, smooth pursuits and saccadic eye movements in ten young (22.9 ± 1.5 years) and ten older (72.1 ± 8.2 years) healthy females walking overground. Participants were presented with visual stimuli to initiate eye movements, and posture and gaze were assessed with motion analysis and eye tracking equipment. The results showed an increase in medial/lateral (ML) trunk movement (C7: p = 0.012; sacrum: p = 0.009) and step-width variability (p = 0.052) during smooth pursuits compared to a fixed target, with no changes for saccades compared to a fixed target. The elders demonstrated greater ML trunk movement (sacrum: p = 0.037) and step-width variability (p = 0.037) than the younger adults throughout, although this did not interact with the eye movements. The findings showed that smooth pursuits decreased balance control in young and older adults similarly, which was likely a consequence of more complicated retinal flow. Since healthy elders are typically already at a postural disadvantage, further decreases in balance caused by smooth pursuits are undesirable

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) as a Potential Countermeasure for Phenotypic Characteristics of Sarcopenia: A Scoping Review

Background: Sarcopenia is defined as a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle quantity and function associated predominantly with aging. Physical activity appears the most promising intervention to attenuate sarcopenia, yet physical activity guidelines are rarely met. In recent years high intensity interval training (HIIT) has garnered interested in athletic populations, clinical populations, and general population alike. There is emerging evidence of the efficacy of HIIT in the young old (i.e. seventh decade of life), yet data concerning the oldest old (i.e., ninth decade of life onwards), and those diagnosed with sarcopenic are sparse. Objectives: In this scoping review of the literature, we aggregated information regarding HIIT as a potential intervention to attenuate phenotypic characteristics of sarcopenia. Eligibility Criteria: Original investigations concerning the impact of HIIT on muscle function, muscle quantity or quality, and physical performance in older individuals (mean age ≥60 years of age) were considered. Sources of Evidence: Five electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL]) were searched. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework (2005). Review selection and characterization were performed by two independent reviewers using pretested forms. Results: Authors reviewed 1,063 titles and abstracts for inclusion with 74 selected for full text review. Thirty-two studies were analyzed. Twenty-seven studies had a mean participant age in the 60s, two in the 70s, and three in the 80s. There were 20 studies which examined the effect of HIIT on muscle function, 22 which examined muscle quantity, and 12 which examined physical performance. HIIT was generally effective in Improving muscle function and physical performance compared to non-exercised controls, moderate intensity continuous training, or pre-HIIT (study design-dependent), with more ambiguity concerning muscle quantity. Conclusions: Most studies presented herein utilized outcome measures defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP). However, there are too few studies investigating any form of HIIT in the oldest old (i.e., ≥80 years of age), or those already sarcopenic. Therefore, more intervention studies are needed in this population

What is the effect of ankle disk training and taping on proprioception deficit after lateral ankle sprains among active populations? – A Systematic Review

Objective: To investigate the effect of disk training and tape application on diminished proprioception after Lateral Ankle Sprain (LAS) in active populations. Eligibility criteria: Only clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of disk training and ankle tape on proprioception deficits following LAS by assessing JPS or kinaesthesia were included. Information sources: Electronic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane and PEDro were searched. The main search was conducted in February 2022. Risk of bias: The physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was utilised to assess the methodological quality of each article. Result: The search yielded six studies investigating the effects of disk training and four studies investigating the effects of inelastic tape. Five articles showed a significant improvement on JPS after disk training. However, no difference across different intervention groups was observed in one study. Only one trial presented an immediate significant improvement when taped, while another study showed that external ankle supports significantly improved JPS after 2 weeks and after 2 months. Three of four studies found no immediate improvement on proprioceptive deficits by the use of tape. Conclusions: This review found that disk training may improve impaired proprioception after LAS, whilst the efficacy of inelastic tape was not evident due to methodological quality of the few available studies. Further studies are needed to establish whether these interventions can be used clinically with sufficient evidence

Visually fixating or tracking another person decreases balance control in young and older females walking in a real-world scenario.

Balance control during overground walking was assessed in 10 young (23.6 ± 3.4) and 10 older (71.0 ± 5.5 years) healthy females during free gaze, and when fixating or tracking another person in an everyday use waiting room. Balance control was characterised by medial/lateral sacrum acceleration dispersion, and gaze fixations were simultaneously assessed with eye tracking equipment. The results showed decreased balance control when fixating a stationary (p = 0.003, gav = 0.19) and tracking a walking (p = 0.027, gav = 0.16) person compared to free gaze. The older adults exhibited reduced baseline stability throughout, but the decrease caused by the visual tasks were not more profound than the younger adults. The decreased balance control when fixating on or tracking the observed person was likely due to more challenging conditions for interpreting retinal flow, which facilitated less reliable estimates of self-motion through vision. The older adults either processed retinal flow during the tasks as effectively as the young adults, or they adopted a more rigid posture to facilitate visual stability, which masked any ageing effect of the visual tasks. The decrease in balance control, the first to be shown in this context, may warrant further investigation in those with ocular or vestibular dysfunction

Reliability of independent kinetic variables and measures of inter-limb asymmetry associated with bilateral drop-landing performance

The purpose of this investigation was to establish the within-session reliability for peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), time to peak vGRF, and loading rate, both unilaterally and bilaterally, during a droplanding task as well as the reliability of inter-limb asymmetry in peak vGRF. Twenty-two men (age = 22 ± 4 years; height = 180.4 ± 6.1 cm; mass = 77.9 ± 14.0 kg) and 17 women (age = 20.4 ± 3.6 years; height = 164.6 ± 9.4 cm; mass = 60.3 ± 9.8 kg) volunteered for a single testing session. Participants completed three countermovement jumps (CMJ) to establish maximum jump height before performing five bilateral drop-landings from 50%, 100%, and 150% of their maximum CMJ height. The bilateral drop-landing protocol was then repeated after a 10 min recovery. Systematic bias, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV%) and minimal detectable change (MDC) values for each kinetic measurement was calculated for the left and right leg, as well as bilaterally. There was no systematic bias present between trials (P > 0.05). All kinetic measurements showed relative reliability, ranging from large to near perfect (ICC = 0.57–0.95). Absolute reliability ranged considerably depending on the measure and drop-height, with peak vGRF and time to peak GRF showing the greatest reliability at higher drop heights (CV% = 6.6–9.7%). Loading rate for all drop heights demonstrated CV% ranging 13.0–27.6%. Furthermore, MDC values for inter-limb asymmetries in peak vGRF ranged between 14.5–16.2% for all drop heights. Overall, many of the kinetic measurements evaluated were sufficiently reliable to detect typical changes in bilateral drop-landing performance when greater drop heights were used

Eye Movements Affect Postural Control in Young and Older Females

Visual information is used for postural stabilization in humans. However, little is known about how eye movements prevalent in everyday life interact with the postural control system in older individuals. Therefore, the present study assessed the effects of stationary gaze fixations,smooth pursuits, and saccadic eye movements, with combinations of absent, fixed and oscillating large-field visual backgrounds to generate different forms of retinal flow, on postural control in healthy young and older females. Participants were presented with computer generated visual stimuli, whilst postural sway and gaze fixations were simultaneously assessed with a force platform and eye tracking equipment, respectively. The results showed that fixed backgrounds and stationary gaze fixations attenuated postural sway. In contrast, oscillating backgrounds and smooth pursuits increased postural sway. There were no differences regarding saccades. There were also no differences in postural sway or gaze errors between age groups in any visual condition. The stabilizing effect of the fixed visual stimuli show how retinal flow and extraocular factors guide postural adjustments. The destabilizing effect of oscillating visual backgrounds and smooth pursuits may be related to more challenging conditions for determining body shifts from retinal flow, and more complex extraocular signals, respectively. Because the older participants matched the young group's performance in all conditions, decreases of posture and gaze control during stance may not be a direct consequence of healthy aging. Further research examining extraocular and retinal mechanisms of balance control and the effects of eye movements, during locomotion, is needed to better inform fall prevention interventions