Physical activity accrued whilst golf caddying

Golf caddies are involved in golf at all levels of the game; however, little research has considered the physical activity (PA) accrued working in this profession. Importantly, the PA from playing golf can improve aspects of health; therefore, caddying may provide a PA that elicits similar benefits. This study, therefore, assessed the PA accrued whilst golf caddying. Eleven male caddies wore a PA monitor for 7-days and recorded time spent caddying while walking the 18-hole course at Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland. Per day, caddies spent 224 minutes (58%) of their time caddying in light-intensity PA and 115 minutes (30%) of their time caddying in moderate-to-vigorous PA, accumulating 15480±4089 steps. Caddying accumulates enough moderate-to-vigorous PA across a week to exceed current PA guidelines, and the step count accrued is classified as highly active. Caddying can provide PA that has the potential to provide health benefits

Physical activity accrued whilst golf caddying

Golf caddies are involved in golf at all levels of the game; however, little research has considered the physical activity (PA) accrued working in this profession. Importantly, the PA from playing golf can improve aspects of health; therefore, caddying may provide a PA that elicits similar benefits. This study, therefore, assessed the PA accrued whilst golf caddying. Eleven male caddies wore a PA monitor for 7-days and recorded time spent caddying while walking the 18-hole course at Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland. Per day, caddies spent 224 minutes (58%) of their time caddying in light-intensity PA and 115 minutes (30%) of their time caddying in moderate-to-vigorous PA, accumulating 15480±4089 steps. Caddying accumulates enough moderate-to-vigorous PA across a week to exceed current PA guidelines, and the step count accrued is classified as highly active. Caddying can provide PA that has the potential to provide health benefits

Cardiovascular responses during submaximal cycling with and without left-lateral tilting:insights for practical applications of stress echocardiography

We investigated the cardiorespiratory responses to semi-supine exercise with (SS+45°) and without (SS-0°) a left-lateral tilt in 15 adults at fixed power output (70 W) and matched heart rates. At 70 W, oxygen uptake and heart rate reduced from upright to SS-0° then increased to SS+45° (p < 0.05). At matched heart rates, oxygen uptake and efficiency were lowest in SS+45° (p < 0.05). Left-lateral tilting should not be performed under the assumption that each position replicates the same cardiorespiratory responses. Novelty: • Cardiorespiratory responses to exercise are influenced by left-lateral tilting, which should not be performed under the assumption that physiological responses are replicated between left-lateral positions.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

A new method for tracking of motor skill learning through practical application of Fitts’ law

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.A novel upper limb motor skill measure, task productivity rate (TPR) was developed integrating speed and spatial error, delivered by a practical motor skill rehabilitation task (MSRT). This prototype task involved placement of 5 short pegs horizontally on a spatially configured rail array. The stability of TPR was tested on 18 healthy right-handed adults (10 women, 8 men, median age 29 years) in a prospective single-session quantitative within-subjects study design. Manipulations of movement rate 10% faster and slower relative to normative states did not significantly affect TPR, F(1.387, 25.009) = 2.465, p = .121. A significant linear association between completion time and error was highest during the normative state condition (Pearson's r = .455, p < .05). Findings provided evidence that improvements in TPR over time reflected motor learning with possible changes in coregulation behavior underlying practice under different conditions. These findings extend Fitts’ law theory to tracking of practical motor skill using a dexterity task, which could have potential clinical applications in rehabilitation

Improved physical health in middle-older aged golf caddies following 24-weeks of high-volume physical activity

Background: The physical demands of golf caddying, including walking while carrying a golf bag, may potentially affect body composition, and markers of metabolic, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal health. Therefore, this study examined the impact of 24 weeks of caddying on physical health in middle-older aged males. Methods: Eleven full-time experienced male caddies (age: 59 [8] y; caddying experience: 14 [12] y) were recruited from a local golf course. The following were assessed at preseason and after 24 weeks of caddying (March–September 2022): body composition, heart rate, blood pressure, blood lipids, and performance tests (static and dynamic balance, strength, and submaximal fitness). Physical activity (PA) levels were assessed at preseason and at the mid-point of the caddying season. Across the caddying season, participants completed a monthly average of 24.0 (3.8) rounds. Results: Following the caddying season, improvements in static balance (Δ = 13.5 s), dynamic balance (Δ = −1.8 s), and lower back absolute strength (Δ = 112.8 N), and muscle quality (Δ = 2.0 N·kg−1) were observed (all P &lt; .05). Additionally, blood lipids, including total cholesterol (Δ = −0.6 mmol·L−1), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Δ = 0.1 mmol·L−1), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Δ = −0.6 mmol·L−1) (all P &lt; .05), and body composition, including body mass (Δ = −2.7 kg), fat mass (Δ = −1.9 kg), fat percentage (Δ = −1.4%), fat-to-muscle ratio (Δ = −0.03), and body mass index (Δ = −0.9 kg·m−2) (all P &lt; .05) improved. Caddying did not offer beneficial changes to cardiovascular variables or cardiorespiratory fitness (P &gt; .05), while coronary heart disease risk score decreased (Δ = −3.3%) (P &lt; .05). In relation to PA, light- (Δ = 145 min) and moderate-intensity (Δ = 71 min) PA, moderate to vigorous PA (Δ = 73 min), and total PA (Δ = 218 min) between preseason and the mid-point of the caddying season increased, while sedentary time (Δ = −172 min) decreased (all P &lt; .05). Conclusion: Golf caddying can provide several physical health benefits such as improvements in various markers of cardiometabolic health, lower back absolute strength, and static and dynamic balance. The physical health improvements that caddying offers is likely contributed to by increased PA volume and intensity through walking on the golf course. Therefore, caddying may represent a feasible model for increasing PA volume and intensity and achieve physical health–related benefits

A framework linking ecosystem services and human well‐being: Saltmarsh as a case study

1. The ecosystem services approach is based on the interdependencies between nature and human well‐being. However, while the ecosystem services aspect of this approach is well‐developed, the human well‐being aspect remains unstructured and vaguely defined. 2. An integrated conceptual framework was developed by adapting and linking the UK National Ecosystem Assessment‐Follow On framework with human well‐being domains. 3. As well as benefits, the notion of disbenefits was incorporated to recognise the potentially detrimental effects from interacting with nature. Benefits and disbenefits occur at the social–ecological interface and are classified by the seven domains of human well‐being they affect. 4. The framework is applied to saltmarsh habitat as a case study, highlighting knowledge gaps and the potential applicability and usefulness of the framework. In saltmarsh, benefits mainly accrue at larger scales with a greater impact affecting local to global individuals, while disbenefits tend to occur at a smaller scale and impact in‐situ individuals. 5. The framework provides in‐depth insight into links, trade‐offs and dichotomies between benefits and disbenefits and human well‐being, and improves accessibility to the complex research area of human well‐being. 6. This research can be a useful tool to guide environmental and health policy and management, as well as stakeholder engagement

Habitual exercise influences carotid artery strain and strain rate, but not cognitive function in healthy middle‑aged females

Purpose Aging females are at risk of declining vascular and cognitive function. Exercise can augment both factors independently; however, the influence of exercise on their interdependence is less clearly understood. Ultrasound speckle tracking is a sensitive novel measure of arterial aging but has not previously been used in middle-aged females. We aimed to elucidate the potential interactions between vascular and cognitive variables in active aging females. Methods Twelve active (56 ± 5 years; V̇ O2peak : 34.5 ± 6.1 ml.kg.min−1) and 13 inactive (57 ± 4 years; 22.8 ± 2.6 ml.kg.min−1) healthy middle-aged females were included. Ultrasound speckle tracking assessed short-axis common carotid artery (CCA) compliance via peak circumferential strain (PCS) and strain rate (PSR) at rest, during, and after 3-min isometric handgrip exercise. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery was assessed using ultrasound. Cognitive function was measured using Verbal Fluency, Trail Making, Stroop, and Digit Span tests. Results PCS (P = 0.003) and PSR (P = 0.004), were higher in the active cohort. FMD was similar between groups (P > 0.05). Minimal differences in cognitive function existed between groups, although the inactive group performed better in one test of animal Verbal Fluency (P 0.05). Conclusion This is the first study to assess PCS and PSR in middle-aged females and demonstrates that active middle-aged females exhibit a superior carotid artery profile compared to their inactive counterparts. However, PCS and PSR of the carotid artery may not be linked with cognitive function in middle-aged females