Muscular imbalance and their effect on the health of the tennis player: Assessments of explosive strength in the lower limbs by means of jumps.

This paper discusses the existence of asymmetry in tennis players lower limbs, if these asymmetries impact on determining capabilities as Explosive Strength and Elastic Explosive Strength, and if so, how they are affected by fatigue. This paper holds the hypothesis that there exist differences in the capabilities of useful strength in the lower limb muscles, and that these muscular differences or asymmetries are the source of injury for developing tennis players

Propuesta y resultados de una evaluación condicional específica para el entrenamiento de judo: La batería blasco aplicada en judokas españoles.

RESUMEN La evaluación condicional es un elemento básico en el ámbito del Alto Rendimiento cuando se centra en valoraciones específicas y relevantes, de ejecución sencilla y lectura simple, con resultados aplicables al proceso de entrenamiento. De la misma forma, junto a un análisis numérico o cuantitativo, la evaluación condicional debe permitir una lectura cualitativa que explique las capacidades del deportista desde una perspectiva global e integradora. Con el objeto de ajustarnos a estas premisas y mejorar el espectro de la evaluación en Judo, hemos desarrollado una batería de seis pruebas para determinar en qué manifestaciones condicionales destacan de forma significativa los mejores judokas. Entre otros, los resultados del estudio permiten afirmar que la Resistencia Específica (RE) es una manifestación determinante en el rendimiento de los judokas, además de aportar un test específico (Test Blasco) capaz de evaluar la RE con perspectiva global, tanto cuantitativa como cualitativamente. En el estudio han participado 53 judokas españoles de nivel nacional e internacional -24 mujeres (m) y 29 hombres (h) de distintas Comunidades Autónomas y categorías de peso (m:48 a 70 kg; h: 60 a 90 kg)-, divididos en tres grupos de nivel de rendimiento en función de la media entre los resultados deportivos y una valoración dada por los técnicos. La distribución definitiva ha dado una N de: 21 judokas regulares, 20 buenos y 12 Muy Buenos (13 h y 8 m; 9 h y 11 m; y 7 h y 5 m respectivamente). El protocolo de evaluación diseñado agrupa las pruebas en tres bloques para evitar interferencias en el rendimiento. Bloque 1: Test de Bosco modificado para Judo (RJ45 interválico), seguido de un Test Progresivo de Fuerza Máxima Potencia con cargas relativas al Peso Corporal (TPFM-P pc; Ejercicio: Remo tendido prono), con determinación del 1 RM, Potencia Máxima y resto de parámetros evaluados mediante encoder lineal. Bloque 2: Test Blasco [su primera parte, dinámica, asume que la RE en judo es fundamentalmente Resistencia a la Fuerza Explosiva (RFE) y a la Velocidad (V) específicas y reproduce la estructura interválica del combate; la segunda parte evalúa la Resistencia a la fuerza Isométrica (RFI) residual]. Bloque 3: antropometría básica; Test de RFI descansado (TLIM suspendido del Judogi); y Test de VO2max en tapiz rodante con protocolo incremental (Wasserman). La mayoría del estudio se ha basado en la aplicación de anovas univariados con el nivel de rendimiento como variable independiente y los resultados de cada test como variable dependiente. La muestra se ha dividido previamente entre hombres y mujeres para obtener rangos máximos y mínimos por sexo y grupo de nivel en cada variable evaluada. Los resultados avalan la importancia de la RE en Judo (p= 0,000 entre los judokas del grupo Muy Bueno y Regular, y Bueno y Regular; p= 0,035 y p=0,042 entre las judokas Muy Buenas y Regulares; y Buenas y Regulares, respectivamente). Los resultados parciales (analizando cada ejercicio del test por separado) apuntan diferencias en el rendimiento entre sexos: niveles máximos de Fuerza Explosiva (FE) y RFE en los hombres, con significación en las variables con orientación explosiva; frente a niveles de importantes de V y RV en las mujeres (aunque sin llegar a la significación) y ausencia de significación en las variables explosivas. Destaca la significación en Fuerza, Velocidad y Potencia con la carga equivalente al Peso Corporal en ambos sexos, mientras la F Máxima sólo presenta significación en las mujeres. Hay ausencia de significación en el resto de pruebas, aunque la RFI descansada y su valor residual presentan niveles cercanos a la significación y correlación (r =0,469 y 0,487; p = 0,058 y 0,056 para hombres y mujeres respectivamente). __________________________________________________________________________________________________The conditional assessment becomes a basic element at the Top level Performance, when its focused on specific and relevant measurements. To improve the spectrum of evaluation in Judo, we have developed a battery of six tests with the aim to determine in which conditional capacities show up significantly the best judoists. The study evaluates 53 Spanish national and international level judoists - 24 women (w: -48 to -70 kg) and 29 men (m: -60 to -90 kg) - divided in three groups of level resulting from the championships results and a technicians ranking list. The final sample shows 21 Average, 20 Good and 12 Very Good judoists (13 m and 8 w; 9 m and 11 w, and 7 m and 5 w respectively). The protocol gathers the six tests in three blocks; and the study is based on the implementation of one-way Anova with the level of performance as the independent factor and the results of each test as the dependent factors. 1): RJ45 intervallic (Bosco modified for Judo); and a Progressive Test of Maximum Strength and Power (exercise: "lying pronus Rowing"; charges related to Body Weight) with a linear encoder. 2) Blasco Test. The first part assumes that Judo Specific Stamina (JSS) is basically a Specific RFD (Rate Force Development) and Speed Muscular Endurance within an intervallic structure; the second part evaluates the residual Isometric Strength Endurance (ISE). 3) Anthropometric assessment; resting ISE Test, and a Treadmill VO2max Test (Wasserman). The results of the study indicate that Specific Stamina is the item that determines significantly the judoists performance (p = 0,000 among Very Good and Average, and Good and Average male; p = 0,035 and 0,042 among Very Good and Average, and Good and Average female, respectively); with differences related to gender: maximum levels of Specific RFD muscular endurance in men, with significance in all the explosive factors; while women show high levels of Speed Endurance (although without significance), with no significance in the explosive Factors. Moreover, the study provides a specific test (Test Blasco) able to assess this SS within a global perspective, both quantitative and qualitatively

Autonomic modulation improves in response to harder performances while playing wind instruments

Background: Despite inducing autonomic benefits similar to exercise, playing wind instruments is a physical, and cognitive task of high attentional requirements, which demands musicians maximal efforts, leading to sympathetic hyperarousal and autonomic worsening. In this context of controversy, it remains unknown the autonomic response to playing highly demanding music performances, as compared to an easier one, which might be of interest in wind musicians' cardiovascular health. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate differences in the autonomic control of the heart with regard to task demands (TD), avoiding emotional influences (rehearsal performance). Methods: Eight healthy male professionals (29.13 ± 7.33 years) ranked a list of well-known musical scores according to their perception of the task demands. Later on, in 2 two normal rehearsals with no audience, musicians performed one mild performance (M), and another one ranked as hardest (H) on two alternative days. After 10 minutes of warm-up, they performed two laps of 20 minutes interspersed with 5 minutes of rest. Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded in both laps, 20 minutes at baseline (before warming-up), and 20 minutes after cessation. Owing to non-stationarity of the cardiac signal, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and Poincare-Plot indexes (SD1, SD2) were analyzed in the last 500 beats of each 20 minutes (Kubios software V. 2.1). Results: Musicians showed larger parasympathetic responses in H (lnRMSSD, lnSD1, SD2), mostly after 30 minutes playing, without RRi differences. Vagal control diminished in the first lap, where musicians might be coupling heart rate to changes in breathing. Later on, this initial discomfort disappeared, followed by autonomic reactivation in H. Sympathetic arousal due to neuromuscular and cognitive demands while playing demanding music seems to be vagally counteracted, suggesting that the more the difficulty, the more coupled the respiratory sinus arrhythmia (i.e., cardiovascular adjustments). Conclusions: Playing wind instruments seems healthy in terms of autonomic modulation, and the psychophysiological wellness of wind musicians might benefit from HRV monitoring in the long-term

Hypovitaminosis D in young basketball players: association with jumping and hopping performance considering gender

This study aimed to verify whether a group of young well-trained basketball players presented deficiencies in vitamin D concentration, and to analyze whether there was an association between vitamin D concentration and jumping and hopping performance. Gender differences were considered. Twenty-seven players from an international high-level basketball club (14 female, 16.00 ± 0.55 years; 13 male, 15.54 ± 0.52 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Rate of force development was evaluated by means of the Abalakov test (bilateral: AbB; right leg: AbR; left leg: AbL); and the triple hop test (right leg: THR; left leg: THL). Blood samples were collected for the determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and nutritional status. Vitamin D insufficiency was found in both women (29.14 ± 6.08 ng/mL) and men (28.92 ± 6.40 ng/mL), with no gender differences regarding nutritional scores. Jumping and hopping performance was confirmed to be significantly larger in males (AbL, THR, and THL p < 0.005), whose CV% were always smaller. A positive correlation was found between AbB and vitamin D (r = 0.703) in males, whereas this correlation was negative (−0.611) for females, who also presented a negative correlation (r = −0.666) between THR and vitamin D. A prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was confirmed in young elite athletes training indoors. Nutritional (i.e., calciferol) controls should be conducted throughout the season. Furthermore, whilst performance seems to be affected by low levels of this vitamin in men, these deficiencies appear to have a different association with jumping and hopping in women, pointing to different performance mechanisms. Further studies accounting for differences in training and other factors might delve into these gender differences

Acute High-Intensity Exercise Reduces Performance Anxiety: A Pilot Study in Wind Musicians

Background. Musicians’ sympathetic arousal needed to deal with an extraordinary event (e.g., a demanding concert) can become a neurophysiological alteration known as Musical Performance Anxiety, an important health problem. Objectives. This study aimed to find whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) might reduce the anxiety in musicians after acute training. Methods. Ten young wind instrument musicians (23.00 ± 4.88 years; 78.86 ± 11.46 kg) performed two concerts in one week. Forty-eight hours after the first concert, they underwent a magnetic roller training session to get tested and familiarized, and again 48 hours later, they conducted 2-to-4 bouts of 30-second all-out workout, interspersed with 4 minutes of recovery, between the two concerts. Self-reporting methods (STAI, CSAI-2R) and physiological methods (Heart Rate Variability) were used to test anxiety reduction. Results. Pre-post exercise comparisons revealed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in both questionnaires. Regarding heart rate variability, Friedman Anova tests revealed also significant differences in Low Frequency (LF; p < 0.05), Low Frequency/High Frequency ratio (LFHF; p < 0.01), Root Mean Square of successive normal R-R intervals (RMSSD; p = 0.01), Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA1; p < 0.01) and Sample Entropy (SampEn; p < 0.01) after HIIT. Conclusion. After the training, the HRV indices’ improvement could confirm the hypothesis of parasympathetic reactivation and a better vagal balance as much in the last moment as during the performance. Acute high-intensity exercise may be an efficient solution in the short term for the anxiety problems that musicians suffer in their intense careers

Short and Long-Term Trainability in Older Adults: Training and Detraining Following Two Years of Multicomponent Cognitive-Physical Exercise Training

Despite the benefits of multicomponent physical–cognitive training programs (MCCogTPs), lower training intensities in the concurrent approach, and bigger heterogeneity with aging, suggest the need for long-term analyses, with special attention to training and detraining in older adults. The present study aims to examine these training/detraining effects in a two year MCCogTP, looking for specific dynamics in the trainability of their physical and cognitive capacities. The intervention was divided into four periods: T1, T2 (8 months of training each), and D1, D2 (3.5 months of detraining plus 0.5 of testing each). Twenty-five healthy seniors (70.82 ± 5.18 years) comprised the final sample and were assessed for cardiovascular fitness (6-minutes walking test), lower-limbs strength (30-seconds chair-stand test) and agility (8-feet timed up-and-go test). Inhibition (Stroop test) was considered for executive function. Physical and cognitive status improved significantly (p < 0.05) throughout the two years, with larger enhancements for physical function (mainly strength and agility). Strength and cardiovascular fitness were more sensitive to detraining, whilst agility proved to have larger training retentions. Inhibition followed an initial similar trend, but it was the only variable to improve along D2 (d = 0.52), and changes were not significant within periods. Notwithstanding aging, and the exercise cessation in D2, physical and cognitive status remained enhanced two years later compared to baseline, except for lower-limb strength. According to these results, basic physical capacities are very sensitive to training/detraining, deserving continuous attention (especially strength). Both reducing detraining periods and complementary resistance training should be considered. Additionally, physical enhancements following MCcogTPs may help cognition maintenance during detraining

Mejoras y valoración tras un programa de ejercicio específico para adultos mayores crónicos/paliativos

After analysing the impact of a cognitively oriented multicomponent home-based exercise training program on independence, perceived health status, and lower limb strength in a group of multimorbid and/or palliative older patients (MPO-P), we studied the associations between improvements following training and the participants and health personnel’s opinion of the program. 13 MPO-P, (80.15+4.20 years) completed four months of training progressing in autonomy (from two supervised sessions and one autonomous weekly -60min session-, to two autonomous and one supervised). This was followed by fourautonomous (detraining) weeks with a recommendation to continue the exercises. Volume and intensity were increased by introducing more global exercises, with a greater neuromuscular load and double tasks, and a shorter resting interval. No exercise was repeated during the session (EFAM-UV©). Independence (Barthel) and perceived health (physical SF-36, with no changes in the mental domain), were improved after supervised training, with a tendency to improve in strength (sitting and standing for 30-s) and perceived health (total SF-36). This effect was maintained after the autonomous detraining phase, with a very favourable final perception by both patients and health personnel, as indicated in questionnaires. The gain in independence correlated negatively with the users’perception, but this requirement ensured the improvement. There was no association between perceived health and the evaluation of the program.Tras analizar el impacto de un programa de entrenamiento domiciliario multicomponente, con orientación cognitiva, sobre independencia, percepción subjetiva de salud, y fuerza del miembro inferior en un grupo de adultos mayores crónicos multimórbidos y/o paliativos (MCM-Ps), se estudiaron las asociaciones entre las mejoras obtenidas y la valoración del programa de participantes y personal sanitario. 13 MCM-Ps (80.15+4.20 años) completaron cuatro meses de entrenamiento progresando en autonomía (de dos sesiones supervisadas y una autónoma semanalmente -60 min/sesión-, a dos autónomas y una supervisada). Le siguieron cuatro semanas autónomas (desentrenamiento) con recomendación de ejercicio. El volumen y la intensidad se aumentaron introduciendo más ejercicios integrales, con mayor carga neuromuscular y doble tarea, y menor tiempo de descanso entre ellos, sin repetirlos en la sesión (EFAM-UV©). Independencia (Barthel) y salud percibida (SF-36 físico, sin cambios en dominio mental) mejoraron tras el entrenamiento supervisado, con tendencia a la mejora de fuerza (sentarse y levantarse 30-s) y la salud percibida (SF-36total). El efecto permaneció tras la fase autónoma/desentrenamiento, con una percepción final muy favorable de pacientes y personal sanitario-determinada mediante cuestionarios-. La ganancia en independencia correlacionó negativamente con la valoración del usuario, pero esta exigencia aseguró su mejora. No hubo asociación entre salud percibida y valoración del programa.The study was financed by Vali+D Grant Nº ACIF/2014/137)

Strategies to change body composition in older adults: do type of exercise and dose distribution matter?

Background: This study aims to analyze changes in sedentary elderlies' body composition, comparing the impact of two dose distributions: continuous (60 min/session) vs. accumulated (30 min/session in the morning and 30 min/session in the afternoon), on two types of physical exercise programs (multicomponent-training [MCT] vs. walking interval-training [WIT]). Methods: Forty-six sedentary overweight elderly (71.3±4.3 years) were evaluated by bioimpedance with a pre-post 2x2 factorial design. Participants were distributed in four homogeneous groups, considering gait and health parameters. Results: The overall sample showed significant improvements in fat mass (% and kg) and fat-free mass (kg) following 15 weeks of training. There was a main effect of "type of exercise" and a moderating effect of "dose distribution" reflected in the interaction of both factors. Bonferroni analyses of the type*dose interaction revealed significant improvements in all groups, except for MCT-accumulated, on both body composition compartments. Conclusions: Starting exercise training, properly periodized and supervised by physical-education trainers, improves body composition of sedentary elderlies regardless of the type of exercise. Accumulated strategies were beneficial only when applied to WIT. Although MCT training improves body composition with only 2 days/week, WIT-accumulated could be a key element in the design of weight control policies looking for breaking sedentary behaviors

Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults: EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire vs the Short Form Health Survey

This study analyses the association between EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire indexes (utility index and visual analogue scale) and the physical and mental components of the Short Form Health Survey, considering the impact of some variables that may influence both questionnaires (i.e., age, BMI, physical fitness and cognitive function). Bivariate and partial correlation analysis between EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire indexes and summary components of the Short Form Health Survey, including the mentioned covariates, were conducted in 58 older adults (71.03±4.32 years). The large to small correlations found between utility index and the physical component (0.647), as well as the utility index and the visual analogue scale (0.441), persisted by adjusting physical condition, cognitive function, BMI and age, while mental components showed no association at all. The utility index and physical component were confirmed to correlate with physical fitness, although moderately (0.294; 0.284). BMI was negatively associated, but only to the utility index (-0.322). These results reinforce the concurrent validity only for the utility index and physical components and highlight the importance of physical fitness in a comprehensive geriatric assessment. The indexes of the Short Form Health Survey seem to provide diverse information regarding those of the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire in terms of the HRQL construct

Inspiratory Muscle Strength and Cardiorespiratory Fitness Association With Health-Related Quality of Life in Healthy Older Adults

The main purpose of this study was to explore similarities and differences in the association between two capabilities affecting the cardiorespiratory system (overall and multifactorial cardiorespiratory fitness and inspiratory muscle strength) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), in a group of active healthy seniors. Sixty-five individuals (age, 73.01 ± 5.27 years; 53 women) who participated regularly in a multicomponent training program completed the EuroQol 5D-5L questionnaire, the 6-min walking test (6MWT), and the maximum inspiratory pressure test (MIP). Non-parametric correlations (Spearman's rho) were conducted to analyze the association between HRQoL indices (EQindex and EQvas), MIP, and 6MWT, considering both, the whole sample and men and women separately. Furthermore, partial correlation was made by controlling age and sex. We found a moderate association between HRQoL and cardiorespiratory fitness (EQvas: r = 0.324, p = 0.009; EQindex: r = 0.312, p = 0.011). Considering sex, relationship EQvas-6MWT decrease to small (r = 0.275; p = 0.028) whereas EQindex-6MWT remained moderated (r = 0.425; p = 0.000). When we considered women and men separately, the association between HRQoL and 6MWT appeared only in women, while the observed strong trend (p = 0.051) toward a large and positive association between EQindex and MIP, mediated by the covariate age, appeared only in men. Conversely to the cardiorespiratory fitness, MIP is not a limiting factor of HRQoL in healthy active elderly. Moreover, MIP and HRQoL should be included in the assessment of exercise interventions because they provide different information about the cardiorespiratory system deterioration. Similarly, EQvas and EQindex confirm to be complementary in the assessment of HRQoL. Furthermore, like aging process is different for men and women, the association between MIP and cardiorespiratory fitness with HRQoL may behave differently, so keeping on research these associations could help to improve training programs for this population