Changes in throwing sports rules: Implications about the performance of Paralympic athletes

The objective of this study was to identify statutory changes in throwing sports occurred in 2014 and how they interfere with the Brazilian athletes’ performance. The research is characterized as descriptive, documentary and quantitative. Rules were consulted in the archives from the International Paralympic Committee and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee as well as 177 results from competitions between 2013 and 2014. Student’s t-test (paired) was used during statistical analysis with a 5% significance level. Results show a significant difference in throwing competitors’ performance following the statutory changes. The functional classification F58 and F57 revealed a decrease in performance in 2014. Athletes with higher functional capabilities had worse performance compared to the results of those who are less functionally capable. The results of this investigation show that the changes in rules had direct consequences in results during the years analyzed, thus suggesting athletes have yet to assimilate and adapt to them

Physical exercise improves the functional capacity and quality of life in patients with heart failure

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of physical exercise on the functional capacity and quality of life in heart failure patients. METHODS: Forty-two patients of both sexes with heart failure of NYHA class II and III with different etiologies were randomly divided into untrained or trained groups. The six-month exercise program consisted of aerobic training, muscle strength training, agility and joint flexibility activities. Physical fitness was evaluated by testing the performance on these trained components. Quality of life was evaluated by scored answers to a standardized questionnaire involving multiple domains. RESULTS: Baseline values did not differ between groups. Improvement in the trained group was identified in all components of functional capacity when compared to the untrained group (p < 0.001). Quality of life improved in the trained patients concerning physical, psychological, social and environmental domains (p < 0.001), whereas no significant change was found in the untrained patients. CONCLUSIONS: Guided and monitored physical exercise is safe and has the potential to improve functional capacity and quality of life in heart failure patients with multiple etiologies.Federal University of São Paulo Department of Medicine Division of Internal MedicineFederal University of São Paulo Department of Medicine Cardiology DivisionUNIFESP, Department of Medicine Division of Internal MedicineUNIFESP, Department of Medicine Cardiology DivisionSciEL

Influence of menarche on perception of body - dimension and - image of active and insufficiently active girls

Objective: verify the influence of menarche in the perception of the dimension and the body image of active and inactive girls. Methods: Thirty-eight girls were distributed into two groups active and insufficiently active subjects and analyzed before and after menarche. Anthropometric parameters and perceptions of body size and body image were used as evaluation parameters. Results: After menarche, all the girls in both groups presented alteration (p &lt;0.05) only in the anthropometric parameters and in the body perception index of the hip after the menarche. No significant changes were identified (p&gt; 0.05) between groups. Conclusion: menarche induced anthropometric alterations and different perceptions of hip size, but without modifying the silhouettes choices and body satisfaction independently of the level of physical activity

Repercussions of training and detraining by water-based exercise on functional fitness and quality of life: a short-term follow-up in healthy older women

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of short-term exercise detraining on the functional fitness of older women after a 12-week water-based exercise (WE) program. METHODS: Healthy older women (trained (TR) group) were submitted to 12 weeks WE (three 45 min sessions per week) followed by a 6-week detraining period. A group of aged-matched women without any exercise training (UN group) were evaluated during the same period. The aerobic power, measured by VO2max and 800 meters performance, and the neuromuscular fitness and quality of life were evaluated. All assessments were made at baseline, after 12 weeks of training and after 4 and 6 weeks of detraining. RESULTS: No changes were found for the UN group during the follow-up study, but WE induced significant improvement in aerobic capacity, neuromuscular fitness and quality of life score. However, the upper and lower body strength, agility, flexibility, and body balance returned to UN levels (p>0.05) after 6 weeks of detraining. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed that 12 weeks of WE improves the functional fitness parameters and quality of life of older women. However, after a short detraining period of 4-6 weeks, the neuromuscular parameters and the quality of life score returns to baseline or untrained subject levels.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM)Nove de Julho UniversityArbos CollegeFederal University of Espírito SantoUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Treadmill Exercise Training Prevents Myocardial Mechanical Dysfunction Induced by Androgenic-Anabolic Steroid Treatment in Rats

Elevated concentrations of testosterone and its synthetic analogs may induce changes in cardiovascular function. However, the effects of the combination of anabolic/androgenic steroid (AAS) treatment and exercise training on systolic and diastolic cardiac function are poorly understood. in the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of low-dose steroid treatment (stanozolol) on cardiac contractile parameters when this steroid treatment was combined with exercise training in rats and the effects of chronic steroid treatment on the Frank-Starling (length-tension curves) relationship. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: U (untrained), US (untrained and treated with stanozolol 5 mg/kg/week), T (trained, 16 m/min/1 h) and TS (trained and treated with stanozolol 5 mg/kg/week). Continuous exercise training was conducted 5 days/week for 8 consecutive weeks. the speed of the treadmill was gradually increased to a final setting of 16 m/min/1 h. Experiments were divided into two independent series: 1) central hemodynamic analysis for mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and cardiac output (CO) measurements and 2) isolated papillary muscle preparation in Krebs solution. Stanozolol treatment significantly increased the MAP and the heart size in untrained and trained rats (U 113 +/- 2; T 106 +/- 2; US 138 +/- 8 and TS 130 +/- 7 mmHg). Furthermore, stanozolol significantly decreased developed tension and dT/dt (maximal and minimal) in U rats. However, the developed tension was completely restored by training. the Frank/Starling relationship was impaired in rats treated with stanozolol; however, again, training completely restored diastolic function. Taken together, the present data suggest that AAS treatment is able to decrease cardiac performance (systolic and diastolic functions). the combination of stanozolol and physical training improved cardiac performance, including diastolic and systolic functions, independent of changes in central hemodynamic parameters. Therefore, changes in ventricular myocyte calcium transients may play a cardioprotective role.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Univ Sao Judas Tadeu, Dept Post Grad Phys Educ, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, Div Cardiovasc, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Cardiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, Div Cardiovasc, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Div Cardiol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Body satisfaction and use anabolic steroids perceptions of adolescents

Background: It is known that adolescence is a phase of transformation subject to innumerable influences. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the level of body satisfaction among male adolescents practicing bodybuilding and perception and value attributed to the use of anabolic steroids (AS). Methods: The sample consisted of 3150 male adolescents aged 15 to 21 years. The adolescents were submitted to a questionnaire with 41 questions containing several elements detected such as: the level of body satisfaction, the bodybuilding practice proposing body changes and the possible use of AS. Results: The main results were attributed to the high level of satisfaction for body image variables from the members of their social group in 1883 (60%, X2 = 26.361; p<0.005), body mass 1552 (50%; X2 = 55.374; p<0.005) and muscle mass 1199 (39%, X2 = 10.405; p <0.005). Additionally, 1243 (39%; X2 = 31.926; p <0.005) adolescents confirm the possibility of use; the preference for faster means to achieve changes in their bodies, even knowing about health risks was 1347 (43%; X2 = 31.926; p<0.005). On the knowledge of the effects to the point of refusing their involvement related to the use of AS with aesthetic objectives 1152 (36%; X2 = 45.758; p<0.005) students affirm that they did not know, however, they would still use it, with statistically significant observed differences. Conclusion: Although it is possible to consider a high level of satisfaction for the variables associated with body image, adolescents consider the use of AS to achieve changes in their bodies by faster means, despite knowing about health risks even without knowledge of the effects related to the use of AS for aesthetic purposes

Effects of vitamin D supplementation on pulmonary function in postmenopausal women following an aquatic exercise program

Objective: This study sought to investigate the effects of vitamin D supplementation and aquatic exercise on pulmonary function in postmenopausal women. Materials and methods: This prospective and controlled study included 104 women (62 +/- 6.5 years) divided into three groups: a control group lacking vitamin D and calcium supplementation which remained sedentary (CGn = 17)a control group receiving vitamin D and calcium supplementation which remained sedentary (CDG, n = 33)and a group that completed aquatic exercises three times a week and received vitamin D and calcium supplementation (DTG, n = 54). Data before and after 6 months of the study were analyzed, including serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) and calcium concentrations, peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), and cirtometry. Results: We observed significant increases in 25(OH) D concentrations in CDG (52.9 +/- 2.4 to 69.1 +/- 2.2nmol/Lp < 0.0001) and DTG groups (55.5 +/- 3 to 71.5 +/- 3 nmol/Lp < 0.0001). PEF increased by 7 +/- 2% (p = 0.0080) in CDG group and 11 +/- 2% (p < 0.0001) in DTG group, whereas FVC increased by 7 +/- 2% (p = 0.0016) in the CDG group and 10 +/- 2% (p < 0.0001) in the DTG group, whereas CG had no changes in any of these parameters. The increment value of cirtometry in DTG group (+ 43 +/- 3%) were significantly (p < 0.0001) higher than those in CG (-4 +/- 8%) and CDG (+ 4 +/- 9%) groups. Conclusion: Our data suggest that vitamin D supplementation improves pulmonary function parameters in postmenopausal women.Fapesp (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo)Federal AgencFederal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (Higher Education Personnel Improvement Coordination - Capes)Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med, Disciplina Endocrinol, Fac Med,Unifesp,EPM, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Judas Tadeu, Fisiol Translac, Programa Posgrad Educ Fis & Ciencias Envelhecimen, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Escola Educ Fis & Esporte, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med, Disciplina Endocrinol, Fac Med,Unifesp,EPM, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 08/50179-9Web of Scienc

Prior exercise training does not prevent acute cardiac alterations after myocardial infarction in female rats

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether previous exercise training could prevent or attenuate acute cardiac alterations after myocardial infarction. METHODS: Female rats were submitted to swim training (1 h/day; 5 days/week) or allowed to remain sedentary for 8 weeks. Afterwards, they were randomly assigned to left coronary artery occlusion or sham surgery. After this procedure, the rats remained sedentary for one week until euthanasia. Cardiac structural and functional analyses were performed using Doppler echocardiography. The rats that had a moderate or large infarct size were included in the evaluations. The data (mean + SEM) were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA model followed byTukey's post-hoc test. RESULTS: After the surgery, no significant difference between the exercise and sedentary groups was observed in the left ventricular infarct sizes (34.58 + 3.04 vs. 37.59 + 3.07). In another group of rats evaluated with Evans blue 1 h after myocardial infarction, no siginificant difference in the area at risk was observed between the exercised and sedentary rats (49.73 + 1.52 vs. 45.48 + 3.49). The changes in the left ventricular fractional areas for the exercised and sedentary myocardial infarction groups (36 + 2% and 39 + 3%, respectively) were smaller than those for the exercise sham surgery (ES, 67+1%) and sedentary sham surgery (SS, 69 + 2%) groups. The E/A was higher in the sedentary myocardial infarction (4.4 + 0.3) and exercised myocardial infarction (5.5 + 0.3) rats than in the SS (2.4 + 0.1) and ES (2.2 + 0.1) rats. CONCLUSION: Previous swim training of female rats does not attenuate systolic and diastolic function alterations after myocardial infarction induced by left coronary artery occlusion, suggesting that cardioprotection cannot be provided by exercise training in this experimental model

Nordic Walking can be incorporated in the exercise prescription to increase aerobic capacity, strength and quality of life for elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize and analyze the effects of Nordic Walking on physical fitness, body composition and quality of life in the elderly. METHODS: keyword "Nordic Walking" associated with "elderly" AND/OR "aging" AND/OR "old subjects" AND/OR "aged" AND/OR "older adults" were used in the onlines database Medline, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and SPORTDiscus. Only studies written in English language and published in peer-reviewed journals were considered. A meta-analysis was performed and effect sizes calculated. RESULTS: 15 studies were identified; age of participants ranged from 60 to 92 years old. Comparing with a sedentary group, effect sizes showed that Nordic Walking was able to improve dynamic balance (0.30), functional balance (0.62), muscle strength of upper (0.66) and lower limbs (0.43), aerobic capacity (0.92), cardiovascular outcomes (0.23), body composition (0.30) and lipid profile (0.67). It seemed that Nordic Walking had a negative effect on static balance (-0.72). Comparing with a walking (alone) training, effect sizes showed that Nordic Walking improved the dynamic balance (0.30), flexibility of the lower body (0.47) and quality of life (0.53). Walking training was more effective in improving aerobic capacity (-0.21). Comparing Nordic Walking with resistance training, effect sizes showed that Nordic Walking improved dynamic balance (0.33), muscle strength of the lower body (0.39), aerobic capacity (0.75), flexibility of the upper body (0.41), and the quality of life (0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Nordic Walking can be considered as a safe and accessible form of aerobic exercise for the elderly population, able to improve cardiovascular outcomes, muscle strength, balance ability and quality of life