Soccer pactice as an add-on treatment in the management of individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

Abstract: Physical activity is an important aspect of good health for everyone; it is even more important for psychiatric patients who usually live an unhealthy lifestyle. In recent years, there has been growing focus on the use of soccer as a vehicle to improve the health of subjects with severe mental illness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soccer practice on the self-reported health quality of life (SRHQL) and sports performance (SP) in psychotic subjects. Eighteen male patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomized into either a trained (TG) or a control group (CG). The TG was trained for 12 weeks using two soccer training sessions per week. The CG did not perform any regular sports activity during the experimental period. Anthropometric measurements, SRHQL, personal time records in a 30 meter sprint test and slalom test running with a ball were evaluated before and after the experimental period. SRHQL was assessed using Short Form-12 questionnaire measuring physical and mental component summary scores. After the training period, the TG showed a relevant decrease by 4.6% in bodyweight (BW) and body mass index compared to baseline. Conversely, the CG showed an increased BW and body mass index by 1.8% from baseline to posttest. Moreover, after 12 weeks we found that control patients increased their BW significantly when compared to trained patients (Δ = 5.4%; P , 0.05). After the training period, comparing the baseline TG’s Short Form-12-scores to posttest results, we found an improvement of 10.5% and 10.8% in physical component summary and mental component summary, respectively. In addition, performances on the 30 meter sprint test and slalom test running with a ball in the TG improved significantly (P , 0.01) from baseline to posttest when compared to CG. Soccer practice appears able to improve psychophysical health in individuals with diagnosis of schizophrenia. Indeed, our study demonstrated that programmed soccer physical activity could reduce antipsychotic medication-related weight gain and improve SRHQL and sports performance in psychotic subjects. Keywords: schizophrenia, mental illness, psychotic subjects, sport, exercise, socce

RUOLO DELL’ESERCIZIO FISICO NELLA QUALITÀ DI VITA DI SOGGETTI CON SCLEROSI MULTIPLA. ROLE OF EXERCISE IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN SUBJECTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

La sclerosi multipla è una patologia neurodegenerativa cronica che ha un impatto considerevole sullo stato fisico, psicologico e sociale dei pazienti, influenzando negativamente la loro qualità di vita. Tra i fattori contribuenti ad una ridotta qualità di vita sono inclusi la presenza di dolore, spasmi, sindromi depressive, l’aumento della fatica e la riduzione della forza muscolare, mobilità ed autonomia nella deambulazione. Accanto alla medicina convenzionale, varie forme di medicina complementare ed alternativa, tra cui l’esercizio fisico, sono utilizzate dai soggetti con sclerosi multipla. Tuttavia, poche sono le prove scientifiche a sostegno della loro efficacia nel ridurre i sintomi derivanti dalla patologia e nel migliorare la loro qualità di vita. L’obiettivo del presente studio è stato quello di illustrare i risultati presenti nella letteratura scientifica riguardo l’utilizzo dell’esercizio fisico quale metodo sicuro ed efficace per migliorare la qualità di vita di soggetti con sclerosi multipla. Nel dettaglio, sono stati presi in considerazione studi che hanno valutato gli effetti dell’esercizio in acqua, dell’allenamento aerobico e degli esercizi di forza e di potenziamento muscolare sull’efficienza cardio-respiratoria, deambulazione e riduzione dei sintomi e della fatica in questi soggetti. In questi studi, i pazienti che hanno svolto programmi di esercizio fisico, hanno mostrato miglioramenti della forma fisica ed in particolare della forza muscolare, mobilità, equilibrio, postura e deambulazione. Inoltre, hanno riportato una riduzione significativa del dolore, della stanchezza, della spasticità, degli spasmi e della depressione. In alcuni casi, questi cambiamenti sono stati mantenuti anche dopo l’interruzione dell’attività fisica. Gli effetti della pressione idrostatica, durante l’esercizio in acqua ha portato, in generale, ad ottimi risultati a livello cardiovascolare e respiratorio. Infatti, l’esercizio fisico ha aumentato il fitness cardiovascolare dei soggetti con SM, come dimostrato dagli incrementi del picco di VO2max permettendo loro di svolgere in maniera più energica le attività quotidiane e ricreative, senza affanno. Dagli studi presi in esame è anche emerso che l’esercizio fisico influenza la sfera psicologica ed emotiva di questi pazienti aumentando l’autostima ed il tono dell’umore. Questo lavoro dimostra l’efficacia clinica dell’attività motoria sia dal punto di vista emotivo che della performance motoria proponendo attività gradite e coinvolgenti che soddisfano i pazienti stessi.Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that has a significant impact on the physical, psychological and social situation of patients, adversely affecting their quality of life. Among the factors contributing to a reduced quality of life are included the presence of pain, spasms, depressive syndromes, increased fatigue and reduced muscle strength, mobility and autonomy in walking. In addition to conventional medicine, various forms of complementary and alternative medicine, including exercise, are used by people with multiple sclerosis. However, there is little scientific evidence to support their effectiveness in reducing the symptoms caused by the disease and improving their quality of life. The aim of this study was to illustrate the results from the scientific literature regarding the use of physical exercise as a safe and effective method for improving the quality of life in subjects with multiple sclerosis. In detail, we have been taken into account studies that have evaluated the effects of aquatic, aerobic and strength exercises on cardio-respiratory efficiency, gait and reduced symptoms and fatigue in these subjects. In these studies, patients who performed exercise programs showed improvements in physical form and, in particular, in muscle strength, mobility, balance, posture and gait. In addition, they reported a significant reduction in pain, fatigue, spasticity, spasms and depression. In several cases, these changes were maintained after cessation of exercise. The effects of hydrostatic pressure, during the exercise in water has led, in general, to excellent results in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In fact, exercise has increased the cardiovascular fitness of people with MS, as demonstrated by increases in peak VO2max allowing them to perform daily and recreational activities in a more energetic way. The studies examined also showed that exercise affects the psychological and emotional aspect of these patients by increasing self-esteem and mood. This work demonstrates the clinical efficacy of physical activity both in terms of emotional and motor performance offering appreciated and engaging activities that satisfy the patients themselves

INFLUENCE OF FELDENKRAIS METHOD ON SPINE HEALTH IN PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS. PILOT STUDY/INFLUENZA DEL METODO FELDENKRAIS SULLA SALUTE DEL RACHIDE IN MUSICISTI ORCHESTRALI PROFESSIONISTI. STUDIO PILOTA

Obiettivo: Lo scopo di questo studio è stato quello di esaminare se il Metodo Feldenkrais fosse utile per migliorare la flessibilità muscolare e ridurre il dolore alla schiena in musicisti orchestrali professionisti. Materiali e metodi: Diciassette partecipanti sono stati reclutati da un orchestra sinfonica di Palermo (Italia) e divisi casualmente in un gruppo di controllo (C, n = 8) e un gruppo Feldenkrais (F, n = 9). Il primo non ha partecipato al protocollo Feldenkrais e a qualsiasi altra attività fisica; mentre il secondo ha preso parte ad un programma costituito da quattro lezioni di gruppo di Consapevolezza Attraverso il Movimento (CAM) eseguito 2 ore alla settimana per 4 settimane. Al fine di valutare lo stato di salute della colonna vertebrale, abbiamo usato il sit-and-reach test ed il trunk lift test. Le differenze all'interno di ogni gruppo e tra il gruppo C e il gruppo F sono state rispettivamente esaminate con il test di Wilcoxon e quello di Mann-Whitney; e considerate significative con p ≤ 0,05. Risultati: La flessibilità muscolare del bicipite femorale e della regione lombare, e la forza, la flessibilità e la resistenza dei muscoli estensori del tronco era leggermente aumentata nel gruppo F rispetto al gruppo C dopo il protocollo Feldenkrais; anche se questa variazione non era statisticamente significativa. Diversamente, il gruppo C ha mostrato una riduzione del 5% in entrambi i test dopo 4 settimane. Dopo il protocollo Feldenkrais, l’altezza del gruppo F era significativamente maggiore rispetto a prima del trattamento. Inoltre, abbiamo trovato che il numero dei partecipanti, che hanno dichiarato di avere dolore forte e frequente alla schiena e agli arti, diminuiva durante il periodo di svolgimento del protocollo Feldenkrais. Questo effetto era maggiore nella regione cervicale rispetto a quella lombare e agli arti superiori. Conclusioni: I nostri risultati mostrano che il Metodo Feldenkrais ha effetti positivi sulla flessibilità muscolare e supporta l'uso di questo metodo per sciogliere le tensioni e le contrazioni muscolari che possono causare dolore nei musicisti orchestrali professionisti.Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore whether Feldenkrais Method was useful for improving muscular flexibility and reducing back pain in professional orchestral musicians. Materials and methods: Seventeen participants were recruited from a symphony orchestra of Palermo (Italy) and randomly divided in a control group (C, n=8) and a Feldenkrais group (F, n=9). The first didn’t participate in the Feldenkrais protocol and any other physical activity; while the second took part into a program consisting of four Awareness through movement (ATM) classes performed 2 hours/week for 4 weeks. In order to assess muscle fitness of spine, we used sit-and-reach and trunk lift test. The differences within each group and between C and F groups were respectively examined with Wilcoxon matched pair test and Mann-Whitney test; and considered significant with p≤0.05. Results: The muscular flexibility of hamstring and low back, and trunk extensor strength, flexibility and endurance slightly increased in F group compared with C group after Feldenkrais protocol even if this variation was not statistically significant. Differently, C group showed a reduction by 5% in both tests after 4 weeks. After Feldenkrais protocol, height of F group was significantly bigger than before treatment. Moreover, we found that the number of participants, who stated to have strong and frequent pain in the back and limbs, decreased during performing the Feldenkrais protocol. This effect was bigger in the cervical than lumbar spine and upper limbs.Conclusion: Our outcomes illustrate that Feldenkrais method has positive effects on muscle flexibility and supports the use of this method for dissolving muscle tensions and contractions that can cause pain in professional orchestral musicians

Changes in plasmatic redox status following lowmoderate intensity interval exercise training in rhythmic gymnastics trainers

Different types and intensities of exercise may induce varying levels of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants affecting plasma redox state in a specific way (Bloomer et al., 2005). The aim of our study was to investigate whether the plasmatic production of H2O2 and antioxidant capacity changed in response to a low-moderate intensity interval training session and after 48 hours of recovery in rhythmic gymnastics trainers. Ten women (age: 23.8 ± 3.42 y; weight: 52.58 ± 4.57 kg; height: 158.42 ± 2.20 cm; body mass index: 20.88 ± 1.23) with 13.14 ± 5.40 years of experience in rhythmic gymnastics and trainers from at least 4 years at a competitive level voluntarily participated in this study. One week before the training session, trainers performed a laboratory graded exercise test on the treadmill in order to determine their maximal heart rate (HRmax) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Following, they executed a interval training session at an average intensity of 57% FCmax, mainly in aerobic condition and only 2% of total time in anaerobic condition. The session included exercises typical of rhythmic gymnastics and a competition simulation. Immediately before and after the training session, blood samples were taken from trainers and H2O2 levels and antioxidant capacity were measured by dROMs and BAP test, respectively. The same think was performed after 48 h of recovery. After training, H2O2 levels were significantly lower than baseline; however they increased until to reach the baseline following 48 h of recovery. Antioxidant capacity decreased after training and was significantly higher than baseline after 48h of recovery. These results show that a low-moderate intensity interval training session of rhythmic gymnastics has different effects on ROS production and antioxidant capacity, and a regular exercise can protect the trainers by oxidative stress

Protein supplementation in strength and conditioning adepts: knowledge, dietary behaviour and practice in Palermo, Italy

Background: It is known that supplement use is a widespread and accepted practice by athletes and people who attend commercial gyms. Little is known about protein supplement amongst people undertaking strength training in commercial gyms in Italy when compared to the US. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the use of protein supplementation, alone or in association with other supplements, and dietary behavior amongst regular fitness center attendees in Palermo, Italy. Design: Resistance training information have been collected from 800 regular fitness center attendees for the initial analysis. A specific questionnaire was generated for the experimentation. Data were collected using a face-to-face interview method. Supplement users were then compared to the non users and analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, Kruskall-Wallis, chi-square test or exact test of Fisher when appropriate. Results: 30.1% of the respondents use dietary supplements during their training as a believe it is the "way to gain muscles and strength". Whey protein shakes (50.0%) mixed with creatine and amino-acids (48.3%) were the most frequent choices amongst the users. A majority of the subjects (34.0%) appeared to rely on their gym instructors' advice for their intake; a lower proportion (13.0%) consulted physicians, while none of them consulted nutritionists. A high consumption of milk has been noticed in both users (67,7%) and non-users (52,8%); supplement non-users consumed significantly more snacks and bakery products than users per week (P < 0.001), while users consumed significantly more protein-rich foods (P < 0.01) with a particular preference for meat (48.0%). Conclusions: A considerable number of regular strength training adepts consume protein supplements mixed with other products (mainly creatine and amino-acids). Limited numbers consult "dietary specialists" and rely mainly on their instructors. We emphasize on the importance of the dissemination of scientifically based information about supplementation in this environment and the promotion of updated educational programs for the instructors

THE EVALUATION OF MUSCLE FLEXIBILITY IN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS

Introduction The agility and coordination are two of many attributes required to become a successful player. Several reports have showed that the training of muscle flexibility leads to improvements both in the coordinative and technical performance, and in the process of motor learning (1). The aim of our study was to evaluate the flexibility of shoulders, trunk and lower limbs in young male soccer players compared to that of sedentary subjects. Methods Twelve players (age: 20.00 ± 3.74 years; weight: 74.25 ± 6.80 kg; height: 178.92 ± 6.65 cm) belonging all to the same soccer team and ten sedentary subjects (age: 21.8 ± 3.12 years; weight: 73.60 ± 5.29 kg; height: 179.50 ± 5.78) were tested. The players had 11.75 ± 3.57 years of experience in soccer game and 58% of them had undergone injuries (58% in upper limbs and 1.7% of them also in lower limbs). The sedentary subjects presented about 30% of injuries in upper limbs and 3% also in lower limbs. Low back and hamstring flexibility was measured by the sit and reach test. The range of motion of hip abduction was measured with a goniometer. The flexibility of shoulders was evaluated by a full circumduction of both arms and the lateral flexion of trunk with a measuring scale fixed to the wall. Results Soccer players had a higher flexibility of shoulders and trunk than sedentary subjects; however this difference was not significant (p>0.05). Moreover, the players showed a significant increase in range of motion of hip abduction compared with sedentary subjects and, in particular, the right hip was more flexible compared with the left one. The range of motion of hip abduction was not related to the age and body mass index of the soccer players. Discussion The difference of flexibility between the body upper and lower part in soccer players may be due to a scarce and unspecific training of shoulder and trunk flexibility compared with legs. This difference might provoke a postural unbalance with higher risks of injuries (2) due to falls and lower technical-coordinative performance. References (1) Gleim GW, McHugh MP. Flexibility and its effects on sports injury and performance. Sports Med 1997; 24: 289-99. (2) Witvrouw E et al. Muscle flexibility as a risk factor for developing injuries in male professional soccer players. A prospective study. Am J Sports Med 2003; 31: 41-6

THE ANALYSIS OF BODY BALANCE IN A PARALYMPIC SPRINTER: A CASE REPORT

Introduction Trans-tibial amputation is responsible for biomechanical changes (i.e. absence of muscles, bones and joints) and modifications in both afferent and efferent projections. Because of these impairments, body balance is difficult to control and falls are a significant problem for trans-tibial amputees (Curtze et al., 2010). The aim of our study was to evaluate whether specific exercises can improve body balance in a paralympic sprinter (category: T-44) after 7 weeks of training. Methods The athlete was a healthy and active female subject (age: 37 years; weight: 58.2 Kg; height: 161cm; BMI: 22.45) with an unilateral transtibial amputation to 1/3 of the right lower limb since the age of 2 years and 6 months. The athlete was tested during the 6th and 7th mesocycle of training macrocycle prior XIII Paralympics Games, Beijing 2008. During the experimentation we added in her sessions of training specific exercises to improve balance control systems such as walking along a line or on a wood support with open and closed eyes (OCE); swaying on proprioceptive footboard with OCE ect. Before and during the experimentation the typical week of training included 5 sessions of ~2 hours. Every session included a warm up pattern for about 20 minutes (min), a training period including about 20 min of specific pre-athletic exercises and 50 min of specific work, and a cool down step for 20 min. Balance control indicators, such as mean speed (MS), lateral-lateral mean speed (MS-x), anterior-posterior mean speed (MS-y), sway path (SP) and ellipse surface area (ESA) of the body mass center were analyzed by unipedal test on left foot (UTLF) with open or closed eyes using a stabilometric platform. All data were acquired before and after the experimentation. Results During unipedal test on left foot with open eyes all stabilometric parameters did not show any relevant modifications; while in UTLF with closed eyes MS, MS-x, SP and ESA decreased after 7 weeks of training. Discussion The exercises stressing balance control system appears to affect the postural stability of an athlete with trans-tibial amputation. We suppose that these kinds of exercises can improve the proprioceptive system of body balance control and preserve the subject from the fall risk (Viton et al., 2000). References Curtze C, Hof AL, Otten B, Postema K: Balance recovery after an evoked forward fall in unilateral transtibial amputees. Gait Posture. 2010 Jul;32(3):336-41. Viton JM, Mouchnino L, Mille ML, Cincera M, Delarque A, Pedotti A, Bardot A, Massion J: Equilibrium and movement control strategies in trans-tibial amputees. Prosthet Orthot Int. 2000 Aug;24(2):108-16