Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) management: present state of the art

This paper reviews existing theories explaining the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) phenomenon. The authors describe the main symptoms of DOMS and their relation to different kinds of training strategies, and discuss the most popular muscle pain reduction interventions such as stretching, diet, dietary supplements, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cryotherapy and cold water immersion, concurrent training, and the repeated bout effect

Effects of different circuit training protocols on body mass, fat mass and blood parameters among overweight adults

The benefits of regular exercise are known for a long time, but the mechanisms underlying the exercise mode recommendations for specific chronic cardiovascular diseases remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of different circuit training protocols in sedentary overweight adults

INFLUENCE OF NUTRITION AND GENETICS ON PERFORMANCE: A PILOT STUDY IN A GROUP OF GYMNASTS

Purpose. Energy requirements in sports performance are affected by numerous factors: physical characteristics, age, genetic basis, sports discipline. The Food and Nutrition Board recommended nutrition based on age, height, and body weight gain in relation to physical activity. Some genetic factors, such as the PPAR-encoding gene, play a key role in metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of specific snacks on performance. Methods. Seventeen girls aged 10–14 years practising artistic gymnastics were enrolled. A carb or protein/carb snack was provided before the training, and a questionnaire was administered at the end. In addition, saliva samples were collected for genetic analyses. Results. Most girls represented the CC genotype (65%), while a small part had the GC (23%) and GG (12%). The average BMI equalled 20.05 ± 2.8 kg/m2 in the group with the CC genotype, 19.6 ± 2.8 kg/m2 with the GC genotype, and 20.2 ± 2.8 kg/m2 with the GG genotype. The questionnaire showed that 59% of girls experienced a performance improvement after eating a carb snack; slightly different results were observed after the intake of a protein/carb snack: 47% felt more energy and 12% more fatigue. Conclusions. This is a preliminary study that should be deepened by increasing the number of subjects, as well as diversifying the type of snacks administered and increasing the time of the study. It is important to be mindful of eating habits and lifestyle in order to prevent the onset of overweight

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND WELL-BEING

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects central nervous system (CNS) \u2013 coexists in brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It can process in three different courses: remitting, progressive and progressive-relapsing. Although there is still no cure for MS, effective strategies are available to modify the disease course, reduce number of relapses, rate of progressions and development of new lesions. Nowadays, moderate physical performance is strongly recommended: besides having positive effects on the body, it can have a positive effect on the psychophysical wellbeing. Essentially there are 3 types of training protocols: aerobic (endurance training), strength training (resistance training) and combined training. The majority of the studies suggests that regular physical activity can improve fatigue, depression and quality of life in people with MS, however most of the researchers worked without any guidelines for physical activity adapted to the MS, which are still under review by the scientific communit

Social closeness,salivary hormones and physical exercise

Introduction: Saliva collection and analysis is quickly becoming a useful and non-invasive tool for the evaluation of sport biomarkers. The aim of this study is to create a multidisciplinary assessment model, which can help to provide psychological and physiological responses, related to sport performances, social closeness and performance anxiety management in team sports. Materials and methods: We enrolled in our research 26 female volleyball players aged 13 ± 1 years old of three different teams (T1: 12 players; T2: 9 players; T3: 5 players). Saliva collection was carried out before and after the match for every team. Then we analyzed cortisol and progesterone concentrations through Elisa standard kits. Results: The results of the T-test performed on the total results showed a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) in cortisol levels pre and post match: in fact, it has been shown a statistical significant decrease (p < 0.001). The analysis performed using just samples post match shows a negative correlation between social closeness, cortisol and progesterone levels, with p < 0.010 for progesterone vs social closeness and p < 0.012 for cortisol vs social closeness, which indicates that increasing of one of the two hormones reduces relationship. About the winner teams and the looser teams, there is a negative correlation between pre match cortisol levels and performance anxiety (p < 0.042)

PLASMA MEMBRANE REDOX SYSTEM IN THE ERYTHROCYTES OF ROWERS: PILOT STUDY

Background: The oxidative stress results from a change in the physiological balance between oxidant and antioxidant species. The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to investigate the effects of long-term training in sports with high energy requirements on the redox balance which exists between the plasma vs. the erythrocytes; second, to study the activity of the PMRS (Plasma Membrane Redox System), which is a compensatory mechanism of cellular redox homeostasis, in the rowers’ erythrocytes in order to determine the rowers’ counteraction to oxidative stress. Methods: Venous blood samples was collected from rowers and control group; then FRAP (Ferric Reducing Activity Power) method has been used to determine the antioxidant capabilities both in the plasma and in the erythrocytes of 22 rowers vs. 26 sedentary subjects. For the same groups of subjects, the PMRS in erythrocytes has been also evaluated. Results: The plasmatic antioxidant activity was 21% lower in the group of rowers compared to the sedentary group (p = 0,02). In contrast, no significant differences were found in the reducing activity of the erythrocytes; however the erythrocytes of the rowers have shown values of the PMRS 35% higher than the untrained group (p &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions: Rowing induces a significant oxidative stress in the plasma corresponding to the high intensity training, while this effect lacks in erythrocytes. At the same time an increased quantity of the PMRS has been observed in the erythrocytes. In conclusion, in well trained athletes this not lead to established an oxidative stress condition because long-term training adaptatively improves the efficiency of the antioxidant syste

ATTIVITA’ FISICA LATTACIDA IN SOGGETTI AFFETTI DA SCLEROSI MULTIPLA: UN MODELLO DI ANALISI INTERDISCIPLINARE

La qualità della vita è considerata un prodotto derivante da benessere fisico, mentale e sociale e può ovviamente essere compromessa in soggetti affetti da sclerosi multipla (SM), malattia autoimmune cronica demielinizzante che può presentare disturbi abbastanza variegati. Oggetto della presente tesi di dottorato è stato quello di testare un modello di approccio interdisciplinare che possa migliorare la qualità della vita nei pazienti affetti da SM, attraverso la promozione dell'attività fisica, considerando i benefici indotti dalla stessa sullo stato di salute sia fisico che mentale dei pazienti affetti da questa patologia. Particolare attenzione è stata rivolta alla valutazione dei fattori che possono fungere da barriere per il coinvolgimento dei suddetti soggetti in un piano di attività fisica, al fine di individuare le migliori strategie per abbatterle. Dal punto di vista fisico-motorio, lo studio ha indagato il miglioramento della qualità della vita attraverso l'incremento di alcuni parametri come forza, equilibrio e reattività oculo-manuale; le valutazioni psicologiche riguardano l'autoefficacia dei soggetti, la loro motivazione all'esercizio fisico, il supporto sociale, la loro percezione della qualità della vita e l'ansia; per quanto riguarda i parametri ematochimici, partendo dall'osservazione dei livelli di lattato baseline, che nei soggetti sclerotici sembrerebbero essere insolitamente più alti rispetto a soggetti sani, lo studio vuole indagare sulla possibilità di riutilizzo del lattato stesso come substrato energetico, al fine di migliorare la fatica cronica associata a tale patologia

INTEGRATIVE APPROACH BETWEEN GENE VARIANTS, NEUROENDOCRINE EFFECTORS AND ANXIETY RESPONSE: A PILOT STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate the neurobiology of stress/emotionality, creating a multidisciplinary assessment model, which can help to provide psychological and physiological responses depending on the genetic background related to sport performances, social closeness and performance anxiety management in team sports. We enrolled 20 female volleyball players aged 13 ± 1 years old played in two different teams during a regional championship final. Saliva collection was carried out before and after the match. In order to evaluate the neuroendocrine effectors involved in stress and performance, we analyzed cortisol and progesterone levels through Elisa standard kit as well as HSP70 and amylase activity as stress-induced markers. As concern the psychometric assesment, we administrated he CSAI-2 test, Closeness Generating Procedure and STAI test. Genomic DNA was isolated from saliva cells using a QIAamp saliva kit according to the manufacturer’s protocols. The SNP of the 5-HTTLPR, BDNF, DRD4 were analyzed. The results of the T-test performed on the total results showed a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) in cortisol levels pre and post match, as well between amylase and HP70 according to the genetic background. The analysis performed using just post match samples show a negative correlation between social closeness, cortisol and progesterone levels, with p < 0.010 for progesterone vs social closeness and p < 0.012 for cortisol vs social closeness. About the winner teams and the looser teams, there is a negative correlation between pre match cortisol levels and performance anxiety (p < 0.042)

An innovative way to highlight the power of each polymorphism on the elite athletes phenotype expression

The purpose of this study was to determine the probability of soccer players having the best genetic background that could increase performance, evaluating the polymorphism that are considered Performance Enhancing Polymorphism (PEPs) distributed on five genes: PPARα, PPARGC1A, NRF2, ACE e CKMM. Particularly, we investigated how each polymorphism works directly or through another polymorphism to distinguish elite athletes from non-athletic population. Materials And Methods. Sixty professional soccer players (age 22.5 ± 2.2) and sixty healthy volunteers (age 21.2± 2.3) were enrolled. Samples of venous blood was used to prepare genomic DNA. The polymorphic sites were scanned using PCR-RFLP protocols with different enzyme. We used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to demonstrate an association between the five PEPs and elite phenotype. Results. We found statistical significance in NRF2 (AG/GG genotype) polymorphism/soccer players association (p < 0.05) as well as a stronger association in ACE polymorphism (p =0.02). Particularly, we noticed that the ACE ID genotype and even more the II genotype are associated with soccer player phenotype. Although the other PEPs had no statistical significance, we proved that some of these may work indirectly, amplifying the effect of another polymorphism; for example, seems that PPARα could acts on NRF2 (GG) enhancing the effect of the latter, notwithstanding it had not shown a statistical significance. Conclusions. In conclusion, it is not enough to examinate the influence that each polymorphism could have on physical performance, but it is necessary to understand how they act and interact, directly and indirectly, on each other