Redução da dor em mulheres com osteoporose submetidas a um programa de atividade física

Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a dor e o consumo de analgésicos em mulheres com osteoporose, após a realização de um programa de atividade física. Participaram do estudo 15 mulheres com média de idade 59±7,6 anos, com diagnóstico densitométrico em L2-L4 de osteoporose e que haviam feito uso de analgésicos para dorsalgia pelo menos três vezes por semana no mês precedente à avaliação inicial. A dor foi avaliada por questões extraídas do Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire, aplicadas antes e após um programa de atividade física; o escore variou de 0 (melhor, sem dor) a 10 (pior, dor diária). O programa, que consistiu em caminhadas, exercícios livres de membros superiores e inferiores e relaxamento, foi realizado duas vezes por semana durante 28 semanas consecutivas. Os dados foram tratados estatisticamente. Comparando-se as pontuações obtidas, a dor apresentou uma diminuição significativa entre a avaliação inicial (7,33±3,05) e final (4,17±2,61, p=0,0007). Observou-se também uma redução no consumo de analgésicos. Esses resultados sugerem que o programa de atividade física foi efetivo para a diminuição da dor, contribuindo para a melhora da qualidade de vida das mulheres com osteoporose.This paper aimed at evaluating the effect of a physical activity program onto the level of pain as perceived by women with osteoporosis. Fifteen women (mean age 59±7.6 years old) with bone-densitometry diagnosis of lumbar osteoporosis took part in the study; they all took analgesics at least thrice a week in the month prior to the study. Pain was assessed by questions extracted from the Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire both before and after the program; scores ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (pain everyday). The program consisted of walking, lower and upper limb free exercises, massage, and relaxation, twice a week, during 28 weeks. Data were statistically analysed. A significant decrease in pain was found after the program (from 7.33±3.05 to 4.17±2.61, p=0,0007), and a lesser use of analgesics was reported. These results suggest that the program of physical activity brought pain relief, thus contributing to improve quality of life of women with osteoporosis

Is pelvic floor muscle training able to alter the response of cardiovascular autonomic modulation and provide a possible cardiovascular benefit to pregnant women?

Aims: To evaluate the acute and chronic effect of an exercise protocol of pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) contraction on the heart period (HP) and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) variabilities and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) at rest in pregnant women; and to evaluate if this progressive exercise protocol was well-tolerated by the pregnant women studied. Methods: We evaluated 48 women at 18 weeks of pregnancy by vaginal palpation, vaginal manometry, and cardiopulmonary exercise test. They were divided in control (CG; 31.75 \ub1 3.91 years) and training groups (TG; 30.71 \ub1 3.94 years). At 19 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, electrocardiogram and noninvasive peripheral SAP data were collected at rest before and after 10 PFM contractions. TG performed PFMT from the 20th to the 36th week. HP and SAP variabilities were analyzed by spectral and symbolic analysis. The baroreflex was evaluated by cross-spectral analysis between the HP and SAP series. Results: The groups did not differ in relation to VO2 , HP and SAP variabilities, and BRS at the beginning of the protocol. TG increased the endurance of the PFM after training. PFM contraction did not change the HP and SAP variabilities, and BRS at the 18th week. After the training, the TG presented lower SAP mean, lower BF of SAP variability, and higher BRS than CG. Conclusions: Acute PFM contractions did not alter HP and SAP variabilities and BRS, but PFMT resulted in a lower SAP mean and higher BRS in trained pregnant when compared to the untrained

Relationship between aerobic capacity and pelvic floor muscles function: a cross-sectional study

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between aerobic capacity and pelvic floor muscles (PFM) function in adult women. Women aged 18 or over and without urinary dysfunction or other chronic diseases were eligible to participate. They completed the habitual physical activity (HPA) questionnaire, underwent a PFM functional evaluation by palpation and perineometry, and performed a submaximal (between 75 and 85% of maximum heart rate) cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) test to determine the ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT). Forty-one women were included (35±16 years, 75% physically active, 17% very active, and 8% sedentary and 17% presented grade 1 PFM contraction, 31.8% grade 2, 26.8% grade 3, and 24.4% grade 4, according to the modified Oxford Scale). The average PFM contraction pressure obtained by perineometer was 53±26 cmH2O and the average oxygen consumption at VAT (VO2VAT) obtained from CPX was 14±2 mL·kg-1·min-1. Significant correlations were found between PFM contraction pressure and VO2VAT (r=0.55; P<0.001); between PFM contraction pressure and HPA score (r=0.38; P=0.02); between age and VO2VAT (r=-0.25; P=0.049); and between VO2VAT and HPA score (r=0.36; P=0.02). An age-adjusted multiple linear regression equation (R2=0.32) was derived to estimate VO2VAT from the contraction value obtained by perineometer, so that the PFM contraction pressure was able to predict VO2VAT. The equation was validated using data from another group of 20 healthy women (33±12 years; PFM contraction: 49±23 cmH2O) and no significant difference was found between actual VO2VAT and predicted VO2VAT (13.1±1.9 vs 13.8±2.0 mL·kg-1·min-1). In conclusion, PFM function is associated with aerobic capacity in healthy women and PFM contraction pressure may be used to estimate VO2VAT in this population