Unaccustomed Exercise Causes Rhabdomyolysis

Cross Fit TM is a relatively new strength and conditioning program defined as “constantly varied, functional movements, performed at a high intensity”. The goal of the program is to increase “work capacity across broad time and modal domains” [1]. Even though this training modality has been criticized by the main stream media for “high risk of injury” most of these claims have been anecdotal, as recent evidence suggest this training modality is not any more “dangerous” than other exercise programs [2]. One of the biggest criticisms of this training modality has been its association with Rhabdomyolysis, a condition that results in the breakdown of muscle tissue and can result in death [3,4]. However, these claims have not been substantiated by any study looking at the incidence of injury due to Cross Fit participation [2,5,6]

A Comparison of Commonly Used Accelerometer Based Activity Monitors in Controlled and Free-Living Environment

This dissertation was designed to determine the effects of body mass index (BMI) and walking speed on activity monitor outputs. A secondary purpose was to compare the activity monitors’ performance in a free-living environment. In the first experiment, 71 participants wore three waist-mounted activity monitors (Actical, ActiGraph, and NL-2000) and an ankle-mounted device (StepWatch 3) while walking on a treadmill (40, 67 and 94 m/min). The tilt angle of each device was measured. The Actical recorded 26% higher activity counts (P \u3c 0.01) in obese persons with a tilt \u3c10 degrees, compared to normal weight persons. The ActiGraph was unaffected by BMI or tilt angle. In the second experiment, the steps recorded by the devices were compared to actual steps. Speed had the greatest influence on the accuracy these devices. At 40 m/min, the ActiGraph was the least accurate device for normal weight (38%), overweight (46%) and obese (48%) individuals. The Actical, NL-2000 and StepWatch averaged 65%, 73% and 99% of steps taken, respectively. Lastly, several generations of the ActiGraph (7164, GT1M, and GT3X), and other research grade activity monitors (Actical; ActivPAL; and Digi-Walker) were compared to a criterion measure of steps. Fifty-six participants performed treadmill walking (40, 54, 67, 80 and 94 m/min) and wore the devices for 24-hours under free-living conditions. BMI did not affect step count accuracy during treadmill walking. The StepWatch, PAL, and the AG7164 were the most accurate across all speeds; the other devices were only accurate at the faster speeds. In the free-living environment, all devices recorded about 75% of StepWatch-determined steps, except the AG7164 (99%). Based on these findings, we conclude that BMI does not affect the output of these activity monitors. However, waist-borne activity monitors are highly susceptible to under-counting steps at walking speeds below 67 m/min, or stepping rates below 100 steps/min. An activity monitor worn on the ankle is less susceptible to these speed effects and provides the greatest accuracy for step counting

Prevalence and Incidence Rates Are Not the Same: Letter to the Editor

I recently became aware of an article by Weisenthal et al,2 “Injury Rate and Patterns Among CrossFit Athletes,” published in the April 2014 issue of your journal. Considering this is a topic of interest to me, I read the article with great expectations and detail. I commend the authors for their fantastic job, both in their methodology as well as in their interpretation of their findings. They truly did a great job explaining their definition of what constituted an injury, which has been lacking in several studies, as well as providing great recommendations for the “safe” participation in this training modality. However, considering how controversial this topic has become among health care professionals, fitness enthusiasts, and the mainstream media, it is important to point out a major flaw of this study, which is significant. In addition, it is also important for anyone else reading the article to understand the limitations of the data provided and their interpretation

Travel Motives and Golf Tourists: An Exploratory Study

Over the past 25 years the concept of sport tourism has taken on numerous forms and broadened tourism and sport research tremendously. Hui, Wan, and Ho (2007) indicated that the global tourism industry has become increasingly competitive, and golf tourism, as a subcategory of sport tourism, has received more recent attention within the tourism industry. Thus, it is becoming more important for golf courses and golf destinations to identify the variables which attract and retain their golfing clientele. The identification of common characteristics and travel motivations among golf tourists could provide useful information to golf destination marketers in targeting their marketing efforts. Therefore, the aim of this paper is twofold, first, to provide a general overview of the golfing tourists, second, to determine the travel motives of golf tourists who travel and play golf. The data for this study were acquired from an on-line survey. The study was created to develop a profile of those persons who had traveled to play golf within the past two years. A survey consisting of 22 questions was used, the statistical analysis included inferential and descriptive statistics. The final data set consisted of 288 usable surveys. The results revealed a strong relationship between travel, personal escape and interpersonal seeking motives related to golf tourists. In addition, findings related to golf travel and non-golfing activities show that when planning a golf trip/vacation, the golf course itself, not the location of the golf course, is the most important factor, however, visiting a beach or water front area was an important non-golfing activity for respondents. The findings of the study provide important theoretical and managerial implications

A 4-Year Analysis of the Incidence of Injuries Among CrossFit-Trained Participants

Background: High-intensity functional training (HIFT) is a new training modality that merges high-intensity exercise with functional (multijoint) movements. Even though others exist, CrossFit training has emerged as the most common form of HIFT. Recently, several reports have linked CrossFit training to severe injuries and/or life-threatening conditions, such as rhabdomyolysis.Empirical evidence regarding the safety of this training modality is currently limited. Purpose: To examine the incidence of injuries related to CrossFit participation and to estimate the rate of injuries in a large cross-sectional convenience sample of CrossFit participants from around the world. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: A total of 3049 participants who reported engaging in CrossFit training between 2013 and 2017 were surveyed. Results: A portion (30.5%) of the participants surveyed reported experiencing an injury over the previous 12 months because oftheir participation in CrossFit training. Injuries to the shoulders (39%), back (36%), knees (15%), elbows (12%), and wrists (11%)were most common for both male and female participants. The greatest number of injuries occurred among those who participatedin CrossFit training 3 to 5 days per week (w2¼12.51;P¼.0019). Overall, and based on the assumed maximum number of workouthours per week, the injury rate was 0.27 per 1000 hours (females: 0.28; males: 0.26), whereas the assumed minimum number ofworkout hours per week resulted in an injury rate of 0.74 per 1000 hours (females: 0.78; males: 0.70). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that CrossFit training is relatively safe compared with more traditional training modalities.However, it seems that those within their first year of training as well as those who engage in this training modality less than 3 daysper week and/or participate in less than 3 workouts per week are at a greater risk for injuries

Effect of ActiGraph\u27s Low Frequency Extension for Estimating Steps and Physical Activity Intensity

This study examined the effects of the ActiGraph’s (AG) low-frequency extension (LFE) filter on steps and physical activity classification in the free-living environment. Thirty-four African-American women (age, 24.5±5.2 years; BMI, 24.9±4.5 kg/m2) had daily activity measured simultaneously with an AG-GT3X+ accelerometer and a New Lifestyles NL-800 pedometer for seven days. Steps per day (steps/day) and time (minutes/day) spent in sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were examined with and without the LFE filter (AG-LFE and AG-N, respectively). The AG-LFE recorded more total steps (13,723±4,983 steps/day) compared to AG-N and NL-800 (6,172±2,838 and 5,817±3,037 steps/day, respectively; p\u3c0.001). Compared to the AG-N, the AG-LFE estimated less time in sedentary behaviors (518.7±92.1 vs. 504.2±105.4 min/day, respectively; p\u3c0.001), and more time in light (247.7±70.4 vs. 279.1±74.7 min/day, respectively; p\u3c0.001) and MVPA (18.9±16.9 vs. 21.5±18.2 min/day, respectively; p\u3c0.001), respectively. These data suggest that steps and physical activity classifications will be affected when using the ActiGraph with and without the LFE filter. Future research should investigate the accuracy of these measures using the LFE filter

High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT): Definition and Research Implications for Improved Fitness

High-intensity functional training (HIFT) is an exercise modality that emphasizes functional,multi-joint movements that can be modified to any fitness level and elicit greater muscle recruitmentthan more traditional exercise. As a relatively new training modality, HIFT is often compared tohigh-intensity interval training (HIIT), yet the two are distinct. HIIT exercise is characterized byrelatively short bursts of repeated vigorous activity, interspersed by periods of rest or low-intensityexercise for recovery, while HIFT utilizes constantly varied functional exercises and various activitydurations that may or may not incorporate rest. Over the last decade, studies evaluating theeffectiveness of HIIT programs have documented improvements in metabolic and cardiorespiratoryadaptations; however, less is known about the effects of HIFT. The purpose of this manuscript is toprovide a working definition of HIFT and review the available literature regarding its use to improvemetabolic and cardiorespiratory adaptations in strength and conditioning programs among variouspopulations. Additionally, we aim to create a definition that is used in future publications to evaluatemore effectively the future impact of this type of training on health and fitness outcomes

Monitoring Training Load, Well-Being, Heart Rate Variability, and Competitive Performance of a Functional-Fitness Female Athlete: A Case Study

The aim of this case study was to quantify the magnitude of internal load, acute/chronic workload ratio (ACWR), well-being perception, and heart rate variability (HRV) following 38 weeks of functional-fitness training in a female elite athlete. The internal load was obtained with session rating perceived exertion (session-RPE) while the ACWR was calculated by dividing the acute workload by the chronic workload (four-week average). Furthermore, HRV measurements were analyzed via a commercially available smartphone (HRV4training) each morning upon waking whilst in a supine position. The magnitude of internal load was: the weekly mean total during the 38 weeks was 2092 ± 861 arbitrary units (AU); during the preparation for the Open 2018 was 1973 ± 711 AU; during the Open 2018 it was 1686 ± 412 AU; and during the preparation for the Latin America Regional was 3174 ± 595 AU. The mean ACWR was 1.1 ± 0.5 and 50% of the weeks were outside of the ‘safe zone’. The well-being during the 38 weeks of training was 19.4 ± 2.3 points. There were no correlations between training load variables (weekly training load, monotony, ACWR, and HRV), and recuperation subjective variables (well-being, fatigue, sleep, pain, stress, and mood). This case study showed that the training load can be varied in accordance with preparation for a specific competition and ACWR revealed that 50% of the training weeks were outside of the ‘safe zone’, however, no injuries were reported by the athlete. The effectiveness and cost of these methods are very practical during real world functional-fitness

PILATES TRAINING INDUCES CHANGES IN THE TRUNK MUSCULATURE OF ADOLESCENTS

Introduction The Pilates Method may be an appropriate form of exercise for improving trunk muscle strength, which can be a predictor of pain and musculoskeletal problems. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the Pilates Method on muscle strength and endurance of the extensor and flexor muscles of the trunk in a group of adolescents. Methods The sample consisted of 101 high-school students divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG=81) and a control group (CG=20). The intervention was carried out twice a week for six weeks. Each session lasted 55 minutes, and was divided into three parts: warm-up, main part, and cool down. Muscle strength was assessed by the Sörensen Test and the Bench Trunk-curl Test. The paired sample T-test, the T- test for independent samples, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were applied. The size of the effect (d) was determined. Results The EG showed significant improvements in both tests (+34.77 points; +18.55 points, respectively). No changes were observed in the CG. The effect size was high (d\u3e1.15) for both tests, which means that the results were improved in a large proportion of the participants. The control group showed a decline in strength of the trunk musculature. In the experimental group, both boys and girls showed significant improvements in both tests. This strength increase was enhanced for a large proportion of boys and girls (d\u3e1.15). The effect size was high (d\u3e1.15) for both tests and for both sexes. Conclusion Six-weeks after implementing the Pilates Method in Physical Education lessons, the muscle strength of the flexor and extensor muscles of the trunk in adolescents was improved. Level of Evidence II; Therapeutic studies-Investigation of treatment results

Effects of a High-Intensity Interval Training Program Versus a Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training Program on Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Blood Pressure in Healthy Adults: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Participation in aerobic exercise generates increased cardiorespiratory fitness, which results in a protective factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. High-intensity interval training might cause higher increases in cardiorespiratory fitness in comparison with moderate-intensity continuous training; nevertheless, current evidence is not conclusive. To our knowledge, this is the first study to test the effect of high-intensity interval training with total load duration of 7.5 min per session. Methods: A randomized controlled trial will be performed on two groups of healthy, sedentary male volunteers (n = 44). The study protocol will include 24 exercise sessions, three times a week, including aerobic training on a treadmill and strength training exercises. The intervention group will perform 15 bouts of 30 s, each at an intensity between 90 % and 95 % of maximal heart rate. The control group will complete 40 min of continuous exercise, ranging between 65 % and 75 % of maximal heart rate. The primary outcome measure to be evaluated will be maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be evaluated as secondary outcome measures. Waist circumference, body mass index, and body composition will also be evaluated. Discussion: Epidemiological evidence shows the link between VO2max and its association with chronic conditions that trigger CV