Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Intellectual Disability

This study discusses the heart rate (HR) in people with intellectual disability (ID) comparing the resting HR and HR after 2 minutes of exercise of athletes participating in Special Olympics (SO) in table tennis (TT) and cross-country (XC) skiing (XC skiing, 50 m, 1 km, and 3 km). The results showed a similar increase between the resting HR and HR after 2 minutes of exercise for TT players and XC skiers competing in 3 km race. Changes in HR in XC skiers competing in 50 m and 1 km races between the rest and exercise were noticeably higher indicating their lower fitness. Future studies focused on the relationship of HR variables, and training quality will provide a more detailed knowledge of the cardiorespiratory fitness and ID relationship

Assessment Of COP Characteristics And Force-Time Changes During Walking In The Third Trimester Of Pregnancy

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to analyse the COP characteristics and force-time changes during walking between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. The secondary objective was to verify the influence of the specific orthopaedic shoes that were given to the experimental group. This study represents the second part of a research project that processed the same group of pregnant women in order to acquire extended information about gait during pregnancy.Methods: Seventy-three pregnant women participated in this study. This group was random divided into the experimental group (35 pregnant women) wearing specific orthopaedic shoes and the control group (38 pregnant women). The motor task consisted of five gait trials where two foot prints for each leg were always recorded. The participants started barefoot walking 3 m ahead of the pressure platform and finished the trial 1 m after the end of the platform in order to preserve acceleration and deceleration in gait. Participants walked at their own preferred velocity. All pedobarometric parameters were registered by Emed walkway - trademark of novel gmbh in Munich, Germany.Results: The first script processed data to these variables (COP characteristics): Centre of pressure index (COPI), centre of pressure excursion index (COPEI), distance (D) of COP, maximum velocity (MaV) and mean velocity (MeV) of COP. The second script processed data for ten pre-defined areas of the foot: hindfoot, midfoot, MH1-5 – metatarsal heads, big toe, second toe, toes 3, 4 and 5 with these applied variables (force-time characteristics): Force-time integral (FTI) and contact time (CT). For the experimental group, in comparison between 27th week and the 36th week of gestation, we can find lower COPI for both feet, significantly only for the left foot (p=0.04). Also, significant difference in COPEI (p=0.03, p=0.03) for both feet was found. In comparison pre and post measurement we found higher values of parameters COPI and COPEI and that indicates more lateral weight shifting during the last trimester. We can distinctly register extension of D, especially for the left foot (p=0.04). Changes in velocity of COP indicate that MaV was increased for both feet (p=0.00, p=0.00) and MeV was significantly increased only for the right foot (p=0.00) in the 36 week of pregnancy. For the control group, we found no significant changes in COPI, COPEI or COP. MaV and MeV of COP were significantly increased for both feet in the 36 week of pregnancy (p=0.02, p=0.00, p=0.01, p=0.00). Higher values of MaV and MeV indicate that pregnant women accelerated their walking in the 36 week of pregnancy.Further, force-time characteristics in most cases did not reveal statistically significant changes in the last trimester.Conclusion: Over the last three months of pregnancy, significant observable changes can be found, especially through COP parameters of both groups. We found out that the specific orthopaedic shoes given to the experimental group influenced the trajectory of COP, which could have positive health aspects. Further, certain conflicting results of our study in comparison with other similar studies only confirm that individual biomechanic and physiological developments in pregnancy affect the kinematic and kinetic aspects of walking differently.Key Words: Center of pressure, pregnancy, gait, feetPurpose: The primary aim of this study was to analyse the COP characteristics and force-time changes during walking between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. The secondary objective was to verify the influence of the specific orthopaedic shoes that were given to the experimental group. The experimental group wore patented J Hanák R biomechanical footwear and insoles, which are designed to help with redistribution of forces acting the feet, to support both longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot and to strengthen the foot muscles during movement.Methods: Seventy-three pregnant women participated in this study. This group was random divided into the experimental group (35 pregnant women) wearing specific orthopaedic shoes and the control group (38 pregnant women). The motor tasks consisted of five gait trials where two foot impacts for each leg were always recorded. The participants started barefoot walking 3m ahead of the pressure platform and finished the trial 1m after the end of the platform in order to preserve acceleration and deceleration in gait. Participants walked at their own preferred velocity. All pedobarometric parameters were registered by Emed walkway - trademark of novel gmbh in Munich, Germany. Data processing was divided to two scripts. The first script processed data of the variables (COP characteristics): Centre of pressure index (COPI), centre of pressure excursion index (COPEI), distance (D) of COP, maximum velocity (MaV) and mean velocity (MeV) of COP. The second script processed data for ten pre-defined areas of the foot: hindfoot, midfoot, MH1-5 – metatarsal heads, big toe, second toe, toes 3, 4 and 5 with these applied variables (force-time characteristics): Force-time integral (FTI) and contact time (CT).Results: For the experimental group, in comparison between 27th week and the 36th week of gestation, we found lower COPI for both feet, significantly only for the left foot (p=0.04). Also, significant difference in COPEI (p=0.03, p=0.03) for both feet was found. In comparison pre and post measurement we found higher values of parameters COPI and COPEI and that indicates more lateral weight shifting during the last trimester. We can distinctly register extension of D, especially for the left foot (p=0.04). Changes in velocity of COP indicated that MaV was increased for both feet (p=0.00, p=0.00) and MeV was significantly increased only for the right foot (p=0.00) in the 36 week of pregnancy. For the control group, we found no significant changes in COPI, COPEI or COP. MaV and MeV of COP were significantly increased for both feet in the 36th week of pregnancy (p=0.02, p=0.00, p=0.01, p=0.00). Higher values of MaV and MeV indicate that pregnant women accelerated their walking in the 36th week of pregnancy. Further, force-time characteristics in most cases did not reveal statistically significant changes in the last trimester.Conclusion: Over the last three months of pregnancy, significant observable changes can be found, especially through COP parameters of the experimental and the control group. We found out that the specific orthopaedic shoes given to the experimental group influenced the trajectory of COP, which could have positive health aspects. Further, certain conflicting results of our study in comparison with other similar studies only confirm that individual biomechanic and physiological developments in pregnancy affect the kinematic and kinetic aspects of walking differently

Negative Training Responses During The Runners’ Career Could Cooperate in an Early Career Termination: A Case Study in Top-Level Female Runners From the Slovakian National Team

Purpose: The early drop-out in professional youth athletes is a complex and multi factors process and seems to be more common in individual sports with higher physical demands, such as the running disciplines. Also, it has previously been reported that youth female athletes presented a higher drop-out rate compared with males. The present study, therefore, investigated the causes of early-career termination and possible association with wellness and low energy availability in youth female runners. Methods: Data from four female runners (aged from 22 to 24 years) from the Slovakian national team in running disciplines who have ended their careers early were collected. A semi-structured interview was performed to explore multiple factors (advent athletics, training, regeneration, sleep, diet, health, emotions, motivation, communication, environmental pressure, coach, habits, reasons for ending an athletic career and a better relationship with the sport) and the questionnaire about wellness and low energy availability in females (LEAF-Q).   Results: The interview shows that the most common factors of early-career termination of a former runner were: an early specialization in the discipline, inadequate training dose-response (e.g., high intensity and insufficient recovery), pathological nutritional behaviour, health problems, psychological factors, and loss of motivation. The factors reported during the interview were associated with negative results of the wellness questionnaire (score 10±1.9) and with LEAF-Q (score 12±2.9). Conclusion: The study highlights the multi factors involved in early career termination. Based on the athletes’ reports, was possible to notice that the early sports specialization in running disciplines affected negatively their health, nutrition and psychological aspects, and could be triggered by higher training loads and insufficient recovery. Caution should be taken by coaches and professionals involved during the sports specialization, in order to minimize the negative impact of training routine on youth athletes and consequently avoid an early drop-out

Heart Rate Of Athletes With Intellectual Disability During Table Tennis Matches

Hodnoty srdeční frekvence jsou považovány za významný ukazatel zdatnosti jedince, intenzity cvičení a sympatické aktivace. V české literatuře je málo studií, které by se zabývaly srdeční frekvencí u sportovců s mentálním postižením. Cílem předložené studie je popsat charakteristiky srdeční frekvence během patnácti zápasů stolního tenisu v rámci 23. ročníku národního turnaje Českého hnutí speciálních olympiád. Sledováno bylo deset jedinců (6 mužů, 4 ženy), kteří se účastní pravidelného sportovního tréninku a soutěží ve stolním tenise dle pravidel Speciálních olympiád nejméně 3 roky. Srdeční frekvence byla měřena pomocí sport testeru Forerunner® 15, Garmin Ltd, který měli participanti připnutý na hrudníku v průběhu svého herního dne. Hodnoty srdeční frekvence během zápasů byly spolu s dobou trvání jednotlivých zápasů a výsledným skóre zápasů statisticky zpracovány. Korelační koeficienty získané pomocí scatterplotu ukazují na statisticky významný vztah hodnot průměrné srdeční frekvence během zápasu na výsledném skóre, pravděpodobně ovlivněný prožíváním emocí a psychického stresu sportovci s mentálním postižením spojeného s prohrou v zápase. Vliv hracího času na průměrnou srdeční frekvenci nebyl během sledovaných zápasů statisticky významný. Následná analýza složení těla sledovaných sportovců ukázala, že šedesát procent z nich se nachází v kategorii nadváhy až obezity. Tyto výsledky zdůrazňují potřebu podpory zdravého životního stylu a pohybových aktivit u populace s mentálními disabilitami.Heart rate values are considered to be a significant indicator of individual fitness, intensity of exercise and sympathetic activation. There are few studies in Czech literature that focuses on the heart rate in athletes with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of heart rate on subjects during fifteen table tennis matches and within the 23rd national tournament of the Czech Special Olympics Movement. Ten participants (6 males, 4 females) who had for at least 3 years trained regularly and participated in table tennis competitions under the Special Olympics rules, were observed. Their heart rate was measured using a sports tester Forerunner® 15, Garmin Ltd, which was fastened on the participant’s chest during their game day. Heart rate values during the matches were statistically processed along with the matches’ duration and the resulting match scores. Correlation coefficients obtained from scatterplots show a statistically significant relationship of mean heart rate values during the match with the resulting score, probably influenced by emotional and psychological stress associated with the match loss. The effect of match duration on the heart rate was not statistically significant during observed matches. Subsequent analysis of the body composition of the athletes showed that sixty percent of were in the category of overweight or obesity. These results highlight the need to promote healthy lifestyles and physical activity in the population with intellectual disabilities

Plantar Pressure Sore Formation During Advanced Phases Of Pregnancy And The Effect Of Special Footwear

Plantar pressure sore occurrence is an indicator of increased plantar pressures which may develop into subsequent foot problems and pain. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of special footwear on plantar pressure sore distribution. 67 healthy pregnant women at 27, 32 and 37 gestational weeks participated in data collection sessions. At each data collection session, the plantar pressure sore distribution was assessed for both feet. During the first data collection session participants were randomly divided into a control and experimental group. Experimental group were given the special footwear. For the control group, the results show an increase in pressure sore occurrences in the medial edge of thumb and first metatarso-phalangeal joint. The special footwear introduction in the experimental group increased the pressure sore occurrence at the edge of the heel, probably due to an association with the plantar pressure redistribution more towards the heel area. The distribution of pressure sore areas of the control and experimental group is in accordance with our hypothesis that the special footwear redistributes plantar pressure. However, the trend of these changes is not clear as there are many factors influencing the foot condition during advanced stages of pregnancy

Description of the menstrual cycle status, energy availability, eating behavior and physical performance in a youth female soccer team

The aim of the study was to describe the menstrual status and perception, risk of low energy availability (LEA) and the presence of orthorexia nervosa (ON) in youth female from a soccer team. Also, verify the possible effect of LEA and ON on physical performance. Data from 19 female players (14.6 ± 1.42 yr) belonging to a soccer team from Cyprus was taken during pre-season. The menstrual cycle status was evaluated by specific questions, LEA by the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q), ON by the ORTO-R questionnaire and physical performance by jump, handgrip and cardiorespiratory exercise tests. Players were separated into the risk of LEA and ON. Comparison and correlation tests were performed with a significance set at p < 0.05. As the main results, 66.7% of players perceived that the menstrual period affects their performance in the game, 83.3% did not communicate with coaches about their menstrual cycle; the prevalence of risk of LEA was 26.3%; players with risk of LEA also presented higher scores ON; neither LEA nor ON presented a significant association with players performance. The findings highlighted that youth players perceived an impact of the menstrual period on performance, but did not communicate with the coach about it. Players with the risk of LEA and high values of ON seem not to be associated with a decrease in physical performance during the pre-season evaluation. Attention is required as the players were assessed once. Monitoring these parameters throughout the sports season is recommended to obtain better clarification about the topic

Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Kinanthropology

Proceedings of the 12th Conference of Sport and Quality of Life 2019 gatheres submissions of participants of the conference. Every submission is the result of positive evaluation by reviewers from the corresponding field. Conference is divided into sections – Analysis of human movement; Sport training, nutrition and regeneration; Sport and social sciences; Active ageing and sarcopenia; Strength and conditioning training; section for PhD students

The effect of menstrual cycle on perceptual responses in athletes : a systematic review with meta-analysis

This article aimed to investigate the effects of menstrual cycle phases on perceptual responses in athletes by means of systematic review and meta-analysis. The search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Sport Discus databases considering articles with two or more menstrual phases for comparison. The PECO criteria were used for the keywords “menstrual cycle,” “athletes,” and “perceptual responses” with their respective entry terms. Of 1.165 records identified, 14 articles were available for the final evaluation, while eight articles were eligible for a meta-analysis. The perceptual responses evaluated in the studies were: motivation, competitiveness, sleep quality, stress, muscle soreness, fatigue, perceived effort, mood, menstrual symptoms, perceived endurance, and readiness. The meta-analysis was conducted for perceived effort only. The results showed that the level of perceived exertion does not differ two phases of the menstrual cycle (MD = 3.03, Q = 1.58, df = 1, p = 0.209), whereas RPE was 19.81 ± 0.05 and 16.27 ± 0.53 at day 1–5 and day 19–24, respectively. Two studies found statistically significant changes in motivation and competitiveness during the cycle, with better outcomes in ovulatory phase compared to follicular and luteal. One study found an increase in mood disturbance in the pre-menstrual phase (vs. mid-cycle)one decreased vigor in the menstrual phase (vs. luteal)one increased the menstrual symptoms in the follicular phase (vs. ovulation), and one study reported increased fatigue and decreased sleep quality on luteal phase (vs. follicular). The remaining studies and variables were not affected by the menstrual cycle phase. Based on the results from the studies selected, some perceptual responses are affected in different menstrual cycle phases. A “favorable” subjective response in athletes was noticed when the ovarian hormones present an increase in concentration levels compared to phases with lower concentration. Different perceptual variables and methodological approaches limit the generalization of the conclusion

Assessment of distribution of plantar pressures and foot characteristics during walking in pregnant women

The main purpose of this research was to analyse the distribution of plantar pressures and foot characteristics during walking between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. The secondary purpose was to test the effect of the customized orthopaedic shoes that were worn by the experimental group. Methods: Pregnant women (n = 73) were divided into 2 groups, control group (n = 38) and experimental group (n = 35) which completed 5 gait trials on a walkway (1.55m) at a self-selected velocity of gait, where force, pressure and remaining foot characteristics were sampled and displayed by Novel database pro m (version 25.3.24). Results: Analysis of foot characteristics did not reveal important changes. Analysis of the distribution of plantar pressures revealed few changes in the pre- and post-measurement of the experimental and control groups between weeks 27 and 36 of pregnancy. In the last measurement, there is a significant increase of peak pressure only in the midfoot area of the left foot (151.1 ± 41.2 kPa) and in the hindfoot area of the right foot (346.3 ± 104.1) of the experimental group. The control group exhibits similar pressure development for both of foot. Conclusions: Monitored parameters demonstrated in certain areas notably development of force and contact area. Results of foot characteristics did not reveal a significant changes. As both groups registered similar values in certain areas in a comparison of pre/post measurement characteristics, the influence of specific orthopaedic shoes cannot be conclusively demonstrated in the experimental group

El impacto de la actividad física durante el embarazo en el aumento de peso y los resultados del parto

Abstract: Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy has been previously associated with preventing delivery complications; how- ever, the current evidence is inconsistent. herefore, this study analyzes how physical activity afects pre-term birth, Apgar score in the irst minute, birth weight, induction of labor, cesarean section, use of analgesia and an- esthesia, duration of the second stage of labor and pregnancy weight gain. Methods: he study population, selected from European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood consisted of 2,921 women. Physical activity data were obtained via questionnaires self-administered during the second trimester, while data associated with delivery were obtained via questionnaires administrated by health care professionals. A univariate analysis was used to evaluate the inluence of physical activity on delivery complications. he efect of physical activity on weight gain during preg- nancy and the second stage of labor duration were tested using a Mann- Whitney test and a one-sample t-test, respectively. Results: Analyzed delivery outcomes were found to be afected by maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass and the number of previous live births. Nei- ther particular physical activities nor their volume were found to inluence delivery complications or the duration of the second stage of labor. Howev- er, physical activities such as aerobics, keep it exercise, swimming, weight training and cycling were found to afect weight gain during pregnancy. Conclusions: Results of this study conirms that current physical activity recommendations for healthy pregnant women are linked to no negative efects on either the delivery or the unborn baby.Resumen: Introducción: La actividad física regular durante el embarazo se ha asociado previamente con la prevención de complicaciones del parto; sin embargo, la evidencia actual es inconsistente. Por lo tanto, este estudio analiza cómo la actividad física afecta el nacimiento prematuro, puntaje de Apgar en el primer minuto, peso al nacer, inducción del parto, cesárea, uso de analgesia y anestesia, duración de la segunda etapa del parto y aumento de peso durante el embarazo. Métodos: Participaron en el estudio 2.921 mujeres, seleccionadas del Es- tudio Longitudinal Europeo de Embarazo e Infancia (ELSPAC), que se inició en la República Checa a principios de la década de 1990. Los datos de actividad física se obtuvieron a través de cuestionarios autoadministrados durante el segundo trimestre del embarazo, mientras que los datos asocia- dos con el parto se obtuvieron a través de cuestionarios administrados por profesionales de la salud. Se utilizó un análisis univariado para evaluar la inluencia de la actividad física en las complicaciones del parto. El efecto de la actividad física sobre el aumento de peso durante el embarazo y la du- ración de la segunda etapa del trabajo de parto se analizaron mediante una prueba de Mann-Whitney y una prueba t de una muestra, respectivamente. Resultados: Los resultados del parto analizados se encontraron afectados por la edad materna, la masa corporal previa al embarazo y el número de hijos nacidos vivos previos. Ni las actividades físicas particulares ni su volumen inluyeron en las complicaciones del parto ni en la duración de la segunda etapa del parto. Sin embargo, se descubrió que las actividades físicas como aeróbicos, keep it ejercicio, nadar, entrenar con pesas y andar en bicicleta afectan el aumento de peso durante el embarazo. Además, el 34.9% de las mujeres embarazadas analizadas no alcanzaron la actividad física mínima recomendada. Conclusiones: La actividad física entre las mujeres embarazadas se ha esta- blecido como beneiciosa; este estudio también conirma que las recomen- daciones actuales de actividad física para mujeres embarazadas sanas no tienen efectos negativos en el parto ni en el bebé nonato