Effect of Different Seat Heights during an Incremental Sit-To-Stand Exercise Test on Peak Oxygen Uptake in Young, Healthy Women

‘Sit-to-stand’ exercise uses the repetitive motion of standing up and sitting down in a chair, a common activity of daily living. A new assessment using an incremental sit-to-stand exercise test employs an external sound to control the speed of standing-up and allows increases in work rate. The aims of the study were to examine the effect of different seat heights on peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) during an incremental sit-to-stand exercise and to assess any difference between peak VO2 values during incremental sit-to-stand exercise compared with a cycle ergometer test. Thirteen healthy young women (age: 23.1 ± 2.6 years, height: 1.61 ± 0.06 m, body mass: 51.9 ± 7.4 kg·m-2) participated in four incremental sit-to-stand tests with different seat heights and cycle tests in random order. The seat heights were adjusted to 100%, 80%, 120%, and 140% of knee height distance (100%, 80%, 120%, and 140% incremental sit-to-stand exercise, respectively). The peak VO2 and completion time were measured during incremental sit-to-stand and cycle ergometer tests, and repeated-measures analysis of variance and Student’s paired t-test with Holm’s method were used to evaluate differences between these variables. The peak VO2 values increased by about 10-12 mL·min-1·kg-1 as the seat height on the ISTS decreased over a 60% range of lower leg lengths. The peak VO2 values on the 80%, 100%, 120%, and 140% incremental sit-to-stand tests were about 11%, 25%, 40%, and 50% lower than that on the cycle ergometer test, respectively. The peak VO2 on the incremental sit-to-stand test increased as seat height decreased. These findings are useful to determine which seat height on the incremental sit-to-stand tests test is suitable for different populations

Krill Oil Improves Mild Knee Joint Pain: A Randomized Control Trial

<div><p>Background</p><p>Krill oil is an edible oil extracted from krill, a small red-colored crustacean found in the Antarctic Ocean. The administration of krill oil is reported to mitigate inflammation in patients with cardiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or osteoarthritis. However, the effect of krill oil on mild knee pain has not yet been determined.</p><p>Objective</p><p>To assess the effect of krill oil on mild knee pain.</p><p>Design</p><p>A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial of fifty adults (38–85 years old) with mild knee pain attending the Fukushima Orthopedic Clinic (Tochigi, Japan) between September 2014 and March 2015.</p><p>Interventions</p><p>Participants were randomized to receive 2 g per day of either krill oil or an identical placebo for 30 days.</p><p>Outcomes</p><p>The primary outcome was improvement in subjective symptoms of knee pain as assessed by the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score (JOA). Secondary outcomes included blood and urine biochemical parameters.</p><p>Results</p><p>Both the placebo and krill oil groups showed significant improvements in the questions in the JKOM and JOA questionnaires after administration. After the intervention, krill oil group showed more improvements than placebo group in two questions regarding the pain and stiffness in knees in JKOM. Controlling for age, sex, weight, and smoking and drinking habits, krill oil significantly mitigated knee pain in sleeping (P < 0.001), standing (P < 0.001) and the range of motion of both right and left knees (both P = 0.011) compared to placebo. Krill oil administration raised plasma EPA (P = 0.048) and EPA/AA ratio (P = 0.003).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>This study indicates that krill oil administration (2 g/day, 30 days) improved the subjective symptoms of knee pain in adults with mild knee pain.</p><p>Trial registration</p><p>UMIN-CTR; ID UMIN000014413</p></div

Effects of dietary gelatin hydrolysates on bone mineral density in magnesium-deficient rats

Abstract Background The major types of commercially available gelatin hydrolysates are prepared from mammals or fish. Dietary gelatin hydrolysates from mammals were reported to improve bone mineral density (BMD) in some animal models. In contrast, there is limited study showing the effects of dietary gelatin hydrolysates from fish on BMD. The quantity and structure of peptides in the plasma after oral administration of gelatin hydrolysates depend on the gelatin source, which suggests that the biological activity of gelatin hydrolysates depend on the gelatin source. This study examined the effects of fish-derived gelatin hydrolysate (FGH) or porcine-derived gelatin hydrolysate (PGH) intake on BMD and intrinsic biomechanical properties in magnesium (Mg)-deficient rats as a model showing the decrease in both BMD and intrinsic biomechanical properties. Methods Four-week-old male Wistar rats were assigned into four groups: a normal group was fed a normal diet (48 mg Mg/100 g diet), a Mg-deficient (MgD) group was fed a MgD diet (7 mg Mg/100 g diet), a FGH group was fed a MgD + FGH diet (5% FGH), and a PGH group was fed a MgD + PGH diet (5% PGH) for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, BMD and intrinsic biomechanical properties of the femur were measured. Results The MgD group showed significantly lower Young’s modulus, an intrinsic biomechanical property, and trabecular BMD of the femur than the normal group; however, the MgD diet did not affect cortical BMD and cortical thickness. Both the FGH and the PGH groups showed significantly higher cortical thickness and ultimate displacement of the femur than the normal group, but neither type of gelatin hydrolysate affected Young’s modulus. Furthermore, the FGH group, but not the PGH group, showed significantly higher trabecular BMD than the MgD group. Conclusions This study indicates that FGH and PGH increase cortical thickness but only FGH prevents the decrease in trabecular BMD seen in Mg-deficient rats, while neither type of gelatin hydrolysate affect intrinsic biomechanical properties

Japanese Orthopaedics Association (JOA) scores before and after administration.

<p>Japanese Orthopaedics Association (JOA) scores before and after administration.</p

Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) scores before and after administration.

<p>Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) scores before and after administration.</p

Blood and urine parameters before and after administration.

<p>Blood and urine parameters before and after administration.</p

Changes in Japanese Orthopaedics Association (JOA) score.

<p>Changes in Japanese Orthopaedics Association (JOA) score.</p

Changes in Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) score.

<p>Changes in Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) score.</p

Participant flow.

<p>Participant flow.</p