A critical review of recommendations to increase dietary protein requirements in the habitually active

Some scientists and professional organisations have called for an increase in dietary protein for those who reach a threshold level of exercise, i.e. endurance athletes. But there are individual scientists who question this recommendation. Limitations in the procedures used to justify changing the recommended daily allowance (RDA) are at issue. N balance has been used to justify this increase; but it is limiting even when measured in a well-controlled clinical research centre. Experimental shortcomings are only exacerbated when performed in a sports or exercise field setting. Another laboratory method used to justify this increase, the isotope infusion procedure, has methodological problems as well. Stable isotope infusion data collected during and after exercise cannot account for fed-state gains that counterbalance those exercise losses over a 24 h dietary period. The present review concludes that an adaptive metabolic demand model may be needed to accurately study the protein health of the active individual

Ocean Surfing as a Novel Physiotherapy Environment: A Commentary

Aquatic exercise for both fitness and rehabilitation are presently being offered to individuals of various special populations [1]. Pool programs offer physical activity and educational programming that can be particularly helpful for children with disabilities. The physiologic, psychologic, and social benefits of aquatic exercise are often found to be more pronounced in these children [2]

The Ocean as a Unique Therapeutic Environment: Developing a Surfing Program

Educational aquatic programming offers necessary physical activity opportunities to children with disabilities and the benefits of aquatic activities are more pronounced for children with disabilities than for their able-bodied peers. Similar benefits could potentially be derived from surfing in the ocean. This article describes an adapted surfing program that was designed to develop and enhance the children\u27s strength, flexibility, range of motion, coordination, balance, and psychosocial development. Throughout the program, the children and their surf instructors were encouraged to set realistic individual goals. Many positive outcomes were derived from the project, including gains in social development and self-confidence

Benefits of Surfing for Children with Disabilities: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an eight-week surfing intervention for 16 children with disabilities. The assessment procedure consisted of pre and post physical fitness measures to determine the benefits of this intervention. Our results showed an overall improvement in upper body strength (right: P = 0.024, left: P = 0.022), core strength (P = 0.002) and cardiorespiratory endurance (P = 0.013). This research is the first of its kind, illustrating the feasibility and effectiveness of a surfing intervention on improving the physical fitness of children with disabilities

Effectiveness of Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities

Background: Few researchers have examined the effects of surf programs on children with disabilities. Due to previous research findings, surfing is being used, as the focus of physical activity intervention due to its numerous health and therapeutic benefits. Objective/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of an eight-week surfing intervention on various physical fitness measures in 71 children with disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, global developmental delays, and cerebral palsy. The study also sought to compare the differences in overall fitness levels between the surf therapy group and an unstructured pool playgroup. Researchers predicted significant differences in the surf therapy group. Methods: The assessment procedure consisted of pre and post physical fitness measures selected from the Brockport Physical Fitness Test in two groups: surfing (n=71) and an unstructured aquatic program (n=20). Results: The results demonstrated significant improvements in core strength (p = 0.00), upper body strength (p = 0.00), flexibility (p = 0.01) and cardiorespiratory endurance (p = 0.00) in the surfing group. However, there were no significant differences in overall fitness levels between the surfing and unstructured pool playgroups. Body composition measurements on the surfing group demonstrated a significant reduction in total body fat % (p = 0.016) and fat free mass (p = 0.008) and a significant improvement in bone mineral density (p = 0.004) pre to post surf therapy. Conclusions: This research demonstrated the effectiveness and physiological benefits of surf therapy for children with selected disabilities

A Diabetic Adolescent Case Study: Use of a Website in Combination with an Exercise Program to Increase Physical Activity

International Journal of Exercise Science 5(3) : 296-300, 2012. The purpose of this study was to report on the efficacy of a web-based technology support to encourage physical activity in children. This program was designed to promote physical activity and proper nutrition in the diabetic adolescent with a weekly meeting that consisted of a 30-minute educational session followed by 60-minutes of exercise. A specifically designed website was used as a support to this weekly supervised exercise program. Outcomes assessment included body mass index (BMI), muscle strength (grip strength, back and leg strength), flexibility, exercise self-efficacy, and physical activity participation (pedometer, LEAP II Survey). Improvements occurred in steps walked per day and exercise self-efficacy indicating that a once a week formal exercise, when combined with a technology support, is useful in increasing physical activity behavior

Post-Menopausal Effects of Resistance Training on Muscle Damage and Mitochondria

Manfredi, TG, Monteiro, MA, Lamont, LS, Singh, MF, Foldvari, M, White, S, Cosmas, AC, and Urso, ML. Postmenopausal effects of resistance training on muscle damage and mitochondria. J Strength Cond Res 27(2): 556–561, 2013—The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of a 12-month progressive resistance training intervention on muscle morphology and strength gains in postmenopausal women. Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of 5 independent community-dwelling women (mean age: 75.6 ± 4.28 years; mean height: 163 ± 5.34 cm; mean weight: 72 ± 17.5 kg) before 6 months and 12 months after progressive resistance training. Muscle strength (1 repetition maximum) was measured at the same time points. After 6 months of training, morphological analysis revealed evidence of increased proteolysis and tissue repair, and rudimentary fiber development. The percent of Z-bands with mild Z-band disruption increased from 43.9% at baseline to 66.7% after 6 months of training (p \u3c 0.01). Mitochondrial volume also increased (percent of mitochondria = 0.86% at baseline, 1.19% at 6 months, and 1.04% at 12 months, p \u3c 0.05), and there was a shift to larger sized mitochondria. The training did not result in statistically significant increases in muscle leg strength (p \u3c 0.18). It appears that mild Z-band disruption acts as a precursor for increased protein synthesis and stimulates an increase in mitochondrial mass. Therefore, although a progressive resistance training program in this population did not increase muscle strength, it did demonstrate clinical applications that lend support to the importance of resistance training in older adults

IQuaD dental trial; improving the quality of dentistry : a multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing oral hygiene advice and periodontal instrumentation for the prevention and management of periodontal disease in dentate adults attending dental primary care

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