Assessment of psychomotor skills using finger pulse guided biofeedback tool in young medical students: Psychomotor skills using heart rate as biofeedback tool

Psychomotor skills are the organized patterns of muscular activities guided by signals from the environment. These skills can be influenced by factors like age, gender, built of an individual and handedness. It’s a known fact that the dominant hand has more dexterity; nevertheless, proficiency of the non-dominant hand can be improved with repetition of tasks and procedures. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of biofeedback mechanism on psychomotor skills performance and gender variation in their activity. Eighty participants aged between 20-30 years were recruited after taking the informed consent. All the subjects performed number countdown test and 100 pin dexterity test. Tests were done by fixing the subject’s heart beats instead of stipulated time which was picked up by finger Pulse plethysmography using optocoupler principle. The results were compared between the males and age-matched female participants. The pin dexterity scores with a right and left hands in males (57.2±8.1, 42.16±7.3) were significantly higher than females (48.41±8.4, 37.58±6.8) (p = 0.001 and p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in number countdown test scores. The results suggest that males handle a skilled performance better than females. This is perhaps males were less anxious as the task was designed in such way that it has to be completed by counting down the heart beats. In that way, the males got more time duration as the heart rate did not shoot up when the task was assigned

Effects of Therapeutic Calf Massage on Cardiac Autonomic Function in Healthy Volunteers—a Pilot Study

Background: Calf massage is a therapeutic intervention that improves circulation and relieves us from pain & tightness. The calf massage also improves autonomic performance by modulating the vagal tone of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, the current study was intended to determine therapeutic calf massage on cardio autonomic activity in healthy subjects. Objective: To assess the immediate effect of a single 20-min session of calf massage on cardiac autonomic modulation through heart rate variability (HRV) measurement. Materials & Methods: In this study, 26 apparent healthy female participants aged between 18 and 25 years participated. Massage over the calf muscles on both legs for 20 min was performed, and resting cardiovascular parameters and HRV parameters were measured at baseline, immediately after the massage, and during the recovery periods (10 and 30 min after the massage). Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed with post hoc analysis. Results: Immediately after the massage intervention, heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP), and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were decreased (p < .01), and the reduction was persisted at 10 min and 30 min of the recovery period (p < .01). In HRV parameters, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and high-frequency normalized unit (HF n.u.) increased, and low frequency (LF n.u.) decreased after the massage, and at the 10 and 30 min of the recovery period. Conclusion: The present study reports suggest a significant reduction in heart rate and blood pressure after the massage therapy. A drop in sympathetic tone and raise in parasympathetic tone can also attribute to the therapeutic effect.

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among South Indian pregnant women

Background: Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread across the globe. Expectant women are one of the most vulnerable groups for vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Even in South India with abundance of sunlight, pregnant women are believed to be at a high risk of this deficiency. The objectives of this study are to assess the prevalence of VDD in antenatal women, associate it with modifiable risk factors and evaluate its correlation with low birth weight. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital, in Chennai, in 100 pregnant women in their last trimester on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and their vitamin D and calcium levels were assessed. A detailed history regarding physical activity, diet, and sun exposure were collected and results were analyzed. Results: The point prevalence of VDD (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D) level <20 ng/mL) among antenatal women in our study is 62%. Univariate analysis revealed that sun exposure and socioeconomic status were the significant factors associated with higher percentage of VDD. Linear regression analysis showed that only sun exposure was a significant predictor for serum 25(OH) D levels. VDD is also associated with increased risk of low-birth-weight babies. Conclusion: VDD is highly prevalent among pregnant women in South India leading to adverse health consequences in the mother and offspring. Less physical activity, decreased sun exposure, darker skin complexion, lower socioeconomic status and lack of awareness are the major risk factors associated with VDD in our study population