The effect of aerobic exercise program on pulmonary function and cardiorespiratory capacity in obese women

Objective: To examine the effects of a six-month aerobic exercise program on pulmonary function and cardiorespiratory capacity in obese women. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 subjects - 25 obese women who neither did regular exercise nor applied a special diet program, and 25 healthy controls - were included in the study. Body mass index (BMI), maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) and pulmonary function tests (PFT) values were measured as evaluation parameters in both groups. Obese women were enrolled to a supervised hospital-based bicycle aerobic exercise program for six months at an individualized target heart rate range (50-85% of heart reserve), with an increasing frequency and duration. Evaluation parameters were reevaluated after the exercise program and were compared with the pre-exercise values. Results: VO2max, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, and maximum mid-expiratory flow rate (FEF25-75) were significantly lower in obese women (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant decrease at BMI and statistically significant increase at VO2max, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75 among obese women after completing the 6-month exercise program. Conclusion: It was shown that obese women had lower cardiopulmonary capacity and PFTs when compared to non-obese ones and, aerobic exercise could improve cardiopulmonary capacity and PFTs in obese women. © Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Published by Galenos Publishing

The effects of aerobic and resistance exercises in obese women

Objective: To compare the effects of aerobic and resistance exercise on weight, muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure and mood in obese women who were not on an energy-restricted diet. Design: Randomized, prospective, controlled trial. Setting: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital. Subjects: Sixty obese women were assigned to one of three groups: aerobic exercise (n = 20), resistance exercise (n = 20) and control group (n = 20). Interventions: The aerobic exercise group performed both walking and leg cycle exercise with increasing duration and frequency. The resistance exercise group performed progressive weight-resistance exercises for the upper and lower body. Main outcome measures: Before and after a 12-week period, all subjects were evaluated by anthropometric measurement, rating of mood, cardiorespiratory capacity and maximum strength of trained muscles. Results: After a 12-week training period, subjects in the resistance group showed significant improvement in one-repetition maximum test of hip abductors (7.95 ± 3.58 kg), quadriceps (14 ± 7.18 kg), biceps (3.37 ± 2.84 kg) and pectorals (8.75 ± 5.09 kg) compared with those in the control group (P < 0.001). VO2 max increased (0.51 ± 0.40) and Beck Depression Scale scores decreased (-5.40 ± 4.27) in the aerobic exercise group compared with the control group, significantly (P < 0.001). Only in hip abductor muscle strength was there a significant increase in the resistance exercise group compared with the aerobic exercise group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both aerobic exercise and resistance exercise resulted in improved performance and exercise capacity in obese women. While aerobic exercise appeared to be beneficial with regard to improving depressive symptoms and maximum oxygen consumption, resistance exercise was beneficial in increasing muscle strength. © 2006 SAGE Publications

The efficacy of mirror therapy combined with conventional stroke rehabilitation program on motor and functional recovery

OBJECTIVE: A variety of methods is used in the treatment of upper extremity functional impairment after stroke.In recent years, a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of stroke rehabilitation is the mirror therapy.The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of mirror therapy,which is applied through motor imagination training, combined with conventional stroke rehabilitation program on upper extremity motor and functional recovery in patients with subacute stroke. MATERIAL and METHODS: This is a randomized,prospective,controlled single-blind trial.The study included 20 patients who were diagnosed with stroke.Patients were randomly divided into two groups:first group received conventional rehabilitation program and the second group received conventional rehabilitation program plus mirror therapy on nonparetic upper extremity consisting of wrist extension daily 4 times for 15minutes per session. Both groups received the conventional rehabilitation program for 4 weeks, 5 days a week and daily 1-2h. All patients were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the treatment(week 4).The evaluations were performed by using Brunnstrom Staging, Fugl Meyer Motor Function Scale(FM),Barthel Index(BI) and goniometric measurement of wrist extension. RESULTS: The Brunnstrom stage(p<0.01), total score on FM and BI scores (p<0.01) were improved at week 4 compared to the baseline, whereas wrist subscore on FM and the goniometric measurements of the wrist and wrist extension were significantly improved only in group II.The two treatment groups were not statistically different in terms of posttreatment evaluation parameters. CONCLUSION: In our study,the mirror therapy combined with conventional rehabilitation program was not superior to conventional rehabilitation program alone in terms of upper extremity motor and functional recovery

Comparison of the differences between traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury

Objective: We aim to compare the demographic, clinical and functional characteristics of the non-traumatic spinal cord injury (NT/SCI) patients and the traumatic spinal cord injury (T/SCI) patients. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients diagnosed with SCI and applied a rehabilitation programme in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center of Pamukkale University were investigated retrospectively. The patients were divided into 2 groups as T/SCI and NT/SCI according to their etiology. Age, sex, etiology, level of injury, being complete or incomplete, time of admission to the hospital, duration of hospitalization, complications and functional status were analyzed. Results: Out of 50 patients (34 male, 16 female) with eligible medical records, 13 patients were NT/SCI and 37 patients were T/SCI. In NT/SCI group majority of patients were male (%61.5), most encountered cause of injury was detected as spinal tumors (%46.2) and most of them were incomplete paraplegics (%69.2). Urinary tract infection was the major complication encountered in this group (%84.6). It was also noted that the mean age of NT/SCI patients was higher (53.07±14.5), than the T/SCI group (36.27±16.2) (p=0.02). Moreover incomplete to complete injury ratio was significantly higher in NT/SCI group (p=0.03). The comparison of duration before admission, FIM scores at admission and discharge, length of stay, sex, presence of pressure ulcer, spasticity, urinary tract infection, depression and pain between T/SCI and NT/SCI groups did not yield any significant difference (p≥0.05). Conclusion: The findings in our study indicate that there are differences in terms of age and incomplete versus complete injury ratio among NT/SCI and T/SCI patients. Planning the rehabilitation programme in SCI considering demographic, clinic features and etiological factors and functional results is quite important to predict the target of rehabilitation and estimation of the outcome of treatment. © Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Published by Galenos Publishing. All rights reserved

Vertebral Fracture in Postmenopausal Women with and without Osteoporosis

Objective: Osteoporosis (OP) is a major cause of disability, morbidity and mortaliy. Causes are significant economic burden with fractures. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the only technique that is defined as the gold standard that the World Health Organization currently recommends in determining the fracture risk. The use of direct radiographic examinations is recommended for the causes of false negative results in densitometric examination and for the detection of fracture presenting as OP indicator in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is a retrospective investigation of the need for DXA methodology, which we routinely use for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of OP, in patients with fractures by direct radiography. Materials and Methods: The data of 189 postmenopausal women with DXA, lateral thoracic and lumbar graphy without trauma history, retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups according to DXA results, group 1 consisted 167 postmenopausal women with OP and group 2 consisted 22 postmenopausal women with no OP. In both groups, patients who have at least one fracture according to thoracic and lumbar graphy were evaluated. Results: At least one vertebrae height loss was detected in 61 (32.28%) of 189 postmenopausal women included in the study. At least one fracture was detected in 49 (29.34%) of 167 patients with OP according to DXA results and 12 (54.55%) of 22 patients without OP. Conclusion: With this study; retrospectively demonstrated the need for follow-up of patients with fractures by direct radiography in conjunction with DXA, the gold standard for OP diagnosis and treatment planning in postmenopausal women