Gait maturation in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study

This study aimed at observing children with cerebral palsy's (CP) gait maturation and to correlate gait maturation's motor skill parameters. Podogram and video shooting of eight children's gait were used. Children up to seven years of age participated in the study. Cluster analysis was applied, dividing the sample into two groups, using the relation between pelvis’ width and the spreading of the ankles (REL) as parameters. Data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of Deltas, and Pearson’s correlation. Deviance from normality for all the parameters was demonstrated with greater failure in speed and cadence and a significant correlation among these parameters, and yet between them and the REL parameter. Although children with CP had acquired gait, they still do it immaturely

PILATES EXERCISES FOR QUALITY OF LIFE OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A CASE STUDY

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system causing unpredictable symptoms that affects the person’s quality of life. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of Pilates exercises using apparatus in quality of life of an individual with diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis. METHODS: Case study, female, 37 years old, diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The intervention consisted of Pilates exercises using Reformer, Cadillac and Ladder Barrel planned according to participant’s needs, twice a week, 50min/session, during a period of 3 months. The participant was evaluated at baseline and after 3 months. Quality of life was measured by Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Inventory (MSQLI) and participant weekly self-report. RESULTS: The participant reported significant decrease of fatigue and spasticity, improvement on bower/bladder incontinence and mobility. According to MSQLI scores at baseline and after 3 months of Pilates, improvements were observed in Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (53 vs 16), MOS Pain Effects Scale (17 vs 9), Bladder Control Scale (9 vs 1), Bowel Control Scale (6 vs 2) and Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (39 vs 29). CONCLUSION: This case study showed positive changes in the perception of quality of life, suggesting that Pilates exercises using apparatus may be feasible and beneficial for people with Multiple Sclerosis but larger studies are required to confirm these findings

VALIDATION OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS TO ESTIMATE THE MAXIMAL OXYGEN CONSUMPTION IN CYCLE ERGOMETER

F. Policarpo, I. Majdalane, S. Luna Cruz, & P. Roquetti Fernandes University Pedro de Valdívia, Chillan, Chile The need to establish trusted parameters of physical fitness, being the exercise a physical activity or focused on high performance, and the reliability of the results found in physical test as well as the development of new methods, have been the focus of several areas of research. PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to validate the applicability of equations to estimate consumption VO2máx developed on a treadmill to estimate consumption VO2máx using a cycle ergometer. METHODS: The study had a sample of 19 volunteers, men, (22 ± 3,5 years old, 70,3 ± 5,8 Kg, 176 ± 6 cm, 10,4 ± 4,5% of Body Fat), physically active and healthy, who have done maximal incremental test on a treadmill (add the maximal value of VO2máx for the test on treadmill) and incremental test on a cycle ergometer a week later, to establish the VO2máx 53,30±5,68 ml.kg-1.min-1 for a load of 269,74±28,36W, increasing workload every 1 minute. In order to consider the results obtained during the validation of the equations reliable and trustworthy, the following statistical treatment where applied: Analysis of the normality curve using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; comparison of means using paired t-test; analysis of Bland &Altman scores and standard error of estimate. RESULTS: When the compared mean values of VO2máx obtained during the test, there was a significant difference for the mean estimated by one of the 8 equations analyzed. For the other equations, it was founded that one tends to underestimate the VO2máx in 42%. The analysis of residual scores pointed out that the equation VO2máx = 30.14 + [3.17*(Tmplim)] + [7.74*(gender)] – [0.14*(FClim)] + [0.16*(VElim)] shows a better applicability for the estimation of VO2máx when using a cycle ergometer, showing a mean error of ≈5%, when applying the following predictor variables: time to ventilatory threshold, volume expiratory to ventilatory threshold, heart rate corresponding to ventilatory threshold and gender. CONCLUSIONS: The application of the model described to estimate VO2máx in individuals with the same characteristics of the sample used is recommended, as the results obtained during the process to validate mathematical models have showed significantly reliable for men that are physically active and healthy

Effects of respiratory therapeutics and physical activity in maximal respiratory pressures of obese women

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of differing therapies on maximal static respiratory pressure in 51 obese women divided into three groups: i) sedentary women (n = 19, aged 57.37 ± 8.10 years, BMI = 38.3± 5.9); ii) physically active women (n = 13, aged 60.31 ± 8.94 years, BMI = 38.0 ± 7.7) submitted to seven days of therapy through incentive spirometry, and iii) women in pulmonary rehabilitation (n = 20, aged 48.75 ± 13.71 years, BMI = 34.7±3.8) submitted to a 12-week program of aerobic physical activity at 70% heart rate reserve, and breathing and stretching exercises. Data were treated using a one way ANOVA with post-hoc Turkey, within groups with paired t test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results showed a significant post-therapy (p < .05) for the maximal static respiratory pressure between and within group with significant changes on obese women's maximal static respiratory pressure