Oxygen Uptake and Energy Expenditure during Treadmill Walking with Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) Shoes

[Purpose] It is suggested that walking with Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoes will increase oxygen uptake and result in greater consumption of energy relative to walking with conventional shoes, but this has not been sufficiently investigated. [Methods] To examine this supposition, ten subjects walked on a treadmill with different types of shoes (jogging or MBT shoes), treadmill inclinations (zero or 10 % inclination) and walking speeds (i.e. self-selected walking speed or fast walking speed). Oxygen uptake, heart rate, lung ventilation, ratings of perceived exertion and energy expenditure were measured during all walking conditions by a stationary metabolic cart. [Results] On a flat treadmill at self-selected and fast walking speeds, physiological responses were similar for jogging and MBT shoes. In contrast, fast uphill walking with MBT shoes significantly increased oxygen uptake by about 5% relative to jogging shoes. The calculated energy expenditure for 60 minutes of fast, uphill walking was about 6% higher when using MBT shoes. [Conclusion] The magnitude of increases in oxygen uptake and energy expenditure when using MBT shoes were quite small, and the clinical relevance regarding reductions in body weight may be negligible

Acute Post-Exercise Blood Pressure Responses in Middle-Aged Persons with Elevated Blood Pressure/Stage 1 Hypertension following Moderate and High-Intensity Isoenergetic Endurance Exercise

Source at https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol13/iss3/19.This study investigated the acute post-exercise hypotension (PEH) response in persons with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension following moderate and high-intensity isoenergetic endurance exercise. Twelve middle-aged persons (six females), with resting systolic and diastolic BP of 130±6 and 84±7 mmHg, participated in three bicycle ergometer bouts: 1) Testing of peak aerobic capacity (VO2peak), 2) Moderate intensity exercise (MOD) at 66% of VO2peak, 3) High-intensity exercise (INT) at 80% of VO2peak. All variables were recorded pre-exercise, during exercise and 0, 5, 10, and 30 minutes post-exercise. The total duration of exercise was 26% longer during MOD than INT (p 2 = 0.33, p < 0.003). In conclusion, this study shows that endurance exercise with different intensities and durations, but similar TEE is equally effective in eliciting reductions in the post-exercise systolic BP. Furthermore, the magnitude of PEH response is partly dependent on the individuals’ resting blood pressure

Energy expenditure of transfemoral amputees walking on a horizontal and tilted treadmill simulating different outdoor walking conditions.

Background and aim: Transfemoral amputees often report that walking on tilted pavements or in terrain with the prosthesis on the highest side is quite strenuous. This study investigates the energy expenditure of transfemoral amputees (n=8) walking on altered treadmill positions simulating different outdoor walking conditions. Method: Oxygen uptake at self selected speed of gait was measured during walking at three different treadmill positions: (I) Horizontal treadmill, (II) 3 % tilt in the sagittal plane and (III) 3 % tilt in both the sagittal and frontal plane of the treadmill. Results: The difference in oxygen uptake between position I and II was in median 4,3%, and 16,4% between position II and III (p≤ 0, 05 for all comparisons). The subjects utilized about 50% of their VO_2_max when walking in position I and II while energy expenditure increased to about 60% of the amputees VO_2_max when walking in position III. Conclusion: Transfemoral amputees use significantly more energy when walking on a moderately tilted surface in the frontal plane compared to walking with a tilt in the sagittal plane only. The prosthetic leg becomes functionally too long when the walking surface is tilted sideways, and the transfemoral amputees adopt a more energy consuming gait pattern

Acute Post-Exercise Blood Pressure Responses in Middle-Aged Persons with Elevated Blood Pressure/Stage 1 Hypertension following Moderate and High-Intensity Isoenergetic Endurance Exercise

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(3): 1532-1548, 2020. This study investigated the acute post-exercise hypotension (PEH) response in persons with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension following moderate and high-intensity isoenergetic endurance exercise. Twelve middle-aged persons (six females), with resting systolic and diastolic BP of 130±6 and 84±7 mmHg, participated in three bicycle ergometer bouts: 1) Testing of peak aerobic capacity (VO2peak), 2) Moderate intensity exercise (MOD) at 66% of VO2peak, 3) High-intensity exercise (INT) at 80% of VO2peak. All variables were recorded pre-exercise, during exercise and 0, 5, 10, and 30 minutes post-exercise. The total duration of exercise was 26% longer during MOD than INT (p \u3c0.001), while total energy expenditure (TEE) was similar between exercise conditions (359 ± 69 kcal). Oxygen consumption, heart rate, power output and ratings of perceived exertion was 21, 13, 21 and 26% higher during INT than MOD exercise, respectively (0.05 ≤ p ≤ 0.001). Compared to pre-exercise, systolic BP was significantly lower at 30 min post-exercise following both INT (p \u3c 0.05) and MOD (p \u3c 0.01) exercise, and there was no difference between INT and MOD conditions. Other variables were similar to pre-exercise values at 30 min post-exercise. Linear regression shows that the largest post-exercise reductions in systolic BP was found for the persons with the highest pre-exercise systolic BP (r = 0.58 r2 = 0.33, p \u3c 0.003). In conclusion, this study shows that endurance exercise with different intensities and durations, but similar TEE is equally effective in eliciting reductions in the post-exercise systolic BP. Furthermore, the magnitude of PEH response is partly dependent on the individuals’ resting blood pressure

Gut microbiota is associated with dietary intake and metabolic markers in healthy individuals

Background: Metabolic diseases have been related to gut microbiota, and new knowledge indicates that diet impacts host metabolism through the gut microbiota. Identifying specific gut bacteria associated with both diet and metabolic risk markers may be a potential strategy for future dietary disease prevention. However, studies investigating the association between the gut microbiota, diet, and metabolic markers in healthy indi-viduals are scarce.Objective: We explored the relationship between a panel of gut bacteria, dietary intake, and metabolic and anthropometric markers in healthy adults.Design: Forty-nine volunteers were included in this cross-sectional study. Measures of glucose, serum tri-glyceride, total cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), and body mass index (BMI) were collected after an overnight fast, in addition to fecal samples for gut microbiota analyzes using a targeted approach with a panel of 48 bacterial DNA probes and assessment of dietary intake by a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Correlations between gut bacteria, dietary intake, and metabolic and anthropometric markers were assessed by Pearson’s correlation. Gut bacteria varying according to dietary intake and metabolic markers were assessed by a linear regression model and adjusted for age, sex, and BMI.Results: Of the 48 gut bacteria measured, 24 and 16 bacteria correlated significantly with dietary intake and metabolic and/or anthropometric markers, respectively. Gut bacteria including Alistipes, Lactobacillus spp., and Bacteroides stercoris differed according to the intake of the food components, fiber, sodium, saturated fatty acids, and dietary indices, and metabolic markers (BP and total cholesterol) after adjustments. Notably, Bacteroides stercoris correlated positively with the intake of fiber, grain products, and vegetables, and higher Bacteroides stercoris abundance was associated with higher adherence to Healthy Nordic Food Index (HNFI) and lower diastolic BP after adjustment.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the relationship between the gut microbiota, diet, and metabolic mark-ers in healthy individuals. Further investigations are needed to address whether these findings are causally linked and whether targeting these gut bacteria can prevent metabolic diseases.publishedVersio

Replacing saturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids increases the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and is associated with reduced total cholesterol levels-a randomized controlled trial in healthy individuals

Improving dietary fat quality strongly affects serum cholesterol levels and hence the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Recent studies have identified dietary fat as a potential modulator of the gut microbiota, a central regulator of host metabolism including lipid metabolism. We have previously shown a significant reduction in total cholesterol levels after replacing saturated fatty acids (SFAs) with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary fat quality on gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and bile acids in healthy individuals. In addition, to investigate how changes in gut microbiota correlate with blood lipids, bile acids, and fatty acids.publishedVersio

Effect of one-year combined program of supervised resistance training and home based training on strength and functional capacities of a 70-year old patient diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A case report

The value of resistance training (RT) for people with Parkinson disease (PD) is disputed, but recent research shows promising results regarding effects of intensive RT. The main aim of this case report was to develop a combined model consisting of home-based training (HT) and supervised RT as a 1-year follow-up to evaluate changes in functional capacities of a patient with PD. The intervention consisted of 8 weeks of supervised progressive RT, followed by 12 weeks of individual HT. This sequence was then repeated, for a total follow-up of 12 months. Functional capacities were assessed between all training periods with a battery of clinical measures. During the second HT period, functional outcomes and muscle strength were better preserved compared with the first HT period. These results are important regarding how to design and implement efficient exercise regimens for patients with PD and show that progressive RT twice a week for 2 months combined with home training in periods is effective in improving muscular strength and functional capacities

Reported Outcome Measures in Studies of Real-World Ambulation in People with a Lower Limb Amputation: A Scoping Review

Background: The rapidly increasing use of wearable technology to monitor free-living ambulatory behavior demands to address to what extent the chosen outcome measures are representative for real-world situations. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the purpose of use of wearable activity monitors in people with a Lower Limb Amputation (LLA) in the real world, to identify the reported outcome measures, and to evaluate to what extent the reported outcome measures capture essential information from real-world ambulation of people with LLA. Methods: The literature search included a search in three databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE) for articles published between January 1999 and January 2022, and a hand-search. Results and conclusions: 98 articles met the inclusion criteria. According to the included studies’ main objective, the articles were classified into observational (n = 46), interventional (n = 34), algorithm/method development (n = 12), and validity/feasibility studies (n = 6). Reported outcome measures were grouped into eight categories: step count (reported in 73% of the articles), intensity of activity/fitness (31%), type of activity/body posture (27%), commercial scores (15%), prosthetic use and fit (11%), gait quality (7%), GPS (5%), and accuracy (4%). We argue that researchers should be more careful with choosing reliable outcome measures, in particular, regarding the frequently used category step count. However, the contemporary technology is limited in providing a comprehensive picture of real-world ambulation. The novel knowledge from this review should encourage researchers and developers to engage in debating and defining the framework of ecological validity in rehabilitation sciences, and how this framework can be utilized in the development of wearable technologies and future studies of real-world ambulation in people with LLA