ABDOMINAL PRESSURIZATION AND MUSCLE ACTIVATION DURING SUPINE TRUNK CURLS

Trunk curls are common exercises in sports training. A multitude of practical recommendations exist on how to best perform this type of exercise to reach a specific effect. Since abdominal muscles can contribute to breathing, it was thought of interest to study the effects of systematic variations in breathing on the pattern of abdominal muscle activation during trunk curls. Of particular interest was the influence of fluctuations in the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), since changes in IAP have been shown to be coupled to the activation of the innermost abdominal muscle, the Transversus abdominis (TrA), and also to be able to contribute to an extensor moment of the trunk

ANALYSIS OF ELITE GOLFERS’ KINEMATIC SEQUENCE IN FULL-SWING AND PARTIAL SWING SHOTS

INTRODUCTION: Proximal-to-distal sequencing (PDS) has been observed in full-swing golf shots as in most throwing and striking skills, where the main goal is to maximize speed in the most distal segment of an open-link system (Zheng et al., 2007). Although PDS primarily is associated with mechanical advantage when the speed requirement is high, this temporal order has also been found and ascribed various merits in relatively slow multi-joint movements (Furuya & Kinoshita, 2007). However, no research to date has examined the sequencing pattern in partial golf shots to submaximal distances. The purpose here was to investigate whether PDS is a common characteristic also in partial swing shots of skilled golf players. METHODS: A total of 47 golfers were investigated, 11 male tournament professionals, 23 male amateurs (HCP 0 ± 2 strokes), and 13 female amateurs (HCP -2 ± 2 strokes) performed partial shots with a wedge to targets at three discrete distances (40, 55 and 70 m), and full-swing shots with a five iron as well as a driver in the same direction for maximal distance. Pelvis, upper torso, and hand movement were recorded in 3D with an electromagnetic tracking system (Polhemus) at 240 Hz. The magnitude of the resultant angular velocity vector of each segment was used to examine the sequencing pattern and the angular speed of segment motions. Movement onset, peak amplitude and time for peak amplitude were analyzed in separate repeated-measure ANOVAs with pre-planned Bonferroni corrected pairwise comparisons. Significance level was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: This study showed a significant proximal-to-distal temporal relationship of movement onset and maximum angular speed at the pelvis, upper torso and hand segments in the golf swing. The same temporal structure was evident in all test conditions, as well as among different genders and levels of expertise. However, the increment in angular speed from the upper torso to hand were significantly larger for male professionals than for female amateurs at all shot conditions and significantly larger for male amateurs than for female amateurs at full-swing shots. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: While there exists a body of evidence in support for PDS providing mechanical advantages when the highest possible ball speed is to be achieved, merits of PDS in partial golf shots are less evident. However, it has been proposed that a given torque or force can be more accurately generated by a stronger muscle than a weaker muscle (Hamilton et al., 2004) and a potential role of the observed sequencing pattern in partial shots of skilled golf players could be to improve accuracy and minimize the speed-accuracy tradeoff. REFERENCES: Zheng N., Barrentine S.W., Fleizig G.S., Andrews J.R. (2008). Kinematic analysis of swing in pro and amateur golfers, International Journal of Sports Medicine, 6, 487-493. Furuya S., Kinoshita H. (2007). Roles of proximal-to-distal sequential organization of the upper limb segments in striking the keys by expert pianists, Neuroscience Letters, 421, 264-269. Hamilton A., Jones K.E., Wolpert D.M. (2004). The scaling of motor noise with muscle strength and motor unit number in humans, Experimental Brain Research, 157, 417-430

Serum levels of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) increase temporarily after physical exercise in patients with knee osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND: COMP (Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) is a matrix protein, which is currently studied as a potential serum marker for cartilage processes in osteoarthritis (OA). The influence of physical exercise on serum COMP is not fully elucidated. The objective of the present study was to monitor serum levels of COMP during a randomised controlled trial of physical exercise vs. standardised rest in individuals with symptomatic and radiographic knee OA. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 58 individuals at predefined time points before and after exercise or rest, one training group and one control group. The physical exercise consisted of a one-hour supervised session twice a week and daily home exercises. In a second supplementary study 7 individuals were subjected to the same exercise program and sampling of blood was performed at fixed intervals before, immediately after, 30 and 60 minutes after the exercise session and then with 60 minutes interval for another five hours after exercise to monitor the short-term changes of serum COMP. COMP was quantified with a sandwich-ELISA (AnaMar Medical, Lund, Sweden). RESULTS: Before exercise or rest no significant differences in COMP levels were seen between the groups. After 60 minutes exercise serum COMP levels increased (p < 0.001). After 60 minutes of rest the serum levels decreased (p = 0.003). Median serum COMP values in samples obtained prior to exercise or rest at baseline and after 24 weeks did not change between start and end of the study. In the second study serum COMP was increased immediately after exercise (p = 0.018) and had decreased to baseline levels after 30 minutes. CONCLUSION: Serum COMP levels increased during exercise in individuals with knee OA, whereas levels decreased during rest. The increased serum COMP levels were normalized 30 minutes after exercise session, therefore we suggest that samples of blood for analysis of serum COMP should be drawn after at least 30 minutes rest in a seated position. No increase was seen after a six-week exercise program indicating that any effect of individualized supervised exercise on cartilage turnover is transient

Help-seeking behaviour among people living with chronic hip or knee pain in the community

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A large proportion of people living with hip or knee pain do not consult health care professionals. Pain severity is often believed to be the main reason for help seeking in this population; however the evidence for this is contradictory. This study explores the importance of several potential risk factors on help seeking across different practitioner groups, among adults living with chronic hip or knee pain in a large community sample.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Health care utilization, defined as having seen a family doctor (GP) during the past 12 months; or an allied health professional (AHP) or alternative therapist during the past 3 months, was assessed in a community based sample aged 35 or over and reporting pain in hip or knee. Adjusted odds ratios were determined for social deprivation, rurality, pain severity, mobility, anxiety/depression, co-morbidities, and body mass index.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 1119 persons reporting hip or knee pain, 52% had pain in both sites.</p> <p>Twenty-five percent of them had seen a doctor only, 3% an AHP only, and 4% an alternative therapist only. Thirteen percent had seen more than one category of health care professionals, and 55% had not seen any health care professional. In the multivariate model, factors associated with consulting a GP were mobility problems (OR 2.62 (1.64-4.17)), urban living (OR 2.40 (1.14-5.04) and pain severity (1.28 (1.13-1.44)). There was also some evidence that obesity was associated with increased consultation (OR 1.72 (1.00-2.93)). Factors were similar for consultation with a combination of several health care professionals. In contrast, seeing an alternative therapist was negatively associated with pain severity, anxiety and mobility problems (adjusting for age and sex).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Disability appears to be a more important determinant of help-seeking than pain severity or anxiety and depression, for adults with chronic pain in hip or knee. The determinants of seeking help from alternative practitioners are different from determinants of consulting GPs, AHPs or a combination of different health care providers.</p

The effect of massage on localized lumbar muscle fatigue

BACKGROUND: There is not enough evidence to support the efficacy of massage for muscle fatigue despite wide utilization of the modality in various clinical settings. This study investigated the influence of massage application on localized back muscle fatigue. METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy subjects participated in two experimental sessions (massage and rest conditions). On each test day, subjects were asked to lie in the prone position on a treatment table and perform sustained back extension for 90 seconds. Subjects then either received massage on the lumbar region or rested for a 5 minute duration, then repeated the back extension movement. The median frequency (MDF), mean power frequency (MNF), and root mean square (RMS) amplitude of electromyographic signals during the 90 second sustained lumbar muscle contraction were analyzed. The subjective feeling of fatigue was then evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS: MDF and MNF significantly declined with time under all conditions. There was no significant difference in MDF, MNF or RMS value change between before and after massage, or between rest and massage conditions. There was a significant increase in fatigue VAS at the end of the 2(nd) back extension with rest condition. There was a significant difference in fatigue VAS change between massage and rest condition. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference was observed between massage and rest condition on VAS for muscle fatigue. On EMG analysis, there were no significant differences to conclude that massage stimulation influenced the myoelectrical muscle fatigue, which is associated with metabolic and electrical changes

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) prevalence and quantitative detection of DNA proviral load in individuals with indeterminate/positive serological results

BACKGROUND: HTLV-1 infection is currently restricted to endemic areas. To define the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection in patients living in Italy, we first carried out a retrospective serological analysis in a group of people originating from African countries referred to our hospital from January 2003 to February 2005. We subsequently applied a real time PCR on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects with positive or indeterminate serological results. METHODS: All the sera were first analysed by serological methods (ELISA and/or Western Blotting) and then the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects with positive or inconclusive serological results were analyzed for the presence of proviral DNA by a sensitive SYBR Green real time PCR. In addition, twenty HTLV-I ELISA negative samples were assayed by real time PCR approach as negative controls. RESULTS: Serological results disclosed serum reactivity by ELISA (absorbance values equal or greater than the cut-off value) in 9 out of 3408 individuals attending the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic and/or Oncology Department, and 2 out 534 blood donors enrolled as a control population. Irrespective of positive or inconclusive serological results, all these subjects were analyzed for the presence of proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by SYBR real time PCR. A clear-cut positive result for the presence of HTLV-1 DNA was obtained in two subjects from endemic areas. CONCLUSION: SYBR real time PCR cut short inconclusive serological results. This rapid and inexpensive assay showed an excellent linear dynamic range, specificity and reproducibility readily revealing and quantifying the presence of virus in PBMCs. Our results highlight the need to monitor the presence of HTLV-1 in countries which have seen a large influx of immigrants in recent years. Epidemiological surveillance and correct diagnosis are recommended to verify the prevalence and incidence of a new undesirable phenomenon