An overview of training methods that promote the highest lipid oxidation during and after a single exercise session

Given that physical activity is the most effective way to increase lipid oxidation, its effects are influenced by several factors. The goal of this review was to identify the most effective methods that facilitate the highest lipid oxidation during and after a single exercise session. For this purpose, the available scientific literature was examined using PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library databases up to June 2013 with the following keywords: excess post exercise oxygen consumption, exercise fatty acid, energy expenditure exercise and interval training. From the identified 48,583 potentially relevant references, 172 of them met all the required criteria. It was found out that prolonged (> 30 min) moderate intensity (55 − 70 % VO2max) exercise such as walking, jogging or cycling is the most effective way to increase lipid oxidation during and after a single exercise session. Low-volume high-intensity interval exercise is supposed to be as effective as traditional exercise with continuous endurance, with the main effect on lipid oxidation after the session and similar long-term metabolic adaptations. However, more research is still needed to compare the effects of regular resistance exercise with traditional endurance and high-intensity interval exercise. Finally, nutrition is also a significant factor since food rich in fat and low in carbohydrates promotes greater lipid oxidation

Valjanost mjerenja razine mišićne aktivacije izokinetičkim testiranjem

The study aimed at testing the possibility of using an isokinetic dynamometer to measure muscle activation level (AL). The AL measured with an isokinetic dynamometer and calculated as a ratio between the maximum isometric and eccentric torques was compared against the AL obtained by the double interpolated twitch method. Eighteen male students with different levels of training participated in the study. The average ALs measured by the isokinetic dynamometer (AL_ISOK) at knee angles of 55° and 60°, as well as the average AL calculated from the maximum eccentric torque independently of a knee angle at angular velocities of 60°/s (100.10±13.25%, 92.43±11.82% and 84.33±9.29%, respectively) and 120°/s (99.93±11.93%, 94.61±13.79% and 88.52±14.07%, respectively) did not differ significantly from the average ALs measured by the double interpolated twitch method (AL_TW=89.50±7.42%). Significant correlations were found between AL_TW and several AL_ISOK at the angular velocity of 120°/s. However, the correlations were negative and low to medium (from –.478 to –.609). It was concluded that the AL_ISOK were not comparable to the AL_TW and therefore seemed not suitable for the activation level measurement, although the negative correlations between the two methods still leave this possibility.Cilj je ovoga istraživanja bilo testiranje mogućnosti korištenja izokinetičkoga dinamometra za mjerenje razine mišićne aktivacije (AL). Razina mišićne aktivacije mjerena pomoću izokinetičkoga dinamometra i izračunata kao omjer između maksimalne izometričke i ekscentrične zakretne sile uspoređena je s razinom mišićne aktivacije, dobivenom pomoću metode superponirane stimulacije mišića (interpolated twitch method). Osamnaest studenata različitih razina treniranosti sudjelovalo je u ovom istraživanju. Prosječna vrijednost mišićne aktivacije mjerene pomoću izokinetičkoga dinamometra (AL_ISOK) pri kutovima koljenoga zgloba od 55° i 60°, kao i prosječna vrijednost mišićne aktivacije izračunate iz maksimalne ekscentrične zakretne sile neovisno o kutu u koljenom zglobu pri kutnoj brzini od 60°/s (100.10±13.25%, 92.43±11.82% i 84.33±9.29%) te pri kutnoj brzini od 120°/s (99.93±11.93%, 94.61±13.79% i 88.52±14.07%) nije bila značajno različita od prosječne vrijednosti razine mišićne aktivacije izmjerene pomoću metode superponirane stimulacije mišića (AL_TW=89.50±7.42%). Značajne korelacije utvrđene su između razine mišićne aktivacije AL_ TW i nekoliko vrijednosti izmjerenih izokinetičkim dinamometrom (AL_ISOK) pri kutnim brzinama od 120°/s. Ipak, korelacije su bile negativne i niske do umjerene (od –.478 do –.609). Zaključeno je da razine mišićne aktivacije izmjerene dinamometrom (AL_ISOK) nisu usporedive s razinama izmjerenima metodom superponirane stimulacije mišića (AL_TW) te se zbog toga čini da izokinetički dinamometar nije prikladan za mjerenje razine mišićne aktivacije, premda negativne korelacije između tih dviju metoda još uvijek ostavljaju tu mogućnost

Valjanost mjerenja razine mišićne aktivacije izokinetičkim testiranjem

The study aimed at testing the possibility of using an isokinetic dynamometer to measure muscle activation level (AL). The AL measured with an isokinetic dynamometer and calculated as a ratio between the maximum isometric and eccentric torques was compared against the AL obtained by the double interpolated twitch method. Eighteen male students with different levels of training participated in the study. The average ALs measured by the isokinetic dynamometer (AL_ISOK) at knee angles of 55° and 60°, as well as the average AL calculated from the maximum eccentric torque independently of a knee angle at angular velocities of 60°/s (100.10±13.25%, 92.43±11.82% and 84.33±9.29%, respectively) and 120°/s (99.93±11.93%, 94.61±13.79% and 88.52±14.07%, respectively) did not differ significantly from the average ALs measured by the double interpolated twitch method (AL_TW=89.50±7.42%). Significant correlations were found between AL_TW and several AL_ISOK at the angular velocity of 120°/s. However, the correlations were negative and low to medium (from –.478 to –.609). It was concluded that the AL_ISOK were not comparable to the AL_TW and therefore seemed not suitable for the activation level measurement, although the negative correlations between the two methods still leave this possibility.Cilj je ovoga istraživanja bilo testiranje mogućnosti korištenja izokinetičkoga dinamometra za mjerenje razine mišićne aktivacije (AL). Razina mišićne aktivacije mjerena pomoću izokinetičkoga dinamometra i izračunata kao omjer između maksimalne izometričke i ekscentrične zakretne sile uspoređena je s razinom mišićne aktivacije, dobivenom pomoću metode superponirane stimulacije mišića (interpolated twitch method). Osamnaest studenata različitih razina treniranosti sudjelovalo je u ovom istraživanju. Prosječna vrijednost mišićne aktivacije mjerene pomoću izokinetičkoga dinamometra (AL_ISOK) pri kutovima koljenoga zgloba od 55° i 60°, kao i prosječna vrijednost mišićne aktivacije izračunate iz maksimalne ekscentrične zakretne sile neovisno o kutu u koljenom zglobu pri kutnoj brzini od 60°/s (100.10±13.25%, 92.43±11.82% i 84.33±9.29%) te pri kutnoj brzini od 120°/s (99.93±11.93%, 94.61±13.79% i 88.52±14.07%) nije bila značajno različita od prosječne vrijednosti razine mišićne aktivacije izmjerene pomoću metode superponirane stimulacije mišića (AL_TW=89.50±7.42%). Značajne korelacije utvrđene su između razine mišićne aktivacije AL_ TW i nekoliko vrijednosti izmjerenih izokinetičkim dinamometrom (AL_ISOK) pri kutnim brzinama od 120°/s. Ipak, korelacije su bile negativne i niske do umjerene (od –.478 do –.609). Zaključeno je da razine mišićne aktivacije izmjerene dinamometrom (AL_ISOK) nisu usporedive s razinama izmjerenima metodom superponirane stimulacije mišića (AL_TW) te se zbog toga čini da izokinetički dinamometar nije prikladan za mjerenje razine mišićne aktivacije, premda negativne korelacije između tih dviju metoda još uvijek ostavljaju tu mogućnost

Injury prevention and physiotherapy procedures for ankle injuries in ballet dancers

The aim of this study was to investigate the most frequent, effective and up-to-date injury prevention and physiotherapy procedures used in relation to ballet dancers’ ankle injuries. A literature review with a qualitative analysis was performed using the following databases: PubMed, SAGE, ScienceDirect, PlosOne and Cochrane Library. The inclusion criteria were: both genders, age > 18, journal impact factor > 0, age of study ≤ 10 years and the following search keywords were used: “ankle”, “injury”, “ballet”, “dancers”, “physiotherapy”, “physical therapy” and “prevention”. A total of 520 articles were found, out of which six were determined to be appropriate according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. They dealt with the prevention/rehabilitation of ankle sprains (N=2), tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon (N=2), tendinitis of the m. hallucis longus (N=4), rupture of the Achilles tendon (N=2), and anterior (N=3) and posterior (N=4) impingement syndrome. It was found that for injury prevention in ballet, strengthening and stretching exercises are the most often used methods, while rest, ice therapy, muscle strengthening exercises, foot braces and dance technique optimisation are the most frequently used methods in injury management. These seem to also be the most up-to-date injury prevention and physiotherapy procedures, while the most effective procedures could not be retrieved due to a lack of relevant studies, which prevented the quantitative comparison of their effectiveness. The published clinical evidence endorses physiotherapy/kinesiotherapy as an effective ankle injury prevention and management modality in ballet dancers, although additional studies with a better quality of methodology are required

BENEFITS OF MOTOR AND/OR COGNITIVE EXERCISE: A REVIEW WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE THIRD AGE

Physical activity in the form of aerobic and resistance exercise, leading to a high level of cardio-respiratory fitness represents a strong non-pharmacological preventive tool against cognitive decline and thus the occurrence of neuro-degenerative diseases in the third age. However, the effects are even greater if such exercise is performed on regular basis in the form of simultaneous combination of a motor and additional cognitive task, dancing or interactive video dancing or as a body-mind meditative exercise like Tai Ji Quan. The aim of this article is a review of benefits of motor/cognitive exercise with recommendations for older adults. In the first part, the benefits and effects of physical activity and exercise on cognitive functions are reviewed. Physical activity and exercise have an important role in mitigating age-related structural and behavioral changes within the brain, increases BDNF levels in the hippocampus, enhances learning and neurogenesis in the hippocampal regions and optimizes spatial abilities. The second part is expanded onto the benefits and effects of combined motor and/or cognitive exercise on cognitive functions with recommendations. This combination of motor and/or cognitive exercise could be achieved so that both activities are performed separately, one after another, named “motor and cognitive exercise” or simultaneously, named “motor-cognitive exercise”. Based on this premise, we divided the second part into three sub-topics: i) the effects of physical exercise/training followed by computerized and other forms of cognitive training, ii) the effects of simultaneously performed motor and cognitive exercise/training and iii) the effects of dancing, interactive video dancing and ancient body-mind meditative techniques. Studies suggest that a combination of mental and physical training may result in greater cognitive gains, namely in larger improvements in the executive control task and in the paired-associates task